What a fantastic project. I don't need to make any underwater maps but an RC boogie board would be awesome at the beach. Or maybe dangle some fishing line with a Sabiki rig off the back, drop it off the pier just past the breakers and run an autonomous fishing expedition!
Thank you!! AND I love the simple boat! What a great idea just to use a board! I was thinking a canoe but this is easier. I will though make some aggressive prop savers I can see from your test.
Great project. I wonder if the depth soundings near the shore are from the depth sounder getting confused by a soft bottom and a strong echo from the shoreline or some other object. It might be helpful to obtain all good echoes per location to be able to identify that possibility, or at least add echo strength reading. All this assumes the sounder provides the data.
Hi Giqian, we have some reference designs here ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames.html and our community discussion/support channel is here discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/arduboat/54
Thx for sharing this little project... been into RC for some time and something like this is my next project but know very little in dev so worried about that aspect of the project
@glouisfr, ArduPilot doesn't require any software development to get working so hopefully you'll be able to follow the wiki (ardupilot.org/rover/index.html) to get a vehicle setup and working.
Hello, congratulations on the video. I am looking to do a similar project to yours here in Brazil, but I do not know how to connect the transducer to my Pix4 board. I know I have to use the analog input on the board, but how do I correctly configure the transducer in Mission Planner? Can you give me any tips? Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Andre, we have details for various sonar here on the wiki ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-underwater-sonars-landingpage.html . If this isn't enough info may be try posting in the ArduPilot Boat forum here discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/arduboat/54
Sounds like a good application. Re the underwater sonar, a BlueRobotics Ping sonar is relatively low cost (ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-underwater-sonars-landingpage.html) and works with ArduPilot. Its range is only 100feet (30m) but that is probably plenty for a golf course pond. I don't sell these boogie board boats but ArduPilot is open source so someone with experience building RC boats should be able to put one together and they will find a helpful community in the support forums and in the ArduPilot facebook group. discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover
@@rmackay9 I will try using a Deeper Pro+ trolled behind a small RC boat. Our ponds are relatively small so I wont need waypoints. I will export CSV data to reefmaster to view the 3d map. to determain the water volume maybe I can export to Autocad and use the cut/fill tools?
Hi Konrad, I focus mostly on software so I don't sell these boats. I've put instructions for building them here: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html. I'm pretty confident that at least one company will bring out a low cost ArduBoat frame in the next year but I don't have details yet. Sorry I can't be more help.
Hi Randy, I have anothers questions about this project. I have the kogger sonar, and I am documenting the information to aid the Ardupilot web documentation. I have the boat and the system fully assembled, but I have a question about the logs. When do I retrieve the logs? after mission? Will the GPS NEO 8N tell me the GPS position / by time? And the same with depth sensor? Kogger sonar does not have GPS. I want position and depth at XX.XX time for excell and ReefMaster. Thanks a lot for your help, sir.
Hi Alberto, yes, normally you download the onboard logs (aka dataflash logs) after the mission (ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-downloading-and-analyzing-data-logs-in-mission-planner.html) and in there should be a DPTH message which is recorded the moment the sonar takes a new reading. That messages includes the distance but also the latest position estimate. So it's not actually the latest GPS position but rather a combination of GPS+IMU. The advantage of this is that the distance and position should be more accurate than using GPS alone.
@@rmackay9 Thanks for your help Randy... !! I am fascinating with your projects. I have another question... today I got 2 surveys, from 1 file ".bin" I can download the information and convert to log.... depth logs... works perfect !!!! But the second ".bin" I have this error from MP: "Log browse will not function correctly without FMT messages in your log. These appear to be missing from your log" It is from the same day, what have I done wrong? Maybe turn off the Pixhawk without notifying MP? EDIT: Auto analysis (for logs) says something like this: " Failed to load analyzer results System Yard XmlExceptiorL Fin inesperado de archivo_ Los siguientes no estén cerrados header. loganalysis_ linea 8. posiciön I. en Throw(Exception e) en Syste-n.X-nI en Syste-nX-nI ParseEIe-nentCmtent() en Syste-n.X-nI X-nISJbtreeRead« Read() en Syste-nX-nI MoveToCmtent() en Syste-nX-nI IsStartEIe-nent() en MissionPIanner.LltlIities.LogAnaIyzer.ResuIts(String xmlfle) en sender. " Thanks sir !!
@@albertorevuelta4005 this error message appears when the "FMT" messages are missing from the top of the log. These messages tell the log viewing program (e.g. Mission Planner) what the column names are. I wonder if perhaps the log is really big and something has gone wrong somewhere, perhaps within AP's log handling software. If you could put the logs somewhere and send me a link I could check. If possible though, it would be best to post in the forums (discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-41/158 ) and ideally test using ArduPilot Rover-4.1.0-beta because this is the latest software undergoing testing so if there is a bug this is where we would fix it. thanks again for using AP!
