Copter-4.1.0-beta4 release for beta testing

Lorenzo_Pessah · June 18, 2021, 9:29am

before moving to FRAME_CLASS=15, I setup a normal hexacopter (X) in order to make sure that motor orders were correctly and I had the same issue.

As I said, the connection are the same (camera side) of the previous configuration with Inav and betaflight using Kakute f7.

Let me know if I can help further with other tests.

andyp1per · June 18, 2021, 10:56am

Ok, so what happens if you set SERVO_BLH_MASK = 0 and SERVO_BLH_OTYPE = 0?
Aren’t you also using a script for v-tail or something? This is working for everyone else, so pretty sure its something to do with your unusual setup.

Runcam protocol is 26 - I don’t see that anywhere in your setup

Lorenzo_Pessah · June 19, 2021, 9:17am

@andyp1per please check carefully the attached files and parameters.

h743 penta6.param (19.9 KB) this is my working configuration (runcam disable ATM) Screenshot (33)

h743 penta6 no dshot setting.param (19.8 KB) this is the configuration as you request
Screenshot (34)

I then select FRAME_CLASS=2 and then Dshot is enable.h743 penta6 no dshot frame_class2 setting.param (19.9 KB) So I think you are right, it depend from script Screenshot (35)

If I enable Runcam protocol on serial 2 (TX,RX1 on my FC, I still got the error with runcam, I will try to spend more time today

andyp1per · June 19, 2021, 9:42am

Probably need @iampete to chime in here about the motors matrix stuff - my guess is that this is not setting up the channels properly.

Sorry missed the runcam setup - I’m not sure why this would not work, your config looks correct.

iampete · June 19, 2021, 9:56am

Yeah, looks like a script error. If motors matrix has not init it will never setup the motor outputs as Dshot. If you can post the script I will see if I can spot anything. The other possible issue is the assigning of motor outs, the scripting back-end will not auto assign motors to output functions 1-6 as the other back-ends will. You have to manually set the outputs 1-6 to motors 1-6.

Lorenzo_Pessah · June 19, 2021, 10:03am

Here is my script (last post)

iampete · June 19, 2021, 12:11pm

Ok, just read your post more carefully. The script was only failing because you did not have frame class set to scripting in that test.

I suspect is just a matter of boot order. The script comes up after the auto blheli check is done. This is the check:

github.com

ArduPilot/ardupilot/blob/39c96f63c8c844193dedf13c93014913d8075975/libraries/AP_Motors/AP_MotorsMatrix.cpp#L187


    // convert output to PWM and send to each motor
    for (i = 0; i < AP_MOTORS_MAX_NUM_MOTORS; i++) {
        if (motor_enabled[i]) {
            rc_write(i, output_to_pwm(_actuator[i]));
        }
    }
}


// get_motor_mask - returns a bitmask of which outputs are being used for motors (1 means being used)
//  this can be used to ensure other pwm outputs (i.e. for servos) do not conflict
uint16_t AP_MotorsMatrix::get_motor_mask()
{
    uint16_t motor_mask = 0;
    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < AP_MOTORS_MAX_NUM_MOTORS; i++) {
        if (motor_enabled[i]) {
            motor_mask |= 1U << i;
        }
    }
    uint16_t mask = motor_mask_to_srv_channel_mask(motor_mask);


    // add parent's mask

That will return 0 until the script has run. Not a huge amount we can do about that, we could re-init blheli after the script init. But I think on the whole it is not too painful to have to manually set the motor mask.

Lorenzo_Pessah · June 19, 2021, 12:30pm

can I improve the script in any way?

iampete · June 19, 2021, 12:36pm

Not really. If your feeling keen you could have it work out and set the manual blheli mask, so that it would work correctly after a reboot. but that would be quite a bit of lua just save the manual setting of one param.

Lorenzo_Pessah · June 19, 2021, 1:00pm

I have also noticed that if I reupload the parameter file, outputs remain in pwm, I have to rewrite the manual mask and reboot in order to make it working

Quadzilla · June 19, 2021, 6:41pm

ArduCopter V4.1.0-beta4 (37070bfe) the first 30 secs I did have some shakes in stabilize then they went away, switching into GPS the same shake returned, "not seen this " overall stock tuning seems ok for this size mini beast. I play with the pids next. Tested ground effect control gave some hits to the Tarmac but was able to get some of the leaves off the driveway.

MartyMcFly · June 19, 2021, 7:49pm

that is an awesome design with great potential,what size motors are you running on it please

Quadzilla · June 19, 2021, 8:27pm

Hi martin, it’s designed to use 2000 kv or 1800 kv will work with a x or quad just add the bottom unit. this is a 1/4 scale version above.

MartyMcFly · June 19, 2021, 9:08pm

I could have fun with that,put a nice rotating lidar on it set at say 1meter and well set up could fly all day flying at wall’s hedges etc

andyp1per · June 19, 2021, 10:06pm

I really, really recommend you don’t try with stock tuning. Every copter is different and stock tuning is more likely to disappoint than not. Auto tune is your friend.

Quadzilla · June 19, 2021, 11:03pm

Sorry Andy I been using stock tuning for 5 years with a lot of builds. 90% of the time they fly prefect so no worries my friend. if i do have an issue i manually tune. My test air space is full of trees. However by all means Autotest is very cool and thank you guys for what you do mind blowing.

Derek · June 19, 2021, 11:20pm

Is only 1 down facing rangefinder allowed? Say one lidar is good from 40m to 1m, and a second is good down to 0.1m (but maxes at 6m outdoors). Is it possible to set them up so it uses one then the other?

Quadzilla · June 20, 2021, 7:40pm

I found my jitter. I ended up turning down the PID " possibly more as i hear something after looking at the video " and added 45 degrees tubes. GPS stick control seems a little slow and BHL32 bit motor test is not working. however i was able edit the esc settings. Beta-4 is feeling good.

rmackay9 · June 20, 2021, 11:20pm

@Derek,

Yes, it is possible to use two downward facing lidar but it will only use one at a time. The is the logic on how it chooses which of the lidar to use:

use the first lidar by default (e.g. RNGFND1 will be used before RNGNFD2)
if the first lidar goes out of range the 2nd one will be used. Note the 1st lidar driver reports whether it is out of range by checking the distance vs RNGFNDx_MIN_CM and _MAX_CM

I must say that I’ve never tested this feature personally but Tridge has so I hope it works! Please tell us how it goes.

Derek · June 21, 2021, 5:48pm

That got me thinking, I just received a few Thoneflow 3901uy optical flow sensors, and they are quite small. I’m a little worried about a piece of grass or dirt sticking to the lens and losing the sensor data. Is it possible to use 2 optical flow sensors, 1 per lane ekf3? I see the current setup is 1 lane per imu, but what about 2 copies of each imu and alternate the optical flow sensor? So if you have 2 imus, there would be 4 ekf lanes (or x number of lanes per IMU) Sounds like a lot of work to code tho. The sensors are inexpensive and it would be nice to add a backup for reliability