Hi all,
So i am getting ready to build my bot… Security with a diesel engine. Big, not as big as a tractor…
I am still getting my head around all this but what I will need is the ability to use 4g network and go anywhere.
I have seen a number of people that have done this but cant seem to find the hardware/modem/boards, etc… I am trying to het a complete list of what i need to make 4g network possible.
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks in advance
J
I hope someone else provides the info and when they do we will add it to the wiki!
I’ve seen Ali from EAMSLab accomplish this using a wifi router but I do not know the details I’m afraid. I also have heard that Robsense has a telemetry product that supports this but I have not tried it.
We are flying Navio2 with raspberry 3 using 4G dongle. The problem is, that groundstation has to have open ports and fixed ip. There’s some isp-s who provide this, but it’s much more expensive. To overcome this we developed our own system with OpenVPN server and special MavRoute server software, which routes MavLink between nodes automatically. We can have 255 simultaneous vehicles/groundstations connected simultaneously.
We have also tested PXFmini autopilots with this system, using Raspberry Zero hardware, but it’s just total pain to get working - due Erle Robotics using older, Jessie debian version.
With Raspberry you can also have live camera stream(s) and file sync services installed for aerial photo syncing while still flying.
Or, make “flying wi-fi hotspot” using HostAPd
@vooteleaer
I have been asked to look into swarming and was thinking of using the RP setup for the addition of video, etc.
Have you documented any of the details of your setup online?
Especially the MavRouter you mentioned?
I already do the comms via VPN but it the multi point stuff that is proving painful.
Very problematic trying to use radios to do it.
No I haven’t done any documantation yet. Maybe someday I publish the MavRoute into public release.
Basically all nodes - qgroundcontrol, and ardupilots connect to same ip address via udp, it’s star-like topology. I don’t use any radio links at all, even manual flights are controlled via 4g telemetry. There’s secondary connection via raspberry internal wifi for emergencies. I had one occasion, where 4g connection was lost and no backup telemetry and it resulted of crash
@mboland
look at this setup UAVcast-Pro. i recently purchased their non-commercial which only difference is a few minor things, code and everything is the same. you use a rpi as companion computer setup is a breeze and everything is documented well. I am in the us and using verizon wireless as 4g provider.
Hi all, thanks for this input. Here is the basic problem with ANY cell phone carrier network.
They all use private ip addresses.
The cell carriers route the public static ip that they temporarily assign to your device through another internal router that then forwards it to a private ip address.
When you are on any internet providers network you see 2 ip addresses that are assigned to you. (Double NAT) The ip address of the supplied router from the provider… Which is a private/local ip. (Normally 192.168.1.1). Your router then uses NAT (Network Address Translation) to route all incoming and outgoing traffic from your devices/pcs in your home to the internet using a dynamic public ip address…(IE, 24.107.54.7)
Its this dynamic public ip that is needed to use VPN’s, access Servers, Remote Access, FTP, P2P ect. Without ACCESS to this dynamic assigned public ip address it becomes difficult to do these basic task we all want to do.
The cellphone carriers… Namely T-mobile, figured this out and since they only provide us a local internal private ip we cant setup typical VPN, remote access, p2p in the typical ways.
More details here on cell carrier games…https://community.ubnt.com/t5/UniFi-Routing-Switching/USG-VPN-with-double-NAT-TMobile-LTE/td-p/2188018
My security bot will probably have a laptop and asus router along with cellphone usb tethered to router. I would rather not have to have all this but i also need to drive this thing remotely.
The confusing part is do I need the radio reciever and transmitters AND the 4g/lte network? Or can I simply by pass the radio all together? OR are there any radio reciever and transmitters that work on wireless router, bluetooth and typical remote controll radio frequencies?
If we could simply use cellular for everything it would be like a poor mans satelite comms… Probably more reliable and shorter latency issues?
I will checkout the info…thought I would add more details of the mobile cell networks nonsense in order to not provide unlimited data even though you may be signed up for it…
That’s why we use routing server and MavRoute software. So, ALL of our nodes (autopilots, ground stations etc) connect to one server IP address. The MavRoute does all the dirty job of routing MavLink messages to correct IP.
Hence, no need for public access except on server. You don’t even need VPN, but this induces security flaw. Basically anyone who knows IP address, can see your vehicles flying, and even worse, can take over.
If you want to test our system, please connect everything to:
udp://142.93.99.154:14550
Hi,
to overcome the routing problem everyone is talking about you can use the same approach the disco4g project chose. You connect all your devices with zerotier.
I personally have chosen raspberry pi as a companion computer. The setup is pretty straightforward. You can choose MAVProxy (written in python, provides terrain data and has a lot of other features that can run on your “drone”) or mavlink-router (written in C something, uses very little CPU).
There’s a nice 4G data module from sichuan yushi innovation technology co., LTD.The 4G data transmission system is capable of transmitting data at an altitude of 2,000 meters You can see
http://www.cloudoftime.com/
Hi @vooteleaer, what you’re describing sounds awesome! Have you got around to documenting this set up or releasing code?
We’re building a small fleet of quads and right now they’re networked over wifi through a router on a local network, including the CGS, but we (will) want to deploy the CGS as web server online and control the drones remotely.
Right now we don’t have plan to release the code, as there’s some other projects (which will be announced soon, stay tuned) this all will be connected.
There will be new version soon, that supports linux users and permissions, basically every connected device can have different access levels - for example parameter write, vehicle takeover, just viewing and so on.
Gotcha – exciting!
Code aside, is this publicly available to test/use? Productified?
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the info.
Appologies for dropping off the map…“life”
To clarify I am building a very large security type robot with custom made water squirt guns. It will be diesel or gas drivin 4 cylinder engine. Not a plane. Its the size of a small truck.
I suppose the closest example I can come up with is self driving cars without being in the car and controlling from home or office. I need to be able to controll from anywhere in the world.
My first option being cell phone networks 4/5g.
The second being satellite.
Third LoRaWan.
I believe there is a setup for 4/5g communications that was mentioned. Thankyou for this info.