Pilot Control

Control of the vehicle can be accomplished in three ways:

  • Via Ground Control Stations using:

    • GCS attached Joysticks, or command lines, to send MAVLink RC override commands that act as RC inputs (even if no RC receiver is attached)

    • MAVLink MANUAL CONTROL messages which includes axis commands and button states.

  • RC control (not enabled by default)

Pilot Control Inputs

If RC is not enabled, pilot inputs are via the GCS joystick, controlling the vehicle’s available motion axes, including yaw and attitude rotations, along with body-frame translations laterally, forward/back, and up/down in depth. Additionally, lights and camera can be controlled from the GCS, as well as some generic servo and/or relay outputs.

If RC is enabled, then the pitch/roll/yaw/throttle/lateral/forward inputs are sent from the RC transmitter and mapped from RC channels to these inputs via the RCMAP_ parameters.

Pilot Control Freedoms by Mode

The following assumes the axis is controllable. Some frame configurations do not provide all axes. For example the SimpleROV-3 frame has three thrusters providing only yaw, forwad, and depth control. The pitch and roll attitude is uncontrolled and relies on CG/ballast trimming and has no lateral movement capability.

ANG = Angle target. Stick deflection indicates desired axis angle.

RAT = Rate target. Stick deflection indicates desired axis movement/rotation rate.

D = Direct motor output based on stick deflection.

Mode

Roll

Pitch

Yaw

Depth

Forward

Lateral

PosHold

DepthHold

MANUAL

D

D

D

D

D

D

No

No

ACRO

RAT

RAT

RAT

RAT

RAT

RAT

No

No

STABILIZE

ANG

ANG

RAT

RAT

RAT

RAT

No

No

ALT_HOLD

ANG

ANG

RAT

RA

RAT

RAT

No

Yes

SURFTRAK

ANG

ANG

RAT

RAT

RAT

RAT

No

Yes*

POSHOLD

ANG

ANG

RAT

RAT

RAT

RAT

Yes

Yes

SURFACE

ANG

ANG

RAT

RAT

RAT

No

No

CIRCLE

ANG

ANG

RAT

RAT

Yes

Yes

MOTORDETECT

  • SURFTRAK maintains depth as a relative position above the sea floor using a rangefinder when there in no depth input change requested by the pilot.

  • MODE AUTO: Autopilot commands necessary controls to navigate the mission.

  • MODE GUIDED: Pilot can control Roll and Pitch if in velocity control mode with stick input signifying angle targets if in HEADING HOLD, or rate targets, otherwise. Yaw input is rate demand. LATERAL and FORWARD inputs ignored.

Failsafes

Several failsafes are provided for pilot control methods, if they fail, any or all of which may be configured and enabled: