New ArduPilot methodic configurator GUI

V2.8.0

Changes since previous release (v2.7.5):

image

We now use an ArduCopter SITL to test the MAVLink command and messages and the MAVFTP transfers.

:rocket: New Features

  • par_dict: Add validate_param_name function (b9a3e1a)

:bug: Bug Fixes

  • config: prevent rename state bleeding between steps (5b6b8c6)
  • motor test: fix resizing of the plugin when the parent window resizes (18d90cb)
  • progress windows: Improve window cleanup (106ab64)

:recycling_symbol: Code Refactoring

  • flightcontroller: decompose FlightController into specialized managers using delegation pattern (3f5d2a0)
  • parameter editor: rename configuration_manager into parameter editor (cc724e8)

:test_tube: Tests

  • backend: Initial usage of ArduCopter SITL to test the flightcontroller backend (1b3e659)
  • backend_flightcontroller: Add BDD tests (90505e5)
  • motor test: Add pytests to the GUI frontend (5162b3b)
  • motor test: Add BDD pytests to the data_model (5bfd109)
  • parameter editor: Add more tests (363749f)
  • param_editor: Increase frontend BDD test coverage (5d7f853)
  • parameter editor table: Add more BDD tests (1c9a7fb)

:package: Build System

  • deps: bump renovatebot/github-action from 44.0.2 to 44.0.3 (44b80c2)
  • deps: bump DavidAnson/markdownlint-cli2-action (cce3f6c)
  • deps: bump coverallsapp/github-action from 2.3.6 to 2.3.7 (cc71eca)
  • deps: bump actions/checkout from 5.0.0 to 5.0.1 (35dfc9e)
  • deps: bump github/codeql-action from 4.31.3 to 4.31.4 (e60d223)
  • deps: bump astral-sh/setup-uv from 7.1.3 to 7.1.4 (4b1bbed)
  • deps-dev: bump ruff from 0.14.4 to 0.14.6 (3b9c651)
  • deps: bump actions/ai-inference (8d20633)
  • deps: bump peter-evans/create-pull-request from 7.0.8 to 7.0.9 (c7fcce3)
  • deps: bump renovatebot/github-action from 44.0.3 to 44.0.4 (20c82f1)
  • deps: bump github/codeql-action from 4.31.4 to 4.31.5 (4e4cb87)
  • deps: bump actions/setup-python from 6.0.0 to 6.1.0 (294158d)

:gear: CI/CD

  • tests: Increase coverage minimum threshold to 89% (cbae54f)
  • tests: Fix Tk dependency regression in python 3.14x (f8ff755)

:wrench: Maintenance

  • translations: update GUI translations (9e79d2e)
  • release: Bump version info, tag and release (46fe48f)

Release Info:

  • Version: v2.8.0
  • Date: 2025-11-25 18:09:34 UTC

Full Changelog: Comparing v2.7.5...v2.8.0 · ArduPilot/MethodicConfigurator · GitHub

Can I report an issue here? Sometimes when an explanatory dialog box is big enough, the bottom part will clip out of view. So it is possible to dynamically adjust the dialog boxes depending on the position and size of the dialog? I am on Linux (X11, Ubuntu based)

I prefer reports using the correct way of reporting software issues

I will try to move the tooltip box upwards, so that it fits inside the window.

1 Like

Thanks I’ll create a big report there

This just keeps getting better with every update. I didn’t want to use it at first (too arrogant and full of myself to use some “noob configurator”) but this is the best thing ever invented since the wheel (‘-’)

Thank you

1 Like

v2.8.1

Changes since previous release (v2.8.0):

image

:rocket: New Features

  • general workflow: Add draw.io editable image (e272f36)
  • rich text: allow adding clickable links to URLs with tooltips (2b88b7c)
  • workflow popup: display workflow explanation popup (6db4d17)
  • battery cell_voltages: Add support for NiCd and NiMH chemistries (1f8f34e)
  • usage popups: Make font size usage more consistent (ef8e1c6)
  • rover: Added a new rover template (49f7b52)

:bug: Bug Fixes

  • tooltips: adjust the position to so that the entire tooltip fits inside the parent window (14304b9)
  • debug statement: the debug statement had an incorrect formatter (f9349c9)
  • usage popup: ignore if the parent window is no longer available (082c958)
  • flight controller: Make the FC detection more robust (c308779)
  • md: fix .md MD060 linting issues (20ab4cc)
  • translations: try to fix downloading of artifacts to be translated (a60fa36)
  • images: Added missing .png to win install (67f9085)
  • security: use more conservative permissions (71c62b8)

:recycling_symbol: Code Refactoring

  • webbrowser: Always use the backend_internet version (2bb3052)
  • usage_popup_window: Make it easier to customize the contents of the usage popup windows (b798d9c)
  • about_popup window: Reduce duplicated code, make it easier to add new dismissable usage popups (9b8f0a3)

:books: Documentation

:test_tube: Tests

  • tkinter show: Improve BDD tests (b9a08a0)
  • generated files: Add tests for generated files (b8eaf39)

