Pixhawk and APM Planner v2.0.0 RC2

ChrisLoewen · January 30, 2014, 12:14am

Hello,
I just finished putting together my F450/Pixhawk build. I’m having trouble connecting to and keeping my pixhawk connected to Mission Planner. I’ve tried using both the 3DR telemetry (57600 baud) and the USB cable (115200baud) but the pixhawk always looses connection with the PC before I can finish the calibration steps. Sometimes it won’t connect at all. I’ve tried various combinations of USB power only / USB & Battery, and Battery only with 3DR telemetry but nothing seems to work.

Another note, The 3DR Telemetry module seems to work for a couple minutes up close. If I walk accross the room it disconnects immediately.

Any help you could provide would be great. I can post pictures of my setup if needed.

I’m running APM Planner v2.0.0 RC2.

Thanks,
Chris

billb · January 30, 2014, 7:06am

Can you try RC3?

diydrones.com/profiles/blogs … rc3-update

Also can you post your log.txt in the $HOME/APMPlanner2 directory

Thx.

ChrisLoewen · January 30, 2014, 8:32am

Ok RC3 installed. I verified that the Pixhawk firmware installed is the latest stable version (3.1.1). I also tried installing the beta firmware then back to the stable firmware. The issue still exists. Log posted below.

I’ve been able to repeat the issue using the following steps:

I unplug the mini USB cable and reattach to pixhawk (no LiPo battery used). The Pixhawk boots successfully and makes the startup successful sound.
Using APM Planner 2.0.0 RC2 and RC3 (results are the same), I click Connect (COM3, 115200 Baud).
Connection is made successfully and I’m able to see motion when I move the pixhawk around.
After anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple minutes the connection will be lost and I’m unable to regain connection until Step 1 is repeated.

