Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eivind Bø on July 15, 2012 at 1:24pm

I have two APM2's, move them around a couple of quads and a Bixler. They both work perfect in Stabilize mode but one refuses to fly in Loiter mode. Tried to load new firmware and fly it with standard parameters on the 3DR Quad, no joy, siwtched to the other APM2 and did the same, perfect Loiter. Could it be a hardware problem? The one not loitering has also a message about no logging, card missing (Something like that)

Eivind

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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on July 17, 2012 at 12:01am

@Eivind,

     Re the dataflash...2.6.1 will resolve the dataflash issue that most people have with it failing to write logs...but it sounds like yours is failing before that..i.e. it's not even recognising that a dataflash card is inserted.  Maybe just try pulling the card out and reinserting it?  It's on the mother board of course, right near the mini usb port.

     If loiter's not working, it's most likely that the APM2 is not getting a good GPS lock or the message from the GPS is not getting through to the main CPU.  There's two lights that will tell you where the problem is...there's the blue light near the GPS on the daughterboard..if that's going solid blue then the GPS itself is getting a lock.  Next on the back of the APM2 there are three lights (red, yellow, blue).  The blue one will stop blinking (i.e. go solid) when the main CPU has received a successful GPS lock from the GPS.  So if one or both of those lights never become solid then it's a GPS problem.  If both are going solid and loiter is still not working then the problem is somewhere else and I'd like to look at your logs.

    If you can get your dataflash working, can you can post a log here?...possibly you'll need to PM me to remind me to check them.

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Permalink Reply by andycross1 on July 15, 2012 at 3:43pm

Hi Florian

I would be interested in what happens when you fill in your Quads stats into this calculation sheet, it's not perfect but a fair guide on where you may be going wrong on weight vs power, just a thought :-)

http://www.ecalc.ch/xcoptercalc_e.htm?ecalc

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Permalink Reply by Florian G on July 15, 2012 at 3:50pm

Hi Andycross !

It's fairly accurate - actually, i use this tool quite often - there are a few more calculations i undertake - i can confirm that usually the tool meets real-world in the range of +-10% !

How is your experience with this tool ?

I seem to make my copters with a higher rpm speed compared to most people here - but so far, it seems to be ok to do this..

Cheers

Florian

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Permalink Reply by PACEFE on July 15, 2012 at 3:50pm

Hi Randy,

         thanks for your answer.

Actually I have 2 problems with the MAG.

With the motors off, I do the calibration (from MP or Flying) and North is awfull off. Even worth is that (still with the motor off) y  turn the copter around and starting pointing to the North, South is like 80 degrees to the CCW. I cant get North and South to be at 180°.

On the other hand as soon as I start the motors the compass goes crazy.

Im in Argentina and my declination is -38,25.

Is any one out there that got the mag to work on Soth Amerika?

Pablo

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Permalink Reply by Florian G on July 15, 2012 at 3:52pm

Hi Pablo !

Did you try to enable auto dec with APM ? - Also, is your compass fairly enough away from the main power cables to the ESC's ?

I also have the same effect, but it seems not to be as bad as with you - maybe try to re-arrange your cables and use thicker ones ?

Cheers

Florian

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Permalink Reply by PACEFE on July 15, 2012 at 4:12pm

Hi Florian,

                  I have also tried auto declination. My cables are running something like 4cm apart from APM.

Most anoyinng is that South and North are no 180° away.

Are you also in souther hemisphere?

Thanks, Pablo

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Permalink Reply by Florian G on July 16, 2012 at 12:34am

Hello Pablo - i am in europe.

I guess however, if this was a southern hemisphere problem, that also other people may have this.

Maybe search in the user database, if there are other people from the southern hemisphere ?

Cheers

Florian

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DeveloperPermalink Reply by Randy on July 16, 2012 at 11:53pm

I haven't seen any reports of a southern hemisphere problem with the APM2 and we have so many people flying the code, it's pretty unlikely that it's a code problem.

 

As Florian's said, it's much more likely to be interference from the motors, wiring or battery.  you can prove it by removing the APM2 from the frame, clearing our your mag offsets (i think you can update them through the MP's parameters list screen) and then wave your APM2 around a bit so it builds up new (hopefully correct) offsets...then check your heading again.

 

i think one good thing about using a power distribution board is it removes a lot of wires that may be contributing to interference.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Peer on July 16, 2012 at 5:23am

The opening post sounds very familiar to me.

I haven't gotten my Arducopter Hexa to work like it should have.

And I do have a more or less basic setup.

After months of trying to get the multicopter to fly like I want it to (including loiter, RTL, etc.), finally I gave up on it.

 

I bought a DJI Naza & Gps instead.

And you know what, it flies right out of the box!

Loiter in heavy wind stays in a square box of 1m.  RTH (RTL) works perfectly every time, it autolands within a square box of 1m.

I can finally use my hexa for the purpose I bought it for: reliable AV/AP!

 

I'll still use the Arducopter, I'll put it in my little quad just for fun and means of experimenting.  Maybe I'll have more luck with the quad.

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Permalink Reply by roger on July 16, 2012 at 7:09am

Jo,

Intriguing comments ... may you be more specific as to what "DJI Naza & GPS" you have for your system? I have googled the subject but clicking on some of the resulting link points to a number of configuration and product combinations. Perhaps, some links on where you got your system components and the configuration of the system you are using now and of course any other information to have a complete idea of what you have. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Peer on July 16, 2012 at 9:02am

DJI Innovations, Naza FC and GPS additional unit.  I thought everyone knew DJI...

Link

Relatively cheap and perfect results!

Don't get me wrong, Arducopter is a nice project.  But you can't expect to use it for specific purposes as it is not reliable enough.

To me, it's still and will stay a interesting DIY project.

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