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:
- Spline waypoints
- Do_Jump, Conditional_Distance, Conditional_Delay fixed
- Do_Set_ROI persistent across waypoints
- Condition_Yaw accepts relative heading (i.e. current heading + 20)
- Reset horizontal position target when taking off in AUTO to avoid lean due to GPS position drift
- Rally points (Pixhawk only)
New Sensors/Devices:
- Lidar-Lite Range Finder, SF02, MaxBotix I2C sonar and Analog sonar (which was missing for Pixhawk)
- EPM Gripper
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.
Comments
This all sounds like normal activity that happens. The landing code now takes a little longer to detect that it has indeed landed. If the Yaw is a little off when it lands it may try to turn itself causing the motors to spin up a little.
If you would have left it, it would have shut the motors down. I have always had this issue since APM 3.14.
The date and time come from the GPS date and time. No GPS then you get epoch. Maybe they should come up with a real time clock for APM and connect it to the i2c bus.
by the way, I noticed that my dataflash logs were stamped with 1970 as date, is this a bug? or can this be fixed? Im using APM 2.6 with Arducopter 3.2 . or is this an issue with the MP?
i was just testing AC3.2 on my training quad. :) so far, it's a stable. however, when it triggered auto landing on low battery, i found that after it touched the ground, the motors are still running, sometimes it puts a little throttle (even if my throttle on the TX is at zero position). I make up with it by immediately switching to stabilize to manually control throttle. Is this normal?
Hi Chim, The rough sound is due to air into the onboard mike of 35$ wing cam of Hobby King. I have done hundereds of auto mission with this frame and props are the same, though I did not balance them but I did not feel much requirement.
Thank you Randy and the rest of the team for all of the hard work that went into this version! There were a ton of Release Candidates. I tried a good number of them. I'm posting video I did just today using this firmware and was very happy overall. It would look much better with a gimbal, but I'll do some more tuning to get it flying a little softer. I DID speak to the construction crew at the time of the flight and was also requested to perform the flight by the agency that is to move into the facility. I say this in case someone has a safety concern. Cheers
@Randy thanks for your help on this, it seems my battery monitor set up was totally out of whack. i watched your video that was on the wiki, the set up doesnt include two fields in the video that i guess were later additions in MP? measured current and current calc. using 11.1 v 3S Lipos 8000 mah i was able to get voltage readings back to where they were supposed to be but keep getting an invalid number warning from the Measured Current, which is blank. it doesnt see to affect anything as the volts and amps seem to align pretty good. Does the Setting in Batery monitor for 3DR power module not work or did you make your video about battery monitor because the 3DR setting just wasnt as accurate as you would like it to be? thanks again for all your help
Randy,
I did an AutoTune with 2.6 release, it appeared to go exceptional well. After saving params I took off in stab and the LEGO drone started to rock as if it were a kid on a swing. Lucky I was able to land it safely but was pretty scary.
We are thinking on doing a new Kickstarter with the APM/LEGO so trying to get some params that we can preset.
I put the log here
http://download.hurricanesoftware.com/files/APM/2014-12-06 08-03-09...
Take off, autotune, land, save, take off again with new settings, rocking began.
This one is an APM Mini, not a full sized 3DR APM
Thanks for all your help,
Ed,
Rana, It is very impressive that the aircraft actually completed this flight and remained in one piece without crashing! Something seems to be badly out of balance and/or out of tune, the vibration (and the rough sound) seems extreme (as reflected also by the intense "jello" in the video). I suggest that you balance the props and maybe the motors and see if the ESCs are set up properly, and so on. Make sure nothing is loose (a loose motor or a loose arm, or prop, especially). Eliminate mechanical issues first, then go into the electronic side if necessary.
Have fun and fly safe (maybe not right over cars on the road, if it can be avoided...).
AC3.2 just going great;
Did you try with lower stab P ?
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