PX4 User Guide
Home Page: https://docs.px4.io/en/
License: Other
This repo contains the source code for the PX4 User Guide. The guide is intended for people who want to:
Note
Contributions and Translations to this guide are very welcome!
Mission RTL (in progress) documented here: PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8749
Add docs for it - probably here Return (RTL) (PX4 User Guide) and/or cross linked to the Mission/Auto mode (depending on how it looks when done).
As per: PX4/PX4-Devguide#146
Update FrSky Telemetry · PX4 User Guide with images and suggestions from PX4/PX4-Autopilot#9240 (comment)
Documentation for the setup and sensor calibration procedure is not providing the following information:
Providing this information would help prevent user issues like this one PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8098
@hamishwillee Here is the image for it. Just need a central page for this and general settings. Then we can reference statements like "set parameter ABC to 1.0" to that page.
We have en/flying/basic_flying.html, which explains the movement commands. We need to have sections on takeoff and landing
FW_PSP_OFF description currently says:
An airframe specific offset of the pitch setpoint in degrees, the value is added to the pitch setpoint and should correspond to the typical cruise speed of the airframe.
The word "speed" might be replaced with:
"... typical cruise pitch angle (angle of attack) of the airframe."
A similar change could be made to the description of FW_RSP_OFF by replacing "speed" with "roll angle".
This proposal is that we simplify the structure to make it easier to navigate, and use better iconography to provide needed context when you are within the document.
Background
The current structure for Flight Modes Overview sorts flight modes by vehicle, type of mode (e.g. auto, manual). It is quite hard to read because it is so large. When you are inside the document and reading a particular flight mode it is easy to lose track of the fact that you're in MC or FW. There is also repetition of some of the grouping information (auto, manual, assisted).
My thought is that while it is useful to know there are different categories of modes and to group the modes by category, it is not necessary to have this grouping marked by a heading in the TOC.
Proposal: Improve structure:
List the modes in each category in the category overview like this:
Remove the headings for manual, assisted, auto modes in the TOC so everything is just sorted by vehicle (but still grouped with others in same category)
Proposal: Improve icons:
The proposal is to add a bar of icons in each of the modes. This will provide additional context in the same way that the GPS icon currently does (though we should if possible change that because it implies "GPS" and we support other position technologies).
We could have icons for:
For example:
@tubeme @bkueng @barzanisar - What do you think? What icons should we use?
Discussion was originally here (closed PR).
Add as a section/step at the end of https://docs.px4.io/en/config/radio.html
Need info from @DonLakeFlyer
Hi @tubeme ,
The diagram for MC acro mode:
The diagram for FW acro mode is closer, though same issue with up and down being relative to the vehicle, not ground frame. In this case, spelling of "Glyde" should be "Glide".
Do you think these can be updated?
It is missing
PX4 supports vision fusion/VIO, but this fact is not easily discoverable (there is no obvious/easy way to find out that this is supported and how to go about setting it up).
Specifically nothing "canonical" shows up in search on vision or VIO and nowhere can you find a statement about our level of support. There is information about this in the EKF doc, but it is buried, and only covers parameters, not hardware. There is also this doc for LPE that I find confusing: Using Vision or Motion Capture Systems
So the proposal is a high level doc for this topic, with the following properties:
In addition, we'll migrate the EKF doc into the PX4 User Guide.
Bug Page: VTOL · PX4 User Guide
The section on key configuration parameters in the VTOL Airframes section really belongs in VTOL configuration section (as per this comment #52 (review))
@sanderux A good person to help :-)
Multicopter PID Tuning Guide > Motor band limiting
Where it says:
"If one of the rotors leaves this safety band, the total thrust of the system is lowered so that the relative percentage that the controller did output can be satisfied. As a result the multi rotor might not climb or lose altitude a bit, but it will never flip over. The same for lower side, even if commanded roll is large, it will be scaled to not exceed commanded summary thrust and copter will not flip on takeoff at near-zero thrust.?
What is the lower side? what is summary thrust?
@bkueng Can you suggest someone to help with this.
See PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8487 (comment)
@Antiheavy has volunteered to do first cut of docs
As per #106 (comment) there are some additional modems listed in : https://pixhawk.org/peripherals/radio-modems/start - e.g. Xbee.
The action here is to verify if they are supported, and if so, what configuration is required. Then add to the telemetry section
Failsafes are a real feature of an autopilot. Worth mentioning in high level concepts.
