This is a discussion to focus the feedback and support of ardupilot on the PixRacer board from AUAV.co.
We believe that all teething problems encountered are now resolved and so we recommend people load Copter-3.3.4 which is available for all multicopters through the Mission Planner's (and other GCS's) Install Firmware screens. Note that because regular Pixhawks are still on Copter-3.3.3 the install icon may show Copter-3.3.3 but rest assured, Copter-3.3.4 will be installed (you can check the version by looking at the very top of the Mission Planner).
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Hmm.. not sure this is the same problem. The issue we've found (and mostly fixed) should only occur if you're taking off from AltHold or Loiter mode. It shouldn't happen if you're switching from stabilize to AltHold (or Loiter) in the air.
I guess you've posted a dataflash log of the issue somewhere?
It's been said a few times before, but the underlying problem here is that we're really getting dragged into beta testing before we're ready. You guys are all beta testing (or more accurately "alpha" testing) the Copter-3.4 release. We greatly appreciate your efforts and patience on that.. just wanted to explain that this is not normally how we handle a release.
You ran into the AHR2 bug that causes the copter to fly away when the GPS becomes stable. At 20 I can see from the logs the large roll right caused by the GPS drifting in the opposite direction.
The LED's on the Pixracer are still not working in APM.
Also don't fly that close to your house as this can cause issues for the GPS.
Are you sure that's the GPS bug, and not the bug I have, where my throttle is apparently too low for the flight controller to become active when in alt_hold or any autopilot assisted mode?
Allen said his desired roll didn't show any input, and that's exactly my issue..
PLEASE some dev's look at my chart and logs a few pages back (page 48).. I have definitely uncovered an issue that is not just my copter.. (I have duplicated it w/ a non pixracer flight controller and apm master). (actually, this is the first nice day in a week or so.. maybe I can get another log for you all w/out causing TOOO much costly damage on my copter.. It will crash as soon as I switch to alt_hold, though)
My copter is extremely light and efficient, and when I reach hovering, the flight controller does nothing.. I think it thinks I am still idling. (It's a 250 size quad, and I can hover for 15-20min, to give you an idea of how efficient it is.. I'm pretty sure that's unusual)
Stabilize works fine.. APM 3.3 works fine.
well actually, it's a simple test to see if his issue is the same as mine.. Can you take off from alt_hold and have control when you first start lifting off the ground?
Hi Scott, if this isn't pixracer specific, and you're flying master, then this is probably the best place to report it:
http://discuss.ardupilot.org/c/arducopter/copter34
Thanks on behalf of the rest of us for finding out the crashing bugs first :)
Thanks! that was my next step is posting there..
But I want to get another log first, which a few people have asked me to do.
it's just been raining, and it's scary to do this :).. If I do it close to the ground, it'll be no better than me holding the copter, which my previous logs show.. but if I go in the air, I'm going to break something.
(part of my copter being so efficient, is the frame is light and will not survive a crash, like a racer would)
Even when using less efficient props, this issue is gone.. But I found some AWESOME props (graupner e-props, I'm using 6x3), which are amazingly efficient compared to standard gemfan's, etc. At least for hovering.. which is my goal w/ this.. not sure how they perform at full speed..
And something I think anyone can do to see the issue...
Start in stab, increase your throttle a little... to the point the copter is lighter, but still touching the ground. and ptich forward.. You'll scoot along the ground whatever way you tell it to move. (assuming you're on smooth solid ground.. I'm on a hardwood floor). In 3.3 I can do the same thing in alt_hold.
But, in 3.4, at that level of throttle, pitching forward, rolling right, whatever, does nothing in any mode other than stab.
-edit to say, this is probably only applicable to small, low CG copters like racers.. I wouldn't do this w/ my 700 size copter on tall legs :)!
Alt hold does not work for me at all, trying to take off it just scoots on the ground.
If I take off in stab and change to alt hold i have to throttle all over the place.
I tried to use gps functions and was not working that I could see, but i am really not interested in gps on a racer so never really said much thinking it was because of how I had it mounted.
Andrew,
Can I ask a couple things:
You said "You can avoid it by doing the takeoff in STABILIZE mode and then switching to ALT_HOLD in the air"
Well I'm not really so sure, when I switch the craft starts to sink, i have to move the throttle wildly for it to maintain, something seems odd even switching. Can you test that and see, maybe on a 250 or smaller quad.
Andrew, please if you have time play around with Acro, I have hours of exp. in acro mode on my vortex pro, but with the pixracer it seems "off" where it just wants to plow into the ground if i go forward instead of forward, then when i try to hover again its hard to get centered. Granted, this ver well could be my lack of knowledge with ardupilot/acro pids and it just may be that I have not set it where I am used to it on the vortex.
And lastly does any GPS modes work right now on the pixracer? A couple people here said no gps functions work, same with me, but i did not see where it was confirmed by a dev.
I'm gonna be flying today so I can try again a few things.
Like always, thanks for all the hard work, you guys rock!
Sorry for the troubles and thanks very much to Tridge and Peter Barker for narrowing down where the issue is. Hopefully a fix will be in master soon.
It's all a bit of a drag that the pixracer users are basically flying bleeding edge all the time. Hopefully we can get the official beta testing started soon.
we've tracked down the issue with ALT_HOLD and found it also affects LOITER.
The issue is the new code to detect if the vehicle is landed. It doesn't start to stabilise the vehicle until it thinks you have taken off. So if there is any roll or pitch discrepancy with the vehicle on the ground then the following happens:
it is easy to reproduce once you know its there. It is not pixracer specific.
You can avoid it by doing the takeoff in STABILIZE mode and then switching to ALT_HOLD in the air, or you can instead wait for Randy and Leonard to fix it. I'm sure the fix will be in soon.
The bug seems to have come in as part of the recent re-work of the AP_Motors library.
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