Uncommanded mode switch

Naterater · November 30, 2022, 11:55pm

We have a few herelink blues that we are integrating for the first time. Today during our first herelink maiden flight we experienced an uncommanded mode change around 21:05:48. Fortunately the plane landed itself in FBWA, but we’re not sure how it got from Auto to FBWA. I was holding the remote and don’t believe I pressed any of the buttons (A/B/C/D) that were for Auto, RTL, FBWA, and Manual respectively.

Link to flight log: Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.

Michael_Oborne · December 1, 2022, 12:37am

ok so these are the mode changes

1469	08:41.2	MODE	8434509	Manual	0	26
177257	10:09.5	MODE	96768710	FBWA	5	2
505554	12:54.7	MODE	261902462	Auto	10	2
704955	14:29.3	MODE	356512867	FBWA	5	2
803742	15:16.6	MODE	403815595	CIRCLE	1	3
835492	15:31.8	MODE	419023264	RTL	11	3
835493	15:31.8	MODE	419023271	RTL	11	3
835573	15:31.8	MODE	419053900	Auto	10	40
1443228	20:22.8	MODE	710075830	FBWA	5	2
1499253	20:49.7	MODE	736901680	CIRCLE	1	3
1513890	20:56.7	MODE	743920856	FBWA	5	48
1641478	21:57.8	MODE	805015285	CIRCLE	1	3
1647098	22:00.5	MODE	807714261	FBWA	5	48
1939756	24:20.6	MODE	947820251	CIRCLE	1	3
1965048	24:32.7	MODE	959919020	FBWA	5	48
1984039	24:41.8	MODE	969018947	CIRCLE	1	3
1989719	24:44.5	MODE	971738541	FBWA	5	48
1993236	24:46.2	MODE	973418711	CIRCLE	1	3
2025043	25:01.4	MODE	988636530	RTL	11	3
2025044	25:01.4	MODE	988636536	RTL	11	3
2025151	25:01.5	MODE	988696874	Auto	10	40

which one is the issue?

github.com

ArduPilot/ardupilot/blob/master/libraries/AP_Vehicle/ModeReason.h

/*
   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
   (at your option) any later version.
   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
   GNU General Public License for more details.
   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */

#pragma once

#include <stdint.h>

// interface to set the vehicles mode
enum class ModeReason : uint8_t {
  UNKNOWN = 0,

This file has been truncated. show original

1 RC_COMMAND
2 GCS_COMMAND
3 RADIO_FAILSAFE
40 RTL_COMPLETE_SWITCHING_TO_FIXEDWING_AUTOLAND
48 RADIO_FAILSAFE_RECOVERY

Naterater · December 1, 2022, 4:53am

The 4th mode change from Auto to FBWA. From what I’m gathering, that was a GCS command. Does the herelink GCS keep logs of solex that I might be able to see if a button was inadvertently pressed to get to that mode?

Michael_Oborne · December 1, 2022, 7:48am

so i can only assume either of 3 things

the button was pressed, that’s configured as a mode change in the gcs app
a mode change was commanded via a menu in the gcs app.
the mode was requested via a 3rd device, ie laptop connected to hotspot etc.

Naterater · December 1, 2022, 9:04am

I have some data now pointing to Solex commanding FBWA as soon as the flight screen is entered. It does it every time on the ground, and I have no idea why. This, to me, is a serious issue. I really didn’t think I hit a button, I know I didn’t hit a command in the app, and there were no other GCS connected.

kellyschrock · December 1, 2022, 7:17pm

FWIW, this was fixed in a recent update. An NWBlue-specific version of Solex was being used, and per request was switching the connected vehicle to a default “disarmed” mode during disarm operations. I pushed an update earlier that removes this logic as it’s no longer needed, but the question remains why the vehicle was showing as transitioning to “disarmed” state if it was flying. In any case, it will take no such mode-change action now as of version 1.2.2.