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ArduCopter in action: Testing the QuadCopter (HIL mode) on X-Plane v9

Posted by Jean-Louis Naudin on December 30, 2011 at 5:34am

ArduCopter in action: Testing the QuadCopter (HIL mode) on X-Plane v9

Here a video a the ArduMega board (2560 or 1280) with the firmware ArduCopter v2.1.1b (JLN update for X-Plane) connected on the X-Plane simulator throught the APM Planner in HIL mode. The QuadCopter QRO has been modelized for X-Plane v9.0 (or greater) so as get a closest replication of a true QuadCopter UAV.

This is a very good method for testing all the features of the ArduCopter firmware. For conducting a such test, only an ArduMega board (APM1280, APM2560, APM2) is used, no IMU shield or sensor are required here...


Setup:

- Receiver: Turnigy 9X8C v2 connected to the APM board

- Transmitter: Turnigy 9x

- APM planner v1.1.1x

- ArduMega board (APM v1 or APM v2)

- firmware ArduCopter v2.x.x + the JLN mod for X-Plane

- Software: X-Plane v9 or greater

- QRO_X: the quadcopter model (by JLN) for X-Plane

 
More infos at:

http://diydrones.com/profile/JeanLouisNaudin

Tags: drone, uas, uav, arducopter, ardumega, ardupilot, multicopter, multirotor, quadcopter
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Comments

  • Mohamed Abdelkader Zahana November 29, 2013 at 2:48pm

    Does the HIL simulation work with the latest code of ArduCopter? and how?

  • Christian Konecny January 6, 2013 at 1:39am

    hmmm, I don't have any screen recorder running, but it seems from what I read on some articles and posts, that HIL simulation parameters (gains) vary between computers, so there might be a high impact on the performance of the system, meaning I should ensure to close all unnecessary aaplications and try again. In my case throttle gain must be low as 3000 in order to launch the quad on x-plane. maybe itnwould also be a way to tweak motor data of the model...

    would be great if someone could post a few steps to follow in order to adjust parameters to a certain system.

    thanks a lot,
    christian

  • Christian Konecny January 5, 2013 at 11:59am

    hi there!

    I am trying to get HIL Simulation for Quadcopter working on my APM 2.5 with MissionPlanner 1.2.28 and x-plane 9.7

    I have loaded the QRO_X from the starter package and it basically flies, but I am struggling quite heavy with PID and Simulator Roll/Pitch/Rudder/Throttle Gains.

    the values seem to drift somehow. When I get values for a more or less stable copter, after some while it starts wobbling or I cannot reduce or increase throttle in a proper way anymore.

    also the graphs for the servo outputs on the MP's simulator tab show heavy bouncing.

    does please anyone have a hint how to get a proper stable quadcopter simulation working with X-Plane?

    I would like to experiment a bit before playing with the real copter lateron.

    thanks a lot in advance!

    Greetings from rainy vienna!

    Christian 

  • Developer
    Jean-Louis Naudin January 10, 2012 at 8:14am

    Bonjour,

    Pour mettre en route le quadricoptère, il faut avoir les gaz à zéro et mettre le lacet à fond à droite pendant au moins 5 secondes... Pour couper les moteurs: gaz mini et lacet à gauche pendant 5 sec.

    To Start the quadricopter, you need to set the throttle to zero and then the yaw to the full right at least for about 5 seconds. To stop the motors: throttle to zero then yaw full left for about 5 sec.

    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Developer
    Jean-Louis Naudin January 9, 2012 at 4:47am

    Here a simple test of the RTL + AUTO LANDING mode with the firmware ArduCopter v2.1.1 R8 set in HIL mode on Xplane v9.70 through the APM Mission Planner. When the RTL (Return To Launch) is activated by the pilot (or here in this test by a script sent on the ground station), the quadcopter return itself above the landing point, wait 20 sec, then LAND automaticaly. The motors are stopped by the pilot (or by the script in this test).

    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Darren January 7, 2012 at 1:51pm

    instead of crash subroutines, maybe post "un"-planned landing subroutines... :)

  • Darren January 7, 2012 at 1:48pm

    I ve been thinking though... "while cs.alt < 75:   Script.Sleep(50)" seems a bit generic, and with no error checking

    How about something like a countdown self check list

    (aka go no go pass at the systems... like nasa)

    life support (go) systems (go) engines (go) optical flow sensors (go) props spinning (go), and sensors say the craft is upright, not flipping over and/or engaging crash subroutines.

    etc...

  • Developer
    Jean-Louis Naudin January 7, 2012 at 6:03am

    The RTL + AUTO LANDING is now working in HIL simulation on X-Plane with the ArduCopter v2.1.1r7b.

    I have done some importants fix about the auto landing feature. Here a video of the test of the firmware ArduCopter v2.1.1 R7b (JLN updated) about the RTL + AUTO Landing.

    The test has been done in HIL mode on X-Plane v9.70 through the Mission Planner v1.1.18 with a script.

    You may download the firmware v2.1.1r7b with my fix tested in the video above HERE

    Please, this an alpha version of the v2.1.1r7b and the RTL + Auto landing has been only tested in HIL mode, not yet in the real world... I shall conduct a real test flight as soon as the weather will be fine...

    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Developer
    Jean-Louis Naudin January 7, 2012 at 4:11am

    Hello Nicolas,

    Yes of course, as pointed in my tutorial, you may download a ready set of the firmware v2.1.1 R6 for the test in HIL mode on Xplane v9.70 HERE, you need also to download the starter_pack HERE.

    More infos about the installation and the use of the HIL test in the tuto. Happy simulation...

    Regards,

    Jean-Louis

     

  • Anish January 6, 2012 at 9:01am

    @Jean that is awesome :) thanks very much

This reply was deleted.