Copter-3.6.0-rc3/-rc4 is available for beta testing

Thanks Randy. FYI , I put new ESC’s with telemetry on that machine, that’s when I re-did Compass Cal and noticed no beeps. Should have mentioned that. Telemetry ESC’s works great on Pixracer. Interesting info to have.
Joe.

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I have three vehicles running 3.6rcx /chibiOS, a 350 quad and a 550 quad with with PH cube and Edison/apsync, Here GPS. A large hex with PH cube and TX2/apsync/zubax uavcan GPS. All three work perfectly with 3.6/nuttx. Switching to chibiOS things go a bit off. The quads are set up almost identical, the small one now arms with log_backend set to 3 and ekf2 and ekf3 running. The 550 with rc3/4 sets bad logging unless I set log_backend to 1, with rc2 it works fine. The large hex is set up almost the same with the exception of uavcan gps, it works with rc2 and log_backend set to 1 but I get bad logging with rc 3/4 no matter what. If anyone would like to see a log let me know what bitmask to set that would be the most helpful. These are all long running craft that have proven solid fliers and have been through many beta versions. I have compared parameter files several times and can’t find anything that might cause the issue.

Cheers, Randy B

In the migration from 3.5 to 3.6 I have noticed the Battery Failsafe had changed in my case from 13.5v to 10.5v. I do realise the Parameters have been renamed from FS_BATT_ to BATT_FS_ but thought the value would remain the same.

In my case not a big issue but just wanted to point it out.

solved. Unnecessary alarm.

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Hi,
noob alert here.
Just wanted to report issues I have with ArduPilot for the Pixhawk 4 (FMU_V5).

So, First updated the FC to PX4 latest version, configured everything and had one flight (IronMan Sport) with it, all went well. However, I need some features missing from PX4 like BLH passthrough so decided to try ArduPilot since its already in RC stage.

So, using latest MP I have flashed from latest firmware (07/07/18) build, without any problems, all went well. After reboot got the following errors: PreArm FS_THR_VALUE (the value was 975 instead of 925) and PreArm Safety Switch. Initially, I have ignored all errors and went thru frame type (X), calibration and compass. After reboot I fixed the FS_THR_VALUE by setting it to 925 and refreshed. Than I received the error COMPASS inconsistency, to resolve for the moment I disabled internal compass and the error was gone. So, after that it was quiet :). So, I disconnected and now tried to connect thru my SIK radio, nada. The remote unit’s led is steady which means it is connected to base (my desktop), however MP can’t connect - please remember that two hours ago I used the SIK radio with QGC without any problems. So, basically, main issues to report - compass inconsistency (yes I did the calibration twice) and SIK radio is not working. HTH. I’d be happy to help in your great effort with issues related to Pixhawk 4.

Best, Gal.

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Hello, want to report some strange thing on my setup Pixhawk 2.1, Frsky RC, Kiss 32a ESC, Quad 700.

  • With ChibiOS relay not working on AUX in combination with Oneshot125 or Dshot on Aux.
    with Dshot motors sound strange, no smooth running like with oneshot125
    I have to revise Dshot Kiss esc behaviour - probably it was related to the RC speed setting was 400

  • With Nuttx Relay funktion is ok on Aux in combination with Oneshot125

  • Stabilize, Loiter RTH tested and seems fine but after some flights have seen high vibes in the logs.


    but ACC Imu 1 and 3 seems to be good

    looking at IMU 2

  • when RC speed set 50 there is no Oneshot at Aux Port - ESC detected PWM
    if I set Servo Rate to 50 Oneshot still available
    its not so logic for my understanding because I thought RC_speed ist for IO-out and the new Servo Rate for Aux

just did a flight with ChibiOS and Dshot

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Reporting back hoping RC-4 would solve a couple issues with a new HEX BUILD (835)

  • Pixhawk 2
  • HERE GPS
  • HEX Frame
  • 370kv motors
  • 10000 Mah
  • LittleBee BLHELI_32 ESC
  1. Running Copter 3.6 I have never seen the safety switch work, nor has an ESC calibration worked
    Still unable to complete these with RC4, I’m starting to think its Hardware related??
    (Even when I changed to OneShot125 protocol for this test flight)

  2. Auto Tune seemingly fails. I have lowered the P values manually to get some stability but wanting to Autotune as I’m sure the computer is better at it than I…
    I have a 6 Pos switch, set to Stabilize ->Alt Hold -> AutoTune
    Lift off in Stabalize switched to Alt Hold for a moment then Autotune however, Nothing happened.
    I do have AutoTune bitmask set for ‘Roll’ only
    Log show the Mode changed back to Alt Hold immediately…

I have attached a DF log if someone could give insights on this… I may flash ChibiOS on this to see if the safetly switch and DShot protocols work…

Also, are there major differences in current draw for PH 2.1 vs Original? I ask as I should be seeing MUCH longer flight time with this build with the 10000mAh battery but voltage droppes very quickly.
Any way to save some power… i.e. Disabling heated etc…?

