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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Replies

    • You enabled EFK and the pulsation is gone ?
    • Pixhawk Flys Circles when loiter . The same quadror and GPS, when using APM controller  everything is OK. But it goes circles in loiter mode when I test my new Pixhawk controller. I try different firmware(3.2.5 and 3.2rc5) with  AHRS_EKF_USED=0, and 1. The pixhawk flys the same circles. Why?

      • bad compass calibration most likely.... this is called toilet bowl.

        • Dear Artem, I have calibrated the compass. The same external compass and GPS are used in APM2.6, everything is OK. But pixhawk toilet bowl.......

  • I loaded 3.2rc5 on my pixhawk.  for an airframe I am using a QAV 400, This is  3S setup (30C 5100 MAH).  It has a Tarot 2D, MinumOSD, 1.58 GHZ vxmitter, size, weight and power equivalent to a 3DR Arducopter Quad.

    I was very interested in the Position hold mode. I changed my flight modes to use "position hold" instead of "Loiter Mode"

    I took off and flew around in stable mode and it flew great. I switched it into position hold, and it did what I hoped, just kind of parked itself in the air.  Then, I flew it in the position hold mode, and it seemed to work pretty well, but would sometimes start dropping or climbing. I reacted by trying to override, and found it didn't seem to give me enough authority to overcome and fairly high rate of ascent or descent. In fact I bounced it off the ground when it was defending quickly even though I applied full throttle.  Maybe it is a value that needs to be changed to give the operator more authority in the Z-Axis..

    It seemed fine as long as i didn't get into a pogo stick like oscillation in the Z-axis.

    RE

    • Developer

      @Richard,

      I suspect you see the same issue when flying in AltHold mode?

      So what's happening is when the pilot repositions the copter in PosHold, the pilot essentially takes full control of the roll/pitch lean angle much like in AltHold mode.   The throttle control remains with the autopilot (except of course you can give it up/down commands).  Basically what you're seeing I think is that it's possible for the pilot to ask the vehicle to do more than it's capable of and it's unable to maintain it's altitude.  The solution could be that we limit the lean angle of the vehicle so that altitude is not sacrificed but I don't think we will do that for AC3.2 at least.  Alternatively if you boost the power of your vehicle or reduce the max lean angle (ANGLE_MAX param) then it'll happen less.

  • I tried 3.2-rc5 today. Auto mode with ROI - OK. PosHold mode - very good. But one time, when I flight in PosHold mode, I get errors: EKF_CHECK-2 and FAILSAFE_EKF-1. Flight mode automatic switch to Land. But this is Arducopter 2.6...

    ekf_error.png

    • Developer

      ReM,

         Yes, the EKF check is too strict in -rc5 (please see Warning #1 in the main section of this discussion).  the check is removed in -rc6 when the EKF is not enabled.

  • Hi Randy,

    Thanks for all you do! A quick question: I'm flying a custom dead-cat quad w. Pixhawk running 3.2-rc5, just updated from rc2 (which has been performing very, very  nicely). Geofence was working fine in rc2. Somewhere I thought I saw or heard that there is some sort of issue with Geofence in rc5. I can't find the reference again, but it makes me nervous so I've disabled Geofence. Can you comment on this please? Thanks!

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