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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    • you should not need to re-calibrate your esc's.  

      When you say the pixhawk "arms" do you see the word "armed" on the HUD? If it says "armed" on the HUD then disregard what I say below... however if you are not sure, then try this:

      1) Go through the compass calibration (be prepared to spin for a few minutes)... it will capture offsets for both the pixhawk compass and the remote compass which didn't happen in 3.1.5 which is why I think it is not arming for you

      2) Run the accellerometer calibrations

      see if it arms now.

      Best of luck,

      Steve 

      • Yes it says armed on the HUD.   I also need the compass and accelerometer calibrations just in case and still no luck.  It makes all the noises to initiate like it will work and as soon as I give throttle nothing happens.

        • Anyone else have any ideas?

          • Developer

            Some simple questions first:

            1. you pushed the safety switch of course?

            2. You sure you've loaded the correct firmware through the mission planner?

            3. The ESCs are getting powered?

            4. Is there anything else you've changed on the frame as you upgraded the firmware?

            I'd first check the output from the back of the Pixhawk with a servo tester or logic analyser to be sure the pwm outputs are changing.  This breaks the problem into either a Pixhawk vs ESC issue.

            How does it "make you recalibrate the ESCs?".  It's definitely not a message on the HUD right because AC doesn't actually know if the ESCs are calibrated or not.

            Maybe attaching a dataflash logfile here so we can see the parameters would be good.

            Failing everything else, doing a full parameter reset and set-up again may resolve the problem but then we will never know the cause?  There's a button on the MP's full parameter list (middle right of the screen) that does this.

  • Hey!

    Some words before I start: I've build an X8 with pixhawk 2.4, ac 3.2-rc5, ublox lea 6h and hmc5983 mag. I calibrate after installation accel and mag. The heading was correctly in MP. In last days I'm working on an externer mavlink-reader and in this time I have got some error messages: bad compass health, bad velocity, no gps fix, bad terrain data; I still experimantal in our flat, but in most time, I've 6 sats...

    Now, the problem first flight: First I hover for Autotrim (15 secs arm ... fly ... disarm). Not easy but ok. The I started I stabilize (GPS 3d fix). The yaw was a little bit drifting. In the moment, where I set it to Loiter, the copter doesn't stand on place, he drifts curiously in every direction. It was hardly possible to control it manually. When I back to stabilize mode, the controlling was normally...

    Is it a softwarebug or where is the problem? Here are the log-file from this flight: http://mcld.de/hobby/copter/Log-Data.zip (6.bin is the flight)

    Motors are T-motor mn3110-26 (470kv), 15x5,5, F30a with simonk, 4s10.000, instead the powermodule (60a current) i use an attopilot 90a and external 5v bec.

    Best regards from Germany

    • Hey! Thank you very much. My english isnt the best. ;-) By configuration I choose the gps/compass symbol (not pixhawk), because i have mount this modul in correct direction... Was it not correct?? Should I change it to RotationNone?? In one of our german community somebody means, that the telemetry 433 nearly gps antenna (see picture) take some issues. If I will be back at home, I will update to rc7 and deactivate telemetrie and check it again and report it here.3702516841?profile=original

      Best regards and thanks for this great project with support!


      Ps: Hope your team can add the hott telemetry as an option to the frsky telemetry. Im not really fit in c, otherwise I would make a copy of the frsky code and change it to hott...

    • Developer

      Anselm,

      I had a quick look at the logs, and it's not in Loiter for very long.  The number of satellites is quite low at only 7 (and it drops to 6 briefly) so I wouldn't be surprised to hear it's drifting around.  At least 9 is good so just wait around a bit longer before take-off.  The HDOP is always above 2.0 except for the very end of the flight.  Below 2.0 is good.

      By the way, could you upgrade to -rc7?  There's a critical landing check bug that was fixed in -rc7.

      Thanks for testing!

    • Anselm,

      i had the same problem with my external compass - in your parameters you set compass-orient to 8, what means 180 deg roll. As you can see in the log, mag and mag2 show different behaviour in the Y-Axis I use a 3dr ublox and have to set compass-orient to 0. You can choose "ROTATION_NONE" on the compass setup page and do a new calibration.

      Hubertus

  • Sorry if I missed this explained in the wiki but searching dual+gps turned up nothing. I'm using an APM2.5 and just disabled the internal mag and added a 3dr gps compass module to get clear of the magnetic interference. I thought I would try keeping the other GPS plugged in. Is there any advantage having both plugged in? Do I need to change any parameter or will they be auto detected?

    I'm using rc7

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