Developer

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Loiter and waypoint following should be improved due to a D term bug fix, some tuning and the improved DCM performance mentioned above.
  3. 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).
  4. Increased output rate to ESCs to 490hz.  This update rate is also user selectable using the new RC_SPEED parameter.
  5. hexa copter stability patch bug fix (should resolve slight flattening when pitching forward and accelerating very rapidly).
  6. improved baro filtering
  7. fix to dataflash logging of Mag heading
  8. 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!

 

Tags: ACM, APM1, APM2, Heli, Quad

Views: 115197

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ian forbes on April 14, 2012 at 11:51am

Marco, how is AC 2.6 running for you, worth updating to yet?


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Marco Robustini on April 14, 2012 at 12:01pm

Is in test phase at the moment by the team tester group, being beta is at your own risk.
For now there were no problems.

Permalink Reply by Ian forbes on April 14, 2012 at 12:04pm

I will give it a shot then....

 

Permalink Reply by Ian forbes on April 14, 2012 at 11:06am

Another question for the group, can I upolad sketches using xbee connection instead of usb?  My usb is a litlle tricky, connects and disconnects at it own will, pins went bad bent in usb? I tried to upload via xbe and I get "warning not a 2156? (i think)  and it freezes, can anyone point me to a how to if you can load sketches via xbee using arduino?


3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on April 14, 2012 at 11:09am

No, you can't load sketches via Xbee. There's no way to reset the board remotely.

Permalink Reply by Ian forbes on April 14, 2012 at 11:41am

Thanks Chris for the reply!! 

Darn, might be a nice feature if possible in the future.  My usb won't power the board by itself anymore, usb has become tricky to stay connected, like the older cell phone micro usbs if the cable yanked loose or cable was too heavy, tried new cables etc.I have to wrap usb around arms and draw tight on connection to the sides with battery to get it to connect. power pins I assume are shot. I have I mustb admit been slightly hard on this board. Every time I beta test products, I figure out how to break it:). Might I suggest reinforcing usb a bit. Got any super secret tricks to fix a loose usb connection female side?? I squished the male connector and the usb on APM a bit trying to make tighter pin connection, but seems to have only slightly helped.

Permalink Reply by Dave C on April 14, 2012 at 1:12pm

I use a spare lipo with a $5 3a 5v Ubec on the bench, powers the APM and reciever beautifully wih out the risk of 'living room blender'.

Regarding the usb, order a new header, get your soldering iron out, its easy if you are careful and then the glue gun for future proofing, this is DIY after all and the usb connection is vital for software updates :)

Permalink Reply by Ian forbes on April 14, 2012 at 1:38pm

@ DAve.. So i have discovered (Usb important that is).  Hot glue gun is beginning to be a vital tool in my arsenal...  Can I just dip the whole board in hot glue?  I am only half joking:).

 

I just upladed .6 Beta, mavlink won't connect via xbees again.. Why do I have issues with connecting every time I upload or have a MP update.  Is this happening to anyone else?

When I load X8 config via arduino, seems like Board takes forever to boot up compared to loading x4 config via MP, and then I get solid blue light half the time,  have to hit reset often is this a bug, are others experiencing this? I know X8 seems to have its issues still? 


3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on April 14, 2012 at 4:00pm

Ian: Yes, with APM 2, you need to press the reset button after you plug in the LiPo to start it properly. Not a biggie, but it is a known issue. We'll fix that in the nex software rev. 

Permalink Reply by John Campen on April 15, 2012 at 2:37am

Ian take a look at the hack I did to power one of my APM1 boards by feeding a 5v bec wire to the pins coming from the USB off the IMU shield directly. I did this because the diode on my power bus got knocked off and the power in to the bus doesn't work. You can just make up a USB cable with a pin socket on the end to plug it in there.

http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/missing-apm-board-component-diode?

Ive now tried this out and it works well.

Permalink Reply by u4eake on April 14, 2012 at 1:41pm

I've never had a good flying copter anymore since 2.0.49.  So yesterday I was tired of it, kicked out 2.5.3 and went back to 2.0.49 on my hexa.  today I flew it in a fair bit of gutsy wind (3-4 beaufort). 

APM1.4 1280 board with sonar, mediatek gps and magnetometer.  The standard suggested combo in februari 2011.  Hexa with supersimple 20A esc's, KD20-22L motors and 11x4.7 APC props.  Selfmade alu-composite frame.


Stabilise was very good : no more yaw problem, 20° yawing on takeoff or unexpected yaws during flight, had to lower stabP and rateP a bit and then got a predictable, stable and responsive hexa.
Althold on sonar was perfect.  It would even follow the shape of my transmitter case when I flew over it.  On baro it varied by about 1m, which is a good as the apm1 baro gets.  Standard althold pid's.
Loiter was pretty good : it drifted away in the wind for 10m orso, then fought it's way back to the loiter point and stayed there : no circles. (standard loiter pid)
RTL was very good, except that it climbed a little due to the wind, then got out of sonar range and into apm1 baro range which made it climb a bit further.  I made it RTL cross on the wind and it was nice to see the copter arc into the wind to it's home location (69% in the Tlog).
Simple mode was perfect and made flying rotating circles easy, as wel as leaning into the wind while rotating.
Didn't get to test auto cause I forgot to cache google maps on the old mission planner 1.0.88.
For me this is still the version to beat performance wise.  It may have some bugs, but at least my hexa is a pleasure to fly with it. 
No cables had to be twisted or copters rewired to get this result...
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Permalink Reply by Dave C on April 14, 2012 at 1:46pm

Hallo peeps,

Took 2.6beta out for a spin, 3dr frame, jdrones 850 kit, 10*4.5 3S 2650

Decided to go for the 'out of the box' route so uploaded, set up radio, modes etc etc. Manually entered my mag dec, no calibration assuming it would be done for me at first GPS lock.

And did the following video and log, just press play on the video a few seconds after the log starts for reference mutterings...

All looks good to me, other than a slight yaw wandering, as seen on the video. Also the logs are showing some crazy compass readings to my only semi trained eye. Should I be twisting cables maybe? The logs look pretty good to me though other wise, I'd love some opinions :)

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