A Raspberry Pi is a key a part of any DIY hobbyist’s toolbox, and due to this there are tons of superior raspberry pi tasks on the market. Naturally, many drone associated tasks began to floor, with a raspberry pi performing because the drone flight controller.
Again within the day, constructing a raspberry pi drone required huge quantities of data and it was no simple process. You’d want to jot down your personal autopilot firmware, perceive actual time computing and plenty of different issues to get a flyable raspberry pi drone. Doable, however very time consuming.
Immediately, we get to cheat and take a shortcut. Or to make use of a euphemism, stand on the shoulders of giants.
There are two essential flight controllers you would use to construct your personal raspberry pi drone.
The primary is from an organization referred to as Emlid. They’ve developed a Raspberry Pi protect referred to as the Navio2 that may flip any regular Raspberry Pi board right into a flight controller. Even higher, the Navio2 protect makes use of open supply autopilot firmware (ArduPilot) out of the field, so that you don’t even want to jot down your personal flight controller!
The second flight controller you would use on a raspberry pi drone is the Pixhawk. This flight controller has been round for a while, however continues to be considered fairly the superior flight controller. It’s open supply {hardware} and has tons of neighborhood assist.
Whereas it does take slightly extra effort to set this sort of raspberry pi drone up, it’s less expensive AND extra dependable than Navio2 drones.
No matter manner you select to construct your raspberry pi drone, it is going to be the final word undertaking drone able to nearly something.
Need to construct a drone with pc imaginative and prescient based mostly management, or another high-level drone utility? You now not have to re-invent the wheel. Merely plug in your flight controller to a raspberry pi and also you’re in enterprise.
Just lately, I constructed my very own DIY Raspberry Pi quadcopter, utilizing the Navio2 protect, and it was admittedly fairly easy. Here’s a video of me controlling the rpi drone with some easy python drone programming, the place no RC controller is required!
Strolling My Raspberry Pi Drone With a Python Script
Of word, each kinds of raspberry pi drones are able to the python management we outlined within the video above. I’ve flown simply as many autonomous missions on my pixhawk powered raspberry pi drone.
When you’re completely new to the drone world and wish to be taught, checkout my information on how to build a diy drone. It’s a fast 15 minute learn, the place you’ll be taught all the pieces required to make your first drone.
Raspberry Pi Drone Equipment
I’ve observed there isn’t a simple drone equipment record of components for folks to construct from. Beneath is the full record of the drone components I used to construct my raspberry pi drone.
When you’d like an intensive information on how you can put these components collectively, how you can make the drone autonomous with python scripting, basic {hardware} and design principle, and far more, I’ve made a course on how to build your own raspberry pi drone. The course has 6 hours of structured video curriculum. Placing the components collectively right into a flyable raspberry pi is simply touching the floor of what’s within the course.
When you’re into free stuff, you’ll be able to try a free excerpt of the drone constructing course by coming into your e-mail beneath. The excerpt is a 20 half video walkthrough of how you can assemble the components beneath into your personal flyable raspberry pi drone!
Drone Equipment Components
Beneath, I’m displaying the components you want for the 2 several types of raspberry pi drone kits. The primary part is components you will want for both construct you select.
The subsequent two sections are construct particular: gadgets underneath “NAVIO2” are solely required for Navio2 builds, and gadgets underneath “PIXHAWK” are solely required for Pixhawk builds.
Required Components for any Raspberry Pi Drone
Components for Navio2 Raspberry Pi Drones
- NAVIO Kit (Comes with Energy module, wires and GPS):
- Telemetry
- PPM Encoder
- GPS Mount
- Vibration Plate
Components for Pixhawk Raspberry Pi Drones
- Pixhawk Kit (Comes with GPS, telemetry, GPS mount, PPM encoder, Energy Module and different issues)
- Pixhawk to Raspberry Pi connector
- 11mm Standoffs and Screws
- Platform to seat on top of Raspberry Pi to mount Pixhawk (Hyperlink requires a 3D printer. You may get inventive with another sturdy platform if wanted)
Required Instruments
Non-obligatory Instruments
Different Flight Management Board Choices
Maybe you wish to construct a drone, however wish to see different flight controller choices. If so, checkout my list of the top drone flight controller boards.