I have had a very frustrating weekend working on my Octorotor. I ran into some strange issues with Mission Planner and wireless telemetry.
I had not flown my Octorotor in a while, so I started with the same configuration that I had previously flown (APM2.0 with 2.9.1b firmware). I pulled everything out, set it up, and started testing. I updated Mission Planner when it suggested that I do so. Then, I turned on the Octorotor and connected over wireless telemetry with no issues. I flew a couple of times in this configuration. I then started making some modifications to the camera setup. I headed to bed and woke up this morning looking forward to a fun day of flying. I tried starting Mission Planner and it would not start. I kept getting an error that just gave me the option to close the program or let Windows search for a solution. No big deal, I checked the forms and uninstalled and reinstalled. Mission Planner now started, but this was a short lived victory because I have not been able to get the wireless telemetry working since this latest installation. It keeps getting stuck saying "Getting Params.. (sysid 1 comid 1)" and nothing I have done has chanced this situation.
I have now updated to 3.0.1 firmware spent many hours testing each piece of the hardware puzzle isolated from the rest of the system and even beat my head on a table a few times for good measure, but nothing has brought back wireless telemetry. I have read every article I could find on this issue (most citing the same error) and tried everything that was suggested in these articles, but nothing has fixed my problem. After spending all day testing, I am confident that the problem now lies either with Mission Planner or APM2.0 and is most likely a software issue (all of the hardware checked out multiple times in multiple checks).
Things that are working
- The Octorotor is flyable using my Futaba transmitter (Stabilized and Alt Hold tested so far with new firmware)
- The OSD is working (I am receiving the live telemetry updates on the video)
- I can connect to the APM in Mission Planner over USB
Here is the setup that I am working with right now
- APM 2.0 running the latest 3.0.1 firmware
- Mission Planner 1.2.82 build 1.1.5033.11289
- Windows 7 Ultimate x64
- Lenovo Laptop
- Express Card Dual Serial Adapter
- Digi Extend 900MHz serial modems
- MinimOSD
- 5.8GHz Video Transmitter
- GoPro HERO 2
- Futaba Receiver
I have included a link to a video I recorded of the connection process and the error that I got at the end of it.
I am not new to UAV's and have an extensive background in this area, but I have reached the limits of my skill set, I am not a programmer. =) Please, if anyone has seen this issue and has any more suggested solutions I can try or if anyone can look into this issue from the software side it would be greatly appreciated!
Replies
skydog,
the mission planner isn't getting 2 way comms. data is getting to MP but data MP is sending is failing to get to the AP.
Check the connections.
in MP folder.
delete ArdupilotMegaPlanner10.exe.config
and it will be fixed
There was/is a problem with the v1.2.82 update of MP, starting with the program crashing on start (http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/just-updated-mp-and-now-it-crashe...).
I fixed it by downloading the latest version here then deleting the contents of "APM Planner" folder but not "gmapcache" and "logs" and anything else I created in it and then copying the contents of the downloaded zip back into the "APM Planner".
From that thread though the fix is to start "missionplanner.exe" and not "ArdupilotMegaPlanner10.exe"