@@rmackay9 I post here my problem (with link to .bin file) discuss.ardupilot.org/t/log-error-will-not-function-correctly-without-fmt/71622 Thanks sir for your time... !
That is impressive! I noticed at one point a Lidar message in Mission Planner. I have the Garmin Lidar Lite V3 which reports distance ok in Ardurover, but I don't know what to use for PRX-Type. Could you please let me know if it even works with Ardurover? Mine right now is a Rover and not a Boat, but I sure want to build up a boat after watching this.
To do object avoidance with a 1-dimensional lidar you'll need to ensure the Lidar is working (which it seems you've done already) and then set PRX_TYPE = 4 (RangeFinder.).
@@rmackay9 Thank you so much, Randy. It's my problem to solve but when I did that my Rover went all over the place like it was seeing obstacles everywhere yet there was nothing in front of it and the Lidar was showing 400+ cm. I do appreciate you responding.
@@HughD That sounds very much like the lidar was hitting the ground and seeing things. This can be seen more clearly by enabling the ADSB messages so the obstacles appear as little red circles on the Mission Planner map. This is possible by setting the OA_DB_OUTPUT parameters (ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-oa-bendyruler.html) but it may also be necessary to set SRx_ADSB to 5 (where x is the serial port on the autopilot connected to the telemetry radio sending info the ground station)
@@rmackay9 Even though I won't pretend to understand fully, I totally get the idea that it's seeing obstacles everywhere. I'll go to work on that. Thank you for your time and advice, Randy.
Hi there. I don't exactly remember but it may have been that I manually edited the file to remove the spikes or maybe ReefMaster had an option to ignore values below a certain number. I think the sonar always reported a short number (like 12 perhaps?) when it saw a spike.
Great Job!...one question Randy, how distant did you use between lines in your mission?...using the same sonar EchoLogger ECT400. I know that It will change depending on the deep, but do you have some reference data?....thank you.
I thought that place triggered a vague memory... I think I rode through there on a motorbike trip once. I used to live in Yorii, not that far away. Does that visualization program have a way to remove the outlier depth spikes?
@iforce2d, it probably is the same place. There's a very winding road that leads to the dam that is popular with motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts. I suspect that ReefMaster does allow removing the spikes but I'm not sure how to do that yet. It's actually only the 2nd or 3rd time I've used it. The software is not cheap ($200) but I guess that's still a lot cheaper than Pix4d and is specially made for underwater mapping.
Hi Randy, I'm wondering why you mounted the thrusters approx halfway down the board as opposed to at the stern of the board? I am no marine engineer (or anything close), but most boats I have seen have propulsion at the back. Did you choose middle placement so you can make quicker turns via skid steer? Have you tried them further back and found the middle to be the optimal placement of the thrusters? I have a spare set of BR thrusters, and old pixhawk, radios etc and during COVID lock-down I was thinking of building something like this to test out. I just want to drill the least amount of holes in the craft. Thanks for all your insight and help!
Hi Ian, I have not tried mounting the thrusters further back. The frame was actually built for me by Attraclab (store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/attrac-shop/a5c9a5eda1.html) and I think the reason they were placed in the middle was, as you say, to keep it very agile. The thrusters on mine are placed just a touch behind the middle of the board, I suspect they are near the center of gravity of the board. The biggest issue with the frame has been keeping the weight towards the back of the frame or else its nose gets stuck a lot when accelerating forward.
Tim, I'm afraid this frame isn't for sale but we have some instructions on how to build it yourself here: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html
Husni, make sure the orientation is set to 25 (e.g. RNGFND1_ORIENT = 25) and that the vehicle is setup as a boat (FRAME_CLASS parameter should be set to 2 (Boat)). If this is done the DPTH should appear in the logs. best of luck. Also it may be best to report support issues in the forums. Especially if using beta 4.1 I'm quite responsive, txs for using AP! discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-41/158
Hi Randy Mackay, I am fascinated about your project. I am doing something similar in my University. I want to ask you about 2MB flash memory, Can it be a problem for depth logs? Thanks sir !
Hi thanks. On most ArduPilot compatible autopilots the onboard logs are stored to the SD card and most ship with a 2GB card but this can be replaced with something much larger.
