# Way point following issues for surface vehicle **URL:** \ **Category:** Blue Robotics Software\ **Created:** [August 25, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430 "2017-08-25T17:54:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/nathan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/1 "2017-08-25T17:54:06Z")
Hi, I built a surface vehicle that has an identical control system to the BlueROV: it uses the pixhawk with ardusub firmware as an autopilot, has 4 t200 motors in the BlueROV vectored configuration for movement, and is driven from QgroundControll. It has an on board quadcopter GPS, which I am trying to use for waypoint following. However, I can’t get it to work. I have tried programming way points in from qgroundcontroll, but nothing works. Does anyone know how to have the ardusub firmware go to waypoints? ---
**Author:** ![kevink](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/kevink/32/686_2.png) [@kevink](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/kevink)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/2 "2017-08-25T18:06:25Z")
Hi Nathan, I’m doing something similar, but using a different frame type (Simple-3). What error are you seeing? ---
**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/nathan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/3 "2017-08-25T18:08:23Z")
If I set up a mission in qgroundcontroll, and try to run the mission, it says guided mode not supported. If I tell the robot to enter guided or auto mode, it does, and then only holds its position. ---
**Author:** ![kevink](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/kevink/32/686_2.png) [@kevink](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/kevink)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/4 "2017-08-25T18:22:08Z")
That’s about what I have seen too. I know the auto and guided modes are very developmental at this stage and Jacob is working on them. ---
**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/nathan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/5 "2017-08-25T18:23:56Z")
Were you able to get any kind of waypoint control to work? ---
**Author:** ![kevink](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/kevink/32/686_2.png) [@kevink](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/kevink)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/6 "2017-08-25T18:32:58Z")
Not yet, I was originally having mission sync issues. Those seem to have been fixed when I used the 3.6-Dev firmware. If you have the ArduSub Companion Computer, you can install that firmware type (Development) and see where it gets you. ---
**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/nathan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/7 "2017-08-25T18:37:52Z")
I have already got the 3.6 dev version installed ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/8 "2017-08-27T19:17:10Z")
Nathan, if you are going to use ArduSub (I’m not sure it’s right for the job), then you should use 3.5 instead of the dev version. I haven’t heard from anyone who has actually used ArduSub to navigate waypoints with a surface vehicle. It should work. The waypoints are 3D, so the altitude set for the waypoint needs to be the same as whatever the altitude is reading on the boat (this can drift and poses a potential problem). Otherwise, the boat will reach the x,y coordinates and wait there forever while it also tries to attain the z (altitude) goal. ---
**Author:** ![TimZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@TimZ](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/TimZ)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/9 "2017-11-21T16:33:44Z")
Hi Nathan, we are attempting a similar approach using the BlueROV control system to control a ROV with a quadcopter thruster configuration using the Blue Robotics thrusters such that each thruster has independent forward and reverse. I assume we must modify the framework config file. Can you tell me what are the additional details I should be aware of in order to get up and running using the BlueROV control system for a quadcopter motor configuration? Cheers! Tim ---
**Author:** ![rdehart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@rdehart](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/rdehart)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/10 "2018-02-24T19:51:04Z")
I am running 3.52 and I get the error “Guided mode not supported by Vehicle” in QGroundControl. Is there a parameter in a config file I need to set? ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/11 "2018-02-24T20:07:05Z")
What [version](https://github.com/bluerobotics/qgroundcontrol/releases) of QGC are you using? Guided mode is in development and so is not technically supported yet, but QGC should let you do it. This is an issue on QGC end, not ArduSub. ---
**Author:** ![rdehart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@rdehart](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/rdehart)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/12 "2018-03-01T20:20:15Z")
I am runnng QGroundControl v3.18.3. Interestingly it says on start up “qml: \_activeVehicle(0) \_vehicleArmed(0) guidedModeSupported(0) \_vehicleFlying(0) \_vehicleInRTLMode(0) pauseVehicleSupported(0) \_vehiclePaused(0) \_flightMode()”. I attempted to change the line in APM\_Config.h from //#define NAV\_GUIDED DISABLED to #define NAV\_GUIDED ENABLED and reupload the new firmware, but that didnt help either. ---
**Author:** ![rdehart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@rdehart](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/rdehart)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/13 "2018-03-09T19:46:33Z")
Im recompiling QGroundControl now, version 3.3. Can I run waypoints or guided mode somehow without GPS enabled? ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/14 "2018-03-09T19:53:52Z")
> [@rdehart](#): > > Can I run waypoints or guided mode somehow without GPS enabled? No, GPS is required for the autonomous modes. You do not need to make any modification to ArduSub firmware to enable guided mode You should use [our default branch](https://github.com/bluerobotics/qgroundcontrol) (3.2.4) in the bluerobotics fork for QGC to be used with ArduSub. ---
**Author:** ![rdehart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@rdehart](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/rdehart)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/15 "2018-03-09T19:56:14Z")
OK, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/16 "2018-03-09T20:44:57Z")
This branch will work with guided mode: [GitHub - bluerobotics/qgroundcontrol at sub-guided-mode](https://github.com/bluerobotics/qgroundcontrol/tree/sub-guided-mode) ---
**Author:** ![rdehart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@rdehart](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/rdehart)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/17 "2018-03-19T17:52:33Z")
What is different code wise, or do you know just via testing? ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 5:54pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/18 "2018-03-19T17:54:17Z")
This is the code that was changed: [Changes to get guided mode working for sub vehicles · bluerobotics/qgroundcontrol@622be63 · GitHub](https://github.com/bluerobotics/qgroundcontrol/commit/622be638792961043a0f5b82daa2bf189c6ba9f1) ---
**Author:** ![rdehart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@rdehart](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/rdehart)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/19 "2018-03-20T13:54:23Z")
Thank you very much; I assume that it still requires a GPS lock to run this mode. I was looking at MAVLink to see if I could at least get a set depth command to work without GPS for now, but apparently MAVLINK\_MSG\_ID\_SET\_POSITION\_TARGET\_LOCAL\_NED still requires the vehicle to be in Guided as seen in GCS\_MavLink.cpp Line 1344. ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/way-point-following-issues-for-surface-vehicle/1430/20 "2018-03-20T16:48:27Z")
You are correct: [https://github.com/bluerobotics/ardusub/issues/146](https://github.com/bluerobotics/ardusub/issues/146)