Combining RTK GPS data and Hydrographic Sonar Data via Pixhawk or Raspberry Pi?

ArduRover ArduBoat
1

Hi all,

Not sure if this is in the right spot or not but here goes.
I am currently running an ArduBoat system using the ArduRover firmware.
The system relies on a 3rd party setup of a Trimble R8 GNSS Rover connected to a Trimble Survey Contoller which also connects to an Omex Echosounder for Depth Readings in water. The sounder records a depth and sends it directly into my survey controller and adds it the GPS RTK position thus giving me accurate poisitiong of underwater surfaces.

What I am wanting to do is make this more manageable and integrate into either the Pixhawk or a Raspberry Pi 3 companion computer. I think the Raspberry Pi would be a better option.
I am looking at using an Emlid Reach RTK unit (nice and small system). The Omex Sounder uses either Bluetooth or Serial Connections to transmit the data to a logger. I mainly need to program the system to enable it to line up a depth sounding with an RTK position and store as an ascii file. (e.g. Point, Easting, Northing, RL, Depth).
Ultimately I would like the system to record all this, as well as send data back to the ground station to ensure it is gathering data (not like my last trip where I sent it on a 20 minute mission and forgot to press start on the survey controller and got no data!).

I have a Pixhawk 1 currently but am upgrading to a new boat hull and Pixhawk 2. It has a Here+ RTK GNSS kit with it, but unsure if I can use the positions from it for this as well as the navigation. I really have no understanding of programming for the Raspberry Pi (i am trying to learn though) and some basis of the Pixhawk but only through mission planner.

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated, or pointing me in the direction of another forum.
Thanks,

Scott.

2

I agree the Raspberry Pi is the go. So the Emlid Reach plugged into the Pixhawk. mavproxy installed on the Pi getting the mavlink stream and you could then either write a dronekit program or a mavproxy module to marry up the sonar with the GPS data and output it to your ascii file.

Thanks, Grant.

3

Hi scot,

Have you managed to make it work? I am also trying to combine echsounder data and GPS data and send the combined data to a land PC via PixHawk. If you made it work, please let me know your knowhow.

Kook

4

Hello Scott, I have a boat ready to navigate via RC, I need to make that autonomus, you can help me or share information to make, my boat has 2 t200 a run perfec with Futaba RC, I am surveyor and need make Bathymetric jobs, I have a single beam, Hypack and RTK trimble R8 Gnss. Thanks.