Mario, thanks! Only one GPS connected to the flight controller. The echosounder is also directly connected to the flight controller. We have a connection diagram for the echosounder here on the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-echologger-ect400.html
Mario, sure. the parameter list can be seen here: www.dropbox.com/s/bd296bn23wu8de3/mapping-boat.param?dl=0. Also there is a blog here: discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot
@@javieraguilacortes3239 No, we stopped supporting the APM2.x boards many years ago. ArduPilot supports dozens of other types of flight controller though so there are many good alternatives. ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-autopilots.html
Andrew, the blog post that goes with the video is here: discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot/32401. ArduPilot boats use the "Rover" firmware ardupilot.org/rover/index.html. If you run into troubles it's best to ask in our support forums here: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-4-0/154
Hi John, I haven't forgotten and I'll come back to it. I think we should be able to adjust the tuning somehow to resolve the problem but worst case I'll try and make a software improvement.
Rickey, I received mine directly from echologger.com. I think it's best to email them directly. I have ping'd them to suggest they open an online store but haven't heard back. By the way, other NMEA echosounders should also work. In the AP forum, at least one other user has gotten a different variety working.
I contacted echologger.com. The ECT400 starts with 1450$. Thats much more than I expected. Is there any cheaper way, or a cheaper product to get similar results?
Eastfreak, the only other option that I know of is the analog sonar where are here on the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-underwater-sonar-analog.html. I hope we will add support for some of the Garmin underwater sonar (like the DT800) but I can't say when that will happen.
What is the capacity of the battery you used? How long did the mission take? That's an awesome product and I'm working on something similar myself. Thanks for the info!
In this test I used a small 3300mAh battery but in more recent versions I'm using 7500mAh batteries. I haven't mapped the entire lake but I think it would take less than 2hours but that's a guess. I don't know if a 7500mAh battery would allow the vehicle to drive around for that long, I suspect it wouldn't bet enough so a battery change would be required.
Hi Randy, have you or has anyone that you know of tried using one of the dual frequency echosounders (200/400 kHz) or (50/200 kHz)? Would the pixhawk be able to record both streams of data from the device and store it so that could be exported as shown in this great video? Or could you choose the single frequency to be recorded (then have to do mission twice with other frequency)? Thanks for your help.
I haven't heard of anyone using a dual frequency echo sounder. I think they would need to be setup as separate rangefinders but we have a small issue in how we log the DPTH message because it doesn't include the "instance". This means there would be no way to separate the two depths. This logging issue is quite easy to fix though so I've created an issue for it: github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/issues/14081. So the logging issue is easy to fix, I don't immediately know how a dual frequency echosounder could be connected to the autopilot so that the autopilot can read each depth separately... but it is probably possible.
yes, you can skip the use of excel by exporting the DPTH messages directly from the Mission Planner. It's described in the comments of the blog on ardupilot.org. discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot/32401
Where did you buy the ECT400 Echosounder? I can't seem to find anyone that has one in stock? Also is that electronics enclosure box available online to order?
Jailson, No, I'm afraid I don't. I'm more a software person than hardware but there is a link in the video description which some some build instructions. There's also a well known company that will be selling a ready-to-use ArduPilot based boat later this year in the US that will certainly be able to do mapping.
how far can these go? the ardupilot thing right? does it have a certain range limited by the antenaie. if it had infinite power, then would it have inlimited range? could it sail across the ocean or does it stop working or turn around after a certain distance?
Wyatt, the software has no specific limit on how far it can go and we think it could cross an ocean although we haven't tested it yet. There is at least one user who is working on a solar powered boat with the plan being to make it cross the Atlantic ocean. I should say though that we know of one issue re our distance calculations when crossing the bearing straight but we will fix this (github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/issues/1246). If you're looking to discuss with other users and developers this is our forum: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover
Randy is there anyway I can message you directly? I'm working on a build with similar equipment (ProBoat Zelos w/ PH2.1 Cube) and purpose, but the craft will only do wild figure 8's in Auto mode.
Hi Charles, best way to reach me if to post in the ArduPilot Rover-4.0 forums here: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-4-0. I'm answering questions there most days, thanks!
Elektro, if the FRAME_CLASS parameter is set to "2" it will appear as a boat the next time you reboot the flight controller. It's here on the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/boat-configuration.html
Elektro, ah.. the old APM2.x boards aren't officially supported anymore. The old firmware for the APM2.x boards doesn't include proper support for boats.
Hi, thanks for the offer. I'm really more of a software person than hardware. Build instructions are here though and several other people have built them. ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html
Hi, planning on building something similar for work. The whole project seems to fall on the battery cost though. If I want to be able to run a boat like this for 8 h I would need about 360 Ah of LiPo4. Are my calculations completely off or am I screwed? Or do you have some suggestions for a workaround? Also, I am a bit curious about the retail price of the Echologger? Thanks!
