Hi folks,
I have been flying with my own custom board for several years. Using some code from
ppz such as drivers, ground station, etc.
Now I was seriously thinking of merging my work with ppz project (such as introducing the RTOS ChibiOS) but without loosing some hardware features of my current stuff.
The two main features that I would like to conserve are, one is the floating hardware unit
(currently I am working with STM32F4 with nice RAM and Flash, writing linear algebra employing Eigen lib is really nice for my algorithms) and a separate "fail switch" board.
I do not want to boost my hardware to "production stage" as it is only a prototype, and the hardware itself is not my main goal. And of course I would like to share the experience with other people employing the same hardware (otherwise moving to a "public" platform makes no sense).
Checking the current alternatives that runs ppz, and other open source hardware. I guess
They meet my main requirements (without making extra hardware) and also include other nice minor stuff such as SD slot or a DC/DC converter. And also, in my opinion it has an affordable price.
I would like to know your opinion about some questions:
- Is this strictly legal? PPz and PX4 are different opensource projects, but I do not know whether combining hardware and software from different projects is legal. On my own there is not problem I guess, but if I would like to make it public?
- Based on your experience. Is there a lot of effort to port the firmware to a new hardware?
The good news probably are that ppz currently runs in "little brothers" of STM32F4.
- The sensors on that board are MPU-6000 (3D ACC / Gyro), L3GD20 (3D Gyro), HMC5883L (3D Mag), MS5611 (barometric pressure). I would say that ppz has already implemented drivers for all
of them.
- I currently flying with Futaba employing this receiver for interfacing my board:
- Any other remarks? potential problems that I have not seen yet?
Thanks in advance
--
Héctor