Using the BeagleBone Black in sailing robots

Now that you've created platforms that can move on land, let's turn to a completely different type of mobile platform—one that can sail. In this section, you'll discover how to use the BeagleBone Black to control your sail boat.

Prepare for lift off

Fortunately, sailing on the water is about as simple as walking on land. First, however, you need a sailing platform. The following image shows an RC sailing platform that can be modified to accept control from the BeagleBone Black:

In fact, many RC controller boats can be modified to add the BeagleBone Black. All you need is space to put the processor, the battery, and any additional control circuitry. In this case, the sailing platform has two controls: a rudder that is controlled by a servo and a second servo that controls the position of the sail. These are shown in the following image:

To automate the control of the sail boat, you'll need your BeagleBone Black, a battery, and a servo controller. The...