3 ms·

Absolutely. In fact, just gluing a $30 flight controller + servos/motor to a foam board can work [1]. I am curious about the "custom SMS" solution used to cont

Absolutely. In fact, just gluing a $30 flight controller + servos/motor to a foam board can work [1]. I am curious about the "custom SMS" solution used to control the plane. Shame that wasn't expanded on. [1[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNWSxHbFjw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNWSxHbFjw

jacquesm 5y ago
I read that as instrumentation, not control.
- stavros 5y ago
  It probably was, but it's pretty simple to add waypoints to a mission via SMS, just text it the coordinates (and altitude) you want it to go to.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    You'd need to authenticate that or before long your will have your drones stolen or crashed.
    - stavros 5y ago
      Certainly, but it's easy to make it accept commands only from certain numbers or containing a password.
Ancapistani 5y ago
With a local operator with a radio - and granted, that's not super cheap - you can omit the FC and wire the radio receiver directly to the servos. Then you'd only need an ESC and a motor.
- stavros 5y ago
  A cheap FlySky radio costs $30 or so. The receiver costs another $15. It's really not expensive at all.
  - Ancapistani 5y ago
    That's true, but if you're operating on-site that far away you'd need an FPV receiver. Granted I'm coming from a position of privilege, so when I price this in my head I think "$200 for a RadioMaster TX16S, $600 for a Skyline 04X". You could totally use a much cheaper setup and have it work just fine. For video feed, you can get COTS solutions for ~$50. You could probably build it for $30.
    - stavros 5y ago
      Yeah, if you want the good stuff, you'll spend a lot of money, but a TX16S is way overkill for what they're doing. Plus, if you're going to spend $600 on goggles, might as well get digital ones :P
      - Ancapistani 5y ago
        > Plus, if you're going to spend $600 on goggles, might as well get digital ones :P That's bait :)
        stavros 5y ago
        Oh man I got the DJI ones and now I can't fly my analog planes because I don't like having my image composed of three blobs. Seeing this from the goggles is fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9th3C1XDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9th3C1XDI

jacquesm 5y ago

I read that as instrumentation, not control.

stavros 5y ago
It probably was, but it's pretty simple to add waypoints to a mission via SMS, just text it the coordinates (and altitude) you want it to go to.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  You'd need to authenticate that or before long your will have your drones stolen or crashed.
  - stavros 5y ago
    Certainly, but it's easy to make it accept commands only from certain numbers or containing a password.

Ancapistani 5y ago

With a local operator with a radio - and granted, that's not super cheap - you can omit the FC and wire the radio receiver directly to the servos. Then you'd only need an ESC and a motor.

stavros 5y ago
A cheap FlySky radio costs $30 or so. The receiver costs another $15. It's really not expensive at all.
- Ancapistani 5y ago
  That's true, but if you're operating on-site that far away you'd need an FPV receiver. Granted I'm coming from a position of privilege, so when I price this in my head I think "$200 for a RadioMaster TX16S, $600 for a Skyline 04X". You could totally use a much cheaper setup and have it work just fine. For video feed, you can get COTS solutions for ~$50. You could probably build it for $30.
  - stavros 5y ago
    Yeah, if you want the good stuff, you'll spend a lot of money, but a TX16S is way overkill for what they're doing. Plus, if you're going to spend $600 on goggles, might as well get digital ones :P
    - Ancapistani 5y ago
      > Plus, if you're going to spend $600 on goggles, might as well get digital ones :P That's bait :)
      - stavros 5y ago
        Oh man I got the DJI ones and now I can't fly my analog planes because I don't like having my image composed of three blobs. Seeing this from the goggles is fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9th3C1XDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn9th3C1XDI