How does Gyro function

[AdamKt1]

I wish to use a gyro for wing leveling, I need info on how does the gyro function (in a UAV).
Thank you all for allowing me to ask such simple (not simple to me at the moment) questions.

Adam

[Unterhausen]

most of the gyros that you can afford are rate gyros, that is, they tell you the angular velocity. So if your plane rotates, you get a higher voltage until it stops rotating.

The problems with them are that the voltage for no rotation is rarely zero, and they are noisy. So if you just integrate their output, you get a constantly increasing angular position.

[AdamKt1]

Can accelerometer be used for the same purpose?

[Unterhausen]

It would be very difficult to get an accelerometer to work for the same purpose since you have to integrate twice to get position, and thus your drift is much higher. On the other hand, if you can consider the plane to be a quasi-static system, a multi-axis accelerometer can give you the direction of gravity, so it functions as a tilt-meter that way.

[AdamKt1]

To control the roll,what are other (SIMPLE) solutions...
I need suggestions please.

[kd7ost]

Simple wing leveling can be accomplished with an FMA co-pilot.

http://www.fmadirect.com/products.htm?cat=20&nid=6

Dan

[_helitron_]

Another option, the AP2000i from SpartanRC in UK.

Have one in use and I'm very impressed so far. AP2000i stabilizes roll and pitch and uses the X-Y IR-sensor of the FMA Co-Pilot (spare part). Great advantages in my opinion: calibrating can be done in the air during flight and the device is flashable, that means software upgrade is possible in the future.

Cheers,

//Erwin

[dentompie]

Adam:

with IR-sensors:
http://tom.pycke.be/mav/86/autopilot-phase-1-stabilization-servo-controller

with gyro/accelero:
http://tom.pycke.be/mav/69/accelerometer-to-attitude
http://tom.pycke.be/mav/70/gyroscope-to-roll-pitch-and-yaw
http://tom.pycke.be/mav/71/kalman-filtering-of-imu-data

Good luck with it