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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  • Sorry to double post but I wanted to ask this specific question again- I like to fly with just the radio and no GS sometimes, and the more insight I can get into what the copter is doing at the radio the better.  I'm hoping that the mav messages output over FrSky continues to be developed on the ardupilot side. if all of the data exists for transmission then we can bug the OpenTX crew to add support on their side.

    "

    Anyone know if failsafe RTL is sent as the current flight mode parameter over FrSky telemetry output to T1?  I have FrSky telemetry working to my Taranis, and it is set up so it displays the T1 flight mode value from pixhawk on my screen and call it out.  If the copter failsafes to RTL, does that get sent out as the new set flight mode 6 to T1? Or does the flight mode actually not change.  

    If so, then I can set up an alert in the radio if I hit an RTL event.   I was flying with only my radio and no GS so did not know RTL was invoked."

    • I don't know about that specifically but it seems like if you select RTL yourself and then see if it announces it on your TX that will be your answer right?   Or,,, perhaps I don't understand your question probably :]

      I'm having issues with my script with 3.3... it works but has some issues I noticed last night several of the data fields isn't correct or doesn't change. I think they are working on this over here http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/amp-to-frsky-x8r-sport-converter?...

      • No that is not it. I am not talking about selecting RTL manually on Ch5. That is self explanatory, right? :D

        I need to know if RTL is invoked automatically by the FC for whatever reason (fence, voltage etc), if RTL is transmitted as the new flight mode in the same manner (same as manually selecting a flight mode is sent over telemetry to Taranis.)

        • When a failsafe is triggered it changes mode just like if you had manually changed it. So, yes, it will show up as RTL in your Taranis.

          • Francisco, thanks.  So if I set up a Logical switch in Taranis to say, L4 a=x for T1, with a value of 6 (RTL mode), and then set a custom function to call out "RTL Mode" if L4 = 6, it should work right? 

            The only thing odd I saw in OpenTX is for T1, when setting up a Logical switch it only gives you the choice to set numeric degrees Celsius. So I am assuming that the flight mode values coming from AC are just a numeric Celsius value reported to T1.

            Anyway, I'll test it out this next week and report back. 

            • Yeah, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

              Yes, T1 is a temperature, but it doesn't matter, just put 6 there and it should work.
        • re- if RTL is transmitted as the new flight mode in the same manner

          You mean does ardupilot send the RTL verbal to frysky T1 the same as if you did RTL yourself? 

          sorry just trying to clarify so somebody else can let you know. Or... I guess you could set a really safe high voltage fail safe and see what it does. 

           

          • No that is not it- my info should be clear to one of the devs familiar with AC FrSky output, hopefully one of them is monitoring this thread.  AC does not send verbal commands of any kind over FrSky and I never said anything like that. The verbal part is handled inside the Taranis radio settings.

            • My point was is it  reported as RTL when it goes into RTL regardless of what set it to RTL. Yes.. not sure why it wouldn't.. but stranger things have happened. 

  • Another try here:

    A terrible windy day, I take off in stab, then althld, pos hold, a short mission, land from the tablet mode, arm from the tablet- take off-abort and take off again from the Tablet mode, fly in pos hold simple mode, some RTLs, and all works pretty nice :O :D

    Impressive: the first time that I use the m8n, I live in the south cone far from first world so I haven't a lot espectations with this gps, It's fix 16-17 sats with cloudy day :O , I did a mark on the floor, take off-fly far and switch to RTL and the copter landed exact in the same place :O :O ; If It is repeteable, I'm going to make a mark in my club and explain Phantoms pilots why I'm the only crazy woman in the club that prefer a Diy dron with Pixhawk LOL. MANY THAAAAANKKKSSS!!!!!!

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