This is a companion topic for our recent blog post on blog.unmanned.tech
The Landmark Precision Landing System is your new best mate for ensuring your VTOL drone lands on a pinhead rather than, say, the neighbour’s garden shed. Using a Raspberry Pi and camera, it sends MAVLink landing-target data to ArduPilot, allowing your drone to plonk itself down with centimetre-level accuracy without needing to rob a bank for expensive RTK setups. Just make sure you’ve got a spare UART, decent lighting, and targets printed to spec—or you might end up with more of a “nearly landed” scenario.
Why bother? Well, your standard GPS return-to-home might get you within a metre or so, which is perfect for most jaunts but utterly useless for any precision work. Landmark simplifies the whole ordeal and costs less than that fancy IRLock gear, making it an ideal choice for those of us who prefer not to break the bank while maintaining a semblance of order in our landing zones.
Setting it up is a doddle: mount the unit facing down, hook it up to a UART, and configure your flight controller settings as per the instructions. Remember, light is key—so perhaps rethink those night missions unless you fancy installing a disco ball for added flair.
In short, if you’re looking for a practical, cost-effective solution for precise landings, the Landmark could be your ticket to glory. Just don’t forget those AprilTags; they’re what give this system its edge.
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