Building a DIY paraglider variometer using an Arduino Mini, MS5611 barometric pressure sensor, NEO-6
GPS module, WS2812 LED strip, HC-05 Bluetooth module, and a buzzer can be an interesting project.
Below, you'll find a general schematic and some code snippets to get started on this project.
### Components Needed
1. **Arduino Mini** (or any compatible board)
2. **MS5611 Pressure Sensor** (for altitude measurement)
3. **NEO-6 GPS Module** (for location and speed)
4. **WS2812 LED Strip** (for visual altitude indicators)
5. **HC-05 Bluetooth Module** (for wireless communication)
6. **Buzzer** (for audio alerts)
7. **Breadboard and jumper wires**
8. **Power supply** (battery pack for portability)
### Schematic
Here's a basic schematic for connecting the components together:
```
Arduino Mini:
+-----------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| A0 D2 |--------> Buzzer
| |
| D3 D4 |--------> WS2812
| |
| D5 D6 |--------> HC-05
| |
| D7 D8 |--------> MS5611
| |
| D9 D10|--------> NEO-6
| |
+-----------+
```
### Wiring Instructions
1. **MS5611**
- VCC to 3.3V
- GND to GND
- SCL to A5 (I2C Clock)
- SDA to A4 (I2C Data)
2. **NEO-6**
- VCC to 5V
- GND to GND
- RX to D4
- TX to D3
3. **WS2812**
- Data pin to D6
- VCC to 5V
- GND to GND
4. **HC-05**
- VCC to 5V
- GND to GND
- RX to D2
- TX to D1
5. **Buzzer**
- Positive leg to D7
- Negative leg to GND
### Basic Code Example
Here’s a basic code snippet to get you started. Make sure you have the necessary libraries installed for
using the WS2812, MS5611, and GPS.
```cpp
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_MS5611.h>
#include <TinyGPS++.h>
#include <FastLED.h>
#define LED_PIN 6
#define NUM_LEDS 30
CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS];
Adafruit_MS5611 ms5611 = Adafruit_MS5611();
TinyGPSPlus gps;
int buzzerPin = 7;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
// Initialize MS5611
if (!ms5611.begin()) {
Serial.println("Could not find MS5611");
while (1);
// Initialize LED strip
FastLED.addLeds<WS2812, LED_PIN, GRB>(leds, NUM_LEDS);
FastLED.clear();
// Setup buzzer
pinMode(buzzerPin, OUTPUT);
void loop() {
// Read altitude
ms5611.read();
float altitude = ms5611.getAltitude();
// Read GPS data
while (Serial.available() > 0) {
gps.encode(Serial.read());
// Example: Set LED color based on altitude
if (altitude > 100) {
// For example, if above 100m
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {
leds[i] = CRGB::Green;
digitalWrite(buzzerPin, HIGH); // Buzzer sound
} else {
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {
leds[i] = CRGB::Red;
digitalWrite(buzzerPin, LOW); // No buzzer sound
FastLED.show();
delay(100);
```
### Notes:
- **Buzzer Behavior**: You can customize the buzzer sound based on altitude or speed values.
- **LED Behavior**: You can set different LED patterns or colors based on the altitude or the rate of
descent/ascent.
- **Testing the GPS**: Ensure the GPS module has a clear view of the sky to receive satellite signals
effectively.
- **Safety**: Always test your device in a controlled environment before using it in real scenarios.
### Additional Features
1. **Data Logging**: You can implement data logging to capture altitude and GPS data.
2. **Bluetooth Control**: Expand the deployment using the HC-05 to communicate with a mobile app
or another device.
This is a basic framework; you can expand on this by adding error handling, more sophisticated
animations for the WS2812 LEDs, more features for the Bluetooth communication, etc. Always ensure
that your design is safe and reliable, especially when using it for activities like paragliding.
