Ok, so the first flight went well. Stabilization mode works great, tested that 2nd. NE Test perfect. Then I takeoff and switch to enable autopilot, no crazy diving, plane turns east and then straightens out. And flys east. I try different entry angles, all it does is turn back east. I landed and read the waypoint file, all the waypoints look good. So whats going on, is the aircraft trying to return home, and not initializing the autopilot. ? Is the GPS somehow confused as to compass heading ? I have only a 2 switch setup, so I am not using a 3 switch setup. I did not modify the code at all so its default. Any ideas why its doing this, I do not have the ne code test enabled anymore, i checked that right away assuming it did not write the update to turn it off. Any help much appreciated..
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Just for laugh:
in the past day, trying to make my system working, I noticed that without gps connected (I had trouble with it, do you remember?) the plane actual position showed in the ground station was in the Atlantic (I don't remember exactly, but I think it was 0 lat 0 lon). Now my plane is going South (from Switzerland) other planes from the states are going East. Are they not searching to reach 0 lat, 0 lon?
Just for laugh...
Hi,
it seems that I have the same problems, but my plane is going South both in rtl and in waypoint flight mode.
I use an FMA z sensor modified with 1k resistor. I think it has too high gain level, because when the plane is banking very gently, the ground station show a 80 degrees turn! Is that right?
Anyway I tryed from every direction and the plane simply turn Suth and stabilize in this direction.
Any help/solution?
Thanks
Peter,
I added my last test log HERE. I could only get her to guide me west with the fake bearing on (1). With the fake bearing off, she always wants to go east.
I looked at the code, trying to see in the navigation routines where fake bearing is applied. It's used under the AMain tab where "desired fake bearing" takes the place of "waypoint bearing". I figured if I could see how the rudder/ailerons are controlled differently (correctly) with the fake bearing, the problem could be solved. Also, under the controls tab is the heading error calculation. It may be something as simple as changing a + sign to a -. Unfortunately, I'm not a programmer and after racking my little brain trying to interpret/understand Jordi's code I'm back to where I started.
Sorry about the bad day yesterday. I'm trying to avoid putting Xbees in the loop until I get the basic AP working. Don't give up. It's pretty cool to watch your plane adjusting roll, pitch and throttle all by herself!
You bring up some good issues TCIII. Maybe I'm switching into WP mode instead of RTL mode by mistake. Also, I didn't read to the configuration utility so I can't be positive that my previously entered waypoints are still stored. Then again, my first WP is due west and I haven't had to reenter WP's in earlier code versions, but you never know-----
I flew again after work and it looks like I have the same Gremlin you do!!! Here's the story---
The first thing I did at the field was use the jumper per the manual instructions: wait until GPS lock light starts to flash then remove jumper. When I switched to RTL while still on the ground, my ailerons and elevator moved but the throttle didn’t kick in. That’s the first time the motor didn’t run. That turned out to be convenient for my walking test and, sure enough, my plane guided me east! After returning all the heading file values back their original values, I switched on RTL again and same results: no throttle and heading east. I had read where TCIII said you needed to keep the jumper in until the GPS actually locked so I tried it and that seemed to help. Now switching to RTL was activating the throttle (but still guiding me east).
Next, I got her up in the air and was able to get her flying briefly in RTL but, sure enough, she flew East. So I turned on the fake bearing for due west and that worked fine. The plane’s ailerons directed me west. These are the same findings you’ve described so I suspect there is an error in the navigation code.
Hopefully I'll do a test flight today also, if the weather holds. I'll be interested to see what direction mine flies in once I get the pitch issue figured out.
Hi Peter,
This is great that more people are posting test flights so we can compare notes. You wrote that the "NE Test" was perfect? You walked around with FAKE_BEARING set to 1 and the rudder guided you in the right direction? If so, and then you fly and the rudder guides the plane East, that's really weird. You could probably diagnose this problem on the ground and save all the time and risk of flying by leaving the fake bearing @ 0, binding the home location with the jumper and then walking away from the home location around 30 ft, turning on the AP and seeing if the rudder guides you back.
I used to do this all the time with the older code versions but now you just have to watch out since the throttle will be activated.
With a two-position switch, "on" is RTL, so waypoints are ignored unless you've changed the settings. Are you doing the proper field setup with the jumper to reset "home"?
Replies
in the past day, trying to make my system working, I noticed that without gps connected (I had trouble with it, do you remember?) the plane actual position showed in the ground station was in the Atlantic (I don't remember exactly, but I think it was 0 lat 0 lon). Now my plane is going South (from Switzerland) other planes from the states are going East. Are they not searching to reach 0 lat, 0 lon?
Just for laugh...
Regards
it seems that I have the same problems, but my plane is going South both in rtl and in waypoint flight mode.
I use an FMA z sensor modified with 1k resistor. I think it has too high gain level, because when the plane is banking very gently, the ground station show a 80 degrees turn! Is that right?
Anyway I tryed from every direction and the plane simply turn Suth and stabilize in this direction.
Any help/solution?
Thanks
I added my last test log HERE. I could only get her to guide me west with the fake bearing on (1). With the fake bearing off, she always wants to go east.
I looked at the code, trying to see in the navigation routines where fake bearing is applied. It's used under the AMain tab where "desired fake bearing" takes the place of "waypoint bearing". I figured if I could see how the rudder/ailerons are controlled differently (correctly) with the fake bearing, the problem could be solved. Also, under the controls tab is the heading error calculation. It may be something as simple as changing a + sign to a -. Unfortunately, I'm not a programmer and after racking my little brain trying to interpret/understand Jordi's code I'm back to where I started.
The first thing I did at the field was use the jumper per the manual instructions: wait until GPS lock light starts to flash then remove jumper. When I switched to RTL while still on the ground, my ailerons and elevator moved but the throttle didn’t kick in. That’s the first time the motor didn’t run. That turned out to be convenient for my walking test and, sure enough, my plane guided me east! After returning all the heading file values back their original values, I switched on RTL again and same results: no throttle and heading east. I had read where TCIII said you needed to keep the jumper in until the GPS actually locked so I tried it and that seemed to help. Now switching to RTL was activating the throttle (but still guiding me east).
Next, I got her up in the air and was able to get her flying briefly in RTL but, sure enough, she flew East. So I turned on the fake bearing for due west and that worked fine. The plane’s ailerons directed me west. These are the same findings you’ve described so I suspect there is an error in the navigation code.
This is great that more people are posting test flights so we can compare notes. You wrote that the "NE Test" was perfect? You walked around with FAKE_BEARING set to 1 and the rudder guided you in the right direction? If so, and then you fly and the rudder guides the plane East, that's really weird. You could probably diagnose this problem on the ground and save all the time and risk of flying by leaving the fake bearing @ 0, binding the home location with the jumper and then walking away from the home location around 30 ft, turning on the AP and seeing if the rudder guides you back.
I used to do this all the time with the older code versions but now you just have to watch out since the throttle will be activated.
With a two-position switch, "on" is RTL, so waypoints are ignored unless you've changed the settings. Are you doing the proper field setup with the jumper to reset "home"?