STorM32-Link

The information on this page refers to firmware v2.35e and higher.

The STorM32-Link refers to a communication link between the STorM32 gimbal controller and a drone's flight controller, in order to achieve advanced functions which otherwise would not be possible.

The primary goal of the STorM32-Link is too overcome two general and hard-to-tackle issues with 3-axis gimbals, namely the drifting of the yaw axis in the hold mode and the tilting of the horizon in high-g flight maneuvers. The respective mechanisms will be called Yaw Drift Compensation and Horizon Drift Compensation. However, the link can be used to achieve other features to, such as novel yaw pan modes or automatic recalibration at startup.

The same physical connection is also used to exchange the traditional serial or MAVLink commands, for controlling e.g. the tilt and pan of the camera, as described in the articles Serial Communication or Uavcan. However, although the same bus is shared, this communication must not be considered part of the STorM32-Link.

A comment on history and why STorM32-Link is a T-STorM32 feature: The STorM32-Link has probably the most colorful development history. Originally conceived early 2015, at a time when neither BaseCam/AlexMos or Greemsy had such a feature, it never really took off besides being partially available (see STorM32-Link). The game changed with the introduction of T-STorM32, since the more precise data on the gimbal joint angles available with encoders help significantly in implementing the goals. Therefore, the full set of STorM32-Link features is enabled only for T-STorM32.