The goal of this project is to convert a standard RC plane into an autonomous aircraft by upgrading the onboard electronics and implementing custom flight control software.
Project Overview
The project will begin with the Carbon Cub S2, a simple, easy-to-fly model with sufficient space for additional components. This plane will serve as the platform for integrating the new electronics required for autonomous flight.
Flight Computer and Control Systems
At the core of the system will be a Teensy 4.0 microcontroller, which will handle flight surface control, stability management, and autonomous navigation. For manual control and flight mode selection, I will use a Radiolink R9DS receiver paired with an AT9s Pro transmitter. This setup will allow for seamless transitions between manual and autonomous flight modes.
For stabilization and autonomous flight, the system will include a GY-521 MPU-6050 accelerometer and gyroscope, along with a GPS receiver to provide positional data. Additionally, a Lidar sensor will be incorporated for measuring ground distance, facilitating accurate automatic landings.
Communication and Software
An ESP8266 module will be used to transmit telemetry data during flight. The initial flight software will be based on dRehmFlight Beta 1.3, which provides essential flight surface control and stabilization features. I will modify the software to follow predefined autonomous flight paths and handle telemetry data transmission. Future iterations of the software will be written from scratch to optimize flight performance and expand functionality.