Taking Your UAVs Further with Ardupilot and Gotonomi Satcom
Integrating Ardupilot with Velaris terminals for BVLOS telemetry and command and
control
Authors: Jimmy Bucket, Software Engineer, and Trevor Dangleberry, UAV Systems
Specialist, Gotonomi
Ardupilot has been a transformative force in the UAV industry. Originally developed for hobbyists, it has evolved into a comprehensive, reliable autopilot system used by
professional UAV operators, industry leaders, and research organizations worldwide.
Ardupilot provides advanced flight control capabilities across various platforms,
including multicopters, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
However, operations still have their range limited by traditional connectivity methods.
Reliance on short-range radio connections restricts control to a few kilometers, and
makes Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations impossible. This hampers the
potential of any long range UAV applications, such as surveillance and inspection
missions in remote areas.
Extending the Reach of Ardupilot
Recent years have seen the development of satellite communication terminals
specifically designed for UAV applications, which can provide operators with global
connectivity. This includes our own satcom solutions – the Gotonomi Velaris range of
terminals, which use Viasat’s Velaris network and have been designed specifically for
smaller airframes.
To help operators integrate our terminals into their existing systems that use Ardupilot, we wanted to provide a “How To” guide to help guide people through the straightforward process.
Key Components of the Integration:
- Velaris terminal – this will work with any of our terminals – V200, Velaris Module
or cellular enabled Multilink Module. - Pixhawk 6C flight controller – popular open-source flight controller designed
for UAVs - Ardupilot Firmware with networking options included – it is simple to build the
custom firmware with the networking option enabled using the Ardupilot build
server (if you can’t do this you can download the version we used here – LINK) - Raspberry Pi – interfaces with the Pixhawk flight controller via UART (Universal
Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter), establishing a Point-to-Point Protocol
(PPP) connection over UART. Connects to Velaris Terminal over ethernet. - Telemetry Forwarding with MAVProxy: Utilizing MAVProxy on the Raspberry Pi,
telemetry data is forwarded between the Pixhawk and ground control stations.
This ensures consistent command and control links over the Viasat Velaris
satellite network.
Connecting the Pixhawk 6C with custom Ardupilot firmware and Velaris Terminal
together via a Raspberry Pi requires some work, which is explained in detail in our
technical guide (download link at bottom of this article). Using a Raspberry Pi as an
intermediary technology, we connected the Raspberry pi to Ardupilot over UART. This enabled the formation of a serial link from the Ardupilot to the Raspberry Pi, and an ethernet link from the Raspberry Pi to Velaris. Packaged together, this sub-network is then able to communicate with the Viasat network—to which Velaris directly feeds back. From here, the UAV has a secure line of communication to ground stations.
This ecosystem, when combined with Ardupilot user interface and our Velaris terminal, gives users instant plug-and-play connectivity. Gotonomi simplifies, makes accessible, and unleashes full potential of Ardupilot’s UAV compatibility.
Enabling Advanced Applications
With reliable telemetry and command & control over satcom, UAV operators can
confidently scale their BVLOS operations. This capability unlocks advanced
applications such as remote surveillance and inspection, environmental monitoring
and emergency response.
Download Our Technical Integration Guide
For operators interested in extending their UAV capabilities, we have prepared a
comprehensive Technical Integration Guide. This guide provides detailed instructions on the integration. Download our Technical Integration Guide now
Get in Touch
If you’re interested in exploring how Gotonomi can further enhance your UAV
operations, please contact us. Our team is ready to assist you in leveraging satcom
connectivity for your missions, helping you unlock new possibilities in UAV applications.
About the Authors - Jimmy Bucket, XYZ
- Trevor Dangleberry,XYZ