Unmanned cruise vehicle based on pixhawk open source autopilot
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202522286994.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-09
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-10-29
AI Technical Summary
[0002]当前工业巡检领域对无人巡航车的需求日益增长，但现有技术方案存在明显短板：成本与兼容性矛盾：商业无人巡航车解决方案硬件成本高昂，单台设备均价超 10 万元，且多采用封闭硬件架构，难以适配工业场景下的个性化传感器扩展需求；而低成本开源方案又普遍存在模块间兼容性差、供电不稳定等问题；控制精度不足：传统基于单一主控的无人巡航车，在电机驱动信号匹配、路径跟踪等环节存在明显缺陷
[0008]与现有技术相比，本实用新型的有益效果是：本基于Pixhawk开源自驾仪的无人巡航车，具有以下好处：
Smart Images
Figure CN224840868U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned cruise vehicle technology, specifically an unmanned cruise vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot system. Background Technology
[0002] The demand for unmanned patrol vehicles in the current industrial inspection field is growing, but existing technical solutions have obvious shortcomings: cost and compatibility contradiction: commercial unmanned patrol vehicle solutions have high hardware costs, with an average price of over 100,000 yuan per unit, and most of them adopt closed hardware architectures, making it difficult to adapt to the personalized sensor expansion needs of industrial scenarios; while low-cost open source solutions generally suffer from poor compatibility between modules and unstable power supply; insufficient control precision: traditional unmanned patrol vehicles based on a single master controller have obvious defects in motor drive signal matching, path tracking and other aspects. For example, the duty cycle of the PWM signal natively output by the Pixhawk autopilot is generally lower than that required for DC motor drive, resulting in insufficient motor torque and cruise speed fluctuations often exceeding 15%. During path tracking, the trajectory deviation is often more than 1.5 meters, which cannot meet the positioning requirements for precise inspection of industrial equipment. The ground station collaboration capability is weak: the interaction between the existing system and the ground station is mostly limited to basic data transmission, lacking customized functions for industrial inspection, such as real-time parameter debugging, multi-format log parsing, and dynamic adjustment of waypoints under abnormal operating conditions. This results in delayed fault response and low efficiency during the inspection process. To address these issues, we propose an unmanned cruise vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the existing defects and provide an unmanned cruise vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot, which can significantly reduce hardware costs and improve module compatibility, achieve high-precision motion control through dual-control collaboration and signal conversion, and enhance working condition adaptability and operation and maintenance efficiency with the help of a deeply integrated ground station platform, thus effectively solving the problems in the background technology.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: an unmanned patrol vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot, comprising an unmanned patrol vehicle body, a ground station, and a remote controller. The unmanned patrol vehicle body includes a power supply component, a control component, a drive execution component, a communication and positioning component, a receiver, and a GPS module. The power supply component, control component, drive execution component, communication and positioning component, and receiver are all mounted on the vehicle body of the unmanned patrol vehicle body. The control component includes the Pixhawk open-source autopilot and an STM32 microcontroller. The output terminal of the power supply component is electrically connected to the input terminals of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot and the STM32 microcontroller, respectively. The Pixhawk open-source autopilot has two PWM output channels. The first PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot is connected to the STM32 microcontroller, and the second PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot... The PWM output channels of both the channel and the STM32 microcontroller are connected to the drive execution component. The communication and positioning component is connected to the Pixhawk open-source autopilot. The data output terminal of the communication and positioning component is wirelessly connected to the receiver of the ground station. The signal output terminal of the remote controller is wirelessly connected to the signal receiving terminal of the receiver. The output terminal of the receiver is electrically connected to the input terminal of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot. The voltage regulator module uses the XL4015 chip to build an adjustable step-down circuit with an input voltage range of 12V-35V and an output voltage that is precisely adjusted to 4.3V-5.8V. It has a built-in overcurrent protection mechanism that automatically limits the current when the load current exceeds 5A. The STM32 microcontroller is configured with a dynamic PWM signal conversion algorithm to capture the PWM wave output by the Pixhawk open-source autopilot and convert it to output a signal adapted to the motor drive board. The data transmission module uses the MAVLink protocol for data transmission. The ground station integrates Mission Planner software to support real-time parameter debugging, log parsing (.bin / .log to .kml / .mat format), and dynamic waypoint adjustment.
[0005] Furthermore, the power supply component includes a power supply and a voltage regulator module. The output terminal of the power supply is electrically connected to the input terminal of the voltage regulator module. The output terminal of the voltage regulator module is electrically connected to the input terminals of the STM32 microcontroller and the Pixhawk open-source autopilot, respectively. The voltage regulator module, based on the XL4015 chip, controls voltage fluctuations within ±0.3V, and the overcurrent protection threshold is set to 5A. The power supply uses a 3S lithium battery to provide a rated voltage of 11.1V to ensure the stability of the system power supply.
[0006] Furthermore, the drive execution component includes a servo motor, a drive board, and a motor. The second PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot is connected to the servo motor, and the PWM output channel of the STM32 microcontroller is connected to the drive board. The output terminal of the drive board is electrically connected to the input terminal of the motor. The servo motor uses the MG996R model to achieve a steering angle of 0-180° with an accuracy of ±0.5° and a steering delay of ≤50ms. The motor adopts a brushless DC motor in conjunction with the closed-loop control mechanism of the drive board. Through the PWM optimization algorithm of the STM32 microcontroller, the motor operates within the rated voltage range of 95%±2%, ensuring a path tracking error of ≤0.5 meters and a speed fluctuation of ≤3.2%. The drive board integrates PID control optimization parameters (proportional 0.4-0.6, integral 0.2-0.4) to support dual-motor drive.
[0007] Furthermore, the communication and positioning component includes a data transmission module, a GPS module, a camera, and an image transmission module. The data transmission module and GPS module are connected to the Pixhawk open-source autopilot via serial ports. The video output of the camera is connected to the video input of the image transmission module. The data transmission module operates in the 433MHz frequency band and uses the MAVLink protocol for communication. The GPS module uses the M8N model and supports BeiDou / GPS dual-mode positioning with an accuracy of 2.5 meters CEP. The image transmission module uses the 5.8G frequency band to achieve a transmission distance of ≥500 meters and transmits 1200TVL CMOS camera video data in real time. The ground station provides real-time map trajectory display, multi-parameter monitoring (voltage / speed / attitude), and log analysis tools based on the Mission Planner platform.
[0008] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This unmanned cruise vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autonomous driving system has the following advantages: 1. By adopting an open-source hardware architecture and modular design, the overall manufacturing cost is significantly reduced while maintaining excellent scalability; the dual main control processing unit design not only ensures the system's processing power but also supports the flexible access of various industrial sensors, solving the problem of poor compatibility in traditional solutions. 2. Through innovative signal conversion algorithms and multi-mode collaborative control mechanisms, high-precision path tracking and stable motion control are achieved; the system supports multiple working modes such as self-stabilization, manual, and automatic, and can maintain rapid response and accurate execution under various working conditions; 3. The application of the intelligent power management module ensures high voltage output stability, and the built-in protection mechanism effectively prevents overload and abnormal conditions; the system can still maintain stable operation under complex environmental conditions, significantly improving the reliability and service life of the equipment. 4. Deeply integrated with advanced ground station software platform, providing comprehensive real-time monitoring, parameter debugging, and data analysis functions; supports parsing and conversion of various log formats, greatly facilitating daily equipment maintenance and performance optimization, and reducing operation and maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description
[0009] Figure 1 This is the overall flowchart of this utility model.
[0010] In the diagram: 1. Unmanned cruise vehicle body, 101. Power supply, 102. Voltage regulator module, 103. Camera, 104. Image transmission module, 105. Pixhawk open-source autopilot, 106. STM32 microcontroller, 107. Servo motor, 108. Driver board, 109. Motor, 110. Data transmission module, 111. Receiver, 112. GPS module, 2. Ground station, 3. Remote controller. Detailed Implementation
[0011] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.
