"Radar"/DISTANCE_SENSOR screen

On Help with object avoidance, ppoirier reports that MP can show automatically a “radar” screen.

I’m sending DISTANCE_SENSOR messages (more info here: Help with object avoidance) to ArduCopter, but MP does not show this screen.

What are the requirements for MP to show this screen?

On QGroundControl Mavlink Inspector widget, I can see DISTANCE_SENSOR messages coming. In MP, is there a similar way for debugging mavlink mesages? I really do prefer MP.

Hello, its me again :slight_smile:

Mission Planner need to connect to a vehicle that has proximity enabled in order to show the RADAR Screen.
This vehicle can be the simulator -SITL- with the correct parameters being set.

ppoirier, thanks again for your time. :slight_smile:

Could you please, be more specific on the requirements?

I tried many scenarios but I still can’t get the screen shown.

I tried:

  • Connecting MP through UDP (via cmavnode and mavproxy), while sending messages also via UDP.
  • Connecting MP through USB, while sending messages through serial (TELEM2).
  • Arming, changing flight modes.
  • Sending heartbeat messages along distance messages.
  • Sending rangefinder and distance_sensor messages.
  • Using different sysId and compId.

QGroundControl (connected via USB) shows distance_sensor messages being received. If I disconnect QGroundControl and connect MP (via the same USB) it does not show the screen.

I have set AVOID_ENABLE=2 and PRX_TYPE=2 on ArduCopter (3.4.6). Any other parameter needs to be set?

I posted this message with “Mission Planner” tag in the hope that a MP developer could give me a more specific answer.

I feel that I’m so close to getting this done, but it has been so frustrating…

Here is the test setup, I suggest you prepare

LIDAR - I2C - RPI (Running your Proximity Message) - SERIAL - USB - PC (RUNNING SITL) - UDP - PC (Mission Planner)

You need to start SITL with a connection to your serial-USB (FTDI) converter see here for detail:
http://ardupilot.org/dev/docs/using-sitl-for-ardupilot-testing.html#using-real-serial-devices

and then you instruct SITL to --out udp:mission.planner.pc.adress:14550

make this all work, and let me know

I managed to get the “radar” screen displayed.

The problem was ArduCopter 3.4.6. When I switched to 3.5-rc11, a window simply poped-up.

I don’t recall now why I thought 3.4 was enough. Maybe a mistake.

Although MP displays the screen, its bahavior is quite weird. Radar window is initially displayed with a white background. Then, it switches to dark grey. Then multiple windows are displayed, with the same content. After about 1 minute, a error window is displayed, while all radar windows display a red “X” on white background. The error message varies. If I disconnect and then reconnect to ArduCopter, lots of radar windows are displayed instantly, and I have to close them all.

I’m still trying to understand what is happening.

Cool,
I should have read the 3.4… , really though that we mentioned the 3.5 before, probably on the other issue.
Anyway, I confirm that Mission Planner spits out a lot of radar screen, according to the number of sensors declared.
Is it a Bug or a feature ?!?!
Its up to you to open a PR if you consider that as a bug.

MP uses the DISTANCE_SENSOR message to display the screen.

@FabricioSilva there is no gui method of the mavlink inspector. but you can turn on console logging, and analyse the logs afterwards.

I do plan on adding something similar to the mavlink inspector however.

Hi
I try to build a avoidance system using VL53L0X. I find VL53L0X version with max 10 m range at http://www.robotshop.com/eu/en/vl53l0x-time-of-flight-distance-sensor---50-to-1200mm.html.
Now I using VL53L0X with 2 m range to test it. In ardupilot full parameters list I find RNGFND parameters value 16 is for VL53L0X. But If I connect my pixhawk to MP there are only parameters start 0 to 15…
I use arducopter 3.5and MP 1.3.49 build 1.1.6410.20232.
And next question
Witch parameter needs to be change ?
I try to set RNGFND_TYPE to 16, AVOID_ENABLE=2, and PRX_TYPE=2 but I get only BAD LIDAR HEALTH message in MP.
Regards
Tomek

You should see the distance values when you set the rangefinder correctly is it the case?

Btw the VL53L0 has a range of 1,2 meter

I set RNGFND_MIN_CM to 2 cm and RNGFND_MAX_CM to 200 cm.
I will try to decrease RNGFND_MAX_CM to 120 cm
Regards

Thank you, @Michael_Oborne!

It’s a pleasure to get a reply from you. I’ve been following your work on MP for a while. Congratulations for it!

As I said before, after migrating to Copter 3.5, the radar screen appeared. Debugging is not necessary anymore, but thanks for the tip, anyway. I noted that Ardupilot wiki on “Object Avoidance” was updated on this matter.

I’be be grateful if you could explain these behavior issues:

  • MP shows multiple radar windows, supposedly one for each orientation. Why not just one?
  • Some radar windows have white background and some gray background.
  • When disconnecting MP from Copter, radar windows sometimes appear showing outdated data. Could it be a buffer issue?
  • When opening MP, radar windows sometimes appear showing outdated data. Could it be a buffer issue?
  • I get frequent software exceptions, all related to the radar screen. I sent some bug reports about this (directly from MP).

Suggestions for MP:

  • Migrate distance UI from radar screen to HUD. It could be just numbers (withouts red archs).
  • Display upward and downward distances.

ppoirier… Wondering if you are at a point with the poc that you would be willing to post the code… I have been working on this for a bit and I can get certain aspects to work using the VL53L0X just not like your examples and videos… I think its just a matter of my lack of understanding so it would be nice to have something to compare to… Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

The code is on the thread you are pointing to at beginning of this discussion

I have not played with it since , might get back to if the new BENEWAKE TF MINI , 20 Meter works ok

I have reviewed that and any other similar items I could find but I’m still having some difficulties with it. Would just be nice to have something to compare to so I could see what I’m doing incorrect. The problem with a lot of this stuff is it is changing so examples and other folks work no longer work as they once did. Makes things a bit frustrating, I have a lightware rangefinder that works perfect but was not cheap so I was really looking forward to this cheaper solution for the in between.