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  • Author Author: jkutzsch
  • Date Created: Date Created
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MONITORING DRONE FPV FREQUENCY USAGE WITH A USRP SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO

jkutzsch

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/monitoring-drone-fpv-frequency-usage-with-a-usrp-software-defined-radio/

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/using-an-usrp-e310-for-digital-video-downlink-and-scanning-on-a-drone/

 

Over on YouTube balint256 (Balint), a researcher at Ettus (creators of the USRP line of software defined radios) has uploaded a video showing how he is using his USRP to help with frequency management at FPV time trial racing events. FPV a.k.a First Person View is a term used to describe the act of flying a remote controlled aircraft such as a quadcopter with an onboard camera that transmits live video down to the pilot. FPV racing is a new sport where pilots race FPV controlled drones around a track.

One important technical challenge at these events is frequency management. FPV drones use many frequencies at around 2.4 GHz for control and 5.8/2.4/1.3 GHz for video. With many drones in the air it is important that frequencies are managed appropriately so as to not jam each others signals.

To try and solve this problem Balint has been using GNU Radio coupled with a USRP X310 software defined radio to get very wide band RF spectrum waterfall views of the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands. In the waterfalls he is able to see when control signals and video signals are transmitted and at what frequency, and is able to tell if any are overlapping and jamming each other.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9wlKYDEOUU

SDR Wideband Spectrum Monitoring for Drone FPV Frequency Management

 

 

In addition to this, Balint has also been working on his custom software defined radio based digital video downlink. Back in March we posted about his earlier work on this concept. In the video Balint demonstrates his drone with an on board USRP E310 which is used to send a custom 4.2 Mbps video downlink.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdGID77O59g

  • in reply to michaelkellett

    Why is what you say "better"?  Where is your definition of Blog or Discussion come from?  You state: "if you want to draw attention to something you find interesting it should be posted as a discussion."  Yet from what I have found,  this is incorrect, in actuality a Blog Post is the exact path to use.  "call something to others' attention"  That is all I tried to do, I thought others would appreciate the tie ins with interesting technology and I would be returning to Element 14 something along the line of what I get when I read all sorts of other News articles telling me about fascinating things.  Yet you have decided I am wrong, that I am apparently trying to make money off Element 14.  Basically some parasite who the Element 14 community should condemn and single out.

     

    I find your implication "and with some kind of commercial interest too I think" offensive, and if you truly felt that way without any actual knowledge to back it, perhaps private message would be more appropriate?  Is there something specific about me that has made you pissed off in such a manner?  Taking a few minutes to look at content I have shared before would not have provided anything to show I am posting under any commercial interest, so I must assume you made a judgement and proceeded to call me out publicly because you have an issue of some type that would preclude you from giving me the courtesy or respect that even a private message would have allowed if you truly had a belief that I am so wrong in my efforts.

     

    From what I can find, Element 14 uses a specific Software package and have done so since 2008.  It is called Jive.  Searching Element 14 shows that other users have been directed to Jive documentation for similar discussion. 

     

    Taken from a Jive Quickstart guide:

    Quickstart Guide: When should you use a Document, Blog Post, or a Discussion?When Should You Use a Document, a Blog Post, or a Discussion?

     

    Documents, blog posts, and discussions have different purposes and rewards. The table below suggests when to use these content types.

     

    document-blogpost-discussion.png

  • in reply to jkutzsch

    I agree that there is no easy place, but there is interest like SDR . I suggest you blog ( I am ok with that), in a better place like your own blog area (everyone has one automatically) where you may do any topic you choose. The reason is some other places are not "seen" or have rules/interests special to them, I welcome your posts since I play with SDR in my projects. Thanks for your enthusiasm.

    Clem

  • in reply to jkutzsch

    I don't quite know what more you want - I suggested a better place to put stuff like your posts, I pointed out, for your comfort, that E14 does not make this (or it's policy re blogs and advertising) clear, and for good measure repeated myself by pointing out that there was nothing in your posts to take exception to except where you had put them.

     

    Then, just to add to the softly-softly-ness, I invited other people to disagree with me.

     

    So I'm sorry if you are upset, but I still think that a blog on E14 should be about stuff you've done - (I know you didn't pretend otherwise) and the "Hey, here's something interesting !" posts should go in the discussions section.

     

    The groups are a bit weird and, personally, I don't think it matters a whole lot which one you use if you are close - I'll count drones as robots, although you could argue that the post was more about Test and Measurement.

     

    MK

  • in reply to jkutzsch

    Hi John,

     

    Oh, I see. Glad it is not an ad (we see attempts that are thinly veiled advertisements so I wasn't sure).

    Basically I agree the 'discussion' would be better (since the news article is to be discussed) because we don't want

    to criticize your content as such. You researched and shared the news. But we do want to criticize someone who

    used the $3k device when he could have done it for $100.

  • in reply to clem57

    Man, so much negative with no actual positive options.

     

    In Fact I did a search for the most appropriate location to post information on Drones.  And you know what the Element 14 Search engine provide, an overwhelming amount of information on Drones is posted under this area.  Please do a search and see what I saw then explain what the more appropriate area would be.  I believe some people (like the ones posting all of the Drone information) may consider Drones as falling under Robotics and Automation as they further develop.  But that is just me.