[0012] Please see Figure 1This embodiment provides a technical solution: an unmanned patrol vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot, including an unmanned patrol vehicle body 1, a ground station 2, and a remote controller 3. The unmanned patrol vehicle body 1 includes a power supply component, a control component, a drive execution component, a communication and positioning component, a receiver 111, and a GPS module 112. The power supply component, control component, drive execution component, communication and positioning component, and receiver 111 are all installed on the vehicle body of the unmanned patrol vehicle body 1. The control component includes a Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 and an STM32 microcontroller 106. The output terminal of the power supply component is electrically connected to the input terminals of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 and the STM32 microcontroller 106. The Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 is provided with two PWM output channels. The first PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 is connected to the STM32 microcontroller 106, and the second PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 is connected to the STM32 microcontroller 106. The PWM output channels of the STM32 microcontroller 106 are all connected to the drive execution component. The communication and positioning component is connected to the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105. The data output terminal of the communication and positioning component is wirelessly connected to the receiver terminal of ground station 2. The signal output terminal of the remote controller 3 is wirelessly connected to the signal receiving terminal of receiver 111. The output terminal of receiver 111 is electrically connected to the input terminal of Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105. The voltage regulator module 102 uses an XL4015 chip to build an adjustable step-down circuit with an input voltage range of 12V-35V and an output voltage precisely adjusted to 4.3V-5.8V. It has a built-in overcurrent protection mechanism that automatically limits the current when the load current exceeds 5A. The STM32 microcontroller 106 is configured with a dynamic PWM signal conversion algorithm to capture the PWM wave output by Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 and convert it to output a signal adapted to the motor drive board. The data transmission module 110 uses the MAVLink protocol for data transmission. Ground station 2 integrates Mission The Planner software supports real-time parameter debugging, log parsing (.bin / .log to .kml / .mat format), and dynamic waypoint adjustment. The power supply assembly includes a power supply 101 and a voltage regulator module 102. The output of the power supply 101 is electrically connected to the input of the voltage regulator module 102. The output of the voltage regulator module 102 is electrically connected to the inputs of the STM32 microcontroller 106 and the Pixhawk open-source autonomous driving device 105, respectively. The voltage regulator module 102 uses an XL4015 chip to control voltage fluctuations within ±0.3V, and the overcurrent protection threshold is set to 5A. The power supply 101 uses a 3S lithium battery to provide a rated voltage of 11.1V to ensure the stability of the system power supply. The drive execution component includes a servo motor 107, a drive board 108, and a motor 109. The second PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 is connected to the servo motor 107, and the PWM output channel of the STM32 microcontroller 106 is connected to the drive board 108. The output terminal of the drive board 108 is electrically connected to the input terminal of the motor 109. The servo motor 107 uses the MG996R model to achieve a steering angle of 0-180° with an accuracy of ±0.5° and a steering delay of ≤50ms. The motor 109 uses a brushless DC motor in conjunction with the closed-loop control mechanism of the drive board 108. Through the PWM optimization algorithm of the STM32 microcontroller 106, the motor operates within the rated voltage range of 95%±2%, ensuring a path tracking error of ≤0.5 meters and a speed fluctuation of ≤3.2%. The drive board 108 integrates PID control with optimized parameters of proportional 0.4-0.6 and integral 0.2-0.4, supporting dual-channel motor drive. The communication and positioning components include a data transmission module 110, a GPS module 112, a camera 103, and an image transmission module 104. The data transmission module 110 and the GPS module are connected to the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 via serial ports. The video output of the camera 103 is connected to the video input of the image transmission module 104. The data transmission module 110 operates in the 433MHz frequency band and uses the MAVLink protocol for communication. The GPS module 112 is an M8N model that supports BeiDou / GPS dual-mode positioning with an accuracy of 2.5 meters CEP. The image transmission module 104 uses the 5.8G frequency band to achieve a transmission distance of ≥500 meters and transmits video data from the 1200TVL CMOS camera 103 in real time. Ground station 2 provides real-time map trajectory display, multi-parameter monitoring of voltage / speed / attitude, and log analysis tools based on the Mission Planner platform.
