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)

Maybe another solution is to put altitude control separate something like super simple mode so that you can add altitude control on the modes that you want it on. It could also be put on a separate channel.

stable, drift, sport, simple, ss, with or without alt control

even position hold with or without. Most will want it with since a position is a position but if you want to fly around in that mode but have your lateral space controlled when you release the stick. Maybe a better solution is to have altitude control auto enable in pos hold when you release the sticks but how it optional if you start moving around.

Modes like Auto, RTL, Follow Me, Land, Guided would control altitude no matter what the alt switch setting is since it's mission would control altitude.

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- - - - Developer
        
        Randy > nickthecook August 31, 2014 at 8:59pm
        
        @nickthecook,
        
        Yes, we're doing this actually using a bunch of #defines that include/exclude many features (but not all) depending upon the board. For example the EKF and dual GPS are only on the Pixhawk.
        
        steve > nickthecook August 30, 2014 at 7:25am
        
        Maybe another solution is to put altitude control separate something like super simple mode so that you can add altitude control on the modes that you want it on. It could also be put on a separate channel.
        
        stable, drift, sport, simple, ss, with or without alt control
        
        even position hold with or without. Most will want it with since a position is a position but if you want to fly around in that mode but have your lateral space controlled when you release the stick. Maybe a better solution is to have altitude control auto enable in pos hold when you release the sticks but how it optional if you start moving around.
        
        Modes like Auto, RTL, Follow Me, Land, Guided would control altitude no matter what the alt switch setting is since it's mission would control altitude.
        
        Troy Kinney > steve August 30, 2014 at 7:26pm
        
        Would reducing the dead zone for altitude changes in poshold help with this issue? I don't particularly notice a slowness in ascending and descending once I'm out of the dead zone. Maybe I'm missing something here.
        
        George Randall > Troy Kinney August 31, 2014 at 3:47am
        
        I think reducing the dead zone is going to help to some extent. I am going to load rc6 today and test it out. I am so used to flying in stabilize. So when I do try alt hold or hybrid/pos hold the delay can cause me issues. There is definitely still a speed difference in asc. and desc. rate. I currently have Pilot_velz set to 400 and I can still notice a difference in rates. However I also am not used to having to move the stick all the way up or all the way down to get the altitude change I am wanting.
        
        Hopefully between the dead zone setting, trying pilot_velz at 500 and just trying to get a little more used to it I might get comfortable with it.
        
        Richard Kennedy > Troy Kinney August 30, 2014 at 7:47pm
        
        "I don't particularly notice a slowness in ascending and descending once I'm out of the dead zone"
        
        x2
        
        George Randall > Marco Robustini August 29, 2014 at 12:07pm
        
        Now is not possible because the "Position" mode was removed from the code, but i think a good idea would be introduce it again because PosHold with the manual throttle could be very useful.
        
        This would be awesome. I think it is the only thing missing from Hybrid mode.
Henri August 28, 2014 at 3:47pm

Question:

With Pixhawk, 3.2-rc5: To do auto-tune, best to do it with EKF on or off?

Thank you in advance.

Henri
Developer

Marco Robustini August 28, 2014 at 1:05pm

Don't try to replicate this, is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
- MR60
  
  Hugues > Marco Robustini August 29, 2014 at 1:32am
  
  how long was the tested cable ?
  
  How will you attach your camera gimbal with this cable in the way ?
- Terry > Marco Robustini August 28, 2014 at 1:38pm
  
  Ahhhh, finally someone came up with a practical way of preventing flyaways. Good job Marco. :)

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