Rover-3.2 beta testing begins!

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Rover-3.2-rc1 (release candidate #1) is now available for beta testing through the Mission Planner’s (and perhaps other GCSs) Install Firmware “BetaFirmwares” link.

Changes are listed in the Release Notes and are also copied below:

  1. Skid-steering vehicle support added (i.e. tank track or R2D2 style vehicles)
  2. Brushless motor support
  3. Improved speed/throttle and steering controllers:
  • layered P and PID controllers with optional feedforward, input filtering and saturation handling (reduces unnecessary I-term build-up)
  • forward-back acceleration limited (see ATC_ACCEL_MAX parameter)
  • pro-active slowing before waypoint in order to keep overshoot at or below WP_OVERSHOOT distance
  • proper output scaling for skid-steering vs regular car steering controls
  • TURN_RADIUS parameter added to allow better control of turn in Steering mode
  • speed along forward-back axis used instead of total ground speed (resolves unusual behaviour for boats being washed downstream)
  1. Auxiliary switch changes (see CH7_OPTION parameter):
  • “Save Waypoint” saves the current location as a waypoint in all modes except AUTO if the vehicle is armed. If disarmed the mission is cleared and home is set to the current location.
  • “Learn Cruise” sets the THROTTLE_CRUISE and SPEED_CRUISE parameter values to the vehicle’s current speed and throttle level
  1. Wheel encoder supported for non-GPS navigation (can also be used with GPS)
  2. Visual Odometry support for non-GPS navigation (can also be used with GPS)
  3. Guided mode improvements:
  • for SET_ATTITUDE_TARGET accepts quaternions for target heading, valid thrust changed to -1 ~ +1 range (was previously 0 ~ 1)
  • COMMAND_LONG.SET_YAW_SPEED support fixes (thrust field accepted as target speed in m/s)
  • SET_POSITION_TARGET_GLOBAL_INT, _LOCAL_NED fixes and added support for yaw and yaw-rate fields
  1. Bug Fixes:
  • resolve occasional start of motors after power-on
  • steering mode turn direction fix while reversing
  • reversing in auto mode fixes (see DO_REVERSE mission command)

If you have a chance to give it a try and want to give feedback, please post in the Rover-3.2 category in discuss.

By the way the rover in the video above is from Aion Robotics. Nick Nunno is the designer/manufacturer and his vehicles will also be visible at the ArduPilot Interdrone booth.

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