Minimum Viable mobile Base station for Arduboat?

Hi - Our robot boat is going really well on mapping missions, but laptop, taranis, rfd900’s on a chase boat is problematic. Question is - whats the least kit required to oversea a mission.
Currently
Ardurover 4.1, RFD900, MissionPlanner Android, & mission planner - Windows laptop. Taranis for RC
I’d like to remove all the RC gear, the taranis and run the pixhawk via RFD900’s to a rugged Tablet with Mission Planner - from a chase jetski. (via another RFD900 with ESP8266 on the chase jetski)
Can Android Mission Planner do joystick control for the occasional dodge the boat traffic ? Thanks in advance

Paul

How about a SIYI or Skydroid?

Good luck.

thanks - Video is definately on the fun-todo list - but we’re following the arduboat via a jetski or small chase boat. Its all the electronics in the chaseboat (jetski) we’re trying to eliminate. Im hoping we can do it with just a smartphone and a wirelessly attached rfd900

I have connected a SIK telemetry radio via an OTG adapter to use an android tablet. If you’re chasing with a boat and you don’t need too much range that might be a simple solution. I guess the RFD900 would do the same, but I’d be worried about how much power it would consume.

This question didnt find me the answers i was hoping for. I have since started simplyfying the base station and im happy its portable wireless with sufficient range and battery life.

Stated Problem : Testing my arduboat requires laptop, taranis RC, rfd900s with cabling. Lots of risk when the waves come onto the boat → wet laptop/rc/rfd and much sadness

Desired outcome : Least $$ of hardware on the chase boat (then later ground station) yet full control and some ability to adjust the plan on the fly

The Plan

RFD900 – ESP8266MAv - Wifi/mavlink bridge <—udp–> Android phone with mission planner
_______ESP8266 ESPNow - ppm gateway <----espnow–> 3d Printed RC hand controller

The 3d printed RC hand controller will have
ESP32 or ESP* 8266 with the

  • 4 position joystick with button (Left/right Faster/Slower/Forwards/Reverse and beep?)
  • 5 mode rotary dial for Manual, RTH Loiter AUTO and maybe a Pause/Resume mission button
  • 18650 battery with 5v charge electroncs
  • Controller looks to be $20 hardware - 30m range (i’ll make 5)
  • calls the GAMEPAD and ESPNOW libraries to send buttons/joystick pos to cppm generator

Thats the plan
[Using Photogrammetry to design any enclosure - YouTube](https://this guy is well clever - and i like his controller)