plane: add tailsitter transision rates, give more info in transision complete messages

ArduPlane/Attitude.cpp

@@ -386,9 +386,11 @@ void Plane::stabilize()
     if (quadplane.in_tailsitter_vtol_transition(now)) {
         /*
           during transition to vtol in a tailsitter try to raise the
-          nose rapidly while keeping the wings level
+          nose while keeping the wings level
          */
-        nav_pitch_cd = constrain_float((quadplane.tailsitter.transition_angle+5)*100, 5500, 8500),
+        uint32_t dt = now - quadplane.transition_start_ms;
+        // multiply by 0.1 to convert (degrees/second * milliseconds) to centi degrees
+        nav_pitch_cd = constrain_float(quadplane.transition_initial_pitch + (quadplane.tailsitter.transition_rate_vtol * dt) * 0.1f, -8500, 8500);
         nav_roll_cd = 0;
     }
 

ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp

@@ -271,10 +271,18 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo QuadPlane::var_info[] = {
     AP_GROUPINFO("TILT_TYPE", 47, QuadPlane, tilt.tilt_type, TILT_TYPE_CONTINUOUS),
 
     // @Param: TAILSIT_ANGLE
-    // @DisplayName: Tailsitter transition angle
-    // @Description: This is the angle at which tailsitter aircraft will change from VTOL control to fixed wing control.
+    // @DisplayName: Tailsitter fixed wing transition angle
+    // @Description: This is the pitch angle at which tailsitter aircraft will change from VTOL control to fixed wing control.
+    // @Units: deg
+    // @Range: 5 80
+    AP_GROUPINFO("TAILSIT_ANGLE", 48, QuadPlane, tailsitter.transition_angle_fw, 45),
+
+    // @Param: TAILSIT_ANG_VT
+    // @DisplayName: Tailsitter VTOL transition angle
+    // @Description: This is the pitch angle at which tailsitter aircraft will change from fixed wing control to VTOL control, if zero Q_TAILSIT_ANGLE will be used
+    // @Units: deg
     // @Range: 5 80
-    AP_GROUPINFO("TAILSIT_ANGLE", 48, QuadPlane, tailsitter.transition_angle, 45),
+    AP_GROUPINFO("TAILSIT_ANG_VT", 61, QuadPlane, tailsitter.transition_angle_vtol, 0),
 
     // @Param: TILT_RATE_DN
     // @DisplayName: Tiltrotor downwards tilt rate
@@ -343,8 +351,9 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo QuadPlane::var_info[] = {
     AP_GROUPINFO("OPTIONS", 58, QuadPlane, options, 0),
 
     AP_SUBGROUPEXTENSION("",59, QuadPlane, var_info2),
-    
+
     // 60 is used above for VELZ_MAX_DN
+    // 61 is used above for TS_ANGLE_VTOL
 
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
@@ -535,6 +544,19 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo QuadPlane::var_info2[] = {
     // @User: Standard
     AP_GROUPINFO("TILT_FIX_GAIN", 23, QuadPlane, tilt.fixed_gain, 0),
 
+    // @Param: TAILSIT_RAT_FW
+    // @DisplayName: Tailsitter VTOL to forward flight transition rate
+    // @Description: The pitch rate at which tailsitter aircraft will pitch down in the transition from VTOL to forward flight
+    // @Units: deg/s
+    // @Range: 10 500
+    AP_GROUPINFO("TAILSIT_RAT_FW", 24, QuadPlane, tailsitter.transition_rate_fw, 50),
+
+    // @Param: TAILSIT_RAT_VT
+    // @DisplayName: Tailsitter forward flight to VTOL transition rate
+    // @Description: The pitch rate at which tailsitter aircraft will pitch up in the transition from forward flight to VTOL
+    // @Units: deg/s
+    // @Range: 10 500
+    AP_GROUPINFO("TAILSIT_RAT_VT", 25, QuadPlane, tailsitter.transition_rate_vtol, 50),
 
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
@@ -825,6 +847,11 @@ bool QuadPlane::setup(void)
 
     AP_Param::convert_old_parameters(&q_conversion_table[0], ARRAY_SIZE(q_conversion_table));
 
+    // Set tailsitter transition rate to match old caculation
+    if (!tailsitter.transition_rate_fw.configured()) {
+        tailsitter.transition_rate_fw.set_and_save(tailsitter.transition_angle_fw / (transition_time_ms/2000.0f));
+    }
+
     // param count will have changed
     AP_Param::invalidate_count();
 
