Configuration file

The default configuration file of the Ardupilot VSM suits most needs and it is generally not necessary to modify it.

Configuration file location:

• Microsoft Windows:
C:\Program Files (x86)\UgCS\bin\vsm-ardupilot.conf

• GNU/Linux:
/etc/opt/ugcs/vsm-ardupilot.conf

• Apple OS X:
/Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/UGCS/configuration/vsm-ardupilot.conf

Common parameters

All VSMs share a common set of configuration file parameters described in Common configuration file parameters. Ardupilot VSM configuration file prefix is:

vehicle.ardupilot

Communication channel configuration

There must be at least one communication channel defined, otherwise, VSM will not try to connect to the vehicle. See Communication with devices for details.

The default installation is configured to detect autopilot automatically on any available serial port at 57600 or 115Kbps.

Model name and serial number override

Optional

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.custom.[name].system_id = [system id]

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.custom.[name].model_name = [model name]

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.custom.[name].serial_number = [serial number]

• Description: In UgCS each vehicle is identified by a unique combination of the model name and serial number represented as text strings. By default, Ardupilot vehicles are identified with a model name Ardupilot and a serial number equal to the Mavlink system id read from the vehicle. It can be overridden by these parameters, where [name] is an arbitrary vehicle name, [system id] is the original Mavlink system id which should be overridden, [model name] is a new model name to be visible to the UgCS, [serial number] is a new serial number to be visible to the UgCS.

• Example:

Vehicle.ardupilot.custom.my_drone.system_id = 2 vehicle.ardupilot.custom.my_drone.model_name = ArducopterQuad
Vehicle.ardupilot.custom.my_drone.serial_number = 123456

Camera control parameters

Camera trigger parameters. See also the Camera trigger command.

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.camera_servo_idx

• Default: None. camera trigger is controlled via DO_DIGICAM_CONTROL command.

• Description: Index of the servo to use for camera triggering.

• Example (Use 8th servo output as camera trigger):

vehicle.ardupilot.camera_servo_idx = 8

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.camera_servo_pwm

• Default: Value from CAM_SERVO_ON parameter.

• Description: PWM value to set for camera triggering servo when taking a photo.

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.camera_servo_pwm = 1900

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.camera_servo_time

• Default: Value from CAM_DURATION parameter.

• Description: Time to hold camera servo at the specified PWM when triggering a single photo in seconds. After that time servo will return to the RC<camera_servo_idx>_TRIM value. This value is used only in single-shot commands. WP action camera_trigger_by_time provides its own interval.

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.camera_servo_time = 1.0

Joystick control parameters

Optional

By default, the joystick control mode is disabled for fixed-wing frames due to safety reasons. Add vehicle.ardupilot.enable_joystick_control_for_fixed_wing to enable joystick control for fixed-wing vehicles, too.

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.enable_joystick_control_for_fixed_wing

• Description: Enable joystick control for fixed-wing vehicles.

• Default: no

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.enable_joystick_control_for_fixed_wing = yes

Report relative altitude

Optional

By default Ardupilot VSM will report relative altitude as RAW altitude because it is more precise than GPS altitude. For some installations, GPS altitude from vehicles is more appropriate, e.g. when RTK GPS is used.

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.report_relative_altitude

• Description: Enable/Disable reporting of relative altitude in telemetry.

• Default: yes

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.report_relative_altitude = no

Set ground altitude offset

Optional

By default, Ardupilot VSM will set altitude offset so that the uploaded Home Location altitude corresponds to the reported raw altitude 0 m.

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.set_ground_alt_offset

• Description: Enable/Disable Setting altitude offset on route upload.

• Default: yes

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.set_ground_alt_offset = no

Vehicle heading control

Optional

Forces heading to the next waypoint:

yes - Change heading towards the next waypoint. When set, each mission upload sets WP_YAW_BEHAVIOR to zero (yaw controlled by mission) and generates additional mission item MAV_CMD_CONDITION_YAW before each WP so that the vehicle will point always to the next WP.

no - Do not force change heading between waypoints. This disables the override of parameter WP_YAW_BEHAVIOR on mission upload. So the vehicle heading control is defined by the current setting of WP_YAW_BEHAVIOR.

• Name: vehicle.ardupilot.autoheading

• Description: Enable/Disable generation of automatic heading change to next WP during route upload.

• Default: yes

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.autoheading = no

Telemetry rate configuration

Ardupilot VSM supports setting custom telemetry rates to manage datalink channel bandwidth. A rate of 1 produces ∼350 bytes/sec of telemetry traffic. 56K radio-link in ideal conditions can sustain the telemetry_rate = 5. Higher telemetry rates are not recommended and should be tried only with fast data links.

• Required: No.

• Supported values: 1 - 50

• Default: 2

• Description: Set update frequency for vehicle state information (attitude, position, battery, etc...)

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.telemetry_rate = 1

Ignore route speed settings

Use this to disable all speed changes defined in the route. The vehicle will fly with default speed the whole route.

• Required: No.

• Supported values: yes, no

• Default: no

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.ignore_speed_in_route = yes

Mavlink message injection

Ardupilot VSM can receive mavlink packets and forward them to the vehicle if a vehicle with a specified target_id is connected. It can be used to send GPS RTK corrections to vehicles. If the message has no target_id or traget_id is 0 then it is sent to all connected vehicles. Supported messages are COMMAND_LONG, COMMAND_INT, GPS_INJECT_DATA, and GPS_RTCM_DATA. The prefix mavlink_injection supports all the same syntax as the "connection" prefix.

• Required: No.

• Supported values: Same as those for connection prefix.

• Default: Not set.

• Example:

mavlink_injection.udp_any.1.local_port = 44444

Mavlink System ID

MAVlink System ID used for outgoing MAVlink messages.

• Required: No.

• Supported values: 1 - 254

• Default: 1.

• Example:

mavlink.vsm_system_id = 100

Enable route download

Enable route download from the vehicle. See Route download for details.

• Required: No.

• Supported values: yes/no

• Default: no

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.enable_route_download = yes

Route hash parameter name

Enable saving of route hash on the vehicle. See the Saving route hash on the vehicle for details.

• Required: No.

• Supported values: yes/no

• Default: Not set.

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.route_hash_parameter = RALLY_LIMIT_KM

DISARM_DELAY parameter

• Required: No.

• Supported values: 0 - 127

• Default: Do not set

• Description: Configure the delay after which the vehicle automatically disarms if on the ground. 0 - disable the disarm timer.

• Example:

vehicle.ardupilot.parameter.DISARM_DELAY = 5

RTL_ALT_FINAL parameter

• Required: No.

• Supported values: Any positive integer

• Default: Do not set

• Unit: centimeter

• Description: Set the final altitude in cm the vehicle will hover at after "Return To Home". The vehicle will land if set to 0.

• Example:

Hover at 5m altitude after RTH. vehicle.ardupilot.parameter.RTL_ALT_FINAL = 500