Control drones with Smartphone

Hi,

I ported deviation protocols to Arduino mini for controlling drones with Android Smartphone.
Interface between Arduino and Smartphone is bluetooth.
I named the module as UniConTX and the schematic and codes are open.
Click here for more details





Here is a screen shot for controller UI


UniConTX Firmware can be updated through bluetooth from smartphone.
All models from deviation are not supported due to arduino mini memory limitation.
Only below models are supported. (Actually every model is not tested yet...)
If you want specific models, you need not install all modules. just install the module what you want.

Manufacturer	Model	Type	Module
Ares	Ethos QX75	Quad	NRF24L01
Attop	YD717	Quad	NRF24L01
Attop	YD928	Quad	NRF24L01
Aviator	YK016	Quad	NRF24L01
Cheerson	CX-10	Quad	NRF24L01
Cheerson	CX-11	Quad	NRF24L01
Cheerson	CX-205/SH6057	Quad	NRF24L01
Cheerson	CX-30	Quad	NRF24L01
Flytecs	X-Drone Nano	Quad	NRF24L01
Hisky	FF120	Quad	NRF24L01
Hisky	HMX120	Quad	NRF24L01
HobbyKing	Q-Bot Micro	Quad	NRF24L01
Huan	QI 881	Quad	NRF24L01
Hubsan	X4	Quad	A7105
Hubsan	H107C	Quad	A7105
Hubsan	H107L	Quad	A7105
Hubsan	H107D	Quad	A7105
Hubsan	H111	Quad	A7105
Huaxiang Toys	Sky Walker 8983	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 385	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 388	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 389	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 390	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 391	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 392	Quad	NRF24L01
JD	JXD 393	Quad	NRF24L01
JIAYUAN	S-2	Quad	NRF24L01
JJR/C	1000A	Quad	NRF24L01
JJR/C	F180	Quad	NRF24L01
JJR/C	F182	Quad	NRF24L01
JJR/C	H8C	Quad	NRF24L01
Landbow	X-Dart Next	Quad	NRF24L01
Ni Hui	U207	Quad	NRF24L01
Nincoair	Quadrone	Quad	NRF24L01
Sanlianhuan	SH 6043 Ladybug	Quad	NRF24L01
Sanlianhuan	SH 6044	Quad	NRF24L01
Sanlianhuan	SH 6046 Puffer	Quad	NRF24L01
Sanlianhuan	SH 6048 F22	Quad	NRF24L01
Sky Walker	HM-1306	Quad	NRF24L01
Skybotz	Mini UFO	Quad	NRF24L01
Skyline	YD717	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X1	Quad	A7105
Syma	X2	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X3	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X4	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X5C	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X5C-1	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X6	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X7	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X8C	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X11	Quad	NRF24L01
Syma	X12	Quad	NRF24L01
Toybase	L6036	Quad	NRF24L01
Toybase	L6038	Quad	NRF24L01
Walkera	QR Ladybird	Quad	CYRF6936
Walkera	QR InfraX	Quad	CYRF6936
Walkera	QR X350	Quad	CYRF6936
WL TOYS	v929	Quad	A7105
WL TOYS	v939	Quad	A7105
WL TOYS	v949	Quad	A7105
WL TOYS	v959	Quad	A7105
WL TOYS	v202	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v212	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v222	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v252	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v252 Pro	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v262	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v272	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v323	Hex	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v333	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v343	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v353	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v393	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v626	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v636	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v646	Quad	A7105
WL TOYS	v666	Quad	NRF24L01
WL TOYS	v676	Quad	A7105
XINXUN	X28	Quad	NRF24L01
XINXUN	X30	Quad	NRF24L01
XINXUN	X33	Quad	NRF24L01
XINXUN	X39	Quad	NRF24L01
XINXUN	X40	Quad	NRF24L01
YI ZHAN	X4	Quad	NRF24L01
YI ZHAN	X6	Quad	NRF24L01

You can get Android application (BTCon4Drone) at play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pinggusoft.btcon

Actually I tried to port protocol codes as-is, but I couldn't do because of resource (flash and ram) limitations on Arduino mini as you know.

