With the External Control, the MK can be controlled via serial commands.

ExternalControl

By sending the External Control frame, you can:

control the Nick/Roll/Yaw/Gas-Stick inputs by a serial command
get control of these functions: GPS, Altitude, CareFree and Auto-Start/Land
select if the MK shall ignore the RC-Signals
select if the MK shall ignore an RC-Lost (MK can be operated without RC-Receiver)

function select

Since Version 2.14 (or 2.13 Beta), it is possible to activate the following functions:

GPS (PH, CH, Free)
CareFree
Autostart & Autoland
AltitudeHold

these functions are only active, if the bit "EC_USE_SWITCH" is set in the ExternalControl .Config

if EC_USE_SWITCH in Config is set, the Transmitter switches are ignored (GPS, Altitude, CareFree and Auto-Start/land) and replaced by the Bits in the "ExternalControl.Switches"

controling camera, gimbal etc

If you want to control the other functions, you must also send the SerialChannel-Frame and assign the channels accordingly. For Example select "Ser CH1" for Poti1.

Timing

We would recommend to send the ExternalControl between 5-20 times per seconds.

The SerialChannel-Frame can be sent slower. The KopterTool for example sends the SerialChannel quite slow if no values were changed (around 2HZ), and sends it more often if any values were changed.

Settings

The ability to control the MK via the ExternalControl depends on the Setting

External Control can be activated by RC

In this case the User on the RC-Transmitter can allow the ExternalControl by a switch on the Transmitter.

In that case it can be used like a Trainer/Student switch.

$/!\$ with this option the pilot on the RC-Transmitter can always get back the control if something goes wrong on the ExternalControl-side

External Control always possible

Here the ExternalControl is always allowed. Use this if you want to fly without RC-Receiver.

Protocol

from uart.h in FC Code:

defines for ExternalControl.Config

   1 #define EC_VALID                0x01 // only valid if this is 1
   2 #define EC_GAS_ADD              0x02 // if 1 -> use the GAS Value directly and not as MAX
   3 #define EC_USE_SWITCH           0x20 // if 1 -> use the Switches for further control -> the according RC transmitter switches are deactivated
   4 #define EC_IGNORE_RC_STICK      0x40 // direct control (do not add to RC-Sticks Nick, Roll, Yaw)
   5 #define EC_IGNORE_RC_LOST       0x80 // if 1 -> for Flying without RC-Control (Ignore RC-Lost)
   6

defines for ExternalControl.Switches

control GPS Modes etc.
only active if this bit is set: EC_USE_SWITCH in Config

   1 #define EC2_PH                  0x01 // GPS-Mode: PH
   2 #define EC2_CH                  0x02 // GPS-Mode: CH
   3 #define EC2_CAREFREE            0x10 // CareFree on
   4 #define EC2_ALTITUDE            0x20 // Altitude Hold: on
   5 #define EC2_AUTOSTART           0x40 // Activates Autotstart
   6 #define EC2_AUTOLAND            0x80 // Activates Autolanding
   7

Structure

   1 struct str_ExternControl
   2 {
   3  signed char Nick;
   4  signed char Roll;
   5  signed char Gier;
   6  signed char Gas;
   7  unsigned char Frame; // will return a confirm frame with this value
   8  unsigned char Config;
   9  unsigned char Switches;
  10  unsigned char Free1; // these two don't need capacity in the ASCII data string
  11  unsigned char Free2;
  12 };
  13 extern struct str_ExternControl ExternalControl;

Timeout

There is a timeout of 2 seconds. If the Frame is missing for longer than 2 seconds, the MK would set the External Sticks to zero and switch on Altitude and GPS.

After 15 seconds it goes back to RC-Control (or behave like RC-Lost when operating without RC).

Example code for controlling the MikroKopter without RC

This code part was placed into a second FC as groundstation. There was a Receiver connected and a WI232 as telemetry to the Flying MK.

   1 if((CheckDelay(EC_Timer)) && UebertragungAbgeschlossen)
   2          {
   3 static struct str_ExternControl Test;
   4 
   5         Test.Nick = ChannelNick;
   6         Test.Roll = ChannelRoll;
   7         Test.Gier = ChannelYaw;
   8         Test.Gas = ChannelGas;
   9         Test.Frame++;
  10 
  11         Test.Config = 0;
  12         if(PPM_in[16] > 64) Test.Config |= EC_GAS_ADD | EC_USE_SWITCH | EC_VALID;
  13 
  14         if(PPM_in[13] > 64) Test.Config |= EC_IGNORE_RC | EC_IGNORE_RC_STICK;
  15 
  16         Test.Switches = 0;
  17         if(PPM_in[5] > 64)              Test.Switches |= EC2_ALTITUDE;
  18         
  19         if(PPM_in[6] > 64)              Test.Switches |= EC2_CH;
  20         else if(PPM_in[6] > -64)Test.Switches |= EC2_PH;
  21 
  22         if(PPM_in[8] > 64)              Test.Switches |= EC2_CAREFREE;
  23         if(PPM_in[10] > 64)     Test.Switches |= EC2_AUTOSTART;
  24         if(PPM_in[10] < -64)    Test.Switches |= EC2_AUTOLAND;
  25 
  26    SendOutData('b', FC_ADDRESS, 1, (unsigned char *) &Test,sizeof(Test));
  27    EC_Timer = SetDelay(50);
  28  }