ArduCopter 2.5 released!
Version 2.5 of the ArduCopter code is now available in the AP Mission Planner and in the downloads area!
Enhancements:
- The first ArduCopter code release optimized for the APM 2. Leans and drift should be much reduced or even eliminated for most users. This was accomplished through a number of core improvements to the DCM implementation by Tridge like this one and this one.
- Loiter and waypoint following should be improved due to a D term bug fix, some tuning and the improved DCM performance mentioned above.
- On start-up, the yaw heading is updated with first successful mag read (so you should no longer see the slow rotation from north to your actual heading).
- Increased output rate to ESCs to 490hz. This update rate is also user selectable using the new RC_SPEED parameter.
- hexa copter stability patch bug fix (should resolve slight flattening when pitching forward and accelerating very rapidly).
- improved baro filtering
- fix to dataflash logging of Mag heading
- addition of H1 swash plate type and bug fix for proactive yaw compensation for collective pitch changes for TradHelis.
Tuning:
The default PIDs are optimized for a 3DR/Jdrones quad with 850 motors and 10" props. If you're using more powerful motors/props, start by turning down Rate Roll P in 25% steps.
While some testers have reported very good flights with the default PIDs, some have reported that this release is a little "sharper" due to the DCM improvements and have found they needed to:
reduce stabilize P by 10% (i.e. 4.5 -> 4.2)
reduce stabilize D by 30% (i.e. 0.15 -> 0.10)
increase rate D from 0 to 0.001
Tuning loiter can be tricky. Refer to the discussions which will appear below for more community feedback on what parameters work best.
Please post your feedback in this discussion. For enhancement requests and bug report, please add them to the arducopter issues list. When possible please include logs (tlog and/or dataflash) and tell us whether you're using APM1 or APM2 and what version of the software you're using (presumably 2.5 but tell us anyway!).
Thanks for this release go to the developers (both in the core team but also those who have provided bug fixes through the issues list) and also the community members who participated in the previous release thread and provided some great detailed information in the form of issue reports and logs which allowed us to nail some bugs!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tim Nilson on -
Randy --- one last question... how was that issue missed in the testing that was done? What is different about me upgrading from a healthy Loiter version in 2.4 to then having this issue in 2.5? Would not everyone have had the same issue, including the testers? Or is it because my quad has some property that the tester's quad did not have? (this prototype cost me considerable time and money, so just want to get that clarified for my own sanity)
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Permalink Reply by Cliff-E on -
The latest code (now in the mission planner) properly captures the manual throttle and uses it as the base for the altitude hold.
Good to here that, I saw the same thing in my logs on my 3DR hexa today.I was just about to add something that took current throttle as well since I had auto-alt turned off in my build and tuned a good trim manually. Back to git...
FYI, I think I was seeing the loiter issues fixed by #4&5 below as well Loiter was all over the place (5m circles) no matter unless I changed loiter I's 0 for it to hold vs drift.
Sorry to hear about the crash, I've had many, does give you the oppty to rebuild it better.
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on -
Tim,
Again, sorry about your crash.
The issue wasn't caught in testing because the config to enable the automatic updating of the throttle trim was missing from the config file that the mission planner uses (it was there in the config file used by people uploading using arduino). Because all our beta testers upload using arduino they never saw it.
So we need to tighten up on the sharing of the config between arduino and the mission planner. 95% of the config is already shared but this one sadly wasn't :-(.
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Permalink Reply by Tim Nilson on
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OK, thanks for clarifying this for me.
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on -
I've updated the version coming out of the mission planner to be 2.5.3 and added a new zip to the downloads area.
Patch fixes the following issues over 2.5 release:
1. reenabled automatic calculation of throttle_trim while in stabilize mode
2. enables auto trim command on Channel 7
3. throttle_trim default increased to 450
4. bug fix to clear loiter and nav controller's I term when switching out of these modes.
5. added checking that PID controller's IMAX values are always positive
6. bug fix to barometer library affecting APM1 users with temp crossing 33 deg celsius
It's this last one that's new over 2.5.2.
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Permalink Reply by Jiro Hattori on -
Randy
Good morning. Thank you continue for the bug fix and tuning. I have very stable flight on 2.5.2 that I ever had on ArduCopter. I will try other features other than stable mode.
Are you talking about 2.5.3 ? Try later.
regards,
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on -
Jiro,
Good morning! Great to hear it's working out well.
2.5.3 is really just the same as 2.5.2 but there's an additional bug that cropped up (and has been fixed) in the past 24h. It's #6 on the list above and it only affected APM1 users who crossed the 33deg celsius barrier while flying. It cropped up for two people including Marco and a guy in Australia (where i guess it's a bit warmer than tokyo).
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Permalink Reply by Fred on -
I have been silently following the project for a while, just wanted to thank you all for the hard and beautiful work.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Cooper on
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Just wanted to say thanks for all your hard work on this. Haven't flown for some time but I loaded 2.5.3 onto my quad and took it out today. I had some of the most stable flying I've had in a long time. Made my day, no, week. Loiter's still a little rough on my frame, but I guess I still need to dial the settings. Going through the logs now. Thanks again!
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on -
Good stuff.
Tridge has done two major changes (one in 2.4 and one in 2.5) which have suddenly freed up a lot of memory and cpu power. I think this extra room has made everything work better.
Tuning loiter does seem to be a bit tough for many, so we're planning to put more logging of the pid controllers into 2.6 to help with that.
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Permalink Reply by nubli hashim on
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great job guys.. simply gret
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Permalink Reply by Marc LE BRET on
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Hello,
After some time struggling with 2.5 PID settings on my Y6, I managed to have a quite nice Rate flight as of today.
Firmware was updated to 2.5.3 via mission planner and I can confirm the success of altitude hold. Thanks for that. I will try Loiter later today, with flying open space.
Not always easy, but nothing is perfect.
Thanks for dev team work,
MLB
Stab PID: 5.6/0/40 (5.6 is not enough, have to try 6.0)
Rate PID: 0.145/0.01/0.005
Stab Yaw: 7/0/8
Rate Yaw: 0.145/0/0
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