Rpanion-Server 0.9 released

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Version 0.9.0 of Rpanion-server has been released!

Rpanion-Server is an Open-Source software package for a managing the companion computer (such as the Raspberry Pi) connected to an ArduPilot-based flight controller.

Rpanion-Server consists of a node.js-based webserver for the user interface and mavlink-router for routing MAVLink telemetry from a connected flight controller. There are also modules for managing network connections, NTRIP streaming, flight log management, video streaming and viewing hardware information.

Version 0.9.0 adds the following major new features:

  • Automated uploading of flight logs
  • VPN support (Zerotier and Wireguard)
  • Automated generation of KMZ files from flight logs (thanks @brunoolivieri!)
  • Timestamp overlay for video streams
  • Various bugfixes and ease-of-use changes to the GUI

The documentation and pre-built disk images for the Raspberry Pi are available here .

The source code can be found here , at GitHub.

Bug reports and Pull Requests are most welcome.

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Fantastic! I’m especially excited about the automatic upload of flight logs which I blogged about here.

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@stephendade This works on a Raspberry Pi Zero W right?

I have some of these lying around and I wanted to install them on my most frequently flown planes so that they can upload logs to a cloud location. This can be done when on my mobile hotspot after landing or when just powered by USB when they come back home.

I have skimmed through Randy’s blog and I have some familiarity with AWS.

Is the cloud upload of logs automatic or can it be? Obviously these logs would be the same as telemetry logs if I had a GCS or are they more more verbose than that? Edit - I notice Randy refers to Dataflash logs. I am confused – I did not think these could be sent via Mavlink.

Thanks,

Marc

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Yes, but you’ll need to build it yourself. The pre-compiled image doesn’t work for the Pi Zero W (1).

If you can, use the Zero W (2) instead. Rpanion-server can be a little tight performance-wise on the Pi Zero W (1) if you’re running a bunch of features at once.

It automatically runs every 20 seconds.

In this case, we’re talking about dataflash logs. They are much more verbose than the telemetry logs. They can be sent via specific MAVLink messages, but typically require a high-speed serial link (>900kbps). See Downloading and Analyzing Data Logs in Mission Planner — Copter documentation for more details

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I can build myself but I basically refuse to buy a Pi 2 Zero W for $150. It is not about money as much as principal. It is a vain and self-defeating principal, but I am not giving money to such folks that buy them and immediately flip them.

The only thing I will be using it for is Dataflash logs. Is that a reasonable expectation that it could manage that?

I forgot it has been years since dataflash logs were transmitted by Mavlink – thanks for the re-explanation.

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That should be fine.