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What does the GUID_THISMAV parameter control?the MAVLink system ID of the vehicle running ArduPilot.Under Ground Software > Platform Connection, what indicator can an operator look for to confirm connectivity?the operator can look at the “CONNECT” button changing to “DISCONNECT” as a clear indicator that telemetry and communication have been established.Under Flight Software > Flight Modes, what is the difference between manual and stabilized flight modes?In Manual mode you fly with direct full control; autopilot does almost no stabilization or leveling.In Stabilized mode you still fly manually (you choose direction, throttle, yaw) but the autopilot actively assists by leveling the aircraft when you release roll/pitch sticks (and may maintain heading) making it easier and saferWhat is MAVLink?MAVLink (Micro Air Vehicle Link) is a lightweight, open-source communication protocol used by drones, ground control stations, and onboard components (like companion computers, telemetry radios, and cameras) to exchange information.What baud rate must TELEM 1 be set to in order to communicate with the GCS?Set TELEM1 baud rate to 57600 bps to communicate reliably with most GCS telemetry radios and software by default.What type of connector links the RFD900 with the Cubepilot? A 6-pin JST-GH connector.
According to the User Manual, under Flight Software > Sensor Input, is an airspeed sensor mandatory? not mandatory, but for fixed wing they are strongly recommendedBriefly, what is open-loop throttle mapping? Comparing to closed-loop throttle mapping may help.Open-loop is a fixed response, follows the map to the set inputs. Closed-loop is adjusting based on sensor data.For what aerodynamic reason is the pitot tube so long?To escape the disturbed air created by the aircraft.What communication protocol does the airspeed sensor use?It uses either I2C or SPI.What is hexadecimal? Convert 0x28 from hexadecimal to decimal.Hexadecimal is a base-16 numbering system, meaning it uses 16 symbols to represent values instead of the 10 used in the decimal (base-10) system. Using 0-9 and A-F (for 10-15). 0x28 is converted by (2*16)+(8*1) = 40
What communication protocol does the Here3+ GPS use?It uses DroneCAN.What additional sensors does the GPS unit include?A nine-axis IMU that has an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer (compass). A barometer for height estimation.
Primarily what parameters changed?The configuration file has been updated with modifications to several parameters.The primary change involves an update to the PlatformId, replacing "a546f48b-3b71-4580-98ab-ce2e76a89650" with "2dd47187-07ff-4363-b948-e2731499cec1".Additionally, several other parameters within the Params array have been adjusted. This includes additions and changes to values for various settings, such as those related to airspeed sensors
What is a LUA Script? A Lua script lets you customize how something works without changing the core systemWhich is the correct version for the Lua script? Why? We are using Lua 52 because we flashed (1.7x) lower than 2.10x. What is the current FCU version? This information is available in the status text window of Ground Control.V1.31.3 FCU (65dcbd41)Include a screenshot of your Platform Health Status.
Lab 09/10 - Believer Avionics, Motors, and Controls
LAB 09 - Believer Avionics
ALL LAB QUESTIONS
Air Speed
GPS
Parameters Check
, GPS configurations
, and Inertial Navigation System (INS) gyroscope offsets
. The specific values for these parameters have been updated to reflect new configurations. For instance, GPS1_ADDR was changed from 0 to 20
, and GPS1_DELAY from 150 to 100
. Similarly, GPS1_TYPE was updated from 1 to 9
. The INS gyroscope offsets for INS1 and INS2 have also seen numerical adjustments in their X, Y, and Z values. A parameter for TOTAL_FLT_TIME was also modified
.ALL LAB TABLES
Copy of SERIALX Parameters
Name
Original
Modified
Notes
SERIAL1_BAUD
115
Open
SERIAL1_PROTOCOL
MAVLink
Open
There are no rows in this table
Copy of ARSPDX Parameters
Name
Original
Modified
Notes
ARSPD1_TYPE
nothing
I2CMS4525D0
Open
ARSPD1_ADDR
40
0x28H
Open
ARSPD1_BUS
bus1(external)
Bus0(internal)
Open
ARSPD1_TUBE_ORDR
either
Port1
Open
ARSPD1_USE
use
Use
Open
There are no rows in this table
Copy of CAN Parameters
Name
Original
Modified
Notes
CAN_P1_DRIVER
1
Open
CAN_P1_BITRATE
1000000
Open
CAN_D1_PROTOCOL
DRONECAN
Open
CAN_D2_PROTOCOL
DRONECAN
Open
There are no rows in this table
Copy of GPSX Parameters
Name
Original
Modified
Notes
GPS1_TYPE
auto
UAVCAN
Open
GPS1_ADDR
0
20
Open
GPS1_DELAY
150
100
Open
GPS1_POS_X
0
0
Open
GPS1_POS_Y
0
0
Open
GPS1_POS_Z
0
0
Open
GPS1_USE
UseForNavigation
UseForNavigation
Open
There are no rows in this table
Lab Report
My group and I worked on setting up the autopilot system for the MFE Believer. This involved the Blue Cube and the Ground Control Station (GCS). Our main goal was to get the right flight modes in place. We also needed to connect the onboard sensors properly, like the digital airspeed sensor and the GPS unit.
We started by linking the Cube to the GCS. Then we checked the parameter settings and made adjustments so everything would work as it should. The RFD900 telemetry radio was connected using a 6-pin JST-GH connector. We set TELEM1 to run at a baud rate of 57600 for communication. At the same time, we set up both the GPS and the digital airspeed sensor.
Things were not great during the parameter writing step. We could not get a direct USB connection to our Cube. So, we switched to the RFD900 telemetry link as a workaround. That let us upload the parameters successfully. To make sure the CAN and GPS settings were right, we looked at what another group had done with their Cube. We copied that setup onto ours. Once we flashed the parameters in, we rebooted the autopilot. This confirmed the changes had stuck for good.
This lab felt pretty tough overall. I am not very knowledgeable in the technology behind these things, so every lab is a major learning experience for me, and it seems the same for my group.
LAB10 - Believer Motors and Controls
ALL LAB QUESTIONS
ALL LAB TABLES
Copy of Parameters Version Control
Date
FCU Version
File
Notes
Open
OLD
Open
NEW
Open
There are no rows in this table
Lab Report
In the lab, we handled the GPS and the DATX transmission setup. The goal was to pair the transmitter and receiver without issues, load the correct firmware and parameter files, and verify that the entire system ran properly.
We started by setting up the external transmitter link with the TBS Tracer Micro Starter Set. Once we sorted out and laid out all the parts from the kit, I soldered what I believe was the antenna board for the DATX connection and moved on to linking the transmitter, or TX, with the receiver, or RX. After finishing that, we put a LUA script into the DATX system, sticking with LUA version 5.2 because the FCU firmware was 2.1 or older.
Then we loaded the suitable firmware and parameter files through the BlueCube FCU Version 1.31, the same as the previous lab. That involved connecting the flight controller to ground control first. We downloaded the current parameters next. After that came exporting the parameter file itself. We imported the fresh parameter file and exported it again.
While my group was flashing the firmware, I took some time to take pictures of the internals of the completed believer, to help us down the line. As it is, unfortunately, not going to be available any longer.
With the parameters updated, we ran tests on the system by attaching the GPS, airspeed sensor, telemetry unit, and DATX module. Most parts looked like they were working okay, but the airspeed sensor did not function at all. Our group could not pinpoint the problem, and our TA had no luck either. A few other groups ran into the same trouble, which points to plenty of points of failure in the steps leading up to here.
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