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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            • Did you try on another pc?

              • Yup. but no worries. I tried the SD card out of my other hawk. I tried booting holding the safety switch. I tried different computers, different usb cables, and different hubs and what not. Just waiting on the RMA to send it back and be done with it and will start again when he replacement gets here.

                • Ups!! , it's horrible when you can't find a solution; at first I reset to default as you, but what I do now when I want to reset settings, I use reset to default button as Randy recommends; first i save old settings and them I use compare button and check only modes, batteries and that standard settings not to have to program all again...vague woman ;) , perhaps this helps  the following time you want to reset settings.

                  • Well my solution was my vendor is sending me a new board without even having to send the old board back.

                    I really do not think the old board is salvageable though. I took the board out of the case and while I was trying a FTDI a part on the board got so hot it burned my finger so whilst inititally it seemed it was simply a software issue, it soon became a hardware issue as the IMU lights no longer come on [except for one flickering really dimly] and windows no longer sees the com/usb port at all.

                    Just glad all this happened on the bench and not in the air :)

                  • Try this. Connect the USB cable to the PC and to pixhawk, at the same time connect to the port telemetry, programmer ftdi. In this way saved their fc, despite the lack of detection by USB, fc was detected by FTDI and fw be received any fc came to life. You need to check what port you will have to choose, I do not remember if I picked com usb or com ftdi

            • It may not be the reason but did you chck if sd card is in the slot?
              I had similar issue couple of times when sd card would lose connection and no usb device would appear in windows.
        • Hi, I had the same problem ever best and simplest is under ubuntu to flash with apm planner.

          just plug in flash process start and important if you do not want the USB pull but push the reset button the rest kinds Pixhawk 

  • Having an unusual issue with all motors spiking in throttle after SECOND arming event. The problem goes as follows. 

    -  Quad plugged in. 

    -  All Pre-arm checks passed

    -  Arm Safety switch depressed

    -  Quad armed via Tx and flown with no issue

    -  Land and disarm via Tx (Without depressing Arm safety switch. Switch remains illuminated as steady red)

    -  Immediately after arming again all motors spike to 50% power.

    -  When Tx throttle moved slightly above low point and quickly back to low all motors respond as expected and I am able to takeoff from there without any problems. 

    Any subsequent attempts to takeoff following the above sequence repeats the problem continuously. If i unplug everything and then start from step 1, the first takeoff is always as expected. The problem only occurs on the second takeoff event as described. The included photo is from the log file showing a graph of my throttle input to capture the motor runaway and bring them back to low for normal takeoff. This problem presents itself regardless of the flight mode used during takeoff. Acro and Stabilize

    Ps: Previous issue with stability solved. Quad gimbal flex was causing High frequency oscillations (above what pixhawk can measure?). Auotune did its job and provided the highest PID possible while minimizing issues. Once the Gimbal twisting issue was solved autotune PID's provide a rock solid multi-rotor. Excellent job guys.

    armissue.jpg

    https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3702054973?profile=original
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