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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  • Hello,
    I have altitiude hold issue on my quadrocopter, i use the beta software from rc1 and on all versions my copter is randomly going up or falling down. The movie was recorded on rc14.
    Here is the video: http://youtu.be/FtLv9zNwBmI?t=10m (starts at 10min).

    Log: http://www.speedyshare.com/v4xcQ/26.BIN

    Same issue on APM 2.6 and PIXHAWK 2.4.3 on two quadrocopters.

    • Developer

      Ficu,

      I had a look at the logs and it's definitely vibration levels especially when the throttle is very high.

      3702531556?profile=original

      • But on ArduCopter 3.1.5 all is working great. Yesterday i tested other and smaller props and i still the altitude hold working bad. The vibrations are same.
        Bug in AC 3.2 is revealed that I fly straight and set the pitch to mid, next the quadcopter is going up and for many seconds going down.

        I make movie with the issue on rc5 and APM.

        Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIxEOK01bes

        On 0:27 i set the pitch to the mid position, and the quadcopter is going up, i tried to set throttle to lowest position and i have not control the altitude. The movie is on AltHold. Same issue is on the new version of AC 3.2.

        1:27 same issue.

    • what is a Pixhawk 2.4.3?

      -Mike

      • Developer

        There's one very big difference between the 2.4.3 and the 2.4.5 though and that is the addition of a 2nd IMU, the MPU6k.

        • Randy you mean from 2.3 to 2.4. From 2.4.3 to 2.4.5 there was no mayor change, just some different capacitor values :). 2.4.6 will add some redundancy for naughty rc receivers that misbehave.

        • I check it and i have on the board MPU6000.

      • Its just the board revision number of the Pixhawk. Small changes needed are done to the board and released to the newest customers. There are 2.4.3, 2.4.5 and the latest 2.4.6 (isnt out i believe).

  • @randy, i upgraded to AC3.2-rc14 with APM2.6. i ran a auto tune since i had increased the prop size to keep the throttle in mid position. after auto tune while in loiter mode the craft suddenly starts climbing. this happens after 2 minutes of hovering in loiter mode. it happened even during a mission. this was not occurring before the auto tune. luckily the craft was in line of sight and i brought it back safely. this  is the first serious issue i had with my quad since AC3.0.1. so i think some issue is there in auto tune.

    • Developer

      Yes, I agree with Johnex.  It's unlikely to be directly related to AutoTune and much more likely to be related to the vibrations on the Z-axis.

      By the way, the dangerous climb due to Z-axis vibes is the #1 issue we will try and fix in AC3.3.  The EKF already does a much better job of handling these situations so the effort is mostly just to make sure the EKF is fully integrated, stable, etc.

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