Dev Call Jan 24, 2022

Issues & Pull Requests

Plane

Copter

Rover

Attendee count (max): 27

UTC1100 - Compass: per instance params take 2 by IamPete1 · Pull Request #19490 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Compass per-instance parameters
  • Needs more flight testing on multi-compass vehicles!
  • Looking for problems in compass innovations - wrong offsets etc
  • Should also do a magcal and make sure it compass comes out right
  • Reordering of compasses on a real vehicle
  • Broad testing before we can merge it in

UTC1103 - https://github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/pull/19637

  • Separate logging of position targets and attitude targets
  • Stops us using the same message for different things
  • A few minor things to fix and then Randy will merge it
  • Change GPOS to GUIP and GATT to GUIA

UTC1106 - SRV_Channel: native slew limiting by IamPete1 · Pull Request #19712 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Native slew limiting
  • Checked it works in SITL with throttle
  • Slew-rate 0 if not doing throttle
    • Slew used to only apply for one loop now it is persistent
  • We never remove things from the slew-rate linked list
    • May take a value of zero meaning no slewing
  • Change type on throttle into the future to be floating point…
    • Removes 1% increments
  • Throttle not slewed in manual modes
    • … pilot controls slew in manual
    • Some other mode to manual might be a jump in throttle

UTC1113 - AC_AttitudeControl: always use smaller of slew yaw and rate max by IamPete1 · Pull Request #19735 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Use smaller of slew yaw and rate max
  • Small bug which crept in
  • Function added so we can’t break it again
  • We ended up with no limit
  • Probably nobody had gains big enough to hit the default
  • How did we not see this?
  • degrees/centidegrees/radians….
  • Leonard can review and a few bits of renaming
  • Randy wants to see some testing evidence

UTC1118 - Position controller relax fix by lthall · Pull Request #19743 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Position controller relax fit
    • Relax i-term dance when transitioning from shut-down to flying…
  • Bunch of little fixes to the position controller
    • This is another one
  • Bill has flown this one
  • Tested thoroughly in SITL
  • File in here needs to be removed…
  • Means copters won’t just switch off on touchdown
    • Nothing unless you’ve got a bunch of noise
    • Once noise starts poking above max accels the initialisation function stops zeroing the output previously
    • Noisy heli with one-g accels because of ground interactions
      • Collective was bouncing all over the place as it was trying to take off
      • This will fix that

UTC1125 - Force Flying by lthall · Pull Request #19753 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Force-flying switch
  • Crash detector is turned off if force-flying is set
    • Maybe if you tip over while landing it should still detect a crash
  • Should we re-enable crash detection in the case of RC loss?
    • Might depend on how the crash check was enabled
      • E.g. via scripting
    • Randy or Peter will help out with RC failsafe
    • Wiki Needed

UTC1136 - AP_BatteryMonitor: add current scaler for UAVCAN by Hwurzburg · Pull Request #19791 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Back from last week
  • Defaults to 1.0
  • Current scaler for uavcan battery
  • Merged!

UTC1137 - AP_Arming: move disarm_switch_checks from pre_arm_checks to arm_checks by tatsuy · Pull Request #19829 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • ARMING_OPTIONS to silence these warnings instead
  • Make Plane like Copter and make arming checks all the time
  • First bit is silence warnings when doing the regular pre-arm checks

UTC1145 - AP_Param: Change from a direct value to a defined name by muramura · Pull Request #19834 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Change constants to numbers
  • Merged!

UTC1145 - Rename AP_AHRS::get_position(Location&) to AP_AHRS::get_location(Location&) by peterbarker · Pull Request #19848 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Changes get_position to get_location
  • Scripting alias in place
  • Merged!

UTC1147 - Possible MatekF405-CAN Board ID collision · Issue #19850 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Conflict on board id
  • Can we add a sanity check?
  • Tridge will PR a rename

UTC1151 - MacOS warnings by andyp1per · Pull Request #19851 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • MacOSX issues
  • Don’t want to change behaviour of existing code
  • Can’t do this as-is
  • Tridge has requested changes
  • Should we get a cloud mac for testing this sort of thing?

