Arducopter 3.2 (APM 2.6) Buzzer Too Late When Arming

Apologies for a possible double-post. I originally posted this on DIYDrones here diydrones.com/forum/topics/arduc … e=activity But wonder if this is a more appropriate place to report a potential bug.

In Arducopter 3.2 using APM 2.6 there is a change in buzzer behaviour (from 3.1.x) when arming the FC.
The first time the FC is armed, after power up, the buzzer will beep a few moments before the propellers start to spin. This is a good warning, although I think the delay between the beep and motor start up is too short.
However, and this is the problem; if the FC is disarmed then on subsequent arming the buzzer will sound at the precisely the same time as the motors start to spin. This is potentially dangerous as the warning is sounding far too late.

The symptom is completely demonstrable on my build. If you need to see a video of it I will prepare one.
Please consider this as a bug for fixing in a near point release of the code.
Thank you.

Video demonstration of the issue is now available on YouTube, here --> youtu.be/N5YyHUF8sZM

Good call and video. I have felt the same as I have now several times almost stuck my hand near the props because the alarm is sometimes delayed far enough out that it seams that it didnt arm at all. (as shown on the last arming of your hex on the video).

Erik

I may come across as a bit harsh…The buzzer isn’t a warning that its armed :slight_smile:…its a status signal to tell you that arming was successful. By the fact that YOU armed it or attempted to arm it is the clue it may be armed…if in doubt hold down and left to disarm.

The buzzer isn’t a warning to others either…your voice is. If you have people nearby that either don’t understand whats going on or have their back turned or something then announce that your are arming ideally informing people what that means before doing it if they don’t know about what you are doing.

This is the pilots responsibility.

If you have spin on arm enabled and you start to arm…why should you be surpirised that he props start spinning?

The buzzer armed signal is more for people that don’t like/use spin on armed such as my self. If it beeped before it was actually armed it wouldn’t tell me it was armed, just that it is arming…whicj I already know its trying to arm…I want to know if it armed or not.

Im not blaming anyone but myself. It doesnt change the fact that it could be better.
Erik

Better at being what? It’s not a a warning. It doesn’t take that long for it to beep. :slight_smile:

sent from my phone so apologies for any typos

It is not a buzzer, yes we get it. I’m saying that maybe it could be or there could be an arming tone to give the pilot a sense that his arming sequence was seen and recognized by the board.

Are the LED’s, spin on armed, gcs message and osd notification not sufficient? :astonished:

My APM is not visable where it is mounted, dont take a ground station to fly, and what if someone does not have an OSD?

The blades spinning up on armed without this notification makes the issue worse not better.

I guess if you can put into words clearly describing what you are after without damaging the existing use maybe you could submit a feature request to the devs.

I can kind of understand wanting to know that the copter is receiving an arming command…but only very bery slightlly…but the buzzer is much more useful as a armed status signal. I detest spin on arm, the buzzer and LEDs (I use external leds wired up) are great as they are as far as I am concerned.

My comment wasn’t just at you Forsaken541 but the OP too. I still don’t understand why if you are arming, why you need warning that all being well it will arm. The pilot should not be surprised by something that results from a deliberate action of said pilot.

And I agree Rabbit, just like taking off props for testing, double checking connections before powering up etc. there are some things like that. New pilots just do dumb stuff sometimes.

Thank you for the discussion. It really is the only was for open source products get better.