Build Your Own Quadcopter: Power Up Your Designs with the Parallax Elev-8
by: Donald Norris
Abstract: Build a custom multirotor aircraft! Build and customize radio-controlled quadcopters that take off, land, hover, and soar. Build Your Own Quadcopter: Power Up Your Designs with the Parallax Elev-8 features step-by-step assembly plans and experiments that will have you launching fully functioning quadcopters in no time. Discover how to connect Elev-8 components, program the microcontroller, use GPS, and safely fly your quadcopter. This fun, do-it-yourself guide fuels your creativity with ideas for radical enhancements, including return-to-home functionality, formation flying, and even artificial intelligence! • Understand the principles that govern how quadcopters fly • Explore the parts included in your Parallax Elev-8 kit • Follow illustrated instructions and assemble a basic 'copter • Connect the Parallax chip to a PC and write Spin and C programs • Build radio-controlled systems that minimize interference • Add GPS and track your aircraft through Google Earth • Beam flight information to smartphones with WiFi and XBee technology • Mount cameras and stream real-time video back to the ground • Train to safely operate a quadcopter using flight simulation software
Full details
Table of Contents
- A. Dedication
- B. About the Author
- C. Preface
- 1. Introduction to Quadcopters
- 2. Quadcopter Flight Dynamics
- 3. Building the Elev-8
- 4. Programming the Parallax Propeller Chip
- 5. Quadcopter Propulsors
- 6. Radio-Controlled Systems and Telemetry
- 7. Servo Motors and Extending the Servo Control System
- 8. GPS and a Real-Time Situational Display
- 9. Airborne Video Systems
- 10. Training Tutorial and Performance Checks
- 11. Enhancements and Future Projects
Tools & Media
Expanded Table of Contents
- A. Dedication
- B. About the Author
- C. Preface
- 1. Introduction to Quadcopters
- 2. Quadcopter Flight Dynamics
- 3. Building the Elev-8
- 4. Programming the Parallax Propeller Chip
- 5. Quadcopter Propulsors
- 6. Radio-Controlled Systems and Telemetry
- 7. Servo Motors and Extending the Servo Control System
- 8. GPS and a Real-Time Situational Display
- 9. Airborne Video Systems
- 10. Training Tutorial and Performance Checks
- 11. Enhancements and Future Projects
Book Details
Title: Build Your Own Quadcopter: Power Up Your Designs with the Parallax Elev-8
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Athens, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New Delhi, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto
Copyright / Pub. Date: 2014 McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN: 9780071822282
Authors:
Donald Norris
is a quadcopter enthusiast and a private pilot. He is also an electrical engineer with an advanced degree in production management. Mr. Norris is retired from civilian government service with the U.S. Navy, where he specialized in acoustics and digital signal processing. He has more than 17 years' experience as a professional software developer using programming languages including C, C#, C++, Python, and Java, as well as 5 years' experience as a certified IT security consultant.
Description: Build a custom multirotor aircraft! Build and customize radio-controlled quadcopters that take off, land, hover, and soar. Build Your Own Quadcopter: Power Up Your Designs with the Parallax Elev-8 features step-by-step assembly plans and experiments that will have you launching fully functioning quadcopters in no time. Discover how to connect Elev-8 components, program the microcontroller, use GPS, and safely fly your quadcopter. This fun, do-it-yourself guide fuels your creativity with ideas for radical enhancements, including return-to-home functionality, formation flying, and even artificial intelligence! • Understand the principles that govern how quadcopters fly • Explore the parts included in your Parallax Elev-8 kit • Follow illustrated instructions and assemble a basic 'copter • Connect the Parallax chip to a PC and write Spin and C programs • Build radio-controlled systems that minimize interference • Add GPS and track your aircraft through Google Earth • Beam flight information to smartphones with WiFi and XBee technology • Mount cameras and stream real-time video back to the ground • Train to safely operate a quadcopter using flight simulation software
