IcarusONE

High-altitude balloon telemetry, communication, and tracking (2 x GPS modules and Google Maps formatted links sent by SMS) system with additional features added for fun. Runs multiple Arduinos and a Raspberry Pi, all capable of inter-device communication, to control photography, tracking, SMS control and alert messages, and radio transmitter.

TO DO:

• Add clean-up of camera functions on Python exception
• Add a couple PiCam video captures to each phase
• Optimize timeout values for each phase in main camera control script
• Wire power: 1) RTTY 2) Buzzer 3) Relays
• Ensure that gas sensors receiving correct (5V) voltage [2.5V was measured after first battery test]
• Weigh full payload package -- Determine hydrogen vs. helium w/ 600g balloon -- Determine parachute diameter
• Test payload heater and gas sensors with battery arrays -- Time & Stress testing (payload heater @ sustained high current)
• AT YOUR OWN RISK...try reintegrating dual webcam capture -- Original test was run without independent Arduino power (power provided by RPi)

Pre-launch Checklist:

• Disable bluetooth and WiFi (and other power-using modules) to save power [THIS SHOULD ALREADY BE COMPLETE...CHECK]
• Glue down-facing webcam into static position
• Change all hab_camcontrol.py timeout values
• Change all other "debug" values
• Burn-in gas sensors for 24-48 hours
• Set: debugMode = false
• Set: debugSmsOff = false
• Set: GASSENSORWARMUP to original duration
• Turn on roaming for GPRS
• Clear SD card

Considerations:

• Balloon-Payload attachment rope shouldn't rotate freely about z-axis

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Arduino Mega Header

Features:

• Sensor data acquisition
• Relay control
• SD data logging
• SSB RTTY transmission of position information at 434.250MHz
• SMS notifications

Sensors:

• GPS
• Gas Sensors
• Temp/Humidity (SHT11)
• Light
• Adafruit 1604 (DOF) -- Accelerometer/Gyroscope/Magnetometer -- Barometer (Altitude/Temperature) [BMP180]
• MS5607 Barometer/Altimeter

Relay Control:

• 1 --> Pin 7 (Gas sensors)
• 2 --> Pin 6 (Internal payload heater)
• 3 --> Pin 5
• 4 --> Pin 4

Gas Sensors:

• MQ-2 --> A7
• MQ-3 --> A8
• MQ-4 --> A9
• MQ-5 --> A10
• MQ-6 --> A11
• MQ-7 --> A12
• MQ-8 --> A13
• MQ-9 --> A14
• MQ135 --> A15

EEPROM Values:

• 0 --> Setup complete
• 1 --> Descent phase
• 2 --> Landing phase

TO DO:

• MUST FIND FUNCTION TO CONFIRM GPRS POWER TO RESTART IF NECESSARY!!!! ****
• CHECK RTTY BROADCAST ****
• CHECK BATTERY POWER FUNCTION ****
• INTEGRATE ARDUINO-->RPI COMMUNICATION ****
• Confirm that GPS coordinates are sent with highest precision (i.e. 6 floating point decimals)
• Add check and retry for MS5607 data validity (every so often a bad value appears)
• Add DS1820B data validity check to prevent accidental relay tripr -- Also add startup check function (i.e. In initSensors())
• On SMS startup, input current SLP to provide altimeter offset????
• Handling of gas sensor logging after sensor shut-off
• Determine pressure value to trigger peak capture (Reference press vs. alt table & balloon data)
• Create test interrupt functions for pins 44-47 (Trigger fake alt/checkChange()/etc values) -- TEST INPUT VALUES FOR PIN (i.e. INPUT_PULLUP STATE @ 1/0)
• TEST ARDUINO-->RPI SERIAL COMMUNICATION TRIGGERS
• TURN ON ROAMING BEFORE LIVE LAUNCH TO ENSURE PRESENCE OF GPRS NETWORK CONNECTION
• CHANGE GAS SENSOR WARMUP BACK TO NORMAL BEFORE LIVE LAUNCH
• Add RTTY test TX before SMS confirmation?
• Add MS5607 altitude????
• Stop reading gas sensors after descent?
• Make sure calls for buzzer use new variable ("buzzerRelay")
• Add exception for sensor initialization if setupComplete is true??
• Change "ada..." to "dof" for consistency
• Add servo/picture taking function
• Confirm that boolean argument in smsPower function actually necessary
• Test if SMS stores in buffer when no signal and sends when reconnected
• Add check to confirm GPRS is powered on (Need to find suitable function) -- Also check if similar function to indicate network connectivity
• Gather sender number and log incoming/outgoing SMS messages to SD card
• Consider setting sampling rate based on theoretical ascent rate
• Cut-down
• Change global variables to functions returning pointer arrays

