Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael Pursifull on November 17, 2012 at 6:37pm

Yes, from within Configuration, you can load a config file, but I recommend using the "compare" feature instead. You see, param files can include lots of "local" settings which may have little to do with the airframe.... things like what hardware you have enabled, your RC calibration, what magnetic declination to use, airspeed sensor tuning, gimbal behavior, failsafe behavior, etc.

So keep this URL handy: http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/wiki/APM_Parameters

Those will show you the meaning of each parameter.
Then, use the "compare" feature to select the parameters you want to set, rather than loading them all into the system blindly. In general, accept changes for your airframe that say "_P", "_D", "_I", or "_IMAX".

Now, for all that, if you purchased a Quad from DIYDrones, most likely the default params will work just fine, and there is unlikely to be much different shown between loading the firmware and that configuration file. But before you attempt a flight, tell us more about how you got this quad, and what you have done so far in order to bring it to a flight-ready status. In particular, was this airframe flown by someone else, or did it ship ready from the factory, or did you assemble it. Did you push a version of the firmware to the APM1? If so, what is the version? Do you have Mission Planner installed? If so, which version. Have you followed the full setup process detailed in the wiki? Did you calibrate the ESCs? Did you calibrate the RC? Did you run a motor test? Do you know when to remove and when to replace the props?

Cheers.... hope the community will help you along, be safe, and happy flying.

Permalink Reply by Michael Pursifull on November 17, 2012 at 6:41pm

Short answer is, even if it is already built, start here: http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/ArduCopter2Quick

Read everything, if the step is already done, look over the work and pretend that you are doing it.

Only once you understand it, move on to the next step. If you take it slow and easy, you'll break fewer things, which means you'll have to repair less and might fly more.

Permalink Reply by Michael Pursifull on November 17, 2012 at 6:43pm

One more tip: be very gentle with your USB connector. They are easy to break away from the board. If that happens, there are solutions, just ask me, but better to avoid it.

Permalink Reply by Steve S on November 17, 2012 at 8:52pm

My Quad frame is a replacement for my old original ArduCopter frame i decided to upgrade it to a newer version of the frame. I have flown the old one many times but wanted something that was a bit newer. My autopilot is the original APM 1 with the older 1280 chip, i have a GPS and Sonar that was working great on the old frame.

I now have a problem using the mission planner today the planner went to upgrade the firmware and now i have nothing on the board, and now when i try to connect to the board through the mission planner i get a message that there is a mavlink version 1 heartbeat and the mission planner needs 0.9. With a different version of mission planner I also get a message that there is no firmware loaded and when i try to load it it tells me that my hardware needs to be upgraded.

Is my board just to old or is there a way that i can get mission planner to connect and reload some firmware or just i just need to bite the bullet and upgrade my hardware ? I was hoping to test the Quad this week during some indoor flying, any help anyone can offer is appreciated.

Permalink Reply by Michael Pursifull on November 17, 2012 at 9:19pm

So ... the bad news. The 1280-based APM was depreciated a very long time ago. Years, you might say. However, some kind developers have, for much of that time, hacked apart the code to reduce it down so it fits into the 1280. I believe that has stopped a few months ago, but even if it did continue, learning to install and configure the special code that fits onto the 1280 is most likely more trouble for you than it is worth.

And ... the good news. There are at least two methods of upgrading your hardware. You could get a 2560-based APM board, and you would not need to replace the expensive IMU board. Or, you can bite the bullet and jump straight to the APM2.5.

If I were in your shoes, I would jump directly to the 2.5 for the following reasons. APM1 is getting long in the tooth. Already we have APM2 and APM2.5, and another platform, the PX4. APM1 is great hardware, but APM2 Invensense's 6 DoF Accelerometer/Gyro MPU-6000 and improved sensors, which have increasingly been used to free up clock cycles on the APM and to support current and future improvements which I believe you will want. 

 

Really, you can go either route. I flew my APM1/2560 today, and was happy with it. I love the APM1 hardware, and I will continue to use that hardware for other projects long after 3DR and the DIYDrones community team decide to moth ball it. The difference, at the moment, is that I code to the hardware and will adapt it to other projects. But although I can reuse older hardware, if it were me, I would not spend my money to upgrade the 1280, I would put that money and a bit more towards an APM2.5 and take advantage of the better sensors, extra power protection, available clock cycles (due to some processing offloading, not a faster chip) and longer lifespan that the 2.5 is likely to have vs the APM1. Even the APM1 will eventually get retired, right?

Permalink Reply by Will Snodgrass on November 17, 2012 at 9:50pm

You can still load an older version of the code and it will work great, you just won't be able to get any of the more recent updates.  IF that doesnt matter to you then Im we can rundown a copy of the firmware that will fit on that board that was made in the last few months and you will be able to fly on it just like you were before, only with some newer updates.

Lets see if we can get you flying for now, and then you can decide whether or not  you want to upgrade...sound good?

.

Permalink Reply by Will Snodgrass on November 17, 2012 at 10:14pm

there is also this thread which should help///

Permalink Reply by Will Snodgrass on November 17, 2012 at 10:33pm

Here is an older version some members are running, and it is the only one I can find on short notice that I know will fit on your board. I don't have much experience with the older boards, and loading the firmware file I'm afraid.

The PARAM file is loaded by first connection to the APM, then click on the configuration tab. then on the left clicking standard params then on adv parameter list, then on the write click on load, select the PARAM file, then click on write.

Does anyone have an experience getting the firmware back on his board?

The new APM 2.5 is a very nice board, with upgraded sensors and if you want to upgrade and check out some of the newer updates it is the way to go. I would load the firmware back on the board you have now and think about upgrading. Either way we will be here to support you

Attachments:

• Arducopter2_0_49.zip, 811 KB

Permalink Reply by Steve S on November 20, 2012 at 6:04pm

Thanks to everyone for the help i have the Quad up and running ! I ended up finding Mission Planner 1.2.15 that i had a copy of and used it to load the Quad and the Parameter file to the Quad. So right now i have a Quad that can be flown i plan to fly it a bit and than think about upgrading the autopilot to a newer version that might make it a bit more capable. I have the  ArduPilot Mega 1 IMU Shield/OilPan Rev-H V1.0 so i might just upgrade to the latest autopilot board.

Once again thanks for all the help.