ArduCopter SHOW parameters

The custom ArduCopter firmware we provide with Skybrush Live has a new SHOW flight mode and a corresponding new parameter group (SHOW_*), containing parameters that change drone behaviour related to the SHOW flight mode. Details of SHOW parameters are provided below.

SHOW_CTRL_MODE: Flags to configure the show position control algorithm

This parameter is for advanced users

Controls various aspects of the position control algorithm built into the firmware

Bit Meaning

0

VelCtrl

Value Meaning

0

Position control only

1

Position and velocity control

SHOW_CTRL_RATE: Target update rate

This parameter is for advanced users

Update rate of the target position and velocity during the show

Range Increment Units

1–50

1

Hz

SHOW_GROUP: Show group index

Index of the group that this drone belongs to

Range Increment Units

0–7

1

None

This parameter is for advanced users

PWM channel to use for the LED output (1-based) if the LED type is "NeoPixel" or "ProfiLED", or the MAVLink channel to use if the LED type is "MAVLink"

SHOW_LED0_COUNT: Number of individual LEDs on a LED channel

This parameter is for advanced users

Specifies how many LEDs there are on a NeoPixel or ProfiLED LED strip

SHOW_LED0_TYPE: Assignment of LED channel 0 to a LED output type

This parameter is for advanced users

Specifies where the output of the main LED light track of the show should be sent

Value Meaning

0

Off

1

MAVLink

2

NeoPixel

3

ProfiLED

4

Debug

5

SITL

6

Servo

SHOW_MAX_XY_ERR: Maximum placement error in XY direction

Maximum placement error that we tolerate before show takeoff, in meters. Zero to turn off XY placement accuracy checks.

Range Increment Units

0–20

0.1

m

SHOW_MODE_BOOT: Conditions for entering show mode

Bitfield that specifies when the drone should switch to show mode automatically

Bit Meaning

0

At boot

1

When authorized

Value Meaning

0

Never

1

At boot

2

When authorized

3

At boot and when authorized

SHOW_ORIENTATION: Show orientation

Orientation of the X axis of the show coordinate system in CW direction relative to North, -1 if unset

Range Increment Units

-1–360

1

degrees

SHOW_ORIGIN_AMSL: Show origin (altitude)

AMSL altitude of the origin of the drone show coordinate system, -10000000 or smaller if unset

Range Increment Units

-10000000–10000000

1

mm

SHOW_ORIGIN_LAT: Show origin (latitude)

Latitude of the origin of the drone show coordinate system, zero if unset

Range Increment Units

-900000000–900000000

1

1e-7 degrees

SHOW_ORIGIN_LNG: Show origin (longitude)

Longitude of the origin of the drone show coordinate system, zero if unset

Range Increment Units

-1800000000–1800000000

1

1e-7 degrees

Controls the brightness of light signals on the drone that are used to report status information when the drone is on the ground

Range Increment Units

0–3

1

None

SHOW_START_AUTH: Authorization to start

Whether the drone is authorized to start the show

Range Increment Units

0–1

1

None

SHOW_START_TIME: Start time

Start time of drone show as a GPS time of week timestamp (sec), negative if unset

Range Increment Units

-1–604799

1

sec

SHOW_SYNC_MODE: Time synchronization mode

This parameter is for advanced users

Time synchronization mode to use when starting the show

Changing this parameter requires reboot
Value Meaning

0

Countdown

1

GPS time

SHOW_TAKEOFF_ALT: Takeoff altitude

This parameter is for advanced users

Altitude above current position to take off to when starting the show

Changing this parameter requires reboot
Range Increment Units

0–5

0.1

m

SHOW_VEL_FF_GAIN: Velocity feed-forward gain

This parameter is for advanced users

Multiplier used when mixing the desired velocity of the drone into the velocity target of the position controller

Range Increment Units

0–1

0.1

None