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ArduPilot - Arduino Compatible UAV Controller w/ ATMega328

Description: This is a Arduino-compatible autopilot board designed by Chris Anderson and Jordi Muñoz of DIY Drones using the new ATMega328. This board was used to win the annual autonomous vehicle competition put on by SparkFun.

ArduPilot is a fully programmable autopilot that requires a GPS module and infrared XY and Z sensors to create a functioning Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The autopilot handles both stabilization and navigation, eliminating the need for a separate stabilization system. It also supports a "fly-by-wire" mode that can stabilize an aircraft when flying manually under RC control, making it easier and safer to fly. The hardware and software are all open source. The board comes with all the surface-mount parts already soldered, but requires the user to solder on connectors. Firmware is already loaded, but the autopilot software must be downloaded and loaded onto the board by the user. It can be programmed with the Arduino IDE. All details and instructions can be found at the project's home page.

We highly recommend the following items to accompany this product:

An EM406 GPS module
An FTDI Basic or FTDI cable for programming
An extended EM406 GPS cable
An Expansion Board with airspeed sensor
XY and Z sensors

Other necessary elements, including aircraft recommendations, can be found at the project's home page.

Features:

Controller designed to be used with autonomous aircraft, car or boat. Infrared sensor required only for aircraft.
Based on a 16MHz Atmega328 processor. Total onboard processing power aprox 24 MIPS.
Built-in hardware failsafe that uses a separate circuit (multiplexer chip and ATTiny processor) to transfer control from the RC system to the autopilot and back again. Includes ability to reboot the main processor in mid-flight.
Multiple 3D waypoints (limited only by memory)
Comes with a 6-pin GPS connector for the 1Hz EM406 GPS module.
Has six spare analog inputs (with ADC on each) and six spare digital input/outputs to add additional sensors
Supports addition of wireless downlink module for telemetry
Can be powered by either the RC receiver or a separate battery
Hardware-driven servo control, which means less processor overhead, tighter response and no jitters.
Four RC-in channels (plus the autopilot on/off channel) can be processed by the autopilot.
LEDs for power, failsafe status, autopilot status and GPS lock

Dimensions: 30mm x 47mm

Documents:

Schematic
Eagle Files
ArduPilot Project Homepage
Software and instructions: DIY Drones Community
ATtiny Firmware

Pricing

images are CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

ASCII version

Comments 13 comments

sblaszak | about 2 years ago 2

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: THIS UNIT WILL NOT WORK AT AN ALTITUDE OVER 18000 METERS (60000 FEET)
This unit uses a Sirf-III GPS chipset has a limitation that buyers should know about. THIS UNIT WILL NOT WORK AT AN ALTITUDE OVER 18000 METERS (60000 FEET). This doesn’t matter to most people, but is important to hobbyists that take part in high altitude weather ballooning, amateur rocketry, etc. Someone I know mistakenly purchased a Sirf-based unit for ballooning and I’m hoping to save people from making the same mistake.
I’m going to post this in the comments section of all the Sirf-based Sparkfun products in the hope of saving someone from from making the same mistake. I apologize if the Sparkfun guys consider this spamming, that isn’t my intent. It, also, isn’t my intent to drive business away from Sparkfun. They have an awesome collection of GPS products and many of the other modules don’t have this limitation.
- Zlite | about 2 years ago 2
  
  Sblasazk, I think you’re a little confused about this product. It doesn’t “a Sirf-III GPS chipset”; it just has a GPS connector that can work with any GPS module. The code, meanwhile, is actually optimized for the uBlox 5 module, not Sirf-III. All GPS modules have altitude limits, but the uBlox is higher than the figure you gave.
vatosupreme | about 3 years ago 1

When will these be off backorder?? (hopefully in time for the competition?)
path | about 3 years ago 1

Can you guys add the schematic for the newest revision with the updated power circuitry? Thanks.
JUPEPA | about 3 years ago 1

Queria saber si estas unidades de “Ardupilot” esta actualizadas a la ultima versi?n.
En Espa?a tienen que programarlas, pues venian sin actualizar.
Saludo
I wanted to know if these units “Ardupilot” This upgrade to the latest version.
Have to program in Spain, came as no update.
Greeting
pseddon | about 3 years ago 1

I have both the early 168 version and this 328 version of the Ardupilot. The settings of the fuses and lockbits are completely different between the two boards and the 328 version whilst it can be programmed using the bootloader seems to be prevented by the lock bits from having either the FlashROM or the EEPROM verified.
Can someone tell me what the fuse and lock bit settings should be for the 328 version and where I can get the bootloader should I have to erase the chip to change the lickbits.
Peter
- Zlite | about 3 years ago 1
  
  The bootloader is part of the Arduino distribution. It’s ATmegaBOOT_168_atmega328.hex in the hardware/bootloaders/atmega folder
  The setup utility works fine with the current (328) board. If you’re having problems with yours we’ll try to sort them on the DIY Drones site, where this product is supported.
SeanReynoldsCS | about 3 years ago 1

Does this have I2C?? I dont see it anywhere.
Zlite | about 2 years ago 1

Sean, ArduPilot is 100% Arduino-compatible, so it has the same I2C functionality as any other Arduino. Several digital pins can be set to handle I2C.
kev | about 2 years ago 1

Is this over kill for a ground based vehicle?
Cleveroldguy | last year 1

The eagle file for this is incomplete missing tracks and connections.
I know it’s an out of date board but can someone please find the right eagle file or put a pdf of the board on the documents.
Thanks.
Member #225830 | about 2 months ago 1

Guys… Any idea how would I be able to connect this ArduPilot with the MaxSonar EZ1 Sensor. Please Anyone that can answer this connection I would really appreciate it.