May I offer you to test my echosounder? It is compact size and able te work with android devices for data logging including GPS data from the phone. th-cam.com/video/Tam4cmZ7rfE/w-d-xo.html
ADIS, no, I'm afraid I don't sell this boat but there are some instructions here on the wiki in case you want to build your own. ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html
Roaring, if possible can you post in the Rover forums? In particular I'm actively monitoring the Rover-4.1 beta testing forum. discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-41/158
If the water gets really deep will that effect overlap like in mapping from drones? i heard that someone was working on backskatter sonar data with pixhawk ,you know anything about that?
I think the way I'm using the sonar data in this test, the overlap is not too much of an issue because I'm just capturing a single depth at 2hz. It's a single point not a square like a picture when mapping with a drone. .. but if we capture the backscatter then it probably becomes an issue. I haven't gotten to that level yet but I hope to. I assume that the pixhawk can't handle the quantity of data if we try to capture backscatter but I don't know for sure. My plan was to add a companion computer (RPI3 or TX2) to capture the backscatter.. if we do that, we will add it to APSync and document the setup so that everyone can easily reproduce it.
OneTwo, I contacted them directly via email. It's unfortunate that they don't have a webstore (as far as I know) but they have been pretty responsive. They seem to answer emails within a day or two.
It's info@echologger.com. There's a link to Echologger's contacts page from the ArduPilot wiki page for this sonar here: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-echologger-ect400.html
Hey man can I pay you to build me a global iridium satellite controlled autopilot computer for a boat I am building? For yourself it would be simple to build, but for me it's far too complex
Hi Randy, would you be able to give me some tutorial lessons via Skype for making something like this? I’m happy to pay via PayPal upfront for some lessons from you. Please let me know when possible. Many thanks
Hi Mus, there are some details on parts used to make the boat in this blog post: discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot/32401. Beyond that we also have this discussion area for ArduPilot boats: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/arduboat and of course the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/boat-configuration.html.
Randy Mackay thank you for your reply Randy. I will look at the info provided. Just one more question. Rather than having the data log map the sonar to then be processed and viewed on google earth, is it possible to map the same data in the same way but for current and voltage sensor instead? Thank you
@@LondonMus it's possible because all the data is in the logs but might require some post-production of the log. It's best if we discuss this in the ardupilot Rover support forums I think
What a fantastic project. I don't need to make any underwater maps but an RC boogie board would be awesome at the beach. Or maybe dangle some fishing line with a Sabiki rig off the back, drop it off the pier just past the breakers and run an autonomous fishing expedition!
Thank you!! AND I love the simple boat! What a great idea just to use a board! I was thinking a canoe but this is easier. I will though make some aggressive prop savers I can see from your test.
Awesome instructions. I have a need for this kind of sounding. I hope I can find time to build a similar boat and give this a try one day.
Great insight, ArduPilot is a very powerful application that I need to learn much more about over the next 6 months
Wow, the result looks realy cool !
Great project. I wonder if the depth soundings near the shore are from the depth sounder getting confused by a soft bottom and a strong echo from the shoreline or some other object. It might be helpful to obtain all good echoes per location to be able to identify that possibility, or at least add echo strength reading. All this assumes the sounder provides the data.
How come I do not see a GPS in the build list?
Hi @paulbunyanvideo, you are right! I'll add that to the list.
I want to build like this for mapping river deep on Kalimantan....how to build that sir..?🙏
Hi Giqian, we have some reference designs here ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames.html and our community discussion/support channel is here discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/arduboat/54
Thaks sir 🙏
Thx for sharing this little project... been into RC for some time and something like this is my next project but know very little in dev so worried about that aspect of the project
@glouisfr, ArduPilot doesn't require any software development to get working so hopefully you'll be able to follow the wiki (ardupilot.org/rover/index.html) to get a vehicle setup and working.
Hello, congratulations on the video. I am looking to do a similar project to yours here in Brazil, but I do not know how to connect the transducer to my Pix4 board. I know I have to use the analog input on the board, but how do I correctly configure the transducer in Mission Planner? Can you give me any tips? Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Andre, we have details for various sonar here on the wiki ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-underwater-sonars-landingpage.html . If this isn't enough info may be try posting in the ArduPilot Boat forum here discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/arduboat/54
Thank you very much for the information. Great job.
excelente trabajo...
Im looking for the best way to map all of our ponds on our golf course. We want to determain our water holding capcity in the event of drought.
