Close

Developing Gen 2 while still testing Gen 1...

A project log for ResQ Search and Rescue Tools

Air and ground-based tools to detect people by using their existing cell phone signature

eric-wiiliamEric Wiiliam 08/28/2020 at 00:230 Comments

Trying to update these logs as often as I can so I catch the entire dev process for any future nerds like me who wish to know what crazy road led me to wherever this goes...

Current state of the ground unit "guts":

I Added an Adafruit PowerBoost 500 for battery supply and charging. Note the Prototype sticker- I'm learning to label EVERYTHING. It even has the PCB version number. This makes my life super easy when reviewing my testing notes and videos.  I wish I bought a label printer YEARS ago now...

Walking in to my workshop tonight I found my prototype air unit sitting happily (forgotten) on the bench powered up since last night with full GPS lock, working SD card and 30+ client MACs being tracked.  I would say we have a winner.  Here is what the ground and air units look like now:

I like the look of things.  This weekend I will take the ground unit out for a bunch more tests but in the meantime I decided to start assembling some parts kits so people can easily join in the project.  The problem- I need to update the PCB to suit a way more common OLED pinout before I can make or ship any kits to anyone. 

So now this puts me in the crazy place where I need to make V2 PCB now but... I want to add as much future expansion options now as I can so this board may have some long term use. 

So here is the current state of the schematic updates (it is indeed KiCAD all the way from now on)

Note the to additions on the right- Camera and Telemetry are here!

Well sort of here...  I tested out a quick and easy camera solution to capture an image any time a new MAC is detected and it sure seems like this will be a fairly easy option to support.  No new hardware is needed and is purely an option. Only a few lines of code should be needed to trigger a picture. Neat.

Same with the telemetry- I wanted the easiest possible way to send an alert from the air unit to the ground operator.  This I decided was as as easy as adding a LORA RF link directly on the existing hardware serial lines- why not!  I can use my already existing serial debugging code as the telemetry feed and simply add any alerts or data we want- any time without more hardware.  Handy

So I need to route this board and send it off to be made but first I want to do one more round of tests with the ground unit.  If no surprises- Gen 2 should be a good and somewhat "future proof" foundation.  For a week or two anyhow or...

Until Gen3 when I make everything a single board solution with discreet parts and a much more compact size. My brain is spinning already....  :)

This is fun. 

I ween.

Discussions