Controller not recognized in QGC

[Evan D]

@Moderator Thanks for your reply. I'm very new to this so I appreciate your patience.
The log file just shows that no RC messages are getting through, even though I have binded the transmitter to the receiver and am moving the joysticks. But I haven't calibrated the controller so this may be expected.
Here's the log file from simply turning on the drone and controller and moving the joysticks: https://logs.px4.io/plot_app?log=8cc328d8-5b81-426e-b04c-72698a4ed8f4
What else can I try to troubleshoot? Is there anything in the log files that stands out?

[Eric Katzfey]

@Evan-D Can you post the results of journalctl -b -u voxl-px4? That command should show the startup log for px4.

[Evan D]

@Eric-Katzfey Thanks for your reply.
That command returns -- No entries --, i think because I'm on a VOXL flight (m500) so there isn't a voxl-px4 service. Is there a way to view the px4 startup log on voxl?

Also, I ran voxl-configure-mpa to reset the services, but the status log for voxl-mavlink-server shows that the mavlink buffer is full, as shown below. I don't understand why this would be happening when all the services should be in the default state, but maybe this is causing my problem of QGroundControl not recognizing the controller?

jou

Output of journalctl -b -u voxl-vision-hub :

-- Logs begin at Thu 1970-01-01 00:00:04 UTC, end at Thu 2024-03-21 14:17:14 UTC. --
Jan 01 00:00:08 apq8096 systemd[1]: Started voxl-vision-hub.
Jan 01 00:00:08 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: WARNING: voxl-mavlink-server does not appear to be running
Jan 01 00:00:08 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: make sure it is enabled: systemctl enable voxl-mavlink-server
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: loading our own config file
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: =================================================================
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Parameters as loaded from config file:
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: config_file_version:        1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: MAVROS / MAVSDK
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_localhost_mavlink_udp    0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: localhost_udp_port_number:  14551
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: VIO
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_vio:                     1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: vio_pipe:                   qvio
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: secondary_vio_pipe:         ov
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_reset_vio_if_initialized_inverted: 1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: vio_warmup_s:               3.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: send_odom_while_failed:     1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: APQ8096-ONLY FEATURES
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_set_clock_from_gps:      1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_force_onboard_mav1_mode: 1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_reset_px4_on_error:      1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: MISC FEATURES
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: horizon_cal_tolerance:      0.500000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: OFFBOARD MODE
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: offboard_mode:              figure_eight
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: follow_tag_id:              0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: figure_eight_move_home:     1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: robot_radius:               0.300000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: collision_sampling_dt:      0.100000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: max_lookahead_distance:     1.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: FIXED FRAME RELOCALIZATION
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_tag_fixed_frame:         0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: fixed_frame_filter_len:     5
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_transform_mavlink_pos_setpoints_from_fixed_frame:0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: COLLISION PREVENTION (VOA)
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: en_voa:                     1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_upper_bound_m:          -0.150000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_lower_bound_m:          0.150000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_memory_s:               1.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_max_pc_per_fusion:      100
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_pie_min_dist_m:         0.250000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_pie_max_dist_m:         20.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_pie_under_trim_m:       1.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_pie_threshold:          3
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_pie_slices:             36
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_pie_bin_depth_m:        0.150000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_send_rate_hz:           20.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_input #0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: enabled:            1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: type:               point_cloud
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: input_pipe:         dfs_point_cloud
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: frame:              stereo_l
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: max_depth:          8.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: min_depth:          0.300000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: cell_size:          0.080000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: threshold:          4
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: x_fov_deg:          68.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: y_fov_deg:          56.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: conf_cutoff:        0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_input #1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: enabled:            1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: type:               point_cloud
Jan 01 00:00:07 apq8096 systemd[1]: Starting voxl-mavlink-server...
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: collision_sampling_dt:      0.100000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: conf_cutoff:        125
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: voa_input #4
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: enabled:            1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: type:               rangefinder
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: input_pipe:         rangefinders
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: frame:              body
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: max_depth:          8.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: min_depth:          0.300000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: cell_size:          0.080000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: threshold:          4
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: x_fov_deg:          68.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: y_fov_deg:          56.000000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: conf_cutoff:        0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: =================================================================
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: loading extrinsics config file
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: loading horizon cal file
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting geometry module
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting autopilot monitor
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting mavlink IO
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Waiting to connect to voxl-mavlink-server
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting fixed pose input
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting vio manager
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting tag manager
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting voa manager
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting horizon cal module
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: starting offboard figure eight
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Init complete
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Connected to VIO pipe: qvio
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Geometry module updating to use imu: imu0 for VIO
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: new T imu wrt body:
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: 0.0200   0.0140  -0.0080
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: new R imu to body:
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: 1.0000  -0.0000   0.0000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: 0.0000   1.0000  -0.0000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: 0.0000   0.0000   1.0000
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: done updating transforms to use imu: imu0
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Connected to voxl-mavlink-server
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Detected Autopilot Mavlink SYSID 1
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: requesting autopilot_version
Jan 01 00:00:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: Detected autopilot version: 1.14.0
Mar 21 14:18:09 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: WARNING: Autopilot Mavlink Disconnected
Mar 21 14:18:11 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: WARNING: Autopilot Mavlink Disconnected
Mar 21 14:19:08 apq8096 voxl-vision-hub[2366]: WARNING: Autopilot Mavlink Disconnected

Thanks so much for any help.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Evan-D Ah, sorry, I didn't realize this was an M500 (voxl + flight core).

