UAV Autopilot Documentation

This is a documentation site for UAV Autopilot, developed by UAVOS company.

The current hardware version is AP10.

The UAVOS AP Project is not open source, although, the 'Open System' words are stated to show the flexibility of the system, and capability to be integrated in almost any vehicle, with features, to be expanded freely by users.

The PCBs, Schematics and nodes firmware source code is not open source, at least now. The binary files are distributed through debian repository.

The Open Source Linux OS can be used to extend the existing firmware and run user's code onboard. The Ground Control Unit software is supplied with SDK (header files, run-time library, and example), to create extension plugins or communicate with the UAV from user program.

The Software can still be evaluated on Open Hardware platform (now for free).

The project provides Hardware Abstraction Layer for your Unmanned Vehicle, making it able to automatically take-off, execute a mission and land, fully autonomous. And you are open to develop your own algorithms to control your vehicle or payload, running it onboard. Still having full access to controls, i.e.: change parameters or commanded values, or override fast controls, but always having backup capability to recover your vehicle when you do R&D.

The system has distributed architecture, all boards are connected together through Controller Area Network (CAN) interface. There may be several boards of the same type connected to the same system, making it redundant.

Supported configurations

• Standard airplane
• VTOL UAVs (helicopter, or any kind of rotary-wing aircraft, quad copters, hexa, etc.)
• Atmospheric Satellite (formation)
• Blimps
• USVs (boats)
• UGVs (cars)
• Programmable logic controller functionality

Autopilot general features

• Very small size and light weight.
• ESD protection, -40..+80C operation.
• Leading edge components and technologies.
• Able to control fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAVs, VTOLs.
• Redundancy capability.
• Virtual Machine on key nodes for user program extensions onboard.
• Automatic take-off and automatic landing.
• Telemetry 10Hz with compressed stream, 100km LOS.
• AHRS linear accelerations compensation without GPS.
• Dead-reckoning, flight and navigation without GPS.
• Onboard wind speed and direction estimation.
• Ability to run user code for UAV control onboard.
• Bluetooth communication for debugging.
• HIL/SIL simulation with X-plane flight simulator.
• GoogleEarth integration.
• GCU software expandable by plugins and network (SDK).
• Onboard equipment flexibility and expandability (CAN network).
• Real-time controls override through telemetry channel (RC remote).
• Interfaces for external high-precision IMU.
• Controls big UAVs (options with IP67 enclosures).

Controller Area Network (CAN)

All units and components of the AP system connected to the CAN network. The network supports CAN protocols version 2.0A and B. It has been designed to manage a high number of incoming messages efficiently with a minimum CPU load. It also meets the priority requirements for transmit messages.

• Supports CAN protocol version 2.0 A, B Active
• Bit rates up to 1 Mbit/s
• Supports the Time Triggered Communication option Transmission

Additional devices, payloads and standard avionics can be integrated to the system through dedicated interface device.

Thus, all devices are connected by the 4-wire cable (ground, power, CANH, CANL), and this line can also be looped or splitted to isolated networks for reliability and redundancy.