Like some folks have said in one of the crash threads I much prefer to take off and land in stabilize mode. Gives me more positive control and takes away some of the issues that seem to occur with the automatic systems engaged near ground.
To do this I have redefined the 3rd flight mode from "Auto" to "Stabilize", keeping "Std" as AltHold and the second position as Loiter. But how can I run an auto mission then except by reversing this to designate switch position #3 back to Auto? Is there a way to do a mix or somesuch and define another switch to throw to get to auto mode without having to delete one of the other modes?
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Matt, I have not flown an auto mission yet so pardon my naievete'. But I thought you programmed it via MP or Tower (Ardupilot), then flipped the TX switch to auto on the ground or whilst flying to actually engage the mission. So I assume you are talking about running an auto mission purely from the phone or PC with the TX turned off? If so, is there a way to re-engage the TX and take manual control if there is a problem? It seems if you had engaged ithe mission with the auto switch on the TX one could go back to manual simply by flipping the switch to one of the other modes.
You can take off with the transmitter in Loiter or stabalize mode if that makes you feel more comfortable and then switch into Auto from your laptop, phone, or tablet running MP or DP. At any time while it is in auto, if you flip the switch on your TX it will go to that flight mode and you have control. It works well. I usually do not even use the TX at all on takeoff but I will flip into Loiter mode on landing if I am not in a wide open area.
Hope that helps...
Yes, that helps. Need to get out and try it but flying time is still being hampered by weather. Snow is done for the year but now wind. I'd like some more benign conditions for practicing.
Channel 5, which is controlled by two switches, the three position switch which you are talking about, and the two position switch which is RTL, can be reprogrammed these to six different modes. Go in to Mission Planner and Standard Parameters and you will see that there are six possibilities. By default they are STD (Position Hold), LTR, Auto, RTL, RTL,and RTL. The last three are for the two position switch down. I have changed mine to: Altitude Hold, Position Hold, Auto, Stabilize, Drift and RTL. From Altitude hold (STD) all I have to do is switch the "RTL" switch down to have Stabilize and so on, both switches down is RTL. I hope this helps.
Excellent, Jack, thanks. Simple to set up... now I just need to decide which modes I want where and how to remember what's what whilst flying. I also need to research th edifferences between PosHold and loiter (does it make sense to have both?) and what exactly drift mode does. But the switch setup info was just what I was looking for.
I also came across one other interesting setting for action on channel 8. I was thinkign to set that to simple or super simple for a bailout if flipping that would then engage SS regardless of mode.
Ray,
On the subject of flight modes check out this link for a description of the various Modes:
http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/flying-arducopter/flight-modes/
It appears that Switch 8 for Simple Mode will override some modes, but possibly not all. Check out this thread on that subject:
http://diydrones.com/group/iris/forum/topics/can-simple-mode-be-inv...
I'm in the same boat with the weather, its been raining for a week and looks like it will continue for another. There are some good things about being close to the Gulf coast (mild weather), but some not so good (mild wet weather).
I just went back and carefully reread the Flight Mode descriptions from the arducopter wiki and here is what it says: "“Simple” and “Super Simple” modes are used in combination with the Stabilize, Sport, Drift and Land flight modes."
Yes, I read that wiki and others. I still don't understand the difference between loiter and poshold. Not totally sure I understand drift mode either. Guess I'll have to try them out.
I grew up down there and yes the weather can be nice... at least in between hurricanes!
Ray, the main difference is that in PosHold, the more you push the stick the greater the vehicle will tilt/pitch in that direction.
So for example if you move the stick forward a little, the vehicle will tilt/pitch forward a little, if you move the stick forward to it's max the vehicle will tilt/pitch to it's max.
It's more like operating a full size aircraft in that the more input on the stick the more the craft will react.
Todd H.
I'll take hurricanes over tornadoes any day, at least you can plan ahead, and we are not too close to the coast. And earthquakes, no thanks.
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