Log:
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:44.546 APL::parameterChanged “RCMAP_ROLL” : 1
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.551 Param Progress Bar: “327/330” paramId: 326 name: “RCMAP_ROLL” paramValue: QVariant(int, 1)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.552 Param Progress Bar: “327/330” paramId: 326 name: “RCMAP_ROLL” paramValue: QVariant(int, 1)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.554 Param Progress Bar: “327/330” paramId: 326 name: “RCMAP_ROLL” paramValue: QVariant(int, 1)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:44.555 APL::parameterChanged “RCMAP_PITCH” : 2
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.560 Param Progress Bar: “328/330” paramId: 327 name: “RCMAP_PITCH” paramValue: QVariant(int, 2)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.562 Param Progress Bar: “328/330” paramId: 327 name: “RCMAP_PITCH” paramValue: QVariant(int, 2)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.563 Param Progress Bar: “328/330” paramId: 327 name: “RCMAP_PITCH” paramValue: QVariant(int, 2)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:44.565 APL::parameterChanged “RCMAP_THROTTLE” : 3
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.569 Param Progress Bar: “329/330” paramId: 328 name: “RCMAP_THROTTLE” paramValue: QVariant(int, 3)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.571 Param Progress Bar: “329/330” paramId: 328 name: “RCMAP_THROTTLE” paramValue: QVariant(int, 3)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.573 Param Progress Bar: “329/330” paramId: 328 name: “RCMAP_THROTTLE” paramValue: QVariant(int, 3)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:44.574 APL::parameterChanged “RCMAP_YAW” : 4
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.579 Param Progress Bar: “330/330” paramId: 329 name: “RCMAP_YAW” paramValue: QVariant(int, 4)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.581 Param Progress Bar: “330/330” paramId: 329 name: “RCMAP_YAW” paramValue: QVariant(int, 4)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.582 Param Progress Bar: “330/330” paramId: 329 name: “RCMAP_YAW” paramValue: QVariant(int, 4)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:44.615 UAS: new system_status 3
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:44.819 Rejecting message, check mismatch: current_state: 0 == 3 , system id 0 == 1 , comp id 0 == 1
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.824 Unable to decode message from system 1 with message id: 116
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.829 Unable to decode message from system 1 with message id: 152
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.830 Waypoint Changed to: 0
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.837 Unable to decode message from system 1 with message id: 162
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.853 Unable to decode message from system 1 with message id: 163
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.854 Unable to decode message from system 1 with message id: 165
INFO 2014-01-29T23:57:44.855 Unable to decode message from system 1 with message id: 2
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:57:50.970 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:58:20.907 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:58:50.943 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.020 APMToolBar: connectMAV ArduPilotMegaMAV(0x8908e80) with sLink SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.021 APMToolBar: Disconnecting m_currentLink SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.022 SerialLink::disconnect
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.023 "COM3"
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.023 running so disconnect "COM3"
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.024 ArduPilotMegaMAV APM disconnected
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.024 Stop MAVLink logging "C:/Users/Chris Loewen/apmplanner2/tlogs/2014-01-29 23-57-35.tlog"
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.027 AHC: uasDisconnected()
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.028 UASActionsWidget::disconnected() ArduPilotMegaMAV(0x8908e80)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.029 APMToolBar: connecting to link SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.030 APMToolBar: updateLinkDisplay
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.030 APMToolBar setConnection: true
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.031 APMToolBar: CustomMode 0
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.032 APM: getCustomModeText()
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.033 APMToolBar: connecting to link SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.034 APMToolBar: updateLinkDisplay
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.034 APMToolBar setConnection: true
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.035 APMToolBar: CustomMode 0
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.036 APM: getCustomModeText()
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.075 Closing Port # 296 "COM3"
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.076 ArduPilotMegaMAV APM disconnected
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.077 AHC: uasDisconnected()
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.078 UASActionsWidget::disconnected() ArduPilotMegaMAV(0x8908e80)
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.078 ArduPilotMegaMAV APM disconnected
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.079 AHC: uasDisconnected()
INFO 2014-01-29T23:59:16.080 UASActionsWidget::disconnected() ArduPilotMegaMAV(0x8908e80)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.081 APMToolBar: connecting to link SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.081 APMToolBar: updateLinkDisplay
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.082 APMToolBar setConnection: false
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.084 APMToolBar: connecting to link SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.085 APMToolBar: updateLinkDisplay
DEBUG 2014-01-29T23:59:16.085 APMToolBar setConnection: false
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.456 APMToolBar: connectMAV ArduPilotMegaMAV(0x8908e80) with sLink SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.457 APMToolBar: Connecting m_currentLink SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
INFO 2014-01-30T00:08:30.458 SerialLink: hardwareConnect to "COM3"
INFO 2014-01-30T00:08:30.468 ArduPilotMegaMAV APM Connected
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.468 CONNECTING LINK: “COM3” with settings “COM3” 115200 8 0 1
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.469 start new MAVLink Log: "C:/Users/Chris Loewen/apmplanner2/tlogs/2014-01-30 00-08-30.tlog"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.471 Start MAVLink logging "C:/Users/Chris Loewen/apmplanner2/tlogs/2014-01-30 00-08-30.tlog"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.473 AHC: uasConnected()
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.474 toggleButtonsShown true
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.475 Multirotor
INFO 2014-01-30T00:08:30.476 UASActionsWidget::connected() ArduPilotMegaMAV(0x8908e80)
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.478 APMToolBar: connecting to link SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.478 Connected to a NON-APM or 3DR Radio with description: "PX4 FMU"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.479 APMToolBar: updateLinkDisplay
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.482 APMToolBar setConnection: true
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.483 APMToolBar: CustomMode 0
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.484 APM: getCustomModeText()
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.486 APMToolBar: connecting to link SerialLink(0x8f9e938)
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.487 APMToolBar: updateLinkDisplay
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.488 APMToolBar setConnection: true
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.489 APMToolBar: CustomMode 0
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:30.490 APM: getCustomModeText()
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:31.630 Send requestall data streams when heartbeat restarts
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:08:37.255 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:09:07.322 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:09:37.280 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:10:07.329 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:10:18.281 UAS: new system_status 4
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:10:30.248 UAS: new system_status 3
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:10:37.317 APM: Text Message rx’d "PreArm: Compass not calibrated"
DEBUG 2014-01-30T00:11:07.255 APM: Text Message rx’d “PreArm: Compass not calibrated”

ChrisLoewen · January 31, 2014, 7:35am

What size Micro SD card does the pixhawk accept? I purchased an 8gb class 10 micro SD card but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. I have the same issue still.

I tried to calibrate my pixhawk about a half dozen times again this evening. Most of the time I lost connection with the pixhawk before I could finish compass calibration. However, on one of the tries I was able to maintain a connection with my pixhawk for several minutes and complete all of the calibration steps. When I tried to arm the pixhawk it reported that the compass was not calibrated and flashed yellow even though MP said it calibrated successfully. Hmmm…

It feels like I"m so close! Hopefully I can figure this out before this weekend.

ChrisLoewen · January 31, 2014, 8:05am

Hmm, I tried installing the beta firmware 3.1.2rc again. It has slightly different behavior.

After the Firmware install is complete, I heard the firmware install successful sound and rebooted the pixhawk.

Every time I power cycle the board with the beta firmware, I get the “start up successful” sound followed immediately by the “start up failed” sound.

I switched back to the 3.1.1 firmware and I don’t hear the “start up failed” sound anymore.

Update: I installed the 3.1.1 firmware from Mission Planner vs 1.2.93 have the same issue (unable to connect to MP).

ChrisLoewen · February 2, 2014, 5:00pm

Update: I found out what the problem was. I used the 5wire GPS cable instead of the 6 wire GPS cable with my pixhawk. After I switched out the cable the issue went away.