Guidance Sensing System, time synchronization
1118 2 2016-3-10
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jespestana
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Hi all,

I want to combine the measurements from multiple sensors from the Guidance system in a State Estimation framework. However, to do so I need to be able to timestamp the measurements consistently. This is a big issue in the robotics community, specially when combining image data with information from other sensors. For instance, I need to have the image data and the IMU measurements in the same "time axis", i. e. that the timestamps are comparable. Two measurements from different sensors at the same timestamp should have been acquired at the same time instant (in "reality"). For image data this is ambiguous, since the images are acquired during the "exposure time", but the timestamp is usually set to the middle of the exporsure time.

Anyway, I could not find any information about whether the measurements the Matrice M100 measurements are synchronized. I am hoping that since the Guidance has 10 cameras, 5 ultrasound sensors and an IMU, that all these measurements are time synchronized with each other. Please, if this is the case, it would be great that it was mentioned in the Guidance Sensing System manual.

Ae these measurements also synchronized with the DJI Zenmuse X3 (if mounted) and with the DJI Matrice 100 Autopilot? Again, please, if this is the case, it would be great that it was mentioned somewhere in the manuals.


Note that I checked the information about time synchronization in the manuals by looking at specific keywords and reading the phrases around them. These are the keywords that I tried so far: "sync", "stamp" and "time".

I am looking forward to your replies! Thanks in advance for the information,
The DJI Guidance is definitely a unique high-end piece of technology!

Jesús



2016-3-10
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DJI-Adela
DJI team

Hong Kong
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Please wait for a moment...  
2016-3-10
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geeteshdubey
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Flight distance : 88629 ft
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DJI-Adela Posted at 2016-3-11 03:09
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Hi, all the questions are completely valid. I found some keywords in the new firmware 3.1 regarding timestamp sync and a flag.

I found this in the new release notes:
"For Broadcast Data:
1. The time stamp structure have been extended. Besides a regular stamp unit in 1/400s, here
comes a timestamp unit in nanoseconds. Also, a synchronization flag is provided together with a
new API for the purpose of timestamp synchronization when working with an external device like
Guidance.
"

How are these sync flags related? Are they related by time since boot-up? Or are they actually hardwired to sync each others data(i doubt if this is possible, unless the provided CAN cable had a reserved pin for such a function)

Thanks
2016-3-23
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