Firmware-0.90

Date of release: march 12th 2013

License: LICENSE.TXT

Forum-Link:

Link

Download

The latest software version you can download here:

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• FlightControl V0.90j for the red FC (FC1.0 - FC2.0) (MEGA644)
  

• FlightControl V0.90j for the black FC (FC2.1) (MEGA1284)
  

• Navi-Ctrl V0.30h
  

• MikroKopter-Tool V1.80b
  

Special version for ACT-2,4GHz S3D-receiver

• FlightControl up to FC2.0 V0.90j - only for ACT-S3D 2.4GHz receiver
  

• FlightControl from FC2.1 V0.90j - only for ACT-S3D 2.4GHz receiver
  

Only functional with the ACT 2,4GHz-S3D-version and with fast sum-signal !

How to update?

Never made an update? A description of how to do it can be found here: SoftwareUpdate

Compatibility

Improved altitude hold

Together with the new ACC-Adapter board, a much more accurate and direct altitude hold is realized.

More information here:ACC-Adapter

Jeti-EX-Protocol

Extended-Jeti protocol (for the latest Jeti-transmitter i.e. DC16 etc.)

Hint: from FC2.1 (black PCB)

• Display of the telemetry at the transmitter
  

• Voice output of all telemetry data
  

• Announcement of error messages using the voice output
  

• Announcement of switch messages "CareFree ON", "GPS ON", etc.
  

• Acoustical variometer
  

• Logging of the telemetry data in the transmitter

Note: MikroKopter messages will be transferred essentially via morse code message. In the latest Jeti-transmitter (i.e. DC-16 etc.) an own language sequence can be assigned to the messages.

For that reason that also the switch messages like “Altitude ON” are transferred, those can be deactivated in the KopterTool (older transmitter would give in this case a morse code and beep)

See also:

• DC-16

Jetibox Profi

The Jetibox Profi can also evaluate the sensor data.

Currently the morse codes can not be assigned to a useful language file. So, the function "Speak All" in the KopterTool (see above) could be deactivated if that is a problem.

SD card access via KopterTool

• Via the KopterTool the log files can be downloaded - also via HF (high frequency).
  
  

• SETTINGS.INI can be changed via the KopterTool without taking out the SD card.

• Note: To delete or rename files is not possible!

The MK-Tool starts a Mini-FTP-Server on the PC. That means you need to allow Firewall requests - otherwise it will not work.

You can reach the FTP-Server alternatively also with a FTP-Client (WSFTP, TotalCommander, ...) on localhost (127.0.0.1). (in example if complete directories need to be transferred).
For that reason that only a minimum of FTP-commands are implemented error messages could appear with a FTP-Client. The Expert Settings are self-explaining for experts. Here you can, besides passwords, allow the access from an external area.
In that way you can also access the SD card from a different PC in the network via FTP.

Servo

Angle compensation switchable from the transmitter

The Angle Compensation can now be assigned to a Poti and so be set via the transmitter.

• -> if you want to switch on / off the Angle-comensation you must select the assigned poti. Also the channel value must be set from the transmitter.

Example: If the compensation should be 50, then you have to limit the signal at the transmitter accordingly. So, when the switch is in on-state a value of 50 must arrive as a channel value at the FlightControl.

Servo relative

Is that menu item chosen, the camera mount can be controlled in nick direction via a stick with a spring.
If the stick will be moved forwards or backwards, the nick direction can be controlled faster or slower, depending how far the stick will be moved.
If the stick is moved back into the middle-position the camera mount will stay in the last set position.
This function is highly recommended if a second transmitter is used to control the camera.

Function of the throttle and camera-control on one stick

Only for professionals !

On a few transmitter (i.e. MC-32 and MC-20 HoTT) you can program a mixer in that way, that you can switch off the function of the throttle stick and control the camera tilt instead. So you can ‘park’ the MK in the air via GPS and altitude control and flip the switch. In that way you have the camera tilt on the throttle stick. If you want to land again you need to flip back the switch before.

Graupner HoTT: MC-32, MC-20 and MX-20

• Choose "Mix Only channel" from the menu. Change channel 1 (throttle) and channel 9 (camera tilt) to " Mix only"

• Set in the menu "Free mixer" at "M1": K1 -> 9. Then choose right to it the switch for the change.

• go further to the right and set the "Mix Input" to 103%.

• At "Free mixer" set the second entry "M2" : K1 -> K1. Then choose right to it the switch for the change. (Switch the chosen switch before to switched position)

Now, while switching the switch, the upper switch symbol should be closed and the lower one open (reversed while switching).

• Continue at M2 to the right and set the "Mix Input" also to 103%.

Now you can move with the throttle stick, depending on the switch position, either way the throttle or the nick of the camera mount.

Camera trigger

Trigger manually during WP-Flight

Now you can use for Output 1 a button on the transmitter (to trigger photos) and the WP-Event to the same time.
In that way you can trigger the camera manually and you do not need to change anything while flying WayPoints to trigger the camera automatically with the WP-Event.
Here you need to set a checkmark only in the box "combine with WP-Event".
A change in the tab channels (like before) is no longer necessary.

