Octocopter configuration

DroneCore can be used with two .Power boards to support octocopter drone configuration. In this configuration, first board is standardly connected with .Pilot board by board-to-board connectors. Second board must be configured in "secondary board mode" and then can be connected to the first .Power board with external cables. To configure board as secondary, only one solder bridge must be shorted. Two .Power boards can be supplied with independent power supplies, since superior computer has information about both of them from on-board power sensors.

.Power board I2C address in secondary board mode = 0x11 [7h]

Instructions to use DroneCore with two .Power boards :

• .Power board firmware >= 0.0.9

• Ardupilot version >= 4.1

• Short solder bridge (SB1) on the top of the secondary .Power board (highlighted on image below)

• Interconnect CAN bus between .Power boards (EXT. CAN connector highlighted on image below)

• Interconnect I2C bus between .Power boards SCL<->SCL, SDA<->SDA (solder pads highlighted on image below)

• Route signals from both external button connectors to drone case. (EXT. BUTTON highlighted on image below) Buttons signals can be connected together and controlled with common button.

• Configure ardupilot parameters

If .Power boards are supplied from independent power supplies, we strongly recommend to connect grounds between supplies with strong enough connection. This will prevent possible issues with communication between boards in case of difference between ground potentials

.Power board - secondary board mode configuration