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: 115144

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andrea & Antonio & C. on April 16, 2012 at 10:17am

@ Marco

thanks for reply

I wanted to have some guidelines to avoid making mistakes

Permalink Reply by Chris on April 16, 2012 at 12:51pm

Another Quick Question. I cant follow all ure Improvements / Threads, so:

Must i calibrate the Mag with moving Copter / Starting Mag Calibration in MP and Flying - getting automatic the needed values? Or what i have to do actually to get my Mag working correct?

I think my bad flying Copter in Stabilize is causing of bad Mag Calibration. So thats why i ask.

What is the "newest" practice?


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on April 17, 2012 at 6:32am

Chris,

      I've never heard of anyone messing up their mag calibration by flying badly in stabilize.  In the default mode in which your compass offsets are found automatically as you fly, the more you move, the quicker it will arrive at the correct offsets.  By the way, the algorithm is slightly improved in 2.6 which should be out before the weekend.

     I'm not sure which of the 3 options is best...the auto method and the log method produce nearly the same results as far as I've seen.  You can of course compare the results and report back! :-)

     If you're having compass issues, it seems that the mag offsets are the first thing to look into (which is what you're correctly doing).  The 2nd step is probably to look at the engine interference on the compass (i.e. take off your props, fire up the motors to max and see if it affects the heading). 

Permalink Reply by Chris on April 17, 2012 at 11:49am

I´m confused. So i cant follow all ure Threads. Searched in the Wiki, but didnt found it. Where are the information about the "3 Possibilities" to calibrate my Mag?

I read this in the past, but i cant find it now..:/

and what is with declination? i dont know, what is actually the "newest" information about. can u explain me plz, whats up at the moment?

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on April 16, 2012 at 8:53pm

Hello all,

http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/downloads/detail?name=Declinati...

Hi all, know how to configure the Declination lut?
will complicate the issue of Declination.


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on April 17, 2012 at 6:36am

Norman,

     I don't think you need to run that tool.  As far as I know, that's purely to regenerate the table that gets included into the AP_Declination library.  Someone on the dev team will likely run that every year or so to keep the declination values close to reality (I guess the earth's magnetic field changes a little bit over time).

     So for the user, you can just forget about it and the lib will automatically update your declination for you.  If you find that's inaccurate for some reason, you can update the value manually using the AP Mission Planner's Hardware set-up screen (which can be invoked from the AP Mission Planner's firware screen).

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on April 17, 2012 at 8:51am

Many thanks Randy
certainly in the APM1. I'm using the default pid v2.5.3 with very good results.
thanks for your good work I am happy with the apm. I have no problems or anything driftproblems manifest
only small problems with the camera, vibration and spasms with servos.

http://www.diydrones.com/photo/123-5408?context=user

http://www.diydrones.com/video/apm-1

Permalink Reply by steve F11music.com on April 17, 2012 at 2:02pm

Is the parameter file for the 3DR frame, 10" props in the downloads section current? It would be better if a screen shot of the main parameters were posted here also. I don't know why but when I load the 3DR parameters and then go to configure my radio using the setup tab, Stab P goes to 0 and I guess some other parameters change. I prefer to type then in manually. What things would cause these parameters to get changed during a firmware update?

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Jonathan M on April 17, 2012 at 8:21pm

Well, I have another crash to report.

I was flying with my new go pro camera gimbal to try and catch the sunset.  Mostly loiter, which did fine.  I switched to stable and flew around for about 1 min.  Making an aggressive roll, my quad dipped suddenly in the opposite direction and started to do a death spiral.  It didn't recover.   

The gimbal took the brunt of the damage, along with the copter legs.  This makes the third time (out of about 40 flights) that I have seen an uncommanded dip/crash in stable mode while flying aggressively.  I wasn't sure if the others were related, but it does seem to be an issue.

I am flying a 3DR quad, 750kv motors, 11x4.7SF,  2-axis gimbal, 1.6kg GW, APM 2 with 2.5.3+ (auto dec and auto learning enable).  This is a sequence of shots where it lost control ( gopro was shooting 0.5s continuous).  You can tell the abrupt shift counterclockwise on the roll axis (uncommanded).  Third shot is the death spiral.

Logs are attached as well.  Appreciate any analysis

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Dave on April 18, 2012 at 5:44am

Hmmm, 3 times out of 40.  Is there any similarity between the crashes?

Could it be that the left rear motor or ESC have a (possibly heat-related) intermittent failure?

Permalink Reply by Jonathan M on April 18, 2012 at 8:25am

Possibly,  but I haven't ever noticed either getting more than slightly warm. I need to dig up more other crash data and videos, but it does seem to follow a pattern with the left rear going out.  Perhaps it could be a intermittent connection with a motor. I have bullet's, but not soldered together (electrical tape is my "safety wire").  This setup has seen it's fair share of crashes (with the latest being the hardest) which I am sure has put some things out of whack.

I really don't think it's a code issue, looking at my logs and seeing how no one else is having this issue.  However, I just wanted to make sure by posting it here.  Overall, my impressions of the latest software are great.


3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on April 18, 2012 at 9:14am

Joanathan: Thanks for the report. I'd suggest soldering your bullets. Virtually every problem I've had with quads turned out to be due to intermittent motor connections, which I've solved with soldering them. I really think that bullets are a weak link in the design chain, and the 3DR team is looking for a better connector approach. We want to put these little brass beasts behind us. 

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