3D Robotics

APM 2.011 Beta released

3689395499?profile=originalAs part of the continuing APM 2.0 beta test program, we've released another package of updated APM software: New versions of the APM 2.0 beta code (2.01), Mission Planner (0.4.16) and HappyKillmore GCS (1.2.43).

 

Please upgrade your system to the latest code, which includes bug fixes, a few new features and improved stability. To be safe, load the code into Arduino and compile it as usual; the automatic firmware loading process may not always bring in the latest code during this beta testing period. [UPDATE; the Mission Planner will now load the latest firmware automatically, so no need to use Arduino or download the code yourself.]

 

New features include:

--More Action Commands implemented. 3689395418?profile=originalAs shown at right, we've added back some commands that you can issue in-flight via the HK GCS. More commands will be coming soon.

--More effecient memory handling allows APM to run MAVlink on Port 0 (USB) and Port 3 (Xbee) simultaneously without risk of memory overrun.

--Lots of improvement to the Mission Planner. Altitude in 3D waypoints should now be properly displayed.

 

Known issues:

--Some modes are not being reported correctly in HK GCS. Stabilize is being reported as "Guided", for example. We know how to fix this and it will be right in the next build.

--Writing waypoints via MAVLink in the Mission Planner is still sometimes unreliable. If you're having trouble, close it and reopen and try again.

--Vehicle Number is still being reported as 7, rather than 1. We'll fix that in the next build.

 

We'll be releasing new code each week for the duration of the beta test process. Expect a final Release Candidate by mid-April. As always, keep the bug reports and other feedback coming! (Bug reports to the Issue Tracker, please)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  • 3D Robotics
    Earl: I'm afraid not. We're MAVLink only now.
  • Any chance of putting the Legacy GCS code back into 2.xx?

    Earl

     

  • Just noticed that my loiter radius was very small three(3)

    I tried to change it in the APM mission planner to thirty (30) and clicked (Read Waypoints) to confirm that it showed thirty (30) and it did. (using xbees and port 3)

    However, I checked it using the waypoints test in the Terminal (usb and port 0) and it showed to be three(3)

     

    I then restarted APM Planner and clicked Read waypoints (using the xbees again) and it showed it was back to three (3)

     

    The only way I could change it was through the "parameters and configuration" in QgroundControl

  • or a home offset would be nice... since most club sites have prep areas, and runway center line about a hundered feet away. We want to keep the airplane from flying over people.. so home plus x meters east for example.
  • Chris,

    The last time I tried to fly with the autopilot I simply added one waypoint for it to CMD_LOITER in the mission planner. I turn on the autopilot and it looks like it flys to the waypoint and then it cuts the throttle and starts decending toward the starting position instead of loitering at that point.

    The time before that i was using Qgroundcontrol. I had 3 waypoints defined to (navigate to waypoint). I turn the autopilot on and it looked like it went to all the waypoints and then wanted to return home ( I thought it should repeat the waypoints over and over). In Qgroundcontrol's waypoint widget, I then clicked on waypoint 2 and it would loiter around that point untill I clicked on 1 and it would loiter around point 1 and so on. it would only repeat if I turn the autopilot off and back on.

     

    will try again  today, 

     

    Phil is correct on resetting the home location. I fly at a busy model field and cannot start the plane on the other side of the runway easily and can not let it fly behind me so when it starts to go home I have to turn the autopilot off

     

    THanks.

  • 3D Robotics
    Phil: thanks for explaining. That makes sense. I'll talk it over with the team -- pros of enabling that vs cons of people accidentally resetting home and losing their planes -- and we'll consider which option to choose.

    Of course this is open source code, so people can always enable it if they want, but we'll discuss what the default option should be.
  • Chris, 

     

    One reason for reseting home is to keep the aircraft out over the field when flying at an RC club. Ideally home would be two or three times the loiter radius from the start up point. It's not always practical to walk out the 100 m or so to perform the reset, particularly for aircraft that can't be hand launched.

  • 3D Robotics

    Marlan, we have disabled resetting home as a safety measure. Home is automatically set at the field at startup, and it's where the aircraft comes back to in case of problems. We can't think of any reason why you would want to reset that, and it's very dangerous if you do (the plane won't come back), so we took it out for now.

     

    I don't quite understand your other question. Could you elaborate?

  • I have been  able to upload waypoints with the mission planner via xbee port 3, However it looks like it goes to the waypoint (which I set to loiter) and then returns home.

     

    Also it dosen't seem like the home location can be changed

     

    Any idea why this is not working?

  • 3D Robotics
    Rana, have you tried uploading waypoints with the Mission Planner rather than the HK GCS? I'm not encountering any problems with that.
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