Navio2: No Mavlink data with firmware 2022-06

[jukka.rahkonen]

Hi,

I installed a new firmware image emlid-raspbian-20220608.img into my Raspberry 3 and since that I have not been able to get proper data from Mavlink. Installation of the new image went fine and I can connect Navio2 with upd: from Mission Planner and also with Putty. Ardurover service is running but the issue is that the Mavlink messages that Mission Planner reads are almost all empty. Perhaps the only exception is the board voltage.

I find following error messages from the log

INFO MissionPlanner.MAVLinkInterface - 9.9.2022 17.24.29 6 Initialising APM
bps 649 loss 0 left 169 mem 85,1015625 mav2 True sign False mav1 0 mav2 30 signed 0
INFO MissionPlanner.MAVLinkInterface - 9.9.2022 17.24.30 2 Config error: Baro: unable to initialise driver
bps 736 loss 0 left 275 mem 84,205078125 mav2 True sign False mav1 0 mav2 33 signed 0
bps 620 loss 0 left 0 mem 83,4921875 mav2 True sign False mav1 0 mav2 29 signed 0
bps 388 loss 0 left 275 mem 85,54296875 mav2 True sign False mav1 0 mav2 18 signed 0
INFO MissionPlanner.MAVLinkInterface - 9.9.2022 17.24.33 2 Config error: Baro: unable to initialise driver
bps 723 loss 0 left 0 mem 84,271484375 mav2 True sign False mav1 0 mav2 32 signed 0

The Navio2 board seems to work OK and I can get for example voltage info with the Python example

python ADC.py
A0: 5.2080V A1: 5.1480V A2: 1.7820V A3: 0.0000V A4: 0.0220V A5: 0.0220V
...

I have repeated the upgrading of the image a few times, always with the same result. Could you suggest what else I can try or how to debug what is going on?

-Jukka Rahkonen-

[jukka.rahkonen]

Unfortunately I fear that the real issue is a hardware failure. The MS5611 barometer is probably broken. The Barometer.py script prints constant temperature values even if I warm the sensor and the pressure is obviously all wrong

Temperature(C): 24.327522 Pressure(millibar): 1669.284758
Temperature(C): 24.327522 Pressure(millibar): 1669.401819

I wonder if there is some way to disable the barometer so that Ardupilot would start without it. I am running Ardurover on a boat and I do not need altitudes for my missions. Alternatively, is is possible to configure Navio2 to use an external MS5611 unit instead of the broken integrated one? The price of an external unit seems to be around 10$ so considerably less than Navio2 board.

[liudmila.slepova]

Hi Jukka,

@jukka.rahkonen

Unfortunately I fear that the real issue is a hardware failure. The MS5611 barometer is probably broken. The Barometer.py script prints constant temperature values even if I warm the sensor and the pressure is obviously all wrong

Can you please run the emlidtool test command and post the output here? If there’s something wrong with the barometer, the test should show it.

@jukka.rahkonen

I wonder if there is some way to disable the barometer so that Ardupilot would start without it.

It seems that you can’t do this by changing something in software only.

@jukka.rahkonen

Alternatively, is is possible to configure Navio2 to use an external MS5611 unit instead of the broken integrated one?

If you’re experienced in soldering, there is an option for doing that:

How to use an external barometer with navio2

@Guiboy Hi! There are two ways to do this: Hardware way: a: Unsolder MS5611 chip from the Navio board. b: Connect external MS5611 with address set to 0x77 (using address selection pins of the chip) to the I2C port on Navio. Software way: a. Change Ardupilot code by setting MS5611 address for Navio to 0x76 and compile it. b. Connect external MS5611 with address set to 0x76 (using address selection pins of the chip) to the I2C port on Navio.

[jukka.rahkonen]

Hi,

Emlidtool seems to confirm that there is something wrong with the chip:

2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO mpu9250: Passed
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] ERROR ms5611: Failed
 -- Reason: Is barometer covered with a foam?
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO adc: Passed
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO pwm: Passed
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO rcio_status_alive: Passed
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO lsm9ds1: Passed
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO gps: Passed
2022-09-12 20:53:59 navio root[743] INFO rcio_firmware: Passed

The suggestion to cover the barometer with foam is probably a standard message that is not based on analysis about how the barometer behaves. The error message remains the same with or without the foam.

If nothing else helps I think I am experienced enough for unsoldering MS5611 without burning other components. Thank you for the suggestion.