MegaPirateNG development officially dead?

[DerFlash]

Based on the updates here on the project (none) I assume the project is officially dead? I've seen the new FABI board but let's be honest, there are already a bunch of boards out there which are directly compatible to the official APM firmware, so I can't see any reason for another clone.

The one (and important!) reason for this project is and was the support of the "old" non-32Bit boards like the Crius and the others. And without any update here, this is now useless. The main code has made some huge steps and they did fix a lot of bugs, but MPNG is way behind...

So PLEASE just finally be honest to your community, users and yourself and answer this simple question: Will there be any progress in the code regarding the non-32bit boards? And if so, please don't just say "yes" and provide an estimation then. Otherwise it would be great to know what to expect!

Thx

[SirAlex]

First of all, F4BY is not APM clone! Yes, I am focused on it, but it because:

Second, I think the latest APM stable version is 3.0.1 (and MPNG based on it). So future development suspended until next stable version. I have seen a lot of crash reports on 3.1.x firmware so I don't want to port it.

Third, we have big problems with CPU power since 3.x released. So 3.0.1 can be last release when we can run APM on our boards. (Also I think 8bit APM will dead soon :) )

But if APM will release stable version (for example 3.2) I will try to port it to our boards.

P.S. We made F4BY because, it's just hobby for us. We like to develop new hardware and software :)

[quadmax66]

Hi Alex, would be great, if you could keep us a little bit more up to date about the progress. My last information was that you wanted to test but it was hard for you to get the time to do so. This was some month ago. But until now you didn´t state if you managed to test or what was the result of the test. I don´t want to critisize you at all, I only want to tell you, that many people are waiting for information. Best Regards, Max

[DerFlash]

Hey SirAlex,

thanks at first for the quick response. For sure I understand that all this is "just" a hobby for you guys. Though, I think you need to consider the fact that you made it public and you've now kind of a big community using it and so depending on it/you. This is why I think the very least we need is communication or some status updates. At least an information if it's worth to wait for any updates any longer. ;-)

Where did you get the information that the latest stable APM version is 3.0.1? As I can see on https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot/releases there were some release candidates of the 3.1.0 until Dec 14, 2013 where the "final" 3.1.0 came out. Later (on May 8) they released the 3.1.4 as currently latest stable version.

For the crash reports on APM 3.1: Personally I didn't have any real problems yet with your current 3.1 beta and I'm flying it for months now. Except that it just lacks a lot of little fixes and features of the main version now, like for instance:

• retrieving Logs directly through MavLink without the need to connect to the console...
• fixing the wrong orientation when switching into loiter, ...

Just consider the fact that you'll always get people (especially in THIS hobby) saying that everything does't work for them. Just keep in mind that for every guy whining about something there are plenty of people where it works just fine, but they won't write it down anywhere.

So, to mark the important words again: Please please just keep us posted when/if you will continue any development. Until then we should consider the current MPNG port of the APM firmware "halted" I assume...

Anyway, also keep in mind that this is no personal attack ;-) You did great work for a long time. Thanks a lot for that!

[SirAlex]

Where did you get the information that the latest stable APM version is 3.0.1? As I can see on https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot/releases there were some release candidates of the 3.1.0 until Dec 14, 2013 where the "final" 3.1.0 came out. Later (on May 8) they released the 3.1.4 as currently latest stable version.

My information based on user feedback. The APM owners (on Russian forum) recommend to use 3.0.1, due to a lot of crashes on last versions. Personally, I'm not flying original code. Hope, you are understand, it is not possible for me to port each release if APM. So I'm always trying to wait for a good release.

The 3.2 will be released soon, so I think I will try to port this new version. Also I'm continually thinking about what code to remove to solve problems with CPU resources. The big disadvantage of our boards is sensors connected to I2C bus - it's very slow and it is main problem in MPNG.

[SirAlex]

Yesterday I'm finished porting of APM 3.1.5, all work fine on the desk, only need some flight tests.

[ralenekov]

Great news, SirAlex! Keep up the good work! Looking forward to test it as soon as it is released!

[DerFlash]

Yey! Great news indeed, @SirAlex ! Keeping my fingers crossed for good test results!

[JonathancalderonIL]

hey @SirAlex good to hear that the version is on its way. would sonar be supported on this port ?

[smurfy]

@JonathancalderonIL probably not, i'm working on a solution using an additional attiny85. i hope i can get it working over the next couple of days.