[Eric Katzfey]

@Evan-D But you are connected to QGC? You see other data there, just not the RC data? There are QGC screens that will allow you to interact with PX4 on the flihgt controller. The mavlink console allows you to enter commands to PX4. If this is working you can use the dmesg command to see all of the startup messages. Also, for RC, you will want to use listener input_rc to look at the RC data in the input_rc topic that is being published by the flight controller.

[Evan D]

@Eric-Katzfey Yes, I'm connected to QGC and I can see the camera feed and other data. The spektrum bind command works, so the receiver lights up with a solid led when I turn on the transmitter, but for some reason the data from the receiver isn't making it to QGC. Here's the output to those commands after I have connected the rc transmitter:

nsh> listener input_rc
never published

nsh> dmesg
HW arch: MODALAI_FC_V1
HW type: V1001000
HW version: 0x001
HW revision: 0x000
PX4 git-hash: b02a6b4ae93d12fa399673bf442c45087cee0759
PX4 version: 1.14.0 0 (17694720)
Vendor version: 2.0.63 0 (33570560)
OS: NuttX
OS version: Release 11.0.0 (184549631)
OS git-hash: 3f77354c0dc88793a47ff3b57595195ab45f7ba9
Build datetime: Dec 11 2023 20:04:02
Build uri: localhost
Build variant: default
Toolchain: GNU GCC, 9.3.1 20200408 (release)
PX4GUID: 000200000000203334354d3350140031002c
MCU: STM32F76xxx, rev. Z
INFO  [param] selected parameter default file /fs/mtd_params
INFO  [param] importing from '/fs/mtd_params'
INFO  [parameters] BSON document size 2043 bytes, decoded 2043 bytes (INT32:23, FLOAT:68)
INFO  [param] selected parameter backup file /fs/microsd/parameters_backup.bson
Board architecture defaults: /etc/init.d/rc.board_arch_defaults
Board defaults: /etc/init.d/rc.board_defaults
Loading airframe: /etc/init.d/airframes/4001_quad_x
INFO  [dataman] data manager file '/fs/microsd/dataman' size is 62560 bytes
Board sensors: /etc/init.d/rc.board_sensors
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_FUNCX.  Only supports motors 1-4.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_FUNCX.  Only supports motors 1-4.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_FUNCX.  Only supports motors 1-4.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_FUNCX.  Only supports motors 1-4.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_MOTORX.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_MOTORX.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_MOTORX.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Invalid parameter VOXL_ESC_MOTORX.  Please verify parameters.
ERROR [voxl_esc] Task start failed (-1)
voxlpm #0 on I2C bus 3 (external) address 0x44
WARN  [SPI_I2C] Already running on bus 3
WARN  [SPI_I2C] voxlpm: no instance started (no device on bus?)
icm20602 #0 on SPI bus 1 rotation 12
icm42688p #0 on SPI bus 2 rotation 12
ERROR [SPI_I2C] bmi088: no instance started (no device on bus?)
ERROR [SPI_I2C] bmi088: no instance started (no device on bus?)
bmp388 #0 on I2C bus 4 (external) address 0x76
qmc5883l #0 on I2C bus 1 (external) address 0xD
ekf2 [812:237]
Starting Main GPS on /dev/ttyS0
Starting MAVLink on /dev/ttyS6
INFO  [mavlink] mode: Normal, data rate: 1200 B/s on /dev/ttyS6 @ 57600B
Starting MAVLink on /dev/ttyS4
INFO  [mavlink] mode: Onboard, data rate: 46080 B/s on /dev/ttyS4 @ 921600B
INFO  [logger] logger started (mode=all)
INFO  [uavcan] Node ID 1, bitrate 1000000

NuttShell (NSH) NuttX-11.0.0
nsh> INFO  [gps] baudrate set to 9600
INFO  [gps] Sending initial CFG_VALSET. Attempt: 1
INFO  [gps] Got ack to initial CFG_VALSET!
INFO  [gps] u-blox firmware version: SPG 5.10
INFO  [gps] u-blox protocol version: 34.10
INFO  [gps] u-blox module: MAX-M10S
WARN  [health_and_arming_checks] Preflight Fail: Yaw estimate error
WARN  [health_and_arming_checks] Preflight Fail: Strong magnetic interference
WARN  [health_and_arming_checks] Preflight Fail: Strong magnetic interference
WARN  [health_and_arming_checks] Preflight Fail: Strong magnetic interference
INFO  [mavlink] Starting mavlink shell

[Eric Katzfey]

@Evan-D If input_rc has never been published it means that the rc driver hasn't connected to the receiver. What is the setting of your RC_INPUT_PROTO parameter? It should be -1

[Evan D]

@Eric-Katzfey

RC_INPUT_PROTO is set to -1, and RC_PORT_CONFIG is set to 0, so i'm not sure why the rc driver isn't connecting to the receiver.

Would it be worthwhile to try to reinstall px4?

Thanks so much for your help.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Evan-D Definitely worth a try. Something has obviously changed in a way to prevent the driver from working and a fresh install may clear that out.

[Evan D]

@Eric-Katzfey Reinstalling px4 solved my problem, thanks for your help!