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  4. Outdoor navigation GPS problem

Outdoor navigation GPS problem

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Qualcomm Flight RB5 5G Drone
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  • V vjuliani

    @Moderator Yes, how can I do that?

    @Eric-Katzfey, yes I am trying outdoors. I am even waiting more than 10 minutes too see if the GPS locks but it doesnt

    IMG_20240710_151704497.jpg

    Here are the logs of two of the outdoor flight attempts with manual flight mode: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/qhidipn0n1xng/RB5-outdoor-flight-logs

    When I tried the outdoor flights with manual flight mode, one of the drone's rotors seemed to not be working properly. You can see it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7ug6u2W8Yw

    Is there any PX4 parameter I could change in order to try to fix it?

    It happened after upgrading from VOXL SDK 0.9.5 to 1.1.2...

    Thanks in advance!

    Eric KatzfeyE Offline
    Eric KatzfeyE Offline
    Eric Katzfey
    ModalAI Team
    wrote on last edited by
    #6

    @vjuliani Your GPS location from the log: https://www.google.com/maps/place/22°48'54.2"S+47°02'48.1"W/@-22.8154809,-47.0471945,1108m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d-22.8150558!4d-47.0466938?entry=ttu

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    • V vjuliani

      @Moderator Yes, how can I do that?

      @Eric-Katzfey, yes I am trying outdoors. I am even waiting more than 10 minutes too see if the GPS locks but it doesnt

      IMG_20240710_151704497.jpg

      Here are the logs of two of the outdoor flight attempts with manual flight mode: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/qhidipn0n1xng/RB5-outdoor-flight-logs

      When I tried the outdoor flights with manual flight mode, one of the drone's rotors seemed to not be working properly. You can see it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7ug6u2W8Yw

      Is there any PX4 parameter I could change in order to try to fix it?

      It happened after upgrading from VOXL SDK 0.9.5 to 1.1.2...

      Thanks in advance!

      Eric KatzfeyE Offline
      Eric KatzfeyE Offline
      Eric Katzfey
      ModalAI Team
      wrote on last edited by
      #7

      @vjuliani So, the GPS seems to be working okay. It's not clear why you cannot get a global position in PX4 using that data. Let me look through the parameters and see if I can suggest some others to change.

      Eric KatzfeyE 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • V vjuliani

        @Moderator Yes, how can I do that?

        @Eric-Katzfey, yes I am trying outdoors. I am even waiting more than 10 minutes too see if the GPS locks but it doesnt

        IMG_20240710_151704497.jpg

        Here are the logs of two of the outdoor flight attempts with manual flight mode: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/qhidipn0n1xng/RB5-outdoor-flight-logs

        When I tried the outdoor flights with manual flight mode, one of the drone's rotors seemed to not be working properly. You can see it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7ug6u2W8Yw

        Is there any PX4 parameter I could change in order to try to fix it?

        It happened after upgrading from VOXL SDK 0.9.5 to 1.1.2...

        Thanks in advance!

        Eric KatzfeyE Offline
        Eric KatzfeyE Offline
        Eric Katzfey
        ModalAI Team
        wrote on last edited by
        #8

        @vjuliani Can you please open a separate forum post for the drone not flying properly? Let's keep this one for the GPS issue only. Thanks!

        1 Reply Last reply
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        • Eric KatzfeyE Eric Katzfey

          @vjuliani So, the GPS seems to be working okay. It's not clear why you cannot get a global position in PX4 using that data. Let me look through the parameters and see if I can suggest some others to change.

