Accel & compass calibration process? Reboots needed? Level button in MP?

ArduCopter Copter 3.5
1

In the near future, I am going to make a few videos for the Solo wiki on the topics of calibration. I want to make sure I don’t say anything dumb or repeat rumors. Can someone sanity check me here:

After doing the 6-axis accelerometer calibration, is rebooting required, advised, or totally unnecessary? My advice to people is to start on a known level surface that is stable like a table or the floor. Place it gently on each side per the prompts, count to 5 so it settles, then press the button. It doesn’t need to be at perfect 90 degree angles. Being still is what’s important. Am I correct about this?

After doing the onboard compass calibration, is rebooting required, advised, or totally unnecessary? My advice to people is to do this outdoors, away from structures, vehicles, power lines and transformers, reinforced concrete slabs, and other sources of magnetic interference. Face north, and rotate the vehicle around each of it’s axes a few times. Remove any magnetic jewelry or accessories from your body before before doing this. Is this correct? Any other advise?

What is the function of the calibrate level button in Mission Planner? The wiki eludes to it just making the HUD be level. Is it changing something on the autopilot, or just in mission planner? Circumstances? My understanding is calibrating vehicle level is the first stage of the accel calibration. So this button does what?

2

Required.

Yes, but the first level one sets the AHRS level, so that one does kinda matter, after that shoot for being still.[quote=“Pedals2Paddles, post:1, topic:18650”]
After doing the onboard compass calibration, is rebooting required, advised, or totally unnecessary?
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Required, we won’t let you arm without rebooting in this case.[quote=“Pedals2Paddles, post:1, topic:18650”]
Remove any magnetic jewelry or accessories from your body before before doing this.
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Definitely true, I watched someone blow up the EKF/compass every time they went to throw a plane because they got it to close to their nametag which was using magnets to stay on :slight_smile:[quote=“Pedals2Paddles, post:1, topic:18650”]
What is the function of the calibrate level button in Mission Planner?
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I’m pretty sure that this is the old (and now coming back) 1D accel cal, but someone else needs to confirm that.

3

Yay I did something right! I’ve always told people reboot after each calibration. Glad that’s not a waste. The Solo app does not tell you to reboot. In fact, it actually says “Go Fly”. And it will let you arm after a compass calibration.

4

The autopilot will reject the arming if you did the onboard compass cal. If that’s not happening to you something is off with your arming bitmask or copter is missing the check (which it should have and we should get fixed ASAP)

5

Let me try again when I get home. The old Solo firmware definitely did not reject arming. I don’t think I ever actually tried it with 3.5.

6

How do you go about rebooting the autopilot after calibration?

7

There is a MAVLink command which your GCS might expose to you (On MP it’s in the Action tab), or you can just disconnect/reconnect the battery :slight_smile:

8

The Action Tab just shows me:
Auto
Loiter
RTL

I’ll just disconnect and go from there.

Thanks.

9

There might be some stuff that is hidden if not enabling the advanced options in MP settings these days. The battery is definitely the easiest approach :slight_smile:

10

@luke Disconnect the powerpowering the flight controller, wait 30 seconds and then reconnect the power. That is what reboot means. :slight_smile:

11

Mine, won’t start at hold fly button. Any ideas of what I’ve done or haven’t done? New to the group