Firmware 0.84

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Release Date: 30th march 2011

License: LICENSE.TXT

Download:

Version for ACT-2,4GHz S3D-Receivers

/!\ only for this receiver-version

How do I update?

Never made an update before? Read this: Software Update

Compatibility

  • There is a change in the SPI protocol between NC and FC. The result is that the boards will report "communication error" instead of "incompatible" in case of incompatible firmware versions
  • The FC-Settings of the FC-Version 0.82 are compatible and will not be overwritten
  • As usual: do not install old settings (<0.82) saved via MikroKopter-Tool.

  • MK3Mag remains on the old version. Do not update it!

Point of Interest

The idea of "Point of interest (POI)" is to point the camera of the MikroKopter to a specific object or position.

The yaw-direction and the camera angle will point move in that case.

The NaviControl needs the following informations for this feature:

  • GPS-Position of the POI
  • altitude of the POI

Depending on the own position and altitude, the MikroKopter can calculate the angles.

POI-Videos

Video with explanation

(English)

Video with Wakeboarder

We attached a FollowMe-Transmitter to a helmet an made an autonomous camera tracking shot

The used helmet:

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/tech/helm1.jpg.html http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/tech/helm2.jpg.html

There is in the front a waterproofed GoPrp camera. And in the back the FollowMe-Transmitter with 9V batterie supply and a WI232 transmitter.

LotharF started the MikroKopter and activates the POI (PointOfInterest) and the CareFree function.

Further informations about that Video:

  • Camera on the MikroKopter: Canon EOS 550D (also called Canon T2i) (Objektiv: 18-55IS set to 18mm; Stabilizer:Off) (Video settings: 1280*720/50fps)

  • 5,8GHz video transmitter sends the live-video to check the recorded picture. Monitor on the tripod
  • Video editing: VReveal for Deshaking and changing the colors (making a warmer style)

  • Video cut: Magix Video deluxe 17 premium HD;

  • Music: found on CCMixter.org

GPS-Position of the POI

In the following example, we want to take pictures of the Evenburg (Leer)

With the KopterTool (since V1.74) we can put the POI onto the building.

Now we define three waypoints for three different view angles. The MikroKopter shall automatically point into that direction.

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/tech/Bild1_ScreenKoptertool1_Pfeile.gif.html

Result

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/Luftbilder/Bild2_Wegpunkt1b.jpg.html http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/Luftbilder/Bild2_Wegpunkt2b.jpg.html http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/Luftbilder/Bild2_Wegpunkt3a.jpg.html

POI in Action

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/Luftbilder/Bild10_Wegpunkt3_Boden_Pfeile.jpg.html

Altitude of the POI

The MikroKopter can control the camera nick-angle if needed. It can be selected in the Koptertool "Use POI -> Camera Nick control"

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/tech/Bild4_MK_VorBurg1Pfeile_Collage.jpg.html

  • The camera can still be manually adjusted via the RC-Transmitter.
  • The ration between camera angle (Servo angle) and angle to the POI is set by the Parameter "Nick compensation" in the Camera-Settins of the FlightControl

activating via RC-Transmitter

The YAW-rotation for pointing to the POI is connected to the CareFree (CF) feature.

Means: the MikroKopter will only move yaw, if CF is enabled and activated. This is a safety feature. So the pilot still has control if he doesn't know the direction of the MK

Also the nick-angle is connected to CF. So if CF is deactivated, the angle is neutral (or Poti-setpoint)

POI-setting via Follow-Me-Transmitter

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php/v/Luftbilder/Bild9_POI-Transmitter3.jpg.html

If you dont want to use a Notebook on the field to use POI, a FollowMe transmitter can also be used easily. It transmits its own GPS-Position as POI and also as Waypoint.

That also works fine for moving POIs (see Video)

  • If you use "Position Hold mode (PH)" via RC-transmitter, the MK remains on its position and lokks into POI-direction (if CF is activated)
  • If you use "Coming Home (CH)", the MikroKopter also follows.

see also: FollowMe

New method to calibrate the compass

Thanks to a clicking sound, it is now much easier to calibrate the compass properly. This method has the advantage that when calibrating the MK does not have to aligned exactly horizontal.

Video for calibrating

  1. Start as Compass Calibration usual - (like you would select setting 7)
  2. Move the Nick stick to bottom to go into Step 2 of the calibration (the klicking sound starts)
  3. Turn the MikroKopter a few times in direction of the nick axis (with axis orientation to North / South) until the Summer stops beeping

  4. Turn the MikroKopter a few times in direction of the roll axis (with axis orientation to North / South) until the Summer stops beeping

  5. (you could also mix step 3 and 4, so you could also start with the roll-axis)
  6. Pull the Nick stick down to move from Step 2 to Step 3
  7. Once again, pull the Nick-pull stick down to start the Z-axis calibration (goint into Step 4)
  8. Turn the MikroKopter a few times in direction of the roll or nick axis (with axis orientation to North / South) until the Summer stops beeping

  9. Pull the Nick stick down -> end of the calibration and store the calibration data

The process also works in older firmware versions, but then without the clicking sound.

