A Joysway Baiting 500 is on its way. It looked cool with its yellow on black colorscheme. Two motors, no rudders (I think). Getting rid of useless stuff and then I am gonna use a Pixhawk of some kind/size. I dont know which “flightmodes” there is (have been using APMs and Pixhawks sinces 2014 in planes and multicopters). RC-boat (Manual Mode?), using auto missions to make it go around some waypoints. Try to get some sonar / scanner to “map” the bottom, dont know anything about these. Maybe I need a bigger boat.
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It seems like a simple and economical way to get fooling around with Arduboat.
That looks like a good low cost frame with good thought put into making it extendable (i.e. 12V power output for fish finder). Below is the manufacturer’s video of the product.
Anyway, please keep up updated on your progress and any issues you face.
It is around 260€. I guess there are a lot of cheaper choices, but this one looks so cool and it do have a complete hull with motors and propellers. The rest… I dont know yet. 
This is going to be a build-thread.
What is the name of a boat that drives around by it self? In the air its called UAV, UAS. They are also ROVs.
- Anyway, this one have two motors, no rudder. Pixhawk supports that kind of drive, I read somewhere. I dont know if it is brushless or brushed motors, yet. ESCs to use between the Pixhawk and motors, I dont know, yet.
- It has LEDs (strong blue forward, red in the back. Own switch on the boat. Blinks at low voltage. Left lights up in left turns and vice versa with right (dont know).
- Option for a underwatercamera that can be lowered over 5 meters
- There is also an option for a fish-finder-sonar
- Runs on a 9.6V 5000mAh NiMH
- 2.4GHz RC
- Wifi is an option also
It runs really silent on the table. Not scaring the fishes.
- I am going to use Pixhawk with GPS/Compss, PM, Telemetry, RC.
- And also FPV on top (rotating maybe) switchable to the camera that is pointing down in the water, probably use of GoPro as well.
- Gonna use powerful white-LEDs under water aiming down, if it is possible (clear water).
- Gonna find a sonar, maybe the one here on ArduPilot to map bottom
- Maybe a sidescan? Dont know more there, yet.
Specifications:
- Speed up to insanely 1,2 m/s without load
- Turn radius 1 m
- Battery 1,5 hours continous driving with 5000 mAh-NiMH
- Load, can handle 500 grams easy (bait)
- Length: 556 mm
- Width: 240 mm
- Weight: 1650 grams (no bait)
Whats next? Dismantle it and learn what it is to be familiar with it so I know what to put into it and how.
- First step is to run it on the water as it is meant to be used.
- Then complete with Pixhawk to learn ArduBoat and its “flightmodes” (maybe learning on ArduRover first if I find a simple “car”)
- Then back to the water to test mission I guess
- Cameras and FPV
- Sonar
- Side Scan…
I got the little boat yesterday… some photos:
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Which is the latest firmware that can be used on an APM (I got a bunch of leftovers)?
Or is it wise to use a Pixhawk instead (ordering new ones if needed)?
It’s best to get rid of the old APM and switch to a better controller. I still use Pixhawk 1 on almost everything. As far as the latest Firmware you can use all that is in the Wiki Docs.