Thoughts?

http://www.sislink.net/2018-07-08_HEX.bin

Gal,

Thanks for the report.

I guess this is a new vehicle setup so the FS_THR_VALUE being too high and compass inconsistency are probably somewhat normal setup issue. The compass inconsistency is probably because of metal in the frame interfering with the internal compass. Turning off the internal compass (COMPASS_USE2 = 0) is a good solution especially once you’re pretty sure that the external compass is pointing in the correct direction.

Another tester (Brandon Macdougal) has also reported issues with the SiK radio so it is on our list to look into.

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Roland,

thanks for the report. This is too much to process in this thread so I’ve created a new thread (in the Copter-3.6 category) to dig into this.

Rick,

Thanks for the report and the logs.

BRD_SAFETYENABLE has been set to “0” so the safety switch has been disabled. Maybe set that to “1” and hopefully it will work.

I think AutoTune isn’t doing anything because it is seeing some pilot input on the yaw channel. I think it’s yaw input because the channel 4 input is about 1498 but the RC4_MIN is 1100 and RC4_MAX is 2000. So that would mean the mid is about 1550. Maybe an RC calibration is required.

It’s not too important but to keep things clear I think it is in AutoTune from “5:32:51.671” to “5:33:02.725” which is about 11 seconds.

Thanks again for testing and reporting back, it really helps!

Gal, @Quadzilla,

Tridge and I have found the SiK radio issue and we’ve got a fix that we will release as part of -rc5. I imagine we will release this in a couple of days after Copter-3.5.6 is out.

EDIT: until then you can temporarily set SERIALx_BAUD to “57600” instead of “57” and it should work.

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Good news I relay appreciate you guys look into this!!!

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Hi, I’ve been testing 3.6.0-rc4 on a MatekF405-Wing. It generally flies and works beautifully using dshot150. I’ve had two problems yet to resolve:

  • Frsky and frsky passthrough doesn’t work. I’ve tried multiple UARTs. What’s weird is that a normally working flvss smartport voltage sensor works fine until Ardupilot is added to the smartport bus, at which point the bus stops working.
  • A 3DR GPS/Compass (of the original pixhawk vintage) is detected and functions, except that I could not work out a correct orientation for the compass. Because of this there was a lot of EKF variance errors and yaw resets, which then makes simple/super-simple impossible to use.
  • A Here/Hex GPS/Compass/LED unit seems to crash the i2c bus. It initially works and you can see the mag and gps data, but at random time periods the LED either shuts off or shuts on permanently and the mag data stops. The GPS data continues.

Thanks for everyone’s work on the Chibios port, it will revolutionise the userbase of Ardupilot!

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@rmackay9 thank you and @tridge for resolving that so fast :+1:

Best,
Gal

Currently running master with a custom hwdef.dat to get 3 uarts on revo-mini, frsky passthrough telm, wifi telm and gps. Its working well, Tridge fixed the compass orientation so no longer getting compass problems when rotating it about with the motors un powered. However often get ekf failsafes when flying, due i think to compass interference. Hard to remedy on a 180 size quad, everything has to be close together. When it goes into loiter correctly it is extremely good.

I have fitted a current sensor with the hope of doing a compass mot calabration. However when i try from either mistion planner or Qgroundcontroll. It just says failed.

Have tryed through the MP command line too but it just returns rubbish.

Any ideas?

Thanks

@tridge@rmackay9

I did not see ChibiOS FW support for hardware “f4light_Revolution” in the update log. Is it common to a hardware motherboard, or is it currently not supported? Are there any specific schedules and plans?

Pete,

I haven’t tested compassmot recently but it should still work. Of course you’re followed the instructions here on the wiki?

I saw the new 3.6RC has many changes to the Marvelmind beacon so I installed it.
I Installed RC5,
For some reason there is no BCN configuration at all on the parameters list/tree .
Is it working on RC4? how can i get it? it is not on the “pick previous firmware”.

sevet,

If you’re not seeing BCN_ parameters and you’re using a Pixhawk family board then the issue is probably that somehow the -v2 version of the firmware is being loaded onto the board.

To add some detail, we have “-v2” versions of the Pixhawk firmware for boards with the 1MB flash limit (this is a hardware issue that affects a lot of older Pixhawks). Then we have the “-v3” firmware for boards that have 2MB of flash and can thus fit more features.

I guess you’re using the MP so it should have loaded the -v3 onto the board if it can. I think there are at least two options:

  1. download the Copter-3.6.0-rc5 firmware directly from firmware.ardupilot.org (download “ArduCopter-v3.px4”) and then use the MP’s “Load Custom Firmware” link to upload to the board
  2. switch to the ChibiOS builds which are significantly smaller so we can easily fit all features even on the boards suffering from the 1MB limit. Instructions for uploading the ChibiOS firmware is here.
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@rmackay9
When you switch into the new loiter mode from stabalize the deceleration can be quite rapid and there is a parameter to adjust this. I have also noticed that if you are hovering in a strong wind in Alt Hold then switch to loiter it can abe abrupt.

David Ardis