Sounds like a good application. Re the underwater sonar, a BlueRobotics Ping sonar is relatively low cost (ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-underwater-sonars-landingpage.html) and works with ArduPilot. Its range is only 100feet (30m) but that is probably plenty for a golf course pond. I don't sell these boogie board boats but ArduPilot is open source so someone with experience building RC boats should be able to put one together and they will find a helpful community in the support forums and in the ArduPilot facebook group. discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover
@@rmackay9 I will try using a Deeper Pro+ trolled behind a small RC boat. Our ponds are relatively small so I wont need waypoints. I will export CSV data to reefmaster to view the 3d map. to determain the water volume maybe I can export to Autocad and use the cut/fill tools?
@@agrengs0 Hi, I don't have much experience with that sonar or Autocad so no idea but sounds like it could work.
Could I buy one of these units in total? Specifically Boogie board with the control, propulsion, and sonar already mounted?
Hi Konrad, I focus mostly on software so I don't sell these boats. I've put instructions for building them here: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html. I'm pretty confident that at least one company will bring out a low cost ArduBoat frame in the next year but I don't have details yet. Sorry I can't be more help.
Outstanding job
Hi Randy,
I have anothers questions about this project.
I have the kogger sonar, and I am documenting the information to aid the Ardupilot web documentation.
I have the boat and the system fully assembled, but I have a question about the logs.
When do I retrieve the logs? after mission?
Will the GPS NEO 8N tell me the GPS position / by time? And the same with depth sensor?
Kogger sonar does not have GPS.
I want position and depth at XX.XX time for excell and ReefMaster.
Thanks a lot for your help, sir.
Hi Alberto, yes, normally you download the onboard logs (aka dataflash logs) after the mission (ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-downloading-and-analyzing-data-logs-in-mission-planner.html) and in there should be a DPTH message which is recorded the moment the sonar takes a new reading. That messages includes the distance but also the latest position estimate. So it's not actually the latest GPS position but rather a combination of GPS+IMU. The advantage of this is that the distance and position should be more accurate than using GPS alone.
@@rmackay9 Thanks for your help Randy... !! I am fascinating with your projects.
I have another question... today I got 2 surveys, from 1 file ".bin" I can download the information and convert to log.... depth logs... works perfect !!!!
But the second ".bin" I have this error from MP:
"Log browse will not function correctly without FMT messages in your log. These appear to be missing from your log"
It is from the same day, what have I done wrong? Maybe turn off the Pixhawk without notifying MP?
EDIT: Auto analysis (for logs) says something like this:
" Failed to load analyzer results
System Yard XmlExceptiorL Fin inesperado de archivo_ Los siguientes no estén
cerrados header. loganalysis_ linea 8. posiciön I.
en Throw(Exception e)
en Syste-n.X-nI
en Syste-nX-nI ParseEIe-nentCmtent()
en Syste-n.X-nI X-nISJbtreeRead« Read()
en Syste-nX-nI MoveToCmtent()
en Syste-nX-nI IsStartEIe-nent()
en MissionPIanner.LltlIities.LogAnaIyzer.ResuIts(String xmlfle)
en sender.
"
Thanks sir !!
@@albertorevuelta4005 this error message appears when the "FMT" messages are missing from the top of the log. These messages tell the log viewing program (e.g. Mission Planner) what the column names are. I wonder if perhaps the log is really big and something has gone wrong somewhere, perhaps within AP's log handling software. If you could put the logs somewhere and send me a link I could check. If possible though, it would be best to post in the forums (discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-41/158 ) and ideally test using ArduPilot Rover-4.1.0-beta because this is the latest software undergoing testing so if there is a bug this is where we would fix it. thanks again for using AP!
@@rmackay9
I post here my problem (with link to .bin file)
discuss.ardupilot.org/t/log-error-will-not-function-correctly-without-fmt/71622
Thanks sir for your time... !
That is impressive! I noticed at one point a Lidar message in Mission Planner. I have the Garmin Lidar Lite V3 which reports distance ok in Ardurover, but I don't know what to use for PRX-Type. Could you please let me know if it even works with Ardurover? Mine right now is a Rover and not a Boat, but I sure want to build up a boat after watching this.
To do object avoidance with a 1-dimensional lidar you'll need to ensure the Lidar is working (which it seems you've done already) and then set PRX_TYPE = 4 (RangeFinder.).
@@rmackay9 Thank you so much, Randy. It's my problem to solve but when I did that my Rover went all over the place like it was seeing obstacles everywhere yet there was nothing in front of it and the Lidar was showing 400+ cm. I do appreciate you responding.
