I try to use AMC and I have a few questions.
I have a configured drone but it was configured in mission planner. So it has no vehicle file in AMC.
I changed motors and props.
I launched AMC and performed procedure Create a vehicle configuration based on a correctly configured vehicle.
The program presents me a list of vehicle components that are not what my copter is made of. Why do I have to set all my component parameters (battery sensor type, telemetry serial, etc etc) if they already set in the currently configured drone?
Did I something wrong?
At the bottom of the page I clicked “Save data and start configuration”, and performed the steps in simple mode and reached to the point where I have to make my first test flight. Hopefully tomorrow I can perform it
I would like to transfer the “project file” to my laptop to be able to continue the configuration process on the field.
Is there a way to transfer it to my laptop from my desktop PC?
I would like to avoid going through all the steps until I reach to the final step.
EDIT: I was able to tranfer the vehicle configuration, but it does not seem to be an official way: I copied the vehicle directory from c:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming.ardupilot_methodic_configurator\vehicles\ to my laptop
There was an issue with the USB connection at around Step #6 and I was unable to transfer the settings to the FC. I needed to close AMC, restart, and continue the configuration. Unfortunatelly AMC continued from step #7.
How can I go back to step #6?
Let’s say, I’m done with setup, and my quadcopter is configured, ready to fly. After this I add a new component, let’s say a LIDAR or second GPS, with marginal weight (no effect on tuning), marginal power consumption. Do I have to go through all the steps, or is there a way to jump to specific configuration step?
Once I started to configure a drone with AMC, what happens if I change a parameter with MissionPlanner? How will AMC handle this?
If I configure a device with AMC, then MissionPlanner should not be used to configuration, AMC is used for configuring?
When I start AMC for the second time and I select my recently configured device, AMC shows the vehicle component editor where I changed I2C battery sensor I2C address (I incorrectly set it for the first time). When I press “Save data and start configuration” button, AMC jumps to the last step, where I stopped configuration process.
AMC was not asking to save the new I2C bus to the FC.
Should it ask? Is this the way it should work?
When does it save the corrected I2C bus?
Anyway, I corrected it from Mission Planner - hope it won’t cause trouble with AMC
You, as an user do not know (and should not need to know) what implications does a component
change cause to the configuration of the vehicle. It does use your current configuration to infer most of the components and connections, but it can not infer it completely. Just tell the software what the current components are, and the software will be able to derive the correct configuration for those components. So just enter that data, you just need to do it once.
If you entered the component data, you did nothing wrong.
Just copy all the files from the vehicle directory to your other PC.
There is an official way. That is the official way.
Switch to “normal” mode and you switch to any step you want. And you can add steps yourself. Just create a file DD_STEPNAME.param (where DD is a number with two digits, and STEPNAME is the name you want to give to that step) in the vehicle configuration directory.
Nothing happens, you just loose traceability and all the other advantages of using AMC, but you can still use AMC after that.
It will not. You are responsible for all parameter changes, If you do an incorrect change in MP, AMC will not correct that for you. It will not add traceability either.
Yes, the idea is simple, Use AMC for configuring the vehicle to fully benefit from all it’s advantages.
Use MP as a ground station for operations control. MP is great for that.
Thank you @amilcarlucas !
So I have to switch to “normal” mode and I can jump between steps, according my changes on the copter.
Does AMC indicate somehow, that I missed some steps, if I switch to “normal” mode?
Does this mean, that AMC is not going to check parameters in FC at a step against it’s DD_stepname.param files?
AMC only checks the parameters against DD_stepname.param files. It never makes anything behind your back. Only changes clearly presented in front of you are done to the FC.
AMC currently changes around 300 of the 1200 ArduCopter parameters.
If you use MP and mess up one of those 900 parameters not included in AMC, AMC will not correct your mess.
You can add parameters to any step by pressing the Add button
Yes, this is what I was thinking about. Sorry if I was not clear enough.
So if in AMC the critical battery level is set to 12V and I set in in MP to 13V, and start AMC, then AMC will highlight this change if I go to battery monitor setup (step8).
