GPS World

Tag: PixHawk

  • USX51 flight controller aids UAV development

    USX51 flight controller aids UAV development

    The USX51 Computing Power Flight Controller by UTMSYS is a system architecture that combines the Pixhawk 6X flight controller with the D Robotics RDK X5 edge-computing module.

    According to the development team, the goal of the USX51 platform is not only to provide hardware, but to simplify complex UAV system integration for developers, research teams, and robotics engineers working on real world deployment scenarios.

    The USX51 system integrates Pixhawk 6X and RDK X5 to support PX4-based UAV development for GNSS-denied, VTOL, and multi-sensor applications.

    The system is designed to support PX4-based UAV development while separating real-time flight control tasks from high compute perception workloads. This decoupled architecture helps maintain flight stability while allowing developers to expand into vision based and autonomous applications.

    The USX51 supports development scenarios including:

    • GNSS-denied navigation
    • VTOL mission platforms
    • Multi-sensor integration
    • Visual perception and tracking
    • ROS2-based robotics workflows
    • Research and autonomous UAV development
    Credit: UTMSYS
    Credit: UTMSYS

    The Pixhawk 6X handles flight critical control functions, while the RDK X5 module provides onboard computing capability for visual processing, sensor fusion, and autonomous related workloads.

    The system also provides multiple communication interfaces including Ethernet, CAN, UART and I2C, allowing developers to integrate cameras, thermal modules, lidar systems, and additional peripherals into their UAV projects.

    Current ecosystem development around USX51 includes PX4 integration, ROS2 workflows, developer testing programs, and community based project collaboration.

  • UAvionix partners with CubePilot on ADS-B IN for carrier board

    UAvionix partners with CubePilot on ADS-B IN for carrier board

    Photo: uAvionix
    Photo: uAvionix

    uAvionix has announced a partnership with autopilot maker CubePilot to integrate ADS-B IN receive capability into its carrier board.

    uAvionix is the designer and manufacturer of communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) equipment for unmanned and manned aircraft.

    CubePilot is the designer and manufacturer of the “The Cube” autopilot (formerly known as Pixhawk) for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

    The new carrier board, available in July, integrates uAvionix’s custom ADS-B silicon for 1090-MHz ADS-B reception for worldwide detect and avoid (DAA) functionality.

    With this integration, UAS operators will be able to see nearby ADS-B OUT enabled aircraft on ARDUPILOT’s Mission Planner, providing the remote pilot in command (RPIC) with timely notification to take the necessary actions to remain well clear.

    CubePilot, which uses the open-source ARDUPILOT platform, previously provided plug-and-play functionality for several uAvionix ADS-B IN and OUT products, including PingRX, Ping2020i and Ping1090i. Support for these products is retained in the new design, allowing for 978MHz ADS-B reception or integration of ADS-B OUT functionality.

    “With this partnership, uAvionix furthers our goal of ensuring safety and common situational awareness between airspace users,” states Christian Ramsey, uAvionix president. “We believe that ADS-B IN functionality should be a requirement for every DAA system for UAS operations over people or beyond visual line of sight, and meeting that requirement should not be cost prohibitive.”

    “The safe integration of UAS into the National airspace of any country needs to take a safety-first approach from all players,” said Philip Rowse, Hex/ProfiCNC (CubePilot) CTO. “By partnering with uAvionix and including the ADSB-in at practically no cost to the customer, we remove the cost barrier, adding safety to our customers’ UAS solutions.. We envisage this added situational awareness, and optional auto avoidance behavior will be an important step towards safely shared skies.”

    Visit uAvionix at AUVSI Xponential in Chicago April 30-May 2 at Booth 4421 and CubePilot at Booth 1816.

  • Skyfish unveils UAV computing, navigation and sensor platform

    Skyfish unveils UAV computing, navigation and sensor platform

    The Skyfish platform is controlled by the tiny SkyNode computer, which integrates with optical, thermal, navigational and lidar devices along with sensors, algorithms and robotics. (Photo: Skyfish)
    The Skyfish platform is controlled by the tiny SkyNode computer, which integrates with optical, thermal, navigational and lidar devices along with sensors, algorithms and robotics. (Photo: Skyfish)

    UAV technology developer Skyfish has introduced a computing platform for commercial drones that fully automates crucial infrastructure inspection and measurement tasks.

    The Skyfish platform was unveiled and is being demonstrated at Booth #133 at the Commercial UAV Expo Americas conference being held Oct. 1-3 in Las Vegas.

    Skyfish supports DJI and PixHawk flight controllers and other popular drone architectures, as well as 3D modeling software from companies such as Bentley Systems Inc.

    Skyfish provides a smarter platform so anyone can fly, inspect and model complex infrastructure with an easy-to-use interface, the company said. The platform also pre-processes the collected infrastructure data and metadata to help create impeccable 3D models.

    Available now to selected early-adopter customers, the Skyfish platform comprises:

    • SkyNode. Application-specific, onboard microcomputer controls the Skyfish system (and any Pixhawk 2.1 or DJI A3-based airframe.)
    • SkyControl. Flight planning software that facilitates the creation and execution of complex flight plans in a few clicks.
    • SkyFish Smart Gimbal. Delivers precision angle measurement with encoded motors to capture deep, highly accurate metadata for 2D mapping and 3D modeling.
    • SkyFish M6 or a DJI Commercial Drone. An expandable and collapsible commercial-grade UAV.

    “The Skyfish platform represents a sea change in commercial drone technology for infrastructure inspection, measurement and analysis,” said Mike Barkasi, project manager at Bentley Systems. “For our infrastructure customers that want to enable the benefits of drone sourced data — but need engineering grade accuracy for their 3D modeling — I believe leveraging both the Skyfish and Bentley platforms together is a good answer.”

    “As a leader in the unmanned aerial system (UAS) industry since 2013, Vision Aerial’s been waiting for a well-designed, autonomous solution that provides both precision navigation and built-in sensor integration,” said Shane Beams, CEO at Vision Aerial. “Skyfish delivers exactly that.”