CONTROL MODES (Manual, Stabilize)

Hi,

I have been lately reading the manual on various 'control modes' that APM configuration supports.

This is as per the WIKI manual: (Its not very clear on when they are used)

// If you are using channel 8 for mode switching then FLIGHT_MODE_5 and
// FLIGHT_MODE_6 should be MANUAL.
//#define FLIGHT_MODE_CHANNEL   8
//#define FLIGHT_MODE_1         RTL//#define FLIGHT_MODE_2         RTL//#define FLIGHT_MODE_3         STABILIZE//#define FLIGHT_MODE_4         STABILIZE//#define FLIGHT_MODE_5         MANUAL//#define FLIGHT_MODE_6         MANUAL

// For more modes (up to six), set your switch(es) to produce any of 1165,// 1295, 1425, 1555, 1685, and 1815 microseconds.
I am using ArduPlane code and in my project, I use only 3 channels (Roll, pitch, yaw).
I want to know:1) If we assign modes for each of these channels we use?
2) Why is it that if we use Channel 8, we need to assgined FLIGHT_MODE 5, 6 to MANUAL?
3) How are the PWM values determined (1295, 1425, ... 1815), etc?
4) If I want to use the control channel (as say channel 6), what configuration do
   I need to set now?

Any help from anyone is appreciated.

For the APM1 hardware flight mode 6 engages the hardware PWM multiplexor and this cannot be bypassed with software, so flight mode 6 is always manual. It is recommended and the default that flight mode 5 also be manual, but it can be reassigned to some other mode.

For APM2.x modes 5 and 6 default to manual but can be reassigned.

Using three channels for control really has nothing to do with flight modes, other than you need a fourth channel in your RC setup to use to select the flight mode. The channel numbers in your RC receiver do not need to be the same as the input numbers for APM. For example you could use a four channel receiver and use channel 4 for the flight mode control - just connect the channel 4 output of the receiver to the channel 8 input of APM. The main practical limitation is that on your transmitter you want the flight mode channel to be controlled with a switch or a mix of two switches. For control of 6 flight modes a mix of a 2 position and a 3 position switch is best. The flight mode channel can be set up on a channel with a knob but this is a bit of a problem in practice as it is not always easily apparent from the knob's position what filght mode has been selected.

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Doug Weibel September 24, 2012 at 6:00am

For the APM1 hardware flight mode 6 engages the hardware PWM multiplexor and this cannot be bypassed with software, so flight mode 6 is always manual. It is recommended and the default that flight mode 5 also be manual, but it can be reassigned to some other mode.

For APM2.x modes 5 and 6 default to manual but can be reassigned.

Using three channels for control really has nothing to do with flight modes, other than you need a fourth channel in your RC setup to use to select the flight mode. The channel numbers in your RC receiver do not need to be the same as the input numbers for APM. For example you could use a four channel receiver and use channel 4 for the flight mode control - just connect the channel 4 output of the receiver to the channel 8 input of APM. The main practical limitation is that on your transmitter you want the flight mode channel to be controlled with a switch or a mix of two switches. For control of 6 flight modes a mix of a 2 position and a 3 position switch is best. The flight mode channel can be set up on a channel with a knob but this is a bit of a problem in practice as it is not always easily apparent from the knob's position what filght mode has been selected.

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CONTROL MODES (Manual, Stabilize)

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