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: 116053

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Peter on April 25, 2012 at 5:01pm

Hi guys just put together a Xaircraft hexa with KDA 20/22L motors and apm1.

Could someone share some pid settings to get me started please.

Oh and I am using the latest planer code.

Regards Pete

Permalink Reply by Pierre Seguin on April 25, 2012 at 6:51pm

I flew my quad with new setup. very sharp. But one of my ESC not very happy with 490hZ. How can reset to 400hZ?

I try to change the value to RC_SPEED it is not accepted. Can you help?

Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on April 27, 2012 at 1:48pm
Hi pierre,
connect your apm the 1.1.75 apm planner.
xbee or via USB,
fence below the configuration parameters, raw params (adv) rc_speed and change the value of 490 to 400.
I hope to help
regards
Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on April 27, 2012 at 2:00pm

if not possible in the planner
I try to deal with arduino in

config_h

line 115

// default RC speed in Hz if INSTANT_PWM is not used

#ifndef RC_FAST_SPEED
# define RC_FAST_SPEED 490
#endif

copile and load




Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on April 27, 2012 at 2:05pm

and if you still can not
arduino change to library

http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/source/detail?r=b79fc78a847...

diff looks at changes

Permalink Reply by Norman Sanchez on April 27, 2012 at 2:08pm

indeed to do tests before flying

Permalink Reply by Farooq Niaz on April 26, 2012 at 6:50am

Hi

Just looking at one question which I generally see is skipped.

"When is DMP coming. What is the performance difference. Will it make arducopter quad fly as good as a DJI or Mk"


3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on April 26, 2012 at 10:18pm

DMP is coming with Invensense allows it; it's out of our control. But in our testing it doesn't significantly outperform the DCM, it just frees up more processing power to do other things. The only performance issue we're aware of (and are working hard to improve) at the moment is Loiter, which is not related to DCM/DMP. What are you looking for better performance on?

Permalink Reply by Chris on April 27, 2012 at 3:34am

What is DCM / DPM?


3D RoboticsPermalink Reply by Chris Anderson on April 28, 2012 at 8:23am

DCM = Direction Cosine Matrix, which is the software sensor fusion method used by ArduCopter/ArduPlane. DMP = Digital Motion Processor, which is similar method used to do the same thing that's built into the APM 2's MPU-6000 chips. However to distribute it in open source code requires permission from the manufacturer, which they have not yet granted.

We use the DMP internally with the dev teams because it frees up processing power on the main chip to do cool other stuff, but we have not yet shipped public code that does that for legal reasons.

Permalink Reply by Crasher on April 28, 2012 at 9:08am
If they dont give permission (which would be a mighty shame) could we be equipped with download instructions and a gap in the code to copy/paste it? Or could planner download it and insert it automagically? Im pretty nervous on how long (half a year now?) invensys are dragging their heels on this, it's pretty ridiculous a company of that size didn't have this figured out before releasing the chip. It's a major reason (if not the biggest reason) to go with the 6000 anyway.
Permalink Reply by palo sestak on April 26, 2012 at 1:20pm

Guys

today I tested 2.6b again on my tricopter.

After some fligt in AUTO mode tricopter went creazy to roll and falling down of course.Then it fall down to ground.

When I looked into log there is it:

Nearly above the ground I tried to switch mode to STAB, but it didn'tt help. Can somebody hint what happened?

I can't now eliminate HW (one of ESC or motor) failure, because have no radio at home, will do tommorw.

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