Avionics
Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC), communications equipment and other avionics equipment, such as recording device, video processing, antenna, etc.
Last updated
Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC), communications equipment and other avionics equipment, such as recording device, video processing, antenna, etc.
Last updated
The aircraft’s guidance, navigation, and control are handled by the Pixhawk v6X compliant autopilot running with the APX4 3.1 firmware, which contains PX4 1.14’s latest stable firmware version. Refer to the Pixhawk Flight Controller Standard DS-012 for more information regarding the architecture of the electronics flight controller.
The internal components to the autopilot are:
IMU 1
Inerial Measurament Unit
BMI088
IMU 2
Inertial Measurement Unit
ICM-42688-P
Mag 1
Magnetometer
-
Baro 1
Barometer
-
Heating
Heating unit to keep IMU, Baro and Mag measuraments precise
-
IMU BOARD ID EEPROM
Board ID read-only data
-
IMU CONNECTOR
Interface between external IMU components with main components
-
IMU 3
Inertial Mesurament Unit
ICM42649
Baro 2
Barometer
CP-20100
NXP SE050
Secure Chip
SE050C1HQ1/Z 01SCZ
MicroSD
MicroSD Storage
FRAM
Fram module for operation
FM25V02A-DG
Sensors Power
Voltage regulator for IO
-
PAB
External Autopilot connector to carrier board
-
The detailed diagram with all functional elements, inputs and outputs for the different components of the flight controller hardware stack is found below.
The autopilot is connected to a DGNSS with a moving baseline that supplies location and heading data to the aircraft, a second GNSS module supplies a redundant source of location. An airspeed sensor provides airspeed data and a rangefinder sensor provides distance from ground during VTOL landing and takeoff procedures. In addition, the autopilot is connected to an IP-based radio transmitter module which is the primary telemetry and control link.
DGNSS w/ heading module
Location and heading
TELEM2
Redundant GNSS module
Location
CAN1
Rangefinder sensor
Distance from ground
I2C1
Airspeed sensor
Relative airspeed
I2C2
Within the same package as the autopilot, Skynode X, a mission computer is running Auterion OS 1.32.7. This mission computer is connected to the autopilot and handles non-critical flight operations. These operations include mission uploading, video and image processing, data storage, LTE telemetry streaming, and GNSS corrections information forwarding.
Furthermore, the telemetry link is a 2.4GHz channel hopping asymmetrical IP-based link with video capability composed of an air-unit and a ground controller. The air-unit is connected to both the autopilot and the flight computer. The ground controller runs AMC (Auterion Mission Control) version 1.32.7. There, the aircraft’s parameters can be configured, sensors can be calibrated, missions can be planned and uploaded, and the aircraft be piloted using the radio control analog sticks.
The flight controller logs are continually written to a persistent storage and in a format that does not corrupt if power is interrupted during a write operation (e.g. in the event of a failure). The logs can be acessed through the telemetry radio, via USB and are automatically uploaded to the Auterion Suite after flight.
This is the communications architecture for the Firebird, which includes the telemetry, control and other data, such as the live video.
a
SkynodeX's v6X Autopilot
b
Doodle-Labs RM-1700-22O3 (900MHz + 2.4Ghz radio)
c
SkynodeX's LTE Transmitter Module
d
SkynodeX's ETH Ethernet Router
e
SkynodeX's Ethernet Switch
f
SkynodeX's Onboard Computer
g
LR-1 Payload Gimbal
h
LR-1 Camera + Flir Hadron 640R
i
Fixed camera pointing down*
j
Wide-angle camera with USB output*
k
Rock-block 9603 Module*
l
Iridium Satellite network*
m
Doodle Labs Wearable Radio Reciever
n
Laptop
o
Eth switch (same package)
p
Eth access point (same package)
q
Eth router (same package)
r
Herelink controller
*Optional items that are not included by standard with the aircraft
The sections Avionics and Guidance, Navigation, and Control are on the same page.
