Developer

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

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Comments

  • Developer

    Here a video of a test of the firmware ArduCopter v2.1.1 r5b in HIL mode on X-Plane v9.70
    I have tested the:
    - LOITER mode (GPS position Hold)
    - AUTO mode (full autonomous navigation under flight plan)
    - Auto LANDING mode: full auto landing
    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Developer

    You will find below the good network setting for using X-Plane v9 in HIL mode with the ArduCopter firmware v2.x.x:

    3692327018?profile=original

    3692327065?profile=original

    Ps: I am using the X-Plane V9.70 retail version.

    Regards,

    Jean-Louis

  • Same wishes for you as well.

    We fly in rural areas, with extreme weather conditions. Right now there is an ice storm outside, I cannot fly the Arducopter. 

    It would be nice to have training and mission planning using what you have put together but throw in some wind and other weather conditions. 

    For training purposes this is ideal.

    D

  • Developer

    Dear Mr Dara Shayda,

    Thanks for your comment, I wish you an Happy New Year 2012 and a lot of hours of flights and R&D..

    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Hello Mr. Naudin

    This is 21st century engineering, this is why I am interested in the techs and community here. 

    Anyone can hook up some camera to some plane and take some fancy pictures, but this system work you propose here is the real engineering and the real innovation

    Thank you

  • Whats the difference between using this firmware and the HIL Firmware installed from mission planner? Doesnt the missionplanner hil-firmware support x-plane?

  • Developer

    You will find below the PID setup for the ArduCopter firmware v2.1.1r5 that I have tested successfully on X-Plane v9 with the QRO_X quadcopter in connected in HIL mode on the APM planner:

    3692326650?profile=original

    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Developer

    I have tested successfully the latest version of the ArduCopter v2.1.1r5 in HIL mode with the QRO_X Quadcopter on the X-Plane simulator v9.

    You will find the full version (with a little bug corrected about the AUTO mode when a flight plan is running) with the QRO_X model and the FULL v2.1.1r5 firmware with the X-Plane mod

    Regards, Jean-Louis

  • Great post Jean-Louis,

    As always you've taken time to detail all out the steps that we need to take for us to use this valuable testing tool.

    I'll certainly be making good use of it.

    many thanks.

  • Yeah of course,

    but if you are going to develop new navigation algorithms relying on raw data (served at fixed sample time), keep in mind that the results will be false.

    Another issue to keep in mind (that happened to me). If you stress the HW to the limit of its computation force, keep in mind that one second in XPlane is not one real second (usually in XPlane is a little bit higher), so your algorithm could run in real time with X-Plane, but it runs out of time in your autopilot with real raw data.

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