Wireless connection between android device and RF modem

Hardware Radios
1

I would like to use a small tablet or my android phone to connect to my drone, but I just don’t like to have a cable from the phone to the RF modem. What is the best/simplest/cheapest solution to connect an android device wirelessly to the RF modem? I’m thinking a bluetooth or wifi connection to a “box” that then relays the communication over a 433mhz SiK radio.

I bought a bluetooth Xrock RTB box as this seemed like a brilliant solution, but it was a waste of money (did not work). I would like something similar. Any suggestions?

2

i guess you would like a device with unlimited bandwith over 4g so you can control it from anywhere with anything like mobile/tablet

please check out

3

Thanks. This is brilliant, but overkill to my need. I am happy if i can stand a couple of meters away from the RF modem. Thus a bluetooth or wifi connection would work. I could think of potential ways to solve this but none that is elegant and plug and play. What are others using?

4

Hi @Dronie,

My best guess is something like this:
https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/common-wireless-gcs-repeater.html

and complete it with a MAVLInk Wifi-bridge.
more details can be found here:
https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/common-esp8266-telemetry.html#common-esp8266-telemetry

Works like a charm.

5

This looks exactly what I was looking for. Thank you @VRquaeler . How could I have missed that the information was already on ardupilot.org :blush:. I’m ordering both bluetooth and wifi module to experiment.

cheers

1 Like
6

A followup on this thread. I have now tried both bluetooth and wifi as VRquaeler suggested (thanks again!). Both works and were easy to setup. With bluetooth I have issues with the link not reconnecting after I walk out of range of the bluetooth module (range is only 5-10m). With wifi it works much better and it has a better range. I however have issues to send new commands to the vehicle (poor uplink). This might just be the 100mw SiK radio I am using that performs poorly, or that the wifi module somehow interferes with the SiK. They are mounted in the same box.

Anyway, I am starting to think that it is time to scrap these poor performing SiK radios and go for something better. What about the systems that combine mavlink and rc link into the same transmission? Is that better? I have read that with for instance crossfire you can do this (including wifi link to other device). Does it work reliably? What other systems can do this? (express LRS or dragonlink??)