3 replies to this topic

[Dan_C]

Hi folks , just thought i would drop a line and say hello since i think in the near future i will be spending a fair time on here.

I am currently taking a year out to do a masters after working for 12 years as an embedded systems designer and I am finding that a idle mind is not necessarily the best thing to have.

So i have decided to start and finish an idea i have been mulling over for a long time. Basically an interest in fpv model flying.

I am lucky in the fact an ex employer is willing to let me have access to the kit it has eg pcb mill, test kit etc. I will be basing my system around ST ARM7 microcontrollers ( i have all the tools etc, plus over a years use of the chip) so most of the code will be in C.

I am based in Barnsley, south yorkshire, uk.

I tend to fly helicopters more than planes but i do also have a few interesting planes eg a couple of F5D models and so i hope to get some high speed vids from those.

Anyway looking on here i can see there is a load of like minded folk so i am sure if i get stuck on anything somone will know how to get me going.

[Daytona]

Hi folks , just thought i would drop a line and say hello since i think in the near future i will be spending a fair time on here.

I am currently taking a year out to do a masters after working for 12 years as an embedded systems designer and I am finding that a idle mind is not necessarily the best thing to have.

So i have decided to start and finish an idea i have been mulling over for a long time. Basically an interest in fpv model flying.

I am lucky in the fact an ex employer is willing to let me have access to the kit it has eg pcb mill, test kit etc. I will be basing my system around ST ARM7 microcontrollers ( i have all the tools etc, plus over a years use of the chip) so most of the code will be in C.

I am based in Barnsley, south yorkshire, uk.

I tend to fly helicopters more than planes but i do also have a few interesting planes eg a couple of F5D models and so i hope to get some high speed vids from those.

Anyway looking on here i can see there is a load of like minded folk so i am sure if i get stuck on anything somone will know how to get me going.

Hi Dan,

You're just down the road from us, we're based in Wetherby, West Yorkshire (and admin office in Brighton). Welcome to a fantastic hobby/ sport!

It sounds like you're going to be a very interesting one to watch with your knowledge and access to equipment!

Anything you need to know, just ask. I, or the many many more experienced FPVers here, will be happy to help.

Happy Flying!

Simon

[ThomasScherrer]

great Dan welcome,
with your F5D you will find it easy to brake my little speed record :-)
http://www.webx.dk/r...s/video-osd.htm
see the video, turn up the sound !
it is a 4.5kg 2m stick with 2kW :-)
I also invite you to look arround my pages :-) you might find something interesting.
and please fill in your location in your profile, like Simon and I have done,
you are also welcome to be a bit more specific, like UK is kinda big :-)
adding video and gps and osd and such is super adictive :-)

[Dan_C]

Hi Thomas, I see your well on the way and someone to bounce ideas off

I have started already on my design eg getting a base platform started
currently I am working on the firmware update method.

The arm chip I am playing with has a USB cell built in and just needs the code to run it.
THe problem is that the current update method supplied by the IC manufaturer requires a windows driver and software that I know has had at time strange behaviour.
So I am going to take an existing USB class and modify it slightly to allow the firmware to be updated.

Once this is done I will get on with the rest of the project I had in mind,

Something along the lines of

• A Head tracker and ground kit using a Oled screen and buttons for setup and info
• Model based kit eg first of all data logger leading hopefully into a UAV type control.

I was going to look at OSD's and that sort of thing but there is no point in reinventing the wheel when you look at some of the things folks have done here.

But I guess the first step is putting my code/design where my mouth is so until I have something to show I am gonna be quiet and get on with it

Edited by Dan_C, 19 March 2008 - 09:04 AM.