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@sensei-hacker sensei-hacker commented Jan 22, 2026

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Summary

Updates docs/Rangefinder.md to reflect the current state of rangefinder support in INAV, removing outdated "experimental" labels and providing comprehensive configuration guidance.

Changes

  • Clarify AGL definition: "altitude Above Ground Level (AGL), the distance to the ground directly beneath the aircraft"
  • Update features section: Remove "very limited" language, add GPS-free navigation capability
  • Expand hardware list: Add VL53L1X, US42, BENEWAKE, FAKE sensor types
  • Add Surface mode section: Document terrain following for multirotors with configuration examples
  • Add configuration section: CLI commands for setup and position estimation weights
  • Add optical flow integration: Explain how rangefinder + optic flow enable GPS-free navigation
  • Add troubleshooting guide: Common issues and solutions
  • Add references: Link to wiki documentation

Testing

Documentation-only change - no code modifications.

Verified:

  • Hardware list matches current sensor support in settings.yaml
  • CLI commands match actual setting names
  • Surface mode description matches code behavior (multirotors only)
  • Wiki link is valid and points to newly created comprehensive guide

Documentation

This PR updates the technical documentation in docs/Rangefinder.md.

Related wiki documentation already merged:

Motivation

The existing documentation called rangefinder support "very limited" and labeled Surface mode as "experimental", which no longer reflects INAV's mature rangefinder capabilities after years of development and refinement.


PR Type

Documentation


Description

  • Comprehensive update removing outdated "experimental" labels

  • Reorganized hardware list with sensor categories and specifications

  • Added Surface mode terrain following documentation for multirotors

  • Included configuration examples and optical flow integration guide

  • Added troubleshooting section and constraint documentation


Diagram Walkthrough

flowchart LR
  A["Old Documentation<br/>Limited & Experimental"] -->|Remove outdated labels| B["Updated Features<br/>Landing, Terrain Following, GPS-free Nav"]
  C["Minimal Hardware List<br/>Few sensors listed"] -->|Reorganize & expand| D["Categorized Hardware<br/>ToF, Ultrasonic, Radar, Serial"]
  E["Basic Connections"] -->|Add configuration| F["Complete Setup Guide<br/>CLI commands & weights"]
  G["No Surface Mode Docs"] -->|Add section| H["Surface Mode Guide<br/>Multirotors only"]
  I["No Integration Info"] -->|Add section| J["Optical Flow Integration<br/>GPS-free position hold"]
  K["No Troubleshooting"] -->|Add section| L["Troubleshooting Guide<br/>Common issues & solutions"]
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File Walkthrough

Relevant files
Documentation
Rangefinder.md
Complete rangefinder documentation overhaul with current features

docs/Rangefinder.md

  • Clarified AGL definition with explicit distance measurement
    explanation
  • Removed "very limited" and "experimental" language throughout document
  • Reorganized hardware section into categories: ToF Laser, Ultrasonic,
    Radar, Serial/External, and Development sensors
  • Added VL53L1X, US42, BENEWAKE, and FAKE sensor types to hardware list
  • Added comprehensive Surface mode section explaining terrain following
    for multirotors only
  • Added Configuration section with CLI commands for sensor setup and
    position estimation weights
  • Added Optical Flow Integration section explaining GPS-free navigation
    capability
  • Added Troubleshooting guide covering common issues and solutions
  • Added References section with wiki links
  • Improved formatting with subsections and code blocks for CLI commands
+139/-28

- Clarify AGL definition: altitude Above Ground Level
- Update features list: remove "experimental" labels, add GPS-free navigation
- Expand hardware list: add VL53L1X, US42, BENEWAKE, FAKE
- Add Surface mode section: explain terrain following for multirotors
- Add configuration examples with CLI commands
- Add optical flow integration section
- Add comprehensive troubleshooting guide
- Add references to wiki documentation

Removes outdated "very limited" and "experimental" language that no
longer reflects the mature state of rangefinder support in INAV.
@qodo-code-review
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qodo-code-review bot commented Jan 22, 2026

PR Compliance Guide 🔍

All compliance sections have been disabled in the configurations.

- Add guidance that nav_max_terrain_follow_alt must be less than inav_max_surface_altitude
- Update troubleshooting to distinguish between operational limit and sensor range
- Addresses Qodo bot suggestion for clarity

This prevents users from configuring terrain following beyond the rangefinder's reliable range.
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