Version 2.5 of the ArduCopter code is now available in the AP Mission Planner and in the downloads area!
Enhancements:
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!
Permalink Reply by Chris on April 29, 2012 at 10:39pm Hey
Yesterday i was on the field with my Flyduspider Hexa with the 2.5.4.
Ive Keda 20-26M Motors, HK 20A BlueSeries ESCs and 8 x 4,5 Props.
I tested some Stuff, formaly the Stabilize Mode. But, its the old problem. I cant get it stable. Its not really a wobble, its more like a "hard shaking". Tests with some PID Changes are not working. Maybe im not the "PID man"..:/
Maybe someone can look at my log, so i have an idea, what ive to do.
Permalink Reply by Peter on April 30, 2012 at 2:42am Hi Chris my hexa had a hard wobble to untill I started tuning with ch6 RATE P so I set the low value at 0.10 and high at 0.20. So with a low value the hexa was all over the place was fighting against the wind but all over the place. So was about to give up put the transmitter down but changed my mind and had another go. Took of rock solid now wobbles at all ????WTF no idea what happened so I landed and tried to work out what happened? Then I noticed that the Ch6 tuning nob has moved to about %80 of its travel I must have bumped it when I put the TX down.So my hexa needed atleast Rate P of 0.18 at the moment I am at about 0.21 and still need a bit more.
So try it reset all to standard and do the ch6 tuning on Rate P.
Regards Pete
Permalink Reply by Chris on April 30, 2012 at 3:40am Hey Peter
Ive tuned so many Times with CH6 und Rate, Stab and so on. But my Hexa isnt good flying with APM. To check, if my Copter is good, i tested with another FC like MultiWii and so on. There it is rocksolid. So it must be a problem with the APM (Or with me doing PID work...).
i have to do a video, so u can see, what i mean.
Permalink Reply by Peter on May 1, 2012 at 1:51am Yes a Video would help allot, then you would get some of the tuning geniuses give you some real tips.
Permalink Reply by Timo K on April 29, 2012 at 11:18pm Hello.
I have hexa APM1, v2.5.3, 850kv motors (jdrones) and 10x4.5 props, weight about 2kg with battery and camera.
It flyes ok but loitter, auto, RTL.. needs better params.
Can someone send hexa params in this forum?
Timo K

Hi Timo, loiter/auto/rtl need better code and debug, is not only a question of parameters.
The team working in this direction for the future release 2.6... stay tuned! :-)
Marco
Permalink Reply by u4eake on April 30, 2012 at 5:08am Hi,
I have a hexa with KDA20-22L motors and hobbyking supersimple esc's and 11x4.7 APC slowfly props. Weight with camera about 2kg.
I had trouble for a long time but last weekend I had some enjoyable flights with 2.5.4.
What I did :
1) Install 2.0.49, and fly around a bit. Then go into CLI and write down compass offsets (setup ->show)
2)Install 2.5.4 and Set RS_SPEED to 400 (from 490) and COMPASS_LEARN to 0. Then input your compass offsets from 2.0.49 into the compass offset fields.
3) Set your correct declination manually
4) Lower stab P to 4 (from 4.5)
5) Lower Rate P to 0.130
6) Lower rate_D to 0.12
7) Lower NavP to 2.5
8) Lower loiterP about 10%
9) Also lower ThrottleP and the other althold param a bit
That gave me fair flying characteristics and almost as good loiter and alt_hold as in 2.0.49.
Permalink Reply by James Dinh on April 30, 2012 at 12:37am Do I need to erase the old version from my board before loading the new version. If so, how do I do that?

Permalink Reply by Dave C on April 30, 2012 at 1:02am It's definitely recommended.
Go into terminal in MP.
Type 'setup' hit enter
Type 'erase' hit enter
Wait
Load new code.
Permalink Reply by AlexP on April 30, 2012 at 5:04pm Since 2.5.3 and 2.5.4 I have the problem that the barometer alt hold is bad (sonar is fine). As soon as the hexa gets out of sonar range, it switches to barometer and starts to jump agressively up and down. With the hexa on the ground, no engines spinning, but fully powered up, I can see the altitude reading in Missionplanner jump up and and down by +/- 4 feet, rapidly (and the hexa tries to correct for it) (I'm testing this with the hexa up side down to ensure sonar is out of range by pointing at the sky).
(FYI: the barometer is covered as suggested, but that should not make a difference on the ground).
Permalink Reply by John Campen on April 30, 2012 at 7:28pm Alex if you have had any changes to your hardware , take a look at this discussion on baro issues to watch out for.
http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/baro-issues-to-consider
also this post regarding vibration dampening systems that can also cause bouncy flights.
http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/rubber-suspended-mounting-of-th...
other issues are the baro is very sensitive to RF noise from Xbees etc so make sure the wires and xbee are far as possible away from the baro and sonar wires and also have the xbee cable shielded or a ferrite chock put onto it
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