Hi Geoff,
Thanks for checking it out! I was starting to get worried by the complete
silence that no one would try this at all. :-)
I'll tweak the instructions a bit as per your comments. And if you (or
anyone else) has any other points that should be clarified or fixed, just
holler. I will probably eventually post this on the DIYdrones site to see
if we can pull in some of those guys to give FlightGear a try -- so I would
like the instructions to be as "newbie" friendly as possible.
With respect to the instability on the downwind and final legs of the
approach, could you turn on your frame rate counter and see what kind of
frame rates you are getting. In my experience the F-14b is very sensitive
to low frame rates and when the frame rates drop below about 17 I have a
*lot* of trouble flying manually or via autopilot. It has a pretty complex
flight control system wired in and I have tried to build my autopilot on top
of that rather than remove/replace it all.
I originally started this process with the seahawk/nimitz, but at some point
switched to the f-14b and the vinson because the models were so much more
detailed.
Reset: this is calling the main FlightGear reset (just like selecting it
from the File menu) so yes indeed it does reset everything to original start
up conditions.
And just to reiterate, if anyone tries this and has a lot of trouble with
stability in the autoland system, I'd be very interested in hearing what
kind of frame rates they were seeing at the time.
Thanks for being a "bunny" even though I'm not familiar with that expression
(at least in this context). :-)
Curt.
On Thu, Sep 22, 2011 at 9:56 AM, Geoff McLane wrote:
> Hi Curt,
>
> Always a bunny to try NEW things, and eventually
> got there ;=))
>
> I think you should for sure say somewhere to
> add the option --carrier=Vinson when running
> fgfs, either via fgrun, or on the command
> line... Of course this is implied, but my first
> attempt was without this ;=((
>
> And it would also be good to mention the
> aircraft is the --aircraft=f_14b-uas option...
> if not using fgrun, or 'Drone f-14b' in fgrun...
> Again implied, but not stated...
>
> So -
> 1. Backed up, and unzipped into f-14b
> 2. Loaded drone --aircraft=f-14b-uas
> 3. Deselected Nimitz, and selected Vinson
> 4. Exit and restart
>
> Attempt 1:
> ----------
>
> But am placed on runway 10L at KSFO... with
> a view of my wheels... so ok, I launch, and
> it starts to circle KSFO at a very low altitude...
> Then click Go Home, and it heads and finds
> Vinson out to sea... but refuses to land...
>
> It looks like it is lining up, but on each
> approach, after it changed the flight task to
> 'downwind', it circles there... many circles,
> and circles...
>
> Pushing Go Home again, changes flight task to
> 'gohome' but on close approach, with flaps
> down, it veers to the left, and switches
> to 'downwind' again...
>
> After a few repeats of this, it eventually
> switched to 'final' and crashed into the
> sea on a too steep right banking maneuver...
>
> A reset put me back at KSFO...
>
> At least on reset the HUD appeared ;=)) I
> had not particularly noticed its absence until
> it suddenly appeared ;=()
>
> Tried another Launch! and when circling
> KSFO, again GoHome... This was much better in
> that it went from 'gohome', to 'downwind', to
> 'final', to 'flare'...
>
> But the carrier approach was WILD, with too
> large a left and right swings over and past the
> center landing line... over compensating...
>
> And at 'flare' it was BELOW the carrier
> deck level, and crashed into the behind of
> the carrier...
>
> Exit fgfs to think...
>
> Attempt 2:
> ----------
>
> Then eventually thought of, and found the
> --carrier=Vinson option, so this 2nd attempt
> initialized on the Carrier... PHEW ;=))
>
> But after Launch, circle a bit, then Go Home,
> crashed into the sea on 'downwind'... in a
> too steep bank... so reset
>
> 2nd takeoff, circle, and click gohome, and
> eventually, had a good landing ;=))
>
> >From downwind -> final -> flare -> touchdown ->
> shutdown -> end - and HAPPINESS...
>
> Attached below is the usage and console output...
>
> Answers and comments:
>
> Yes, eventually got it 'working', but see the
> suggested clear addition of the --aircraft=f-14b-uas
> and --carrier=Vinson to the instructions somewhere...
>
> Having also played a little with auto line up and
> landing code logic I do understand this is a time
> consuming 'art', but was quite shocked by the
> multiple CRASHES before one good landing...
>
> Wild left and right crossing, steep banking and
> losing altitude into the sea, and crashing 'below'
> deck level need to be worked on... And these are
> strange, in that the final good landing was
> VERY smooth indeed...
>
> Your 'Reset' seems to reset more than just your
> scenario... I had disabled Global weather fetch,
> and cleared the clouds, but after your 'reset'
> they returned...
