TF-mini Lidar sensor does not work properly on pixhawk

@ppoirier, @RainFly,

Thanks very much for all this detailed analysis. It’s really helpful.

OK, I’ll push out a 3.6.2-rc4 (hopefully tomorrow) that has the mode-2 scaling thing removed. I’ve looked at the datasheets as well and I’m not quite sure why we thought this was necessary.

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Hi Randy

TF-mini firmware 1156 -> 2156 upgrade.

but, same result.

I think that 1m over is reliable.

still have problems within 1m.

Only when RNGFND_ORIENT = 25, distance measurements can be seen on the mission planner.

I’ve just tested without flying

Arming and spinning motors and moving distance measurements.

Here is the setting for object avoidance

and log.

2018년 11월 20일 (화) 오후 4:32, rmackay9 noreply@ardupilot.org님이 작성:

58 1980-01-01 오전 9-00-00.bin (656 KB)

58 1980-01-01 오전 9-00-00.bin.log (1.52 MB)

I’ve put a patched version of 3.6.2-rc3 here which simply has the “mode 2” handling removed.

It really should perform just like @ppoirier found I think… if anyone would like to double check then that would be greatly appreciated. sincere apologies for the number of attempts this is taking.

Txs again…

P.S. PR is here to put this change in master.

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Hello Randy,
Yes this mod works OK.
I will test the TF02 as well and report after a test flight with both sensor.
Thanks again for you availability and dedication (thanks to @OXINARF too) :wink:

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Hi all
I have mounted the Benewake TF mini lidar in SERIAL4 / 5, I have the following configuration:

SERIAL4_PROTOCOL = 9 (Lidar)
SERIAL4_BAUD = 115 (115200 baud)
RNGFND_TYPE = 8 (LightWareSerial)
RNGFND_MIN_CM = 30
RNGFND_MAX_CM = 600
RNGFND_GNDCLEAR = 10

I’ve been using it since the version copter 3.5.0
Recently I flew with the version copter 3.5.7, working very well

A few days ago I upgraded to the copter version 3.6.1. and testeand in mission planer seems to work well

I hope to contribute my little grain of sand

regards to all

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thank you Randy and Patrick for all your hard work on the TF mini

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My TFmini is really sending 0, 3, 7 for the mode byte.

With this firmware version:
2018-11-20%2017_42_02

Really curious that the -my- updater show a completely different number… Version 1156 and after updating: 2156
At what distance does the mode 03 pops in ?
And does it works OK with the 02 check code removed ?

My TFmini also only shows modes 3 and 7. It switches to mode 7 at 1m and then back to 3 under about 60cm… so there’s a deadzone from 60cm to 1m where it will just stay in the mode that it’s in.

I hope to push out 3.6.0-rc4 later today. Txs!

P.S. it would be interesting if we could do the tfmini lidar firmware updates through the flight controller (i.e. serial pass through). It’s theoretically possible although it would depend upon the GUI tool being happy with the flight controller’s COM port id.

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@rmackay9 please note that i just lost a TFMINI while trying to revert to an older firmware release using the old flasher (that allowed to select the desired bin file)… bad idea.
So for the moment I would suggest that we just add a note on the wiki about flasher tool provided by BENEWAKE to update to latest firmware in case the driver is not performing according to specs.

The good thing is that with the latest firmware updates they have almost eliminated the overestimation at short distances.

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Sounds like we are getting closer

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hi, i know it was considered a long time ago that 600cm is a reliable distance - but, is it really true? i tried to fly using 1100 there instead and comparing data outdoors i found that it was actually working fine in this whole interval. it has a factory defined 12m distance range - why do we limit it to 6m in the params? should it be revised, perhaps?

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Hello Paul_Atkin1

I hope you explain me well my english is very bad

Theoretically outdoors you have to limit the scope to avoid bad information.

for example: When you pass from a height of 8 0 9 meters the drone starts to climb only to descend only, In short, height accuracy fails.

If I’m wrong that the rmackay9 and ppoirier experts correct me

regards and I hope to have you clarified your doubt

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@Paul_Atkin1 & @nomar nothing is better than test it yourself :slight_smile:
Connect the TFMINI to your laptop and take a walk outdoor while testing with the Benewake utility.

The test I made a few month ago prove that beyond 7 Meter the signal was lost and even worse on bright sunlight.

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i will retest it, but i tried to raise it to the level of 20m gradually in alt hold and it was doing it, staying correctly at the desired altitude, i then looked and compared baro and rngf logs and altitude was matching there with no obvious errors, to the limit of 12m. i will try to retest again. may be it is different of different ground surface, who knows. good to know about sunny days, i will try to take that to consideration too.

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@rmackay9 Yahoo !!! It’s back to life :slight_smile:
This is what I like , push the thing to the limit, brake it and fix it !!
I notice there were programming pads on the board, and looking more closely it happened to be exacltly this. So I soldered jumpers to the pads and hooked up the St-Link in order to reflash the unit and Voilà …

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Hi everybody.

I’m using tfmini throught I2C using the maxbotic driver.
Is the issue described here affecting to my pixhawk 2.1 ?

Thanks.

No, this thread is related to native serial driver

@ppoirier, what software do you use to fix it?

To reflash ? , I used the STLINK utility software, copied the bin file from a working TFMINI and flashed it back