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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              • Developer

                Artem,

                Sorry, yes, you are absolutely right.  The pilot can always control yaw in any flight mode (except Guided maybe?).  This is a bit of a odd ball that we haven't discussed much.  Some pure-ist would say we shouldn't allow yaw control except in manual modes.  Others say that it's convenient because it allows pointing the camera during missions, etc.  Unless you really spin the vehicle around quickly, modifying the yaw doesn't affect the position control during RTL, Auto, etc so it's generally not dangerous to allow the pilot to control the yaw.

                • Good to know. I guess the only potential bad thing about allowing yaw would be if the copter is not tuned properly, motor imbalance, or esc sync issue. Sometimes yawing one direction can cause quick altitude drop or gain depending on direction of yaw.

          • Sorry, I never use Fence yet, but I experimented many time ago if I tried to fly when the copter was trying to RTL i finished inside 2 mts tall sunflowers :O , but less experience them to be shure what happened.

            For my experiences, I have the sensation that, when the copter is in automatic modes, he don't want that human pilot distract him.

            • yeh I use Fence as a "safety net" - it's there in case things get out of hand. Even if you set up a very wide fence well outside of your planned flight distance at least you have one in place. 

              I'm hoping one of the dev's here can set me straight on what may have happened with the control loss after rtl was invoked.

  • Randy: It's possible to add to new vers a prearm check against distracted women safe?

    If the pilot try to take off in an undesirable mode like Land or autotune for ex. prearm check don't allow you to take off?.

    When this can happend? when you have land or autotune in a switch and forgot to unswitch the copter take off completly uncontrolled, autotune goes up and down crazy, fortunetly my copter is designed for that distracted woman and no crash consecuences. :)

    What's mean "Err flight mode 15"?

    Only a detail, 3.3 is nice. Updating to rc1. Thank's

    • Developer

      Cala,

      "Err flight mode 15" would mean that it was unable to enter AutoTune (AutoTune is flight mode #15).  This could happen if the vehicle wasn't in AltHold when you tried to engage AutoTune.

      • Many thank's Randy, that's explain all; I notice that when the copter can't engage one mode, becomes crazy, I observed in 3-4 oportunities, It's possible to change something in code if copter can't engage a mode stays, for ex in the last mode that was flying well and no become crazy? I observe in the two copters and with APM 3.2.1 and 3.3; only to take in mind, we have to pay more attention what we are doing when we fly too ;) .

        • Developer

          Cala, when it can't engage a new mode, it simply remains in the previous flight mode.  There should be no impact on the current flight mode at all, it shouldn't become crazy.  If you're seeing crazy behaviour probably best to provide a dataflash log.

  • Hi folks,

    I'm new to this community and I must say great work done my many here, thank you.

    Quick question. I just upgraded from 3.2.1 to 3.3. How do I turn off the low voltage audible alarm while my Pixhawk is powered by USB without having to set FS_BAT_VOLTAGE to zero then remembering again before flying. It didn't do it in 3.2.1. Voltage does read correctly on the HUD so I don't need to calibrate the device.

    Thanks,

    Bob

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