In my recent video: Embedded Technology Watchlist for 2021-2031, I discussed how I expect aerial drones (and counter-drone technology) to have a huge impact on the engineering industry for several years to come. The drone industry covers many of the same domains I feature here on this blog (electronics design, automation, and communications), so it felt appropriate to kick off a quadrotor drone project right here!
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Some Project Objectives
While the project is still in its infancy (you can follow my Drone Journal on the Unboxing Tomorrow Patreon page), there are many electrical sub-systems that will need to be ironed out first. Without going into detail, they are:
- Flight controller (movement and attitude control)
- Power and energy management
- Communications
- Payload control (typically video equipment)
- Fault recovery
Besides that, there is also the possibility of a structural redesign at some point, but the focus for now is the electrical and software design.
Candidate Flight Controller
Like other self-stabilizing drones, there needs to be a microprocessor or microcontroller present to coordinate its movements and communicate with equipment on the ground. So far, my first choice is the ATSAMD21 microcontroller; a device I have yet to really feature much here until now.
The ATSAMD21 features an Arm Cortex M0 architecture, which was billed as a low-cost, high-performance alternative to more feature-rich alternatives like the Cortex M4 and Cortex M7. The selection was also somewhat motivated by the ATSAMD21 Xplained board (a part I have featured here briefly) and the beginner-friendly text: “Atmel ARM Programming for Embedded Systems.”
Future Updates
The custom drone is a long-term side project likely to be around for many months or years. To get regular updates on its progress, and Patreon Supporters will have access to the Drone Journal on the Unboxing Tomorrow Patreon page!
References
| [1] | M. A. Mazidi, S. Chen and E. Ghaemi, Atmel ARM Programming for Embedded Systems, Mazidi & Naimi, 2019. |
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