Failsafe PTZ
The Failsafe PTZ provides the usual autopilot, RC and failsafe switching on the first 4 channels, but the remaining channels are dedicated purely to telemetry control of payload.
This means that servo channels 5, 6, 7 and 8 are controlled remotely from the ground by sending commands through the telemetry uplink. They are completely independent from the autopilot and RC receiver, and can be used for virtually anything. Typical applications include:
- Camera pan, tilt and zoom
- Parachute release
- Photo trigger
- And for the UAV Outback Challenge, activating a bottle drop mechanism
The 4 telemetry-controlled channels still have failsafe positions, so if loss of telemetry is programmed to trigger a failsafe event, cameras can be retracted (or at least pointed in a useful direction), parachutes released, and photos of the future crash site taken. One again we've made a RoboRealm file to get the ball rolling:
pan_tilt_zoom.robo
Pan, tilt, zoom and trigger:
Velocities of the pan and tilt servos proportional to joystick x and y deflection (camera position is held fixed with joystick centred), zoom servo proportional to joystick throttle control, and joystick fire button operates servo 8. Flight termination (and restoration) also mapped to joystick buttons. See the comments in the VBScript for more details. Here's a short video of this file in action (thanks Nick!).
Some browsers think they can understand .robo files, but they can't. If your browser opens the file instead of offering to save it, you'll need to hit the "back" button and then right-click on the link and select "Save As". The extension should be ".robo"
