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
I have now replaced all my ESC's, from Hobbyking Super Simple 25A to Hobbyking 20A UBEC ESC flashed with SimonK firmware.
My compassmot level then dropped from 173% to 62% and later to 32% with the APM raised 10cm above it's normal position (2cm above the horizontal prop line and 10cm above any current carrying wires). The motors are definitely smoother and noticeably quieter with these ESC's.
I set declination back to auto and did the compass dance again. The toiletbowling unfortunately is still there so any nav. mode is pretty terrible.
My positions declination and mag field details:
Has much testing been done with it on APM1? I think I will load it onto my crash quad and give it a run
I'm "glad" because some users are experiencing the problems with V3 like in my tests with beta before release, I'm sorry but some problems had already been reported but not fixed before the official V3 release.
This means that the group of beta testers is working well, and I'm not drunk... :P
The problem of small wobbling during Loiter is also related to the mass of the drone, in this S800 that uses ESC with SimonK are not tangible, but it is also possible that only with some SimonK ESC's is more obvious.
Even the problem of "not relaxed accelerometers" or excessive drift of the barometer can genereare some small overshot to the motors (a sorta of glitch) when traveling between waypoints or when fly fast in alt-hold, and not disarm off the motors immediately after the automatic landing (see this video and the other one with two drones).
The hope is that in V3.1 these problems, already documented in my videos, are completely eliminated.
However i remind all that remove the vibrations to the board and cover the barometer with this release is imperative, not optional.
Bests, Marco
3.0.0.RC7_S800.param
Hello
Command ROI.
I would like the copter with a WP-circle always turns to the center point.
which command in the MP-flight Planner?
Thank you for reply
Rainer
I have just pushed out a fix for Warning #1 re the Fence. In about 1 hour from now if you click the Beta-firmwares link the mission planner you will see the version change to "ArduCopter-3.0.1-rc1".
The change is limited to the Fence bug and the loss of GPS. If you lose GPS while the circular Fence is enabled the GPS failsafe will now switch your copter to LAND mode even if you are in a mode that does not require GPS (like Stabilize or Acro). This makes sense if you think of the Fence as trying to guarantee that you won't stray too far. As per usual you will be able to retake control by changing the flight mode switch.
I have a question about AHRS_GPS_GAIN parameter. While I was fling 2.9.1 someone advise to set this parameter to Zero (0).
I cant remeber who but someone told that with parameter should set 1 only for AdruPlane and for copter it should set to 0 to prevent GPS glichs. I was happy flying with this parameter set to 0. Loiter was the same (or even better) as NAZA.
Can anyone comment it in case of V3.0?
Where is this setting WPNAV_ACCEL located in the mission planner (am using MP 1.2.55)?
I would like to reduce WPNAV_ACCEL to 100, but I cannot find it in the MP. I've looked everywhere. It's not in the Adv Parameter List.
Thanks!
I am running AC3.0, loaded from the MP, on 3DR quad with 880kV motors 10x4.5 props and a 4S battery. This was quite easy to get tuned on 2.9.1 with parameters close to the defaults - RATE_PITCH_P/I/D was at 0.11/.1/.004 and STAB_PITCH_P at 3.7. Loiter and auto modes were working well also.
With the same machine on 3.0 I have had to take RATE_PITCH_P/I/D down to 0.03/.04/.001. This is just to get it controllable in stabilize mode. Alt hold mode is functional, if a bit bouncy, but still need to work the vibration isolation. Haven't moved to loiter. With parameters close to the default (even bringing RATE_P down to minimum recommended 0.08) it was extremely sensitive to throttle positions and oscillated badly.
I am surprised that I have had to tune it down so far compared to 2.9.1. Does this make sense?
Thank you,
Andrew
Two drones, two radio, one pilot... with APM Copter you can! ;-)
Bests, Marco
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