How to setup Gremsy gimbal with Pixhawk Cube?

Gimbal with Pixhawk

NOTE: Pixhawk supports multiple flight stacks: PX4 or Ardupilot. Please choose the right setting bellow.

The Gremsy’s Gimbal that can communicate with PX4/Ardupilot (Copter) by using Mavlink v2

NOTE: Support for this Gimbal is include in Copter 3.3 (or higher) for gimbals running 

• T1: gremsyT1_v605 or above
• T3: gremsyT3_v605 or above
• S1: gremsyS1_v605 or above
• Pixy: gremsyF_v605 or above
• gTuneDesktop: gTuneDesktop_v134_Beta or above

1. What’s New?

• Support Ardupilot (Copter) remote in Single mode
• Support the advance features like automated aiming of the camera at a Region of Interest (ROI).
• Support DO_MOUNT_CONTROL (Ardupilot will send angle requests to gimbal)
• Drift free horizon
• Gimbal (or mount) send a HEARTBEAT (e.g. every second) just like any other MAVLINK component. Additionally, it can send feedback about the angles it's pointing using the message MOUNT_ORIENTATION.

2. Connecting the gimbal to the Pixhawk

Connect cable from COM2 port on Hyper Quick release to Telem2 (Recommend for flight stack PX4) or Telem1(PX4 does not support) on Pixhawk.

Baurate on Pixhawk should be set at 115200bps, 8 Data bits, No Parity, 1 Stop Bit (8N1)

NOTE: The remaining 3 pins (VCC, RTS, CTS) of the cable should not be connected

3. Set-up through the Mission Planner (Mavlink protocol with default Flight Stack Ardupilot) 

Through your GCS (i.e MP’s Full Param List or Tree) set the following parameters:

Using Telem 1

• SERIAL1_BAUD 115
• SERIAL1_PROTOCOL 2

Using Telem2

• SERIAL2_BAUD 115
• SERIAL2_PROTOCOL 2
• 
  

Set up MNT parameter

• Set “MNT_TYPE” to “4” to enable the Mavlink protocol
• 
  
• Set “MNT_DEFL_MODE” to “3” that is the RC targeting mode.
• 
  
• Set “MNT_DEFL_MODE” to “2” that is the Mavlink targeting mode (DO_MOUNT_CONTROL)
• 
  
• Set Set “MNT_DEFL_MODE” to “4” that is the GPS point mode (DO_SET_ROI
• 
  
• Set the MNT_ANGMAX_PAN, MNT_ANGMAX_ROLL, MNT_ANGMAX_TILT and MNT_ANGMIN_PAN, MNT_ANGMIN_ROLL, MNT_ANGMIN_TILT to match the range of gimbal (S1, T1, T3). For examble, the screenshot below shows setup in which the gimbal S1 has:

4. Set-up through the QGroundControl (Mavlink protocol with default Flight Stack PX4) 

4.1 Set up mavlink

• Switch to mavlink v2
• Send heartbeat to Gimbal

4.2 Changing the baud rate

NOTE: JUST using the Telemetry 2 

4.3 Gimbal (mount) Control Setup with Pixhawk (Flight Stack PX4)

PX4 contains a generic mount/gimbal control driver with different input and output methods. The input defines how you control the gimbal: Via RC or via Mavlink commands (for example in missions or surveys).

The output defines how the gimbal is connected: some support MAVLINK commands, others use PWM (described as AUX output in the following). Any input method can be selected to drive any output. Both have to be configured via parameters.

NOTE: PIXHAWK need to setup MNT_MODE_OUT: MAVLINK. MNT_MODE_IN is up to your methods. (via RC or MAVLINK commands)

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