Some useful links
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#COM_LOW_BAT_ACT
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#COM_POS_FS_DELAY
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#COM_OBL_ACT
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#COM_OBL_RC_ACT
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#MIS_DIST_1WP
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#MIS_DIST_WPS
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#NAV_DLL_ACT
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#NAV_RCL_ACT
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#NAV_RCL_LT
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#VT_FW_ALT_ERR
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#gps-failure-navigation
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#geofence
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#CBRK_GPSFAIL
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#BAT_EMERGEN_THR
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#GF_ACTION
https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#NAV_TRAFF_AVOID
Discussion/information here: PX4/PX4-Autopilot#7028
We need to provide users with information to make it easy for them to make a decision about what flight controller to use.
We may additionally need to provide more general information about different autopilot hardware.
We need to make it clear that there are other hardware that can run PX4 (e.g. crazyflie2.html, bebop).
Hi, in 'Position' and 'Altitude' modes of 'Fixed Wing', there is no description for 'yaw stick'.
So users including me cannot know how the heading is determined and what is the role of yaw stick.
Bug Page: Flight Modes · PX4 User Guide
Multicopter PID Tuning Guide · PX4 User Guide needs a major overhaul
Also have generic racer setup page.
Draft to be done by @bkueng with help from @MaEtUgR and @RomanBapst
This originates from discussion here: #242 (comment)
Add a lightweight flight modes page here Getting Started because it silly to show a Flight modes Setup if you did not provide information about the Flight Modes in advance.
There is a document from @tubeme: Basic PX4 flight modes II.docx (also http://px4.io/?post_type=docit&p=1738&preview=true for those with PX4 admin access)
getting_started/rc_transmitter_receiver.md covers what an RC system is, and provides compatibility information for Pixhawk/PX4.
We need to clarify if the compatibility is independent of the board or not. Ie will the same receivers work on every board or will some not have the necessary ports? Similarly, even if a port is present, is there work that needs to happen in PX4 to add support on a particular board?
See https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#SYS_COMPANION
There are a bunch of modes - e.g. OSD, Command Receiver, Companion Link, Crazyflie , ESP8266 ,Iridium
What are each of these modes for, and how do they differ (ie what do they send)? Is there any missing documentation associated with them?
The actual steps for takeoff, particularly in FW are not clear. So for example this says that you "use this mode" but it would be better as steps:
Bug Page: Flying 101 · PX4 User Guide
Build logs should be in the user guide. There are a bunch of duplicates: https://pixhawk.org/platforms/start
and below "Airframes" (above here)
When it is merged.
As per PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8409 (comment)
As discussed here: #191 (comment)
@tubeme Thanks for the icon, but as discussed at link, it doesn't render well at 20/30px size. If you can create something that does display well (and possibly supply as SVG) that would be great.
I can then update relevant docs with image.
NOTE: This isn't in master yet, so I will add a big fat note on the released docs and put on hold the rest of this for now See PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8160
Precision land was merged in #98 and updated in #99. As part of that the parameters were linked to the full parameter reference. But ...
@ndepal None of the parameters mentioned appear in the parameter reference - e.g. LTEST_MODE, LTEST_SCALE_X, LTEST_SCALE_Y etc.
Can we get them added? Not only does this force proper documentation (exhaustive), but it means that all the links I just added to the reference will actually work :-0.
Actions
Hi, the descriptions below in FW Altitude modes are not easy to understand for novices.
Centered sticks (inside deadband):
Pitch input is used to control the altitude. If zero pitch input – autopilot holds current altitude against wind.
RPY sticks gives level flight.
Throttle stick controls the airspeed of the aircraft if an airspeed sensor is connected. Without an airspeed sensor the user cannot control throttle (in which case the vehicle will fly level at cruise throttle (FW_THR_CRUISE), increasing or decreasing throttle as needed to climb or descend).Outside center:
Pitch stick controls altitude.
Throttle sets airspeed.
If roll/pitch sticks are non-zero the vehicle does a coordinated turn (manual yaw input is added to rudder control input to control sideslip).
In 'Centered sticks' paragraph, although the paragraph is about 'centered' sticks but the content describes the variation of sticks (not centered). So it is ambiguous to novices for exact meaning.
In the last sentence above description, it is not sure to novice that the rudder control is basically automatically calculated by the coordinated turn or not. If it is yes, it'd rather specify such as that the rudder control input is calculated automatically by coordinated turn and additionally manual yaw stick input is added to it.
The sentence "RPY sticks gives level flight" is ambiguous.
Bug Page: Altitude (FW) · PX4 User Guide
As sub page of Pixhawk Series.