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Setting SD to SPI_FULL_SPEED
• Inclusion of additional startup SMS output (gas sensor warmup, etc.)
• Safer to power GPRS before other things to ensure network connectivity?
• Check if system resets if on external power and serial (computer debugging) is unplugged
• Gas sensor calibration
• Possible to use SMS command to reset system or place into "recovery" mode?
• Create LED flashes to indicate specific startup failure
• Check if break in DOF logging for other data affects reconstruction -- Create program (?Python?) to extrapolate and fill in gaps ["smoothing function"]

LESSONS LEARNED:

• I2C device failures (first observed w/ MS5607 CRC4 check fail) likely due to poor jumper/breadboard wiring
• Debug logging of SMS data currently breaks SMS functions if executed immediately prior
• All connections within reset circuit must be firmly secured or false resets/none on serial monitor opening occur
• ??Must allow to pass through first loop before sending SMS command or it will be flushed??

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Arduino Mega Header (1-20-17)

/* High-Altitude Balloon

Features:

• Sensor data acquisition
• Relay control
• SD data logging
• SSB RTTY transmission of position information at 434.250MHz
• SMS notifications

Sensors:

• GPS
• Gas Sensors
• Temp/Humidity (SHT11)
• Adafruit 1604 (DOF) -- Accelerometer/Gyroscope/Magnetometer -- Barometer (Altitude/Temperature) [BMP180]
• MS5607 Barometer/Altimeter

Relay Control:

• 1 --> Pin 7 (Gas sensors)
• 2 --> Pin 6 (Internal payload heater)
• 3 --> Pin 5
• 4 --> Pin 4

TO DO:

• Add phase and additional information to logging
• ADD TIMEOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT FINAL LANDING COORDINATE ARE SENT
• Confirm that GPS coordinates are sent with highest precision (i.e. 6 floating point decimals)
• Add DS1820B data validity check to prevent accidental relay trip -- Also add startup check function (i.e. In initSensors())
• On SMS startup, input current SLP to provide altimeter offset????
• TURN ON ROAMING BEFORE LIVE LAUNCH TO ENSURE PRESENCE OF GPRS NETWORK CONNECTION
• CHANGE GAS SENSOR WARMUP BACK TO NORMAL BEFORE LIVE LAUNCH
• Add MS5607 altitude????
• Gather sender number and log incoming/outgoing SMS messages to SD card

CONSIDERATIONS:

• If Python script function timeouts could potentially cause gaps in media acquisition if malfunctioning
• Inclusion of additional startup SMS output (gas sensor warmup, etc.)
• Gas sensor calibration

LESSONS LEARNED:

• I2C device failures (first observed w/ MS5607 CRC4 check fail) likely due to poor jumper/breadboard wiring
• Debug logging of SMS data currently breaks SMS functions if executed immediately prior
• All connections within reset circuit must be firmly secured or false resets/none on serial monitor opening occur */

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Arduino Nano Header (1-20-17)

Servo driver for in-flight photo shoot

Test Values:

• Servo MIN = ~20
• Servo MAX = ~160

Positions:

• Retracted = 20
• Deployed = 100

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Arduino Uno Header (1-20-17)

Features:

• Listens for "heartbeat" signal between sensor reads by Arduino Mega
• Stores current program state in EEPROM
• Triggers reset and restoration of program state if Arduino Mega stalls

Considerations:

• Count quick, repetitive pulses to read state of Arduino Mega
• HEARTBEAT LED OUTPUT CAUSES VOLTAGE DROP IN GPRS!!!!