Why don't I get ESC telemetry? (4.2.0-beta1)

ArduCopter Copter 4.2
1

Hello everyone

I’m trying to get ESC telemetry from my 4in1 ESC to my Flight controller on my quadcopter and then see this ESC data in Mission Planner.

I am able to connect to the ESC via USB to the Flight Controller using BLHeliSuite.

motors
motors397×597 75.1 KB

I am also able to see this message in Mission Planner:
image

But these ESC stats are all 0: (both when armed and when disarmed)
esc-stats

Hardware, software and param details

ESC: T-motor Cinematic F30A 6S 4IN1

  • Supports DShot150/300/600, ProShot1000, OneShot125 etc.
  • Running BLHeli_32 v.32.8 (verified)

Flight controller: Diatone Mamba F405 MK3

  • Supports DShot300/600/1200

  • Firmware: MambaF405US-I2C, ArduCopter V4.2.0-beta1, (Running beta since it added support for my FC)

Mission Planner v.1.3.76

I don’t think I have ESC-data in the DataFlash logs either? (They are attached)

Some important params I have set right now:
SERVO_BLH_AUTO: 1
SERVO_BLH_DEBUG: 1
SERVO_BLH_TRATE: 2
SERVO_DSHOT_ESC: 1
Both SERIAL5 and SERIAL6 are set to use Protocol 16 (ESC Telemetry)

(full params at the bottom of the post)

Under battery Monitor I have set things like this:
Battery monitor 1:
image

image
image881×375 82.5 KB

Previously I’ve tried changing the DShot to 300, turning on Auto Telemetry on the ESC, and ofc setting the params mentioned above. But a bit at a loss as of what to do now. Any ideas?

Params:
quadcopter params.param (18.8 KB)

DataFlash log:
2022-03-06 14-56-45.bin (275.4 KB)

2

Looks like you have ESC Telemetry on Serial 5. I don’t see that option on the UART map:
UARTS

1 Like
3

This uart chart is for another FlightController, the mk2. We use the mk3, but the software from the mk2. Do you think that affects anything?

4

What esc specifically are you using?

5

I ‘m not sure. There is a lengthy PR that was merged suggesting UART5 is for Fport only.
PR

ESC is T-motor F30A yes?

6

The chinese copy that is cinematic f30a

7

Try this firmware and use a different Uart.
MambaF405US-I2C

8

We disabled Serial5 (set the protocol to -1) and kept Serial6 set to ESC telemetry and not it works! (mostly)
We get RPM, voltage and temperature
image

No current though, although it seems we are getting current through the battery monitor somehow now
image
Although this appears to be calculated current and not measured current

image
image861×347 82.2 KB

9

You won’t get current via ESC telemetry unless the the 4in1 has a current shunt resister on all 4 sections. These are not common. So you will have to us analog current out of the ESC. There is a pin for that labeled Current. If you don’t have an input for that on the Flight Controller no current for you.

Looks like you are in luck. From the board description:
An external current sense input is also provided

2 Likes