A skid steering question

ArduRover Operating/Tuning -- deprecated
1

I am trying to use an APM 2.8 to control a Roboteq MDC 2250 speed controller to make my rover autonomous. Before installing the autopilot,the Roboteq speed controller took function of the elevator and aileron functions and mixed them for tank steering. As I have been trying to adjust the skid steer parameters on the APM, I get the rover to only spin in circles when I switch to auto. Is it possible that the 2 controllers are fighting each other for the control of skid steer function? I believe I have APM parameters set corectly.

2

@Collegetechteacher,
I assume that you have turned off the mixing in the motor controller as the ArduRover firmware will do the mixing for the motor steering control?
Assuming that your rover steers correctly in the Manual mode, you might try checking the “reverse” box next to the roll bar in the Radio Calibration setup screen.
Regards,
TCIII AVD

3

I was planning on doing that next but I accidentally fried the APM last night. The USB cable got yanked out by a falling object and pulled on the connector and SMOKED! the board. If I turn off the mixing in the motor controller, will it still skid steer when the RC signal passes through in manual mode?

4

@Collegetechteacher,
The ArduRover firmware will do the steering mixing no matter what mode you have selected.
Just set the motor controller up to be a left and right motor controller with no mixing.
Regards,
TCIII AVD

1 Like
5

@TCIII
I have RoboteQ MDC2460 and wanting to do the same thing as @Collegetechteacher using a Pixhawk. My MDC2460 is using an RS232 to an RC2 module for channels to operate the motors. The channel wiring is from the RC2 to my Rx. To run autonomously I need to tie it to the Pixhawk for mission planning. However, I have tried several attempts to connect the RC2 to the Pixhawk and cannot get a signal to operate by RC. Been scratching my head on this one and figured maybe there is something in the Pixhawk program that I need to turn on for the signals to get to the RC2 then to the MDC2460. Could you provide me with some ideas to help me out?
Thanks
Doug