This is only needed for the HC-SR04, all sonars officaly supported by arducopter are already supported by r4. (mainly MaxSonar)

More infos at #32 (i know its an old issue)

[dronehitech]

@SirAlex Could we expect the new 3.1.5 build this week, or there is no time table?

[nilsheidorn]

[BUMP] :-)

Using 3.0.1r4 right now and i would love to have autotune with 3.1.5 :-) I am willing to Beta-Test, got a "Crap-O-Copter" made from spare parts and leftovers. So it would be GREAT if you release 3.1.5, SIrAlex !!!!

Thank you for your hard work ! Nils

P.S. right now i am using the cheapest-Setup ever: a Funduino board for $9 USD + GY-86 for $17 + Neo 6M for $17 + cables = << $50 for a Loitering APM Bastard :-)

[DerFlash]

@SirAlex Any results from testing?

Please update the 3.1-beta branch with your port. I'd love to help testing it too and since the branch is labeled as "beta", everyone knows how to handle it.

[SirAlex]

Just finished basic testing. Warning! Please, use arduino-1.0.3-gcc-4.8.2 and MHV AVR Tools in order to compile this beta! More info at http://dev.ardupilot.com/wiki/building-ardupilot-with-arduino-windows/ Also do not forget to replace pde.jar from MPNG sources.

I'm have big issues of using DataFlash on CRIUS v2 board if MPNG compiled with old GCC, but it solved when I'm upgraded gcc to 4.8.2, Don't know why, but after upgrading all works fine even logging. So, Beta 3.1.5 pushed to GitHub (mpng-3.1-beta branch), Please test it carefully!

AutoTune not yet tested since my testing quadcopter has big vibrations and AltHold mode doesn't work well. But I made ~10 good flights without any issues. Also made tests with AlexMos gimbal & GoPro - work fine.

Please, post any feedback on this firmware at http://megapirateng.com/forum

[SirAlex]

Just more info, my testing platform: CRIUS AIOP v2 3DR telemetry UBLOX Neo-6m (CRIUS v2) FRSKY CPPM receiver connected to A8 pin (So tested only PPM_SUM mode) Turnigy Plush 30A ESC

[nilsheidorn]

Hello Sir Alex ! I hope to be able to test it today in my "Crap-O-Copter". Thats a quad built from spare parts and leftovers. I will also test it in my beloved Flyduino Hexacopter later. WIll report any survivors later here :-)

Did i get that right ? To get the latest 3.1.5 i have to update the mpng-3.1-beta branch, right ? (Checked that out & built it before to do some suicidal autotine tests).

Until now i compiled with the exact arduino version from the ardupilot link that you repeated above. But that contains 4.7.2 afaik. Could you give a hint how to upgrade the gcc to 4.8.2, even if that sounds stupid to you ? I do not want to mess up a (so far) working setup.

Thank you !!

Nils

[SirAlex]

Hi Nils, Yes, you must download sources from mpng-3.1-beta branch. The links to gcc is outdated on DIYD site, you can download it here: http://firmware.diydrones.com/Tools/Arduino/

[nilsheidorn]

Thanks !!!!!

Nils

[ralenekov]

Tested Acro, Stabilize, AltHold, Loiter, AutoTune! Everything works like a charm!!! Thank you, @SirAlex !!!

My setup: F450, Turnigy 1000kv, 10x45SF, F20A (SimonK), Frsky D8R-II PWM, Hobbyking AIOP + Neo 6m

2 battery packs, no problems whatsoever!

I just removed some functionality to save memory, everything else is configured just the way it is in 3.0.1-R4:

// uncomment the lines below to save on flash space if compiling for the APM using Arduino IDE. Top items save the most flash space //#define CLI_ENABLED DISABLED

define LOGGING_ENABLED DISABLED

define GPS_PROTOCOL GPS_PROTOCOL_UBLOX

define MOUNT DISABLED

//#define AUTOTUNE DISABLED

define OPTFLOW DISABLED

define AC_FENCE DISABLED

define CAMERA DISABLED

define COPTER_LEDS DISABLED

define CONFIG_SONAR DISABLED

[ralenekov]

I changed the baud rate of serial3 and I can confirm that telemetry works as well.

[erevert]

Thanks SirAlex for this port. Which is the correct motor layout? Change from 3.0.1R4? Which is the correct one?

Thanks

[SirAlex]

@erevert, motor layout must be same with 3.0.1

[campbell24]

Hi there I'm sure this is a stupid question. I have installed the proper arduino software and mhv avr tools but I cannot get it to compile. I keep getting ap_common.h: no such file or directory. Any help would be greatly appreciate.

