Latest APM firmware = loss of functionality

Hi all and happy new year...!

 

After many weeks of not touching my APM equipped Skyfun, I hooked it up to my netbook today and loaded on the latest firmware dated (Dec 27) as well as moving from Arduino 21 to 22. I noticed the config.h had a lot less parameters in by default, so I re-added the half a dozen or so from my then current config.h (Cruise speed, Max pitch, Max roll etc etc). The code compiled and uploaded fine and a quick test via the CLI of GPS, IMU, Gyro, APS, Airspeed and Radio modes showed all was good.


After disconnecting from USB, switching to fly mode and resetting, everything came alive as normal but flicking the radio mode switch from manual to stabilize no longer seems to enable stabilization. Similarly, my third mode, RTL, does nothing. In these two modes I have no throttle control (motor remains off) and no pitch or roll control, but the APM seemingly does nothing either (although under my IMU shield, I see the amber light coming on on the APM when switching from manual to the APM assisted modes. Re-checking my radio modes via CLI test shows and clean and correct switch between modes Manual -> Stabilize -> RTL.


I've reset and re-uploaded several times to no avail. Has there been a change to to code that requires me to enable the stabilisation and RTL somewhere...?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Rupert

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Replies

  • I don't know if this helps but when I added the code to enable battery monitoring I was getting the GCS saying the mode was continually switching between two. removed the code and this stopped.
  • Hi chaps,

     

    Seems like a defect slipped through. These things happen and we can all thank Chris and the APM team for their proactiveness in replying to this thread.

     

    As soon as I noticed the problem, I reverted to my previous firmware and all was well, so I knew I didn't have a hardware fault. Abishek, I too noiticed the change in baud from 38400 to 115200, but it was clear that communications between my netbook and the APM were fine as I could upload without issue and the CLI was working as expected.

     

    I uploaded the Dec 27 firmware again and then I made a factory reset of my APM and reconfigured my radio. Still no joy. That's when I came to the forums.

     

    Looks like it's identified as an issue. Let's wait for Chris and the guys to see what they can find.

  • Chris, I can confirm that the previous version you linked to in your reply worked first time with a basic config.h (GPS line uncommented only).

     

    Thanks for your proactive response to my initial query and good luck debugging the issue.

     

    Kind Regards,

     

    Rupert

  • yes even i have had similar issues with the new code , thankfully im only running simulations right now .

    After loading the new code the first thing i noticed was the change in baud rate for the comm utility , fine i dealt with that .

    next in the sim (Xplane) , mode switching was initially messed up tried it after  re doing the setup process and the switching registered , the only problem is the attitude of the aircraft is all crazy , the throttle controls sometimes simply decides to dip low on the run way itself ...fixed that with the gains ... 

    next when i switch to stabalize the aircraft does everything but that , it tries to do loops , banks hard , flops over , spirals (wonder if i can submit the wing trails as a T3 , cuz they are quite epic and trippy)

    RTL also is erratic , it tries to turn around and head home , but i have to  correct for a lot of bad banks and altitude drops .

     

    Have no clue whats going on.

  • Hi Martin,

     

    What you describe is exactly what I am seeing. Funnily enough, whilst waiting for the zipfile of the previous release to extract, I did a reset and stabilize worked...! To see if it was luck, I reset again and now it doesn't work again. Same as before, I flight to stabilize, I get a small defelction of the starboard elevon and that's it.

     

    Off to try previous release now.

  • 3D Robotics

    No. there should be no change to any of that, unless I screwed something up.

     

    Can you compare it with the previous release?

  • Just to add a futher element of detail, if I leave the USB connected, switch from fly mode and reset, the following initialisation sequence is seen in the CLI:

     

    Init ArduPilotMega 1.0

    freeRAM: 3962
    <startup_IMU_ground> Warming up ADC...
    <startup_IMU_ground> Beginning IMU calibration; do not move plane
    <startup_IMU_ground> Calibration complete.
    MSG: reset_control_switch5
    Reinitializing GPS
    MSG: <init_home> init home
    home alt = 44291
    Reinitializing GPS

    The B (amber) and C (red) LEDs on the IMU shield remain on and steady from this point forwards.

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