Maybe check out 2.4Ghz LoRa.
For line of sight at the distances suggested a 2.4Ghz LoRa device should be capable of circa 200Kbps in LoRa mode or 1300Kbps in FLRC mode.
Thank you for the links @hallowed31 @zwieblum , I will read them shortly and revert back the soonest.
@srnet thank you for the advise!
There is also this from Xbee
https://www.digi.com/products/models/antennas/a09-hasm-7
From the data sheet they should easily handle my data rate, and the distance. though I will check the alternative and to a proper technical comparison.
@srnet I've seen your remarks on many of the topics that I've read, I would like to incorporate a camera of around 2 Mp to get a video tramission as well to the ground station (just cz its cool no scientific purpose behind this), and the team at the university already purchased a microcontroller arduino nano, which I know can't handle a camera, so I was thinking on using an ESP32-cam and connect it to the nano. However if I want to propose changing the nano controller, can you confirm that the Uno can handle the 2 Mp camera?
Also more detail on the project in the following link:
Unclear what you mean by the UNO being able to 'handle' the 2MP Camera.
The ESPCAM uses an ESP32 which has a large PSRAM of 2Mbyte+ to store and handle the images taken. A UNO has 2Kbytes of memory.
NANO and UNO are the same e. UNOv4 is different, but still won't work. ESP32CAM is nice - as long as you can live with 1-5 fps nd < 20m range,
If you want to stream live video from a camera to a ground station, an UNO or a Nano will not be able to play any active role in this process.
If you drop the live stream requirement, your life will be waaaay simpler. I'd start with just the telemetry.
Hello, yes I meant by handle that it cannot process the images dues to its low PSRAM. how much SRAM I need to successfully connect and operate a 2 Mp camera module?
would the Nano ESP32 work ?
it has 512 Kb SRAM
I was actually thinking to just piggyback on the ESP32CAM to use its processing power for the image, but everything would be connected to the Arduino microcontroller to transmit the data. though as it has been suggested to me I dont think its a very efficient way to move forward.
yess I'm starting to get this idea, lol .
I will suggest that we start with the telemetry you are correct. but at the same time I'd like to keep researching alternative ways to incorporate a camera, I have 2 months to finish so if I were able to find an affordable and suitable way to add a camera module later that would be nice.
How much PSRAM, the ESP32 needs to take an image, depends on the size of the image.
A standard ESP32 with no PSRAM can work with an OV2640, but image size is limited to maybe 800x600, not sure.
The specs for the Nano ESP32 suggest it has no PSRAM.
Directly connecting an OV2640 on the ribbon cable to an ESP32 or ESP32S3 is entirely non-trivial, checkout the schematic of the ESP32CAM.
Well OK, so the ESP32CAM takes the image, and has it in a PSRAM buffer or saved as a file on SD, so how do you then plan move the image elsewhere ?
Thank you all for the continuous help with this project.
I did a preliminary calculation for the data requirement of the peripherals, in the following. the ODR might change this is max ODR, most likely we will use a smaller one.
Data Load Calculation - organized.pdf (108.8 KB)
And link budget calculation
link Budget analysis.pdf (79.3 KB)
Now without adding a video camera I think the system should work fine.
However the prof. gave approval for changing the microcontroller to accommodate a video camera, so in order to do that will have to reselect the following:
Camera selection
Microcontroller selection
Transceiver chip selection
and probably the battery selection.
I think I have a clear understanding of the power demands, communication protocol, and data requirements for these peripherals.
But I'm having trouble selecting the transceiver chip, I checked the TX16s with EdgeTX and ExpressLRS. as I understand the Express LRS incorporate the Lora SX1280 which should be similar to the Xbee technology.
Can you advise which transceiver to select considering we want to communicate up to 500 meters (to be confirmed). and which microcontroller?
Camera selection I'm thinking either the VGA (640 x 480) or HD (1280 x 720) or 2MP (1600 x 1200 for example).
If you can provide options for these 3 that would be really appreciated.
LoRa is capable of longer distances, somtimes much longer distances, than other comms and can achieve faster data rates to.
Maybe Express LRS uses LoRa SX1280 for good reasons, if 'Xbee technology' was similar why do they not use it ?
WiFi ?
But check that the transmit power level you need to use is legal.
Wifi like what? and it will be able to transmit over up to 500 meters?
XBee simply won't do it in real live. Remember, Graupner HOTT rc system used xbee - and they fell flat on their belly includinggoing bancrupt.
Your calculation does not take into account that the managment data increases as the link quality decreases. Even under best circumstances 25k is barely enough to handle 17.5k.
WiFi + directional antenna + circular polarisation might work, but as said, there are soulution that cost a dime and work.
@zwieblum thank you for your reply, can you give me few solutions for example ? and for wifi chip do you have any recommendation as well?
ELRS - but I already said that. WiFi + directional antanna needs an antenna tracker which need 2 GPS receivers (ground station and moving object) ... so you see where this is going. The "easy" solution is in fact way more work than using a proven solution.
I endorse this message 100%. If the goal of the project is the rocketry and using whatever payload you use to get whatever data you want to get, and not learning all the different ways to achieve telemetry itself, including radio and antenna theory and that massive field of knowledge on its own, I'd be looking at what's commercially favored among hobbyists doing similar things as you.
Team Black Sheep has a good reputation, as does Immersion RC.
Note that the following is not a specific recommendation for your purpose. I have no idea what your specific needs are, nor do I know anything about any special considerations for rockets vs any other type of RC vehicle. I did find this though, and I would start looking to equipment such as this rather than trying to figure out how companies like these do it.
https://www.team-blacksheep.com/products/prod:crossfire_tx
The 'telemetry' from a rocket that is so close is really easy and reliable too.
Video from a rocket that is so close is also easy, lots of people using live video for FPV of drones and RC planes.
However the video stuff used by the FPV guys is basically analogue as its easy to do and low cost.
Mixing data telemetry and video in the same device sounds not easy and not good anyway, is something goes wrong with the not so simple Video side, you loose the telemetry too, so sensible to keep them seperate.
Well, ~ 2010 almost all FPV systems used to transmit telemetry data via the audio channels, but you'll have a hard time finding these systems nowadays 