ArduCopter 3.0 is ready for widespread use. To make the transition easier, this time we are asking people to voluntarily upgrade from 2.9.1b for the next month or so before we make 3.0 the default firmware downloaded by the mission planner. The new version can be found in the Mission Planner's Beta firmware's link, firmware.diydrones.com, GitHub and the new Downloads Area.
Warning #1: A bug was found in the FENCE in which if you lost GPS it could lean at extreme angles as it tried to maintain an invalid position. This is fixed in AC3.0.1-rc1.
Warning #2: This release has not been fully tested on Traditional Helicopters
Warning #3: GPS glitches can cause sudden and aggressive position changes while in loiter mode. You may wish to reduce the WPNAV_ACCEL to 100 and Loiter PID to 0.2 (from 1.0) to reduce aggressiveness.
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.
http://ardupilot.com/downloads/?did=63
2. Click on the MissionPlanner's Firmware screen and click the "Beta Firmwares" link on the bottom right. The version numbers should update to "ArduCopter-3.0.1rc2", 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. If you purchased an APM prior to March of 2013, update your PPM encoder to the latest firmware.
http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-ppm-encoder/
http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-ppm-encoder-apm2x-atmega32u2/
5. Try out the new version in stabilize mode first, then alt-hold, then loiter and finally RTL and Auto.
Special Thanks to Marco, DaveC and the rest of the beta testers for putting 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.
Added by Craig:
Please watch Randy's videos on setting up and flying APM-Copter 3.0 before you go flying. They are excellent!
Replies
Hi all,
Parameter on mission Conditional_YAW, to where direction it will start heading when the degree set to zero degree? Is it North?
Thanks.
Randy and Dev Team,
I've been testing 3.0 on my tricopter. It's been working wonderfully; however, I noticed that the yaw servo twitches when the tricopter is hovering in Loiter, Altitude Hold, and Stabilize modes.
What setting in the advanced parameter list do I need to change to make the twitches go away?
Like always, thank you for the support that you all give to everyone.
Will it be possible to use the same trick to remap motor outputs to different physical output channels as you suggested for v2.9.1b?
Quick question: where did crosstrack and tilt go? I'd like to tune them but they are not showing up, even in advanced params list. Did their names get changed?
Please advise on questions below:
* My quad was overshoot for around 80cm at some of waypoints and fly back for correction, how to tune it for smooth stop at waypoints?
* After reaching waypoint, the quad will stop and change yaw heading first then start fly again. Can we set to change the yaw while still flying to the next waypoint without stopping? in order to achive smooth way point transition especially for video shooting purpose.
* Somehow I manage to broken (or receive the broken board) the input 3 for THR and APM 2.5 cannot receive my THR input (and no prob with my radio receiver). Can I re-map one of input i.e Input 8 for THR ?
As always, many thanks for your advise and support.
Waladi
My quad is flying well with the V3.0 update (thanks to all!).
I did the compassmot calibration and it returned a 63% interference level. This sounds very high, but loiter is functioning well, as are all other aspects of its flying.
Should I strive to reduce this number?
Best,
Hi everyone, I have setup a relatively large octo and I am looking for someone to have a look at t\my latest log file and see how I can improve the loiter performance. I have got my little hexi dialed in really sweet, but the big octo still seems a bit nervous in loiter and auto. I have done a few auto flights with it and I have been playing with settings to see if the response was what I was looking for to learn more about what to tune etc.
In Particular I think alt hold could be a bit better, also a kind of nervous twitch (pretty constant..) in loiter.
Any help here will be very much appreciated. It is a large octo, 15 x 5.5" props hovers around 35-40% throttle and around 20 minute endurance.
I don't have a current sensor on this one yet. I need to find something that can handle up to 200 amps at 25v
I have not done the compassmot on this beast, but will be disassembling tomorrow to move the power distribution system as low in the frame as I can get it. Over all I have several multicopters all running APM2.5's and they are slowing getting swapped over to v3. My little hexi has never been so locked in. it is awesome, just wish I could get the octo to the same point.
2013-06-20 20-22 18.log
Have just tried the Geo Fence for the first time and it worked ok.
The wiki did not explain exactly what would happen but it triggers a RTL, which can be over ridden with a mode change. There is no explanation of the FENCE ACTION parameter. I guess thats not implemented in 3.0?
I have some suggestions.
I have had a number of RTL events due to range and TX problems. It would be nice to have the MP voice shout which event had triggered ie RTL or FENCE_RTL as trying to over-ride a TX problem with mode changes could be bad.
Also it would be good to select just a verbal warning with no action ie “FENCE”.
I've been testing the RTL mode and noticed that my tricopter does not turn to face towards home, like it used to, when it executes the RTL. The tricopter heading direction remains the same and it flies backwards towards home during RTL.
How do I make the tricopter face towards home automatically when RTL is invoked?
Here are the logs,
sorry no telemetry
2013-06-19 22-12 2.log.gpx
2013-06-19 22-12 2.log
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