Re: [Paparazzi-devel] No throttle in Auto2

[cory barton]

> Is the plane on the ground when you are switching to AUTO2 mode and hitting
> Launch?

I had it on a cart in a stand, and was holding onto it.

> If you are getting "Mayday" messages, is it because of the battery being too
> low?  We had to adjust some of the power settings to make sure that the
> autopilot was correctly measuring the battery state of charge.

I did have to adjust a define in one of the files to get the correct
voltage reading. I am using a 5s lipo pack as a power source, and the
voltage is too high(21v at full charge) for direct connection to the
tinyv2, so I am using a BEC programmed to output 8v to power the AP. I
am planning to build a circuit to scale down the voltage of the 5s
pack and use one of the ADCs to keep an eye on the actual voltage.

Here is the BAT section of my airframe config. I think it is correct.
 <section name="BAT">
    <define name="MILLIAMP_PER_PERCENT" value="0.86"/>
    <define name="CATASTROPHIC_BAT_LEVEL" value="6.0" unit="V"/>
    <define name="CRITIC_BAT_LEVEL" value="6.5" unit="V"/>
    <define name="LOW_BAT_LEVEL" value="7.0" unit="V"/>
    <define name="MAX_BAT_LEVEL" value="8.4" unit="V"/>
  </section>

> (1) do all the normal preparation to ensure AUTO1 is functioning properly
> (2) start the GCS  (should go through Geo Init and then hold at the Holding
> block)
> (3) have someone hold onto the plane while you switch to AUTO2 mode

Everything is OK up to this point.

> (4) double-click into the Takeoff block and hit Launch (plane should
> throttle up)

(4) is my hangup. I cannot switch blocks. I try double clicking the
button, and no go. I try using the flight plan tab, and no effect. I
also tried changing the block in the "Aircraft > Data link > Jump to
block" Dialog, but it has no effect.

Here are the messages from the GCS after my latest attempt. Each time
you see Geo Init, I have power cycled the AP. I only get the "Mayday
kill mode" message right after programming the AP. Note that "BAT LOW
CATASTROPHIC" is from power cycling.

20:14:24 NexstarEP50, UNK
20:14:24 NexstarEP50, mayday, kill mode
20:14:26 NexstarEP50, MANUAL
20:14:30 NexstarEP50, Wait GPS
20:15:00 NexstarEP50, Geo init
20:15:10 NexstarEP50, Holding point
20:15:27 NexstarEP50, AUTO1
20:16:03 NexstarEP50, AUTO2
20:17:07 NexstarEP50 BAT LOW CATASTROPHIC
20:17:08 NexstarEP50, MANUAL
20:17:10 NexstarEP50, Geo init
20:17:20 NexstarEP50, Holding point
20:17:20 NexstarEP50, AUTO1
20:17:22 NexstarEP50, AUTO2
20:17:54 NexstarEP50, AUTO1
20:17:55 NexstarEP50, MANUAL
20:18:05 NexstarEP50, Wait GPS
20:18:07 NexstarEP50, Geo init
20:18:17 NexstarEP50, Holding point
20:18:27 NexstarEP50, Wait GPS
20:18:27 NexstarEP50 BAT LOW CATASTROPHIC
20:18:30 NexstarEP50, Geo init
20:18:40 NexstarEP50, Holding point
20:19:03 NexstarEP50, Wait GPS
20:19:03 NexstarEP50 BAT LOW CATASTROPHIC
20:19:04 NexstarEP50, Geo init
20:19:14 NexstarEP50, Holding point
20:19:29 NexstarEP50, AUTO1
20:19:31 NexstarEP50, AUTO2
20:20:18 NexstarEP50, AUTO1
20:20:27 NexstarEP50, AUTO2
20:20:30 NexstarEP50, AUTO1
20:20:33 NexstarEP50, MANUAL
20:20:46 NexstarEP50, AUTO2
20:21:30 NexstarEP50, MANUAL

