Is it possible to use barometer module using UARTS?

[Farukh Khan]

Hello Guys,

I have been working on a drone recently. Unfortunately my flight controller doesn't have barometer sensor in it and I want to do some altitude holding on the drone. Is it possible to connect a barometer module using the UARTS of a flight controller. Is it's possible how? If not possible what are the other ways.

Please help out here. Thanks.

 

[kellys_eye]

Wouldn't any barometric senor be required to be fitted in the drone rather than the controller?

Either way, the signal from the barometer would need to be interfaced (programmed) into the controlling software which, if you don't have the coding for, will be almost impossible to achieve.

 

[Farukh Khan]

I am trying to use a barometric sensor like the one showed in the attached picture of this reply. I want to fit it in the drone obviously. But, I was asking how should I connect it to the flight controller? Is it possible to use a direct UART connection from the flight controller for that particular barometer?

 

[kellys_eye]

The only return path from the drone is (probably) your video signal - do you have a bi-directional data path otherwise?
If all you have is video then putting the data on the video signal ( as well as getting it out again) won't be an easy task by any stretch...

 

[Farukh Khan]

What do you mean by only return path from the drone? the UARTS are basically like USB as far as I know, which supports bi-directional data. But I am not sure how I can connect the barometer sensor to the UART. Is it even possible to do that? cause the barometer signal is analog and the UARTs probably takes in digital signals because they are something like the usb.

 

[JWHassler]

What do you mean by only return path from the drone? the UARTS are basically like USB as far as I know, which supports bi-directional data. But I am not sure how I can connect the barometer sensor to the UART. Is it even possible to do that? cause the barometer signal is analog and the UARTs probably takes in digital signals because they are something like the usb.

That barometer seems to use an SPI connection.
IF your flight recorder can accept SPI inputs and IF you have access to the recorder's code, you can do it.
Connection by UART seems unlikely, but I don't know your level of expertise.

 

[Farukh Khan]

I have attached the mean description diagram of my flight controller in this reply. It seems to me that there is no SPI pins available on this flight controller to utilize my barometer sensor on. Please see if I have missed something. Thank You.

 

[Farukh Khan]

@JWHassler I have provided the pin diagram of my flight controller. Also, the software of my flight controller is open source. So, Is there any possibility you can see from the pins diagram that I might able to connect an external barometer like that?

 

[Farukh Khan]

anyone can help guys?

 

[(*steve*)]

If you are going to use the UART interface then you will need to find a barometer with a serial (e.g. RS232) interface.

 

[Farukh Khan]

isn't there a way to convert the SPI barometer to RS232?

 

[(*steve*)]

isn't there a way to convert the SPI barometer to RS232?

Not simply (to the best of my knowledge). They're two totally different interfaces.

 

[Farukh Khan]

Got it. Thanks.