          Eric KatzfeyE Offline
          Eric KatzfeyE Offline
          Eric Katzfey
          ModalAI Team
          wrote on last edited by
          #9

          @Eric-Katzfey You can try setting EKF2_GPS_CHECK back to the default 245 value. Then experiment with the various GPS thresholds to see if you can increase any of them to get the drone to go into position mode. The relevant parameters are:

          Maximum allowed PDOP set by EKF2_REQ_PDOP
          Maximum allowed horizontal position error set by EKF2_REQ_EPH
          Maximum allowed vertical position error set by EKF2_REQ_EPV
          Maximum allowed speed error set by EKF2_REQ_SACC
          Maximum allowed horizontal position rate set by EKF2_REQ_HDRIFT. This check will only run when the vehicle is on ground and stationary.
          Maximum allowed vertical position rate set by EKF2_REQ_VDRIFT. This check will only run when the vehicle is on ground and stationary.
          Maximum allowed horizontal speed set by EKF2_REQ_HDRIFT. This check will only run when the vehicle is on ground and stationary.
          Maximum allowed vertical velocity discrepancy set by EKF2_REQ_VDRIFT

          Eric KatzfeyE 1 Reply Last reply
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          • Eric KatzfeyE Eric Katzfey

            @Eric-Katzfey You can try setting EKF2_GPS_CHECK back to the default 245 value. Then experiment with the various GPS thresholds to see if you can increase any of them to get the drone to go into position mode. The relevant parameters are:

            Maximum allowed PDOP set by EKF2_REQ_PDOP
            Maximum allowed horizontal position error set by EKF2_REQ_EPH
            Maximum allowed vertical position error set by EKF2_REQ_EPV
            Maximum allowed speed error set by EKF2_REQ_SACC
            Maximum allowed horizontal position rate set by EKF2_REQ_HDRIFT. This check will only run when the vehicle is on ground and stationary.
            Maximum allowed vertical position rate set by EKF2_REQ_VDRIFT. This check will only run when the vehicle is on ground and stationary.
            Maximum allowed horizontal speed set by EKF2_REQ_HDRIFT. This check will only run when the vehicle is on ground and stationary.
            Maximum allowed vertical velocity discrepancy set by EKF2_REQ_VDRIFT

            Eric KatzfeyE Offline
            Eric KatzfeyE Offline
            Eric Katzfey
            ModalAI Team
            wrote on last edited by
            #10

            @Eric-Katzfey Since it was originally complaining about speed accuracy then maybe you can increase EKF2_REQ_SACC and see if that error goes away. I do notice from the log that there is a lot of GPS noise and jamming. Not sure if that is part of the issue here though. Is there another open field in a different location that you can try as well?

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            • V vjuliani referenced this topic on
            • V Offline
              V Offline
              vjuliani
              Contributor
              wrote on last edited by
              #11

              Hi @Eric-Katzfey

              Yeah, I will try in another open field in a different location and experiment with the various GPS thresholds you mentioned. Thanks!

              We did a site survey in the open field area we tried the flights and we got the results below: tela1.png

              tela2.png

              We used an AARONIA AG HyperLOG Broadband Directional antenna and a Spectrum Analyzer.

              It might help.

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              • V Offline
                V Offline
                vjuliani
                Contributor
                wrote on last edited by vjuliani
                #12

                Hi @Eric-Katzfey

                As you said, QGC and PX4 were receiving GPS data from M8N, however, EKF2 couldn't estimate the global and local valid positions.

                After changing EKF2_MAG_TYPE, which value was as None, to Automatic, EKF2 could finished the global and local valid positions estimation and the drone became Ready to Fly with no issues from QGC.

                So, now, after changing EKF2_REQ_SACC to 0.8m/s and EKF2_MAG_TYPE to Automatic, the drone became Ready to Fly and I could arm it using GPS.

                Which is curious though is that here https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-px4-params/-/blob/master/params/v1.14/EKF2_helpers/outdoor_gps_baro.params in the EKF2 helper file, which I used to first configure the drone's PX4 params after upgrading from VOXL SDK 0.9.5 to 1.1.2, it says to set EKF2_MAG_TYPE to 0, so I am not sure if setting EKF2_MAG_TYPE to Automatic is the right fix, what are your thoughts? Is 0 meaning Automatic?

