Has anyone given thought to modifying the firmware in an APM controller to do no stabilization whatsoever?
Most people say the little 32-bit controllers (NAZE 32, CC3D, etc. offer better stability and ACRO mode flying than an APM. I assume it is because of their more powerful processor and faster loop speed.
What if a NAZE32 (for example) did the flying, and the APM did the navigating (only)?
I realize that PIXHAWKs combine everything into one box, but they have some issues as well.
What if one channel of the radio selected between pass-through mode, where the RC input would go through the APM and directly to the NAZE 32, but when the AUTO mode was selected, the RC input would go to the APM - which would then send PWM or PPM signals to the NAZE 32, and control the craft just like the input was coming directly from the receiver. The loop speed could be quick in the NAZE, because it wouldn’t have to worry about where it was vs. where it needed to be. It wouldn’t have to deal with GPS’s or magnetometers, or sonar, or …
The second controller might even be able to provide a small amount of redundancy. The cost of an APM + CC3D or NAZE 32 is still less than the cost of several of the high-end controllers. The reduction in code in the APM would free up codespace to do more things. The only negatives that I can think of would be #1. More hardware to deal with, #2. Two different setup programs and #3. Physical size.
But it might fly awfully nice.
Has anyone ever done this?