ArduPlane 2.71 released

I've just released ArduPlane 2.71 for your flying pleasure.

As was described in the 2.71-beta thread, these are the major changes from 2.70:

prevent control mode changes due to receiver input change when in throttle failsafe
auto-scale analog input based on board voltage. This also removes the INPUT_VOLTAGE parameter, as it is no longer needed
added TKOFF_THR_MINSPD and TKOFF_THR_MINACC parameters. These allow you to set a minimum ground speed or X acceleration before the motor is started in auto mode. This is to better support hand launching in AUTO mode, and bungee or catapult launching.
added TKOFF_HEAD_HOLD option. This determines if auto takeoff will try to hold heading while climbing out. For a hand launch it is often better just to hold the wings level, instead of trying to hold heading.
changed FBWB altitude control from elevator to lock in the altitude when the elevator stick is neutral. This fixes a problem with altitude changing in FBWB mode due to slight tuning errors. You can set the climb rate for FBWB with the FBWB_CLIMB_RATE parameter. It default to 2 m/s
auto-detect when the compass is way off due to interference and switch to GPS navigation until the compass is healthy again. This is designed to prevent flyaways due to very bad magnetic interference.
prevent servo output overflow on large PID gains. This is especially important for elevon aircraft
changed default STICK_MIXING behaviour to use FBWA style stick mixing in AUTO mode. This prevents the pilot from causing radical turns if they don't know that the plane is in an AUTO mode. You can get the old behaviour by changing the STICK_MIXING parameter to 2.
Added a software VTail mixer, enabled using the VTAIL_OUTPUT option.
Fixed loading of missions with DIGICAM control commands, so DIGICAM control works again
Don't trigger a GCS failsafe if the GCS has never connected
Fixed fence MAVLink target IDs (fixes a problem with AndroPilot)
Added HIL_SERVOS parameter to allow real servos to move in HIL mode
Fixed an off-by-one in PX4 channel output (last PWM output channel wasn't sent)
Fixed scaling of joystick speed when controlling a camera gimbal with a joystick
Fixed creation of APM directory on SDCard on PX4
fixed auto-config of uBlox baudrate for uBlox modules set to 9600 baud
Fixed PX4 startup in FMU only mode
Added APM/boot.log on SDCard on PX4

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this release!

One thing that isn't in this release but will be in the next release is the new L1 navigation controller from Brandon and Paul. They are doing fantastic work and testing is good so far, but I wanted to get the new features above out first before adding the new navigation code. I hope we will release a 2.72 release with the new L1 controller in the next couple of weeks.

Happy flying!

Cheers, Tridge

Hey all, I had a little crash - could it be the APM (nooo!) or was it just me/the plane?

I loaded my APM 2.5 with the new 2.71 and took my Twinstar for its maiden flight. I tripple checked everything and the flight started good in manual mode, little windy though and the CG was a bit off. It was a little tail heavy and it wanted to pitch up the nose when lowering the throttle going in to the wind. I turned on stabilize and it was alot smoother. I had the plane on low throttle against the wind (8m/s) almost standing still and was banking left with the ailerons and the plane almost instantly went in to a spin and crashed. The damage was minimal though, it landed on its belly and slammed a prop in the ground bending one motor axle.

Setup; APM 2.5 with separate input/output with jp1 out. 3D Power module driving the input side with GPS, 433mhz telemetry and the Futaba RX. A 4700uf CAP is also attached. On the output a 7.5A UBEC drives 4 servos, OSD, Cam and a 5.8ghz 200mw TX. The GPS is in the tail and the telemetry is out in the wing with a custom dipole antenna. AUW on the heavy side with a 5000mah 3S, 67oz 1600kv 7x4 APC

The question is, did Ardupilot do something for this to happend or was it just a bad balanced plane that fell in to a stall spin?

I have gone through all the logs (first time digging in APM logs) and from what I can see, it did not reset or reboot, it had 5v all the time and the stall spin is recorded all the way down. Is it possible that the stabilize mode made the spin worse?

Can any of you expert take a glance at the logs to see if the plane reacted strange during my inputs? A stall spin should be corrected with rudder only but I used ailerons (dont ask.. :) ) and probably the APM too as it was in stabilize mode? Thats just making it worse due to the lack of lift from the wings..

Film from recorder: (spin @ 3.35min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1BqU5uAXoU

Attached logs from APM + Tlog from Andropilot

Im working on correcting all the angles and balancing the plane now.

Regards,

Calle

The plane (after the crash!)

2013-04-21_11-19-11.tlog

2013-04-21 14-38 26.log

Replies

Ravi February 21, 2014 at 8:00pm

@Tridgell, I am using arduplane 2.71, when i give level command, i always get error, "ap 2.2+ required" It does levels once in 10 times. but most of the time it gives error. This happens with all the three APM 2.5 I have. but when i connect APM2.5 to USB the level command always works. The problem occurs when i use 3DR for connection. thanx
- Moderator
  
  Graham Dyer > Ravi February 22, 2014 at 12:49am
  
  The latest version is V2.78 and it is really worth upgrading as there are many fixes to bugs and errors in the old code.
  
  It may fly OK but you will be flying with potentially buggy and dangerous code. V2.78 fixes a lot of problems.
  
