Week 8 consisted of antenna research, soldering, testing the altitude sensor further, and configuration and testing of the transmitter and receiver in both the data acquisition system and the first person view system. After researching antenna types and browsing RC forums I decided that standard duck antennas would probably work but cloverleaf antennas would provide more reliable 360 degree coverage while in flight. The 5.8GHz cloverleaf antenna is quite small and should be implemented on the final plane for extra clarity in the video signal. A cloverleaf antenna for 900MHz is much larger and will only be used on the plane if necessary due to the added drag. I soldered cables and headers for powering and connecting all of the components of both the DAS and FPV system. Later on in the week I tested the range of the XBee’s with the standard 900MHz duck antenna as well as the accuracy of the MPL3115A2 altitude sensor on a scale of 35 feet. The FPV system testing was encouraging as a range of 1500ft was achieved with minimal interference. The 5.8GHz cloverleaf antenna tested provided more clarity in the received picture but we did not have the ability to test past 1500ft with line of sight. The 5.8 GHz transmitter and receiver are powerful enough to reliably work on the plane but a new camera may be wanted. Better cameras provide light adjustment as well as auto focusing so that the received signal is clearer in varying environments and altitudes
Week 8 Progress Update PowerPoint Below: