Published January 5, 2020 © CC BY-NC-SA

RC LOGGERSTATION - GPS Data Logger for RC Plane

This project describes of a low-cost GPS data logger for RC planes. In a previous project I described how to build a GPS data logger.

IntermediateFull instructions provided12,298

RC LOGGERSTATION - GPS Data Logger for RC Plane

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino Nano R3

Graphic OLED, 128 x 64

NEO 6M V2

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Solder Wire, Lead Free

Wire Stripper & Cutter, 18-10 AWG / 0.75-4mm² Capacity Wires

Soldering iron (generic)

Story

1 INTRO :

In a previous project, I described how to build a gps data logger with real time curve display with ST7735 display SD card inboard.

This project describes a low cost GPS data logger for rc aircraft, more light weight and smaller for put in in a radio controlled plane.

More, the power for arduino must be made by the battery of the plane to have less weight on the plane and with a small size.

2 CHOICE OF MATERIAL :

My choice is,

For the microcontroller : Arduino nano generic

For the screen : SSD 1306 oled display

For the GPS : UBLOX NEO-6M V2

For the sd card reader/writer : generic but the less weight as posssible

For the box : ABS box

I made this choice so as to have the smallest components possible (I did not choose the arduino micro for lack of memory) and with the least weight.

Despite this I was forced to use a lite library for the OLED screen otherwise I saturate the dynamic memory and made the arduino unstable.

3 ASSEMBLING :

The wiring must be done with the minimum length of wire and without the connectors on the electronic cards so as to lighten the final assembly to the maximum.

4 DISPLAYING :

On the display for not saturating the dynamic memory of the arduino nano, I am just putting the interesting informations.

In the booting sequence, I am displaying the home screen and after, if the sd card is ready for recording the trajectory. after that the screen display max speed, max height and the numbers of sattelite.

5 RESULT :

I put the prototype in one of my gliders, and for comparison I put also a Canmore GPS GT-730FL data logger.

In the next video you can see the accurate of the values between the two system.

The data can be import in google earth for visualisation of the trajectory of the plane.

Code

RC LOGGERSTATION

// Test for minimum program size.

#include <Wire.h>
#include "SSD1306Ascii.h"
#include "SSD1306AsciiWire.h"
#include <TinyGPS++.h>
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include<SD.h>



const int cs_sd=2;
static const int RXPin = 3, TXPin = 4; //GPS communication
static const uint32_t GPSBaud = 9600;
TinyGPSPlus gps;
SoftwareSerial ss(RXPin, TXPin);

int maxspeed = 0, speed1 = 0;
int maxhigh = 0, high1 = 0;
int maxsatelite = 0, satelite1 = 0;


// 0X3C+SA0 - 0x3C or 0x3D
#define I2C_ADDRESS 0x3C

// Define proper RST_PIN if required.
#define RST_PIN -1

SSD1306AsciiWire oled;
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
void setup() {
  Wire.begin();
  ss.begin(GPSBaud);

#if RST_PIN >= 0
  oled.begin(&Adafruit128x64, I2C_ADDRESS, RST_PIN);
#else // RST_PIN >= 0
  oled.begin(&Adafruit128x64, I2C_ADDRESS);
#endif // RST_PIN >= 0

  oled.setFont(System5x7);
  oled.clear();
  oled.println(" ");
  oled.println("GPS DATA LOGGER");
  oled.println("FOR RC PLANE");
  oled.print(" MAX SPEED AND HEIGHT");
  delay(4000);
  oled.clear();
  
  

   if(!SD.begin(cs_sd))    //Condition vrifiant si la carte SD est prsente dans l'appareil
  {
   oled.clear();
   oled.print("Defaut SD");
  
    return;
  }
  
    oled.print("Carte SD OK");

    delay(2000);

   oled.clear();
    
  File data = SD.open("donnees.txt",FILE_WRITE);              // Ouvre le fichier "donnees.txt"
  data.println(""); data.println("Demarrage acquisition");    // Ecrit dans ce fichier
  data.close(); 
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
void loop() {
   
    satelite1 = (abs(gps.satellites.value()));

    oled.print("V max ");
    oled.print("H max   ");
    oled.print(" SAT  ");
     oled.println(" ");
    oled.println(" ");
   
   
    
 
  oled.println(" ");
  oled.println(" ");
   speed1 = (gps.speed.kmph());
  if ( speed1 > maxspeed) {
    maxspeed = speed1;
  }
 
  oled.setCursor(10 , 80);
  oled.print(maxspeed);
  
  high1 = (gps.altitude.meters());
  if ( high1 > maxhigh) {
    maxhigh = high1;
  }
  oled.setCursor(50 , 80);
  oled.print(maxhigh);

   oled.setCursor(100 , 80);
  oled.print(satelite1);
  
  
   String Temps=String(gps.time.hour()+1)+(":")+(gps.time.minute())+(":")+(gps.time.second());
  String Date=String(gps.date.day())+("/")+(gps.date.month())+("/")+(gps.date.year());
 
// Ecriture des donnes dans le fichier texte
  File data=SD.open("donnees.txt",FILE_WRITE);
  data.println(Date + " " + Temps + " " + String(gps.location.lat(), 6)+" "+String(gps.location.lng(), 6)+(" ")+String(gps.altitude.meters(),0)+(" ")+String(gps.speed.kmph(),0))+(" ")+String(satelite1); 
  data.close();
  
  
  
  
  
    DelayGPS(100);

  


  
   
  oled.clear();

  }

  static void DelayGPS(unsigned long ms)
{
  unsigned long start = millis();
  do
  {
    while (ss.available())
      gps.encode(ss.read());
  } while (millis() - start < ms);
}

Credits

yvesmorele

9 projects • 45 followers

chemical scientist