TBS Unify controller with Pico and LCD

A custom Raspberry Pi Pico controller with an LCD interface for a TBS Unify analogue video transmitter. The project combines a local display with custom firmware and verified SmartAudio communication for repeatable bench experiments.

Purpose

The module turns an analogue VTX into a controllable test source for repeatable Sky Serpent experiments. Instead of manually configuring the transmitter for each capture, the Pico provides a software-controlled interface that can be integrated into the wider test-bench workflow.

LCD and custom control

The LCD forms part of the local interface on the controller. Custom RP2040 firmware handles the SmartAudio exchange with the VTX, providing a practical control module for the test setup. The same transmitter-control work also supports integration with the Linux bench.

Verified communication

Bench checks included reading transmitter status, changing the frequency from 5665 to 5800 MHz and reading it back, and setting and reading back a 14 dBm power setting. These are control-protocol results; readback is not a calibrated measurement of RF output power.

Architecture

Role in the RF laboratory

The Unify node provides a known analogue RF source that can be switched and configured by the test infrastructure. This allows receiver and detection experiments to be associated with a controlled transmitter state and repeated under comparable conditions.

Safety and repeatability

The bench is designed for bounded, low-power tests with the transmitter connected to an appropriate antenna or load and with power control available independently of the higher-level experiment. The goal is repeatable measurement, not increased RF output.

Integration

The Pico module forms one part of a wider transmission laboratory alongside the separate DJI O4 controller. Both follow the same principle: move repetitive transmitter setup into a controlled hardware interface so Linux-side automation can concentrate on experiment sequencing, capture and evidence.