Today I did a lot of testing and tuning with the new unreleased beta version of ArduCopter code, known as "2.9.2ß" (V3 i think for the official exit), quad with APM V2.5 and U-Blox GPS by 3DRobotics.
The inertial control developed by Leonard and Randy, with the support of Jason, is finally giving the results that for over a year all we are waiting.
To be perfectly sure I've repeated this test at least 10 times in three different flight, with the same great performance.
As you can see from this image and video the max radius in Loiter is now not over one meter in windless/gusty winds and max two meters in strong crosswind, near the position hold performance of the best commercial product, DJI Wookong-M.
We are trying to improve the waypoint navigation but now we're here, the next release will be really a milestone.
We still have to solve a few problems related to the inertial control x/y/z, but I am sure that the excellent results achieved so far are to mean that we are on the right track.
I attach the telemetry log.
DJI, here we come...
Ciao!
Marco
-= AC Dev Team =-
EDIT: in my video you can see the version "3" of the code, nothing secret of course, is the current master branch on GitHub called at the moment "2.9.1b-DEV".
Jason Short on the dev list has proposed to move version from 2.9.1 to 3.x for the massive changes inside the code (ap_hal, PX4 support and other), and following its proposal I have appointed as such in my videos, that's all.
Comments
Hi Marco,
I have attached a tlog file of a hex flying today with the 2.91b-dev downloaded in Mission Planner today (used the Mission planner dev firmwares option).
This is a Hex using an F550 frame.
The problem is common that I get major toilet bowling (ever increasing circles) when in loiter.
Can you point me in the right direction as to what PID values need to be tuned to prevent this please?
Params file HERE:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-B7PQy0joGrbVBNX3dvbGVBX0k/edit?us...
Log file HERE:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-B7PQy0joGrdmZpcEtaOWdvb1k/edit?us...
I am using
HP2212 1000kv motors
30Amp SimonK code ESC's
APM2.5 board in case
U-Blox Neo6 GPS set to 38400Baud and 5Hz
@Marco:
Many thanks. Perfect timing.
Yes, they're manual (auto learn and dec off).
Will fly these parms in a few min. and report back.
All the best.
Daniel
@Daniel: for the circle check the compass calibration and declination, are boht manual in your quad?
NEO 6M performance is near 6H.
About the wobbles during Loiter try with this parameters:
INAV_TC_XY: 3.000000
INAV_TC_Z: 6.000000
INS_MPU6K_FILTER: 20
THR_ACCEL_P: 0.500000
THR_ACCEL_I: 1.000000
THR_ALT_P: 1.000000
THR_RATE_P: 3.000000
THR_RATE_I: 0.000000
THR_RATE_D: 0.000000
Anyway i've already reported to Randy/Leonard this "fast wobbling" when the inav is enabled, in Loiter/Alt-Hold/RTL/Auto, modifying any of the parameters have not been able to remove them, and my setup is "vibration-free".
Have you reflashed esc?
@Dimitri, to my newbee understanding (Marco, pls. correct me if I'm wrong.) inertial control or IMU sensors are likely constantly active, and also works with GPS and other sensors. The mixes between the sensors are adjustable by parameters (configuration > advanced params > adv parameter list) such as INAV_TC_XY and other, I believe. Hope this helps.
@Marco, I was able to do some more backyard, simple (stabilize, alt hold and loiter, sonar off and on) test flights yesterday. A couple of them with a reprogrammed UBLOX NEO 6M(still waiting for the LEA 6H's delivery :-). I noticed significant positional improvement with minimal drift during LOITER. Alt hold is virtually motionless. However, after a few seconds of hovering still in LOITER, it starts to move around in circles. The slow oscillation circling around seem consistent.
What may be causing this? Is it LOITER PID that I need to tweak (from your setup) and perhaps increase or decrease the LOITER P (speed)? Or is UBLOX NEO's performance is still nowhere near the LEA's?
Advices will be as always greatly appreciated.
All the best.
Daniel
The results are impressive. I'll wait for V3.
Hi Marco,
Are you params available anywhere?
Please help me understand this, is inertial control active in stable mode or it requires gps ?
Pleasure Marco..
And if the modest efforts help, I'll continue on posting simple tests (I'll leave the more complex ones to skillfull/fearless leaders like you) as dev churns out releases.