Trigger photo via distance interval

You can set in the FC-Settings a distance interval to trigger photos.
The MK i.e. can take images every 15m without WayPoints. In that way you can take photos from a field or a distance without planning before.

Example

Flashing patterns at WP-Event

The flashing pattern (which is set in the bit mask) is always executed at least 1 full time.

Logging

New file names on SD card

The file names of the logfiles on the SD card were supplemented by the date.
i.e. 13020801.GPX for the 1. flight at 08.02.2013

The order of the data in the GPX-files

The internal order of the data points in the GPX-file has been reorganized and extended <FC_SPI_ErrorCounter>.

Logging in the NC

• The logfile will be created when starting the motors and the GPS date is known (1-3 satellites)
  

• After the motors have been stopped the logfile will still write for a few seconds.
  

IMPORTANT: Do not power off the MK to fast after landing (wait at least 5 seconds), otherwise the last logfile may be incomplete !

• The file allocation table (FAT) will be updated as soon as an error occurs. In that way the probability is higher to log the sources of the errors in case of a crash.

Logging with the MK-Tool

The KopterTool can create now GPX-Logfiles by itself (only in the OSD-Window). All available telemetry data will be saved (also the debug outputs by request)
The Logging can be started / stopped in the OSD-Window.

Bugfix: Logging

• Logfile has been aborted if GPS-Fix failed
  

• I2C-Errors were all the time on ZERO in the log data
  

Failsafe while landing at the start place

Failsafe with reception failure at the start point will be suppressed if the throttle stick has been on ZERO for about 1,5 seconds before (40m radius and 15m altitude). It will be switched now to Min-throttle instead.
That should cover the following scenario: The MK will be landed close to the start place and the pilot switches off the transmitter accidentally (the motors are still running). In older versions the MK started again under circumstances.

Waypoint-Flights

• Display of WP X/Y in the HoTT-Telemety. (X = right now flown WP / Y = total numbers of WPs)
  

• The WayPoints can be flown with a higher speed (up to 15m/sec -> 54km/h)
  

• The WayPoint-Flight is more precise if a fixed speed is set between the points.
  

• Spontaneous acceleration during the WP-Flight (can be decreased in the Settings.ini). In that way the complete WayPoint-Flight will be faster and more accurate.
  

• BugFix: With a fixed alignment (i.e. 180°) and manually yawing, the angle at the next WP will be only set new, if the nominal value changes.

Automatic Starting and landing

The MK can now start and land autonomously. (This is only possible with new ACC board)

(short) instructions

1. The waypoints need a height and a climb rate.

2. On the landing waypoint there must be two waypoints on the same position

   1. e.g. one at 15m altitude with a waiting duration of 5-10sec -> which is first served

   2. the second on -100m with a descend rate of 0.8m/sek (enter 8) -> MK then goes into the slow descent

3. switch off GPS and switch on Vario altitude control
4. Transmit waypoints to the MK
5. Start motors - gas stick to the center position

6. GPS switch to CH -> MK will now start automatically

You can repeat the procedure from step three after each new start unless you switch off the MK.

KopterTool-Settings

There is now a hint if a setting is misadjusted without saving it in the MK.

= Other changes=

• On the FlightCtrl with MEGA644-Controller, means FlightCtrl version < V2.1 (red PCB), the support for the ACT DSL (35MHz) had to be removed for reasons of space.
  

• Fix: while yawing slowly in GPS-Position-Hold the MK flew sometimes greater circles
  

• HoTT: Speak-All was an own text-menu before. Now it can be set in the KopterTool (see above at Jeti EX).
  

• Fix: Defective Gyros haven’t been announced as an error message, they have been directly deleted instead.
• Parameter of the axis coupling set to 125 and 52
• FC 0.90e: The Camera-Angle-Compensation value can be assigned to a poti now

0.90g

• ACC-Z data fusion for much more accurate and direct altitude hold (Update from FC2.1 to FC2.2 (ACC-board) required)

• During calibration the tilt-angle of the MK must be within 20° - otherwise the Mk will report "Error calibration"
• Hold I-Parts of the attitude control to zero when the MK is still on the ground (until 1,5m) for easier takeoff. Als GPS remains off until the MK goes above 1.5m once.
• ACC-Altitude sensor data fusion implemented to the altitude controller (HW-Update from FC2.1 to 2.2 needed)
• Parameter Reset, if the HW-Version changes (FC2.1 to 2.2)
• disable Yawing when Gas-Stick is to Zero

0.90h

• Auto Start and landing for Waypoints
• back to old eeprom-compatiblity to remain compatible to other Tools
• HoTT-Bugfix: no speech while vario tone
• HoTT-Transmitters speak "Starting" and "Landing"

0.90j (27th may 2013)

• Changes for better EEPROM-Safety
• Checking the ACC-Z value in flight and report ACC-Z if out of range
• disable Altitude hold in case of ACC-Z error

Bugfixes

• NC 0.30b: Fast GPS-Mode change if the GPS-Mode switch is moved
• NC 0.30h: SD-card log more stable
• FC 0.90h: A Jeti-EX transmitter sometimes spoke "error calibration" instead of the correct sentence

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. KategorieFirmware/FC