Yaw / Compass - Control

  • Revision of the compass-routines in the FC and NC
  • If the MK is rotated by external influences to the yaw axis, it now steers back more firmly.
  • Yawing to a specific angle is now possible from the Navi-Ctrl via serial commands (only if CareFree is active)

  • The threshold value for the yaw stick (logging out from the compass-mode) is now smaller. Now smaller stick movements are possible for yaw. Now more sensitive turning is possible.

waypoints with altitude

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=78599&g2_serialNumber=1

  • For each waypoint now an altitude (height) and a climb rate can be defined
  • The altitude is in meters and the climb rate in 0.1m/sec (10 -> 1m/sec)

  • The rising or sinking starts when switching to that waypoint
  • If a climbing rate is defined, the target radius is a 3D spere (ball) in the sky. So the coordinate AND the altitude must be inside the desired radius
  • If the climb rate is zero, the altitude will be ignored for the target position. In that case the MK flys in the actual altitude
  • In field 2 (see picture) you can set the default setting when you place the waypoint.
  • You can first place all the waypoints on the map and then modify the clime rate ot altitude
  • Multiple waypoints with different altitudes can be placed onto the same spot. E.g. for a virtual "elivator"
  • The altitude control works only in vario-mode of the hight control. The gas-stick must be in the hoovering position in that case.

{i} use for this function "Vario altitude control". You can change it in the MikroKopter-Tool -> Altitude.

Display on the JetiBox

In the JetiBox there is a sign behind the altitude value.

Characters:

Jeti display

meaning

=

Constant height

+

rising manually

-

sinking manually (descending)

^

Climbing by Waypoint

V

Sinking by Waypoint

Autolanding

In the video (above) an autonomous landing is shown.

Therefore the following tips:

  • Two waypoints are placed on the same position. The first e.g. at a height of 8m. This ensures that the MK is flying perpendicular to the last waypoint (sinking)
  • The landing waypoint is set very low (below the earth's surface) as example -30m. This ensures that the MK will be stand safe in the end and will not lift off again in case of air-pressure fluctuation.
  • The you probably have to try different rates of sinking. A value of 10 (1m/sec) works usually quite well.
  • When touching the ground, the MK jumps usually something a bit. This is due to the dynamic pressure of the propeller that influences the pressure sensor. High landing legs help to reduce the effect.
  • It is best to land on the grass and keep well clear of obstacles and people.

viewing direction for waypoints

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=78596&g2_serialNumber=1

For each waypoint a viewing direction can be selected.

display

value

sight direction

"-"

0

free direction

1-360

1-360

fixed direction (360 = North) (180 = South)

"POI"

-1

points towards the POI

WP1 WP9 ..

-2 ...- x

points towards a Waypoint

Notes regarding view direction (POI)

What is the direction of view?

The camera direction is the view direction. When a camera is mounted in rotated direction (i.e. 45°) (FlightControl-settings: Camera-direction), this would be the sight direction

How to enable or disable it?

  • The NC has access to the compass direction only when CareFree is on.

  • If a POI (or WP1 WP9 ..) is selected, then the MK constantly corrects the yaw direction regarding the GPS-positions.
  • If controlled manually (using yaw stick), the MK goes back to automatic yaw-mode after 1 second (only when POI or WP1..WP9 is used)
  • If a fixed view direction is set (numbers 1-360), then the MK uses this value only once when switching to this new waypoint. If the pilot manually rotates, the MK does not go back to the fixed direction

When is the view direction active?

  • The new direction of view is used when switching to that waypoint

What happens if the MK is directly over the POI?

  • Directly above the POI, it may happen that the MK turns always around. This happens every time it is >2 meters away from the POI. In the area of ​​<2m to the POI, the POI yaw control is off.

WP1...WP9

You can also use a waypoint as POI. I.e. MK can also look in the direction of any waypoint.

/!\ If the MK is looking towards its own waypoint, then it would happen that it starts rotating around itself when reaching that point (see previous note)

Height of the POI

  • When using the POI, a altitude of the POI can also be selected (example: clock on a church tower)
  • This feature is only possible for the POIs. For a fixed sight or WP1...WP9 you can not use the camera nick function.

Indicator of active carefree and height control

http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=78602&g2_serialNumber=1

  • The character "CF" is now yellow when free care is active.
  • The word "Altitude" is now lighted when active

= Right click on analog values ​​= http://gallery.mikrokopter.de/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=78657&g2_serialNumber=2

  • You can now click the right mouse button on the name of the analog data to use the value in the Scope display. The active values are also now highlighted in yellow.

Offset in the Poti-channels

There was a difference in the display of Poti values ​​in the virtual LCD and MikroKopter-Tool display. To correct this the poti-offset was increased from 110 to 127.

In practice this means that the same poti-position results in a different value compared to older firmwares. The difference in the value is 17 (the new value is smaller by 17).

In general, this should not really be noticed.

Other changes

  • No changes in the altitude-stabilisation or flight-feeling (beside the changes in yaw)
  • Beeping when you switch the carefree switch -> long beep = on, short = off (also comes once after calibration)

  • You can start the motors only if NC reports "No Error". If some error code is reported, it only Beeps. You probably have to wait a few seconds before you can start the motors after sensor calibration.
  • Variable "JetiBeep" added for acces to the Jeti-buzzer in own changes to the FC-sources

  • Default Values ​​for Servo-Min/Max adjusted in the settings (for MKDS18-Servo)
  • Default receiver is now Jeti or PPM after a setting reset
  • When running motors, new settings (via MikroKopter-Tool) not accepted

  • MikroKopter-Tool: When you click in the waypoint-table onto a point, this flashes on the map and gets into the foreground (handy if several points are aligned on the same spot)

  • If the MK shall fly to waypoints, the GPS-mode switch has to be moved once after starting. If the switch was already on CH, you must switch it to PH and back to CH to activate the waypoint list. This prevents the MK to fly towards a waypoint immediately after the take off and so prevents hitting obstacles in the way in low altitudes.

Bugfix

MikroKopter-Tool V1.74b

  • waypoint reading from Mikrokopter fixed (Heading was wrong)

  • Blinking frequency for Waypoint event was wrong (fixed in 0.24c)
  • 0.24F Support for LSM303 magnet Sensor