/BleAntennaTracker

Antenna Tracker based on ESP32/Arduino to connect an Transmitter running ELRS and EdgeTx. A 2nd ELRS Rx is used to receive tracking control.

Primary LanguageC++Apache License 2.0Apache-2.0

Antenna Tracker Software

This software is build to drive an Antenna tracker with 360 degree pan an 90 degree tilt. Tilt is always driven by a servo. Pan can be drive by a servo or perfered by a stepper motor.

The software is an ESP32 / Arduino project. It runs on an ESP32 evalboard (doit) or on an ESP32C3 supermini (see deinitions in hardware.h).

Communication is

  • (Removed: BLE is not supported bei ELRS default - pull requests only, the release without the pull will not work)
  • 2 ELRS channels with an additional ELRS Rx in the tracker. The CRSF protokoll is used, PWM output is not required. ELRS 3.4.x allow 16 channels. The calculations for the tracker were done by lua scripts, running on the transmitter. I've tested this with EdgeTx 2.10. You will find the lua scrips in the project EDGETX-LUA-micro-antenna-tracker

My latest setup

This is work in progress and might change in the future:

  • a NEMA17 is used with an 1:4 gear to drive the pan axis,
  • the stepper driver is a TMS2209
  • a 25kg servo is used to drive the tilt axis with a 1:4 gear.
  • a 10k poti replace the servo internal poti to use the gear.
  • an ELRS receiver is used without telemetrie to receive 2 channels (I use 15 and 16) with the axis data from the transmitter
  • servo, stepper, led, buttons, receiver were controlled by an ESP32C3 supermini board
  • supply is 12V..24V for the stepper and 5V (regulator) for other parts
  • a hall switch A3144 is used to sync the stepper
  • see hardware.h for the connections

The mechanical tracker

See my 3D printed parts for my version of the antenna tracker: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6624610