Help with Pixhawk and TRex dual motor controller

I'm a technology instructor at a new Applied Tech HS setting up a long term rover project and working out the kinks over the summer. I will ultimately be using the Dagu wild thumper and a sabretooth dual brushed esc. for our projects. 

For now, due to time constraints, I picked up a Dagu Rover 5 and a t rex dual motor controller. I've had success setting the rover 5 up as a straight up RC vehicle using a spektrum dx4c rc car controller and receiver.

Given that success, I now want to introduce the 3DR Pixhawk auto pilot and having a difficult time getting it to work. 

Mission planner reads channel inputs but the T Rex isn't seeing the signals and thus no outputs. The T Rex blinks rapidly green. I was able to calibrate channels in the trex calibrate mode but once I reboot with jumper off it isn't responding.

Regardless of where i place outputs on the pixhawk the only channels I get response on are pitch and roll - I've got the mixing jumper in place and wonder if there is an issue there as Pixhawk would do the mixing? Regardless with or without the mixing jumper, I'm not getting any signal to the trex.

I assume the trex should remain in rc mode? or would this be an analog input?
I'm using a Spektrum system (PWM) and the PPM converter sold by 3DR.
Not clear which channels on the PPM converter correlate to the necessary channels for driving the rover with a surface controller. If easier I can change to a 6 channel air system and use right stick.
Also a bit unclear what servo wires I need from T rex to pixhawk aside from 1 and 2 as it would seem that pixhawk is taking over for sending signals for mode, etc. 

I have a lot of experience with the Pixhawk on multicopters but a bit confused with the rover clearly.

Any help greatly appreciated


You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Email me when people reply –

Replies

    • thanks for that tip Thomas!

      I've done a lot of mission planning for air vehicles. Does the rover require a "take off" command in the script or will throttle initiate?

      Seriously can't thank you enough for the rapid response!

    • Admin

      Steven,

      When you go into the Auto Mode the navigation controller will apply throttle up to the CRUISE_THROTTLE value (%) you have set to reach the CRUISE_SPEED (m/s) that you have set.. You can use the THR_SLEWRATE parameter to set the rate at which the throttle is ramped towards the CRUISE_THROTTLE value.

      ArduRover2 full parameter values are here Link

      Regards,

      Tom C AVD

    • thanks once again.

      Compass variance error seems to be causing auto mode to behave oddly - compass is spinning slowly though I have calibrated several times. I've also tried manual declination setting without luck.

      googled it but not certain what is causing it to make wide lazy circles!

    • Compass variance error persists.

      I've tried placing a copper shield underneath the pixhawk and elevating the gps/compass to no avail.

      I've swapped gps/compass module and tried another i2c cable for the compass and same result. 

      I originally thought it was only occurring when powered by a lipo and not when connected via USB but that is actually not the case.

      Are there actually 2 compasses used with the Pixhawk and 3dr GPS unit? It seems that when my vehicle turns the compass reacts but when the gps module turns it doesn't. 

      After further noodling, it seems that sometimes the compass works and other times not so much!

      I had it tracking an autonomous route that seemed to weave a bit, at times losing its way and circling. 

      Also tried increasing speed but still crawls. I had 2 m/s speed and increased throttle % to 50% as a start point and then increased to 10 m/s with no change in actual speed or ramp to speed.

      scratching head vigorously...

This reply was deleted.