                After setting EKF2_MAG_TYPE to Automatic, I tried some flights in Position Flight Mode and had the same problems of when I had tried the Manual Flight Mode flights (The one showed in the youtube video above), which @Alex-Kushleyev is helping me to figure it out in the https://forum.modalai.com/topic/3634/rb5-can-t-leave-the-ground-properly-when-flying-in-manual-flight-mode/ topic. The logs can be seen here https://www.mediafire.com/folder/jbuu2or25tjdr/position-flight-mode-logs

                Thanks!

                Eric KatzfeyE 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • V vjuliani referenced this topic on
                • V vjuliani

                  Hi @Eric-Katzfey

                  As you said, QGC and PX4 were receiving GPS data from M8N, however, EKF2 couldn't estimate the global and local valid positions.

                  After changing EKF2_MAG_TYPE, which value was as None, to Automatic, EKF2 could finished the global and local valid positions estimation and the drone became Ready to Fly with no issues from QGC.

                  So, now, after changing EKF2_REQ_SACC to 0.8m/s and EKF2_MAG_TYPE to Automatic, the drone became Ready to Fly and I could arm it using GPS.

                  Which is curious though is that here https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-px4-params/-/blob/master/params/v1.14/EKF2_helpers/outdoor_gps_baro.params in the EKF2 helper file, which I used to first configure the drone's PX4 params after upgrading from VOXL SDK 0.9.5 to 1.1.2, it says to set EKF2_MAG_TYPE to 0, so I am not sure if setting EKF2_MAG_TYPE to Automatic is the right fix, what are your thoughts? Is 0 meaning Automatic?

                  After setting EKF2_MAG_TYPE to Automatic, I tried some flights in Position Flight Mode and had the same problems of when I had tried the Manual Flight Mode flights (The one showed in the youtube video above), which @Alex-Kushleyev is helping me to figure it out in the https://forum.modalai.com/topic/3634/rb5-can-t-leave-the-ground-properly-when-flying-in-manual-flight-mode/ topic. The logs can be seen here https://www.mediafire.com/folder/jbuu2or25tjdr/position-flight-mode-logs

                  Thanks!

                  Eric KatzfeyE Offline
                  Eric KatzfeyE Offline
                  Eric Katzfey
                  ModalAI Team
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #13

                  @vjuliani Yes, 0 is automatic.

                  V 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • Eric KatzfeyE Eric Katzfey

                    @vjuliani Yes, 0 is automatic.

                    V Offline
                    V Offline
                    vjuliani
                    Contributor
                    wrote on last edited by vjuliani
                    #14

                    @Eric-Katzfey

                    Ok, thanks

                    Can I use the file:
                    https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-px4-params/-/blob/master/params/v1.14/ci_helpers/ci_sentinel.params

                    To configure RB5 px4 parameters using QGC?

                    I didn't find a specific file to RB5 in the folder

                    tomT 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • V vjuliani

                      @Eric-Katzfey

                      Ok, thanks

                      Can I use the file:
                      https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-px4-params/-/blob/master/params/v1.14/ci_helpers/ci_sentinel.params

                      To configure RB5 px4 parameters using QGC?

                      I didn't find a specific file to RB5 in the folder

                      tomT Offline
                      tomT Offline
                      tom
                      admin
                      wrote on last edited by tom
                      #15

                      @vjuliani You'll want to use these: https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-px4-params/-/blob/master/params/v1.14/platforms/Sentinel_V1.params

                      Or you can run

                      voxl-configure-px4-params --platform MRB-D0006
                      
                      1 Reply Last reply
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                      • V Offline
                        V Offline
                        vjuliani
                        Contributor
                        wrote on last edited by vjuliani
                        #16

                        @Eric-Katzfey @tom

                        After running "voxl-configure-px4-params --platform MRB-D0006" to configure RB5 PX4 parameters, I could perform an outdoors flight with RB5 using Position Flight Mode without GPS or motor problems: https://youtu.be/D8zP0hOx8wc

                        It seems that the issue was RB5 running with Sentinel PX4 parameters after SDK upgrade.

                        Thank you very much guys for your help

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