I am looking to build a automated lawnmower, but rather than having it run around the yard in random patterns, I was hoping to use GPS to plot out the mowing pattern and came across this site.
My question is what exactly do I need for the GPS side ie do I grab the 3DR uBlox GPS with Compass Kit or MediaTek MT3329 GPS V2.0 or both or something else.
@baillie11,
At the moment, the best 3DR product for position and heading is the 3DR GPS/Compass module which employs the uBlox GPS. I have used the MediaTek GPSs and found them to be inferior to the uBlox modules.
Presently, you might have a problem with extremely accurate position knowledge due to the limitations of the uBlox GPS given it relatively inexpensive price. However, DGPS is coming in the future, but will require a local transmitter which will mean added cost, but greatly improved positional knowledge.
Regards,
TCIII Developer
Welcome to the forums!
You especially want to read the documentation (link) very thoroughly and read through the forums here before asking many questions that would be answered there already .
As of GPS I’m thinking about buying the Piksi RTK Package but am waiting for their rugged version for obvious reasons LOL.
If anyone wants to help I’m happy to share some skype time, past experience and source code.
we make centimeter accuracy RTK system for drones. if you like to test our system, I am happy to assist. it’s dual band GPS RTK. more robust than L1 single system.
but for RTK, you need half open sky, or better without too much trees, buildings since RTK is sensitive to the environment.
Hi Eric (@GrassRover),
I’m trying to setup much the same thing, so far with a Pixhawk Cube. I’ve got a question for you. How are you replacing control of the mower control levers? Linear or rotational actuators? Stepper motor? I had thought that the ‘trim’ setting of servo output in Mission Planner would allow me to fairly easily return the levers to the zero position. Doesn’t seem to work :(. otherwise are you using feedback from actuators?
Cheers,
Ben