PX4 · chfriedrich98 · Aug 12, 2024 · Sep 13, 2024 · Sep 16, 2024 · Sep 17, 2024
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/pure_pursuit_algorithm.png b/assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/pure_pursuit_algorithm.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/rover_manual_controls.png b/assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/rover_manual_controls.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_ackermann/cornering_logic.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_ackermann/cornering_logic.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_ackermann/geometric_parameters.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_ackermann/geometric_parameters.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/cascaded_pid_for_yaw.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/cascaded_pid_for_yaw.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/differential_slow_down_effect.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/differential_slow_down_effect.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/differential_state_machine.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/differential_state_machine.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/pure_pursuit_controller.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/pure_pursuit_controller.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/wheel_track.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rover_differential/wheel_track.png
diff --git a/assets/airframes/rover/rovers.png b/assets/airframes/rover/rovers.png
diff --git a/en/SUMMARY.md b/en/SUMMARY.md
@@ -389,7 +389,9 @@
     - [Helicopter Config/Tuning](config_heli/index.md)
   - [Rovers (experimental)](frames_rover/index.md)
     - [Drive Modes](flight_modes_rover/index.md)
-    - [Differential-steering Rover](frames_rover/differential_rover.md)
+      - [Manual Modes (R)](flight_modes_rover/manual.md)
+      - [Auto Modes (R)](flight_modes_rover/auto.md)
+    - [Differential Rover](frames_rover/differential_rover.md)
       - [Aion Robotics R1](frames_rover/aion_r1.md)
     - [Ackermann Rover](frames_rover/ackermann_rover.md)
     - [(Deprecated) Rover Position Control](frames_rover/rover_position_control.md)

diff --git a/en/flight_modes_rover/auto.md b/en/flight_modes_rover/auto.md
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# Auto Modes (Rover)
+
+In auto modes the autopilot takes over control of the vehicle to run missions, return to launch, or perform other autonomous navigation tasks.
+
+## Mission Mode
+
+_Mission mode_ is an automatic mode that causes the vehicle to execute a predefined autonomous [mission plan](../flying/missions.md) that has been uploaded to the flight controller.
+The mission is typically created and uploaded with a Ground Control Station (GCS) application, such as [QGroundControl](https://docs.qgroundcontrol.com/master/en/).
+
+### Mission commands
+
+The following commands can be used in missions at time of writing (`main(PX4 v1.16+)`):
+
+| QGC mission item    | Command                                                                                   | Description                                                      |
+| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Mission start       | [MAV_CMD_MISSION_START](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_MISSION_START) | Starts the mission.                                              |
+| Waypoint            | [MAV_CMD_NAV_WAYPOINT](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_WAYPOINT)   | Navigate to waypoint.                                            |
+| Return to launch    | [MAV_CMD_NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH][MAV_CMD_NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH]                              | Return to the launch location.                                   |
+| Delay until         | [MAV_CMD_NAV_DELAY](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_DELAY)         | The rover will stop for a specified amount of time.              |
+| Change speed        | [MAV_CMD_DO_CHANGE_SPEED][MAV_CMD_DO_CHANGE_SPEED]                                        | Change the speed setpoint                                        |
+| Set launch location | [MAV_CMD_DO_SET_HOME](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_DO_SET_HOME)     | Changes launch location to specified coordinates.                |
+| Jump to item (all)  | [MAV_CMD_DO_JUMP][MAV_CMD_DO_JUMP] (and other jump commands)                              | Jump to specified mission item.                                  |
+| Loiter (all)        | [MAV_CMD_NAV_LOITER_TIME][MAV_CMD_NAV_LOITER_TIME] (and other loiter commands)            | Stop the rover for given time. Other commands stop indefinitely. |
+
+<!-- Add (some) links used by table - makes it a little easier to edit by shrinking width -->
+
+[MAV_CMD_NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH]: https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH
+[MAV_CMD_DO_CHANGE_SPEED]: https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_DO_CHANGE_SPEED
+[MAV_CMD_NAV_LOITER_TIME]: https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_LOITER_TIME
+[MAV_CMD_DO_JUMP]: https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_DO_JUMP
+
+## Return Mode
+
+This mode uses the [pure pursuit guidance logic](#pure-pursuit-guidance-logic) with the launch position as goal.
+Return mode can be activated through the respective [mission command](#mission-commands) or through the ground station UI.
+
+## Pure Pursuit Guidance Logic
+
+The desired yaw setpoints are generated using a pure pursuit algorithm:
+The controller takes the intersection point between a circle around the vehicle and a line segment. In mission mode this line is usually constructed by connecting the previous and current waypoint:
+
+![Pure Pursuit Algorithm](../../assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/pure_pursuit_algorithm.png)
+
+The radius of the circle around the vehicle is used to tune the controller and is often referred to as look-ahead distance.
+
+The look ahead distance sets how aggressive the controller behaves and is defined as $l_d = v \cdot k$.
+It depends on the velocity $v$ of the rover and a tuning parameter $k$ that can be set with the parameter [PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN](#PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN).
+
+::: info
+A lower value of [PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN](#PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN) makes the controller more aggressive but can lead to oscillations!
+:::
+
+The lookahead is constrained between [PP_LOOKAHD_MAX](#PP_LOOKAHD_MAX) and [PP_LOOKAHD_MIN](#PP_LOOKAHD_MIN).
+
+If the distance from the path to the rover is bigger than the lookahead distance, the rover will target the point on the path that is closest to the rover.
+
+To summarize, the following parameters can be used to tune the controller:
+
+| Parameter                                                                                                | Description                             | Unit |
+| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | ---- |
+| <a id="PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN"></a>[PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN) | Main tuning parameter                   | -    |
+| <a id="PP_LOOKAHD_MAX"></a>[PP_LOOKAHD_MAX](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#PP_LOOKAHD_MAX)    | Maximum value for the look ahead radius | m    |
+| <a id="PP_LOOKAHD_MIN"></a>[PP_LOOKAHD_MIN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#PP_LOOKAHD_MIN)    | Minimum value for the look ahead radius | m    |
+
+::: info
+[Ackermann](../frames_rover/ackermann_rover.md#mission-parameters) and [differential](../frames_rover/differential_rover.md#auto-modes) rovers both have addition tuning parameters that are specific to their respective modules.
+:::
diff --git a/en/flight_modes_rover/index.md b/en/flight_modes_rover/index.md
@@ -2,100 +2,37 @@
 