On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 5:15 PM, miles <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hi Cory,
> Try keeping the holding block.  It shouldn't be causing any problems, and it
> is a good safety mechanism.
>
> Is the plane on the ground when you are switching to AUTO2 mode and hitting
> Launch?
>
> If you are getting "Mayday" messages, is it because of the battery being too
> low?  We had to adjust some of the power settings to make sure that the
> autopilot was correctly measuring the battery state of charge.
>
> In our testing, we have often done the following takeoff procedure:
> (1) do all the normal preparation to ensure AUTO1 is functioning properly
> (2) start the GCS  (should go through Geo Init and then hold at the Holding
> block)
> (3) have someone hold onto the plane while you switch to AUTO2 mode
> (4) double-click into the Takeoff block and hit Launch (plane should
> throttle up)
> (5) switch back to Manual mode
> (6) in GCS, double click on Standby block or some other navigation type
> block
> (7) manually takeoff, and in-flight test AUTO1 mode, then switch to AUTO2
> mode and (in this case) the plane should start circling the Standby
> waypoint.
>
> miles
>
>
> On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 15:44, cory barton <address@hidden> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have done the ground based portion of the tuning procedure and
>> everything is going mostly ok. My one issue is that the motor will not
>> run in AUTO2 mode.
>>
>> I think that a good thing to try before flying is to get a good grip
>> on the plane, and verify that the plane will throttle up, when the
>> flight plan is in the takeoff block, and the launch button is pressed.
>>
>> I am using a modified version of the basic flight plan(see below). I
>> have eliminated everything except the takeoff, and blocks to circle
>> around STDBY, and waypoint 1. It works great in simulation.
>>
>> When I turn on the AP, I have control of all the actuators in manual
>> mode, including throttle. The PFD reflects the actual attitude of the
>> plane. I also have full control in AUTO1 mode, and the control
>> surfaces appear to move correctly when I change the attitude of the
>> plane, and the throttle response is good.
>>
>> However, when I switch to AUTO2, I cannot get the system to move out
>> of the holding point block, and the throttle area is red in the GCS. I
>> got a message in the GCS saying: "mayday, kill mode". I tried using
>> the settings under the misc tab to set kill_throttle to 0, but it
>> didn't work. No matter what I tried, I could not get the prop to spin
>> in AUTO2 mode.
>>
>> Then I commented out the holding point block, and reflashed the AP.
>> The flight plan went directly from Geo init to takeoff, and the
>> throttle area was orange in the GCS. So I set the AP to AUTO2, and hit
>> the launch button. No response. I switched back to manual and auto1,
>> and the throttle works just fine. Switch to AUTO2, and no throttle.
>>
>> Please let me know what I am missing.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Cory
>>
>> <!DOCTYPE flight_plan SYSTEM "flight_plan.dtd">
>>
>> <flight_plan alt="75" ground_alt="0" lat0="37.08253" lon0="-76.39815"
>> max_dist_from_home="700" name="Basic" security_height="25">
>>  <header>
>> #include "nav_line.h"
>> #include "datalink.h"
>> </header>
>>  <waypoints>
>>    <waypoint name="HOME" x="0" y="0"/>
>>    <waypoint name="STDBY" x="120.6" y="115.6"/>
>>    <waypoint name="1" x="-45.5" y="174.2"/>
>>    <waypoint name="CLIMB" x="153.6" y="23.9"/>
>>  </waypoints>
>>  <exceptions/>
>>  <blocks>
>>    <block name="Wait GPS">
>>      <set value="1" var="kill_throttle"/>
>>      <while cond="!GpsFixValid()"/>
>>    </block>
>>    <block name="Geo init">
>>      <while cond="LessThan(NavBlockTime(), 10)"/>
>>      <call fun="NavSetGroundReferenceHere()"/>
>>    </block>
>> <!--
>>    <block name="Holding point">
>>      <set value="1" var="kill_throttle"/>
>>      <attitude roll="0" throttle="0" vmode="throttle"/>
>>    </block>
>> -->
>>    <block name="Takeoff" strip_button="Takeoff (wp CLIMB)"
>> strip_icon="takeoff.png">
>>      <exception cond="estimator_z > ground_alt+25" deroute="Standby"/>
>>      <set value="0" var="kill_throttle"/>
>>      <set value="0" var="estimator_flight_time"/>
>>      <go from="HOME" pitch="15" throttle="1.0" vmode="throttle"
>> wp="CLIMB"/>
>>    </block>
>>    <block name="Standby" strip_button="Standby" strip_icon="home.png">
>>      <circle radius="nav_radius" wp="STDBY"/>
>>    </block>
>>    <block name="Circle 1" strip_button="Circle 1"
>> strip_icon="circle-right.png">
>>      <circle radius="nav_radius" wp="1"/>
>>    </block>
>>  </blocks>
>> </flight_plan>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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