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

      All my tests with Pixhawk and APM Copter are done with Futaba R7008SB (SBUS2 pin) without the external encoder.
      But still I advise you to set your rx in SBUS1 mode over CH8 output (SBUS) and connect this output to Pixhawk RC IN, how to do it is written in the rx manual (rx in mode 2).

      • Thank you for the advice.  I value your input and particularly appreciated your post regarding 6 modes in 2 switches for the Futaba.  I use it on my T14SG and love it.  So, you are saying sbus works, but at this time, you are advising against running the Rx in SBUS2 mode?  I'll test it this weekend. 

  • ARMING_CHECK set as "enable", but skip GPS if you arm in home. It is not a issue of the Beta.

  • First, sorry for my english, it's not my native language. Not sure if this is a bug but I have some problem with Pixhawk and software 3.2rc5. What's going on? I cannot arm in stabilize mode in home (didn't try yet outdoor).

    1. Pixhawk connected to PC via USB

    2. Transmitter ON

    3. Power battery connected to power module

    4. TX, ESC, compass, acc: callibrated

    5. Safety switch ON

    6. Now - trying to arm and I hear only two beeps, nothing happens

    7. Now I change ARMING_CHECK to "Skip GPS"

    8. Trying arm again - it works now

    9. Now it's strange, because I change ARMING_CHECK to Enable and after that, I can arm motors.

    10. When I disconnect power and trying do this again, the same scenario.

    I see only "Bad/No Terrain Data" on Flight Data screen of Mission Planner after connecting to Pixhawk. What does this mean?

    • Andre, I have original 3DR GPS. Evev no 3D lock or low HDOP, I should be able to arm in stabilize mode with ARMING_CHECK set as "enable", am I right?
    • I guess you have not a 3DR Pixhawk. So your GPS takes a very long time until it has HDOP below 2.0 because the Battery in the Pixhawk is missing and/or you are not under the free sky view. Go outside or rise the Value for HDOP. It is not a issue of the Beta.

      have a nice Day, André

      • Hi André,

        What is the battery on the Pixhawk actually for?

        • Developer
          Andre is wrong. The battery on the GPS unit helps the boot up and loxk time for the GPS.
          The battery on the PH is for the 'real time clock' it maintains the clock in the event of a momentary brownout
  • I have a few more flights on RC5 in on the 3DR X8.
    All seems good.

    Perhaps some clarification though, I have been testing spline and its not clear whether we should be using POI or do_set_roi and whether this should be persistent throughout a flight.


    I have tried using both and setting a do_set_roi as the first WP, but it seems to ignore it between some waypoints.

    Is there any documentation on the way to use it properly and how it should behave so that I can ensure I don't have an actual issue? I can't find anything reliable on the net.

    I'm happy to write up a Spline/ROI Howto but some clarification on how it works would be useful.

    • Developer

      Toby,

           Documentation for the do-set-roi command is here.  I'm really not sure how the mission planner "POI" feature (accessible from the flight data screen works).  The "Point Camera Here" feature of the MP is essentially the immediate version of the do-set-roi mission command.  So "Point Camera Here" should also work.

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