 Flight modes (or more accurately "Drive modes" for ground vehicles) provide autopilot support to make it easier to manually drive the vehicle or to execute autonomous missions.
 
-- [Basic Configuration > Flight Modes](../config/flight_mode.md) - How to map RC control switches to specific flight modes
+This section outlines all supported drive modes for rovers.
+Note that some of the modes have different implementations for the different rover types.
 
-This section outlines all supported drive modes for rovers. Note that certain flight modes have different implementations for the specific modules.
+For information on mapping RC control switches to specific modes see: [Basic Configuration > Flight Modes](../config/flight_mode.md).
 
 ::: warning
-Selecting any other mode than those below will either stop the rover or can lead to undefined behavior.
+Selecting any other mode than those below will either stop the rover or can lead to undefined behaviour.
 :::
 
-## Manual Mode
+## Supported Modes
 
-The _Manual_ mode stops the rover when the RC control sticks are centred.
-To manually move/drive the vehicle you move the sticks outside of the centre.
+The different types of rovers support the following modes:
 
-[**Differential-steering Rover**](../frames_rover/differential_rover.md): When under manual control the throttle and roll sticks control the _speed_ and _yaw rate_ of the vehicle.
+### Manual Modes
 
-[**Ackermann Rover**](../frames_rover/ackermann_rover.md): When under manual control the throttle and roll sticks control the _speed_ and _steering angle_ of the vehicle.
+These are modes that require a stick input from the user to drive the vehicle.
+The different manual modes are listed in order of increasing levels of autopilot support.
 
-![Rover Manual Sticks](../../assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/manual_inputs.png)
+| [Differential](../frames_rover/differential_rover.md)         | [Ackermann](../frames_rover/ackermann_rover.md)       |
+| ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
+| [Manual](../flight_modes_rover/manual.md#manual-mode)         | [Manual](../flight_modes_rover/manual.md#manual-mode) |
+| [Acro](../flight_modes_rover/manual.md#acro-mode)             |                                                       |
+| [Stabilized](../flight_modes_rover/manual.md#stabilized-mode) |                                                       |
+| [Position](../flight_modes_rover/manual.md#position-mode)     |                                                       |
 
-Note that the rover does not attempt to maintain a specific orientation or compensate for external factors like slopes or uneven terrain!
-The user is responsible for making the necessary adjustments to the stick inputs to keep the rover on the desired course.
+### Auto Modes
 
-## Acro Mode
+In auto modes the autopilot takes over control of the vehicle to perform autonomous navigation, such as executing a mission plan.
+Both Ackermann and differential rovers support the same auto modes, but have different implementations:
 