  (also I don't think Tridge will read this and anyway support for the old code scratchy at best)
John Campen April 29, 2013 at 9:39pm

I want to get the whole 180 from left top right on pan from my camera servos but I only get about about 160 and I don't get the full 180 throw. I have the manual adjustment setup on the two var knobs and I have set the end points in the TX to the max at 145. But I still don't get the full 180 throw for the pan. I also set the max in the gimbal setup Servo limit at 800 and 2200 and Angle limits to 90deg but still dont get the full 180deg throw. Any idea how to fix this?
John Campen April 26, 2013 at 11:07am

This is my first plane build using my APM1 board which I robbed from one of my quads. Ive put this onto a Skywalker 1680. I have an 8CH Rx so I can use the autopilot modes.

So far I got just about every thing working except two main issues.

For some reason as soon as I power it up the motor arms straight afterwards and I cant seem to disarm it. Secondly I set up the 6 flight mode on my T10CAG C & D Swc as the same as I have it set for my Quads.

On the Radio Calibration setup I can see the "Radio 5" bar slide up and down in those 6 positions the same as when it works on my quads. So the radio is putting out the 6 positions and working ok as it should.

But when I go to the Flight Mode page it doesn't translate to move into each 6 flight mode positions one after the other. It jumps to the middle and bottom only.

I am sure this is an issue and the 6 position setup and may be it should be done for CH8 rather than CH5 for the plane? Anyone have a T10CAG setup with 6 flight modes?

Thx in advance. John
Calle April 25, 2013 at 3:34pm

Hey all, I had a little crash - could it be the APM (nooo!) or was it just me/the plane?

I loaded my APM 2.5 with the new 2.71 and took my Twinstar for its maiden flight. I tripple checked everything and the flight started good in manual mode, little windy though and the CG was a bit off. It was a little tail heavy and it wanted to pitch up the nose when lowering the throttle going in to the wind. I turned on stabilize and it was alot smoother. I had the plane on low throttle against the wind (8m/s) almost standing still and was banking left with the ailerons and the plane almost instantly went in to a spin and crashed. The damage was minimal though, it landed on its belly and slammed a prop in the ground bending one motor axle.

Setup; APM 2.5 with separate input/output with jp1 out. 3D Power module driving the input side with GPS, 433mhz telemetry and the Futaba RX. A 4700uf CAP is also attached. On the output a 7.5A UBEC drives 4 servos, OSD, Cam and a 5.8ghz 200mw TX. The GPS is in the tail and the telemetry is out in the wing with a custom dipole antenna. AUW on the heavy side with a 5000mah 3S, 67oz 1600kv 7x4 APC

The question is, did Ardupilot do something for this to happend or was it just a bad balanced plane that fell in to a stall spin?

I have gone through all the logs (first time digging in APM logs) and from what I can see, it did not reset or reboot, it had 5v all the time and the stall spin is recorded all the way down. Is it possible that the stabilize mode made the spin worse?

Can any of you expert take a glance at the logs to see if the plane reacted strange during my inputs? A stall spin should be corrected with rudder only but I used ailerons (dont ask.. :) ) and probably the APM too as it was in stabilize mode? Thats just making it worse due to the lack of lift from the wings..

Film from recorder: (spin @ 3.35min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1BqU5uAXoU

Attached logs from APM + Tlog from Andropilot

Im working on correcting all the angles and balancing the plane now.

Regards,

Calle

The plane (after the crash!)

2013-04-21_11-19-11.tlog

2013-04-21 14-38 26.log
Ravi April 25, 2013 at 7:02am

hi andrew, is there anything available on voltage and current sensor on PX4IO. i have PX4 running with arduplane loaded on it. 3DR is working fine. pitot sensor is working fine. i am not sure which connector to use for current and voltage sensor on PX4IO board.
Luis Carlos Barrios Fedechen April 24, 2013 at 4:52pm

Hi andrew...
congratulation for your works and the dev team of arduplane...!!!

It's possible to help me to add or mod the code for a custom pushbuttom swicht in any free pin on the apm 2.5 for toggle a auto mode...the idea for example is push for 2 second and activate the auto mode and push other 2 second toggle to last mode or manual in this case...i.believe this function help the solo operator for launch and leave your hands freely to launch an not use a rctransmiter for activate an launch..
Manuel Metz April 24, 2013 at 2:16am

Hello Andrew

When are you expecting to release Arduplane 2.72? Really want to check out the L1 Nav-Controller on our 30kg Jet UAV.

Best regards

Manuel
Quadguy April 24, 2013 at 1:00am

Hi Andrew,

I was looking through AHRS_ORIENTATION Option. Currently I am using Arduplane 2.71 on PX4. I want to mount it at -90 degree roll angle. For that I have set AHRS_ORIENTATION to 19 (Roll 270). After rebooting it doesnt not work. Seems that there is coupling between roll and pitch. I have tried AHRS_ORIENTATION to 16 (Roll 90) and it works fine. I have been following https://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/wiki/APM_Parameters#Board_... to set orientation options.
Aami April 22, 2013 at 9:01pm

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your great work! Just letting you know that LAND command doesn't work in non airspeed altitude hold algorithm!

Cheers,

Ami

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