I've attached the log of a Pixhawk I have which came with my first drone. It experienced a few crashes while I was very inexperienced. After my last crash with this copter I began to suspect that the fault was with the Pixhawk and not me (I know, I know, that's what all the beginners say). This was 4 months ago and I've had a bit more experience with other craft now and I would like to be able to confirm what the issue was.
I've had the Pixhawk plugged in to USB again to check it out. When I move it from one orientation to another, flat to on it's side (90 degree change), it takes almost exactly 3 seconds for the flight display in Mission Planner to match. My movement is quick, and it's response is quick at first, but then the last 20ish degrees of change are slow and gradual. Is this normal? I haven't done a side by side comparison, but it seems the other autopilots I have are as quick as my movements.
One of the issues I had with the copter was in Stabilize mode. In a hover it wouldn't stay still, I would need to be continually correcting so that it wander. This was inside, so wind wasn't an issue, and it was in varying directions, so it wasn't a trim issue.
These are the things that make me not want to try it out again, but I would like to find a way to figure out exactly what's wrong. Is it just vibrations and a newbie pilot who doesn't know what he's looking for? Or is there something faulty with the board. Is there a way I can test the accelerometers and gyros themselves? Thanks for helping me out.
Replies
Stabilise mode, which normally operates without the use of GPS or other assistive technologies like optic-flow, sonar, lidar, or radar will always have "drift" or "wander". That's just how it works. If you want the copter to hold it's 3D position in space, then you need one of those other things I mentioned. GPS is great for outdoors, whereas the combo of optic-flow and sonar is great indoors.
That makes sense. So do you think I can move forward with the autopilot and trust the IMU on the board?