obstacle avoidance sensors for autonomous quadcopter

[porsche2013]

Hi,


I am building an autonomous quad copter using an APM 2.5 flight controller. I will also put 4 obstacle avoidance sensors, and I am debating about using either the XL maxsonar EZO or SRF02 Ultrasonic range finder. If anyone has done any work using either one, I would appreciate any feedbacks or any other advice.

I have been researching about both type of sensors and have got mixed comments.

Thanks

 

[Bartman]

does the APM system have the ability to incorporate the sensors or is this a custom firmware project in addition to selecting and configuring the sensors?

how does the firmware respond when the sensors return the presence of an obstacle?

sounds interesting!

 

[porsche2013]

Thanks for the response, but have you done any worked with APM and sensors. That's exactly what my question is if APM does support sensors.

 

[glider]

Those I know using such sensors don't use sonar. Here's a few posts at DIY
http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs...an-arc-for-sense-and-avoid?xg_source=activity

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/precision-land-arducopter-demo?xg_source=activity

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/precision-land-arducopter-demo?xg_source=activity

Neat stuff.

 

[dazzab]

I'm not sure about the APM2.5 but Pixhawk has both serial and I2C bus. I'm pretty sure you can put any sensor on those that you want to if you add the driver software to the code. I think it supports canbus as well, or will in the very near future. It's designed to be fairly open.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Arducopter has native support for sonar and Lidar used as an altimeter only. Using them for collision avoidance is not yet supported in any way. I am working on it on behalf of a client, but it requires a lot of custom changes to the program. It is not an easy talk to solve at all.