M5stack based PFD (Primary Flight Display)

2023-04-26 | By M5Stack

License: General Public License Arduino M5Stack

* Thanks for the source code and project information provided by @Willem Braat

Story

I wanted to check if it is possible to build a usable PFD to be used in an aircraft. Certification is quite another issue, but it does work satisfactory. A lot to be done still!

Display complexity is increasing. Changed the whiskers to aircraft icon. Added a VSI, colored speed bar with (user programmable) speed bugs, altitude bug and heading bug. Still 12-13 frames per second performance. Changed the name of the project to Primary Flight Display.

To do:

slip/skid indicator
HSI screen
coupling to GPS to determine groundspeed and ground-track

Added a slip indicator (slip ball) and an annunciator block at the bottom where the status of the GPS, magnetic compass, SD card and the battery is shown.

Schematics

PFD block schematic

Things used in this project

Hardware components

M5Stack ESP32 Basic Core IoT Development Kit×1
M5Stack 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer Unit (ADXL345)×1
M5Stack ENV II Unit with Temperature Humidity Pressure Sensor(SHT30+BMP280)×1
M5Stack Mini HUB Unit 1 to 3 HUB×1

M5Stack GPS Module with Internal & External Antenna (NEO-M8N)×1

DFRobot cmps12×1