-::: info
-Acro mode is only supported for differential-steering rovers.
-:::
-
-Acro Mode is similar to [Manual mode](#manual-mode), but with closed-loop yaw rate control.
-In this mode, the left stick input remains open-loop for forward speed control, while the right stick input commands a desired yaw rate setpoint, which is then maintained by the rover's closed-loop control system.
-
-- Left Stick:
-
-  Behavior remains the same as in manual mode, directly controlling the rover's forward speed in an open-loop manner.
-
-- Right Stick:
-
-  - Centered: Rover stops rotating and tries to maintains its current heading.
-  - Pushed left/right: Rover rotates counter-clockwise/clockwise at the rate commanded by the stick input, using a closed-loop controller (e.g., PID) to try to ensure the vehicle yaw rate matches the given setpoint.
-
-See [Tuning(basic)](../frames_rover/differential_rover.md#tuning-basic) to go through the necessary setup to use acro mode for differential-steering rovers.
-
-## Mission Mode
-
-_Mission mode_ is an automatic mode that causes the vehicle to execute a predefined autonomous [mission](../flying/missions.md) plan that has been uploaded to the flight controller.
-The mission is typically created and uploaded with a Ground Control Station (GCS) application, such as [QGroundControl](https://docs.qgroundcontrol.com/master/en/).
-
-### Mission commands
-
-Following is the list of currently implemented and tested mission related commands:
-
-| QGC mission item    | Command                                                                                                                     | Description                                         |
-| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
-| Mission start       | [MAV_CMD_MISSION_START](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_MISSION_START)                                   | Starts the mission.                                 |
-| Waypoint            | [MAV_CMD_NAV_WAYPOINT](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_WAYPOINT)                                     | Navigate to waypoint.                               |
-| Return to launch    | [MAV_CMD_NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_RETURN_TO_LAUNCH)                     | Return to the launch location.                      |
-| Delay until         | [MAV_CMD_NAV_DELAY](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_DELAY)                                           | The rover will stop for a specified amount of time. |
-| Set launch location | [MAV_CMD_DO_SET_HOME](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_DO_SET_HOME)                                       | Changes launch location to specified coordinates.   |
-| Jump to item        | [MAV_CMD_DO_JUMP](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_DO_JUMP) (and other jump commands)                     | Jump to specified mission item.                     |
-| Loiter (all)        | [MAV_CMD_NAV_LOITER_UNLIM](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_NAV_LOITER_UNLIM) (and other loiter commands) | This will simply stop the rover.                    |
-
-### Pure Pursuit Guidance Logic
-
-The steering and throttle setpoints are generated from the mission plan using a pure pursuit algorithm:
-
-![Pure Pursuit Algorithm](../../assets/airframes/rover/flight_modes/pure_pursuit_algorithm.png)
-
-The controller takes the intersection point between a circle around the vehicle and the line segment connecting the previous and current waypoint.
-The radius of the circle around the vehicle is used to tune the controller and is often referred to as look-ahead distance.
-
-The look ahead distance sets how aggressive the controller behaves and is defined as $l_d = v \cdot k$.
-It depends on the velocity $v$ of the rover and a tuning parameter $k$ that can be set with the parameter [PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN](#PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN).
-
-::: info
-A lower value of [PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN](#PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN) makes the controller more aggressive but can lead to oscillations!
-:::
-
-The lookahead is constrained between [PP_LOOKAHD_MAX](#PP_LOOKAHD_MAX) and [PP_LOOKAHD_MIN](#PP_LOOKAHD_MIN).
-
-If the distance from the path to the rover is bigger than the lookahead distance, the rover will target the point on the path that is closest to the rover.
-
-To summarize, the following parameters can be used to tune the controller:
-
-| Parameter                                                                                                | Description                             | Unit |
-| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | ---- |
-| <a id="PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN"></a>[PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#PP_LOOKAHD_GAIN) | Main tuning parameter                   | -    |
-| <a id="PP_LOOKAHD_MAX"></a>[PP_LOOKAHD_MAX](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#PP_LOOKAHD_MAX)    | Maximum value for the look ahead radius | m    |
-| <a id="PP_LOOKAHD_MIN"></a>[PP_LOOKAHD_MIN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#PP_LOOKAHD_MIN)    | Minimum value for the look ahead radius | m    |
-
-:::note
-Both [Ackermann](../frames_rover/ackermann_rover.md#mission-parameters) and [differential-steering](../frames_rover/differential_rover.md#tuning-mission) rovers have further tuning parameters that are specific to the respective modules.
-:::
-
-## Return Mode
-
-This mode uses the [pure pursuit guidance logic](#pure-pursuit-guidance-logic) with the launch position as goal.
-Return mode can be activated through the respective [mission command](#mission-commands) or through the ground station UI.
+| Drive Mode                                            |
+| ----------------------------------------------------- |
+| [Mission](../flight_modes_rover/auto.md#mission-mode) |
+| [Return](../flight_modes_rover/auto.md#return-mode)   |