ArduCopter 3.0.1 has been released and is now available in the Mission Planner, firmware.diydrones.com, GitHub and the new Downloads Area.
Warning #1: Compass calibration and reducing interference is far more important than with 2.9.1b
Warning #2: GPS glitches can cause sudden and aggressive position changes while in loiter mode. You may wish to reduce the Loiter PID P to 0.5 (from 1.0) to reduce aggressiveness (see image below of where this gain can be found in mission planner).
Warning #3: optical flow is not supported but will be back in the next release (AC-3.0.2 or AC-3.1.0).
Warning #4: loiter turns does not maintain altitude. This bug will be fixed in AC-3.0.2.
Warning #5: This release has only been lightly tested on Traditional Helicopters.
Improvements over 2.9.1b include:
- Inertial Navigation for Loiter and Auto meaning much more accurate control (Randy,Leonard,JonathanC)
- 3D navigation controller follows straight lines in all dimensions between waypoints (Leonard,Randy)
WPNAV_SPEED, WPNAV_SPEED_UP, WPNAV_SPEED_DN, WPNAV_ACCEL allows configuring speeds and acceleration during missions
- "compassmot" to compensate for interference on compass from the pdb, motors, ESCs and battery. (Randy,JonathanC) (Set-up video here)
- Safety improvements:
- simple Tin Can shaped Geo Fence
- pre-arm checks to ensure all calibration has been performed before arming (can be disabled by setting ARMING_CHECK to zero). (video description here)
- GPS failsafe - switches to LAND if GPS is lost for 5 seconds
- stability patch improvements to stop rapid climbs in very overpowered or overtuned copters
- Circle mode improvements including "panorama" when CIRCLE_RADIUS set to zero (Randy,Leonard)
- SONAR_GAIN parameter added to allow better tuning of sonar surface tracking
- CH8 auxiliary switch (same features as CH7)
- works on PX4 (some minor features still not available) (Tridge,PatH)
How to upgrade:
1. Make sure you are using Mission Planner 1.2.59 or newer (get it here)
2. Click on the MissionPlanner's Hardware, Install Firmware screen. The version numbers should appear as "ArduCopter-3.0.1", then click the appropriate frame icon and it should upgrade as per usual.
3. Reduce the Loiter and Alt Hold PIDs if you have modified them from the defaults. The modified PID values for the 3DR frame can be seen in the image below.
Note: Nav parameters have been combined with Loiter so do not be concerned if you can't find them.
4. Although not directly related to this release, if you purchased an APM prior to March of 2013, update your PPM encoder to the latest firmware (instructions here).
5. Try out the new version in stabilize mode first, then alt-hold, then loiter and finally RTL and Auto.
Numerous How-To videos are available:
Special Thanks to Marco, DaveC and the large number of testers on the pre-release thread who put their copters at risk during the extended testing period. Some of their videos can be found here, here, here, here, here and here. Thanks also to MichaelO for the MP changes required for this release.
All feedback welcome. Please put your questions, comments (good and bad!) below.
Replies
Hi guys,
I just loaded 3.0.1 on my second Amp2.5, set all necessary parameters and did all calibrations (within limits).
No more warning messages on my HUD.
However when I'm arming the quad it indicates armed in the HUD but the motors do not spin.
So I reloaded the firmware again after an eeprom erase.
Disabled the preflight check and tried to arm the motors: No issue they do spin.
I reset all my parameters, calibrations etc.
Arming the quad and motors do not spin.
I'm puzzled on what this could be. Any thoughts or checks I could do?
Setup:
RcTimer 40A esc (SimonK firmware)
MT2418-11 T-motor
APM2.5
Thank you
I tried to get some advice on another section of the forum about frame options to scale up my copter but no replies. I am tempted to just build a bigger version of my quad but depending on how well hexa’s can survive a motor/ESC failure that may be a better option. If they don’t usually survive a failure then the extra motors are just increasing the chance of a total failure.
I would prefer not to go all the way up to octo.
I guess the software doesn’t actually ‘decide’ it has a motor failure but just tries to compensate?
So any advice on hexa behavior with an engine out is welcome.
Thanks.
My large hexi is slightly bouncy in alt hold. Alt hold is already around 0.2. It hovers around 33% throttle and in stabilize if i rock it back and forward it climbs a bit. Stop the rocking and it then drops again. All help / comments appreciated!
Keep up the brilliant work dev team!
+1 for the fence on a switch too...
Steve
I am really impressed how well the 3.0.1 flys. Well for the moment in doors anyway
These are my logs using the sonar and it seems quite good. I tried ALT Hold with it and it seems quite smooth and not much noise at all and maintained a good alt lock. This is the MaxBotik 1240 and I have it mounted underneath fitted onto my battery bay well away from prop wash.
Though I am not sure why, but the sonar log output doesn't show up in the "Graph This" Tuning chart in the tlog play back, yet it shows up in the data flash logs.
The vibration levels also seem to be ok. The only thing is I would like is a bit more stability in Throttle Acc so it hold altitude position more tightly in stabilize mode.
