Hi all!
Just got my first Arduino, hence the first post 
I'd like to create a board that I can press a "reset" or home button and it will set the device coordinates to 0,0,0 or whatever, then log or track it's position relative to that home point, and after 10 minutes or so return to that location.
I was looking at GPS and GPS loggers but thought a compass or something like that could do the trick in a coat effective manner?
New to Arduino as stated- please point me in the right direction, and thanks!
Look forward to the future!
You have to tell us a bit more about your project because your current "specification" is perfectly matched by a simple GPS logger that is able to display the current positon. Do you want to be guided back the same way back that you took? Does the device have to show a direction? What kind of display do you expect?
Hi and thanks for your response-
The device I am trying to create would be in water, so not necessary to return via the same path, just basically "try" to get back to that pre-set home location. No display of values needed- just an internal log.
I looked at GPS loggers ( might be the way?) but seemed over tech maybe? Also looking at accelerometers or compass loggers?
It would move from that home location with current, then after 10 - 20 minutes return to that "zero" coordinate.
I guess I'm thinking that as the device moves in any horizontal position from the home location it will keep track how far away numerically, and them calculate direction to return, or get close?
Hope that helps!
Is that device an autonomous robot or a human being carrying such a device? Because trying to get back to a pre-set home location is quite difficult if a person should do that but the device doesn't offer a display.
Good morning Pylon,
It would be autonomous. The human would set the home location once. Set it and forget it :), as they say.
The device would travel via water current away from the location and then gradually make its way back.
In this case I would include a GPS and a compass module to know the direction the device is facing. Otherwise you have to drive a few meters first to get enough measures to calculate the facing and in water you even might loose the direction from drifting.
Hi Pylon,
Thanks for the recommendations - I checked them out for feasibility.
After a quick look, it seems the GPS might be a bit too much for the task?
Is there nothing that would record its location from 0,0 and return there after a set time? Say it wound up at (24,-4) on a co-ordinate system?
Compass would be good, but I see it not being too funtional in water, and how to track location in water without GPS...
That being said, could I use a WIFIshield etc. to tap into local WIFI for coordinates as opposed to GPS DAtaloggers? Just a thought!
After a quick look, it seems the GPS might be a bit too much for the task?
With which other technology do you want to get your location logging?
Is there nothing that would record its location from 0,0 and return there after a set time?
There is and it's called GPS. There are other systems but not in the open water (to my knowledge).
Compass would be good, but I see it not being too funtional in water, and how to track location in water without GPS...
Why is a compass in water not functional? In the old days they had nothing else than that.
That being said, could I use a WIFIshield etc. to tap into local WIFI for coordinates as opposed to GPS DAtaloggers?
WiFi is for data communication and not for location. Just because smartphones are able to get a rough estimation of their location by searching for available WiFi networks doesn't mean that WiFi is a technology for locating. And on the water usually there are no WiFi networks available. Even if there were, is it enough for your project to know the location with an accurancy of a few hundred meters? Maybe it's time to disclose some more details about your project?