I use a RadioMaster TX16S for Mission Planner input at times. It’s an ELRS model, so I enable the BLE joystick function available in the ELRS config menu, pair with my PC, and use the link I provided above to enable it in Mission Planner.
I am not familiar with a BLE option, but I quickly found that the Action tab contains a joystick button and it has an enable button. It recognized the name of my joystick and I calibrated rc 1 - 4. I repeated the steps to run the CIRCLE mode and it did not fall. As you explained, it needs a neutral throttle position which my joystick had.
I connected to Maxproxy successfully. I tried the “attitude 0.9961947 0.0871557 0 0 0.5”. The copter is continuing to drift at a very low speed ~0.1m/s. It is noticeable if you zoom in on the copter in the map. It is nothing. Not a big deal. I ran a status RC channels command and noticed that RC2 has a value of 1502. RC3 also has something like 1550. In the Action tab’s joystick menu, the I see RC 2 and RC3 value is jumping ±1, every few seconds. Lke 1503 one second and 1502 the next and back. Similar with RC3. Again, not a big deal. Just want to make sure this is expected. By the way, my joystick is sitting idle when this is happening. Thank you for your help!
Recalibrate the joystick. Increase the dead-zone RC parameters if needed.
@hwurzburg can you add a comment about the neutral rc3 requirement in althold and circle modes. Then we can close this .
as Yuri stated throttle effects in circle, alt hold, and loiter modes are stated on their pages…it seems this issue (skimming this thread) was a miscalibrated joystick …not sure RCx_DZ affects overrides though…am asking in MP chat.
there are three places in the wiki mentioning joystick: the joystick page itself (which should be linked to the other references since it specifically details the calibration procedures for joystick, and a specific note on neutral calibration could be added there ), SITL use and Mission Planner Optional hardware mention joystick but does not have a hotlink back to the page…I will add those when I get a chance
The biggest issue was that a new user was led to believe he needed to create a full-fledged development environment to use SITL, when Mission Planner’s SITL instance was more than adequate.
Further, said user did not understand how circle mode works and crashed his SITL instance multiple times, created a GitHub issue due to misunderstanding, and finally came to realize that either an RC override command needs to be issued or a joystick needs to be connected.
Suggest:
- A note at the top of the Developer SITL page(s) suggesting that Mission Planner’s simulation should satisfy most basic needs unless the user intends to modify source code.
- A more robust page for Mission Planner’s simulation, linking to joystick documentation, a description of connection between Mission Planner SITL and MavProxy, and perhaps including an example of using
rc 3 1500in MavProxy to “fake” RC input during semi-autonomous flight mode simulation.
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Agree with the modification on the wiki. Putting forward MP SITL would make things simpler as people don’t have to install anything.
For the “fake” RC example that is debatable. Using MP + Mavproxyl will use mavlink msg for joystick control (RC_Override or MANUAL_CONTROL) when a default SITL instance + mavproxy use true RC simulation with a dedicated socket for the Joystick handling and this ins’t truely the same. I don’t know how it MP SITL working but it could be worth to implement a true joystick handling for SITL if possible
I dont think a page for beginners linking MAVProxy to MP SITL is appropriate…MAVProxy is a developers GCS…
however, I have expanded the info on joystick cal and linked it to other joystick mentions and on the Sim page pointed non-devs to MP as a sim means for poking around existing vehicle code/operation:
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