Paparazzi Wing Build (Swift II)

[bmw330i]

All, just thought I'd start my second Paparazzi build in a new thread.

My objective here is to collect onboard video using the Paparazzi autopilot to fly pre-defined waypoints. The autopilot will use a standard configuration:
- Tiny1.3 Autopilot. I chose this because it's the smallest all in one unit.
- IR Dual and IR single IR sensors
- XBee 900mHz RF modems
- Micro Video Recorder (Saves to MicroSD card)
- Berg 4L Receiver & Futaba T7CAP Tx
- Swift II Flying wing
- Dymond d47 servos
- Small Motor and ESC recommended from the Swift II build thread

I'm going to mount a single small video recorder (seen in the fist photo). The quality is quite good and with 8G of storage I should be able to capture quite a lot of video.

-BMW

[mecevans]

looking forward to your first flights. :) do you have any sample videos from the camera?

[bmw330i]

Hello, me too. :D I love flying wings. I have taken some video around the house with the camera and it works great. I just plug the USB into my Mac and iPhoto downloads the video without needing to load any drivers.

[mecevans]

i was thinking about a flying wing but i don't like the idea of burying the components in there. maybe your thread will change my mind. cool, I'm subscribed to your youtube so ill know when its up.

[bmw330i]

Here's a photo of the basic system. This is all that's required for the Paparazzi autopilot. The Tiny1.3 and Tiny2.11 (2.11 shown) both have the GPS unit on the main board. The GPS is a u-blox LEA-5H module and Paparazzi software makes use of the u-blox binary protocol so no CPU time is wasted parsing NMEA strings. The Tiny2.11 uses an ARM7 processor running at 60Hz. The code is very mature and includes a GUI configuration tool (paparazzi) and a GUI ground station. Paparazzi can also control multiple aircraft but for now I'm going to stick with just one.
NOTE: I have not shown the ESC. It plugs in next to the receiver. Warning, you must not connect the power wire from the ESC to the Tiny. There are only two wires to connect for the ESC. The ground and signal. Cut the red wire on your ESC and do not connect it.

[Buzz_Lightyear]

The Tiny2.11 uses an ARM7 processor running at 60Hz.
I think you mean MHz, David :)

[bmw330i]

Correct, just seeing who's paying attention.
For those interested in Tiny1.3 here's the specs: http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/Tiny
I worked on the wing some this AM. Here's a new photo.
-BMW

[bmw330i]

Next steps will be:
1. Cut the connectors off the servos and solder 3-pin Molex servo wires on. Connect them to the Tiny's servo connectors
2. route the wiring.
3. Add cowlings over the center
4. Add a balsa or plywood Fin in the center tall enough to protect everything on landing.
5. Add balsa winglets. The stock Foam is thick, square edged and not aerodynamic at all. Nice thin balsa with sharpened edges should help the aerodynamics a lot.
6. Put the Rx in.
7. Add the RF module (XBee 900mHz)
7. Add the IR sensors
8. Setup the Tiny:
- Custom aircraft config file (will start on from scratch this time)
- Zero the IR sensors per the Wiki
- Center the servos in the config file and mechanically
9. Test Fly

Should be ready to fly by this weekend.
-BMW

[AntonK]

Actually, his control loops will be running at 60Hz. So he was kinda correct :)

AJ

[bmw330i]

lol, I'm only as good as my friends. :D
...I'm a big fan of Newton's comment to the effect: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants"
I hope all who read this learn the history of Paparazzi as well. Here's a good article for people to learn some of the history:http://diydrones.com/profiles/blog/show?id=705844%3ABlogPost%3A29982
This is an open source Autopilot available to anyone to build and work with. it's extremely mature code and easy to work with once you get the basics down.
-BMW

[bmw330i]

Ok, I'm done for the night. Here's the latest. I have everything but the XBee connected now.

[bmw330i]

Well, I put it on a scale this AM. It weighs 10.7oz, 303g .. I still have to add the tape, Rx and strengthen the wing some. I cut out a lot of foam to put that gear inside...
-BMW

[vespa]

Beamer, I suggest putting the IR on the bottom or else your pitch trim will change as the sun heats your wing. A little "fuselage" can serve as landing protection and make launching easier.

[bmw330i]

Beamer, I suggest putting the IR on the bottom or else your pitch trim will change as the sun heats your wing. A little "fuselage" can serve as landing protection and make launching easier.
Thank you Vespa. Excellent idea.

[mecevans]

Its looking good! now whens it going to fly? :D

[bmw330i]

Soon. However we are going on a family vacation (two weeks) starting March 2nd so I will see what I can get done before. I need to streamline things and move the IR sensor below.

[bmw330i]

Well, I had a setback. I blew up the Tiny1.3 somehow. Not literally but it stopped working after shorting the 5v and PPM lead on the PPM connector. At least that's what I think I did. I may switch to a TWOG just to speed things along.
In using this Tiny1.3 I now saw something interesting. The best GPS reception is with the Tin1.3. I was getting 4.2m accuracy quickly. I then today tried a TWOG with Paparazzi 1.3 GPS board and was getting 6.7m accuracy. I thought that was interesting. The Tiny2.11 were getting around 8m accuracy.
Just all FYI
-BMW

[Tuner]

1.3 vs 2.1 pros cons
Cons: the 1.3 has a smaller Antenna, different Power Supply, and allows for Flow Control with the modem, correct?? And now you are saying the 1.3 in your test received better range. If the 2.1 was a 4 layer board I would not even consider the 1.3 but I know from experience how 4layer if done right can protect against RF....