:package: Build System

  • deps: bump actions/ai-inference from 2.0.2 to 2.0.4 (#1078) (f287b5a)
  • deps-dev: bump ruff from 0.14.6 to 0.14.7 (bb4d265)
  • deps-dev: bump pyinstaller from 6.16.0 to 6.17.0 (4b2318c)
  • deps: bump softprops/action-gh-release from 2.4.2 to 2.5.0 (581fc39)
  • deps: bump github/codeql-action from 4.31.5 to 4.31.6 (eba4cbf)
  • deps: bump renovatebot/github-action from 44.0.4 to 44.0.5 (76ff034)

:gear: CI/CD

  • tests: fix test_popup_shows_correct_title_and_content test in CI (455e267)
  • deps: bump actions/checkout in /.github/workflows (e299c17)
  • branch conventions: Make sure all PRs follow merge conventions (ed0161a)

:wrench: Maintenance

  • pre-commit.ci: pre-commit autoupdate (3fdd53a)
  • flightcontroller: Updated ArduPilot flight controller IDs (289fd1e)
  • credits: Added two more books that I read. (94527f0)
  • deps: bump step-security/harden-runner from 2.13.2 to 2.13.3 (c8d13a8)
  • flightcontroller: Updated ArduPilot flight controller IDs (cad5f5d)
  • deps: bump djdefi/gitavscan (a4df554)
  • pre-commit.ci: pre-commit autoupdate (dfd59e6)
  • deps: bump actions/checkout from 6.0.0 to 6.0.1 (9e2a7b4)
  • spell: Add more ignore Words to the spell checker (3933cbb)
  • translations: merge new un-translated string(s) to existing .po files with AI translations (2a1a4a5)
  • X500 template: Updated the template (65d46c4)
  • release: Bump version info, tag and release (c0d65d6)

:clipboard: Other Changes


Release Info:

  • Version: v2.8.1
  • Date: 2025-12-06 16:09:12 UTC

Full Changelog: Comparing v2.8.0...v2.8.1 · ArduPilot/MethodicConfigurator · GitHub

I tested the new release but it seems like now the tooltips occlude the field over which you hover. That is, the lateral alignment is off now by not being flush with the right or left edges of the field

Sometimes the tooltips if they are big enough causes problems with occluding other fields too so you can’t hover over those occluded fields.

1 Like

How to approach that some some templates are 4.5 based where names are changed in 4.6? For example Chimera7 template step 10

GPS_POS1_X in 4.5
GPS1_POS_X in 4.6

Also it’s unclear to me about values in templates, where it comes?

For example in step 16 pid adjustment for Chimera7 quadcopter MethodicConfigurator/ardupilot_methodic_configurator/vehicle_templates/ArduCopter/Chimera7/16_pid_adjustment.param at master · ArduPilot/MethodicConfigurator · GitHub

Where that values come from and what comments mean? Because the numbers don’t match with comments.

I guess templates are created by other users. The values are what they gave for their build. I guess the comments are why they gave the new values that differ from the firmware defaults and have found that they match

That’s correct, provided by users, but manual says

Select the vehicle template that better resembles your vehicle, it does not need to fully match your vehicle.

particularly here PIDs matters a lot, so I think manual must give more attention what template user selects because ever if you choose to change some components it will have template defaults applied.

Well, you can change every parameter yourself. If you created a new vehicle from the start, I guess you have to pick your components but using the templates allow you to just modify the components in your build

@mike_tk if the software detects that your FC is running 4.6, it will automatically rename the 4.5 parameters to their 4.6 name.

So to answer your question about versions:
The software automatically does the right thing.

You do need to use the latest version.

@StrikeEagle that is correct.

Nope, it does not work like that.

You do need to manually edit the editable parameter values to suit your needs. This is explained in the popups, the user manual, the youtube videos, the forum, the usecases, the faq… etc

@StrikeEagle there are vehicle templates and component templates.

Vehicle templates contain components and parameters, you can later change both of them.

Component templates contain component properties and FC connections. You can later change both of them as well.

Yes, sorry if my language wasn’t clear, that is what I meant

@mike_tk The closest the template is to your vehicle, the lesser the parameters you need to change.

Bit you will ALWAYS have to change some of the editable parameters

The PID values are just a small part of the problem. All parameters need to be correctly set for the vehicle to work. Stop making a big fuss about PIDs, start thinking about the big picture instead

1 Like

Clear, probably I was too naive and thought that tool can help novices who don’t understand what they are doing to configure their drone by pointing to minimal knowledge they need reading docs, but it comes that you still need to understand and check all parameters you are feeding in. Thanks for clarification.

Yes, it does exactly that. And the novices need to read, understand and use the docs that the tool points them to.

Nowhere in the documentation nor YouTube videos does it say that it does everything automatically for you, nor does it say that you can turn your brain off and stop thinking :thinking:

Yeap, now you got it.

2 Likes

@mike_tk here is one of the instructions you did not read: