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
We had a GPS glitch while flying today taking aerial video and thought it was perfect example to send in for the experts to take a look at. We were flying a simple waypoint mission with auto takeoff, transit to 2 waypoints, then unlimited loiter at the last waypoint. On the way to the last waypoint we had the GPS glitch. We were able to recover the flight by switching to Alt-Hold, fly to the waypoint manually, then switched to loiter once the GPS had recovered (about 10 seconds later). We're flying a 3DR quad, with APM 2.5 (v3.0.1), an external magnetometer and the ublox GPS module. We had a GoPro and a brushless gimbal as our payload. I've attached the log files and a link to the in-flight video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7laGX-tn-Y
2013-09-04 10-19-09.rlog
2013-09-04 10-19-09.tlog
I updata my apm2.5 from 2.9.1b fin, should I re-adjust all PIDs?
Someone know the exact order pin SDA SCL GND VCC on APM 2.5 to connect external mag please?
port.jpg
Hi guys, need your help. The hexa that I mounted for a friend with 3.0.1 firmware was flying great until now. A few days a go the hexa stopped all the motors for 1 or 2 seconds and after that he recovered from fall. We don't know why this happened. My friend doesn't send me the logs yet, but I have a crappy video that you can see at 3:06 what I'm describing. The rádio is a Turnigy 9x without failsafe, I don't know if it was a radio signal fail or a problem in the APM.
Here is the video, I hope that you can help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRbOjYAuBBw&sns=em
Hello! my APM1 onboard ArduCopter 2.7.3 connecting ublox GPS with 3DR-Ublox firmware update, then start APM1 on and connected to the Mission Planner, HUD display NO GPS! at this time, then changed to CLI mode, testing the GPS at all, is this why? thank you!
Im now just setting up my hex with the APM1 board and loading the 3.0.1 onto it for the first time. Does this have the same vibration issues and sensitivity as the APM2.X boards with the compass? Do I need to do the same compassmot calibration and check?
Just a quick note to the Devs.
I had some issues with a faulty motor on my Y6, but its sorted now, and with the correct parameter file applied, managed to get some good stick time yesterday.
AC3 flies like nothing before it, I have never had such a locked-in feel on a multicopter before.Alt Hold is Rock solid, Loiter is nailed to the sky, RTL works to within a 3 foot radius, the weekend I hope to do a few Auto missions.
Well done Guys! When you read the forum posts one sometimes dont get just how grateful the community are for your hard efforts and long hours.
Let me assure you, we are like this :
I don't get any current data when trying to use the "Compassmot" command.
I've followed the tutorial both from the video on youtube and in the wiki with usng the Power Module Cable and setting that up within the software, but when up'ing my power to rev my motors I don't see any change in the 0.0 current thus I get the error saying somehting along the lines of not enought throttle or something like that.
You can create your own default list. First save your parameter list (look under Advanced Parameter screen), then erase and reset your APM and then load firmware. Now goto advance parameter again and do a compare and load your saved parameter. I always use these steps with new firmware to compare changes.
Hi Randy
I have a small problem , I wanted to set a new firmware on a new AMP2.5 Board .. So I did connect it to MP unmounted to frame and with no wires attached just the bare board with USB to laptop ..connected to laptop fine and booted up ..then I went to CLI ..and did a RESET ..it asked to confirm with a Y ..and I did confirm to reset ..then it asked to reboot the board ..So I unplugged it and plugged it in back in to reboot .. That's when my trouble started, it is now not being picked up by the laptop and MP does not "see" it .. After boot it has green power light on and Red led blinks slowly .. What have I done wrong and how can I get the MP and laptop to Recognize the board ? Have I bricked it? Do I need to re-flash a boot-loader to the ATMega chip ??
Regards Reuben
-
47
-
48
-
49
-
50
-
51
of 84 Next