Hello, I'm new to ArduPlane and need some help with the RTL function. I recently bought APM 2.5 and the supplied power module for the sole purpose of the RTL function on my long range FPV plane. I am using the supplied 3DR GPS. I've followed the procedures online for the proper setup using ArduPlane V2.73. I attached the APM to my plane and ensured proper servo direction/movement in manual and stabilize mode, it worked perfectly. Then I checked servo direction/movement in RTL. I noticed that the elevator moved in the pitch up direction and the ailerons moved in the roll left direction every time I switched th RTL. I assumed that the plane was trying to gain altitude and fly around the home location. I did notice that the elevator and ailerons stayed in the pitch up and roll left directions regardless of aircraft attitude and direction with small deviations (in the correct directions) while changing attitude and direction, but I thought maby I was over thinking the situation. Time for test flight. I launched the aircraft in manual mode it flew very nice. I switched to stabilize and it flew great, like it was on rails. Time for RTL. I ascended a bit and flipped the switch. You guessed it, the plane rolled violently to the left the throttle turned off and it piched up, creating a rolling dive. I had time to flip to manual and save it. I landed the plane, thought about the situation and reset the APM by unplugging and repowering the unit to reset the leveling. After GPS lock I made a second flight and retested everything. Manual works good, stabilize works great, and RTL, rolling dive (into huge briar patch). I know shame on me for trying again. So here's the weird part. I get the plane home to evaluate the situation. Servos all were correct oreintation in all modes, so I dont think it's the servo direction. I've tried two different TX/RX combos with the same results (also played with trim settings), its not the transmitter or reciever. I unplugged APM from the plane all togeather, and ran in simulation mode with X-Plane 10 (with both TX/RX combos) can you believe it SAME RESULTS IN SIMULATION MODE, rolling left, dead throttle, pitch up dive in RTL mode. I've tried the ArduPlane level in both manual level on and off. I've tried an older version of the ArduPilot software V2.68 with the same results. I've eliminated the plane, the software version, the auto leveling, and the TX/RX combo from the equation. To my knowledge I've used all the default settings on everything. Please help I dont know what to do next. Sorry for being a noob, and thanks for any help. You guys are awsome, and my heros.
P.S. I don't have the telemetry kit so I dont know if any data was stored from the flights, and I powered the unit off and on so many times that day I dont know if I could figure out which one it was.
Replies
Very strange. The fact that it's happening in the sim, too, is almost certainly a configuration problem. What do you have the default altitude and relative/absolute settings on in the Mission Planner? And does it in fact show that "Home" is where you launched from?
These are the defaults: