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: 115203

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by AlexP on May 1, 2012 at 5:30am

HI John,

Thank you. I did check those links, but unfortunately they don't apply. My baro is showing its behavior sitting still on the ground, motors and ESC not powered and with the Xbee disconnected. I'm tempted a full reset and reload the code to see what that does.

Thanks!
Alexander 

Permalink Reply by AlexP on May 1, 2012 at 6:00pm

I found the problem and will post it on the baro trouble shoot thread as well: the MinimOSD was mounted directly above the baro sensor, approx 1cm away. This caused interference. When I moved it 2cm away, the problem disappeared. I had perfect Loiter, Alt-Hold and RTL today.

Permalink Reply by Rida on May 1, 2012 at 9:29am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FKVRrJVa6k

hi 

Yesterday I tested the 2.5.4 version, the first test near the ground with the sonar and the second test at 30m from the ground (baro) , unfortunately we  see in the video just the first test because I had no battrie for cam, altitude hold and loiter  works very well on this release,  generaly my quadro stay in a box of 1m in both test.


this my setup

defaut PID

APM 1, 1280

Esc Hobbyking blue serie 30A

900KV

10X 4.7

frame gaui 500x

Permalink Reply by Oliver on May 1, 2012 at 1:25pm

Just a quick thank-you note. Took 2.5.4 out flying today on my custom heavy 1.8kg Hexa, 1000kv Motors, and APM2.

PIDs standard apart from slightly reduced (-0.1) rate-P and stab-P.

Despite gusting 25-30km winds, flying was awesome. First time where I flew all my three 5000mA batteries empty without a glitch.  Stable, Simple, Alt-hold, Loiter, Auto with 4 waypoints all worked great.

The only two small issues are that in fast (stable and alt mode) forward flight, the Hexa looses altitude slightly as well as that the RPMs on auto-take-off in auto-mode are not enough to get it off the ground. Any advice on what parameters might improve this ?

Here a short video. The high-shots are all in Loiter-Auto mode in strong wind as I could not see the Hexa properly against the sun.

Labour Day flying at Taipei TSA Airport

Thanks for making all this fun flying possible!

Ollie.

Permalink Reply by Allen Bishop on May 1, 2012 at 2:40pm

Ollie:

You are a VERY fortunate person.  Here in the United States, if you made the same flight near a major airport you would be in jail.  SERIOUSLY!!!!  IN JAIL until you appreared in front of a judge.

Taipei must have very liberal laws on flying within a mile of an airport traffic pattern.

Nice flight by the way.

Regards

Permalink Reply by John Campen on May 1, 2012 at 3:26pm

gosh your nearly on the end of the runway!  Nice video.

Permalink Reply by Jason W on May 1, 2012 at 7:35pm

Hello all, new guy here setting up a large hex.

The hardware:

  • APM 1, sonar, magnetometer, GPS, v2.5.4
  • Scorpion 3026 890kv motors
  • APC 14x4.7 props
  • Scorpion Commander V2 90A speed controllers
  • six 4000mAh 3s batteries
  • motors are 34.5" center to center
  • total weight ~ 11lb

I can't even take off.  I've tried stabilize_P from 3.5 to 5.0, all seems about the same.  flights are a few seconds before oscillations get so wild it almost flips over (would flip over if I didn't kill throttle).

Any clues?

thanks,

-j

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Aerhead on May 1, 2012 at 8:54pm

Jason W

Those 70 amp motors are going to be hard to tame.  If you know how to fly well in the Acro mode when set your rate P =.7 and I =0 and D= 0 for a starting point.  Increase P till it oscillates and then lower it a little.  Now raise"I" till the copter will hold an attitude while the joystick is in the centered position.   

Read the tuning guide in the "Quick starting guide".

http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/AC2_Tweaks

Be very careful.

Permalink Reply by Jason W on May 2, 2012 at 6:42am

set your rate P =.7

Wow, that's gotta be a typo.  once it got enough throttle to leave the ground it flipped 180 and slammed on the floor upside down.

Read the tuning guide in the "Quick starting guide".

did that, several times.  I'm just not seeing anything useful.  Spending hours wading through forum posts, ditto.

Varying rate_P from .09 to .145 and varying stabilize_P from 3 to 5  shows no appreciable difference, but then it's so incredibly unstable the "flights" are 2 or 3 seconds long before it goes insane.

Has anyone used Scorpion Commander ESCs?  I've found one reference that says they're not good for multicoptors, but no other info.  I picked Scorpion motors and ESCs in part because they work great on the Gaui.  Connected that Gaui motors and ESCs to the APM1 on a new frame, and it worked fine.  No joy on this thing, though.

-j

Permalink Reply by Rui Manuel Cravo Marques on May 2, 2012 at 6:51am

I think you will have to lower even further your rate P. The ideal would be tunning it via ch6 with a variable channel (potentiometer), with min value = 0.01 and max value=0.09 (since you have oscillations at 0.09 already). Too powerfull motors require much less compensation. Start from the min and increase untill you have oscillations, then drop a bit. Also, for Stab P you should start with a much lower value like 2 or 2.5 untill you have rate p right, then increase stab p, but I think you won't increase it much more than 3 or so.

Permalink Reply by Jan Schermer on May 2, 2012 at 6:54am

I second that. I had to use Rate_P as low as 0.040 to have a stable flight with some motors/ESCs...

Permalink Reply by Rui Manuel Cravo Marques on May 2, 2012 at 6:52am

also make sure you have all motors spinning in the right direction and all the props accordinglly and ESCs' throttle calibrated.

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