Having Trouble getting Stabilization to Arm

Hello ArduPlane Experts!

I've got my APM kit all soldered together, firmware downloaded, and connected to my electronics and mission planner on my PC. While its connect to my PC I can move the airplane and the artificial horizon responds appropriately. However, as recommended in the ArduPlane manual, when I check for stabilization correctness prior to launch, the APM does not try to correct for level flight when in stabilization mode.

Steps taken for start-up:

-Set Airplane on level ground and at a level flight inclination with a good view of the sky (for GPS)

-Turn on Radio Tx

-Set Radio Tx's setting for the APM to "Manual"

-Connect Battery to Airplane (which powers Rx, APM, ESC, etc.)

-Wait approx. 2 min until the GPS and APM board's lights stop flashing

-Hold airplane in hand

-Test Tx connection (moving surfaces around/power up&down motor), all is well

-Set Radio Tx's setting for the APM to "Stabilize"

**Note: a blue LED turns on inside the APM when in this mode (Stabilize)**

-Move airplane in hand on 3 axis to test stabilization, but nothing happens.

I guess I'm expecting the control surfaces to "fight" me as I rotate, pitch, or yaw the airplane, in effect trying to stabilize and level of the flight of the airplane, however it's not responding as if there were no APM in the system.

Any hints on what might be wrong?

Thanks!

Quick video showing what I'm doing:

I conducted the complete set-up process again all the way from connecting the rc components to uploading the firmware to the APM to calibrating the radio, etc (see pictures below) and I'm still having the same issue.

I've retained flight mode 6 as manual (as you can't change it anyway) and set stabilize as flight mode 5. While in the flight data section on the mission planner I can see when I change to flight mode 5 (stabilize) and the HUD updates to show that (it changes from "Manual" to "Stabilize" below the altitude vertical bar) but nothing happens to the airplane (i.e. moving it around and it doesn't try to compensate). However, when I move my flight mode to #4 (in my case this is FLY_BY_WIRE_A) the airplane suddenly begins to compensate for my movements as FLY_BY_WIRE_A is designed.

When I then return it to Mode 5 (stabilize) the HUD says stabilize, and it's still compensating for my movements, but I believe it's still in FLY_BY_WIRE_A as I don't hear any servos twitch when it goes to that new mode and in addition when I move my aileron stick the rudder moves as well (which is what I would expect it to do in FLY_BY_WIRE_A mode.)

Also, if I go from Manual to Stabilize, nothing happens. If I then go to FlyByWireA, it responds. If I return to Stabilize, it maintains it's current status. Moving to manual returns to it manual, but then I move it to Stabilize from Manual, nothing happens to the airplane, but the HUD is updated.

I have moved the stabilize from flight mode to be in mode #5 and #4, and when I set the mode on my Tx to #4 it responds to the stabilize mode, but still moves the rudder with aileron inputs.

I haven't flown it yet to confirm this as I wanted to make sure all was well before I put it up in the air.

Is this all expected? Why does my mode #5 not seem to work? Does stabilize mix rudder with the aileron input?

Thank you all for your help!!!

Radio Calibrated:

My current flight mode selections:

HUD Showing Manual:

Replies

Trent at MyGeekShow January 14, 2012 at 3:36pm

I conducted the complete set-up process again all the way from connecting the rc components to uploading the firmware to the APM to calibrating the radio, etc (see pictures below) and I'm still having the same issue.

I've retained flight mode 6 as manual (as you can't change it anyway) and set stabilize as flight mode 5. While in the flight data section on the mission planner I can see when I change to flight mode 5 (stabilize) and the HUD updates to show that (it changes from "Manual" to "Stabilize" below the altitude vertical bar) but nothing happens to the airplane (i.e. moving it around and it doesn't try to compensate). However, when I move my flight mode to #4 (in my case this is FLY_BY_WIRE_A) the airplane suddenly begins to compensate for my movements as FLY_BY_WIRE_A is designed.

When I then return it to Mode 5 (stabilize) the HUD says stabilize, and it's still compensating for my movements, but I believe it's still in FLY_BY_WIRE_A as I don't hear any servos twitch when it goes to that new mode and in addition when I move my aileron stick the rudder moves as well (which is what I would expect it to do in FLY_BY_WIRE_A mode.)

Also, if I go from Manual to Stabilize, nothing happens. If I then go to FlyByWireA, it responds. If I return to Stabilize, it maintains it's current status. Moving to manual returns to it manual, but then I move it to Stabilize from Manual, nothing happens to the airplane, but the HUD is updated.

I have moved the stabilize from flight mode to be in mode #5 and #4, and when I set the mode on my Tx to #4 it responds to the stabilize mode, but still moves the rudder with aileron inputs.

I haven't flown it yet to confirm this as I wanted to make sure all was well before I put it up in the air.

Is this all expected? Why does my mode #5 not seem to work? Does stabilize mix rudder with the aileron input?

Thank you all for your help!!!

Radio Calibrated:

My current flight mode selections:

HUD Showing Manual:
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson January 14, 2012 at 7:19am

Have you gone through the setup process in the MP, including RC calibration?

This reply was deleted.

ArduPlane User Group

Replies