Improve webtools (mainly PID tool) documentation / useability

[Janno117]

In the Filter review tool there's a description of what the tool does and what the tool needs in terms of logging data. If the data isn't present in the uploaded logs, the tool gives an error.

The PID-tool does neither have the text, nor the warning when there's not enough data in the logging. It just doesn't calculate the step-responses.

Proposed solution:
Post a picture of the logging bitmasks with the minimum required logging options selected at the top of each tool.
Alternatively post the parameter values of the needed logging parameter bitmasks with the minimum required options.

[IamPete1]

I just have not had a chance to add that stuff yet. The step-response is a bit tricky, you can have plenty of data but still not get a result, the data also has to be good quality.

Log bitmask values would be nice, but the values you need a different for each vehicle type.

[tcram6408]

Hi, I'm trying to run a flight log through the PID review tool and my step-response isn't populating. I see that this is a topic already, so I will just try to see what I can do on my end to populate the data.

• I have looked through other discourse, and I believe have all the necessary parameters in the logging bitmask enabled.
• I am early in the tuning process for this model, so my responses likely aren't very consistent, possibly causing the transfer function to be quite different at each deviation/step

What is likely causing this section to not graph? Is there a typical issue that most people aren't aware of?

Again, whatever help you can provide would be greatly appreciated

[IamPete1]

For logging you need to make sure you have the highest logging rate you can, for copter that would be "fast attitude" for plane it would be "full rate attitude".

For step response there are some thresholds that have to be meet before it will even show. The best way to get them reliable is just to have more aggressive inputs, you will not get good results for just a hover.

[tcram6408]

• I checked and I have "Fast Attitude" and "Medium Attitude" both equipped, could this be of conflict?
• We also pulled data from a 1-2 minute flight. I have trimmed the sections where we are in different flight modes, so it only pulls from the section when I'm in Acro mode.
• I asked a peer, and they said it could also be because we didn't initiate any steps during flight like a 3-2-1-1 or chirp maneuver to induce PID responses. How true is their statement?

[IamPete1]

• I checked and I have "Fast Attitude" and "Medium Attitude" both equipped, could this be of conflict?

The tool tells you the logging rate it found, on copter your looking for 400Hz.

• We also pulled data from a 1-2 minute flight. I have trimmed the sections where we are in different flight modes, so it only pulls from the section when I'm in Acro mode.

This should not make any difference the tool should already ignore sections with nothing going on.

• I asked a peer, and they said it could also be because we didn't initiate any steps during flight like a 3-2-1-1 or chirp maneuver to induce PID responses. How true is their statement?

Bit hard to say without seeing the log. More inputs either steps or chirps helps. There are some vids for doing flights for other PID review tools, the same types of flights should work well for this tool too.

[Rasul-projects]

Hello! I am a beginner contributor interested in ArduPilot WebTools.

I noticed that this issue currently has no assignee and I would like to work on improving the PID tool documentation and usability.

Could you please let me know if I can work on this issue and guide me on where the relevant files are located?

Thank you!