Autopilot Firmware Upgrade from 1.3.1 to 1.5.3

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 5, 2017

Today I increased the maximum angle to 40 degrees. My theory was that the altitude prioritization should make it a moot point, as it would never reach that angle, or even close. Unfortunately, this shot down the whole altitude prioritization thing. I was able to hit 40+ MPH and lost altitude dramatically. I repeated this over and over. This would seem to indicate that the altitude decay protection does not apply to anything other than smart shots which is all that was indicated in the release notes. I am not sure why I was seeing it seem to work yesterday and not at all today.

David Boulanger · Feb 5, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
Today I increased the maximum angle to 40 degrees. My theory was that the altitude prioritization should make it a moot point, as it would never reach that angle, or even close. Unfortunately, this shot down the whole altitude prioritization thing. I was able to hit 40+ MPH and lost altitude dramatically. I repeated this over and over. This would seem to indicate that the altitude decay protection does not apply to anything other than smart shots which is all that was indicated in the release notes. I am not sure why I was seeing it seem to work yesterday and not at all today.

Was the 40+ MPH in FLY or FLY Manual? Or do you have the WPNAV LOIT SPEED cranked up. Trying to understand a few parameters I haven't dealt with before much. Maybe you were in Stabilize?

Fluxley · Feb 5, 2017

Happy to report that installing the 1.5.3 firmware on my second Solo was cake. Not sure WTH happened the first time. I'm very grateful for everyone's participation on this forum. I've been here since the earliest days of Solo and have learned so much!

Jubalr · Feb 5, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
Today I increased the maximum angle to 40 degrees. My theory was that the altitude prioritization should make it a moot point, as it would never reach that angle, or even close. Unfortunately, this shot down the whole altitude prioritization thing. I was able to hit 40+ MPH and lost altitude dramatically. I repeated this over and over. This would seem to indicate that the altitude decay protection does not apply to anything other than smart shots which is all that was indicated in the release notes. I am not sure why I was seeing it seem to work yesterday and not at all today.

This was something I was testing shortly after Solo was released. At that time what I observed was showing that we were also hitting the limit of available throttle in smart and manual modes. I know you are aware that the those modes are more limited in what the current they allow to the motors compared to stabilize and acro. So at a given angle (I believe it was about 34deg) the motors were maxed out per the parameter settings. I need to try it in stabilize or acro and rerun the same test, unless you already have?

David Boulanger · Feb 5, 2017

David Boulanger said:
Was the 40+ MPH in FLY or FLY Manual? Or do you have the WPNAV LOIT SPEED cranked up. Trying to understand a few parameters I haven't dealt with before much. Maybe you were in Stabilize?

Let me correct myself. It wasn't Stabilize because Stabilize has nothing to do with the barometer.

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 5, 2017

I was Manual (alt hold) and Position Hold. I have Fly (loiter) limited to 20mph so no factor there.

David Boulanger · Feb 5, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
I was Manual (alt hold) and Position Hold. I have Fly (loiter) limited to 20mph so no factor there.

O.K. So Alt Hold doesn't hold altitude at extreme speed. Good to know

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 5, 2017

Well, yesterday it seemed to do it. I don't know if it was just the max angle being low enough to prevent it, or something funky is going on. Yesterday I didn't have the the max angle cranked up to 40. It was at full rabbit setting.

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 5, 2017

Note: Do not program a mission to go 40mph into a stiff headwind. I wanted to test what I thought was a new feature in this firmware. I believed it would prioritize altitude and reduce speed to maintain altitude. It did not. This also shows how much work that gimbal does!

cynfab · Feb 5, 2017

All 1.5.3 does is change the tones the Solo plays during:
AP_NOTIFY_PX4_TONE_LOUD_ATTENTION_NEEDED
AP_NOTIFY_PX4_TONE_LOUD_VEHICLE_LOST_CTS
AP_NOTIFY_PX4_TONE_LOUD_BATTERY_ALERT_CTS

This is to reduce the possibility of the LOUD tones effecting the IMU.

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 5, 2017

Yep. I noticed it was not as loud.

pyrate · Feb 5, 2017

did you peek at the logs at all?

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 5, 2017

I use that to mark the LZ so I know where it will land with a RTH.

If you play a tlog back in Mission Planner, you can record the HUD as a video. You can also feed video in as the HUD background.

RichWest · Feb 5, 2017

Is the loss of altitude a function of the barometer, flat top design or both?

Nice vid btw...

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 6, 2017

I think the loss of altitude is a function of leaning too far forward to go too fast. No enough thrust is being used for lift that that point, and the altitude will start to decay. Leaning over 40 degrees, it certainly does have the aerodynamic properties of a grand piano, which doesn't help things.

Jose969 · Feb 6, 2017

Hello everyone,

After reading everything in this post for the last 30min, only question I have is:

Is it safe to upgrade the FW to 1.5.2 or wait for the Green Cube to come out and go from there?

Thanks.

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 6, 2017

Jose969 said:
Hello everyone,

After reading everything in this post for the last 30min, only question I have is:

Is it safe to upgrade the FW to 1.5.2 or wait for the Green Cube to come out and go from there?

Thanks.

I have no seen any reason it would be considered unsafe. And it isn't fundamentally changing the way the solo works. The green cube is really a totally different topic, not to be compared. The green cube is experimental, and not for the inexperienced faint of heart.

Northeastern_Solo · Feb 6, 2017

How did you get your solo to play the aviation voices in mission planner? I've never used the tool before, is that a default setting?

Craig L. Johnson - USMC · Feb 6, 2017

I have never did of any of the firmware updates.

is 1.5.2 the only update that I need to do?

Pedals2Paddles · Feb 6, 2017

Northeastern_Solo said:
How did you get your solo to play the aviation voices in mission planner? I've never used the tool before, is that a default setting?

LOL. I didn't. I added them from my old MS Flight Simulator files while editing the video. Not heard on the video, is me running across the field yelling *@&#$*(@ PULL UP!! PULL UP!! ()&$*(@&