Wind Vane and Anemometer Sketch

Made these drawing over lunch. Obviously I'm not much of an artist (at least not in 2 dimensions). They are the wind vane on top and the anemometer on the bottom. They are to be mounted one on top of the other on an aluminum rod with the wires running through the rod. The rod will be mounted on the top of the mast.

Most of the parts will be plastic. I'll make wooden cones and cylinders and use a suck down (vacuum forming) machine to make all the plastic parts. The vacuum forming machine is a dental lab machine used to make night guards and bleaching trays. The arms will be carbon fiber rod.

Sensors ordered from Seeedstudio

Just placed an order from a china based Arduino supplier Seeedstudio. If the name means something I haven't figured it out yet...

• I'll use the UNO to test and work out the code.
• The Photo interrupter is a photogate that I hope to use to build a paddlewheel type speedometer.
• The Photo Reflective Sensor will be used for the Anemometer (hand drawn design to follow).
• I'm going to attach the piezo sensor (vibration sensor) to a tell tale and glue one to each side of the main sail. That will (hopefully) tell me if I have laminar flow across each side of my sail.

1 x Arduino UNO (ARD132D2P) = $29.90

• Arduino Home Page
• How To
• Programming Reference
• Arduino Forum

1 x Bread board Clear - 8.2 x 5.3cm (STR101C2M) = $5.50
2 x Piezo Sensor - MiniSense 100 (SEN127A3M) = $5.70
Manual Data Sheet

3 x Photo interrupter (OS25B10) (SEN129A3B) = $4.50
Data Sheet

3 x Photo Reflective Sensor (SEN130A3B) = $6.00

Data Sheet

Simple Anemometer

I believe I've worked out how to build a small simple wind sensor. I'll base it on a Photo Reflective Sensor. The sensor can be completely housed out of the weather behind a little plastic window from an old TV remote. With a little IR reflective paint on the spinning parts I'll be able to measure the RPMs.

Wind Vane

A key piece of information for a sailer (human or not) is the wind direction. Glenn Langton built a small wind vane using a special ball bearing potentiometer available here.

A wind vane and anemometer needs to be VERY small to fit on a 1meter sailboat.

ArduPilot code for a Sailboat

A group from the Royal Maritime Academy built an autonomous boat based on Ardupilot their website is down now but I found the code on google cache.

At this point I can't read much of it. Its been a long time since I took a programing class...

Calculating True Wind - a sailboat's fuel tank

Simple Geometric Calculation

Y = 90 - D
a = AW * ( cos Y )
bb = AW * ( sin Y )
b = bb - BS
True-Wind Speed = (( a * a ) + ( b * b )) ^1/2
True-Wind Angle = 90-arctangent ( b / a )

True-Wind Calculator

{ Apparent-Wind (AW) and Apparent-Wind Degrees off the bow (D) are known. }

http://www.sailingusa.info/true_wind_calculator.htm

This simple calculation doesn't take into account leeway. Leeway is the drift of the boat to the side due to the push of the wind against the sails.

Leeway depends on:

• Angle to the Wind - is greatest on a close reach and zero on a run.
• Velocity of the Wind
• It will be different for every boat.

This simple calculation doesn't take into account current. Current creates a 'water frame of reference' which is different from the 'earth frame of reference'

Earth Frame:

• GPS

Water Frame:

• Paddle Wheel Speedometer
• Wind Vane
• Anemometer

Current Deviation

C : Is the angle of the Current to Boat's Bow

sine C = c/ac = sine C * a
cosine C = b/a
b = cosine C * a
d = power - b
CD = arctangent ( c/d )

DIYdrones info Links

Lake Depth Survey Blog - http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/ardupilot-goes-into-the-water
Lots of interesting posts about the evolution of a boat used the survey the depth of lakes. He used the Ardupilot and V1.0 software, but modified it for a his boat.

Discussion regarding sailboat application - http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/imu-3000

Didn't entirely understand the conversation, but it regards drift compensation.

Required components for a Boat - http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/ardupilot-boat-requirements

User Jim Covert asks about the components need for a boat project. Chris Anderson points out the that he'll want to use Ardupilot 1.0 which lacks stabilization control. A boat doesn't really need that feature.

Another lake survey project - http://letsmakerobots.com/node/21098

Detailed description of boat building process and application of an Arudino Duomilanove for controlling the boat.

Boat navigation with ArduPilot - http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/boat-navigation-with-adrupilot

User Tony K. asks about the components needed to pilot a sailboat. Chris Anderson Give some direction on what is specifically needed and some specifics about GPS parameters.

Two-way Telemetry - http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/moving-waypoints-in-flight

User Peter Ho appears to be using ArduPilot on a boat and wants to change waypoints while en-route. Chris Anderson points out that two-way is available on the ArduPilot Mega.

Everything you need for ArduPilot Boat - http://diydrones.com/notes/ArduPilot

• ArduPilot board and a row of breakaway headers
• GPS module (MediaTek or uBlox 5+adapter and cable recommended)
• FTDI cable for programming
• Four female-to-female servo cables to connect ArduPilot to your RC system
• [not needed]Shield expansion kit with airspeed sensor (couldn't really use for wind speed / direction on a sailboat b/c wind doesn't always come from strait ahead)
• [Optional] Two Xbee modules for wireless telemetry. This one in the air and this one with this antenna on the ground/laptop side. You'll also need two Xbee adapter boards. You can connect the airborne Xbee adapter to Ardupilot Mega with jumper wires.

