Motor controller

[ironman]

Why you don't try simply connect the nano to the pi zero via usb ..... no other connections to the nano than usb !
save sailing
Andreas

I'm curious why this is not the standard or at least more common?

Are there code changes that have to be made for the pi0 to talk to the nano via usb?

Good idea - I never tried it until now (on a pi4) but it simply works out of the box. The nano is enumerated as a serial device and simply discovered by the pypilot probe. Even the tx and rx lights blink.

Code:

servo probe ('/dev/serial/by-id/usb-1a86_USB_Serial-if00-port0', 38400) 216246.002141228
arduino servo found on ['/dev/serial/by-id/usb-1a86_USB_Serial-if00-port0', 38400]
serialprobe success: /home/pi/.pypilot/servodevice ['/dev/serial/by-id/usb-1a86_USB_Serial-if00-port0', 38400]

Pypilot is like a box of chocolates. You gotta have a strong stomach. Djdsails definitely qualifies! To hook it up to the pizero, you'd need a rare micro usb to mini usb cable, but nothing you cannot make with two old cables  .