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!

 

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Replies

  • I need help please.

    I flew today with my octo and the new firmware v.2.5. I found a problem that I can not disarm the motors after the AUTO TRIM mode. It continue to run despite the throttle is at 0I have to cut the battery to stop the motors.

    Thanks

  • Devs, Thank you so much for all your work! You are truly a great team!

    I have a  question and please forgive me if this has been addressed somewhere else. Is the camera pitch and roll on the APM2 working on this release? or should i wait for a future release?

    Have a great day flying!

    Brian

  • Short video of what my Y6 has been doing with v2.5.  I have tweaked and tuned till I am stumped.  Flew good in stabilize with 2.4.1.  In the video the wobbling is almost non stop.  It is also yawing bad on its own.  Using APM1/2560.  I know that it is not a hardware problem.  If I reload earlier stable firmware versions it flies great.  

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90EOhy18o9o

  • (To Boris Rabusic) : Same problem here...No more communications, dead hexa, so trying to download arduino...However v2.41 was not working fine with my foldable hexa x, so not sure if it is worth it to go back to 2.3 ... Are 1280 boards doomed ?  :(

  • In 2.4.1... In Stab.. I could lean forward a lot.. like 30-40 deg.. and all the motors would speed up and the copter would accelerate  across the field with any change in altitude.

    2.5.. this fantastic feature is gone… or there some parm I need to change.. ?

    Eddie Weeks

    www.jetlens.com

    Aerial Imagery
    Aerial Photography Louisiana
  • Just a note to everyone, actually an addendum to the initial thread posting because I think a significant aspect of this release was missed.

    Major credit to Tridge again on this one, because not only is the DCM better, more accurate and more stable, it's actually FASTER!  Whereas previously we were struggling to achieve the desired (correct me if I've got the numbers wrong) 200hz rate on the code, it is now running well over that, and in fact can push close 300hz.  This is a significant improvement, and will again allow us to add more features in the future without the CPU getting bogged down.

    So once again, (as with the parameter changes) Tridge has managed to both fix a problem AND improve performance.  Truly remarkable.

  • A big thanks to the Dev team, the hard work is appreciated!

    Just uploaded v2.5 using MP and checking config and I noticed something which may cause confusion or problems.

    When using Ch6 Opt for "In Flight Tuning", the instructions in the Wiki seem to differ from the experience in MP (v 1.1.53).

    To achieve the upper and lower values for Rate P (for example) between 0.065 and 0.145, the wiki example implies values of 65 and 145 should be entered, i.e. a multiplier of 1000 should be applied. However if entered, they result in considerably higher figures appearing for the low and high limits. The result is an abnormal Rate P value, which may cause issues (i suspect).

    The link to the Wiki page is: http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/AC2_Tweaks

    The text is located here "In Flight Tuning" -> "Method 1" -> Third Paragraph.

  • Loiter is very stable and smooth...on the air about 40 meters.

    congratulation develop team....

    thank you 

    Balloon

  • First, let me congratulate the development team with their efforts. It's great to see arducopter moving on. 

    I just had time to fly 2.5, uploaded from APM 1.1.53, but unfortunately in my case it doesn't perform as well as 2.4.1. I had a better flying experience with 2.4.1. I'm flying APM 1.4 on a stock GAUI 330x frame. I first tried to fly with the default parameters but just as in case of  2.4.1 the defaults are very smooth when flying indoor or with no wind but just not responsive enough to be controllable in windy conditions. 

    In my case version 2.4.1 was rock stable and very controllable with 'ninja' parameters RATE_*_D 0,009, RATE_*_I 0,1, RATE_*_P 0.189 an d STAB_*_P 12. I could easy fly  this in very windy contions. Alt-hold was fine but I never managed to get any decent loiter. (see attached parameter files)

    I had to reduce these to 0.007, 0,070 and 0,15 in 2.5.0 to tame the quad, but it is still more twitchy and not quite as well controllable. However I must say there was a lot of wind (~4 Bft.). 

    Is it maybe true that the improvements are only for APM 2.0 hardware?

    arducopter-2.4.1.param

    2012-03-18 12-25 20.log

    arducopter-2.5.0.param

    https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3692375331?profile=original
  • small info.

    I tried to upgrade from 2.4x to 2.5 using MP, board is 1280 and after eeprom 116->117 message there was message about being unable to update. Board can not boot, or connect over MP again.

    I'll try to upgrade it over arduino.

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