Developer

Copter-3.3 beta testing

Warning #1: an issue has been found with Tower's Pause button which can cause the vehicle to fly to an old position if the vehicle has not sent a position update to Tower in some time.

Warning #2: Copter-3.3.2 fixes a bug found in Copter-3.3.1's desired climb rate initialisation which could lead to a sudden momentary drop when switching from Stabilize or Acro to AltHold, Loiter or PosHold.

Warning #3: Copter-3.3.2 fixes an issue found in Copter-3.3.1 which could lead to hard landings in RTL or AUTO if the WPNAV_SPEED_DN was set too high (i.e. >400 or 4m/s) and/or the WPNAV_ACCEL_Z was set too low (i.e. <100 or 1m/s/s).

Warning #4: a bug was found in Copter-3.3 which could cause a sudden crash if you abort a Take-off initiated from a ground station.  Video description is here.  The bug is fixed in Copter-3.3.1 so we recommend upgrading.

Note #1: AC3.3-rc8 corrected a long standing bug in the HDOP reporting.  HDOP values will appear about 40% lower than previously but this does not actually mean the GPS position is better than before.
Note #2: if upgrading from AC3.2.1 the vehicle's accelerometer calibration needs to be done again.
Note #3: set SERIAL2_PROTOCOL to "3" and reboot the board to enable FrSky telemetry like in previous versions.
Note #4: the wiki will be updated over the next few weeks to explain how to use the new features

Copter-3.3.1 is available through the mission planner.  The full list of changes vs AC3.2.1 can be see in the ReleaseNotes and below are the most recent changes since AC3.3.

Sadly this version (and all future versions) will not run on the APM2.x boards due to CPU speed, flash and RAM restrictions.

Changes from 3.3:

1) Bug fix to prevent potential crash if Follow-Me is used after an aborted takeoff

2) compiler upgraded to 4.9.3 (runs slightly faster than 4.7.2 which was used previously)

Changes from 3.3-rc11:

1) EKF recovers from pre-arm "Compass variance" failure if compasses are consistent

Changes from 3.3-rc10:

1) PreArm "Need 3D Fix" message replaced with detailed reason from EKF

Changes from 3.3-rc9
1) EKF improvements:
    a) simpler optical flow takeoff check
2) Bug Fixes/Minor enhancements:
    a) fix INS3_USE parameter eeprom location
    b) fix SToRM32 serial protocol driver to work with recent versions
    c) increase motor pwm->thrust conversion (aka MOT_THST_EXPO) to 0.65 (was 0.50)
    d) Firmware version sent to GCS in AUTOPILOT_VERSION message
3) Safety:
    a) pre-arm check of compass variance if arming in Loiter, PosHold, Guided
    b) always check GPS before arming in Loiter (previously could be disabled if ARMING_CHECK=0)
    c) sanity check locations received from GCS for follow-me, do-set-home, do-set-ROI
    d) fix optical flow failsafe (was not always triggering LAND when optical flow failed)
    e) failsafe RTL vs LAND decision based on hardcoded 5m from home check (previously used WPNAV_RADIUS parameter)

Thanks for your testing!

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  • Hello
    has just I made a new quad, gave new engines TM 4006 380kv and propeller TM 15/5, all on Pixhawk and Ublox M8N, total weight, with battery, 6s10000 mAh came 2600gr, I hover at 30%. Ive loaded the latest soft 3.3 RC9 and ran autotiun, the effect is not very good in the axis of pith in stabilize, very dangerous overshots in the roll axis is better but also swings, poor wind resistance, What did I do wrong? I set the parameter MOT_THST_EXPO, at 0.75 introduced the max and minimum voltage parameter AUTOTUNE_AGGR, I left unchanged ie 0.1. I enclose a flight log

    LOG

    Log.bin

    2015-08-26 15-52-28.log
    LOG File
    • Developer

      Lukasz,

      So like it mentions in Note #1 of the discussion header above, could you give the vehicle a fly with AC3.2.1 first?  That will allow us to separate the vehicle issues from the firmware issues.

      • Hi, this is not the new quad, I changed engines and propellers, FC Pixhack flew from AC 3.1.5 successfully on old engines and propellers 12 " on 3.3 rc5 had the best flying quad so far. The propellers 15" also flew but earlier on AC 3.2 autotiun always gave convulsions, and had to reduce pids. Relative to old construction quad applied the other engines TM 4006 380kv propeller remained unchanged, I did a test on a small propellers 13 'and quad flew almost perfectly on the basic parameters change on target propeller 15 has caused these problems. That's why I was hoping look in the log, and advise me what I have to change in the settings to autotiun gave as good results as on propellers 13 ".With the new engine / propellers quad is flying nearly 60 minutes. 

        In summary, I have no errors, everything works properly, tests AutoTune to check the progress of the new version on different configurations, except for that matter to check the operation at the largest possible number of different configurations
        Best regards

        • Developer

          Lukasz,

          I had a look at the logs and although I'm far from an expert on tuning, it seems to be controlling it's attitude very well.  I haven't checked all the parameter of course but the main ones like THR_MID seem to be set correctly.

          It's quite a powerful copter so perhaps the Throttle Rate or Throttle Accel P and I could be reduced a bit.

          The vibration levels are a bit higher than my IRIS but still mostly within the acceptable range and there's no clipping happening.

          Nice long flight time by the way!

          • Hi, thank you very much for checking the Log and for advice. I will try to play with the parameters Throttle Rate, or Throttle Accel P and I, and carried out again autotiun. Not only gives me peace parameter MOT_THST_EXPO I do not know how well that it changed from 0.5, propeller 15 "supposed to be 0.70 is 0.76 wrote DEV LeonardtHall, but these engines are very light weighing only 66gr while standard engines by a propeller weigh from 90 to 140gr even weight gives the inertia and here it is much smaller, on the other hand it gives a torque. Do not know if this parameter has a significant impact on the property and behavior on the fly whether to give 0.5 standard and only play with the parameters Throttle?
            Best regards

            • Hi today I let the autorun again, I updated to AC3.3 rc 10. In the platform, added gimbal with GoPro, I lifted the weight change a parameter, THR_MID to 32%, and MOT_THST_EXPO changed from 0.75 to 0.65. After these changes finally my kopter is flying like a dream, ended overshoot in the pitch axis, you will see that it is doing nicely in the wind, the sensitivity rate is much higher than previously set. Super soft great job !!. I enclose log

              LOG.bin

              2015-08-31 12-03-25 3.bin
              • Developer

                Thanks Lukasz,

                Based on the feedback so far and looking at the range of measurement results I have on hand, I am thinking that 0.65 should be very close for most copters.

                Thanks for the feedback and data point!!

  • Is there a typo in this note?

    Note #4: set SERIAL2_PROTOCOL to "3" and reboot the board to enable FrSky telemetry like in previous versions.

    MissionPlanner Options for SERIAL2_PROTOCOL:        

    1: GCS Mavlink 2: Frsky D-PORT

    I assume that "2" would be the correct value, am I right?

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