IIT Bombay-based nano-drone startup, Drona Aviation, has developed PlutoX, said to be ultimate aerial robotics kit for makers.
“Being tinkerers ourselves, we’re well aware of the demotivating crashes, burdensome coding and other challenges that limit the scope of tinkering and innovating with drones. PlutoX was engineered particularly ensuring agility, durability and affordability for fellow tinkerers,” says Apurva Godbole, co-founder of the drone startup.
The SDK has an API-based Arduino-like interface. Using the open-source Cygnus IDE, PlutoX allows easy modifications by simply flashing a pre-written code through a phone app called Pluto. Another feature aimed at tinkering is the inclusion of 16 GPIOs, all supported on an original, proprietary designed board.
“Instead of slowing down tinkerers with a cumbersome process to add hardware like cameras, sensors or even another board to their drones, we want to make development easy for them. We want to fuel their imagination and encourage them to explore more possibilities while tinkering,” says the CTO and co-founder, Prasanna Shevre.
The drone kit includes four MOSFET drives and four H-bridge drives. Also on board is 10-DOF sensor suite, a WiFi interface, and a lithium-polymer 950-mAH battery said to be good for more than 600 charge cycles. The GPIO is via a 20-pin UniBus that also includes four power pins. The drone can fly for 15 minutes and will carry up to 15 gm. A modular HD camera is also available.
Drone Aviation plans to launch PlutoX through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, on August 8th, 2018.
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