Hi Wade, I am in the process of doing almost the same thing, kind of like a UAV or sorts. It will have GPS waypoint management, barometric altitude sensor, pitot type airspeed, video and data downlink, and for the "Tilt-o-meter" will be using either ADXL sensors, or PNI (Precision Navigation) inclinometers, links below. Although I could have bought a ready made unit doing all this stuff and more for $5000 from Micropilot I thought it be more fun to build it myself, although I am probably close to this amount already, but what the heck, its just plain ol fun. I have not yet started on the inclinometer section of this project yet because I believe the GPS waypoint portion would be most involved. I have got a hold of a couple of ADXL202 sensors and a PNI that I plan to play with when I get to that section of the project. I predict it will be ok during non accelerating forward flight, for which it will be most of the time. ADXL202 sensors can be had for about $20 an axis PNI TCM2-Inclinometer can be had for about $300 Differences between the two the best "I" can explain are the ADXL uses measures gravity as acceleration, and the PNI sensors measure fluid tilt between two or more sensors. http://products.analog.com/products/info.asp?product=ADXL202 http://www.precisionnav.com/index.html http://w3.cablespeed.com/~chrisgood/uav/ Leslie Lowe >From: Wade Carpenter >Reply-To: pic microcontroller discussion list >To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: [PICLIST] [EE]: "Tilt-o-meter" for RC plane >Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 18:53:29 -0700 > >Good Day Everyone... > >I am building an RC plane (electric powered glider, specifically), and I >plan to at one point have it controlled entirely by a PIC. I'd have to say >that would be a lot of fun, even if the plane crashes! But I digress. > >First thing I plan to do as far as PIC v/s Plane goes is to make a circuit >to level out the wings in flight. i.e. if one wing dips, it will >compensate. I'm not worried about controlling the actuators on the plane >or >anything like that (yet) but more about the sensor that is to sit in my >feedback path. I need a "tilt-o-meter!" . I'm sure it's not called that! > >Anyway, here's where I've started. Right now I have, through my co-op job, >acquired a Honeywell HMC1001 Single Axis Magnetoresistive sensor. I >figured >at first that it would do the trick perfectly. Then I found out how much >it >costs if I have to replace it.. somewhat less than ideal!! Regardless, I >have started to give it power and measure outputs, etc., but no matter >which >way I tilt it from vertical, the signal changes. So basically, it will >pick >up some change if either wing dips down OR if the plane is climbing or >descending. > >I was wondering if there might be an easier way? I'm very new to the >wonderful world of instrumentation, and every day I'm learning that there >are a billion tricky little sensor floating around out there, and I'm sure >one of them must be perfect for the application. > >So if you know which one it is, kindly let me know!! Or if you have any >other ideas/questions/comments/etc regarding the project, please let me >know! > >Many thanks, > >Wade > >-- >http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! >email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body