ArduBoat Project + (Problems with AutoMode) [SOLVED in Page 3]

Dear all,

After an earlier post (12/OCT/2015) related to Pixhawk, I present you now the results of a first trial with ArduBoat. First, we constructed a simple platform and did some trials with RC in a swimming pool.

This week we did some tests in a lake near Asuncion, Paraguay. The catamaran performed well in Manual Mode (has good steering and has enough propulsion to move in windy conditions).

The problem is when we put it in Automatic Mode. It seems that the waypoints are not read by the Pixhawk and when in Auto Mode is directed to the same place (is likely to be directed to a waypoint other than the loaded, however, in the LOGS, we didn't find any Waypoint, and less the ones introduced by ourselves).

When reading out the logs, it seems that our planned waypoints were not taken into account by the Pixhawk. We would be very grateful if anyone of you could help us decipher why it behaves this way. For this reason I attached my Logs.

Here are some images from the Mission Planer with the Waypoints loaded and the Path that took the Boat.

The Red Points were the Launching Points.

For the first trials we launched the platform from the A point and it didn't went to the waypoints, but, instead, went to B point. In a second attempt, we launched it from the B point and it went to the C point. So we decided to launch the platform from another location D to see to which direction it would navigate. In this launch, the platform went on a straight line to location E. Then we decided to do a second launch from the F point, initially directing the platform to different direction than E point, but surprisingly it turned itself in order to head again towards location E. It seemed to us like the platform was heading to an ´imaginary´ point somewhere far away!

Apparently the Pixhawk has only recorded the GPS points when he was Armed. Is that how it works? I should only load the Waypoints when he's Armed?

All recommendations will be very welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards.

Esteban Caligaris

Paraguay

199.rar

199.kmz

Replies

- Esteban Caligaris > Darius Jack January 13, 2016 at 11:03am
  
  Hi there Darius.
  Thanks for the congratulations. But it's not a succesfull project yet. I hope I find the root of the problems I'm having.
  It's a very noisy boat but it works good. Here is a Video of the testing in Manual Mode. My Catamaran has 90 cm long and it's made from 100 mm PVC Pipes. The noise from the propulsion system depends a lot from the propeller size, mine is an APC 10x4,7 SF.
  
  Also here are some photo from the steering system.
  
  Regards.
  Esteban Caligaris
  
  Dropbox - Error
  
  Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again!
- Darius Jack > Esteban Caligaris January 13, 2016 at 11:14am
  
  Dear Esteban,
  
  your steering design is affected by gyroscope effect, generated by your propulsion fan (large diameter rotating ring at large RPM speed).
  
  So you need to replace servo by step motor.
  
  Please read this thread on implementing autopilot for a small power boat
  
  http://diydrones.com/group/arduboat-user-group/forum/topics/autopil...
  
  Please open this page
  
  "
  
  excellent Autopilot solution for you by
  
  OnTack3 Assisted Steering by AG Leader
  
  http://www.agleader.com/products/guidance-steering/ontrac3/
  
  You can watch videos on Youtube."
  
  Exactly, power steering autopilot for farm truck.
This reply was deleted.
- Esteban Caligaris January 15, 2016 at 8:41am
  
  So, this was what the Auto Analysis of the Log from the Mission Planner gave me back:
  
  Autotune = NA -
  Test: Balance/Twist = NA -
  Test: Brownout = GOOD -
  Test: Compass = FAIL - Large change in mag_field (297.24%)
  Min mag field length (100.68) < recommended (120.00)
  
  Test: Dupe Log Data = GOOD -
  Test: Empty = GOOD -
  Test: Event/Failsafe = GOOD -
  Test: GPS = WARN - Min satellites: 6, Max HDop: 3.84
  Test: IMU Mismatch = FAIL - Check vibration or accelerometer calibration. (Mismatch: 1.70, WARN: 0.75, FAIL: 1.50)
  Test: Parameters = GOOD -
  Test: PM = NA -
  Test: Pitch/Roll = NA -
  Test: Thrust = NA -
  Test: VCC = GOOD -
  
  Does this means that my compass and accelerometer are faulty?
  
  Regards
  
  Esteban Caligaris
- David Boulanger > Esteban Caligaris January 15, 2016 at 8:51am
  
  It means your boat is vibrating to much, your compass is getting interference and Your GPS did not have a good lock on satellite's
  
  Regards,
  
  David R. Boulanger.
- David Boulanger > David Boulanger January 15, 2016 at 9:26am
  
  You need to isolate the boat vibration from your controller in some way and get your compass isolated from what ever it is close to giving you the problem.
  
  Regards,
  
  David R. Boulanger
- Esteban Caligaris > David Boulanger January 15, 2016 at 9:24am
  
  Ok. Thanks David.
  
  And how can I solve this problem? Because the boat vibrates from the movement of the waves.
  
  Will this be the reason why the boat is not going to the waypoints?
  
  Regards
  
  Esteban Caligaris
- David Boulanger > Esteban Caligaris January 15, 2016 at 9:55am
  
  I'm sorry for maybe not being clear. The vibration problem is high frequency vibrations caused by the propeller .
  
  Regards,
  
  David R. Boulanger
- Esteban Caligaris > David Boulanger January 15, 2016 at 10:10am
  
  @David Boulanger
  
  Thanks for your time.
  
  Regards
  
  Esteban Caligaris
- Esteban Caligaris > Esteban Caligaris January 18, 2016 at 6:01am
  
  Hello everybody.
  
  So, my friend was analyzing my Logs and he found this about the Yaw:
  
  AHR2 - Yaw:
  
  ATT - Yaw:
  
  EKF1 - Yaw:
  
  And the HDop Logs from the GPS are these:
  
  Could have been these the reasons of my troubles?
  
  Thanks for all.
  
  Regards
  
  Esteban Caligaris
- Esteban Caligaris > David Boulanger January 15, 2016 at 10:03am
  
  Ok. Thanks David.
  
  These are my reading from the Accelerometers:
  
  X:
  
  Y:
  
  Z:
  
  Regards
  
  Esteban Caligaris

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