@@ -1772,7 +1799,6 @@ void QuadPlane::update_transition(void)
     if (is_tailsitter()) {
         if (transition_state == TRANSITION_ANGLE_WAIT_FW &&
             tailsitter_transition_fw_complete()) {
-            gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition FW done");
             transition_state = TRANSITION_DONE;
             transition_start_ms = 0;
             transition_low_airspeed_ms = 0;
@@ -1904,12 +1930,9 @@ void QuadPlane::update_transition(void)
     case TRANSITION_ANGLE_WAIT_FW: {
         motors->set_desired_spool_state(AP_Motors::DesiredSpoolState::THROTTLE_UNLIMITED);
         assisted_flight = true;
-        // calculate transition rate in degrees per
-        // millisecond. Assume we want to get to the transition angle
-        // in half the transition time
-        float transition_rate = tailsitter.transition_angle / float(transition_time_ms/2);
         uint32_t dt = now - transition_start_ms;
-        plane.nav_pitch_cd = constrain_float(transition_initial_pitch - (transition_rate * dt)*100, -8500, 8500);
+        // multiply by 0.1 to convert (degrees/second * milliseconds) to centi degrees
+        plane.nav_pitch_cd = constrain_float(transition_initial_pitch - (tailsitter.transition_rate_fw * dt) * 0.1f, -8500, 8500);
         plane.nav_roll_cd = 0;
         check_attitude_relax();
         attitude_control->input_euler_angle_roll_pitch_euler_rate_yaw(plane.nav_roll_cd,
@@ -1999,6 +2022,7 @@ void QuadPlane::update(void)
              */
             transition_state = TRANSITION_ANGLE_WAIT_VTOL;
             transition_start_ms = now;
+            transition_initial_pitch = constrain_float(ahrs.pitch_sensor,-8500,8500);
         } else if (is_tailsitter() &&
                    transition_state == TRANSITION_ANGLE_WAIT_VTOL) {
             float aspeed;
@@ -2013,7 +2037,6 @@ void QuadPlane::update(void)
                   we have completed transition to VTOL as a tailsitter,
                   setup for the back transition when needed
                 */
-                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition VTOL done");
                 transition_state = TRANSITION_ANGLE_WAIT_FW;
                 transition_start_ms = now;
             }

ArduPlane/quadplane.h

@@ -529,7 +529,12 @@ private:
 
     // tailsitter control variables
     struct {
-        AP_Int8 transition_angle;
+        // transition from VTOL to forward
+        AP_Int8 transition_angle_fw;
+        AP_Float transition_rate_fw;
+        // transition from forward to VTOL
+        AP_Int8 transition_angle_vtol;
+        AP_Float transition_rate_vtol;
         AP_Int8 input_type;
         AP_Int8 input_mask;
         AP_Int8 input_mask_chan;
@@ -546,6 +551,9 @@ private:
         AP_Float disk_loading;
     } tailsitter;
 
+    // return the transition_angle_vtol value
+    int8_t get_tailsitter_transition_angle_vtol(void) const;
+
     // tailsitter speed scaler
     float last_spd_scaler = 1.0f; // used to slew rate limiting with TAILSITTER_GSCL_ATT_THR option
     float log_spd_scaler; // for QTUN log

ArduPlane/tailsitter.cpp

@@ -244,15 +244,23 @@ bool QuadPlane::tailsitter_transition_fw_complete(void)
 {
     if (plane.fly_inverted()) {
         // transition immediately
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition FW done, inverted flight");
         return true;
     }
     int32_t roll_cd = labs(ahrs_view->roll_sensor);
     if (roll_cd > 9000) {
         roll_cd = 18000 - roll_cd;
     }
-    if (labs(ahrs_view->pitch_sensor) > tailsitter.transition_angle*100 ||
-        roll_cd > tailsitter.transition_angle*100 ||
-        AP_HAL::millis() - transition_start_ms > uint32_t(transition_time_ms)) {
+    if (labs(ahrs_view->pitch_sensor) > tailsitter.transition_angle_fw*100) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition FW done");
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (roll_cd > MAX(4500, plane.roll_limit_cd + 500)) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition FW done, roll error");
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (AP_HAL::millis() - transition_start_ms > ((tailsitter.transition_angle_fw+(transition_initial_pitch*0.01f))/tailsitter.transition_rate_fw)*1500) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition FW done, timeout");
         return true;
     }
     // still waiting
@@ -267,6 +275,7 @@ bool QuadPlane::tailsitter_transition_vtol_complete(void) const
 {
     if (plane.fly_inverted()) {
         // transition immediately
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition VTOL done, inverted flight");
         return true;
     }
     // for vectored tailsitters at zero pilot throttle
@@ -274,12 +283,21 @@ bool QuadPlane::tailsitter_transition_vtol_complete(void) const
         // if we are not moving (hence on the ground?) or don't know
         // transition immediately to tilt motors up and prevent prop strikes
         if (ahrs.groundspeed() < 1.0f) {
+            gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition VTOL done, zero throttle");
             return true;
         }
     }
-    if (labs(plane.ahrs.pitch_sensor) > tailsitter.transition_angle*100 ||
-        labs(plane.ahrs.roll_sensor) > tailsitter.transition_angle*100 ||
-        AP_HAL::millis() - transition_start_ms > 2000) {
+    const float trans_angle = get_tailsitter_transition_angle_vtol();
+    if (labs(plane.ahrs.pitch_sensor) > trans_angle*100) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition VTOL done");
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (labs(plane.ahrs.roll_sensor) > MAX(4500, plane.roll_limit_cd + 500)) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition VTOL done, roll error");
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (AP_HAL::millis() - transition_start_ms >  ((trans_angle-(transition_initial_pitch*0.01f))/tailsitter.transition_rate_vtol)*1500) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Transition VTOL done, timeout");
         return true;
     }
     // still waiting
@@ -329,6 +347,18 @@ bool QuadPlane::is_tailsitter_in_fw_flight(void) const
     return is_tailsitter() && !in_vtol_mode() && transition_state == TRANSITION_DONE;
 }
 
+/*
+ return the tailsitter.transition_angle_vtol value if non zero, otherwise returns the tailsitter.transition_angle_fw value.
+ */
+int8_t QuadPlane::get_tailsitter_transition_angle_vtol() const
+{
+    if (tailsitter.transition_angle_vtol == 0) {
+        return tailsitter.transition_angle_fw;
+    }
+    return tailsitter.transition_angle_vtol;
+}
+
+
 /*
   account for speed scaling of control surfaces in VTOL modes
 */