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I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

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Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#21

Post by matsemann »

I did something similar but opposite, reverse engineered the serial protocol of my phantom joystick so I could use it to play drone simulators on my laptop and practice. Ten years ago now, so hopefully not needed anymore, but was a fun project: https://github.com/Matsemann/mDjiController

Those first generation consumer drones were so wack. Hard to fly, and very brittle software. I lost it when it randomly decided to "fly home" when I took off from a new location without storing a new gps location. I just had to watch it go straight north and out of view.

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#22

Post by ustad »

orliesaurus wrote: post #13

can anyone advise me on a drone brand or something that comes with an "API" that allows me to use it like a programmable interface, on the fly. Would love to write some script to make my drones do predefined things depending on API calls - any clues?

DJI Tello Drone is a “toy” drone costing around 100€/$ with the cool feature of being able to access/control via wifi with python.

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#23

Post by khana »

orliesaurus wrote: post #13

can anyone advise me on a drone brand or something that comes with an "API" that allows me to use it like a programmable interface, on the fly. Would love to write some script to make my drones do predefined things depending on API calls - any clues?

[dead]

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#24

Post by magnat »

orliesaurus wrote: post #13

can anyone advise me on a drone brand or something that comes with an "API" that allows me to use it like a programmable interface, on the fly. Would love to write some script to make my drones do predefined things depending on API calls - any clues?

Lots of no-name or DIY drones use flight controller running a BetaFlight [1] firmware, which is open source and quite hackable. If you want low-level real-time programmatic control (like manipulating servos, lights or camera), that is most likely the easiest way. There is also ArduPilot [2] firmware, which is focused more on the high-level control (like managing GPS waypoints and autonomous takeoff/landing).

In both cases you can piggyback your control signals using standard radio or use serial port via dedicated wireless bridge.

[1] https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight

[2] https://ardupilot.org/

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#25

Post by moffkalast »

orliesaurus wrote: post #13

can anyone advise me on a drone brand or something that comes with an "API" that allows me to use it like a programmable interface, on the fly. Would love to write some script to make my drones do predefined things depending on API calls - any clues?

https://ros-aerial.github.io/aerial_robotic_landscape/hardwa...

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#26

Post by moffkalast »

ustad wrote: post #22
orliesaurus wrote: post #13

can anyone advise me on a drone brand or something that comes with an "API" that allows me to use it like a programmable interface, on the fly. Would love to write some script to make my drones do predefined things depending on API calls - any clues?

DJI Tello Drone is a “toy” drone costing around 100€/$ with the cool feature of being able to access/control via wifi with python.

With the unfortunate problem of being discontinued in January 2024

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#27

Post by kotaKat »

snypher wrote: post #10
bri3d wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like most drone companies (Skydio etc.), they haven’t been able to keep up with DJI and have moved out of the consumer space and into the regulatory captured space with Blue UAS/NDAA compliant drones and high end enterprise offerings for organizations who can’t buy DJI. Their products are available only through dealers/resellers and only their expensive enterprise options are still in production. Parrot were quite co…

Skydio are the ones leaning on Stefanovik and others to push the DJI ban, stoking xenophobic fears just so they can corner the market with an inferior product.

Stefanik would rather have her husband, the gun lobbyist, push to let kids have more guns.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Stefanik-s-husband-K...

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#28

Post by palata »

orliesaurus wrote: post #13

can anyone advise me on a drone brand or something that comes with an "API" that allows me to use it like a programmable interface, on the fly. Would love to write some script to make my drones do predefined things depending on API calls - any clues?

Depends a lot on what you want to do.

- What kind of vehicle do you want? A fixed wing? A multicopter? Something else?

- What kind of payload do you want? A stabilised camera (i.e. camera + gimbal)? Something else?

If there is a DJI drone that does what you want (i.e. a multicopter with a gimbal and a camera), then you can't beat DJI.

Re: I Reversed a Drone and Landed It with My PC

#29

Post by palata »

throwawayaghas1 wrote: post #7
saagarjha wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Curious why “enterprise” would need capabilities that seem tailored to hunting down people

well there are many enterprise farming use cases, or security use cases that can be useful for them. I think the fact that parrot's been working with the army too much they dont know really how to sell to enterprises so thats all the marketing they have.

They should start by comparing their Anafi to a DJI Mavic for mapping. If I make a map with an Anafi, how does it compare to one made with a Mavic?

Because even a 10k Anafi USA does actually compete with the Anzu Robotics alternative. So if it's good enough for surveyors, there is definitely a market in the US.

I just don't understand why Parrot doesn't do that.

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