Upgrading to Px4 Firmware 1.12 with Coex Pix about clover HOT 7 CLOSED

@okalachev I finally got it working - a bit of a summary:

• Initially started with latest v1.13 alpha branch (PX4/PX4-Autopilot@c4bc062) which should include your mag PR fix. After clean EEPROM wipe, QGC successfully flashes and recognises. However noticed that mavros would not connect. After about 6-10 power cycles the Coex pix just bricks itself and QGC can no longer recognise it. I have absolutely no idea what is causing this.
• I tried to build your PR branch directly (https://github.com/CopterExpress/Firmware/tree/mpu9250-mag) but for some reason ended up with a similar problem to the last point. Something between v1.12.3 and now is causing an issue for me.
• Finally found way that worked, I pulled PX4-Autopilot v1.12.3 and manually added the mag change, the changes in your lpe-fix branch (https://github.com/CopterExpress/Firmware/tree/v1.12.3-lpe-fix) and clover param update branch (https://github.com/CopterExpress/Firmware/commits/clover-update). Flashed that using QGC and it successfully connects to mavros and does not brick after a few uses.

Utterly stumped as to the delayed bricking. I might be wrong in thinking its the power cycling that is causing it fail, it might just as well be something else. But at the very least we have finally gotten it to work.

Many Thanks for all the help :D

from clover.

Hi! You can run the latest PX4 firmware (1.12.3) on Clover with COEX Pix. Just use the regular v4 version. The only hardware issue is that the internal magnetometer doesn't work, we're working on it, but haven't found the solution yet.

So you need to disable the magnetometer with SYS_HAS_MAG and EKF2_MAG_TYPE.

We are experiencing now with the latest version/EKF2, and we having some problems with the stability of the system. But for now you can use the beta version of the image - v0.23-rc.5. And its documentation mentions the experimental possibility of using the latest firmware and configuration for it.

The other problem is the old estimator (LPE) doesn't work with the latest firmware.

from clover.

Thanks for the reply!

Ah I see, I remember last time I tried I ran into the magnetometer issue and assumed things didn't work. I will try it out and let you know if it works.

Thanks for the link to the image beta version, we're actually using our own image right now as we're messing around with Docker and ROS2, but its interesting you are having issues with the EKF. One of the main reasons we wanted to upgrade is because we wanted to use the EKF over the LPE!

from clover.

@mhl787156, FYI, I made a patch that fixes the magnetometer issue: PX4/PX4-Autopilot#19125.

from clover.

@okalachev I have finally got round to trying the most recent version of px4 (1.13 alpha with your fix pushed) and I am struggling to get the autopilot to connect over usb serial. Mavros diagnostics shows not connected to FCU

I am not totally familiar with the PX4 parameter stack and I feel I may be missing one or two. So far I have made sure to enable TELEM2 with correct baudrate (921600) and USB link circuit breaker is set to the special value. But It will still not connect over USB - I was wondering if I might have missed something else specific to the Coex Pixs?

Just to add on, I think in particular I'm not sure what I should be setting MAV_1_CONFIG to as the USB connection isn't TELEM1 or TELEM 2 (afaik according to your docs - https://clover.coex.tech/en/coex_pix.html#ports). (http://docs.px4.io/master/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#mavlink). I also tried to compare to your old v1.8.2 PX4 release, but this none of the MAV_X_* parameters seem to exist.

from clover.

So, I came back to try some other configurations and it appears I may have bricked my Pix as it no longer shows up on QGroundControl. I have tried re-flashing it multiple times with new PX4 and the original PX4 image with both QGC and Mission Planner, but nothing. Do you have a method of resetting the Coex Pix? I notice that there is no reset button...

from clover.

There is a bug in the version 1.12.3, if you set LPE estimator it won't boot.

Anyway, if the problem is related to the parameters set, then to reset them you may flash ArduPilot firmware, then check, then flash the PX4 firmware again.

from clover.