3DR Solo Obstacle Avoidance

jcar · Dec 12, 2017

fpvsteve · Dec 13, 2017

I always wonder if the authors of such youtube channels have actually done and tested what they are promoting.
This particular lidar sensor featured will have some serious challenges in such an application. With a range of 3 meters in bright sunlight according to the datasheet it simply will not work neither for obstacle avoidance nor even for precision landing support. It may be cheap, but at the end unusable.

For serious stuff there are only a few suitable products on the market, and they are well documented in the Arducopter wiki.

jcar · Dec 13, 2017

I agree, has anyone made a Youtube on how to mod the Solo with Lidar? Would be nice to do a mod without adding additional hardware for a clean installation.

sky_high · Dec 13, 2017

Yeah I was intrigued at first, but it does seem not up to the task. Maybe for a backup rangefinder when close to the ground, but useless as a scanning lidar.

wildcanuc · Dec 13, 2017

That is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time! Awesome job!

John Githens · Dec 14, 2017

mmparis99 said:
This is awesome guys! I use my Solo for my home inspection business, so I'm not about to hack it. But when the bugs are exterminated, if someone would put together a plug-n-play kit I would definitely be in the market for this mod. About how much did this cost you guys to do?

And this would also be useful for environmental studies when flying next to steep bluffs or cliff faces where many sats drop out of view. Adds an extra margin of safety. The materials cost and DIY labor investment would be worthwhile.

(Quite by accident, I found this link about another obstacle avoidance system for the Solo. Not sure if this is commercially available at this time.)

fpvsteve · Jan 6, 2018

Here we go with full instructions to replicate this mod for obstacle avoidance.
I added all the necessary code, STL files and tools to build it.
Overall a perfect example for the power and versatility of an open system like Solo.
Safe and happy flights in 2018!
Obstacle Avoidance for 3DR Solo - Hackster.io

John Githens · Jan 6, 2018

fpvsteve said:
Here we go with full instructions to replicate this mod for obstacle avoidance.
I added all the necessary code, STL files and tools to build it.
Overall a perfect example for the power and versatility of an open system like Solo.
Safe and happy flights in 2018!
Obstacle Avoidance for 3DR Solo - Hackster.io

Super work. Thanks!

I have two use cases in mind, followed by a question or two:

A) Record video or images of a specific area/zone/location on a cliff, bluff or other natural, near-vertical terrain, maintaining a distance of 5-10 meters from the target. Initial navigation guidance is by the operator. Later navigation guidance by a flight program.

B) Automatically "scan" a cliff, bluff or other natural, near-vertical terrain, maintaining a distance of 5-10 meters from any objects/surfaces in a bounded, target area. "Scan" in this context means continual video recording or sequential image recording. Think: the drone moves in a "lawnmower" flight pattern that is near-vertical, not horizontal.

In both use cases: Tall bushes, trees or large boulders on the cliff/bluff are obstacles to be avoided during programmed or operator-guided drone movement.

Question: How do you think a Solo with this modification would behave in either use case?

Could we say that this mod can achieve: following of vertical terrain, including avoidance of collision with obstacles or surfaces?

Noted comments from Hackster page:

Solo will instantly stop in GPS assisted modes. You can exit BRAKE mode by simply pressing the FLY button.
There is a lag until Solo goes into BRAKE mode. Also, Solo tends to drift a couple of meters depending on cruise speed after entering BRAKE. So be careful that you don't crash.

(Additional reference: Copter Object Avoidance.)

fpvsteve · Jan 6, 2018

The intention of this mod is to recognize an obstacle ahead and to stop the drone when getting too close while keeping the pilot informed. Similar to what a P4 or Mavic can do out of the box.
What you described is a kind of vertical terrain follow. Yes that is possible, but would require just a bit more software development work to accomplish. Just go ahead and share your results

John Githens · Jan 11, 2018

fpvsteve said:
The intention of this mod is to recognize an obstacle ahead and to stop the drone when getting too close while keeping the pilot informed. Similar to what a P4 or Mavic can do out of the box.
What you described is a kind of vertical terrain follow. Yes that is possible, but would require just a bit more software development work to accomplish. Just go ahead and share your results

Thanks, I will also be following developments with other sensors as outlined on this ArduCopter page about Rangefinders. Looking for slow, vertical terrain following capability, where an Auto mission is temporarily interrupted and Solo either freezes in airspace or automatically moves away from an obstacle, with or without automatically continuing the mission plan. Appears to require continual sensing for small objects (typically branches of bushes or trees) in airspace a few meters above and in front of the gimbal end of a Solo. (Noted: the Terrain Following page.)

John Githens · Jan 30, 2018

John Githens said:
Thanks, I will also be following developments with other sensors as outlined on this ArduCopter page about Rangefinders. Looking for slow, vertical terrain following capability, where an Auto mission is temporarily interrupted and Solo either freezes in airspace or automatically moves away from an obstacle, with or without automatically continuing the mission plan. Appears to require continual sensing for small objects (typically branches of bushes or trees) in airspace a few meters above and in front of the gimbal end of a Solo. (Noted: the Terrain Following page.)

With Kelly's latest Wall Scan Demo video, some convergence of essential navigation and avoidance capabilities may not be far off.

VintageToyMarbles · Feb 19, 2018

some idea's I've been playing around with.... Like what has been posted above, got my gears running.

Doc Martin · Mar 14, 2018

Any chance that the intel real sense module could be adapted to work? Or the eBumper kit from Panoptes?

sky_high · Mar 18, 2018

Doc Martin said:
Any chance that the intel real sense module could be adapted to work? Or the eBumper kit from Panoptes?

I've actually been toying around with the idea of adapting RealSense to my Solo, but it's still in the "info gathering" stage. I do believe it will work though.