Velocity Based Pulsing Firmware v0.2.0 Release Information
What is This Post About?
Vertiq has created a new velocity based pulsing firmware release, v0.2.0, for our Vertiq 23-06 and 23-14 modules, and has made it available for customers to evaluate.
Please note this release is only meant for users working with Vertiq’s pulsing firmware and underactuated propellers. The release is completely unrelated to our recent speed firmware v0.2.1 release.
This firmware release introduces the Advanced Arming feature to pulsing modules, and introduces an important bugfix that avoids motor run away under certain conditions. We realize that choosing when to update your module’s firmware can be difficult as it may not be clear what the benefits of the upgrade are and if it will have any effect on existing functionality you depend on. This post aims to describe, in detail, what has changed with this latest firmware update so you can understand what new functionality is available and what existing functionality has been modified.
What Modules Are Impacted?
This firmware update is specifically for only the Vertiq 23-06 2200Kv and Vertiq 23-14 920Kv modules with use of Vertiq’s underactuated propellers.
New Features and Bugfixes
Introduction of Advanced Arming
This firmware update introduces our Advanced Arming feature to Vertiq’s pulsing firmware for the first time. By default, arming on throttle is enabled and disarming on throttle is disabled. Now, in order for your module to start spinning when controlling with IFCI, it must first enter the armed state.
Along with arming, this firmware update also introduces Stop Detection. Stop detection is used to ensure that a module has come to a stop before completing its disarming or timeout behavior.
Please refer to the linked documentation in order to learn more about the advanced arming feature.
Communication Timeout Behavior Addition
In past firmware versions, a communication timeout always resulted in the module ending in a disarmed state. This new version allows for a third timeout ending behavior that has the module perform its normal timeout procedure, but remain armed. This can be especially useful for potential temporary in-flight communication failures as the module will continue spinning immediately after communication is reestablished, and will not have to rearm itself.
For more information, see the full documentation for the feature on Read-The-Docs.
Bugfix to Avoid Module Runaway
In previous versions of velocity based pulsing, it was possible for the module to run away to high velocities under certain very uncommon conditions. This firmware update addresses the issue, and the module can no longer run away unexpectedly.
