Battery Failsafe Enable (ArduCopter:FS_BATT_ENABLE)
Controls whether failsafe will be invoked when battery voltage or current runs low
VALUE
MEANING
Disabled
Land
RTL
GPS Failsafe Enable (ArduCopter:FS_GPS_ENABLE)
Controls what action will be taken if GPS signal is lost for at least 5 seconds
VALUE
MEANING
Disabled
Land
AltHold
Land even from Stabilize
When RTL mode is selected, the copter will return to the home location. The copter will first rise to RTL_ALT before returning home or
maintain the current altitude if the current altitude is higher than RTL_ALT. The default value for RTL_ALT is 15m.
RTL is a GPS-dependent move, so it is essential that GPS lock is acquired before attempting to use this mode.
RTL_ALT: The minimum altitude the copter will move to before returning to launch.
Set to zero to return at the current altitude.
The return altitude can be set from 1 to 8000 centimeters.
The default return altitude Default is 15 meters (1500)
RTL_ALT_FINAL: The altitude the copter will move to at the final stage of Returning to Launch or after
completing a Mission.
Set to zero to automatically land the copter.
The final return altitude may be adjusted from 0 to 1000 centimeters.
GPS Hdop Good (ArduCopter:GPS_HDOP_GOOD)
Note: This parameter is for advanced users
GPS Hdop value at or below this value represent a good position. Used for pre-arm checks
Range: 100 900
Setting up Flight Modes
Contents [hide]
1 Setting up Flight Modes
2 GPS Dependency
There are 14 flight modes available in APM:Copter, 10 of which are regularly used. You can set these up by doing the
following:
Turn on your RC transmitter
Connect the APM/PX4 to the Mission Planner
Go to the Initial Setup > Mandatory Hardware > Flight Modes screen
Note as you move your transmitters flight mode switch (channel 5) the green highlight bar will move to a
different position.
Use the drop-down on each line to select the flight mode for that switch position ensuring that at least one
switch position is left assigned to Stabilize
Optionally check the Simple Mode check-box for that switch position. If using AC3.1 or higher you can
optionally set Super Simple mode. If both Simple mode and Super Simple mode checkboxes are checked
Super Simple will be used.
When finished press the Save Modes button.
In general when first starting to use APM:Copter you should progress through the flight modes in the order listed
below, being sure that you are comfortable with each before progressing to the next. Click on any of the flight
modes below for more details.
Stabilize
Alt Hold
Loiter (& OF_loiter)
RTL (Return-to-Launch)
Auto
Additional flight modes
Acro
Sport
Drift
Guided
Circle
Position
Land
Follow Me
Simple and Super Simple
Most transmitters provide a 3 position switch but you can find instructions here for setting up a 6-position flight
mode switch.
If you do not wish to use the mission planner you can also set the flight modes through the CLI (command line
interface).
With some small code modifications you can set-up custom flight modes which are combinations of existing flight
modes as described in the developer section (Here!)
GPS Dependency
Flight modes that use GPS-positioning data require an active GPS lock prior to takeoff. To see if your autopilot has
acquired GPS lock, connect to a ground station or consult your autopilots hardware overview page to see the LED
indication for GPS lock. Below is a summary of GPS dependency for APM:Copter flight modes.
Requires GPS lock prior to takeoff:
Loiter (& OF_loiter)
RTL (Return-to-Launch)
Auto
Guided
Drift
Position
Follow Me
Circle
Does not require GPS lock:
Stabilize
Alt Hold
Acro
Sport
Land
AUTO mode incorporates the altitude control from AltHold mode and position control from Loiter mode and should
not be attempted before these modes are flying well. All the same requirements apply including ensuring that
vibration levels and compass interference levels are acceptable and that the GPS is functioning well including
returning an HDOP of under 2.0.
Controls
AUTO should be set-up as one of the Flight Modes on the flight mode switch.
If starting the mission while the copter is on the ground the pilot should ensure the throttle is down, then switch to
the Auto flight mode, then raise the throttle. The moment that the throttle is raised above zero, the copter will begin
the mission.
If starting the mission from the air the mission will begin from the first command the moment that the flight mode
switch is moved to Auto. If the first command in the mission is a take-off command but the vehicle is already above
the take-off commands altitude the take-off command will be considered completed and the vehicle will move onto
the next waypoint.
At any time the pilot can retake control from the autopilot by returning the flight mode switch to another flight mode
such as Stabilize or Loiter. If the pilot then switches to AUTO again, the mission will restart from the first command.
During the mission the pilots roll, pitch and throttle inputs are ignored but the yaw can be overridden with the yaw
stick. This allows the pilot to for example aim the nose of the copter (which might have a hard mounted camera on
it) as the copter flies the mission. The autopilot will attempt to retake yaw control as the vehicle passes the next
waypoint.
Missions can be entered, amended through the Mission Planners Flight Plan screen. Please refer to the Mission
Command List wiki page for a full list of supported commands along with a short description of each.