BTA-06 autopilot experience, anyone?

[wsmalley]

I bought a used BTA-06 awhile back, no instructions, and have yet to mount it in a plane. I have acquired the other UAV type stuff: color cam-TX and Rx, video overlay, PDC10 and would like to put it in something. I also bought the FMA Co-pilot along the way which I've never used either. Wondering if anyone has some experience with the BTA, and how it works-maybe in comparison with other stuff out there. I guess the one thing it has is the altitude baro which I think almost necessary in a UAV environment. I know there's some pricier auto stuff available, but it gets out of my price range in a hurry. Any thoughts? Bill

[kd7ost]

Thanks for bringing it over here Bill. I do think you will get better exposure and better answers here.

I bought a used BTA-06 awhile back, no instructions, and have yet to mount it in a plane. I have acquired the other UAV type stuff: color cam-TX and Rx, video overlay, PDC10 and would like to put it in something. I also bought the FMA Co-pilot along the way which I've never used either. Wondering if anyone has some experience with the BTA, and how it works-maybe in comparison with other stuff out there.Bill

I can help you with the setup. In fact I can always make a copy of my BTA manual and if you get me an address I'll mail it to you. It's not a big book mind you, just a handful of pages.

The BTA unit in my experience works just as well as the co-pilot with a few variations. Some are a big deal and some not so big.

Size is a factor. You need a big enough plane to carry it.

The AS-06 unit draws 100ma during operation compared to 10 ma for the co-pilot. The newer BTA AS-07, which replaces the 06 uses a Piezo gyro instead of the mechanical one. It is smaller and draws 30 ma. (When you power up the 06 you hear the gyro run whine as it gets up to speed.

The BTA AS 06 doesn’t need to be calibrated for flight. It doesn’t matter if conditions change in flight or you’re over snow, ice, water, along mountains, in canyons or whatever. It doesn’t care about the horizon as it doesn’t sense that.

The Co-pilot manages attitude control by balancing the horizon vs air by detecting the difference in IR heat signature difference. Sometimes the difference is huge and the co-pilot rocks. Sometimes the difference isn't there and it can't manage attitude control. This is rare though. Foggy, snowy, rainy etc conditions. Times you may not fly anyway. When the sun is low on the horizon it becomes an IR heat source. The sensors try to roll or pitch up on the side the sun is at but it's not too bad. You can tell if you have a camera on board as the plane pitches or rolls.

I guess the one thing it has is the altitude baro which I think almost necessary in a UAV environment. I know there's some pricier auto stuff available, but it gets out of my price range in a hurry. Any thoughts? Bill

The BTA unit uses two different systems to manage pitch and roll attitude control. Roll is through a special application in a gyro. The gyro is set to look at Yaw though to manage roll. It works. The other unit you mentioned is BP and this is sort of true. They have a little box with a rubber or paper membrane with a plunger glued to it inside. It's contacting a potentiometer somehow. As the plane climbs or dives, the membrane expands or contracts and pushes the pot and generates an error signal to adjust the elevator and rebalance the pressure. The box isn't sealed 100 percent. It will burst otherwise. It's a course, simple yet effective little box.

That having been said, it is not an altitude lock. It resists rapid changes and keeps your planes pitch in check. But it will gain or loose altitude just like the co-pilot will. Nothing in you list of parts will keep altitude locked in.

Dan

[wsmalley]

Thanks for the explanation! I'll PM my address, thanks for the help. I guess in practice, if one has a video overlay relaying GPS data, you can watch the altitude via the overlay and correct accordingly. The BTA then merely keeps big changes from occurring-if I understand correctly. Having said that, are there true altitude hold devices available-that is, at hobbyist prices?

[kd7ost]

Thanks for the explanation! I'll PM my address, thanks for the help. I guess in practice, if one has a video overlay relaying GPS data, you can watch the altitude via the overlay and correct accordingly. The BTA then merely keeps big changes from occurring-if I understand correctly. Having said that, are there true altitude hold devices available-that is, at hobbyist prices?

Got your PM. I'll make a copy next week and get it mailed out to you.

Hobbyist prices? That's all relative I think. I scratch built a gas powered plane with two camera's, GPS, guidance used for return to pilot, Co-pilot, PCM radio etc etc etc. After R&D it cost probably 3 grand. I use it for Ag photography so work it has done has paid for it.

Guy’s flying high end Turbine RC Jets spend more than 3 grand just on the power system alone. After building the whole plane some guys have 10 grand or more in some cases involved in the build. And it’s just hobby stuff. You have to find your own balance.

Here’s a video of my plane, from a down link, that is pretty warn out. This is what I do with mine.

The lowest cost plug and play true altitude lock I know of is the Pico Alt by UNAV.

Dan

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=571185

[kd7ost]

Hi Bill,

Copy is ready. I'll get it in the mail to you tomorrow.

Dan

[wsmalley]

Got it today, thanks a lot for going to the trouble! I realized there was a lot of info I knew nothing about. Thanks again, Dan! Bill

[hristomann]

HI HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I HAVE A AUTOPILOT BTA AS-06 .
HAVE ANY ONE THE OPERATION MANUAL?
CAN SENT ME WITH MAIL?
MY MAIL IS hristomann@yahoo.gr
THX
MANOS FROM GREECE

[gkamysz]

Check your email.

Greg