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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Replies

        • MR60

          OK, after reading the same discussion on Google discuss, it seems illogical to not show then the geofence check box with the arming checks check boxes; and then when the user se!ects disable pre arm checks, it should uncheck also the geofence check and show it visually.

          The current way it is managed in 3.3.2 is an undocumented behaviour change versus previous 3.2.x and causes confusion. My proposal is above: be transparent and inform the user with explicit messages in mission planner.

          • Such demands for highly functional firmware that you paid nothing for. My proposal is this; show the developers a little more respect. All of the developers are open to suggestions but the hair goes up when demands are made by novice users. Be kind and enjoy the platform we have been given.
            • MR60

              !? Where do you read disrespect toward developers? Read twice and have some respect yourself for non native English speakers who might not be able to express themselves with your demanding stylistic language nuances. Can you do the same in french ? Go ahead.

              • Please accept my sincere apology. Your English is good enough that I did not recognize or think that you are not a native speaker. One of the things I have enjoyed the most on this forum is the friendly and helpful people from all around the world. I will try to follow my own words and be kind and more understanding before I post.

                Cheers,
                Randy Bachtell
                • MR60

                  Thx happy now :)

            • Bravo !

  • Hello!
    I had 2 smooth fligths with 3.3.2 in Stab/altHold/PosHold, all ekf in green. It was testing flight for our last quadcopter, and we reach our new flight time record: 45min without payload. Behaviour was good even with throttle for hovering as low as 33%, and full throttle in Stab mode was scary, 2.5kg racer is not usual :)
    Next big test is tuning same large quad with regenerative breaking activated on 6S, I guess I will have to lower PIDs...
  • Good Morning (=
    I have done some testing with AC 3.3.2.
    Maybe I found some bug. Maybe.

    1)I attacched 3 compass 1 internal to the PixHawk and 2 to the I2C.
    I can start the compass calibration, but it read only 2 compasses.
    The strange thing is that it seems that the data by external compass 1 and external compass 2 in a certain way interferes with each other.

    If I disconnect one of the I2C connection all work right, and I have no problem with compass calibration.


    2)Landing Gear Function with AC3.3.2.
    If I attach and configure the Landing Gear it happens that at the boot of Pixhawk the Landing gear goeas up.
    After the boot is finished, the Landing Gear goes down.

    But why at the boot the Landing Gear goeas up?
    Maye the PixHawk emit HIGH PWM signal at the boot?

    It happens with Radio ON also with radio OFF.
    So it does not depend by the radio or the switch position.

    I had tryed in so many ways but always the same result: gear up at PixHawk boot.

    • You can not use 3 compasses. The 2 external compasses have the same i2c address [this can not be changed until the makers of the units pull their heads out and allow us to set the i2c address ourselves] and since they both have the same i2c address the flight controller can't control them. Where did you see that it was a good idea to try to use 3 compasses?

      I WISH I could get my gear to go up or down using the hawk. I have to attach mine to my RX directly and just use a switch on my Taranis. Works fine but still annoying.

      • I do not see that is a good idea using 3 compasses XD I simply would like to test. I like to test new things. So after the test I reported it.

        About the landing gear. Any solutions?

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