[erevert]

I have a problem with my y6 copter. The motor connection are ok (checked twice), but when I push elevator up, the copter goes front-right and when i push elevator down it goes back left ( in diagonal). Must i rotate my crius v2 45 degrees to the left?. Now the arrow printed on the board points to the front of the frame.

Thanks

[nilsheidorn]

Hi erevert, are you 100% sure that you chose the right Y6 config ? There is Y6A & Y6B, rotation of tail props is reversed. (Y6B has all "upper" props CW & lower CCW, in Y6A the tail props are reversed). May check that, gave me some grief earlier :-)

Nils

[erevert]

@nilsheidorn. I have configured y6a

[JonathancalderonIL]

@smurfy . cant you use the code HEFNYCOPTER have for KK2 board ? https://code.google.com/p/hefnycopter/source/browse/#svn%2Ftrunk%2FHefnyCopter2%253Fstate%253Dclosed

i have got 3 sonars and installing 1 tommorow on an old KK2 board... if it will work i would leave my multiwii with MP for the time... sonar is the most importent aspect for me...

[erevert]

Hello, I'm having problems loading the firmware into my crius v2. Avrdude reports a problem in avrdude.conf:332: programmer type must be written as "id_type. My system is configured the way SirAlex said above but i can't get it loaded. Flashtool works ok. Someone can help me?

[SirAlex]

You must copy avrdude.conf from MHV Tools into Arduino IDE (don't remember exact path, search it and replace, or look at error message in Arduino IDE and replace this file)

[erevert]

Hello again, When I try to compile for HK_RED_MULTIWII_PRO i get an error where the variable AP_Baro_BMP085_MPNG is not defined. I have searched and I can't find this class in any file. Is this variable deprecated and I must change it for AP_Baro_BMP085?

[nilsheidorn]

Hi ! I tried 3.1.5 with my Crap-o-Copter Quad and it did well in a first test ! Tried only Stabilize. Alt-hold and Loiter and it seemed to work. Also did a Autotune run that resulted in sensible values & behaviour.

i have to say that i compiled with the 4.7.2 GCC vesion of arduino that i always used up to now as i got a LOT of compile errors with the 4.8.2 GCC version. Any hint what i am missing when setting up the 4.8.2 version ? Maybe it does not make a difference as the $9 Funduino has no datafash whatsoever.

i dloaded the 4.8.2 version that SIrAlex linked and copied the pde.jar from the 3.1.5 . I did NOT install the MHV AVR tools, could that be it ? (I thought) its just for transferring the hex and i do that differently, am i wrong and it is needed for the compile ?).

THANK you SirAlex, now my Funduino bastards seem up to par with my APM 2.5 boards :-)

Nils

[sreichholf]

Install the MHV tools and you're fine ;). Compiling and flying with 3.1.5 works like a charm here (Using an HK AIOP Board).

[nilsheidorn]

me <------ feeling stupid. Of course that did the trick :-) Thanks ! Somehow i was convinced that the MHV AVR Tools are just needed for transferring stuff to the board, whyever i got that impression :-)

Will try later but i do not expect to "see" a difference between 472 & 482 Arduino IDE's. But its a better feeling to use the same setuo as the Kaptain (SirAlex).

Greetings & Happy flying.

Nils

[nilsheidorn]

Quad works fine, i tried to do the compass mot setup in CLI but that resukts in ridiculous high compensation values. I know my quad, its build to minimize interference, i did not measure more then 10% compass interference with apm board where the compass chip was even closer to the ESC cables. Did anyone try compassmot via throttle on MegapirateNG 315 ?

Otherwise all fine :-)

Greetings,

Nils

P.S. now that i feel a bit safer i will try it on my beloved antique FlyduSpider Hexa later this week.

[DerFlash]

While reading through the commits it seemed that there were a lot of commits just raising the version number without any real changes. But when comparing to the diydrones repo there were a lot instead.

Like for example this one from february: https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot/commit/bf68edd01ca2c66dadfa6bcae2e2c03869d60d22 ... and hundreds more, like the additions for log download without the terminal, ...

I'm not sure what's the reason for this, so I hope someone may shed some lights on this?!

Yes, I saw the "Automerge ..." commit for sure, having some more changes in one commit. But going through them it's far from the "real" 3.1.5 (https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot/commits/ArduCopter-3.1.2 - do not mind the 'wrong' 3.1.2 in the branch name, its the 3.1.5 branch though)

[erevert]

@SirAlex Can I use Y6b motor layout? What param should i change to adopt this frame config?

