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

          Henri,

          I don't think we support the Piksi GPS yet.  I get pings from the Piksi developers every now and then but I'm unsure if the hold-up on adding support is on our side or theirs.

    • what you mean is D-GPS. I´m trying to do so but with low cost GPS it it very difficult. Please google RTKLIB

  • Is it possible to use 2 external compass's for redundancy instead of one internal and one external? I see here mention of two gps's but it does not use both compass's. I can't use the internal with my frame [ well... the one I had ] because the pixhawk is too close to electromagnetic interference. 

    • And I see this but it seems to suggest you can't use a stand alone gps with the pixhawk? 

      • Developer

        Richard,

        No, it's not possible to use two external compasses on the Pixhawk.  The reason is that the hmc compasses have fixed I2C address and the Pixhawk only has two I2C buses.  Just as a reference, this limitation is mentioned on the compass module wiki page although I don't expect that everyone can find every piece of info on the wiki very easily.

        By the way, I've recently found that the fail-over to the backup compass does not work.  I have a fix but I'm reluctant to put it in to AC3.2 because of situations like yours where failing over would actually cause problems.  Instead we will make a more comprehensive enhancement that makes it possible to set which compasses can/cannot be used.  That change will probably not make it into AC3.2.

  • Devteam,

    I just loaded AC3.2-rc9 should I re-calibrate it again? The reason why I'm asking this is that, GPS can't get 3D fix, hence I can't arm it. I don't know if it's just me but I read it before that there's a need to tweak some parameters, but I can't remember where's that thread now. Strange because I haven't encounter this in AC3.2-rc7. By the way have 10 or sometimes 12 satellites and I'm in an open field! 

    Anyway, I'm using Pixhawk with ublox LEA-6H.

    • Developer

      Jay,

      Depends which version you're upgrading from but if it's -rc7 then there shouldn't be any need to do any recalibration.  I'm very surprised that with 10 or 12 satellites it's not getting a GPS lock.  I guess maybe you mean the GPS HDOP is >2.0 so you can't take-off in Loiter mode?  Is any reason showing up on the HUD for it failing to arm?

      • Thanks Randy for this reply.

        As I mention I've been using rc7 and i had no issue except for the know pulse positive and other known issues. I moved to rc9 recently, I didn't do the calibration and I didn't adjust any of the parameters as well. This time I can't arm, unfortunately I didn't bring my laptop to check my hdop reading but I have my minimosd so I can only monitor satellite reading and other information. Anyway let check that later. 

        Again thank you.

      • Randy:"Depends which version you're upgrading from"

        I think it is your plan to have an "upgrade" to-do check-list from 3.1.5 (current released version) to 3.2 (next released version), right?

        • Developer

          OwlPic,

          Yes, we've already discussed this via email.  Txs

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