ACO Parameters Description
Description of the parameters that ascend-co program uses
ACO parameters can be edited in QGroundControl (QGC) either by connecting a USB cable to the Flight Controller or by connecting wirelessly over UDP/TCP.
Once connected through either method and after MAVLink parameters have fully loaded, navigate to Vehicle Configuration → Parameters
Then locate Component 191, which corresponds to the ACO program running on the FCU/Skynode.
[ACO] Collision Prevention Parameters
ACO_ALW_ACT
ACO_ALW_ACTVisible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
Enables the collision-prevention module to always remain active, regardless of vehicle state.
ACO_SFT_WID
ACO_SFT_WIDVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 2.0 (meters)
Safety region width used to determine the horizontal buffer around the drone.
ACO_SFT_HI
ACO_SFT_HIVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 1.0 (meters)
Safety region height defining the vertical protective boundary.
ACO_SFT_VG
ACO_SFT_VGVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 5.0
Velocity gain applied when scaling the stopping distance during obstacle avoidance.
Example:
If ACO_SFT_VG = 5 and the drone is moving at 5 m/s, the stopping threshold becomes:
5 × 5 = 25 meters
The drone will begin stopping when an obstacle is 25 meters ahead in its direction of travel.
ACO_VEL_THR
ACO_VEL_THRVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 0.3 (m/s)
Minimum velocity required to classify the drone as “moving” for collision-prevention logic.
[MAV] MAVLink Parameters
MAV_PORT
MAV_PORTVisible on QGC: No (string parameter)
Value: Serial or UDP URL.
Default: ""
Port or URL used for MAVLink communication. If empty, the system selects a platform-specific default.
For example, if the MAVLink port is connected on the serial /dev/ttyHS1 port with baud rate 921600, the entry would be:
Refer to the MAVSDK Connecting to Systems documentation for more.
MAV_SYS_ID
MAV_SYS_IDDEPRECATED
Visible on QGC: Yes
Default: 1
Previously used as the MAVLink system ID for the drone.
MAV_COMP_ID
MAV_COMP_IDDEPRECATED
Visible on QGC: Yes
Default: 11
Previously used to identify the MAVLink component.
MAV_HRBTS
MAV_HRBTS DEPRECATED
Visible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
Default: 1
Previously enabled continuous MAVLink heartbeat transmission.
MAV_GCS_IP1
MAV_GCS_IP1Visible on QGC: Yes
Default: 8.8
First half of the Ground Control Station IP address (float). Combined with MAV_GCS_IP2.
MAV_GCS_IP2
MAV_GCS_IP2Visible on QGC: Yes
Default: 8.8
Second half of the GCS IP (float). Combined with MAV_GCS_IP1.
Example:
8.8 + 8.8 → GCS IP becomes 8.8.8.8
MAV_GCS_PORT
MAV_GCS_PORTVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 14550
UDP port used for sending MAVLink messages to the GCS.
MAV_USE_UDP
MAV_USE_UDPDEPRECATED
Visible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
Previously selected UDP transport instead of serial for MAVLink.
MAV_OBS_MSG
MAV_OBS_MSG Visible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
Default: 1
Controls whether OBSTACLE_DISTANCE messages are published.
MAV_OBS_FRQ
MAV_OBS_FRQVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 20 (Hz)
Rate at which OBSTACLE_DISTANCE messages are sent. Converted internally to a period (1000 / Hz ms).
MAV_TXT_DEL
MAV_TXT_DELVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 5 (seconds)
Time delay between sending MAVLink STATUSTEXT messages.
MAV_ACO_RST
MAV_ACO_RSTVisible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = restart, 0 = no action
Default: 0
Triggers a restart of the collision-prevention module.
[SF45] LiDAR Parameters
SF45_STR_THR
SF45_STR_THRVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 90
Minimum signal strength required for a valid LiDAR return.
SF45_DIS_THR
SF45_DIS_THRVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 5000 (mm)
Maximum return distance considered valid (capped at 5 meters).
SF45_PORT
SF45_PORTVisible on QGC: No (string parameter)
Default: /dev/ttyACM3
Serial port used to communicate with the SF45 sensor.
SF45_BAUD
SF45_BAUDVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 921600
Baud rate for the SF45 serial connection.
SF45_LOW_ANG
SF45_LOW_ANGVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: -70 degrees
Lower bound of the scan angle. Automatically forced negative.
SF45_HI_ANG
SF45_HI_ANGVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 70 degrees
Upper bound of the scan angle. Automatically forced positive.
[FXG] Foxglove Visualization Parameters
FXG_NAME
FXG_NAMEVisible on QGC: No (string parameter)
Default: "Ascend Collision Overwatch"
Name used for the Foxglove WebSocket server.
FXG_HOST
FXG_HOSTVisible on QGC: No (string parameter)
Default: "0.0.0.0"
Host address on which the server listens.
FXG_PORT
FXG_PORTVisible on QGC: Yes
Default: 8765
Port used by the Foxglove server.
FXG_VIS
FXG_VISVisible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
Default: 1
Turns the visualization interface on or off.
FXG_SV_LOG
FXG_SV_LOGVisible on QGC: Yes
Value: 1 = enable logging, 0 = disable logging
Default: 0
Enables saving data to MCAP log files.
FXG_SV_LOG_PATH
FXG_SV_LOG_PATHVisible on QGC: No (string parameter)
Default: /home/root/mcap_recordings/
Directory where MCAP logs are stored when logging is enabled.
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