Integration Examples

In this section, a series of examples will be presented so that the user knows how to configure certain customizations in the BCS PDI Builder. In addition, some examples of integration between BCS and external devices are explained.

Communication with PC

Since BCS can be connected to a computer via a USB or serial interface, the configuration for both connections is already set by default in BCS PDI Builder.

However, users should check that this configuration has not been modified to ensure a correct communication via both ways in case one of them is lost. To verify this:

Go to Input/Output menu \(\rightarrow\) I/O Setup section. Each USB, RS232 and RS485 Producers must be bidirectionally connected to a Commgr port:

Important

Users should also check that Commgr ports to which USB and serial ports are connected are not routed. For more information on Routing, see Ports section of this manual.

../_images/ap_communication_pc.png

USB/RS232/RS485 \(\leftrightarrow\) Commgr port

ArcTrim Button

The ArcTrim button allows the user to trim the stick signal directly from the stick position, before the operation, by simply clicking on it. In addition, this button is considered as an ‘action button’ that can be embedded in the Veronte Panel.

To do this, read the following steps:

  1. Go to the Block Programs menu.

    • Create a program to make the necessary connection to the Arc Trim block.

      Usually the user has a Stick program where the blocks that are related to the stick are implemented.

    • Add the Arc Trim block and connect the input and output variables to it.

      Usually the input variables are Stick Input u1-u4 and the output variables Stick Input d1-d4.

    • Finally, enable the block to be commanded by simply clicking on wifi.

    ../_images/arctrim_block.png

    Arc Trim block

  2. Configure the trim vector of the Arc Trim block.

    Depending on the range of the signal, the following values are recommended:

    • If the signal ranges from 0 to 1 \(\Rightarrow\) 0.5.

    • If the signal ranges from -1 to 1 \(\Rightarrow\) 0.

    In this example, the signal is in the range from 0 to 1, then 0.5 is set:

    ../_images/arctrim_block_configuration.png

    Arc Trim block configuration

  3. Go to Automations menu \(\rightarrow\) create a New Automation \(\rightarrow\) Events.

    Select the Button option and choose the desired icon for this button. In addition, it is recommended to activate the Confirmation checkbox, to prevent trimming the stick by mistake.

    ../_images/arctrim_automation_event.png

    Arcade trim automation - Events

  4. In the created automation, go to Actions.

    • Add the Command block action.

    • Select Arc Trim block to command and choose the commandable Id.

    • Finally, it is recommended to activate both checkboxes:

    ../_images/arctrim_automation_action.png

    arctrim_automation_action.png

  5. In Veronte Ops, this button will appear embedded in the Veronte Panel.

    Note

    This action button will only appear on the Veronte Panel if the action buttons have been enabled to be shown on it. For more information on this, see Veronte Panel section on the Veronte Ops user manual.

    ../_images/arctrim_veronte_panel.png

    Arc Trim button - Veronte Panel

    When clicking on it, the following confirmation message will be displayed (as the confirmation checkbox has been activated in the automation):

    ../_images/arctrim_veronte_panel_confirmation_message.png

    Arc Trim button - Veronte Panel

    Now, the stick is trimmed.

CAN communication

This section describes how to correctly receive and transmit CAN messages:

CAN messages reception

../_images/can_messages_reception_diagram.png

CAN messages reception diagram

  1. Go to Input/Output menu \(\rightarrow\) CAN Setup section \(\rightarrow\) Mailboxes tab.

    Configure the mailbox to receive a message with the appropiate ID (in this example ID 28 has been configured):

    ../_images/can_messages_reception_mailbox.png

    Mailbox configuration

  2. Go to Input/Output menu \(\rightarrow\) CAN Setup section \(\rightarrow\) Configuration tab.

    Connect an Input filter with the right CAN ID to a Custom message consumer:

    ../_images/can_messages_reception_input_filter.png

    Input filter

    ../_images/can_messages_reception_input_filter_configuration.png

    Input filter configuration

  3. Go to Input/Output menu \(\rightarrow\) CAN Setup section \(\rightarrow\) Custom message 1 tab (as Custom Message 1 has been selected as consumer).

    Configure the message reading as desired in the RX tab by setting the correct CAN ID.

    The different options and parameters to be configured are explained in the RX messages -> Custom messages section of this manual.

    ../_images/can_messages_reception_custom_message.png

    Custom Message configuration

CAN messages transmission

../_images/can_messages_transmission_diagram.png

CAN messages transmission diagram

  1. Go to Input/Output menu \(\rightarrow\) CAN Setup section \(\rightarrow\) Custom message 1 tab.

    Select the fields to send in the TX or TX Ini section, as it is a Producer. More information on the configuration of CAN messages can be found in the TX messages -> Custom messages section of this manual.

    For example, a CAN messsage set to ID 12:

    ../_images/can_messages_transmission_custom_message.png

    Custom Message configuration

  2. Go to Input/Output menu \(\rightarrow\) CAN Setup section \(\rightarrow\) Configuration tab.

    Connect CAN custom message 1 producer (as the message has been configured in the Custom Message 1 tab) to an Output Filter as follows:

    ../_images/can_messages_transmission_output_filter.png

    Output filter

Warning

Remember that it is necessary to have at least 1 free mailbox for TX messages.

Data transmission between BCS and 1x Autopilot

To stablish proper communication between ground and air units, the telemetry and sniffer menus must be configured, respectively.

A simple example of use between a ground unit (BCS) and an air unit (1x) is shown below:

In the BCS:

  1. Go to Telemetry menu \(\rightarrow\) Telemetry section \(\rightarrow\) Data link to VApp tab (see Telemetry section, for more information about this).

  2. Add the variables: Absolute: UAV position, Yaw, Pitch and Roll.

  3. Set a Frequency, it is recommended to set it to 10 Hz.

  4. On Address, point to the 1x air unit (it is needed to have both units connected through the radio in order to be able to see them on the menu).

../_images/data_transmission_telemetry.png

BCS ground unit - Telemetry

For the 1x air unit use 1x PDI Builder:

  1. Go to Telemetry menu \(\rightarrow\) Sniffer section (for more information about this, see Sniffer section).

  2. Add a new Sniffer.

  3. Configure the same variables (keeping the same order) than in the ground unit.

  4. On Address, point to the BCS ground unit.

  5. In the gear next to it, configure the 4 incoming variables as System Variables: assign UAV Position to Moving Object and the 3 variables from attitude to 3 different User Variables (keeping the same order as well).

../_images/data_transmission_sniffer.png

1x air unit - Sniffer

External devices

The step-by-step instructions for the following external devices will be explained in detail in the following sections: