ArduPilot sounds even better

ArduPilot is clearly a leader on OpenSource AutoPilot systems, and one of the important aspects is how we recognise “ArduPilot” onboard.

Given the move to a ChiBios based RTOS and deprecation of the PX4 builds, let’s mark that, with a change on how ArduPilot “presents” itself, so one easy way, is to create a new set of Tones that will be used, and getting all the ArduPilot community involved, so a fast competition to our community is set.

The competition is for a new set of Tones to be used by the ArduPilot based Flight controllers, that are both clear and distinguishable of what is being warned to the user, and can clearly identify ArduPilot “on board”.

The entrants can submit one or more tones to be used (ie no need to supply all the tones in the library).

Each tone must not exceed 2 seconds in duration.

Each tone must not replicate any copyrighted material (ie no StarWars theme).

The existing tones are on: https://github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/blob/master/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.cpp#L32

and the community can test their new tones at: http://firmware.ardupilot.org/Tools/ToneTester

The ArduPilot team will vote the best tones (for each event) presented by the community.

Decisions by the ArduPilot team will be final, and any future changes should be only submitted via the regular process (PR submission)

All entries should be submitted as a PR submitted to the ArduPilot repository with the following prefix TONE_CHIBIOS:, or sent as a text file attachment to this thread (Yes, if you don’t know how to use Git/GitHub you’re welcome)

Final submission date: December, 5th 00:00 GMT

example text file

Author Name and forum handle


AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_NEG_FEEDBACK MFT200L4<<<B#A#2
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_NEG_FEEDBACK MFT100L4>B#A#2P8B#A#2
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_NEU_FEEDBACK MFT200L4<B#
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_NEU_FEEDBACK MFT100L4>B#
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_POS_FEEDBACK MFT200L4<A#B#
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_POS_FEEDBACK MFT100L4>A#B#
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_READY_OR_FINISHED MFT100L4>G#6A#6B#4
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_READY_OR_FINISHED MFT200L4<G#6A#6B#4
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_ATTENTION_NEEDED MFT100L4>A#A#A#A#
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_ARMING_WARNING MNT75L1O2G
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_WP_COMPLETE MFT200L8G>C3
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_LAND_WARNING_CTS MBT200L2A-G-A-G-A-G-
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_VEHICLE_LOST_CTS MBT200>A#1
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_BATTERY_ALERT_CTS MBNT255>A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8A#8
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_COMPASS_CALIBRATING_CTS MBNT255<C16P2
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_WAITING_FOR_THROW MBNT90L4O2A#O3DFN0N0N0
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_1 MFT100L8>B
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_2 MFT100L8>BB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_3 MFT100L8>BBB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_4 MFT100L8>BBBB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_5 MFT100L8>BBBBB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_6 MFT100L8>BBBBBB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LOUD_7 MFT100L8>BBBBBBB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_TUNING_START MFT100L20>C#D#
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_TUNING_SAVE MFT100L10DBDB>
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_TUNING_ERROR MFT100L10>BBBBBBBB
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_LEAK_DETECTED MBT255L8>A+AA-
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_SHUTDOWN MFMST200L32O3ceP32cdP32ceP32ccc>c<P32<c<c
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_QUIET_NOT_READY_OR_NOT_FINISHED MFT200L4<B#4A#6G#6
AP_NOTIFY_TONE_STARTUP MFT240L8O4aO5dcO4aO5dcO4aO5dcL16dcdcdcdc


6 Likes

How about a decal displayed on the body of the vehicle? I have a strong dislike for music coming out of my helicopters that makes them sound like an ice cream truck while I’m getting a turbine engine spooled up.

Musical tones sorta detracts from the effect of fire, smoke and noise bringing a 44i engine to life

I’ve got a pretty good collection of buzzers and safety buttons that go direct to the junk box when I get a new controller, if anybody wants 'em. The only thing useful on those is the plugs and wires, which I sometimes steal off them.

1 Like

I respectfully submit that changing the tones is not a good idea. Regardless of whether the current tones are good or bad, keeping things consistent is vitally important. You just don’t want to change something like this mid-stream. There will always be dead info on the web and when a user does a search for the meaning of the tones they may get the old version or the new version which could cause somebody and lot of trouble.

I would encourage people to use the OLED display instead of the sounds anyway. This tool gives you information about the GPS lock quality aiding in good decisions about when to fly and when not to fly.

Really hope that the ArduPilot controller was powered before the roar of the turbine :slight_smile:

I think this is more of a branding thing to mark the split from PX4. But realistically, how useful is it? Neither the tones can be heard, nor the LED can be seen, in flight (unless you put some really fancy LED’s on your aircraft). IMO the data about whether to fly or not fly should be in telemetry. And ArduPilot has made some really good progress in getting telemetry to some RC radios (like the FrSky systems). But it doesn’t work with all of them. However, the ground station does.

If we want to identify ArduPilot onboard, a nice laser or die-cut decal is more effective than musical tones. And those are available thru the ArduPilot Swag Shop for $5 bucks.

ArduPilot needs a little work to fly turbines yet. I have a “hack” for the throttle to start one. But musical tones make it sound like a child’s toy of some sort. And at 130dBd at full flight power, there is no “buzzer” that can be heard anyway. The nice thing is they are optional, so they end up in the junk box. I have yet to ever use one on any aircraft. It would be nice if the manufacturers of the controllers would sell the controller without the buzzer and safety button, and offer those items as optional if a user actually needs them. And instead of including those items, ship a couple ArduPilot decals in the box instead.

Neither is designed to work after take-off. They are used to indicate the boot status of the FC and flight readiness of the aircraft. If you have a ground station then it replaces both. But a lot of people don’t haul around a ground station and it is critical for people to understand that a 3D GPS lock is not good enough to fly in automated modes and your battery should be fully charged etc.

The OLed can tell you that in detail. What your battery voltage is and how many satellites you have and what the quality of the signals are and a lot more information. You don’t have to listen to a series of tones and try and remember what the sequences mean. Especial whether they are the old sequence or the new sequence.

Can someone make a tone that sounds like a turbine spooling up? :slight_smile:

Realistically I’m guessing most people don’t know what the tunes mean anyway without looking it up.

The importance and psychology of sounds:

I always thought the Startup sound was a bit toy like.

why not go with a simple Low>High note. Something like MFT200L4O4c>L3c maybe?

These are mines.
They are based on the existing ones so people used to the actual sounds would easily recognize them.
I also think that buzzer sounds give a toy feeling, but they provide also fast information.
Regards.AP_Tones.txt (579 Bytes)

There were several submissions. Were none of them good enough?

Some incomplete, and none distinctive enough, imho.