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

  • Thank you for posting these release summaries!  It seems they sometimes have much more info than the official release notes textfile (for example, this is the only place I could find reference to dropping support for NMEA GPS on ardupilot -very important to know about!).

  • Hello to everybody

    i want to ask how the led lights perform now at 3.2.1

    I have a apm 2.6

    i have see that at 3.2 the lights work like this

    • A4 : Motor LED
    • A5 : Beeper – can drive a piezo buzzer directly (see below)
    • A6 : GPS – will flash with no GPS lock, solid with GPS lock
    • A7: Arming LED

    Can i use to A5 as a motor led and not the buzzer???

    can i use A8 , A9 , also as a motor led??

    If the only way to have leds to my motors , Can i use a y cable to split the signal from A4 to get motor leds for 2 motors??

    Thank you for your time

  • Developer

    @Carl, I'm not sure actually.  It really depends upon whether MichaelO has pulled it into the MP or not (the auto log analyser in the MP uses the central python analysis scripts but it still take a manual step from michael to update the MP).  I'll ask MichaelO

  • @Randy You say "We've actually recently modified the log analyser to be consistent with the flight code so that it checks that the overall length of the three together is less than 500"

    Is that the log analyzer in Mission Planner?

  • Did you check your vibration levels? 

  • I have an issue with althold/gps where my quad is working fine in stabilize, but altohold will shoot the quad up really fast after a few seconds. Seems like the CTUN Alt estimate is glitching badly. Also when EKF is off, the AHRS2 alt estimate glitches similarily. Baro/GPS1/GPS2 altitudes look fine. Could the AHRS-code still try to use sonar data (used it previously), even if it's disabled?

    Info:

    ArduCopter V3.2.1

    Ublox NEO-M8N and Ublox LEA-6H (glitches with both)

    First flight with EKF, second without

    Log and parameter data available from:

    https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0y1ze8fuc97ouri/AACH0vJMBgji7dM7WcwDUStR...

    3701974666?profile=original

    Dropbox - Link not found
    Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again!
  • Hi,

    I have the same problem as described by Jose Guerrero after upgrade to 3.2 firmware with Pixhawk. This behavior I have not noticed in previous firmware 3.15.  Does someone can help me what is the problem I would be very grateful.

    Comment by Jose Guerrero on December 23, 2014 at 12:47pm

    Hi, this day install the 3.2 version on my Y6 in an original Pixhalwk, and I see the horizon is tilted to the right, I've calibrated 6 times the accel and always remains the same.
    I take a chance to fly well, and takes flight always right.
    With trim and sub trim could correct it. But when I switch between modes increases the inclination and when landed the horizon is completely horizontal.
    Sorry for my English.3701899388?profile=original3701899552?profile=original

  • Hi has the Motorsync test been removed from the CLI? I've follewed instructions in this video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=modoXFYhhN4

    but I get Invalid command message when I type motorsync in the cli

  • Fabio

    Mine has done that for some time now. It bounces up maybe a meter at the most. just for a split second. I noticed if I arm it and let it run for several seconds before taking off it doesn't do it. I was concerned at first until I noticed how consistent it is. I have EKF turned on. Not sure if that's part of the reason or not. 

  • Hi,
    I wanted to know of an oddity occurred during the last flight performed after took off as I took in share mode AltHold the drone unilaterally increased the speed of the motors for a split second, and then stabilized (as you can see in the video at 00:10).
    I checked the log and found the time when the Z-axis (log line 25649) has a sudden change down and the subsequent increase in the number of revolutions of the engine, seeing the video I have not known jolts vibrations so violent as to record that variation.
    Therefore I can imagine a problem I accelerometer, but during the flight I did not record anything abnormal even with subsequent flights, I have a firmware problem.
    I tried to find the cause by looking in the log but I missed ......
    I found looking good in the log a spike on input channels from RC1 to RC14 (log line 44717).
    If it was possible to have an explanation of what happened
    thank you
    greetings

    Video

    Log

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