I have searched and con not find an answer other than having something else control the gimbal.
How do you adjust the where the gimbal points in earth reference mode? Is it possible to use an RC channel to move it the same as body ref accept it adjusts against earth ref instead? That’s how it sounds like its supposed to work when I read the docs but so far I cant make it work like that.
I’m asking what controls where it points in reference to the earth. I understand what it does?
Does anyone use this feature?
I dont know much about this thing but I have some rc based gimbal control on a servo gimbal.
It basically has yaw passthrough and normal roll stabilization. The pitch is rc targeting and it stabilizes the pitch to the angle commanded by the rc.
maybe the above is useful
Are you using it with a mount lock switch? Mine can follow and target in body/airframe reference mode but in earth reference mode it just points north. I am curious about that earth ref mode specifically what controls where it point when in that mode.
Yes, I am using a mount lock switch.
Never heard and tried of earth reference mode
In this doc it references “set RC9_OPTION = 163 (“Mount Lock”) to switch between “lock”, or yaw lock in earth-frame when switched to high, and “follow” mode or body frame yaw with RC channel 9”
My gimbal in earth frame just points north even when moving the aircraft. This feature appears to be working but I also am unable to control what way it points.
In follow mode it works as expected and responds to both ground station and rc input. Maybe I just need to reflash and test again incase something isnt working right.
I didn’t have much luck with gimbal yaw axis
That axis never responded for me and further messed up the roll and pitch.
What gimbal are you trying to control?
@Not sure if you are adressing @Ishitbh or I.
I am using a xf c20dv basically the same as the caddx gm2. Same functions as GM3 but no roll.
In non mount lock the gimbal works as expected. In mount lock mode it works as described there just isn’t much info on how to control it.
As far as I can tell in the lock earth ref mode you can only control it via mavlink messages.
So far it seems like no one else knows how this mode works or what its for either.
Can you take a screenshot of mavlink inspector while you’re using the gimbal and giving it commands?
I have these documents for your gimbal but I’m looking for the mavlink equivalents (or how else are you sending commands to it?)
C-20D Horizontal 2-Axis Gimbal User Manual-XF(A5)V1.4.pdf (843.6 KB)
Gimbal Private Protocol-XF(A5)V1.0.3.pdf (351.2 KB)
C-20D Horizontal 2-Axis Gimbal Specifications.pdf (120.9 KB)
Edit: I was speaking to you @spova
Let’s focus on @spova’s concern here. @Ishitbh, please start a new topic if you wish to discuss separate issues.
My gimbal is working in arudpilot. Thanks though @Joshua_Kordani
The question is around how the earth ref gimbal mode works, irrespective of what gimbal you use. I did not find an explanation in the documentation that I understood.
You set lock mode and issue an attitude angle adjustment.
I’ve been assuming that you’re trying to figure out how to get mission planner or mavlink to do that for you, and to answer that, I’d like to know what version of the mavlink gimbal protocol is being used, hence my question.
If that’s not where you’re stuck, feel free to clarify
Its a xf robot gimbal (same as caddx gm), They use a custom protocol in ardupilot I think.
So the expected is in lock mode moving the sliders in mission planner should set a angle difference from 0/North for yaw? Ardupilot will update the gimbals commanded angle to adjust for the what ever heading the aircraft is on?
Are you supposed to be able to do that with the RC gimbal controls too?
On mine when I put it in gimbal lock, mission planner sets and holds an angle when using the payload sliders. This commanded angle does not change with aircraft attitude so it is not earth reference. If I try to use the RC Gimbal controls with the gimbal in lock mode it just freaks out basically.
However I am currently running custom firmware with a upcoming fix for the xf/caddx gimbals. Before I was on this firmware when I put the gimbal in lock mode it would just point north. Updating it with the payload sliders in mission planner or using RC control neither one changed where the gimbal pointed. Ardupilot was controlling it and correcting for airframe heading as the gimbal has no compass so the only way for it to keep pointed north is for ardupilot to have commanded the correction angle from the airframe.
I don’t have a need to use this mode but was wondering how it is expected to work and how others that do need it use it? Basically how is it supposed to work and what is it for? I understand what earth ref vs body ref means but not how you use the gimbal in this mode, as in what decides what direction to point it with reference to the earth.