[0013] The working principle of the unmanned cruise vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot provided by this utility model is as follows: The unmanned cruise vehicle body 1 is provided with stable power through the power supply 101 and the voltage regulator module 102 to ensure the normal operation of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105 and the STM32 microcontroller 106; the Pixhawk open-source autopilot 105, as the core controller, runs customized firmware and controls the servo motor 107 and the STM32 microcontroller 106 through two PWM output channels respectively. The first PWM output channel is connected to the STM32 microcontroller 106 for signal acquisition and conversion, and the second PWM output channel directly drives the servo motor 107 to perform steering operations, while the STM32 microcontroller 106 outputs the converted PWM signal to the driver board 10. 8. This precisely drives the motor 109 to achieve motion control. Simultaneously, the GPS module 112 provides real-time positioning information to the Pixhawk open-source autonomous vehicle 105 via a serial port. The data transmission module 110 establishes bidirectional communication with the ground station 2 based on the MAVLink protocol for issuing task commands and transmitting vehicle status data. The video data collected by the camera 103 is transmitted to the ground station 2 in real time via the image transmission module 104 for monitoring. The remote controller 3 interacts with the Pixhawk open-source autonomous vehicle 105 through the receiver 111, supporting manual operation and working mode switching. The ground station 2 integrates MissionPlanner software, providing waypoint planning, parameter debugging, log analysis, and dynamic task adjustment functions to achieve autonomous navigation and intelligent inspection.
[0014] The above description is merely an embodiment of this utility model and does not limit the patent scope of this utility model. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of this utility model specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. An unmanned cruising vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot system, characterized by: The system includes an unmanned patrol vehicle body (1), a ground station (2), and a remote controller (3). The unmanned patrol vehicle body (1) includes a power supply component, a control component, a drive execution component, a communication and positioning component, a receiver (111), and a GPS module (112). The power supply component, control component, drive execution component, communication and positioning component, and receiver (111) are all installed on the vehicle body of the unmanned patrol vehicle body (1). The control component includes a Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) and an STM32 microcontroller (106). The output of the power supply component is electrically connected to the input of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) and the STM32 microcontroller (106), respectively. The Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) is equipped with... There are two PWM output channels. The first PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) is connected to the STM32 microcontroller (106). The second PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) and the PWM output channel of the STM32 microcontroller (106) are both connected to the drive execution component. The communication positioning component is connected to the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105). The data output terminal of the communication positioning component is wirelessly connected to the receiving terminal of the ground station (2). The signal output terminal of the remote controller (3) is wirelessly connected to the signal receiving terminal of the receiver (111). The output terminal of the receiver (111) is electrically connected to the input terminal of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105).
2. The unmanned cruising vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply assembly includes a power supply (101) and a voltage regulator module (102). The output terminal of the power supply (101) is electrically connected to the input terminal of the voltage regulator module (102). The output terminal of the voltage regulator module (102) is electrically connected to the input terminals of the STM32 microcontroller (106) and the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105), respectively.
3. The unmanned cruising vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive execution component includes a servo motor (107), a drive board (108), and a motor (109). The second PWM output channel of the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) is connected to the servo motor (107), and the PWM output channel of the STM32 microcontroller (106) is connected to the drive board (108). The output terminal of the drive board (108) is electrically connected to the input terminal of the motor (109).
4. The unmanned cruising vehicle based on the Pixhawk open-source autopilot system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication positioning component includes a data transmission module (110), a GPS module (112), a camera (103), and an image transmission module (104). The data transmission module (110) and the GPS module are connected to the Pixhawk open-source autopilot (105) via serial ports, and the video output of the camera (103) is connected to the video input of the image transmission module (104).