QUESTION: Out of range tower missions.

Joel · Jul 29, 2015

hello, I am new to this site and I'm sure it's posted somewhere but I'm wondering if it is possible to use the tower app to send my solo on a mission that exceeds the range of my controller. I tried to do this already but as soon as it loses signal, it aborts the mission and returns home. Even in the parameters, I don't see anything that allows me to disable the rtl altogether. Any help would be great! Thanks

Raybro · Jul 29, 2015

I don't think you can with Tower. Someone posted earlier that with Mission Planner there is a parameter that will disable the RTL.

Jubalr · Jul 29, 2015

Actually, you can use Tower to set how you want the controller to react to a loss of controller signal. I believe the choice are Land, RTH, or Continue mission. It was discussed in another thread here.

Raybro · Jul 29, 2015

Jubalr said:
Actually, you can use Tower to set how you want the controller to react to a loss of controller signal. I believe the choice are Land, RTH, or Continue mission. It was discussed in another thread here.

Yep, I believe it was you that mentioned it....

Joel · Jul 30, 2015

Awesome. would you happen to know which parameter controls that?

Raybro · Jul 30, 2015

Joel said:
Awesome. would you happen to know which parameter controls that?

I have not seen the parameter he is mentioning.

Jubalr · Jul 30, 2015

From http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/configuration/arducopter-parameters/

Ground Station Failsafe Enable (ArduCopter:FS_GCS_ENABLE)
Controls whether failsafe will be invoked (and what action to take) when connection with Ground station is lost for at least 5 seconds. NB. The GCS Failsafe is only active when RC_OVERRIDE is being used to control the vehicle.

VALUE MEANING
0 Disabled
1 Enabled always RTL
2 Enabled Continue with Mission in Auto Mode

Projeffrey11 · Sep 11, 2015

Jubalr said:
From http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/configuration/arducopter-parameters/

Ground Station Failsafe Enable (ArduCopter:FS_GCS_ENABLE)
Controls whether failsafe will be invoked (and what action to take) when connection with Ground station is lost for at least 5 seconds. NB. The GCS Failsafe is only active when RC_OVERRIDE is being used to control the vehicle.

VALUE MEANING
0 Disabled
1 Enabled always RTL
2 Enabled Continue with Mission in Auto Mode

What is it set on by default?

nuggetz · Sep 21, 2015

I was just looking at this. Seems to me that default is 0. At least my paramter is set to 0. Almost had a heart attack when I saw it. To me it reads that I'm flying without that failsafe. However, if you read the copter description it mentions that this parameter is only active if RC_OVERRIDE is being used to control the vehicle. How do I accomplish that? I dont see the RC_OVERRIDE parameter in my list.

Starting to think this isn't possible. Can anyone confirm the default value as being 0? Can we simply change it to 2 or whatever and disregard the mention of RC_OVERRIDE?

islandsimian · Apr 19, 2016

Newbie here with the same question - any updates?

Edit: found the other thread and results: FS_GCS_ENABLE/FS_THR_ENABLE- has anyone actually used it? YES! Read on!

Jubalr · Apr 19, 2016

islandsimian said:
Newbie here with the same question - any updates?

Edit: found the other thread and results: FS_GCS_ENABLE/FS_THR_ENABLE- has anyone actually used it? YES! Read on!

Yes, it works great and is my default setting for most missions.

islandsimian · Apr 19, 2016

Jubalr said:
Yes, it works great and is my default setting for most missions.

Thanks Jubalr.

Now I just need to figure out why I can't download the parameters from the Solo.

nuggetz · Apr 19, 2016

The parameter you need to set to 2 is FS_THR_ENABLE. I have the GCS on set the same way as well but I was told that the throttle failsafe is the one to use.

I've noticed in tower that sometimes the parameters dont download when first connecting. It looks like its trying to download them but the progress meter is off. Anyway, I hit the folder icon on the top with the down arrow and that downloads a fresh set of params from the copter. When you make your changes, you have to upload the parameters back to the Solo.

Please be careful with auto missions. You most have 100% confidence in the Solo, its health and your abilities before you play with this. I made a Tower tutorial on youtube that you can watch if you haven't done so already. I plan to update it at some point.

Mike Davis · Sep 30, 2016

Nuggetz,
I just watched your Youtube Tower tutorial and I see you only configure FS_THR_ENABLE to 2 and do not touch the FS_GCS_ENABLE. There is a video by MAPIR Camera on survey mapping and they suggest using both FS_THR_ENABLE and FS_GCS_ENABLE set to 2 for potential out of range missions. I am going to be trying this soon, but I have a little "pucker factor" flying out of range the first time. Do you or anyone else know if the Solo needs both FS's set? Thanks for your videos, they are great!

Jubalr · Sep 30, 2016

Mike Davis said:
Nuggetz,
I just watched your Youtube Tower tutorial and I see you only configure FS_THR_ENABLE to 2 and do not touch the FS_GCS_ENABLE. There is a video by MAPIR Camera on survey mapping and they suggest using both FS_THR_ENABLE and FS_GCS_ENABLE set to 2 for potential out of range missions. I am going to be trying this soon, but I have a little "pucker factor" flying out of range the first time. Do you or anyone else know if the Solo needs both FS's set? Thanks for your videos, they are great!

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You don't have to 'fly it out of range' to test. I just put a few WPs around me and turn off the controller. If it works, it continues, If not, it will RTH. Then I turn the controller back on and re-connect to continue flying it as needed. For the record, I change both parameters.

Pedals2Paddles · Sep 30, 2016

FS_GCS_ENABLE will not have any application here. In copter, the GCS failsafe only applies when the pixhawk is in RC Override. As in, if you were using a game pad or joystick connected to a PC running Mission Planner. In any other mode of operation, it has no effect on anything. Solo does not use RC Override, so there are no circumstances where that parameter will come into play. In Arduplane, that parameter applies in all other flight modes as well, just like the RC control failsafe. But not in Arducopter and therefore not on Solo.

Mike Davis · Sep 30, 2016

I tested it out with a mission where I kept getting RTH. I figured that there was another parameter at play in FS_GCS_ENABLE. I set both to 2 and my mission worked as planned in autonomous mode. Then I reset FS_GCS_ENABLE to 0 and it still worked (did not RTH). I didn't know what RC Override was, now I see the light! I need to study up to get a better working knowledge of these details. Thanks for your clarification guys!

Andy Tomczyk · Oct 3, 2016

I have run autonomous missions in Tower and only changed the FS_THR_Enable = 2. This lets SOLO continue the mission if it drops connection. Controller will automatically reconnect when SOLO gets back in range.

Bsblhater · Oct 21, 2017

Mike Davis said:
I tested it out with a mission where I kept getting RTH. I figured that there was another parameter at play in FS_GCS_ENABLE. I set both to 2 and my mission worked as planned in autonomous mode. Then I reset FS_GCS_ENABLE to 0 and it still worked (did not RTH). I didn't know what RC Override was, now I see the light! I need to study up to get a better working knowledge of these details. Thanks for your clarification guys!

Mike Davis happened along into this info. When I am in tower how do i select that override so it will not come home until missions is complete. I have used tower twice so I am new. I finally got the courage to use it. How do I delete old missions