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:
- 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.
- Loiter and waypoint following should be improved due to a D term bug fix, some tuning and the improved DCM performance mentioned above.
- 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).
- Increased output rate to ESCs to 490hz. This update rate is also user selectable using the new RC_SPEED parameter.
- hexa copter stability patch bug fix (should resolve slight flattening when pitching forward and accelerating very rapidly).
- improved baro filtering
- fix to dataflash logging of Mag heading
- 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!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Campen on -
did you have GPS lock Nick? I think the flight modes don't work until you have GPS lock because that's what they are working from
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Permalink Reply by Nick on -
you are absolutly correct!
Was testing indoors the entire time.
Went out, got the GPS lock...and BAMM!....its working!
thanks
Should've of tried that first. I could of sworn, that I used to be able to test indoors before and still have the mode switch.
Maybe it was changed in the new versions of APM.
Now its time to test v2.5.3
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on -
Nick,
It's sometimes possible to get a GPS lock indoors and that'll allow it to switch..it's just much less likely.
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Permalink Reply by Kaido on
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I tried today the new version 2.5.3. After the two and a half minutes quadro flip and crash. Can someone wiser please tell me what was wrong by looking at the log file?
APM2, Quad X, ROXXY 2827-34 760kv, APC 12x4,7, 4s 6000mAh, flight weight 1700g, default PID:s
- Attachments:
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2012-04-12 19-36 7.log, 118 KB
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Marco Robustini on -
I'm sorry Kaido for the crash.
Have you tried the version "inside the planner"? The official 2.5.3?
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on -
Kaido,
I've had a look at your logs and it's not obvious what happened except that it suddenly died. So it flipped over because the APM just stopped operating. Without the APM constantly trying to keep the quad balanced, it'll flip over in less than a second. You can see this in the bottom graph, the logs just stop and you're still in the air!
What looks very odd from the logs is your mag heading. It is very noisy. It starts off ok up until row 369, at that point you engage the throttle (not shown in the graph) and the compass heading jumps 50 degrees and it jumps around by about 5~10 degrees on every reading from then on. A noisy compass is not a problem in itself but is maybe an indication that either your APM is too close to the wires feeding from your battery to your ESC/engines or that the power supply is very noisy. My guess is that it's the latter and that the voltage going into the APM is jumping around a lot..and perhaps when you gun the engines the APM is just not getting enough power and is browning out.
One test may be to take the props off and fire up the engines and use a volt meter to check the voltage across the 5v and gnd pins at the back of the APM.
Hope this helps.
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Permalink Reply by Kaido on
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Thank you for your quick response. I make a test like you said and I'll be back if I can not find a solution to my problem.
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Permalink Reply by wilson javier madrid sossa on -
I see many problems with 2.5.3. which can be really safe to fly? .... you can still rely on2.0.49? I appreciate your help.
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Marco Robustini on -
All the dev team has thousands of flights with 2.5.3 ("planner and download release") without even a crash, I certainly more than two hundred.
All crash logs that we have analyzed so far have led to the conclusion that the problem was hardware and not in the code (esc failure, bad pid tuning, defective lipo and others bad thing).
This would be the first (and hopefully not).
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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Marco Robustini on -
Yeah, if you think there's real problem with the code just open a new issue here.
It's the fastest way to bring attention to the dev team a possible problem, if indeed there is always that.
The drift that I see in your video during the loiter is due to inaccurate reading of the gps, In fact I think in Stabilize mode you do not have this kind of problem.
I have often observed this behavior and I've already reported, and we are refining the code of Loiter.
If in the complete absence of wind, and with your quad perfectly balanced and trimmed (with AutoTrim function, of course) you should again be noted that drift then open a "ticket" on the problem.
Concerning the control of cam I know they're working on some improvements, but I think your problem lies in the code.
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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A quick Question about "Auto-Trim". I tested it, and i think i have to do:
1. Jump in Auto-Trim
2. Starting Copter without any Stick Inputs
3. Wait, till all Values are collected
4. Land
5. Jump out Auto-Trim
But, if i start my Copter in Auto-Trim, it flies away (often in many different directions, so that i cant say, ive not balanced my copter),
so i cant do "No Stickinputs".
So, is my CG not okay, or maybe ive to many weight on the front / back - i hope u understand
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