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
Do any of Us that have 3DR/APM boards ever have to worry about this? http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-12/04/flying-hacker-drone Skyjack, Used on PArrot Drones, can hijack the signal of other drones. do we have the same back door on APM Boards? just wondering, not worried? something to think about i guess?
Guys, hate to tell but RTL is not working in some circumstances on AC3.1RC7, here is how:
This afternoon i've been doing fast flying and sudden full reverse to test attitude on a hexacopter in ALT HOLD. Also the copter worked perfectly in loiter, it had all set up, calibrated, compassmot, etc..., BUT
WHEN I ENABLE RTL IN FORWARD FAST FLYING ALT HOLD MODE, THE COPTER KEEPS FLYING FORWARD WITH NO INTENTION TO COME BACK HOME. IF I STAY STILL AND TRIGGER RTL, IT WORKS.
I have all logs and tlog but the night was falling and did not have the time to download and analyze. Anyone can confirm what's happening to my hexa setup? could be GPS glitch radius 100 too small? I'll upload logs tomorrow.
ps. Randy, i will give you the ROI mission clips on dropbox, tomorow also. Today i 've done some testing until sun set.
Thank you for your support. Mihai.
-After doing autotune on my Y6 (RTF 5kg,batt 6s8000MAhx2,APM2.0 rc7) i got some realy big values as you can see on picture above.and bcs. i had fast oscilations with this settings i lowered the values for 25%(stab.and..rate)
-now it is less nervous and realy respond to comands very well but when i roll to the right copter dips down(in stabilize is somehow linear in alt hold its fast drop of 1m until controller bring it back to desired altitude)..if i dont touch anything alt hold is solid and loiter as well(it just hang in the air at same spot,almost perfect)
-i we noticed that problem before(but before also when i roll left copter goes up,as well roll right copter go down) so i folowed instructions of someone in this thread
http://www.diydrones.com/group/arducopter-y6-owners-group/forum/top...
and swap signal wires of motor 4 and 6 also changing rotations of those motors so now i have all props on top spining in same direction and bottom too and now it is better but..my top props are 14x5 and bottom is15x5,5 but since i broke all the other props i had to put same props(14x5) on motor 4 and 6 not 14x5-15x5,5 combination(top-bottom)....it did go thru Autotune without any problem,logs of that is in autotune discussion
http://www.diydrones.com/forum/topics/ac-3-1-autotune-support-discu...
-my question is does my Y6 dips down when i roll right bcs of that prop is 14 not 15?
-attached is my logs from 2 test flights(please do not pay attention to my voltage and current readings since my Attopilot 180A is not the one you can trust)
-sorry for my bad English and long post
2013-12-06 12-59 1.log
2013-12-06 13-00 2.log
What are the Most important Parts of the LOGS to review while tuning your aircraft? is there a wiki for that? Not the CURRENT on, but one that says look for this to know that? thanks
Hi @Randy
I wanted to ask you if you have found any problems with loiter in RC7. In this forum, two other people commented on a replay I did a coouple of days ago saying that they have the same problem as me.
Sometimes the copter starts drifting to one side (any side) while in loiter. It can happen when you just engage the mode or after a couple of minutes of using it.
If you need logs I will be flying this weekend trying to see if the issue shows up again.
By the way, is RC8 comming this weekend like you said in the Google Groups?
Thanks!
What is the Throttle_Trim parameter for and how does it effect ALT HOLD? is it s system set value or is it programmable. thanks
Christian
If you want to compare the baro altitude and the GPS altitude yiu have to compare CTUN-BarAlt and GPS-RelAlt
I have a situation (don't know if I can cal it a problem). When I set Vertical Time Constant (INAV_TC_Z) to 0, altitude constantlly increasing. And not in a linear way, it seems to be adding to previous value. Anyone tryied to set this to 0 ?
Christian
My current problem is finding the Link between my throttle setting and ALT HOLD. In 3.0.1 i did not have this problem, it held Altitude nicely on this quad. on RC7 the FC seems to think i need a higher ALT HOLD than when i hoover at 6 feet or so and it starts rising. happens in loiter to, so what i am trying to deduce is the correct Stick position or THR_MID that maintains the current altitude that the quad is at.
As far as other settings, i havent changed a thing on settingsn other than some GPS LEDs and THR_MID/THR_MAX. any settings currently on the quad came when i updated the Firm ware to RC7. Radio and ESCs have been calibrated. Why is the Power Module at 170A, i have no idea why it is at that, i didnt set it that way. thanks for your help i'll look at the PID settings, i was hoping to do an Auto Tune on this Quad to see how it works out before changing any thing.
Rick
I have been outside with it dozens of times, inside i have the laptop at a desk and test settings out with props off. i am also a bit more conservative than you, i am not one to throw the quad up in the air with out confirming everything is in working order. a fall from 6 feet is less expensive than a fall from 30 feet.
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