Where is the rangefinder information in the logs?

Hardware Other Hardware
1

Where do I find rangefinder readings in the log? I thought it would be under RFND, but nothing there corresponds to data I can understand.

Here’s my configuration:

# LIDAR rangefinder: VL53L1X
RNGFND1_TYPE,16
RNGFND1_ADDR,41
# facing down
RNGFND1_ORIENT,25
# min & max from wiki; datasheet lists 400/4
RNGFND1_MAX_CM,360
RNGFND1_MIN_CM,5
RNGFND1_SCALING,1
RNGFND1_GNDCLEAR,10

Example log: https://github.com/arikrupnik/ardupilot-config/blob/master/logs/FIXED_WING/1/2020-08-20%2013-19-24.lidar.bin

2

Yes that’s the rangefinder output, so I assume this means that it is not configured correctly or is not in a suitable environment (small ToF sensors are best for indoors). Unfortunately I’m not familiar with the sensor, so I can’t offer any advice on getting it to work.

You can test if it’s giving sensible data without having to look at logs by connecting your GCS and watching the sonar range while moving the vehicle/sensor around.

3

Yes, exactly. I get very sensible readings on the bench, but garbage in flight.

Ari.

4

@iter what you say exactly matches my results with that sensor. i added a rngfnd osd panel to provide live monitoring and couldn‘t reproduce the promising indoor / workbench results under outdoor real-life flight conditions.

5

I took the plane outside today and the results are disappointing. I get good readgins in the shade, but nothing (or garbage) in the sun.

Ari.

6

You are not the only one. First bench tests were very promising too. Outdoors at daylight the VL53L1X seems to get short sighted beyond usability for planes. Tested with external arduino, never flown and abandoned the project.

Maybe good for night flying (auto-landing) only?