@@HughD That sounds very much like the lidar was hitting the ground and seeing things. This can be seen more clearly by enabling the ADSB messages so the obstacles appear as little red circles on the Mission Planner map. This is possible by setting the OA_DB_OUTPUT parameters (ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-oa-bendyruler.html) but it may also be necessary to set SRx_ADSB to 5 (where x is the serial port on the autopilot connected to the telemetry radio sending info the ground station)
@@rmackay9 Even though I won't pretend to understand fully, I totally get the idea that it's seeing obstacles everywhere. I'll go to work on that. Thank you for your time and advice, Randy.
Never regret to subscribe your channel... Nice and really helpful sharing
How did you remove the spikes in the data?
Hi there. I don't exactly remember but it may have been that I manually edited the file to remove the spikes or maybe ReefMaster had an option to ignore values below a certain number. I think the sonar always reported a short number (like 12 perhaps?) when it saw a spike.
@@rmackay9 OK, thanks for that quick reply!
Great Job!...one question Randy, how distant did you use between lines in your mission?...using the same sonar EchoLogger ECT400. I know that It will change depending on the deep, but do you have some reference data?....thank you.
that is.... awesome!!!!!
I thought that place triggered a vague memory... I think I rode through there on a motorbike trip once. I used to live in Yorii, not that far away. Does that visualization program have a way to remove the outlier depth spikes?
@iforce2d, it probably is the same place. There's a very winding road that leads to the dam that is popular with motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts. I suspect that ReefMaster does allow removing the spikes but I'm not sure how to do that yet. It's actually only the 2nd or 3rd time I've used it. The software is not cheap ($200) but I guess that's still a lot cheaper than Pix4d and is specially made for underwater mapping.
yes, all logged depth points can be changed/erased..
Hi Randy, I'm wondering why you mounted the thrusters approx halfway down the board as opposed to at the stern of the board? I am no marine engineer (or anything close), but most boats I have seen have propulsion at the back. Did you choose middle placement so you can make quicker turns via skid steer? Have you tried them further back and found the middle to be the optimal placement of the thrusters? I have a spare set of BR thrusters, and old pixhawk, radios etc and during COVID lock-down I was thinking of building something like this to test out. I just want to drill the least amount of holes in the craft. Thanks for all your insight and help!
Hi Ian, I have not tried mounting the thrusters further back. The frame was actually built for me by Attraclab (store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/attrac-shop/a5c9a5eda1.html) and I think the reason they were placed in the middle was, as you say, to keep it very agile. The thrusters on mine are placed just a touch behind the middle of the board, I suspect they are near the center of gravity of the board. The biggest issue with the frame has been keeping the weight towards the back of the frame or else its nose gets stuck a lot when accelerating forward.
Do u have the buy link
Tim, I'm afraid this frame isn't for sale but we have some instructions on how to build it yourself here: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html
Hi Randy, im using sonar module, but my log doesnt have dpth. Did i miss something?
Setup on Ardurover.
Husni, make sure the orientation is set to 25 (e.g. RNGFND1_ORIENT = 25) and that the vehicle is setup as a boat (FRAME_CLASS parameter should be set to 2 (Boat)). If this is done the DPTH should appear in the logs. best of luck. Also it may be best to report support issues in the forums. Especially if using beta 4.1 I'm quite responsive, txs for using AP! discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-41/158
Hi Randy Mackay,
I am fascinated about your project. I am doing something similar in my University.
I want to ask you about 2MB flash memory, Can it be a problem for depth logs?
Thanks sir !
Hi thanks. On most ArduPilot compatible autopilots the onboard logs are stored to the SD card and most ship with a 2GB card but this can be replaced with something much larger.
@@rmackay9 Thanks very much for your fast reply.
Thanks sir.
Regards, Alberto.
Awesome!
Amazing
Very nice!!! Good job!!!
One question please, do you have One GPS for ardupilot and One GPS for the echosounder?
Mario, thanks! Only one GPS connected to the flight controller. The echosounder is also directly connected to the flight controller. We have a connection diagram for the echosounder here on the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-echologger-ect400.html
@@rmackay9 could you share the config file of your boat?
Mario, sure. the parameter list can be seen here: www.dropbox.com/s/bd296bn23wu8de3/mapping-boat.param?dl=0. Also there is a blog here: discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot
@@rmackay9
Hello, would it be possible to connect it with an APM 2.8 or 2.9?
@@javieraguilacortes3239 No, we stopped supporting the APM2.x boards many years ago. ArduPilot supports dozens of other types of flight controller though so there are many good alternatives. ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-autopilots.html
Hello Friend. Where can I find this engine you are using ??? Congratulations on the equipment. show.
Txs. This frame uses the BlueRobotics.com's T200 thrusters. www.bluerobotics.com/store/thrusters/t100-t200-thrusters/t200-thruster/
How to set up this method for scanning the water tank in Missionplanner?
