Developer

ArduCopter-3.2 beta testing

Warning #1: PX4/Pixhawk users upgrading from AC3.1.5 (or earlier) may need to re-do their compass and accelerometer calibration because AC3.2 also uses the backup compass and accels.  Pre-arm checks have been added to ensure this has been done.

Warning #2: on the APM2.x the logs must be downloaded using MAVlink instead of the terminal.

AC3.2-rc14 is now available for BetaTesters through the mission planner’s Beta Firmwares link.  The full release notes can be found in ReleaseNotes.txt and changes from -rc13 can be seen below.

     Feel free to raise issues found during testing on this discussion or in the new support section in the APM Forum.

     It’s a big release with “the onion” restructure and a bunch of new features (including these 57 closed items) so we need to re-test almost everything including all flight modes, all mission commands and all the new features.  Marco and I will be maintaining (and adding to) this testing list.  Issues reported will first be checked by Jonathan, Marco and I and then confirmed bugs/issues will be put on the github issues list (and then hopefully fixed).

     Thanks especially to the beta testers who put their copters at risk testing each release.  Enjoy!

Changes from 3.2-rc13
1) Safety Features:
     a) fail to arm if second gyro calibration fails (can be disabled with ARMING_CHECK)
2) Bug fixes:
    a) DCM-check to require one continuous second of bad heading before triggering LAND
    b) I2C bug that could lead to Pixhawk freezing up if I2C bus is noisy
    c) reset DCM and EKF gyro bias estimates after gyro calibration (DCM heading could drift after takeoff due to sudden change in gyro values)
    d) use primary GPS for LED status (instead of always using first GPS)

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    • Developer

      Chim,

           There's no particular issue with the fence in any of the release candidates. Maybe it's the ekf check that you're thinking of.

  • Hi Randy,

    I am just finished testing AC3.2_RC5, on three of my X-Quad frames (F450, F330 & my own Aluminium X-Quad frame created by my dad in year 2011.

    I would say that I have never seen that kind of performance before, wow, what a a great piece of code created by the developers. I am purposely not taking any help from dad and doing of my own to learn.

    Does this code support spline waypoints in APM2.XX ?

    • Developer

      @Vishal,

           Yes, spline waypoints are enabled for the APM2.x as well.  It's a heavy load on the APM2's CPU but it seems to manage.

  • What an amazing amount of work you have done on this release. Thanks! I've been reading through the thread and can't find the post from Leonard about an improvement made for micro copters. I've just built a 250 and put a Pixhawk on it. Should I stick with 3.1.5 for now? I happy to run beta software if there's a significant feature useful for the little guys. It had something to do with changing a frequency parameter??? Also, I'm assuming that with the Pixhawk I should now enable the EKF? 

    • Developer

      H Darrell,

      It is always hard to suggest that someone use a release candidate but I think it is worth the additional risk for a 250 sized quad. 

      so use the latest release candidate and set the MPU6k filter setting to 42.

      • Thanks. I think it will be fine as this is a cheap test/fun copter. I'm not sure if I'll be able to contribute any comments because I've never flown one of these small FPV type copters so I don't really know what to expect. But I'll give it a go.

  • How many data points do we need to do the compass calibration .. I am getting dizzy !

    • Developer

      Reuben,

      MichaelO has made it a little less strict in the latest beta mission planner and I was able to get it done in a shockingly low 300 points.  In official mission planner yesterday it took someone less familiar with the process 1800 points!  I think it's generally agreed this is the most dreaded part of the copter set-up.  For AC3.3 we will move the calibration into the flight controller and make it less strict.  Hopefully before then we can get a better balance in the MP of strictness vs accuracy.

      • Cheers for the reply Randy .. yes since the introduction of the spinning sphere .. compass calib.  has been an issue with each new Copter I build , My friend has a DJI unit and he only does one revolution with the copter level and one revolution with the nose down .. and the flight controller does this in house ..So are you saying the next big update ..we would our flight controllers do a similar calib as DJi? 

  • I almost had a crash when I realized too late that I have zero control while the quad is in decent in RTL. Normally on decent I could 'nudge' the quad with my TX to make sure it landed without obstructions.  Is there a setting in the params to allow for manual adjustments while in RTL??? 

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