UTC1152 - AC_PosControl: Initialise desired accel to zero by lthall · Pull Request #19862 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Initialise desired accel to zero
  • Noise-interaction problems…
  • Need a Low-pass-filtered acceleration that represents the dynamic movement of the aircraft
    • Would need to filter at like 1Hz
    • Stop relying on i-terms in PID loops to do control
  • Punch forwards and flick modes aircraft might arrest itself and come back as opposed to moving forward and stopping
    • Only occurs if you change modes during significant accelerations
    • Only have the 20Hz IMU filter meaning everything gets through
    • Leonard has seen takeoffs with multirotors with noise has gotten worse
      • Takeoffs looking less elegant
      • Noise of aircraft is being accelerated with random accel offset
      • Leonard was aware of this at the time
      • Talked with Randy and a decision was made, but it might not have been correct in hindsight
  • Merged!
  • Should potentially be backported….

UTC1157 - Move AHRS logging calls into Log_Write by peterbarker · Pull Request #19864 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Factor up the logging code
  • Merged

UTC0000 - Increase Jerk with Accel when out of velocity range by lthall · Pull Request #19866 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Dive copter at 40m/s and then alt-hold?
  • Increase jerk with accel when out of velocity range
    • So we can get to the end-result faster
  • Reasonably serious issue…
  • Found when testing “my plane is diving, qrtl” lua script
    • Took too long to get recover
  • QRTL will flatten the aircraft which will arrest descent anyway
    • But quadcopters won’t get that effect

UTC0004 - Plane: stable 4.1.0 issues list · Issue #15941 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Still no option to not weathervane on auto-takeoff…
  • Boot, switch to auto, load mission, original mission having zero alt target, then load corrected mission with 80m alt target
    • Then armed
    • It immediately switch to waypoint 2
    • We don’t change current waypoint on upload
    • Mission-monitor thingy Copter is using might be useful here
      • Only checks some command types ATM
    • Maybe ask mission library to re-run a mission item
    • Call restart_current_nav_cmd sufficient?
  • Might have an equivalent issue in Copter if you replace the takeoff command…
  • Only waits to start the mission if you don’t have a position estimate…
  • Relative takeoffs are relative-to-where-you-are, not home
    • Important for home-drift
    • And if you’ve moved a long way from home
    • Might change based on
  • Replacing the mission item half-way through executing it would seem to introduce a lot of issues….
  • No “relative to current position” thing in Copter?
    • Not quite - if we don’t know where home is….
  • Downside to Plane behaviour - takeoff command will cause you to gain height
    • Copter won’t…
  • Flying at sea-level has advantages…
  • Tridge will work on patching Plane…

UTC0024 - Copter: 4.1.0 issues list · Issue #16478 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • No beta for next 4.1, Randy’s been busy…
    • Maybe this week
  • Last beta before beta-testing 4.2
  • No serious new support issues detected…

UTC0026 - Rover: 4.1.0 issues list · Issue #17116 · ArduPilot/ardupilot · GitHub

  • Need SCurves in before starting beta
    • Can we retain L1?
    • Safer approach / de-risk
    • Whole bunch of extra work…
    • Put effort into making the new system wonderful instead?
    • You’ll lack testing on new code as people will switch
    • Potential existing float-away issue noted due to current-flow issue / vulnerability to being 180-degrees off
    • New one does the same or slightly better
    • Pivot-steering vehicles will be better…
    • The l1-period wobbling goes away now…
      • Navigation → position → attitude …
      • Much easier to tune
  • New SITL models from Rhys are very cool!
  • Outstanding mystery from Yuri about lost missions

UTC0039 - improvements to DO_PAUSE_CONTINUE

  • Currently we just loiter
  • We should slow down around the corner instead
  • Slow-down time in waypoint time in SCurve
  • Partner would like Rover to maintain current steering…
  • How do we convey success/failure?
    • IN_PROGRESS?

UTC0045 - close