Andrew, the blog post that goes with the video is here: discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot/32401. ArduPilot boats use the "Rover" firmware ardupilot.org/rover/index.html. If you run into troubles it's best to ask in our support forums here: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-4-0/154
@@rmackay9 Thank you very much for the information
Very nice Randy, I wish I can get my boat to go straight. :(
Hi John, I haven't forgotten and I'll come back to it. I think we should be able to adjust the tuning somehow to resolve the problem but worst case I'll try and make a software improvement.
Where did you buy the ECT400 Echosounder? I can't seem to find anyone that has one in stock?
Rickey, I received mine directly from echologger.com. I think it's best to email them directly. I have ping'd them to suggest they open an online store but haven't heard back. By the way, other NMEA echosounders should also work. In the AP forum, at least one other user has gotten a different variety working.
sir it is possible to use 3 sensors like ph do and turbidity sensor with cube autopilot? or pixhawk 4?
I contacted echologger.com. The ECT400 starts with 1450$. Thats much more than I expected. Is there any cheaper way, or a cheaper product to get similar results?
Eastfreak, the only other option that I know of is the analog sonar where are here on the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-underwater-sonar-analog.html. I hope we will add support for some of the Garmin underwater sonar (like the DT800) but I can't say when that will happen.
@@rmackay9 Thanks for your fast answer!!! I think I will give it a try!
@@erysthiawan Doowon
@@erysthiawan info@echologger.com
Doowon Choi
CEO, Ph.D
Hai friend, can i get the information about your boat and sonar spesification..thanks
What is the capacity of the battery you used? How long did the mission take? That's an awesome product and I'm working on something similar myself. Thanks for the info!
In this test I used a small 3300mAh battery but in more recent versions I'm using 7500mAh batteries. I haven't mapped the entire lake but I think it would take less than 2hours but that's a guess. I don't know if a 7500mAh battery would allow the vehicle to drive around for that long, I suspect it wouldn't bet enough so a battery change would be required.
@@rmackay9 How long were you able to run off of the 3300 mAh? Thanks so much for your help!!
@@williamcalli6514 I didn't time it but I think it's between 20 and 30min.. probably closer to 30.
Hi Randy, have you or has anyone that you know of tried using one of the dual frequency echosounders (200/400 kHz) or (50/200 kHz)? Would the pixhawk be able to record both streams of data from the device and store it so that could be exported as shown in this great video? Or could you choose the single frequency to be recorded (then have to do mission twice with other frequency)? Thanks for your help.
I haven't heard of anyone using a dual frequency echo sounder. I think they would need to be setup as separate rangefinders but we have a small issue in how we log the DPTH message because it doesn't include the "instance". This means there would be no way to separate the two depths. This logging issue is quite easy to fix though so I've created an issue for it: github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/issues/14081. So the logging issue is easy to fix, I don't immediately know how a dual frequency echosounder could be connected to the autopilot so that the autopilot can read each depth separately... but it is probably possible.
@@rmackay9 Thanks Randy!
Wow is there a shorter procedure to get the 3D image view of the depth?
yes, you can skip the use of excel by exporting the DPTH messages directly from the Mission Planner. It's described in the comments of the blog on ardupilot.org. discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot/32401
Where did you buy the ECT400 Echosounder? I can't seem to find anyone that has one in stock? Also is that electronics enclosure box available online to order?
Rickey, the electronics box is from BOXCO apparently (www.boxco.cn/en/product/product_plastic.asp).
do you sell the finished project?
Jailson, No, I'm afraid I don't. I'm more a software person than hardware but there is a link in the video description which some some build instructions. There's also a well known company that will be selling a ready-to-use ArduPilot based boat later this year in the US that will certainly be able to do mapping.
@@rmackay9 can you pass the company contact?
how far can these go?
the ardupilot thing right?
does it have a certain range limited by the antenaie.
if it had infinite power, then would it have inlimited range? could it sail across the ocean or does it stop working or turn around after a certain distance?
Wyatt, the software has no specific limit on how far it can go and we think it could cross an ocean although we haven't tested it yet. There is at least one user who is working on a solar powered boat with the plan being to make it cross the Atlantic ocean. I should say though that we know of one issue re our distance calculations when crossing the bearing straight but we will fix this (github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/issues/1246). If you're looking to discuss with other users and developers this is our forum: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover
Randy is there anyway I can message you directly? I'm working on a build with similar equipment (ProBoat Zelos w/ PH2.1 Cube) and purpose, but the craft will only do wild figure 8's in Auto mode.
