{"id":30,"date":"2010-06-22T20:07:14","date_gmt":"2010-06-23T03:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/?page_id=30"},"modified":"2013-09-24T22:51:35","modified_gmt":"2013-09-25T05:51:35","slug":"progress-milestones","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/?page_id=30","title":{"rendered":"Progress & Milestones"},"content":{"rendered":"

Construction<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The general plan is as follows:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Initial implementation of the navigation logic in the software simulation.\u00a0 (~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Boat design \/ blueprints - verify that any candidate hardware will fit correctly in the hull, etc. (~100% completed)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 Need to resolve how the wind heading sensor will mount to the top of the mast.\u00a0 The main trick here is wire\/connections that can freely rotate on the wind vane..\u00a0 I am leaning towards having the vane spin freely with a magnet attached, and two hall effect sensors perpendicular to each other sensing the magnet direction.\u00a0 I will effectively be re-inventing one of these<\/a>, which I have interfaced with before in a previous project. The main bummer is having to build and test this when it really feels like this should already exist! If anyone knows of an existing product, please let me know!<\/p>\n

Note: I've determined that a wind vane is not the answer since apparent wind complicates things too much. Since I just need to know if the boat is going into a head wind, I will be using a magnet & sensor on the boom to determine if the main sail is stalled. (at least that's the current plan)
\n(~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0 Build the boat.\u00a0 Initially, the only hardware that will go in it is the RC receiver and servo(s).\u00a0 The boat will start out as a typical, remote control boat to evaluate boat's performance (and modify if needed). (~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0 In parallel to step 4, start ordering other electronic hardware.\u00a0 Order of purchasing will be something like:\u00a0 2 or 3 channel radio control & servos, main board (leaning towards Arduino Pilot Mega), compass sensors, GPS, camera(s), ... ?\u00a0 (~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span> I currently have: Main microcontroller, 4 channel radio, massive 1\/4 scale rudder servo, 2 1.3 megapixel cameras\/video recorders, mast lights, GPS, Heading sensor, Wind Vane encoder. Eventually I'll get solar panels, rechargeable batteries, and more depending on scope, but for earlier test runs, non-rechargeable batteries will work. <\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 Integration of hardware into software will also happen in parallel to steps 4 and 5 as hardware is received.\u00a0 (~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Test Runs<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 The initial test runs will be effectively as a standard, remote control sail boat.\u00a0 (as mentioned in #4 above).\u00a0 This will likely take place at Alamitos bay as well as Belmont shore (within the breakwater) to see how the boat handles.\u00a0 One of the major concerns in testing on the ocean side is whether the scale of the boat handles well in rougher water.\u00a0 Depending on the results, this may require a re-design of the boat.\u00a0 (here's to hoping that isn't necessary!) (~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\nVideo:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

  • First Sail<\/a><\/li>\n
  • <\/a><\/li>\n
  • <\/a><\/li>\n
  • <\/a><\/li>\n

    <\/p>\n

    2.\u00a0 Once the 'unmanned' capability is in place, it will be initially tested as hybrid RC\/autopilot. One of the channels on the RC allows to switch between autopilot and RC control. Additional channels will be used during RC mode to add\/remove waypoints. For example, in RC mode, I will sail the boat around, and occasionally add waypoints of the boat's current position. After several points have been set, I can switch to autopilot mode and the boat should follow the same course I had just taken manually. (~100% completed)<\/strong><\/span>
    \n
    \nVideo:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

  • Plot of course from log data<\/a><\/li>\n
  • Sample sailboat camera footage<\/a><\/li>\n

    3.\u00a0 Several ocean side courses will be run through to see how the boat handles decent distances in rougher water.\u00a0 For example, the boat will be sent around one of the oil islands there inside the breakwater in Belmont shore. TODO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    4.\u00a0 If tests in #3 go well, the next plan is to send the boat OUTSIDE the breakwater and back.\u00a0 If a success, the plan is to incrementally work towards a round trip to Catalina. (yes, I realize this is probably fantasy, but it would be awesome... and I will continue to push the boat further and further until the boat either sinks or makes it!!!)<\/em> TODO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    5.\u00a0 For now, this is as far ahead as should be planned.\u00a0 Catalina is a pretty ambitious goal for such a small boat that is likely to be stolen or simply lost at sea!\u00a0 In the unlikely event that things continue to go well, I would love to push the boat even further.. TODO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Construction The general plan is as follows: 1.\u00a0 Initial implementation of the navigation logic in the software simulation.\u00a0 (~100% completed) 2.\u00a0 Boat design \/ blueprints – verify that any candidate hardware will fit correctly in the hull, etc. (~100% completed) 3.\u00a0 Need to resolve how the wind heading sensor will mount to the top of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-30","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":372,"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30\/revisions\/372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/distantpulse.com\/serenity\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}