Ardupilot 2.5 Release Candidate

I was finally able to test 2.5 over the weekend and added a few tweaks to the code.
Here's what I hope is the final release.

As the new Manual gets formatted, you can view it at: http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot/wiki/ArduPilot25
Until the content is finally moved over the 2.4 manual is still a great resource.

Ardupilot_25_RC2.zip

Bonus - If you look check out the Waypoint_writer_25.pde file in the test suite, you can upload relative waypoints. This isn't supported in the config tool yet.

Jason

UPDATE -

A lot of people were having trouble with the GPS code and LEDs. I reworked the GPS parsers today to iron out some things. They were nothing that would interfere with flight, but I highly recommend using this new version. I've also added the ability to scale down your plane's roll based on airspeed. This should help planes that turn faster when they go slower. We may tweak this a bit in the future, so I'm looking for feedback on it. Note you can always turn it off in your header file with this line:

//6-4

#define AIRSPEED_TURN_P 1

see the header file for more instructions

Thanks for the update! It looks promising!

I just loaded v2.5 on the board and did the needed modifications:

#define SHIELD_VERSION -1 // I have no shield, just the red board
#define GPS_PROTOCOL 1 // I've got the EM406 module

I think there is something strange with the blue GPS FIX-LED (unless the led behavior hasn't changed now).

1. I put the jumper on and start it up. The blue LED flashes until GPS lock. Then it goes solid.
2. I do the radio setup and then reboot.
3. Now, the blue led goes solid again - Everything seems to work!

But, now I got suspicious. Even if I put the GPS module in a shielded metal box - there's still a solid blue LED.
I'm testing inside my apartment and with v2.46 the blue LED would always go out if I got to far from the windows.
With V2.5 I can't get it to turn off! ;-)

I would be nice to always have a solid GPS-lock, but I think something is wrong.

Am I missing something?

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Comments

Developer

Randy February 2, 2010 at 7:47pm

Perhaps it's been mentioned before but what's the plan for porting ArduPilot code to work with the new ArduPilotMega board? ..and in particular with ArduPilotMega with the IMU inplace of the IR Sensors?
Developer

Jason Short February 2, 2010 at 2:13pm

You are doing an "in-air" start. The GPS doesn't wait for lock when the pin is not there. It's too busy flying the plane.

That behavior sound right. Two seconds after removing the GPS, your light will go out. If you loose GPS for longer than ten seconds, we assume the GPS has failed entirely and the plane will begin to loiter blindly.

Jason
Nippy February 2, 2010 at 1:59pm

Ok, tried the new GPS-file and it compiled ok. But still no luck on the blue LED.
If I power the board, with no jumper on, it lights upp (solid) after about 2 sec every time.
If I remove the GPS, the light goes out as expected...
Developer

Jason Short February 2, 2010 at 1:00pm

Hi, That actually won't work.
Try this version. GPS_EM406.pde.zip
Nippy February 2, 2010 at 12:07pm

Jason, tried your last file, but got the same compile error.
Then I declared GPS_timer in the Ardupilot_25rc-tab:
static unsigned long GPS_timer = 0;
it solved the comile error, but I still get the same behavior as described - solid blue LED, everywere.
Developer

Jason Short February 2, 2010 at 11:32am

2.5.1 is not going to be ready for a while. It's not flyable at this moment.
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson February 2, 2010 at 11:30am

Nippy, no just stick with Jason's code on this one. (While you're waiting for him to fix that line, you can always declare the variable yourself for testing)
Nippy February 2, 2010 at 11:24am

Jason, I replaced the file but got compile error:
In function 'void GPS_join_data()':
error: 'GPS_timer' was not declared in this scope In function 'void waypoint_event(byte)':

Chris, I'm using the Ardupilot_2.5.0rc.zip ZIP-file from the top of this page.

I see there's a v251 in the repository. Is it possibly fixed there?
- Thanks!
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson February 2, 2010 at 11:08am

Nippy,

I think Jason fixed that in the latest code rev. Are you using the most recent version?
Nippy February 2, 2010 at 10:58am

Thanks for the update! It looks promising!

I just loaded v2.5 on the board and did the needed modifications:

#define SHIELD_VERSION -1 // I have no shield, just the red board
#define GPS_PROTOCOL 1 // I've got the EM406 module

I think there is something strange with the blue GPS FIX-LED (unless the led behavior hasn't changed now).

1. I put the jumper on and start it up. The blue LED flashes until GPS lock. Then it goes solid.
2. I do the radio setup and then reboot.
3. Now, the blue led goes solid again - Everything seems to work!

But, now I got suspicious. Even if I put the GPS module in a shielded metal box - there's still a solid blue LED.
I'm testing inside my apartment and with v2.46 the blue LED would always go out if I got to far from the windows.
With V2.5 I can't get it to turn off! ;-)

I would be nice to always have a solid GPS-lock, but I think something is wrong.

Am I missing something?

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