>
> And just to round out the state -> ... display,
> the 'gohome' state should be added to the
> output... there is nothing between -
> state -> circle
> state -> downwind
>
> Overall, quite some FUN ;=))
>
> Interesting addition, so it could be put on
> display somewhere - an [ ] Auto-loop option,
> where an internal 'Launch!' is done, and
> after circling for say a few minutes, an
> internal 'gohome' done, and at the 'end',
> an internal 'reset', back to 'launch'... etc
>
> This 'Auto-loop' option could also vary the
> 'view' each few minutes ... camera -> cockpit
> -> chase -> flyby -> camera...
>
> HTH.
>
> Regards,
> Geoff.
>
> Attempt 1: Missed --carrier=Vinson option and disaster
> ======================================================
>
> run_fgfs.sh: Running: ./fgfs --fg-root=/home/geoff/fg/fg16/fgfs/data
> --aircraft=f-14b-uas --timeofday=noon
> Processing command line arguments
> Failed to find parking position at airport KSFO
> FGMultiplayMgr - No receiver port. Multiplayer mode disabled.
> Initializing Liveries
> HERE: crs = 149.9436573031764 dist = 148.2411422427136
> loading scenario 'vinson_demo'
> getting flightplan: Cruise-1
> AIShip: Cruise-1 initializing waypoints
> AIShip: Cruise-1 done initialising waypoints 0
> creating 3D noise texture... DONE
> Pilot dual control ... initialized
> Initializing F-14B Systems
> Initializing F-14B fuel system
> Initializing F-14B weapons system
> Initializing Radar Data
> Initializing drone autoflight system.
> state -> init-settle
> state -> pretakeoff
> state -> takeoff
> state -> climbout
> state -> route
> state -> circle
> Scaling image
> '/home/geoff/fg/fg16/fgfs/data/Models/Maritime/Military/HeloPaint.png'
> from (700,446) to (512,512)
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> downwind
> state -> final
> [crashed into sea]
> Saving F-14B fuel levels
> passed invalid index (0) to FGRouteMgr::jumpToIndex
> AIShip: Cruise-1 initializing waypoints
> AIShip: Cruise-1 done initialising waypoints 0
> Pilot dual control ... initialized
> Initializing F-14B Systems
> Initializing F-14B fuel system
> Initializing F-14B weapons system
> Initializing Radar Data
> Restoring F-14B fuel levels
> Initializing drone autoflight system.
> state -> init-settle
> state -> pretakeoff
> state -> takeoff
> state -> climbout
> state -> route
> state -> circle
> state -> downwind
> state -> final
> state -> flare
> [crashed into back of carrier]
> Saving F-14B fuel levels
> passed invalid index (0) to FGRouteMgr::jumpToIndex
> AIShip: Cruise-1 initializing waypoints
> AIShip: Cruise-1 done initialising waypoints 0
> Pilot dual control ... initialized
> Initializing F-14B Systems
> Initializing F-14B fuel system
> Initializing F-14B weapons system
> Initializing Radar Data
> Restoring F-14B fuel levels
> Wildfire drop summary: #extinguished cells: 0 #protected cells: 0
> #wasted: 0
> Wildfire fire summary: #created cells: 2 #cells still burning: 0
> AL lib: ALc.c:1420: alcDestroyContext(): deleting 4 Source(s)
> AL lib: ALc.c:1818: alcCloseDevice(): deleting 3 Buffer(s)
>
> Attempt 2: First a crash, but eventually a good landing ;=))
> ============================================================
> ~/fg/fg16$ ./run_f14b.sh
> run_fgfs.sh: Running: ./fgfs --fg-root=/home/geoff/fg/fg16/fgfs/data
> --aircraft=f-14b-uas --carrier=Vinson --timeofday=noon
> Processing command line arguments
> FGMultiplayMgr - No receiver port. Multiplayer mode disabled.
> Initializing Liveries
> HERE: crs = 149.9436573031764 dist = 148.2411422427136
> loading scenario 'vinson_demo'
> getting flightplan: Cruise-1
> AIShip: Cruise-1 initializing waypoints
> AIShip: Cruise-1 done initialising waypoints 0
> creating 3D noise texture... DONE
> Pilot dual control ... initialized
> Initializing F-14B Systems
> Initializing F-14B fuel system
> Initializing F-14B weapons system
> Initializing Radar Data
> Scaling image
> '/home/geoff/fg/fg16/fgfs/data/Models/Maritime/Military/HeloPaint.png'
> from (700,446) to (512,512)
> Initializing drone autoflight system.
> state -> init-settle
> state -> pretakeoff
> state -> takeoff
> state -> climbout
> state -> route
> state -> circle
> state -> downwind
> [crashed into sea here - reset]
> Saving F-14B fuel levels
> passed invalid index (0) to FGRouteMgr::jumpToIndex
> AIShip: Cruise-1 initializing waypoints
> AIShip: Cruise-1 done initialising waypoints 0
> Pilot dual control ... initialized
> Initializing F-14B Systems
> Initializing F-14B fuel system
> Initializing F-14B weapons system
> Initializing Radar Data
> Restoring F-14B fuel levels
> Initializing drone autoflight system.
