External AHRS Systems

Rather than using ArduPilot’s internal Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) for attitude, heading and position, it is possible to use several external systems.

Supported Systems

Currently, ArduPilot supports these systems:

Setup

VectorNav300 or MicroStrain

  • AHRS_EKF_TYPE = 11 (External AHRS)

  • EAHRS_TYPE = 1 (VectorNAV), 2 (MicroStrain5), 5(InertialLabs), or 7(MicroStrain7)

This will replace ArduPilot’s internally generated INS/AHRS subsystems with the external system. The MicroStrain system must be configured via Sensor Connect before use. See the below section on data rates.

VN-300 Specific setup

When setting up the VN-300, it will be necessary to set GPS1_TYPE = 21 and GPS2_TYPE = 21.

VN-300 data is expected at two different update rates, 50Hz and 5Hz. This is autoconfigured. See the USER MANAUAL for more details.

VectorNav100

  • AHRS_EKF_TYPE = 3 (ArduPilot’s EKF3)

  • EAHRS_TYPE = 1 (VectorNAV)

  • EAHRS_OPTIONS bit 0 set to 1 (“1” value) to disable its compensation of the sensor biases, letting EKF3 do that (since there is no internal GPS to provide the best estimates)

  • for all of the above, set the SERIALx_PROTOCOL to “36” (AHRS) and SERIALx_BAUD to “115” (unless you have changed the external unit’s baud rate from its default value) for the port which is connected to the external AHRS unit.

This will replace ArduPilot’s internally generated INS/AHRS subsystems with the external system.

In addition, instead of replacing ArduPilot’s INS/AHRS systems, it is possible to use an external AHRS system’s sensors (IMU,GPS, Compass, and Barometer) as additional sensors for use with ArduPilot’s INS/AHRS systems. Simply do not change the AHRS_EKF_TYPE from “3” (EKF3), but setup the others parameters as discussed above.

MicroStrain7

The 3DM-GQ7 supports up to 230k baud on the 3.3V TTL serial interface. The RS-232 interface supports higher baud rates, but most autopilots do not come with RS-232 interfaces.

To use the 3DM-GQ7 with 230k baud in ArduPilot, set the following data rates in SensorConnect.

  • IMU

    • Enable the Time Field at 50Hz

    • Scaled Ambient Pressure: 50Hz

    • Magnetometer Vector: 50Hz

    • Accelerometer Vector: 50Hz

    • Gyroscope Vector: 50Hz

    • Attitude (Quaternion): 50Hz

  • GNSS Receiver 1 and 2

    • Enable the Time Field at 2Hz

    • UTC Time: 2Hz

    • GPS Fix Information: 2Hz

    • Position (LLH): 2Hz

    • DOP Data: 2Hz

    • Velocity (NED): 2Hz

  • Estimation Filter

    • Position (LLH): 50Hz

    • Filter Status: 50Hz

    • Velocity (NED): 50Hz

    • Attitude (Quaternion): 50Hz

    • Position Uncertainty (LLH): 50Hz

    • Velocity Uncertainty (NED): 50Hz

This rates work well for platforms that run the EKF at 50Hz, such as Plane, Sub, Blimp. MicroStrain hardware and firmware for higher baud rates than 230k is in development. With higher baud rates, MicroStrain7 should be suitable for Copter and QuadPlane.