ArduCopter 3.2.1-rc2 (release candidate #2) has completed beta testing and has been released as the official version available through the mission planner and other ground stations.
Changes from AC3.2 are listed below and in the ReleaseNotes:
1) Enhancements:
a) reduced twitch when passing Spline waypoints
b) Faster disarm after landing in Auto, Land, RTL
c) Pixhawk LED turns green before arming only after GPS HDOP falls below 2.3 (only in flight modes requiring GPS)
2) Safety Features:
a) Add desired descent rate check to reduce chance of false-positive on landing check
b) improved MPU6k health monitoring and re-configuration in case of in-flight failure
c) Rally point distance check reduced to 300m (reduces chance of RTL to far away forgotten Rally point)
d) auto-disarm if vehicle is landed for 15seconds even in Auto, Guided, RTL, Circle
e) fence breach while vehicle is landed causes vehicle to disarm (previously did RTL)
3) Bug Fixes:
a) Check flight mode even when arming from GCS (previously it was possible to arm in RTL mode if arming was initiated from GCS)
b) Send vehicle target destination in RTL, Guided (allows GCS to show where vehicle is flying to in these modes)
c) PosHold wind compensation fix
d) prevent infinite loop with do-jump commands pointing at each other
e) pixhawk memory corruption fix when connecting via USB
f) vehicle stops at fence's alt limit in Loiter, AltHold, PosHold (as it did in AC3.1.5)
g) protect against multiple arming messages from GCS causing gyro calibratoin failure
Thanks to Raph for the video. This is actually a video from AC3.2 until we have one specific to AC3.2.1.
Replies
I'd be surprised if back-to-back tests showed that AC3.2.1 varied from AC3.1.5. The next version AC3.3 could be different because the EKF will be the default and it will filter the data differently to arrive at the final altitude.
I've been concentrating on trying to get AC3.3 ready for beta testing so I've missed quite a few messages on this thread so I'm unsure what symptoms are showing up. Is it just a drift that shows up over a longer period of time (like 10sec) or is it more high frequency jumping around?
For 3.3, the initial pre-arm calibration doesn't seem to bring the altitude to 0 and the altitude goes very (10-20m) negative during hover testing. I'll post a log of my test with 3.3.
Here are logs for 3.2.1 and a 3.3 tests. This particular 3.3 test drifted 5 meters.
2015-04-01 15-15-44-fm-3.2.1.log
2015-03-31 20-41-22-fw-3.3.log
@Rob,
AC3.3 is still under development, not quite ready to start beta testing. The altitude going very negative is actually the issue that is holding up the release of -rc1. Hopefully that'll get fixed over the next few days although it's slightly out of my hands so I can't make really strong promises.
Today flashed (apm 2.6 + ext compass) my tricopter (25cm, 5x3 props) with 3.2.1.
Recalibrated compass and made two test flights.
1. Outside in slight gusty wind. System behave surprisingly well, but sometimes I need to compensate with throttle. Overall rating B-. (file that ends with 9)
2. Inside, no wind. First copter was rock solid in one place: no altitude drifting and no position change eighter. After some time "diving" began. (file that ends with 1).
See 8th minute and 11th minute, drone just landed no matter how I tried to compensate with throttle.
IMU was logged also.
The same tricopter on 3.1.5 has no problem with altitude at all. See log attached (ends with 19-13-48 1)
We had the same altitude growth error when we were trying to make ACC assisted EKF + baro altitude hold on MultiWii clone board. It was getting exponential error which caused rapid altitude increase.
2015-04-02 13-08-34 9.bin
2015-04-02 14-00-43 1.bin
2015-03-31 19-13-48 1.log
It's wonder, but tricopter flies pretty well. I have no GPS on it so I can't say how does it behave in Loiter mode, but in AltHold it is not bad. Well... unless you want to hover in one place for some significant time.
Hi Randy,
I confirmed altitude drift problem with 3.2.1 (and its absence in 3.1.x) here, with other uses too:
http://ardupilot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=11478&star...
It drifts by a few meters (does not seem to stop, as I tested up to 20 minutes and it was still drifting) , even sitting on the bench !
Problem does not show with same conditions, same pixhawk and the previous 3.1.x firmware.
All tests done without EKF.
Well, there's whole tread on that topic here: http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/ac3-2-1-apm-2-5-throttle-pulsates...
Since then I got to 3.1.5 firmware, set THR_MID and isolated vibrations. 3.1.5 flies rock solid.
I'm thinking of retrying 3.2.1 but it's a bit expensive to do experiments on copter with full video load.
the drones-discuss@googlegroups.com email list has a bunch of developers on it and should be able to help.
I recommend you go the make route. That works fine for me, albeit slowly. Better still install VirtualBox, Ubuntu and then build relatively rapidly :)
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