Category: Uncategorized
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Pirx Seven vs DJI FPV
I designed the Pirx Seven 7-inch FPV frame when the DJI Digital FPV System was something as a novelty. Truth to be told, back then I have not believed it will so popular as it is today. Turned out, I was wrong on that and the DJI Digital FPV System is incredibly popular. Luckily, the…
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How to generate PPM signal with ESP32 and Arduino
The PPM protocol for encoding Remote Control channel values is now a legacy. Still, it is widely accepted by different hardware and when tinkering with Arduino, remote control, and working on own accessories for flight controllers, PPM is still a valid option. A few years ago I presented a code that allows generating PPM stream…
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ESP32, Arduino and Timer/Alerts
Because of completely different architecture, ISR and Timer solutions known from other Arduino compatible platforms, especially AVR/ATmega does not work on ESP32. They don't. At all. If you would like to port any code that uses timers from AVR Arduino to ESP32 Arduino, you would have to rewrite them completely. However, timers and alarms with…
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FPV meets corporation – DJI FPV Goggles V2 vs V1 and availability
Why can't I buy DJI goggles anymore All of you who tried to buy FPV goggles in the last three months might have noticed that it was not a trivial endeavor. Starting from the last December, the DJI Goggles and Air Units and Caddx Vistas availability was limited. To some extent, it was due to…
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QmuBeacon – ESP32 and LoRa based GPS recovery beacon and locator
Having a broken leg, limited mobility, and paid sick leave have some perks after all. I've finally found some free time to sit on the project I started, I think, two years ago: ESP32, LoRa based GPS beacon, and locator. You know, put it on an airplane and have a way to get the distance…
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Things that I hate about the DJI Digital FPV
At first glance, the DJI Digital FPV system is the best thing that happened to the FPV, drones, and airplanes since the LiPo batteries. And yes, DJI FPV is an amazing technology that lets you see so much more and works almost out of the box. It is, however, not perfect and this is my…
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Li-Ion vs. Li-Po for drones and airplanes?
Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) batteries dominate the RC hobby. In like 98% of the cases, if you have a drone or RC airplane, or RC car, it is powered by a LiPo battery. The reasons are simple: they are high current capable, fast to charge, and have relatively high energy density. LiPo is, however, not the only…
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What is the best flight controller firmware? Betaflight, Ardupilot, or INAV?
The question "What is the best flight controller firmware?" pops up here and there from time to time. Some say it's Betaflight. Some say it's Ardupilot. And reality? Reality is often disappointing, and there might be no one answer to that question. Every flight controller firmware has strong and weak sides. Ardupilot sucks on small…
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INAV for tracked rovers
INAV 2.5 introduced rover and boat support. However, INAV setup on tracked vehicles like tanks or with differential steering was never really working like expected. Turning was possible but only in forward or backward movement – throttle had to be not-idle. And that meant that turning in place was not an option. Luckily, the INAV…