Well, we didn't get flying.
But, that's ok. What we learned in the process was, to put it bluntly, overwhelming. And we'll keep on working on this as time goes by. It was fun to work on something so audacious that we had to focus almost entirely on the project, and with no guarantee of success.
The most recent stage of the project has the quadrotor being able to balance on the test stand. This provides validation for the main control loop, and all of the associated software (motor PID control, serial interface, and the GUI control/profiling application). Unfortunately, it wasn't until the end that we realized how poorly the CHR-UM6 inertial measurement units actually functioned. These units (we had two) failed to provide an accurate attitude estimation, which caused the quadrotor to tilt without reference to the ground.
To see what our project documents, take a look at code.anzhelka.com
So, the next step is to come up with an IMU that works. There are several possible solutions out there, but all of them are expensive to the point of making the project unfeasible. So, I think we'll look into building our own IMU: one that is accurate, and extensible to include GPS and barometer readings as well. It's always been a dream of mine to implement a Kalman filter of my own.
The Anzhelka quadrotor project waits for a new set of eyes.
