Developer

ArduCopter 3.2 Released

ArduCopter 3.2 (aka APM:Copter) has been released as the default version replacing AC3.1.5. This is the exact same version that we invited all users to test two weeks ago.  Users who wish continue using AC3.1.5 can find it under the "Pick previous firmware" version on the MP's Install Firmware screen.

The full list of changes can be found in the ReleaseNotes but here are the highlights:
Flight Mode Enhancements:

  • PosHold flight mode: similar to Loiter but with direct response to pilot input during repositioning
  • ACRO mode handling improvement EXPO (for faster rotations)
  • Drift mode uses "throttle assist" (similar to AltHold)
  • Smoother transitions between flight modes (i..e when entering Loiter or RTL from high speeds)

Mission Enhancements/Fixes:

New Sensors/Devices:

Safety Features:

  • EKF/DCM check will switch to LAND mode if heading error > 60deg for 1 second
  • Baro glitch detection
  • Pre-arm check for Gyro calibration success
  • Pre-arm check that internal & external sensors (gyros, accels and compass) are consistent (Pixhawk only)
  • Parachute support (Pixhawk only)
  • Feedback to Pilot when taking off in AltHold, Loiter, PosHold (i.e. motors spin up a little as throttle is raised)
  • EKF (new attitude and position estimate system only used for reference in this release)

Bug Fixes:

  • Pixhawk GPS driver buffer overflow that could lead to missed GPS messages
  • Pixhawk I2C bug that could lead freeze up if I2C bus is noisy


Known issues/Warnings:

  • Pixhawk users will need to recalibrate their compasses
  • PosHold won't show up as option on FlightMode screen if you have an old version of mission planner. Please select Help > Check for Updates.
  • Landing detector is more strict meaning it may take longer to disarm after RTL, AUTO.
  • Set THR_MID parameter especially if you have a very powerful copter because "Feedback to Pilot" raises throttle to 1/2 of THR_MID
  • Spline twitches slightly as it passes a waypoint especially if WPNAV_SPEED is set > 500.
  • Dropped support for NMEA and SIRF GPS on APM boards (ran out of Flash space)
  • Dropped support for sonar for MultiCopters on APM1 and TradHeli on APM1 & APM2 (ran out of Flash space)

If you hit issues, please post them in the APM Forum and include a dataflash log file if possible.

Special thanks to Marco and the Beta Testing team from the AC3.2 beta testing thread who put their copters at risk in the pursuit of a smooth, safe release. Here are links to some of their videos: Marco's DJIs900, Holger's Water Tower, Josh's Acro, Ray's TradHeli2&FPV, Raph's Hawaii, PhillS's CommandYaw, Thor's Zombie Run&FollowMe, Phanivyas's Test, Rob's TradHeli, Christian's Test1&Test2, Balloon's Spline, JimJ's FPV, Ultrojo's ROI & Spline&FollowMe1&FollowMe2, Troy's Mission

Thanks also to the code contributors to this release including Tridge, Jonathan, Leonard, RobL, Paul Riseborough, MichaelO, Julien Dubois, David Dewey, Andrew Chapman, Emile, Allyson and many more. If you want to get involved check-out our dev wiki.

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Comments

  • @randy

    thanks for clarifying that matter :)

  • Developer

    @Erwin,

    As far as I know, the UBlox GPSs all support two protocols, the Ublox binary protocol and NMEA.  The Ublox protocol gives us more control of the settings so this is what AC uses if it can.  I think your GPS will work fine.

  • Hi Randy!

    what does this thing do? I have an APM 2.6 board, and Ublox Neo6m GPS compass module. 

    • Dropped support for NMEA and SIRF GPS on APM boards (ran out of Flash space)

    I have an APM 2.6 board, and Ublox Neo6m GPS compass module. Does dropping of support affect my gps assisted flights? sorry for the noob question. 

    thanks in advance!

  • Hello Josh Welsh,
    Thank you for your response. Don't get me wrong. I did not mean to offend any of the developers here nor undermine their contributions. I'm one of the most avid supporters of arducopter here in the Philippines. All our flight controllers have been APM and now Pixhawk.
    Actually, I just recently learned about the difference of DJI GPS mode when the hybrid was introduced and was described as similar to it because it is more responsive to stick inputs. That was the time when I tried my friend's DJI. Indeed it is more responsive. Be that as it may, I still consider arducopter as a lot better than DJI because of its features (autonomous flight, spline nav, flight logs, telemetry, follow me).
    Thanks for your advice and I will definitely try tweaking the parameters (althold and PosHold settings) to hopefully get my desired flight characteristics.
    Thank you, congratulations and best regards to all the developers.
    Kris de Jesus
  • I have to use Mission Planner the whole time because every time I want to use the Mac version of APM planner2 I get the compass needs calib. message so I then have to go back to Mission Planner and start over, even though it has just been done and is working fine in Mission Planner. So I guess there is still a problem with APM Planner2 (Mac) As I see it the compass calib. is not working from APM Planner 2-0-15 yet. 

  • @Graham, in the condition yaw description, it's written:

    Dir (1=CW, -1=CCW) – not supported.  meant to allow control of whether the vehicle turns left or right.  It will always turn in direction that most quickly gets it to the target heading

    Maybe the "not supported" means it won't work anyways.

  • @Graham

    I had a yaw issue like that last week. I found what I thought was a bad compass cable.  I replaced it and no further issues.FWIW. 

  • Awesome Denny, thanks for sharing!

  • Moderator

    Bug or wacky intention?

    http://ardupilot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=10443

  • The Dragonlink is coupled to a Turnigy TGY9X flashed with ER9X Rx has ppm output. 

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