Arducopter 2.0 first impressions

2.0.14 is my first Arducopter code. My previous experience has been with MultiWiiCopters and I built and flew several quads with this software.

Wanting to try out UAV/GPS features, I built an APM and today I swapped out the electronics in an existing quad with APM hardware.

I am using a non-standard frame, but the quad flew in STABILIZE mode without any PID changes. So far I have only tried out SIMPLE, ACRO and STABILIZE modes – mainly because I have been test flying in my basement (no GPS signal, and also the available space is smaller than the LOITER radius :-)).

I really liked the Mission Planner, which made code download and setup very easy. Though I had to reverse the Elevator control in my Tx after realizing it was reversed in the first test “hop”. It wasn’t very obvious in the Radio Panel in the configurator that this control needed to be reversed.

Arming: It was a bit disconcerting that arming the motors is almost un-noticeable. I had to stare at the APM to figure out that a previously green LED had now started blinking. The MultiWii code spins the props (at low RPM) at all times when the motors are armed. This is a very useful safety feature and it would be great if ArduCopter adopted this too. The manual states emphatically that the props won’t spin, but I am not sure the reason behind it.

ACRO: after bumping up the P values, and turning up Expo on the Aileron and Elevator controls in my Tx, I was able to fly in ACRO mode. Interestingly, even a small non-zero “I” value made it completely unstable.

The ability to update PID via XBEE is very nice since it makes it easy to experiment with various parameter values.

The next two modes worked better with the expo settings removed for aileron/elevator (back to linear).

SIMPLE: it seems to work, although I have a question about which heading it locks on to. When I overrode the heading with the yaw stick, it didn’t appear to aggressively come back to the original heading. Does it latch on to a new heading after the override? BTW, I do have a compass sensor.

STABILIZE: I found this the easiest to fly with and so far I haven’t changed the PID values. I’ve seen comments that the yaw problem has been fixed in this release. However, I found the yaw very sluggish – almost as though I was fighting heading-hold. I checked more than once to make sure I wasn’t in SIMPLE mode. Also, after it begins to yaw, it tends to overshoot. Then if I center the yaw control, it slowly turns back a little. Next I plan to tweak the Yaw PID to see if it fixes this sluggishness.

Of course, the raison d’etre for Arducopter 2.0 are the UAV/GPS/GCS/Mavlink features and I am looking forward to testing these in the next few days. 

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Al Ros on May 30, 2011 at 12:14pm

Wow such differences on this point.

 

I really like the slow spining when armed like on the mikrokopter. also being able to set the minimum throttle for arming is a great feature. I hope we can have an option for motor arm throttle. Those that do not like motors spinnng up set it to Zero; those that like motors spining up can set the throttle to the value they desire (within reasons of course!)

 

Regarding throttle on a crash - I seem to have it hard wired now that zero throttle is down and left. I am even doing that with my planes for some reason :-) !!

thanks

Al


DeveloperPermalink Reply by Olivier ADLER on May 30, 2011 at 1:57pm

 

It seems like it is 50 / 50 opinion. Should be a settable parameter.

Permalink Reply by Darren on May 30, 2011 at 2:40pm
Can a repeated twitch be sent... not even a turn... just like a twitch per sec
Permalink Reply by Limebear (Rob) on May 30, 2011 at 3:36pm

So three config options requested in the code for prop behaviour when armed:

LED only (as now)

LED + Slowest continuous spin

LED + one twitch per second on all four props.

I'll add it as an enhancement request.

Thanks

Rob

Permalink Reply by Wessie on May 31, 2011 at 12:17pm

What ever happened to the Nav Lights that double up at status lights idea???

Surely you've all done the LED in the motor mount thing, its SOOOO cool ;-)

 

Making them flash in a particular pattern will make it super visible and no prop spinning will be needed.

 

My suggestion :

 

Front LED = Blue, GPS indicator, on = lock, flashing = searching

Left LED = Red, battery indicator, Flashing = low batt, on =ok

Right LED = Green, Status indicator, On = ARMED, flashing = disarmed  ***note the difference here, for normal STAB flying all will be on

Back Led = White, Mode indicator, on=stablilise, flashingfast = Auto....etc

 

This should be pretty easy to code, PLEEEEZ

ooh just remembered I made mine a Hexa, so many more lights to make flash. Coders please remember the other frame types.

 


JDronesPermalink Reply by Jani Hirvinen on June 1, 2011 at 5:19am
Wessie, status lights are already back on latest ACM code. Also pattern features are done but not yet uploaded to main code. Patterns will be there too in shortwhile. On ArduCopter factory we have been working a lot on this matter and should have soon proper addon packets ready for those motor mounts and battery mount. Then the fun begins.

DistributorPermalink Reply by Dany Thivierge on June 1, 2011 at 8:29am

Cool! 

 

Will be testing this tonight! :) count me in, al LED are ready! 

Permalink Reply by Wessie on June 1, 2011 at 12:37pm

Excellent Jani! Can you give me the Wiki link for connecting the external LED's to the APM/IMU?  I will also download the code to check if there is info there.

 

I will be happy to write a Hexa review here as soon as mine flies. The newest Mission planner is Sooooo cool. Cant wait to do some scripted waypoint navs this weekend.

 

<EDIT>

I have found

#define FR_LED AN12  // Mega PE4 pin, OUT7 
#define RE_LED AN14  // Mega PE5 pin, OUT6 
#define RI_LED AN10  // Mega PH4 pin, OUT5 
#define LE_LED AN8  // Mega PH5 pin, OUT4

in the code in config.h  . Any better explanations as 
to the function of each led?
Permalink Reply by Limebear (Rob) on June 1, 2011 at 2:53pm

Here's the link to a how-to guide from the Wiki for setting up the motor Leds. Thanks to  Ante Vukorepa for this guide.

Rob

Permalink Reply by Wessie on June 1, 2011 at 9:33pm

Thanx Rob, but no Link found??

 


JDronesPermalink Reply by Jani Hirvinen on June 1, 2011 at 9:47pm

If you did not find this picture that explains all pins on IMU/APM boards, here it is again. This one is on repository and also in wiki.

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Limebear (Rob) on June 2, 2011 at 12:15am

Sorry Wessie, here's the missing link from the reply below:

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/yet-another-build-log-yabl-1

Rob

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