Introduction

long term vision for the tracking antenna program. this is the key milestones for what we want to do. Using the COTS rf stuff is optimal, band space is limited and tradeoffs are generally severe. EIRP limits are actually quite high for ELRS so taking advantage of directional antennas seems worthwhile. https://serverfault.com/questions/398995/are-wifi-devices-greater-than-1000mw-legal-to-use-in-the-usa . Written during S24.

Table of Contents

Related Conversations

• here

Plan

Plan

Using arduino.

M1

• When [DONE - May 2024]

• goals

  • prototype tracking antenna

    • Nathan’s code

  • base for elrs 2.4 ghz

• hardware

  • arduino based

  • gps on the board

  • Nathan’s board

• features

  • yaw tracking

M2

• goals

  • better groundside integration

  • base for elrs 2.4 ghz and vtx 1.3ghz

• hardware

  • separate boards for most things

  • switch to seeduino xiao

  • gps

    • needs to be not on the board so we can mount it where-ever

  • barometer(bad confirmed by @Roni Kant - inaccurate altitude above sea level)

    • ardupilot gives sea level altitude of the drone

    • mavproxy gives this information to tracking antenna

  • wifi co-processor(now integrated on seeeduio)

    • for mavlink streaming

  • 6s battery support

    • use 24->5 boards

• features

  • pitch tracking

  • mavlink over wifi

  • basic battery monitoring

    • maybe this isn’t needed, requires custom hardware?

M3

• goals

  • better rf integrity

  • ease of use and qol improvements

• hardware

  • bundle in custom hardware Tracking Antenna Controller Improvements (M3)

    • will not be ardupilot based controller.

    • using a board to improve quality of life

  • compass

  • sd card(log over wifi)

  • (tft?) display screen

  • 15dBi antennas

• features

  • dynamic heading resolution

  • integrated logging

  • onboard data/debugging display

M4

• goals

  • airside elrs tracking implementation

  • groundside elrs improvements

• hardware

  • airside

    • minified airside tracking antenna

    • one omnidirectional antenna

    • one directional antenna

  • groundside

    • 2.4 ghz filters

    • tall pole

Outdated Plan

• M1

  • Pitch and Yaw control functional

  • arduino based controller (one designed by Nathan)

  • ELRS 2.4ghz only

  • ground side only

  • completed by Nathan’s Arduino controller ~ May 2024

• M2

  • ardupilot based controller

    • see 2024-06-01 EFS Director Sync

  • wifi support for better integration with ground station

  • 6S batt support and basic battery monitoring

  • 2.4ghz and 1.3ghz receivers mounted

  • improved compass mounting

  • ground side only

  • to be done by Tracking Antenna Controller Improvements (M3)

• M3

  • support high gain, 15dBi antennas for 2.4ghz elrs and 1.3ghz video

  • multiple compasses?

  • automatic tracking fully functional

  • linkstats display

  • long pole to ensure we can get it high off the ground

  • ground side only

• M4

  • airside version

    • reduce size and weight to run lower gain antennas on airside on a small gimball

    • support for gemini airside to run one omni antenna and one directed antenna

    • start with elrs only first

  • ground side version

    • very high q (low pass band insertion loss) filters implemented for 2.4ghz

    • ensure we can mount on a very tall pole.