Turn on motor reverse with AUX channel

Hardware Rovers and boats
1

Hello friends. Is it possible to set up Ardupilot thus my motor change direction with a switch?
What I mean is:

I push the throttle up - my boat goes forward
I push it down - the boat stops
I move some aux switch down (let’s say channel 10)
I push the throttle up - my boat goes backward
I push it down - the boat stops

and so on.

I know that there are ESC exists with aux channel. Can I do it without it?

2

Ardurover works best with bidirectional ESCs and a spring loaded (self centering) throttle stick.
If your ESC does not support bidirectional operation, there is no way to make the motor turn backwards via any setting in the autopilot.
Achiving the operation you discribed with a bidirectional ESC would be possible with a mixer in the TX or a lua script, perhaps.

3

EDIT: Perhaps I missed the point of the question…use mixing on your TX as suggested by others here.

4

this is easiest done on your transmitter if it supports custom mixing, most opentx and other modern radios should be able to do this without much issue. essentially its just a selectable throttle range. so default position gives you 1500-2000 for forward only and when you flip the switch it changes that range to 1500-1000 for reverse.

trying to do it with your motor controllers is just going to cause problems with how ardurover controls it.

unless your trying to physically move a throttle control on an engine?

5

That’s how I have my Rovers configured. As mentioned dead simple with a Transmitter mix.

6

As I see this is

  1. I set up my ESC for reverse function, thus it works like this: throttle value = 1500 neutral, 1500 → 2000 forwrard direction, 1500 ->1000 backward direction.
  2. I mix throttle with a switch in transmitter, thus I can control direction with this switch

I see two problems with this solution

  1. Switch changes motor direction at any time I switch it, even at full speed. Won’t it kill the motor if it chages rotation dierction at full speed?
  2. If I start a mission at low speed, the boat goes backwards at high speed.
7

Right. Logic to not allow it to switch unless the throttle is at neutral is a good idea. Logical switches in OpenTx will do this, not sure about other platforms.

I don’t understand point 2.

If this scheme doesn’t sound right to you why bother with it and just use a spring center throttle as suggested? It’s the most common method.

8

Auto mode won’t be affected by your transmitter mix.

1 Like
9

Yes, as Yuri stated. I think you are confusing inputs with outputs based on your other post.