Boat Mode

[PdxSteve]

I don't think it's impossible. There are thousands of parameters you can change with Tower or Mission Planner. It's just a lot more complex than pushing a button or changing a single setting in an app.

 

[PdxSteve]

For instance: Complete Parameter List — Copter documentation

 

[DannyG]

Technically, it is an apparent impossibility to even ARM Solo if it isn't level OR if it is moving. However, a search of this forum will show you that a few people (like Erik, above) have been successful launching from a boat without any mods to the code. It's a mystery, an enigma wrapped in a conundrum... and generally a boat launch won't happen.

Magnetic fields in some areas on a boat could be another problem, but it seems that the unlevel rocking trumps magnetism for boat launching issues.

If you search this forum AND YouTube, you will find many retrofitted drones with foam floats. (I posted one of a Phantom yesterday or the day before) Because Solo doesn't have a logical and easy place to affix foam floats, and especially because launching Solo directly from water where rocking is likely worse than ON a boat, most examples are on DJIs.

Yea I intended on using my boating knowledge on coming up with my own floats for the drone. The pool noodles seems like most people's go to but I don't see it supporting the weight. A setup like a sea plane's skid seems more plausible for this copter.

As far as the boat thing, I'm taking my drone to Bimini regardless so I'll be attempting to fly from the boat regardless. If there's any suggested modes or things I should do or try anyone can feel free to shoot me the suggestions for me to try. I do know already that manual landing is a must since I've noticed the drone drifts one way or another when trying to just hold the "fly" button to land and I know it'll clip a part of the part on its way down. Best bet is having someone ready to midair catch the drone while attempting to land I think.

 

[SARDG]

...I do know already that manual landing is a must since I've noticed the drone drifts one way or another when trying to just hold the "fly" button to land and I know it'll clip a part of the part on its way down. Best bet is having someone ready to midair catch the drone while attempting to land I think.

I've never landed (or taken off) with the Fly button. I feel a bit more in control manually. I've brought Solo down and caught it a few times myself, high on a leg.

 

[erikgraham]

I don't think it's impossible. There are thousands of parameters you can change with Tower or Mission Planner. It's just a lot more complex than pushing a button or changing a single setting in an app.

Unfortunately we've been through all the likely params and a few more than that. Even back and forth with arducopter devs and 3Dr support. No dice. The only reason I was able to take off was because it was so calm.

 

[PdxSteve]

Phillip claims boat mode works fine with the arducopter master branch.

 

[erikgraham]

Phillip claims boat mode works fine with the arducopter master branch.

That works. But not on solo.

 

[fpvsteve]

That works. But not on solo.

It does, also with Solo. However running AC 3.4 beta on Solo has a lot of other drawbacks and is obviously not supported by 3DR.
Very unfortunately 3DR decided to back port to the old Arducopter 3.2 code line with the next firmware update. Unless they did something magic in the code that will push out boat mode further I am afraid....

 

[DannyG]

So the issue is doing the preflight checks in order to get it to take off? What if I did the checks on land and then take off from the boat once I get to my destination? Its a rather short ride from island to island in Bimini so I wouldn't mind booting up on land and leaving it ready to go until we're anchored at our spot.

As for floats, what about figuring out a way to retrofit something like these and make it in a way that it's easily removable and mountable? Floats

Sorry if I say anything "newbie-ish", only flown it a couple times since I have a busy work schedule.

 

[SARDG]

So the issue is doing the preflight checks in order to get it to take off? What if I did the checks on land and then take off from the boat once I get to my destination?

As for floats, what about figuring out a way to retrofit something like these and make it in a way that it's easily removable and mountable? Floats...

From what I've read on this forum, arming on land and taking off from a non-rocking, calm boat should work. (take off and land with the left stick) A bigger question within that trick is battery life. Sure, Solo draws far less at idle, than flying, but you may want to check Solo's current draw at idle vs. the mAh available in the battery, and then Solo's draw in flight. I can't imagine a very long flight after arming on land, loading up Solo, casting off, frequently moving at no-wake speed when departing or arriving at a destination, anchoring, etc. etc. Half the day is shot, and all of Solo battery may be shot. Some folks on here have hot-swapped batteries and that may work for you.

As for those type floats you link to, they've been mentioned before. That particular link doesn't tell the size exactly, or how much weight they may float. Some are so large, they may act like wings. Also, mounting those would require some serious retrofitting I think - as opposed to cable ties for some on the noodle solutions.

Let us know what you come up with - on both fronts. So far, Erik is my hero for his recent boat accomplishment.

My boat is tied up at my dock behind my house, with the Gulf, river, and canals right here at my fingertips, so you'd think I would have tried some of this - but I'm still skeered (to fly over water).

 

[SARDG]

Never more calm on the canal than last night, but too late to worry about getting underway and try a launch.

 

[Thakey]

soooo frustrating to google boat mode and see "coming soon" then find out that was a post back in august 2015 any news on it?

