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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  • Hi All, installed 3.2 rc5 yesterday from 3.1.5.....just magic.   I operate a 1300mm quad running 130kv motors.  Tested, stab, loiter, alt hold, auto and flight plan resume.  No jumps now between modes,  waypoint transition now super smooth.  Had some trouble tuning the quad from wind gust disturbances so I decided to land and activate EKF.  Wow, made a big difference to this machine, now super stable.  Will try auto tune with EKF enabled next flight.  Well done to all the Devs and flight testers.

    • Developer

      GocGoc,

           Thanks for the report.

           There are some reports that the EKF can be a little twitchy in Loiter mode although Paul Riseborough (who created the EKF with Tridge) has a patch to resolve that.  It's not a bug though, it's an additional filter I think.

           EKF is already the default on Plane but for Copter we're going to leave it as the backup for AC3.2 but it'll likely be the default for AC3.3.  So hopefully between now and then people can give it a try at a relaxed pace and we can sort out any issues that appear.

      • Developer

        I've already reported this "motors twiching" with EKF, the discussion about this issue and the related patch is here.
        EKF for Copter requires a very complex tuning to get good results, and with too high parameters (RATE_D for example) will highlight these issues.
        At the moment i think the best solution is to leave it disabled and wait the fix.

        • Thanks Marco & Randy, appreciate it.

      • that patch will be part of rc7?

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