And an important note on that: ChibiOS is still a work in progress. It is not complete or a production stable release. Lots of things still need to be done and lots more testing is required. It is to be considered experimental still, and should in no way be considered any more safe than any other experimental firmware is. Putting it on high value vehicles, or for paying customers that expect production stable and safe firmware is not wise and at your own risk. You are a test pilot flying ChibiOS at this time.
Since there are some very new autopilots out now that can only use ChibiOS (like the “pixhawk 4” and the CUAV v5), users of that hardware need to understand what they are getting into at this time. You’re taking a brand new piece of hardware, which has very little testing or history to begin with (as does anything new), and putting experimental and incomplete firmware on it. This is a double-whammy of test piloting at your own risk.
IMO, it would be abject lunacy to put this combination on a high value vehicle, or any vehicle a paying customer expects to be safe, stable, and proven. A vehicle that is of size and power to injure or kill people using this combination, when flown in the vicinity of people other than the test pilot, is frankly careless and reckless operation of an aircraft.
This isn’t a knock on the pixhawk 4 or hack. It’s the reality of any brand new hardware or any brand new experimental firmware, which applies regardless of who made it. Please be careful with this stuff and understand the risks when you dive in.
There’s a wide range of hardware capable of running the ChibiOS firmware apart from the two mentioned, I’m using a couple of Omnibus V4 boards and an Open Pilot Revo, as two such examples.
I agree with the comments about them not being production releases. Users of these boards would be aware of that after having done the research needed to figure out how to flash the firmware - but it certainly doesn’t hurt to repeat and re-emphasise the risks.
I would like to know as newbie. Did I make a mistake getting this controller? I thought with the package I got everything I needed to get a drone up and flying in short time. Plus I saw the auto tune as a great thing for me. What else will I need to buy?
Hi Duane,
I wouldn’t say you made a mistake because in the DIY world, it has been my experience that nothing is ever straightforward. I have absolutely no experience with the Pixhawk4 flight controller, but as you say you’re a newbie, I’ll point out a few things:
Others have already posted some good info in this thread. It seems this board is designed for PX4, which is different from Ardupilot. Both PX4 and Ardupilot are the software that you load into the flight controller. There are threads where people talk about the differences between the two, here’s one example.
Since this is the Ardupilot forum, you’re probably going to get more help if you’re using Ardupilot on a compatible flight controller. Apparently you can load Ardupilot on the Pixhawk4 but its still in experimental stages. Again, since you say you’re a newbie, I don’t know what level of experimentation you’re comfortable with.
Over the past 5 years I’ve used the original APM, Pixhawk 1 (from 3DR), several newer Pixhawk clones, and the Pixhawk “Cube”. Every single Pixhawk clone failed me in one way or another, which cost me hours and hours of time, not to mention money buying replacements. Only the Cube has been completely reliable so far (*knocks on wood). My original APM still works, as does my original Pixhawk 1. The things I don’t like about the Cube are its weight and its size. I wish some of the other clones were more reliable but I haven’t found that to be the case.
Everyone has a different mission in mind when they get into DIY builds. Some want to go fast, others want smooth video, others want long range, others just want to learn. If you tell us what you’re trying to accomplish, I’m sure one or more of us could make recommendations.
Hi, what fw are you running on pixhawk4?
I installed plane 4.05 and I can’t get any pwm outputs.
I also have fmu b/e led flashing and fmu ‘act’ led is Not on.
Is this normal for you?
Yes, i got it working. I originally thought it was around pwm max and min pwm values. But i think it ended up being an arming issue, (had to get the safety switch disabled properly etc).
I am soon doing some more on it and i want to do some youtube vlogs of setting up LTE fpv fixed wing platform for beginners to ardupilot.
So i can check settings for you then.
I was able to get it to arm after disabling the safety button. Add I was able to get PWM output out to servo’s and motors with a connection from I/O PWM out > FMU PWM in on the PDB. This is not ideal but so far I cannot get the motors to spin if I go I/O PWM out > I/O PWM in. I’m sure this is my configuration but if anyone knows different please let me know.
The build I’m currently using is arduplane 4.0.6-FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE_BETA.
The FMU B/E led is still flashing but now the pattern is consistent with the I/O ACT led. crossed wires?
Great to hear,
Yes the labeling on the io amd fmu is misleading.
The provided power distribution board is fully aimed at multirotors, the pwm pins for the fmu connector are just solder pads labelled m1 to m8, and the io channels are fed to the servo pin headers.
When you are using the hawk 4 in fixedwing application running plane fw it is easiest to feed the fmu out to the io in which gives thou pins to connect your servos and is easier than soldering to the m1-8 pads that are designed for esc connections.
I now just use a smaller power board and then i use onw of the the small external pin headers supplied on a cable.
Thanks Scott, good advice.
My end goal is to build a VTOL Skyhunter, which I’m now thinking it too ambitious for my first Pixhawk project; but I will continue on.
Is it unreasonable to think I can get more than 8 PWM outputs from this Pixhawk 4?
The Skyhunter has 2 tilt motors and one fixed motor and the standard plane control surfaces. It seems I should be able to get 16??
So I took your advice and stopped using the supplied PDB and used the external pin headers. I can now get PWM output on both the I/O and the FMU.
Baby steps!
You can get 16, they are just labeled as fmu(first 8) and io(second eight).
There is supplied two 8ch pin header boards which can connect to fc, or you can use the pmo7 for a power module and it includes an 8ch pwm pin header (the other 8 channels are tracked to solder pads m1 to m8 on the board) if you are not running 8 esc’s just use the pm07 and one of the supplied pin header extention boards.
I really must do some youtube vids soon
Got a link to the board you use? I’m really getting fed up with the lack of plane specific documentation for the Pixhawk 4 This was the first mention I’d seen of someone using an alternative, so I’m really curious. (BTW, youtube videos would be great! You’d have a monopoly on plane specific Pixhawk 4 stuff)
This was the first mention I’d seen of someone using an alternative, so I’m really curious. (BTW, youtube videos would be great! You’d have a monopoly on plane specific Pixhawk 4 stuff)