Unmanned Boat with RC control

Blue Robotics Vehicles BlueBoat
1

Dear Community,

I am currently in the process of developing a remote-controlled boat and have assembled the electronic components in a configuration similar to that of the Blue Boat. While reviewing the forum, I came across information indicating that the RC control for the Blue Boat can be established by connecting to the RC-IN port available on the Navigator.

For my setup, I am using the Skydroid H16 Pro system. I would be grateful for guidance on the following queries:

  1. Could you please advise on the optimal placement of the receiver within the boat hull?
  2. What specific modifications are required in the Navigator hardware and its associated software settings (particularly within QGroundControl parameters and Autopilot software)?
  3. Do I need to change the IP address or make amendments with it’s configuration ?
  4. Upon completion of this setup, will a base station still be necessary for proper operation?

I sincerely appreciate any assistance or insights you can provide.

2

Hi @Aashley -
Happy to help.

  1. You’ll want the receiver to be as high up as possible, either inside or outside the hull, to maximize range. I would not expect range to be very far…
  2. You’ll want to connect the SBUS output of your receiver, and follow the FAQ to get setup with BlueOS:
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    Using Cockpit will not be supported with this controller!
  3. You should not need to change any IP address setup, but without a WiFi link to the boat, you won’t be able to reach BlueOS while operating. When at close range, you can connect to BlueOS via the Pi WiFi hotspot, or plugging directly into the ethernet port.
  4. No base station will be necessary if you are using an RC radio, but you won’t receive any telemetry from the boat. This means that QGround Control won’t show the position of the boat on the map, or the battery level, and you won’t have real-time feedback from any sonar’s or other payloads. Running with just an RC controller is severely limiting!

If you’re already using a Navigator and Pi / BlueOS, you could add a cellular modem, or a WiFi radio like the default Mikrotik/Base Station combination, to get telemetry and the standard supported control method, with gamecontroller and control computer. Blue Robotics will be launching a cellular modem kit for the BlueBoat, hopefully this quarter!