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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      • Maybe your throttle was low so that why it took off when you hit auto

        • I meant wasn't low..... geeez I can't type today or what.

        • For the record i was only investigating the new features for follow me, there fore my throttle wasnt on and it indeed was in the low position because i was in the house, and knew my MOT_SPIN_ARMED was 0 there fore i wasnt expecting the motor spin, i will post a thread on Droidplanner for this

  • Do you have the .log file?

  • Hexa crash after switching from Acro to RTL :-(

    Switched to RTL and the Hexa flipped even switching back to Acro couldn't save the copter...

    Alt Hold, Position worked  fine !

    cheap Hexa from rctimer 920 KV Motors 9.4 x 4.3 CFK props 5S4000 (2 Arms and 5 Props broken ...)

    Could some have a look at the log.

    Thanks

    Thomas

    2014-10-03 15-41-16.log

    https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3701844616?profile=original
    • Developer

      Thomas,

           It looks like at just before switching to RTL the pilot's throttle input went to zero and stayed at zero for nearly the whole time the vehicle was in RTL.  So what's happened here is that because the throttle is zero, the autopilot doesn't think it has permission to control the vehicle and it's crashed.  If the pilot throttle was raised when the vehicle was switched to RTL it all would have been fine.  Alternatively if the throttle was raised at anytime the vehicle was in RTL it likely would have been fine.

      3702522962?profile=originalNow one might say, it's obvious that you didn't want the vehicle to crash and you wanted the autopilot to control the throttle but at the same time this is a safety feature to ensure that the autopilot doesn't suddenly take-off from the ground.  So for example, the normal way to trigger a mission is for the pilot to switch to AUTO flight mode and raise the throttle.  It's this raising the throttle (also called "auto armed") that tells the autopilot, "ok, go!".

      It's possible we could add some exceptions to this blanket rule so the throttle doesn't need to be raised in cases like this.. this is the way it's been for as far back as I can remember.. but we could revisit it.

      • Randy, Thomas,

        I had a look at this log as well because it reminded me of an incident I had (luckily did not end in a crash).  This looked to me like a radio failsafe issue.  Ch3 and Ch5 both change their values to the values they stayed at at the same time in the log, which was picked up by the AutoPilot as a mode change to RTL 239ms later.  My suspicion here (and I'm looking for feedback if I am understanding incorrectly) is that the receiver went in to failsafe and instead of "reporting failsafe" rather just went to pre-determined values that were set as "Throttle = min, Mode = RTL"

        Am I reading that right?  If so, is it possible other people would have these issues if they did not properly set a THR_THR_VALUE and FS_THR_ENABLE value? (This copter was not configured for Throttle-based Failsafe) 

        Thomas, did you manually switch to RTL or did you observe it change to RTL itself? and if so, what kind of radio do you run?  Sorry for your crash!

        I just find the two values changing for Ch3 and Ch5 at precisely the same moment very curious. (Line No 42667)

        3702669954?profile=original

        • Hi,

          I switched to RTL and due to the fact i'm using Autorotation flight Mode on my transmitter as RTL it cuts of the throttle at the same time. (btw throttle FS is set to RTL)

          After changing the Throttle in Autorotation Mode to 50% RTL works fine.

          I did many tests today switching in full speed and upside down into RTL :-) no issues at all.

          Thanks

          Thomas

          • Hey Thomas,

            Ah, that explains the switch to no throttle at the same time then.  Looks like maybe that needs to be adjusted in your radio maybe?

            FYI your throttle failsafe according to your log above is not set to RTL.  Perhaps you set it after?  If you check out http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/arducopter-parameters/#Throttle_Fa... you'll see that having the parameter FS_THR_ENABLE set to 0 (which yours is) means it is disabled.  Here are your failsafe settings:

            FS_THR_ENABLE = 0 (disabled)

             FS_THR_VALUE = 975 (Default, ignored due to the FS being disabled)

            FS_BATT_ENABLE = 0 (Disabled)

             FS_BATT_VOLTAGE = 10.5 (Ignored)

             FS_BATT_MAH = 0 (Ignored)

            FS_GPS_ENABLE = 1  (Interesting..)

            FS_GCS_ENABLE = 1  (Also interesting..)

            Apologies if you already knew those, I just thought I'd clarify since you mention you had an active Throttle Failsafe and your logs show you don't.  Perhaps you changed it after this flight though, that would make sense.  

            I tend to primarily fly Acro myself and don't spend too much time flying in RTL, but you bring up a point that I should be testing it occasionally to make sure it works.  At any rate, best of luck!

            • Upps forgot to enable it ... DONE

              here a log of Acro flight with some RTL test :-)

              in the flight before i reached 25m/s top speed.

              Fun with this small bird.

              Thanks Thomas

              2014-10-04 16-55-40.bin

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