Rover
Ground vehicles use the rover firmware, a separate build for the 305ap. It replaces the flying-vehicle controllers with PX4's rover modules.
The rover build uses the standard PX4 rover modules and is supported by the firmware, but avian automata has not tested the 305ap on a rover yet. Bench-test thoroughly before driving.
Rover Firmware
| Build target | File |
|---|---|
avianautomata_305ap_rover | avianautomata_305ap_rover_<date>.px4 |
Install it like any other firmware (see Quickstart, Step 2), or build it with make avianautomata_305ap_rover.
Compared with the default firmware, the rover build:
- adds the Ackermann, differential and mecanum rover modules
- adds the RoboClaw motor controller driver
- removes multirotor, fixed-wing and VTOL control
Rover Types
| Type | Steering | Typical vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Ackermann | Steering servo + drive motor | RC car |
| Differential | Left and right motors at different speeds | Skid-steer, tracked |
| Mecanum | Four mecanum wheels | Holonomic platform |
Select the airframe for your type in Vehicle Setup → Airframe.
Outputs
- ESCs connect to the motor outputs like on a multirotor. Car ESCs usually expect PWM at 50 Hz.
- Steering servos need PWM at 50 Hz.
- RoboClaw controllers connect over a serial port instead of PWM.
All outputs in a timer group share one protocol and rate, so set every group you use (see ESC Configuration). Power servos and the ESC's BEC separately from the board's 5 V rail.
Setup
Follow the PX4 rover documentation for your rover type. The steps are the same as for other vehicles: airframe, actuators, sensors, radio, then tuning of the speed and steering controllers.