This is very confusing. I'm trying to setup an F550 hexcopter using the Pixhawk PX4.  The Pixhawk website has a link to Qgroundcontrol 2.0 which is what they seem to want used.  However at 3D Robotics, who sells the PX4, they seem to favor APM:Copter which seems to be a competing but incompatible suite of software.   At first I thought that was only for the Arducopter but it looks like that works for either the PX4 or APM so so which do I use?  So far Qgroundcontrol is a non-starter and won't work in Windows 7 or 8 and when I went to the APM download page I couldn't even figure out what I needed so I'm not getting off to a very good start.  Can anyone list the pros and cons of each software package and recommend one or the other, assuming either one can ever be made to work or is there something else that's better?  Thanks.

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            • Thanks Craig! Sorry I was referring to the px4 code.

              Thanks for the link, I'll have a good look at it.

              All the best.

              • Developer

                If you are running PX4 code then QGC works better, but you don't get the same mapping features

                • So QGC for setup and calibration of PX4 coded Pixhawk, then go to Mission Planner to... plan survey mission ?

                  • I'm interested in any responses to this too.  I like the QGC interface better and would like to tinker with the PX4 firmware, but can't give up the grid functionality and other stuff that QGC doesn't have, but Mission Planner does.

                • Thanks Craig I'll Check it out.

    • I am a Linux user. But it seems APM Planner does not upload Pixhawk native software by default. Where can I find the source code?

      • Developer

        You can use the load custom firmware option in either Mission Planner or APM Planner to load the native PX4 code.  The files to load can be found here http://pixhawk.org/firmware/downloads

        • Thank you Craig! Can MP or APM Planner also configure the native PX4 code, like calibrating the RC and setting the failsafe? I have tried but it seems they can not. Another question is that where can I find the corresponding source code of the files provided by http://pixhawk.org/firmware/downloads? I want to read the source code since at some point I need to add a custom flight mode.

          • Developer

            >>>Can  MP or APM Planner also configure the native PX4 code

            You can read and set parameters but don't expect a nice GUI.

            If you want to know about the native code start here http://pixhawk.org/users/first_steps and here https://github.com/PX4

            I have to ask though unless you are a researcher, why do you want the native code?

            • Thanks for your answer. I need to grab sensors data, do fusion and send back data/control signal to the FMU. I am not quite sure how deep should I dive yet but it seems at least I have to control the throttle and torque directly. So I need to know how it is done and how to modify that.

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