Ping1D as a range finder, show value in Qgroundcontrol

Blue Robotics Products Sensors
1

Software on companion computer : Companion version 0.0.17
Software on topside: Qgroundcontrol Development HEAD 2019-09-30

Here is what I have going:

  1. Uncommented a line in /companion/.companion.rc to enable Ping1D as a range finder
  2. SSH’ed into the companion computer and attached to the screen “pingmav”, messages constantly updating distance and confidence are scrolling over the screen.
  3. Added DistanceSensor,Down in “values screen” on Qgroundcontrol

I’m now pretty sure that the pixhawk get updated data via mavlink message #132 DISTANCE_SENSOR (from the ping1d_mavlink_driver.py file)

The problem is that Qgroundcontrol don’t seems to get this value.

I guess that I have to tweak the mavproxy settings on the companion computer as well to get this working ?

Any ideas ?

Ping1D_Rangefinder
Ping1D_Rangefinder827×518 119 KB

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Check RNGFND_TYPE parameter. It must be mavlink.

You must use ardusub 3.5.4 or later, or you will have crazy behavior in depth hold. This is not a supported application, yet. That is why the line is commented in companion.

3

Thanks! now it’s working.
It’s showing on the Forward distance, not Down as I thought.

This is used on a boat and will not be used for positioning, just for monitoring depth in QGC, so it doesn’t matter for this application.

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