Hi Charles, best way to reach me if to post in the ArduPilot Rover-4.0 forums here: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-4-0. I'm answering questions there most days, thanks!
Hallo wie kann ich im mission planer einstellen das er mir stand einen Rover das Boot anzeigt?
Elektro, if the FRAME_CLASS parameter is set to "2" it will appear as a boat the next time you reboot the flight controller. It's here on the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/boat-configuration.html
@@rmackay9 das geht aber nur mit ner PX? Habe noch nen apm 2.6 🙈
Elektro, ah.. the old APM2.x boards aren't officially supported anymore. The old firmware for the APM2.x boards doesn't include proper support for boats.
Hello, love this would you be interested in selling this or building one for a price?
Hi, thanks for the offer. I'm really more of a software person than hardware. Build instructions are here though and several other people have built them. ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html
Hi, planning on building something similar for work. The whole project seems to fall on the battery cost though. If I want to be able to run a boat like this for 8 h I would need about 360 Ah of LiPo4. Are my calculations completely off or am I screwed? Or do you have some suggestions for a workaround? Also, I am a bit curious about the retail price of the Echologger? Thanks!
May I offer you to test my echosounder? It is compact size and able te work with android devices for data logging including GPS data from the phone. th-cam.com/video/Tam4cmZ7rfE/w-d-xo.html
what firmware do you upload?
The latest version is best, so ardupilot rover 4.0..x (I forget if the latest is 4.0.0 or 4.0.1)
@@rmackay9 Thank you very much.
Where can I download it?
@@nathaphongsaiyotha3138 Ah, if you've never used ArduPilot before it is probably best to read the wiki here: ardupilot.org/rover/index.html
So you use river and skid steer? Not the ardu boat?
hello do you cell this pack
ADIS, no, I'm afraid I don't sell this boat but there are some instructions here on the wiki in case you want to build your own. ardupilot.org/rover/docs/reference-frames-boogieboard-boat.html
Can you helpe me with your knowledge please ,I'm in a race of saving a village
Roaring, if possible can you post in the Rover forums? In particular I'm actively monitoring the Rover-4.1 beta testing forum. discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/rover-41/158
If the water gets really deep will that effect overlap like in mapping from drones? i heard that someone was working on backskatter sonar data with pixhawk ,you know anything about that?
I think the way I'm using the sonar data in this test, the overlap is not too much of an issue because I'm just capturing a single depth at 2hz. It's a single point not a square like a picture when mapping with a drone. .. but if we capture the backscatter then it probably becomes an issue. I haven't gotten to that level yet but I hope to. I assume that the pixhawk can't handle the quantity of data if we try to capture backscatter but I don't know for sure. My plan was to add a companion computer (RPI3 or TX2) to capture the backscatter.. if we do that, we will add it to APSync and document the setup so that everyone can easily reproduce it.
This setup with RTK i think would get survey grade accuracy putting the base station over a known point.
that thing runs MINT !!!!
Txs! Yes, I really like this boogie board frame. It's very responsive, reasonably fast (for mapping) and easy to transport.
I checked out the EchoLogger.com website .... very cool .. did you contact them directly or was there a local vendor you used .. thank you
OneTwo, I contacted them directly via email. It's unfortunate that they don't have a webstore (as far as I know) but they have been pretty responsive. They seem to answer emails within a day or two.
@@rmackay9
Hi randy. What is the name of the email from echologger?
It's info@echologger.com. There's a link to Echologger's contacts page from the ArduPilot wiki page for this sonar here: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/common-echologger-ect400.html
Hey man can I pay you to build me a global iridium satellite controlled autopilot computer for a boat I am building? For yourself it would be simple to build, but for me it's far too complex
Hi Randy, would you be able to give me some tutorial lessons via Skype for making something like this? I’m happy to pay via PayPal upfront for some lessons from you. Please let me know when possible. Many thanks
Hi Mus, there are some details on parts used to make the boat in this blog post: discuss.ardupilot.org/t/mapping-a-lake-with-ardupilot/32401. Beyond that we also have this discussion area for ArduPilot boats: discuss.ardupilot.org/c/ardurover/arduboat and of course the wiki: ardupilot.org/rover/docs/boat-configuration.html.
Randy Mackay thank you for your reply Randy. I will look at the info provided. Just one more question. Rather than having the data log map the sonar to then be processed and viewed on google earth, is it possible to map the same data in the same way but for current and voltage sensor instead? Thank you
@@LondonMus it's possible because all the data is in the logs but might require some post-production of the log. It's best if we discuss this in the ardupilot Rover support forums I think
Randy Mackay discuss.ardupilot.org/t/ardupilot-2-8-randy-mackay-questions/36703