Pros:
The 1.3 has 4 layer PCB and has is more robust against RF interference????

The reason I ask is because I own the TWOG and plan on purchasing a TINY bundle possibly and I dont know what one would be most reliable. I can handle adding a Castle BEC and I can live without Flow Control.

I just want the most reliable and robust of the 2 and preferably the better GPS of the two.

[bmw330i]

Hi Tuner,
Before I answer I need to read the Wiki to update myself, then I can reply. I see a few more differences between Tiny1.3 and 2.11 but want to get my facts straight.
-BMW

[vespa]

The position accuracy will fluctuate considerably with satellite location, weather, and other factors. You cannot use this to quickly compare the performance of different receivers. Even identical systems running side-by-side will track different satellites and show substantially different accuracy fluctuations.

[bmw330i]

The position accuracy will fluctuate considerably with satellite location, weather, and other factors. You cannot use this to quickly compare the performance of different receivers. Even identical systems running side-by-side will track different satellites and show substantially different accuracy fluctuations.
I have seen this. I program 100s of Tiny2.11 now and GPS performance is similar but some days very poor and others better. Never as good as Tiny1.3 GPS performance.
I have seen this with Sangshin and EMTAC antenna.
I have however seen just what you say over and over where GPS performance fluctuates greatly.
-BMW

[hartrockets]

did you ever fly the wing?

[bmw330i]

did you ever fly the wing?
Hello,
Not yet, as I got everything on it I realized it's just too small. I was talking to a friend who has a few hundred acres out it the middle of nowhere North East of San Diego (Palm Springs Area). I'm going to build an FPV system with HD onboard video and an autopilot for Return to home. So if something should happen to the video link a flip of the switch and it will fly back and circle overhead or even land.
I'll detail more as I get the MaxiSwift built up. This time I'm going to connect everything on the bench first and get it working before mounting anything in the Wing.
-David

[bmw330i]

Time for an update. I had some time today and decided to give the wing some attention. It had the following issues:
- PPM encoder & RC seemed to be not working
- XBee 900mHz seemed to be working but the GCS was not populating
- Electronics were on the bottom and very exposed
- Needed to connect the servos to the control surfaces (hardware basically)

Well, sorted it all out. PPM encoder was working, I simply had a bad servo. My nose fixed that I could smell it (burning smell). Unplugged the one servo and everthing (RC wise) started working. Changed both servos and RC wise all is working. I'm using a Spektrum 6300 micro Rx with the PPM Encoder and a DX7 Tx.

XBee in the aircraft was not Transmitting. I was using the sparkfun XBee board with the regulator so I could power it from the 5v rail. Well, I went back to the old way and just ran the wires direct to the XBee using 3.3v from the serial connector. Worked immediately after doing that and GCS was populating just fine. Got a 3D fix quickly.

Move the electronics (except ESC) to the top and for more strength used some thin plywood to sheet the bottom. Now the wing is super strong with no flex. Before it was pretty flexible on the center joint. What's left is tidy up the wires and mount everything down. I'd like to make a foam fairing of some sort that sticks to the top and holds everything.

Trip to the hobby shop and I had some micro hardware to connect the servos to the control surfaces. Checked the throws and everything looks good. So I glued the servos into the cavities and am waiting for that to dry overnight.

Tomorrow AM I'll take some photos of it. One thing for sure I really don't like this foam because although very strong nothing sticks to it except epoxy. Maybe that's fine but I was hoping to tape some stuff down. The packing tape I orig. used to strengthen the wing came off easily after a couple of weeks sitting around (hence why I sheeted it). It's still pretty light so I may try and mount a 2.4ghz video camera on it as well. Right now I just plan to stick a micro SD video recorder on it (gumstick sized) and download the video after.

All that's left is get the IR orientation setup right in the airframe file. Zero the sensors, set the initial IR settings and go fly :)

Exact setup now:
Aircraft: Swift II wing
Trans: Spektrum DX7 (heli)
Rx: Spektrum AR6300 micro + PPM Encoder board
Servos: Hitec HS45HB micro servos
Motor: Hobby City 30A Esc + Outrunner
Autopilot: Paparazzi Tiny1.3 with LEA-5H module
IR: Self-Assembled Paparazzi IR Single Slim and IR Dual Small
RF: Digi XBee Pro 900mHz
Battery: TopFlight 800mAh 3-cell lipo

Future:
VideoCamera: RangeVideo 2.4ghz micro video camera
Transmitter: RangeVideo 2.4ghz Tx
Receiver: RangVideo 2.4ghz Rx
Gyro: IDG300 dual axis Gyro

[bmw330i]

Well, I'm glad I used blue tape (easy to remove). I see the IRV sensor has a loose wire. I'll need to un-tape and fix that. Otherwise it's balanced and ready to go. I just tested it in the front yard. Add the prop (and get the IR orientation setup before flying.) and fly. This should be a fun plane to fly.

[airmcn_3]

Well, I'm glad I used blue tape (easy to remove). I see the IRV sensor has a loose wire. I'll need to un-tape and fix that. Otherwise it's balanced and ready to go. I just tested it in the front yard. Add the prop (and get the IR orientation setup before flying.) and fly. This should be a fun plane to fly.


Good job!

Looking forward to the results.