AP for Sailing Vessel - http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/ap-for-sailing-vessel

andrew was starting a project for a auto pilot for a sailboat. He focussed on the magnetic compass. He demonstrated a working tilt compensation compass details here.

AUOOSB Open Ocean Sailboat Project - http://diydrones.com/profiles/blog/show?id=705844%3ABlogPost%3A6278...

Michael King Put up a community page at auoosb.ning.com to work toward building an autonomous sailboat. The site appears to have put on hold by NING but I believe I contacted Michael about reactivating it.

PID Tuning - http://diydrones.ning.com/forum/topics/705844:Topic:46763?xg_source...

Michael King Post on how to tune your PID settings for each craft. Not specific to boats, but PID tuning did cause Harald Molle a lot of grief in his boat project.

Useful Links

Boat Design

http://www.boatdesign.net/

Learn to Sail - good videos explaining various aspects of trimming the sails

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/sailnet-how-tos/38015-giuliettas-sailing-instruction-videos.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDro9i1ye0&feature=player_embedded#at=387

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0f8iVdaRIA&feature=player_embedded#at=289

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxg4k6c3XFo&feature=player_embedded#at=435

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbjwP6F_N9s&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C31nGzO54O4&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0wfGzhlRhI&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwySzZR1ZQ8&feature=player_embedded

Learn to Sail - Sailing tutorials

http://www.schoolofsailing.net/currents.html

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-discussion-sailing-related/70748-anything-better-than-tell-tales-4.html

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent - rules of sailing

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=0VLXORumEF4C&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=sailing+polars&ots=Bk8zZGHyck&sig=7nELEazZOjqGexkfV-z9SueEjng#v=onepage&q=sailing%20polars&f=false - the physics of sailing for yachtsman

http://books.google.com/books?id=08uvkDasf-IC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=determine+layline+sailing&source=bl&ots=NSOBI7tMwZ&sig=yUvJTb5RxFY3h3Pw0vcMN0QXHlY&hl=en&ei=h-ZlTcSsD4ussAOWqfj7BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=determine%20layline%20sailing&f=false - Getting Started in Sailboat Racing

http://www.ockam.com/tech8.html - VERY good materials on sailing telemetry

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=w-WuY0nhnO8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=%22Championship+Tactics%22&ots=yweuficQBA&sig=0MSUMjVbhlLLfkvTRPwIxxFVP2o#v=onepage&q&f=false = - How Anyone Can Sail Faster, Smarter, and Win Race

Autonomous Sailboats in the Media

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/6976230.stm

Race Across the Atlantic

http://www.microtransat.org/opensource.php?PHPSESSID=44da7d5b301c46c5e9df7d48a3383168

controller on sailboat - Forum

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1241392822

http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/boat-navigation-with-adrupilot

http://diydrones.com/notes/ArduPilot

http://dronepedia.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

Ultrasonic Range Sensor

http://www.kerrywong.com/2011/01/22/a-sensitive-diy-ultrasonic-range-sensor/

Sonar Ruler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC_asaQ7C5w

Academic Papers cover Autonomous Sailing

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=147900

http://www.ockam.com/tech8.html

Groups building Autonomous Boats

http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~jca/fast/en/index.php

http://ramboat.blog.co.uk/2009/10/30/autohelm-looks-like-it-works-7277516/

http://www.element-14.com/community/groups/arduino?view=video

http://letsmakerobots.com/node/21098

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/ardupilot-goes-into-the-water

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/autonomous-sailing-with?xg_source=activity&id=705844%3ABlogPost%3A179829&page=2#comments

http://www.rmc.ca/aca/me-gm/ame-agm/gd-ag-eng.asp

DIYdrones Links

http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/ardupilot-boat-requirements

Wikipedia - Definitions of Related Material

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity_prediction_program

Wind Vane

http://www.fascinatingelectronics.com/documents/WEA-WVKIT-A.pdf

Compass

http://www.bitartist.org/2009/03/digital-compass-with-avr-arduino.html

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/08/arduino-digital-compassin.html

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1258944092

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8656

Winch - for applying the system to an atonomous full sized boat

http://roamingdrone.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/diy-servo-with-arduino-dc-motor-and-potentiometer/

http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/119

http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=14762

http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Controlled-Relay-Box/step6/Test-with-an-Arduino/

Arduino Mega - details

http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/wiki/home?tm=6

Arduino - learning to use the arduino

http://tronixstuff.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/getting-started-with-arduino-chapter-zero/

XBEEs

FIO (Arduino and XBEE) door, doorbell and others monitor « John's Ramblings

http://john.crouchley.com/blog/archives/424

http://funnel.cc/Hardware/FIO?userlang=en - Fio Funnel

http://arduino.cc/blog/2010/09/14/xbee-environment-data-collector/

http://www.brokencitylab.org/blog/arduino-php-lcds-xbees-tactical-texting-in-public-spaces/

Electronics - general tutorials

http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/

http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/152

Soling 1M

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