Where can I see the compassmot reading in these logs? Or can it only be seen on the clie check?
Next is now take it out and try some auto flight modes.
2013-07-19 15-54-49.tlog
2013-07-19 16-12 2.log
Randy, will there be a possibility to incorperate the ability to reverse the servo commands for "Corrections in Stabilize mode" in the coming releases? Currently I am experiencing a problem where the copter yaws indefinitely because the correction applied by the apm is reversed. Me reversing the servos in MP only reverses my RC inputs and not the corrections made by APM. I have read multiple forums on this and they all say changing the code is the only fix that they have found. It was also mentioned that in previous versions of the Ardu Copter, when you reversed the servos pid, it would also reverse the APM's correction, however it is my understanding that this is no longer the case. Im not code writing savy and would appreciate any help I could get to correct this problem.
Thanks,
Jamie
First off thank you to everyone involved with this project, I am blown away by the quality and the support!
Unfortunately I had a crash yesterday and I’m hoping someone can help me pinpoint the cause. I suspect that I inadvertently hit my Channel 7 switch which turns on Simple Mode. Because I didn’t realize I turned on simple mode, I panicked when the copter was not going where it should have (was headed for a road) so I cut the throttle and put it into the ground.
I’ve been looking at my logs and can see that Channel 7 was activated but cannot determine if this occurred before losing control or after. It is very possible I hit the switch in my panic to regain control or when I set the controller on the ground while picking up the pieces of the copter. I started losing control at about 55% in the log file. I do not think the problem is with the APM board or software as I had many successful flights with the same configuration.
One thing I did notice while watching a replay of the log in Mission Planner is the copter Arms/Disarms constantly in the HUD window. I’m not sure if this is related or if this is normal?
Any insight is appreciated!
Copter Specs:
3dRobotics Hexa B
APM 2.5 with ArduCopter V3.0.1
FS-TH9X Radio
Thank you, Jimmy
2013-07-17_15-36-23.tlog
Short story... when the 3.0.1 was released i immediatly installed it with the result the copter was unflyable.
I did a erase of the EPROM rolled back to 2.9.1b and had one of the most successful flight ever. Loiter was holding the position approx at a 10x10cm area and RTL was the same.
today i installed 3.0.1 again, did a quick test and hey it worked, no flipping during start, so i assume the erase fixed it for me. However i went to the flying field, it was a bit windy.
flying was good but loiter was never that bad... it starts ok but then circles... circles getting bigger and bigger... at the end it did such a hugh and fast circle and decreasing that i could catch it.
i tried it several times. after 30 sec of loiter it starts to circle anyone has an idea what this can be? Also it was very unstable in holding the position a drift of 3mx3m was usual. RTL was also very scary.
maybe i need to mention that i reduced the Loiter P from 1.000 to 0.5 could this be the reason for that strange circling?
i would be happy for suggestions, if i cannot fix that i think i need switch back to the 2.9.1b.
now i will try to find the logs....
Well I found out that the battery fail safe works really well but without realizing it. Test flying in my lounge room and it keep landing. I didn't have it connected to the GCS so did know why. After checking I could see the battery dropped to about 9.9v and then switched into auto land mode.
However this was nearly a full battery and when I measured the battery after it stopped it read 11.58v So no doubt I have my low battery fail safe setting to high. I have it set at 10v . What is the recommended level to set this at so it doesn't switch to land prematurely? I'm using 3S 600mAh batteries.
Hi,
I was having the 10hz wobble that we think may be caused by the simonk FW. I bought some new stock esc's to replace them. this is the first time I have used FW other than simonk.
I am wondering about a couple of the settings. the wiki recommend these settings
Recommended ESC settings as follows:
Brake: OFF
Battery Type: LiPo
CutOff Mode: Soft-Cut (Default)
CutOff Threshold: Medium (Default)
Start Mode: Normal (Default)
Timing: MEDIUM
these are the default setting in the esc I bought (blueseries 40a)
Factory default settings:
Brake: off
Battery type Detect: LiPo with Automatic Cell
Low voltage cutoff threshold: Medium (3.0V/65%)
Timing setup: Automatic
Soft Acceleration Start Up: Medium
Governor mode : OFF
Frequency : 8kHz
Low voltage cutoff type: Reduce power
There are 3 of these I am not sure about
Governor mode : OFF (I am guessing should be off)
Frequency : 8kHz
8khz or 16khz they say 16khz for outrunners but it causes more noise. not sure which to use?
Timing setup: they have auto, (high 22-30 deg) or (low 7-22 deg). The wiki recommends medium.
esc manual says low for most 2 pole motors, high for 6 or more pole motors. I am not sure what to choose here.
thanks for any help,
John
re. Sonar
Today I have a "horn" set on the sonar and made a layer of foam at the mouth. Unfortunately, this has also been unsuccessful.
For the graph I fly in about 2m height
regards Peter
-
73
-
74
-
75
-
76
-
77
of 84 Next