Discussed:
PX4/PX4-Autopilot#9310 (comment)
PX4/PX4-Autopilot#9310 (comment)
There is no separate doc on this topic. Would be useful to outline options here for makers and people who are getting started
All we have now is stuff in wiring guides: https://docs.px4.io/en/assembly/quick_start_pixhawk.html#telemetry-radios-optional
Following this change: PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8409 (comment)
We have build log from test team, but need to confirm whether there are better sets of information to post. Question is with Mark Charlebois
We have /en/config/vtol_quad_configuration.html which describes how you tune and configure a quadplane. We need to have similar (or extend this) so that it covers tuning/parameters for the other forms of VTOL vehicle.
Probably ....
See PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8020 (comment)
Flight Mode Overview > Manual/Stabilized mode - @tubeme the image isn't quite right.
IMO for this case having the text label "Angle" and "Rate controlled" isn't useful because it won't mean anything to most users. You and I know that angle implies that the vehicle will move left/right or forward/back at a constant speed for the current throttle, but not a new user.
PX4 Basic Concepts > Headings and Directions
Local reference frame in the quadcopter image is wrong. According to the right hand rule, the light blue y-axis should point in the ‘east’ direction if we are following NED convention.
@barzanisar Assigned to you for now!
Need to update Precision Landing · PX4 User Guide with information about EKF2's auxiliary velocity aiding (added after the docs were created).
Originates from PX4/PX4-Autopilot#8676 (comment)
@mhkabir Assigned to you in first case. OK?
There was some useful discussion about the quad-H docs here but no obvious place to put it.
Action is to find a place to put this sort of information - perhaps Multicopters · PX4 User Guide or the Airframe Reference, and to work with team to populate key information about benefits issues with each frame.
Supplied by Abimael. Needs to be formatted and added
From #111 (comment)
A way to check if serial port is in use is run:
mavlink status
in the nuttx terminal and check what is the port of every stream.
This would be useful to add in ulanding and leddarone docs above where we say "If you are connecting the radar device to TELEM2 then make sure to set the parameter SYS_COMPANION to 0. ..." as a more general way to work out if there is an issue with using a port.
However there may be other places where this would be useful, so do a review. E.g. debugging, any other rangefinder that uses ports.
https://docs.px4.io/en/flying/basic_flying.html#takeoff-and-landing
The LNDMC_POS_UPTHR and equivalent downthr have been removed.
For altitude and position mode, multicopter, add not about what counts as "takeoff"/how to takeoff.
The line to add is something along the lines of:
The vehicle will take off if the stick is raised above 62.5% percent.
Origin of discussion is here: PX4/PX4-Devguide#346 (comment)
Bug Page: Lightware SFxx Lidar · PX4 User Guide
As a sub page of Basic Assembly.
Have permission to use images and text from the HEX/ProfiCNC quick start. Waiting on a few updated images.
Hello,
I'm trying to understand the Multicopter PID Tuning Guide and I have some questions:
"Set all MC_XXX_P to zero (ROLL, PITCH, YAW)" if these parameters do what they advertise, I don't understand how this will work since they will output 0.
"The gains actually have an intuitive meaning, e.g.: if the MC_ROLL_P gain is 6.0, the copter will try to compensate 0.5 radian offset in attitude (~30 degrees) with 6 times the angular speed, i.e. 3 radians/s or ~170 degrees/s." working this example and replacing 6 with 0, it will output 0 degrees/s.
"Keep the multi rotor in your hand and increase the thrust to about 50%, so that the weight is virtually zero. "
In which mode? Manual Stabilized?
I Gain Tuning
If the roll and pitch rates never reach the setpoint but have an offset, add MC_ROLLRATE_I and MC_PITCHRATE_I gains, starting at 5-10% of the MC_ROLLRATE_P gain value.
How can I see the roll and pitch rates? what about setpoint? Are we still in the situation where I keep the drone in my hand, titled, with 50% throttle ?
Feed Forward Tuning
Typical value is 0.8…0.9. (For aerial video optimal value may be much smaller to get smooth response.)
If typical value is 0.8 - 0.8, why the default is 0.5 ?
Thanks,
Nicolae
Hi, Thanks for User Guide.
The airspeed calibration procedure need more clarification of meaning for novices to do it.
Following is my question during my calibration failures:
Bug Page: Airspeed · PX4 User Guide
As discussed here: PX4/PX4-Autopilot#7275 (comment)
Add page here: Peripheral Hardware
Add info/links here: https://docs.px4.io/en/advanced_features/rtk-gps.html
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