I'd built some robots a few years ago that when they go hungry, they went and found other robots that had food. I had them following an IR beacon. But I don't know how that would work in daylight.
I think I'd go with a GPS system. Push a button on the tank and it says "I'm here. Come get me" and the supply vehicle does what it can. On Sun, May 17, 2009 at 10:34 PM, Modena <[email protected]> wrote: > > I wouldn't think so - how would it know where the tank is? If I'm > driving my tank around and I switch SV auto-pilot on, how is my SV > going to find my constantly moving tank? > > you could put the SV into random auto-pilot mode and drive the tank to > the SV, but assuming the SV "lives" at home base, you may as well just > drive the tank back to home base, no SV required. > > On May 18, 1:31 pm, Michael Clark <[email protected]> wrote: > > Wouldn't it be easier to have the supply vehicle drive itself to the > tank? > > > > > > > > On Sun, May 17, 2009 at 10:26 PM, Modena <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I don't think it is currently covered by the rules, but can I build > > > some kind of auto-pilot? Here's what I'm thinking: > > > > > The servo cables out of the RX would plug into some custom circuit > > > wizardry box and by default it just passes through the servo > > > electrical interface for "normal" RC operation. > > > > > When I press a certain button on my TX to switch auto-pilot on, this > > > engages the buggery box which then effectively cuts the circuit > > > between the RX and the servo's/ESC/etc (except the channel which > > > switches auto-pilot on/off) and a PIC or similar processor then > > > "drives" the tank in a series of semi-random/pre-programmed patterns, > > > maybe doing semi-random circles or whatever. > > > > > The reason I might want this is to be able to drive a support vehicle > > > and a tank in the same battle. When the tank needs re-loading in the > > > middle of the field, I put my tank in auto-pilot, grab the control for > > > the SV and hoon on over - kill the auto-pilot on the tank, which means > > > it stops moving, re-load, put it back in auto-pilot, hoon the SV back > > > to base and then take over the tank again. With pre-programmed > > > patterns that only the operator knows, you could even predict where > > > the tank is going to move to next and place the SV accordingly. And > > > with carefully programmed synthetic "piloting" it could even look like > > > it's still under manual control, with traverse and elevate actions as > > > well as vehicular movement. > > > > > Obviously the auto-pilot controlled movements would not want to be > > > very far reaching, we don't want a runaway 80kg monster on our hands - > > > it could still be hooked up that if RC reception drops out (either > > > because of range, or manually switching off the TX) the tank stops > > > dead (auto-pilot switches off) for safety. Switching auto-pilot on > > > would be a selective decision too, tress, obstacles etc, although > > > obstacle avoidance could be programmed in fairly easily with some > > > readily available automotive proximity sensors (think reverse parking > > > sensors). > > > > > Currently obviously there's nothing stopping me driving an SV over to > > > my tank for reloading, but while I do that the tank is a sitting duck, > > > the auto-pilot is just to make it into a randomly moving target, > > > instead of stationary target practice. > > > > > I recognise the fact that it's better to get another person to pilot > > > the SV, both for attack avoidance and because the more people involved > > > in the battle the merrier, but this is another option if an SV pilot > > > cannot be had for the day, and it's just cool, especially with > > > obstacle avoidance :) > > > > > and no, I am not suggesting an auto-pilot controlled firing > > > mechanism :)- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. To post a message, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
