Waiting for Reach to arrive in the mail. What is the status on integrating reach as second GPS on pixhawk ? What is the nature of the integration required ? Is it possible to just send the rover RTK corrected NMEA messages to the pixhawk ?
Hello!
Yes, you can output rover’s RTK solution in NMEA format via serial or network, but at the moment you can’t pass base corrections through the GCS software, you’ll need a different link for the rover device. This feature is in our roadmap.
Excuse my ignorance on things RTK… if the NMEA msg to the pixhawk UART is RTK corrected to cm accuracy then what is my concern with the “base correction” in the GCS ? My assumption is that the base provides a correction over separate wireless link to the rover and there a RTK solution is computed and the resulting output form the rover is NMEA at cm (or at least dm) level precision. The pixhawk does not care about the precision of the NMEA msg as long as it can read the high resolution format. My understanding is that MP (GCS) can flight plan cm level waypoints. Perhaps a little tutorial for the ignorant might as I think others are also expecting a kind of plug and play solution.
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We are currently testing APM integration with Reach, I will post back here in a couple of days. What I meant was passing base corrections through the GCS software, dropping the need for two connection links between to the drone.
OK. I understand but you now need an operating GCS. The beauty of the REACH setup was they could function without the need for an external computer. Providing a wireless link between BASE and ROVER for the corrections should not a big deal - these radios are now quite inexpensive. I just got my REACH kit yesterday so I hope to at least the basics operating then I will worry about how to get the data to the pixhawk but any suggestions are appreciated.
I agree with you on the cheapness of the radios, the trouble is you then get one more antenna & receiver on a new frequency on to the plane at a distance from all the other tx/rx modules so that they do not interfere.
I would suggest a different approach:
A small 848Mhz at the GCS, then another one on top of the GPS pole where the correction signal is then injected and passed on to the main 433Mhz transmitter up to the plane/copter. That way I can mount the main transmitter way up & with a proper ground plane antenna, boosting the range and reliability of the telemetry. Just a thought.
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WOOOO first post! SO excited for this product 
I do have a couple questions (and hopefully someone can answer them!). efedorov, I run APM Copter3.3 on a pixhawk, I’m just curious if you can clarify how you plan on integrating the system? mainly so I can explain to my superiors (I work in an agronomy center) why we need to order a couple kits, NOW. Are you working with the Mission Planner software to pull the base station’s info though the telemetry link? Which GCS are you targeting initially? how long do you think it will take to implement? weeks, months, longer… I’m not looking for a “we’ll have it done by Friday” just an idea.
I’m just really excited for this product, and would love a “plug and play” setup with the Pixhawk/APM/Mission Planner, as they are my favorite system so far. Really looking forward to adding RTK GPS to our equipment as it will drastically improve our setup!
George, welcome!
We are going to integrate Reach with Pixhawk using Mission Planner and tunnel corrections through the telemetry radio link. It is not that time consuming, but we have to fix issues that showed up during user testing first. Right now new features are on hold in favour of improving stability of the platform, so I am not able to give you an estimation.
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So you are not going to integrate it via a new Mavlink message?
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Actually required message already exists. GPS_Inject simply forwards everything that GCS get’s on a certain port to the GPS port on APM.
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That is perfect! I was thinking that would be the integration method used, was just wondering. So the setup would be, GPS connected to the laptop via USB (?) and then the GPS on the pixhawk would connect through the GPS port? is that correct? I’m all for improving stability, I was just curious! (I purchased a lidarlite knowing that Copter3.3 was needed, but I didn’t know that at the time 3.3 wasn’t out yet)
Yes, exactly like that 
Awesome! I’m not sure if its on your block for testing, but will the ground node be able to communicate to multiple airborne nodes? If you are using the rfd900 radios (or the 3dr radios flashed with the rfd900 firmware) the radios should be able to run multipoint. I know we’re hoping to work on that as soon as possible
I believe the base station can stream its coordinates to as many rovers as you wish.
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You’re right! I completely forgot about that… Thanks kk6mrp
hello @igor.vereninov . I just want to know if “reach” is working propperly with pixhawk???
I bought a Firefly6 that comes with PX4hawk. Does “reach” work with it too?
Thanks
Just got mine in the mail today 
looking forward to testing later this week!
Hi is there a possibility of connecting REACH with Pixhawk through UART and have different telemetry for pix and reach. If it works we can start using the reach, in future we can integrate the telemetry of both together, Hope for which even pix need some upgradation. I request the team to test the reach with Pixhawk soon and give update possible assisting docx ASAP.
I’m a surveyor by profession. We use trimble rtk gps on site. I want to somehow connect a gps rover, that is receiving rtk corrections from our site base station, to pixhawk using nmea output. Then using ardurover to make a rover move to a list of coordinates to cm precision. Is this possible. I want to use this for staking out on a road job. Thanks in advancem
I’m a surveyor by profession. We use trimble rtk gps on site. I want to somehow connect a gps rover, that is receiving rtk corrections from our site base station, to pixhawk using nmea output. Then using ardurover to make a rover move to a list of coordinates to cm precision. Is this possible. I want to use this for staking out on a road job. Thanks in advancem