Feature: Add QML-configurable gimbal max speed and deadzones #13280

Niki-dev12 · 2025-08-10T20:37:39Z

Title:

Add QML-configurable gimbal max speed and yaw/pitch deadzone settings

Description

This PR adds new joystick configuration features to allow runtime adjustment of:
Gimbal pitch and yaw max speed, using a single gimbalMaxSpeed parameter exposed to QML
Deadzone control for pitch and yaw gimbal axes via gimbalPitchDeadzone and gimbalYawDeadzone
Enable/disable axis-based gimbal control (gimbalAxisEnabled)

This allows users to fine-tune gimbal behavior without recompiling, which is especially useful when mapping joystick axes for dynamic camera control.

Changes include:

Q_PROPERTY bindings for the three settings
Persistent saving and loading through _saveSettings() and _loadSettings()
Updated _handleAxis() to apply speed scaling and deadzone filtering
Optional offset for gimbal pitch and yaw to avoid zero drift

Test Steps

Launch QGC with a joystick connected
Use a QML debug view or a settings panel to:
    Set gimbalMaxSpeed (e.g., 30–160)
    Adjust gimbalPitchDeadzone or gimbalYawDeadzone
    Toggle gimbalAxisEnabled
Observe how gimbal responsiveness changes accordingly
Confirm values persist between sessions

Tested in:

Real drone running ardupilot with gimbal
Ubuntu 22 and Zorro

Checklist:

[ X] Review Contribution Guidelines.
[ X] Review Code of Conduct.
[ X] I have tested my changes.

Related Issue

By submitting this pull request, I confirm that you can use, modify, copy, and redistribute this contribution, under the terms of your choice.

src/Vehicle/VehicleSetup/JoystickConfigCalibration.qml

…trol.Controls

HTRamsey · 2025-08-14T16:49:17Z

Could you look at the GimbalController and see if you can use that instead of changing Vehicle?

julianoes · 2025-08-14T23:19:56Z

src/Joystick/Joystick.cc

+        static int zeroPitchCount = 0;
+        static int zeroYawCount = 0;
+
+        if (std::abs(gimbalPitchOut) == 0) {
+            zeroPitchCount++;
+        } else {
+            zeroPitchCount = 0; 
+        }
+
+        if (std::abs(gimbalYawOut) == 0) {
+            zeroYawCount++;
+        } else {
+            zeroYawCount = 0; 
+        }
+
+        if (zeroPitchCount >= 3 && zeroYawCount >= 3) {
+
+        }else{
+            _activeVehicle->sendGimbalAbsolutePosition(gimbalPitchOut, gimbalYawOut);
+            // qDebug() << gimbalYawOut << gimbalPitchOut;
+        }


This is a bit weird. Can you add a comment how it works. And also remove avoid the empty if clause.

And don't use static there but instead it should be a class member variable.

I gonna fix the static. I use this code to stop overflowing MAVLink messages to the gimbal.
Without it QGroundControl cannot use the onscreen gimbal control.
When the slider is in the neutral / 0 position, the code stops sending gimbal commands.
The slider goes to neutral when you release it, because a spring centers it.
This prevents spamming the gimbal with useless "zero movement" commands when the stick is centered.

julianoes · 2025-08-14T23:20:13Z

src/Joystick/Joystick.cc

+        // float gimbalPitchDeg = gimbalPitchNorm * 160.0f - 80.0f;
+        // float gimbalPitchDeg = gimbalPitchNorm * (2.0f * gimbalPitchMax) - gimbalPitchMax;


What's this commented out code for?

That was a hard-coded max speed for gimbal movement. I forgot to remove it. It should not be there.

julianoes · 2025-08-19T07:11:28Z