> state -> init-settle
> state -> pretakeoff
> state -> takeoff
> state -> climbout
> state -> route
> state -> circle
> state -> downwind
> state -> final
> state -> flare
> state -> touchdown
> state -> shutdown
> state -> end
> [good smooth landing]
> Saving F-14B fuel levels
> passed invalid index (0) to FGRouteMgr::jumpToIndex
> AIShip: Cruise-1 initializing waypoints
> AIShip: Cruise-1 done initialising waypoints 0
> Pilot dual control ... initialized
> Initializing F-14B Systems
> Initializing F-14B fuel system
> Initializing F-14B weapons system
> Initializing Radar Data
> Restoring F-14B fuel levels
> Wildfire drop summary: #extinguished cells: 0 #protected cells: 0
> #wasted: 0
> Wildfire fire summary: #created cells: 1 #cells still burning: 0
> AL lib: ALc.c:1420: alcDestroyContext(): deleting 4 Source(s)
> AL lib: ALc.c:1818: alcCloseDevice(): deleting 3 Buffer(s)
> ~/fg/fg16$
>
> On Wed, 2011-09-21 at 22:03 -0500, Curtis Olson wrote:
> > I have something here that I think is kind of fun. I've been fiddling
> > with this off and on since last fall and decided it was time to clean
> > it up a bit and quit hording all the fun for myself. Basically I have
> > taken the F-14b and created a high performance Navy "drone" out of
> > it. It can auto-launch from a carrier, auto fly a route (if you've
> > input one) and can do circle holds (compensating for wind.) I've
> > added a simulated gyro stabilized camera that will point at anything
> > you click on and then hold that view steady no matter what the
> > airplane does (similar to what real uav's can do.) Finally, you can
> > command it to return home and it will find the carrier, setup a
> > reasonable approach and nail the landing perfectly every time
> > (factoring in wind, carrier speed, etc.)
> >
> >
> > I put together a quick web page that includes more of an explanation
> > and description of what the demo does. I have a link to a zip file
> > you need to download. This must be extracted over the top of the
> > existing f-14b as per the installation instructions on the following
> > web site:
> >
> >
> > http://www.flightgear.org/uas-demo/
> >
> >
> > I'm hoping to get a few people that would like to try this and report
> > back on a couple things:
> >
> >
> > - were you able to get it to work? Were there any missing files or
> > major blunders in the .zip file package?
> >
> >
> > - are there places where my web page instructions stink, and can you
> > help me write better or more accurate instructions, especially for the
> > Mac
> >
> >
> > - I already know my instructions for setting up the vinson demo aren't
> > good, but it's been so long since I tried to do this on windows I
> > forget all the fgrun details. Maybe there is an easier way now?
> >
> >
> > - finally, what do you think? general impressions? things you thought
> > were especially cool, or especially stupid? You probably can think of
> > a dozen feature requests, and I have some things in the pipeline
> > already. (For instance I have a refueling mode that is currently
> > disabled, but almost is close to working. And I've done some
> > preliminary work on adapting all of the auto-land logic for runway
> > landings.)
> >
> >
> > - if you happen to go look at the nasal code that does all the magic,
> > please don't judge me (quoting Eskeletor from nacho libre) -- that was
> > actually a fun sub-project (for a former computer scientist.) :-)
> >
> >
> > - Oh, and eventually I'd like to add pictures to the instructions. If
> > you happen to catch an especially cool looking view (weather, clouds,
> > time of day, sun, sun glint, scene composition, etc.) then please feel
> > free to send me a picture or two (or even a youtube movie) so I can
> > make the instructions prettier and more exciting. :-)
> >
> >
> > If I can get this demo all cleaned up and generally running pretty
> > well, I have another UAS demo that is similar, but centered around the
> > ATI Resolution-3 airframe (which is a 92" 2.33m composite marinized
> > flying wing.) Then if that all goes well, I have actual embedded C
> > code to do much of these same sorts of things that can run on a
> > gumstix embedded computer (or similar.) This code is able to talk
> > directly to flightgear via udp packets, and has actually flown in a
> > couple different UAV airframes using real sensors and real actuators.
> > So you might see a progression developing here from pure simulation
> > with all the logic prototyped in nasal, to software in the loop
> > running pure C/C++ code, to the same software running on actual
> > embedded hardware (using FlightGear as reality), to the end result of
> > an actual real life UAV. (And I've been using drone, UAS, and UAV
> > pretty interchangeably here.)
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Curt.
> > --
> > Curtis Olson:
> > http://www.atiak.com - http://aem.umn.edu/~uav/
> > http://www.flightgear.org - http://gallinazo.flightgear.org
> >
>
>
>
>
>
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--
Curtis Olson:
http://www.atiak.com - http://aem.umn.edu/~uav/
http://www.flightgear.org - http://gallinazo.flightgear.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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definitive record of customers, application performance, security
threats, fraudulent activity and more. Splunk takes this data and makes
sense of it. Business sense. IT sense. Common sense.
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