FrSky’s S6R receiver/stabilizer and GPS sensor can already provide to a Taranis transmitter the plane’s GPS coordinates via telemetry. The transmitter uses that to report the plane’s ground speed, its altitude, and its distance from the launch point.
It seems like the ability to return to launch could also be added. No changes would be needed in the S6R. When RTL mode is activated, the transmitter would put the stabilizer into self-level mode. It’d use the plane’s successive GPS coordinates to infer the plane’s direction. It’d leave ailerons at neutral, and use rudder to bring the plane to home. Maybe it’d use the elevator to adjust to a pre-determined altitude.
RTL could be activated manually, or automatically when the plane gets too far away or the RSSI drops too low (before radio contact is lost).
It seems like this could be implemented solely with upgraded software in the transmitter and in Companion (or, for now, in S6R Config Software).
So, this would use only the processing power of the transmitter, not of the receiver. Does this seem feasible?
Taranis with S6R and GPS Sensor give RTL?
Re: Taranis with S6R and GPS Sensor give RTL?
With only 1Hz GPS updates you'd better have a lot of free space and time.
In theory it could work somewhat, but not sure it would be worth the hassle to spend the development time on such a thing to get something less good than what you can have in a pinch with a cheap FC.
The main point of RTH is to cover a case of signal loss, and this won't do it.
In theory it could work somewhat, but not sure it would be worth the hassle to spend the development time on such a thing to get something less good than what you can have in a pinch with a cheap FC.
The main point of RTH is to cover a case of signal loss, and this won't do it.