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Taking Your UAVs Further with Ardupilot and Gotonomi Satcom 

Integrating Ardupilot with Velaris terminals for BVLOS telemetry and command and control

Authors: Yogesh Wani, Software Engineer, TTP plc and Roderick Van Den Bergh, Operations Manager, 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 unlicenced short-range radio connections or consumer cellular links does not normally satisfy the safety requirements for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. 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
  • 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, we connected the Raspberry pi to Ardupilot over UART (TELEM1). This enabled the formation of a serial link from the Ardupilot to the Raspberry Pi, and an ethernet link from the Raspberry Pi to the Velaris modem. Packaged together, this subnetwork 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.

Learn how to integrate Ardupilot & Satcoms and unlock safe BVLOS operations

Ardupilot can be easily integrated with Gotonomi’s lightweight UAV satcom terminals, enabling global reach and safe remote applications. Everything you need to know is in this article and our downloadable technical guide.

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    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.