My plan was...
1.Focusing multicopter protocols because my application was designed for it originally and memory size on Arduino mini.
only 7 protocols were ported - Devo, Flysky, Hisky, Hubsan, SymaX, V2x2, YD717
2.Reducing RAM usage so I decided to use C++ for instancing a protocol when it is used.
3.no changes in logic and flow except some initialization codes and controller channel handling as you see the codes ( github.com/PingguSoft/UniConTX ),
Initialization codes are changed because of reducing the code size, constants are moved to codes area for reducing flash and ram usage.
controller channel handling is changed because of compatibility of my Android application.
my Android application, BTCon4Drone was designed for MultiWii protocols originally and I decided to add the feature for supporting deviation protocols.
4.Telemetry related codes are not ported yet because of there are few models supporting the feature but it might be supported someday.

I don't think this kind of work is wasting because the goal is different..
Codes might be modified and redesigned for each goal unless codes have concrete structures for porting.
Anyway I will keep trying to update my codes whenever there are changes in your repository but I am not sure..

I really thank you for sharing your work and ideas..

I missed something about the application.

I am using eclipse with ADT for developing the application.
And the source is not open.. the app was designed for MultiWii protocols originally and deviation protocols are ported to UniConTX.
I opened the UniConTX codes and the communication between them is bluetooth serial.
I adopted MultiWii packet structure and some commands are added for controlling UniConTX from smartphone side.
The app sends protocol information when it starts and AETRF channel values every 20ms.
I'll share a video clip controlling Syma X5C with my app soon.

Add a couple of sticks and you'll definitely have something cool.

Nice work!

tjkim93,

Great work! Im looking to control my Cheerson CX-10 with Arduino, but I don't have an android phone to use your program with. I have been trying to figure out the bluetooth serial protocol you use so I can control it from a serial terminal, and have been able so far to get the version and set the RF protocol. But I still can't get it to work, because I don't know the "controller ID" which I need to supply when I start RF. How can I find it? Also, when I set the RF module and protocol (Im using nRF24L01), what are the "options"?

Thanks a lot!
VanDerPloeg

tjkim93 wrote: And the source is not open.. the app was designed for MultiWii protocols originally and deviation protocols are ported to UniConTX.

Just saw this, so I thought I'd point out that this might be a copyright violation. If you are distributing a binary that was built with a deviation source file, then it's a work derived from that source, and you can only legally give someone the binary as described by the license.

If you aren't building such an app, or aren't giving it to anyone else, or are distributing properly already, then this isn't an issue, and I'm sorry for the confusion.

On the other hand, I've been thinking that it might be a good idea to spin off the protocols from deviation into a separate project, to make them easier to use for things like this and the multi-protocol module.

Good point, but I was looking to only modify the Arduino code (which is under GNU) to work headless. Wasn't planning on distributing it anyways. Could be wrong, thanks for the heads up.

Getting the deviation protocols into another project would be great, I've been wanting to do some autonomous control with arduino

Sorry, it isn't because of the license. It's to create a single repository that everyone working on protocols at this level can use. Other projects (there's deviation, and the multi-protocol module, and possibly this one) would then suck in that project and build it.

This would require cleaning up and documenting the API, which is a good thing. Doing that would also have licensing implications, though possibly not good ones. It would make it easier for other projects to use the protocols. But the real win would be that protocols contributed to it via one project would be added to others by updating that repository.

Hi tjkim93,

I have the same question VanDerPloeg has. Any chance you could briefly explain the serial protocol? Making progress but a quick explanation would really help use the library interactively for testing etc.

Thanks!

VanDerPloeg wrote: tjkim93,

Great work! Im looking to control my Cheerson CX-10 with Arduino, but I don't have an android phone to use your program with. I have been trying to figure out the bluetooth serial protocol you use so I can control it from a serial terminal, and have been able so far to get the version and set the RF protocol. But I still can't get it to work, because I don't know the "controller ID" which I need to supply when I start RF. How can I find it? Also, when I set the RF module and protocol (Im using nRF24L01), what are the "options"?

Thanks a lot!
VanDerPloeg