hello all i just lost my apm2 in a bixler with the diydrones chassis.
i took off flew through a few batteries and when testing rtl for the first time the plane just seemed lost i don't know if it is because the gps had a bad view in the chassis designed for apm1, and subsequently had a poor signal.... or possibly the rare earth magnets messed up the magometer?
i was using HK GCS because i was using apc220's for telemetry so there are no logs and when i was driving around looking for it (about 3 miles from launch) i could connect on mavlink in hk gcs but i couldnt get fresh coordinates (i actually plugged the coordinated into my phone that it was showing and i ended up driving back to my launch spot wasnt there and no mavlink signal)
I have an APM1 and am extremely apprehensive about putting another autopilot into the plane
interestingly with apm 1 i never had any of these problems rtl a missons worked like a charm....
anyone have a similar experience with apm bixler chassis?
frustrating....
Replies
hatch magnets made my magneto go mad for a week in my bixler!! i had the same issue, in RTL mode plane started to wondering and heading was always pointing -+5 degrees near north (both MP and logs). I removed the magnets, reset the mag, waited for 3-4 days and everything came back to normal. i dont use the bixler chassis, i made one from balsa wood and i put my gps on top for clear veiw, so it must be the mag.
Before you go out to complete a mission make sure that there will be enough satellites in the sky over your position. Especially if you bury electronics. Switching a switch and letting something fly off requires a little more planning than normal RC flying. Could you not have used the Geo Fence option to turn it around? I am not up to speed with Ardu, my Attos allow me RTL based on power consumed, a distance hit or altitude. Why altitude you say, well one particular thermal a couple of years ago dotted out my wing and I thought it was a goner. But altitude in this case rather than distance triggered the RTL.
This is what I check before I go out to fly.
http://www.navcomtech.com/Support/Tools/satellitepredictor/main.cfm
Good luck with your searching, they are always closer than you think. You ought to screen the antenna on your receiver if you can still hear data and work out where the nulls are and look that way.
I would suspect loose of GPS if the APM2 was sitting under the chassis where it is mounted. A remote mounted GPS outside or the APM on the top deck of the chassis would be preferable in that setup. I have read of some APM2 lockups also??
That is a real bummer though hope you get it back.