Raspberry pi Quadcopter + ESC(PWM)

[felippe]

Hi everyone,

I'm a programmer and i don't have much knowledge in eletronics, and I've the following problem:

I need to connect 4 ESC 20A Skywalker (follow the link :http://www.goodluckbuy.com/hobbywing-sk ... -pack.html)
on the Pi GPIO pins to send PWM pulses, but don't know which pins should I connect; remembering that each esc has 3 females pins and the raspberry pi model B has only 8 male pins made for GPIO's connections.

How can I connect them?

Thank you in advance

[illuminaughty]

I understand your confusion.

The answer is simple. Leave out the 3rd Wire of ESC from connecting to RaspPi thereby effectively you have (12 X 3 - 4 = 8)

Just have a look at this image http://solenerotech.files.wordpress.com ... ring_2.jpg which demos how to connect 1 ESC to RPi's one of the GPIO & one of the Ground Pins

Similarly, you can use 3 more ESCs to connet to RPi's leftover 3 GPIO and 3 Ground Pins.

Hope this addresses your problem.

[Tarcas]

on the Pi GPIO pins to send PWM pulses, but don't know which pins should I connect; remembering that each esc has 3 females pins and the raspberry pi model B has only 8 male pins made for GPIO's connections.

I don't know anything about the Esc, but the Pi actually has 17 GPIO pins. Most of the special purpose ones can be used as general purpose also (not the +3.3, +5, GND, and DNC pins, but I think all the others.) Only one pin supports hardware PWM, but you can do software PWM on any of the 17 GPIO ones.

PS, 17 is on the main connector. There's a second one that you can solder on that adds 4 more GPIOs, +3.3, +5, and two GND pins. I wasn't counting this because most people don't solder it on. With it you have 21 GPIO pins total.

[felippe]

Just have a look at this image http://solenerotech.files.wordpress.com ... ring_2.jpg which demos how to connect 1 ESC to RPi's one of the GPIO & one of the Ground Pins

Similarly, you can use 3 more ESCs to connet to RPi's leftover 3 GPIO and 3 Ground Pins.

Thanks man,
Your link helped me a lot.
I believe the red pin don't need to be connected because the esc will be already charging by the battery.
Follow the link of my current project:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0BlrH ... sp=sharing

Only one pin supports hardware PWM, but you can do software PWM on any of the 17 GPIO ones.

Thanks for your reply.
My project uses pwm java software application or via python.



I'm still hoping to get a few items to perform the first tests, so there is some progress i'll post here.

Feel free to comment on any improvement
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0BlrH ... sp=sharing

Best Regards

[Thomoi]

Hi
I know it's an old topic but I need help. I'm also using Hobbywing Skywalker (but 40Amp), I got them plugged correctly, but then, how do you control them from the Raspberry Pi ?
Regards,
Thomas

[felippe]

Hi Thomoi,

I am returning with the development of this project that was stopped six months, and really I am very hopeful.
About the control of the ESCS:

I used the servoblaster Richardghirst: https://github.com/richardghirst/PiBits ... rvoBlaster as the interface between the raspberry and the ESCS, through the GPIO's who sent the PWM pulse to control the motors.
Briefly on the one hand I have a xbox360 wireless controller connected to a laptop by sending commands via IP.
On the other hand I have the Raspberry Pi (with a wi-fi receiver) listening to these commands and passing instructions to the servoblaster.
I did some problems with processing on my tests(It was possible to see with the naked eye the PWM pulse arriving first on a motor and then another even when I commanded the four motors at the same time.)
I am now studying solutions with real-time processing and multiple threads, as we now have the Raspberry Pi 2.
I was developing all in java, but I'll try something in Python or C # as well.
Once you get hit with my codes I will post excerpts here to help those who are interested.

My Working folder:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id= ... sp=sharing

Best Regards,

Felippe Mendonça dos Santos
felippe.fms@gmail.com

[rogerfgay]

I hope you'll keep us up to date and provide details on the parts you've used. I've looked at the diagrams you've shared, but you should understand that I'm a newbie and still trying to figure out whether connecting only 2 wires from the ESC means brushed motors have to be used.

I'm involved with quadcopter development that needs WWW control.
I'm in a situation with limited time (end of school year) and small budget ... which I'll explain if you're really interested.

I'm more a programmer than electronics guy. I have a good start on an RPi simulator.
https://achieve2.hll.nu/roger/raspsim

(BTW: I also wrote the Node based server that delivers that demo.)

[B.Goode]

I hope you'll keep us up to date..

That's a fail from the outset...

Most of the previously active contributors to this discussion have not logged into the forums for several years. It is unlikely, but not impossible, that you will get a reply.

Quadcopter drone development seems to be a popular project this academic year - there have been many similar posts in the past few weeks that you might be able to benefit from?

[rogerfgay]

I hope you'll keep us up to date..

That's a fail from the outset...

Most of the previously active contributors to this discussion have not logged into the forums for several years. It is unlikely, but not impossible, that you will get a reply.

Quadcopter drone development seems to be a popular project this academic year - there have been many similar posts in the past few weeks that you might be able to benefit from?

Thanks. I've been googling for weeks now ... and I mean putting in full days, trying to gain knowledge. This project looks like a good fit. I may post a focused question or two to see if I can finish off the spots that I'm not sure about.