Thanks

[nilsheidorn]

Hi erevert, i guess you should use the "Y6_FRAME" define in the APM_Config.h and make sure in the Mission Planner full config that FRAME=10 is set. The ultimate test is to run the CLI motors test. It should spin all motors always the top first and then the bottom going round the Y arms. And be aware that the MegapirateNG Motor Connection Layout is different from the APM !!!!!

Greetings,

Nils

[Chacal155]

@SirAlex, First of all thanks for your fantastic job.

I’ve been testing the new version almost in acro mode which is my favorite flight mode. There’s big issue (for me) inherited from the original APM development and since AC3.0, please see the post in diydrones talking about it: http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/ac3-1-rc5-yaw-issue?id=705844 . The behavior is: when I make a turn (using yaw & roll), the multi rolls to the outside part of the turn and pitches to the front, this makes the model almost un-flyable for me. It’s easy to check: just make the model hover in acro mode and apply 75%-100% yaw in any direction, you will see how the model loses the hover pitch and roll positions (be careful you can loose the control of your model). I know it affects more or less to the different flight modes but in acro it’s critical.

APM developers said that they get solved (see commit: https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot/commit/f2c2811ef30450ad70500fc8212de3f59f7253e8) but only from AC3.2 version (see: ArduCopter 3.1.1 26-Jan-2014 section in https://github.com/diydrones/ardupilot/blob/master/ArduCopter/ReleaseNotes.txt)

So, do you think it’s possible to apply this patch on your ported 3.1.5 version or is difficult enough to wait for 3.2 porting?

Greetings Tony.

PD: My acro setup: ACRO_BAL_PITCH,0 ACRO_BAL_ROLL,0 ACRO_RP_P,10 ACRO_TRAINER,0 ACRO_YAW_P,10

[ralenekov]

@SirAlex More than 10 flights with 3.1.5-R1 and not a single problem. However I find that the crash detector doesn't work. I wanted to ask whether it is disabled in the code for some reason. Thank you.

[erevert]

@nilsheidorn Hello, I'm having problems compiling with arduino gcc 4.8.2. I install MHV AVR tools and arduino gcc-4.8.2 but, should i copy something from MHV AVR Tools to arduino dir?

[nilsheidorn]

Hi ! i had to copy over the avrdude.conf from mhv tools over the existing in arduino like Sir Alex wrote above. Then it worked.

Nils

[sosko71]

Hi Whether it is normal to get a lot of warnings during the verification in Arduino?

[nilsheidorn]

I got a lot of compilation errors as well, but the bird flies...

:-)

[Chacal155]

@SirAlex I have already patched the ported 3.1.5 and it didn't solve my problem so forget it. I need to do some more tests to find out what’s happening. It’s strange, same model with 2.9 the yaw behavior in acro was great!!!.

Thanks.

[SirAlex]

Hi all, Sorry for delay, I'm was in business trip last week.

@nilsheidorn, It's warnings. If you got error, compiling will finish with error.

@DerFlash, My port based on tag: Arducopter-stable-apm2 released 27 may 2014, the DIYDrones also build it's stable version from this commit. You may check it here: http://firmware.diydrones.com/Copter/stable/apm2-quad/ I'm think you refer to beta version APM-3.2... But it very frustrating to find right commit.

[SirAlex]

MPNG-3.1.5-R2 pushed to git and now available via FlashTool.

GCC-AVR upgraded to 4.8.2 on our build server. So now all firmwares compiled via flashtool based on gcc-4.8.2

[Espenf]

Great..then I can test it also :)

[SirAlex]

Please, wait some time, looks there is some troubles on server 27.06.2014 19:13 пользователь "Espenf" notifications@github.com написал:

Great..then I can test it also :)

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/MegaPirateNG/ardupilot-mpng/issues/149#issuecomment-47368177 .

[Espenf]

Ok, I will wait. Can you send me a instruction, step by step how to do this.

[nilsheidorn]

Hi SirAlex, you wrote: "MPNG-3.1.5-R2 pushed to git and now available via FlashTool" Aehm, this is exactly what we got when we checked out on git and compiled on 4.8.2, right ? Or did you improve / update / fix the sources from 2 weeks ago ?

Greetings, Nils (hope to get some testing time this weekend)

[nilsheidorn]

@Espenf :what do you need ? The flash tool is dead simple, or do you want to compile it yourself, there is a guide for that ? Nils