User:Atrainorhcc/ENESprojects/MyWorkPIDQuadcopterPart2

Write problem/project Goal
Continue the work done on the first part of the PID/Quadcopter project

My First Task
I will be looking through different open source software for arduino PID controllers and comparing them to the PID code written by the previous years team

Summary of actual work over first weekend
I ended up not completing anything over the first weekend due to the fact that I was unsure whether or not I would be continuing on this project

Week1 Narrative
I disassembled the previous years team's quadcopter setup to learn what they did well and what I need to improve upon. After further inspection I realize that I will not use the previous years team's wiring due to the fact that it is overly complicated, by which I mean that there are a lot of unnecessary wires, which make the physical structure very messy and hard to understand. I will be wiring the new structure with a setup that uses less wires, is simpler, and is less in the way of the physical structure.

My Second Task
Over the weekend I will be completing the open source research I had intended to complete over the first weekend

Summary of actual work over second weekend
Over the weekend I looked into open source PID controller program code. What I found was very extensive. There were different PID controller codes that used multiple variables and that, if compared with each other, would no doubt provide me with enough code to re-write (should I need to )the previous years team's code.

Week2 Narrative
During the week I began rewiring the quadcopter structure. This was a very lengthy process. First I began by hooking up all of the wires according to the diagram my team made of the previous years team's wiring setup. Then I tested each individual wire to make sure nothing was broken and that the current could still flow freely. I then analyzed the structure in front of me to see what wires could be removed completely and what hook-ups could be simplified.

My Third task
My third task is to try and put last years team's PID controller software back onto the arduino so I can test the wiring setup.

Summary of actual work over third weekend
My work did not go as planned. My computer was unable to reinstall the PID code onto the arduino so I will have to complete this task at school this week.

Week3 Narrative
This week I installed the arduino drivers onto the computer at school (I had been having problems downloading programs onto the arduino but this proved to be the solution) and proceeded to download simple programs onto the arduino to ensure that it is working properly. The first program I downloaded was a blink program. This program made a specific LED light on the arduino blink on and off and it told you which LED was going to blink so you could check and see if the arduino was responding correctly. I then ran a more complex blink program utilizing multiple LED's on the arduino; the arduino passed this test as well.

My Fourth task
Now that I possess the knowledge on how to download programs onto the arduino, this weekend I will be re-attempting to download the previous years team's PID controller code onto the arduino.

Summary of actual work over fourth weekend
How is what you did different than what you planned?

Week4 Narrative
Tell a detailed story describing what you did for your team over the weekend.

Complete Team Page
Team page