 

[Dmitry]

a mockery of us

 

[User Name]

I wonder if it'd be possible to make a small platform on a see-saw hinge with some weight suspended underneath. Just enough to keep it level as the boat rocked beneath it. It wouldn't have to be big, just enough for the Solo's legs. Could probably whip one up from PVC pipe from Lowes/Home Depot and some plywood. Might help raise Solo away from metal/magnetic interference too.

 

[SARDG]

I wonder if it'd be possible to make a small platform on a see-saw hinge with some weight suspended underneath. Just enough to keep it level as the boat rocked beneath it. It wouldn't have to be big, just enough for the Solo's legs. Could probably whip one up from PVC pipe from Lowes/Home Depot and some plywood. Might help raise Solo away from metal/magnetic interference too.

I'd think you would need a full-fledged gimbal arrangement, and I even wonder if it'd work then. Success would likely be dependent on the sea state.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

soooo frustrating to google boat mode and see "coming soon" then find out that was a post back in august 2015 any news on it?

3DR will not be producing an update that includes the ability to takeoff/land on a boat. They are no longer in the consumer product business, and will only be doing bug fixes, if even that. It is also highly unlikely a stabilized platform will work. A boat moves horizontally and vertically. A gyro stabilized platform will only help somewhat with the horizontal sway. In the unlikely event you got it to pass calibration, I wouldn't trust it. It's probably bogus.

The ability to use previously saved gyro and accelerometer calibrations is coming as part of Arducopter 3.4, which is currently in beta. Once it is released to production, it can be installed onto the Solo's pixhawk flight controller. Getting that to happen will require the work of volunteer geeks in the Arducopter community since 3DR isn't going to do it. So what's needed for Boat Mode on the solo is TIME and volunteers. It will not be a quick and easy patch. There is no timeline or ETA.

 

[RichWest]

I wonder if it'd be possible to make a small platform on a see-saw hinge with some weight suspended underneath. Just enough to keep it level as the boat rocked beneath it. It wouldn't have to be big, just enough for the Solo's legs. Could probably whip one up from PVC pipe from Lowes/Home Depot and some plywood. Might help raise Solo away from metal/magnetic interference too.

I'm sure an elaborate contraption could be made, somewhat like a nautical compass is supported for roll and pitch. But I would assume during calibration, vertical movement of any kind would be a further issue. Possibly throwing off the barometer...?!!?

But hey, why not? It would be an interesting project and a lot could be learned from the endeavor. Maybe we could have a Floating Launch Pad Challenge...

For others discussing land based calibration and then travel offshore with Solo powered on. @Pedals2Paddles did a supplemental battery connection which should allow this to work without depleting the main battery by a large margin.... disconnect prior to flight.

 

[User Name]

In the unlikely event you got it to pass calibration, I wouldn't trust it. It's probably bogus.

That's definitely a potential issue. It was just something that popped into my head. Probably not worth the effort and risk. Hopefully Solo gets brought back to mainstream Arducopter before too long. From what I've read/heard, there's an effort under way to do just this.

 

[RichWest]

Hopefully Solo gets brought back to mainstream Arducopter before too long. From what I've read/heard, there's an effort under way to do just this.

I'd like to believe there is an effort, but who knows beyond the call-out to any devs. I hope you are correct.....we'll see.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

There are three things that need to be addressed in order for flight from a moving vehicle to work properly and safely. None of these things can be properly or safely overcome by disabling prearm checks, altering parameters, or elaborate platforms. They require effort by developers to fix application bugs and allow Solo to use Arducopter master 3.4+.

1. Initialization at power up calibrates the accelerometers and gyros. This happens once when you first power it on. If the solo is moving at all in any direction, including vertically, it will fail. Or worse, it could get a bogus calibration, and really ruin your day once it takes off. This is what people are getting around by powering up on land, and leaving it turned on once heading out on the boat. The newest version of Arducopter addresses this issue by saving prior good calibrations and using those when a live calibration is not possible due to motion.
   
   
2. Movement when arming for takeoff. This isn't a calibration, but is more of a safety thing. It's not going to allow itself to arm if it doesn't have stable footing or being carried. This is also a hand launching matter. This is also being addressed in the newest version of Arducopter.
   
   
3. Return to Home vs Return to Me. The failsafes for low battery and loss of connection to the controller need to be able to return the solo to your current location. The location where the boat WAS won't help here. So when taking off from a boat, you need to use the app setting for return to me, not return to home. However, that is currently broken the Android solo app. There is a bug in how the app retrieves your device location, and therefore doesn't work properly. That has to get fixed, which at this point seems highly unlikely to happen in a timely manner. It does work properly on the Apple Solo app and it does work properly in the Solex app (I think). It also works, albeit differently, in the Tower App. You would need to make sure it is set for Return to Home via the solo app first, then use tower's Return to Me setting. Using tower, it constantly updates the home location to match your current location.