Pozyx with ArduPilot for non-GPS navigation

Hello rmackay9,

Thank you for the detailed description on how to complete this.
Going through the ‘Configuring through the Ground Station’ section on http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-pozyx.html ,when it comes to setting the BCN parameters they don’t seem to exist on the latest version of Ardupilot software. Is there a particular version of the software to download which would contain these parameters?

Thanks,

Nick

Okay, seems I got it back up again. I had some difficulties getting a Geolocation from BCN set, seemed like there was no communication between Arduino Pozyx and PixHawk. Changed the settings again and turned my beacons with the antenna up. Already changed the BCN params wth the LONG & LAT. Adjusted the ORIENT_YAW. Also made sure that the Arduino xyz-axis values were correct.

Some basic questions:
Are the beacons turned on?
Is the Pozyx tag being powered?
Do you have serial communication between Pozyx and Flight controller?
Are you connectected with COM port?
Are you looking in the Full Paramater Tree (Config/Tuning)?
Which Firmware are you using and which Flight cotroller?

Were you successful solving the glitch issue? I have exactly the same problem.

@farhangnaderi which issue are you referring to Nick’s?

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GPS Glitch. I am having this error it indoors with the configuration given on APM website. I have tried both on Pixhawk 1 and 2 but same.

@farhangnaderi How frequently does the message occurs? Coud you share your log? Because basically you are glitching GPS, doesn’t mean thats wrong by default. If it happens one time and the Pixhawk still pick up the geolocation on the map you should be in the clear. Otherwise check if you disabled the GPS correctly and test the Tag with beacons indepently. If that works well, check if the serial communication between the microcontroller with Pozyx shield and Pixhawk is working accordingly. If not there might be something wrong with your connection(hardware wise or software Pin wise). If your using the standard female headers of the shield with male jumperwires, it’s 9/10 lose, unless you glued it or directly soldered it. Also check if the wires are connected correctly on to the Pixhawk. I don’t know if your using Raspberry Pi or Arduino with the shield? Also is the microcontroller with shield being powered? Could use some more detail about the message, before jumping blindly into it. Also you might wanna boost your update refresh rate between the beacons and tag. so you will have more positioning reading, which makes it easier to pick up a good reading.

Exactly when autopilot shows Beacon’s positions on QGC after two times the GPS Glitch appears and it wont show Cleared until I remove the Pozyx tag cable from it. Then again exactly when I connect same scenario.
I have tried even with AHRS GPS Disabled and EKF2 GPS TYPE to None but same. My connection is ok since I have soldered all cables to pozyx shield.
I am using Arduino Shield and I have done same as: http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-pozyx.html
I have a stream of positions but I do not know their rate since there are no delays in position reading. I was not able to arm even because of PreArm GPS glitching error so no log given as well.

Recommended update refresh rate is channel 2, bitrate 850 kbit/s and preamble length of 64. Connections are ok you say after soldering… Are the Rx and Tx light turning on the shield?
Also when you did this, the Pixhawk was connected to your Arduino, did you use a battery for the drone? Because only powering up through the cable is insufficient.

Also take a look into this:
http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-downloading-and-analyzing-data-logs-in-mission-planner.html

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Tx Rx lights are blinking
Pixhawk is connected to to the Pozyx shield and Arduino, powering them as well.
With both Drone’s battery and USB resutls are same.
I am getting a new error also on Pozyx which says “Beacons too close” with exactly same config which was giving me positions yesterday.
Everything is going really tough :sweat_smile:

what is the length and with between the beacons and altitude?
nt32_t anchors_x[NUM_ANCHORS] = {0, 6800, 0, 6800}; // anchor x-coorindates in mm (horizontal)width = 6,8 meter
int32_t anchors_y[NUM_ANCHORS] = {0, 0, 12600, 12600}; // anchor y-coordinates in mm (vertical) length = 12,6 meter
int32_t heights[NUM_ANCHORS] = {650, 1100, 2800, 1680}; // anchor z-coordinates in mm (1.2m above vehicle’s starting altitude

share that piece of code with me…
Also upload your .tlog or .bin file from flight…

Here it is:

int32_t anchors_x[NUM_ANCHORS] = {0, 4000, 0, 4000}; // anchor x-coorindates in mm (horizontal)
int32_t anchors_y[NUM_ANCHORS] = {0, 0, 7000, 7000}; // anchor y-coordinates in mm (vertical)
int32_t heights[NUM_ANCHORS] = {-1200, -1200, -1200, -1200}; // anchor z-coordinates in mm (1.2m above vehicle’s starting altitude)

Try to position the beacons on different heigths.

Hello,
I just uploaded the log, Unexpectedly Beacons get disconnected after a period of time. But I do not know anything further from it.

Yes this happens, when idling/absense of the tag.

So I checked your log and it seems the positioning from the beacons between tag (Pozyx) stops aiding. This could mean several things, but your beacons are levelled flat. It might be possible that the range, between the beacons is not set accordingly. The antenna’s of the beacons must be positioned upwards and the beacons must be set in an angle that they can communicate, without any interferences of the radiowaves [X].

I am placing them like each two is facing each physically, and antennas are upward as well,
Interference of radiowaves is not there except the wifi.
What I am wondering is, EXACTLY when I connect the The Tag, GPS glitch appears.

Your doing a GPS Glitch, as long the coords under in your screen are okay and the compass is working as it should. You could do a Loiter. Normally you need GPS to do automatic flight modes. But we disabled it by making the param GPS_Type 0. At start up it looks if it has a GPS signal, nevertheless it is receiving coords based on the beaconsystem. This is the GPS Glitch… As long it is receiving an accurate signal on the MP/QGC map you should be in the clear.

I have same problem but found what causing this.

In ArduCopter/config.h BEACON_ENABLED macro controlled by HAL_MINIMIZE_FEATURES macro

If you use board that HAL_MINIMIZE_FEATURES flagged like old pixhawk (fmuv2) BEACON_ENABLED goes DISABLED then you cannot use BCN_* parameters

I have managed this with define BEACON_ENABLED manually but I have no idea about will be safely fly or not

Yeah as long as I receive accurate signals, but my cooords are set to zero all of a sudden after receiving GPS Glitch.

Did you change the update refresh rate as I recommended? https://www.pozyx.io/documentation/creator/arduino/configuration-of-the-uwb-parameters
Recommended update refresh rate is channel 2, bitrate 850 kbit/s and preamble length of 64.

P.S.All beacons and tags must be set to the same settings.

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