Technologies and Engineering

Usage of mobile network for remote drone

Purpose. Developing a system of remote communication via mobile internet and SMS messages between a ground control station and a drone integrated with a microcomputer. Methodology. Experiments were conducted on an FPV-drone with a flight controller that is physically integrated with a Raspberry Pi 5 microcomputer via UART protocol. As a mobile network source a mobile USB-dongle with a Ukrainian SIM-card was used. An Ubuntu virtual private server was rented and set up. MAVLink communication between the drone and a ground control station was set up using MAVLink Router application and a middleware server. Helper systemd services and bash scripts were set up on the server and the drone microcomputer to initiate a connection on system start and in case of failure. As a ground control system QGroundControl was used. Mobile USB-dongle was set up to support serial ports which accept AT commands. Python scripts to monitor and send SMS messages were developed. Findings. Implemented communication between a drone and a ground control station via mobile network. Originality. According to the results of the research, developed instruments with combination of which the risk of communication loss between a drone and a ground control station can be reduced. Practical value. The results can be used to implement a remote communication system between a drone and a ground control station and to plan autonomous flight missions

USB-dongle; ground control station; UAV mission planning; MAVlink; MAVLink Router; Raspberry Pi; AT commands