I fly the x8 frame as an X4 with a 3DR APM 2.6. I just upgraded to version 3.2.1 and started having the same issue that happens whenever I re set my quad. To set the home elevation you have to know to go into the mission planner flight plan screen and hit the SET HOME ALT button. If not, RTL and anything else using an alt reading will be off and either try to descend too low or ascend too high because of the off home altitude.
I am suggesting that this SET HOME ALT button become a part of the Wizard and set up procedures along with any other settings that have to do with Altitude. it would really help in completing the set up of a quad.
Home Altitude IMO is not a setup issue. It has nothing to do with your home; it is only important that the copter knows the altitude at the time of arming (Home Alt) not when being set up. Anything entered in MP before that point will be ignored and it should be reset when armed.
After following all steps in the wizard plus a few in the extras, the copter does not work as one would expect it to during RTL or other such alt dependent modes. I am saying that in the setup wizard that there should be something that points a person to have this work the first time and not have to search around for the verify alt box or set home alt button or anything else that might keep it from working properly during the first flight.
But the home altitude is reset every time you arm the uav as the barometer is set to 0 at that point.
That’s why you have to specify the “home” position as where you will be launching from when setting up your waypoint mission (drag the home icon to where you will arm it). If you do that then, in my experience, verify height works.
I’ve never had a problem with this in any of my manual flights (apm and pixhawk from ver 3.0.1 to current) as, like I say, the barometer resets to 0 when you arm so it knows it’s height relative to “home”, “home” being where it was actually armed.
A friend of mine that I built a tricopter for quite often uses throttle cut induced rtl to bring it home and land and has also never had a problem.
If you think Mission Planner controls the RTL function then people that purchase an IRIS and never install Mission Planner will have there copters flying back to the factory.
[color=#BF4040]Re: Home Altitude
If you think Mission Planner controls the RTL function then people that purchase an IRIS and never install Mission Planner will have there copters flying back to the factory.
Mike[/color]
This is the issue. These are becoming more of a consumer product with the IRIS, Follow me etc. If it isnt made simple for the end user (who unlike me does not like to dig into the nuts and bolts of the electronics they use) they will have some potentially disastrous flights if they arent ready to compensate for their craft flying off in RTL or dropping altitude into power lines during auto maneuvers.
Im really not as worried about this for me, I am more concerned for all of these new drone owners and the damage that all of the potential mishaps might cause, either in damages or just more crappy press for the hobby.