Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

So, I've got an N900, a helicopter, and some coding skills... here's what I've been up to today:

http://bit.ly/9vjuDO

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/...2959a1359f.jpg

If anyone wants code or a more detailed how to, post on the comments.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

Come back when you use the accelerometer for pitch and yaw :)

Very cool - but two feet?! We need a bluetooth enabled helicopter I think.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

Oh how can we resist:

http://www.pabr.org/chromicro/doc/chromicro.en.html

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSv2ca-IECc

I hope they port it to N900.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

the_accidental: I would love a copy of your code. I have one of those little helicopters, too.

paulkoan: the problem with using the accelerometers for this project is that you have to keep the IR transmitter pointed at the 'copter. So you could only use one axis of tilt.

zimon: The software is open source, so it should be portable. But a WiFi-controlled helicopter sounds really expensive!

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

Qole - I'll work on getting the howto with code online then. Or if yours is also a channel A copter, and you think you can make it go with minimal instructions I can message you the lirc config and control script on here?

Paulkoan - as qole says, it's not really very practical. Even if it was (and setting aside IR range problems) you'd need to perform heavy filtering of the user input for sensible control. And I just don't have the time, this was a day's work! Can't spend any more time on it.

Zimon - this copter cost me £20, considerably cheaper :-) For the price of just the iphone, I could buy a N900, a copter, a nice meal and still have change ;-)

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

To qole and the_accidental.

Can you guess what the smiley face next to my comment was supposed to signify?

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

the_accidental: bad news! My copter is a channel B! :(

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

Channel B's fine - my code will generate either config file. (actually I'll just find/replace the one I have, rather than bother to make a new one)

So I can quickly knock up a channel B config for you if you can handle scripts/lirc etc yourself with no instructions, or you can wait and I'll do a proper how-to with code.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

I don't have the necessary knowledge for that matter, but I know it's duable and relatively cheap with Arduino: 25$ for the chip + ~55$ for WiFi chip.

Already done with remote controlled car ( & iphone..).

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

the_accidental: Don't bother with anything too complex for a while -- I have a dozen things to do this weekend (including taxes :( ) that will make 'copter hacking not possible this week...

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

i want the how to......
and the code

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

I'll get onto it when I have spare time. But the overview I've written with the links is enough for someone to easily reproduce my work.

All I'll add really is my example config files, the control script, and the program to generate new control codes. The actual "how to" parts will be minimal - I'll still assume the reader can work out the scripts/code themselves! No time to write a "for dummies" how to.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

I have one of those, I think the remote may be bad though - one day the chopper just started dropping out of the sky randomly.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

Actually I looked into it, and the communications protocols are all open and documented so it should be possible to make a control client for the N900.

Re: Flying a remote control helicopter with the N900
 

You would need to perform heavy filtering of the user input for sensible control. And I just don't have the time, this was a day's work! Can't spend any more time on it. This is difficult project..
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