Geees! do releases move at warpspeed beyond human genius: lends to the notion that there is/are extraterrestrial(s) in the community, ...among the developers???!!! (C'mon who is it? ;-)
Cheers.
Daniel
Thanks Daniel for all your detailed report!
Thanks Rana.
@ Marco.
Manage to do some test (made with MT3329 and EM-406) this afternoon, on the latest firmware with very satisfying results.
Herewith is the summary (logs and on board GP video available). Hope these help :
T02 ====== firmware:
commit fb0f5d46bac5cfd20f589dadae083d0716307ab7
Author: Andrew Tridgell <tridge@samba.org>
Date: Tue Apr 23 23:05:42 2013 +1000
T02.QC01 10 min. flight, configuration: 2.095 Kg UAW 750mm quad,3S 4.5 A Lipo, MT3329 GPS,
Comp Auto Dec and Learn on, PID M Defaults P at 138,
occassional mild wind (roughly < 8km/hr breeze)..
- overall stable flight
- feels like significant (> 4m) loiter drift (due to backyard space limitation
had to switch back to alt hold before hitting the fence and trees)
- althold initially very stable, increasing alt drift once battery nears v low level
- stabilized: stable, thr/roll/pitch/ a bit slow, slight heading drift.
- MP's heading (red line) way off southwards
T02.QC02 10 min. flight, configuration: 2.095 Kg UAW 750mm quad, 3S 4.5 A Lipo, MT3329 GPS,
Comp Auto Dec and Learn off, PID P increased to 1400,
occassional mild wind (roughly < 10km/hr breeze)..
- overall stable flight
- feels like significant (> 4m) loiter drift
- althold initially very stable, with drift once batter nears low v level
- althold with sonar on,very stable, accurately consistent in ref. to the ground
- stabilized: stable, thr/roll/pitch/ a bit slow, slight heading drift.
- MP's heading (red line) very slightly off southwards (with fixed offset)
T02.QC03 10 min. flight, configuration: 2.095 Kg UAW 750mm quad, 3S 4.5 A Lipo, EM-406 SiRF III GPS,
Comp Auto Dec and Learn off, PID P increased to 1400,
occassional mild wind (roughly < 8km/hr breeze)..
Observations:
- overall stable flight
- feels like increased (> 5m ) loiter drift
- althold initially very stable, with alt. l'drift once battery nears low v level
- althold with sonar on,very stable, accurately consistent in ref. to the ground
- stabilized: stable, thr/roll/pitch/ a bit slow, slight heading drift.
- MP's heading (red line) very slightly off southwards (with fixed offset)
- Throttle response (with respect to altitude gain) feels delayed and inconsistent
T02.QC04 6 min. flight, configuration: 2.125 Kg UAW 750mm quad, 4S 3.25 A Lipo, MT3329 GPS,
Comp Auto Dec and Learn on, PID decreased (see "g version" parms),
occassional mild breeze (roughly < 8km/hr)..
- overall relatively superior stable flight
- reduced (< 2m, >10 sats locked in) loiter drift
- althold consistently stable
- althold with sonar on, accurately consistent in ref. to the ground
- stabilized: stable, thr/roll/pitch/ balanced and responsive, no heading drift.
- MP's heading (red line) very slightly off southwards
- Throttle response is very linear (proportioned to altitude gain), feels realtime and consistently predictable
- Notion: Optimize balance bet. IMU and MT GPS under loiter (find parms or modify algo.);
with 3S config, increase throttle rates/gains..
T02.QC05 10 min. flight, configuration: 2.095 Kg UAW 750mm quad, 3S 4.5 A Lipo, MT3329 GPS,
Comp Auto Dec and Learn on, Throttle rates/gains increased (see g parms),
occassional mild wind (roughly < 6km/hr breeze)..
- overall relatively improved stable flight
- reduced (< 2m, >10 sats locked in) loiter drift (wish I had a bigger backyard)
- althold more stable than prev. tests
- stabilized: stable, thr/roll/pitch/ balanced and responsive, very slight heading drift.
- MP's heading (red line) off southwards
- Throttle linear and consistent response felt significantly improved
- Notion: Optimize ditto on IMU and MT GPS under loiter ; with 3S config, throttle rates/gains increase will
likely still improve flight stability, loiter accuracy, and linear responses
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