FPV is harder than it looks
Had a large area when away for the long weekend and tested the FPV setup, very hard to fly. I had no feeling for altitude or movement but it was using a small screen in the open. Will try fitted in a welding helmet to see if when the only vision is via the screen it's better.
The diet worked
Removed the landing gear and remounted the camera and transmitter, AUW now back to 870g and hovers just under 50% throttle, now to learn flying with FPV.
FPV Build complete , over weight/under powered
Had my first test flight of the fully assembled FPV quad, running at about 60/70% throttle to hover and motors getting very hot.
Current weight is 1038 which is up by 225 on the base. I think the landing gear is a bit on the heavy side just taking the AUW to just over the limit for EMax CF2822 motors with 9" gemfan props.
Will move the camera to above the battery and leave off the landing gear which should get me 180g back, off to the workshop.
Current weight is 1038 which is up by 225 on the base. I think the landing gear is a bit on the heavy side just taking the AUW to just over the limit for EMax CF2822 motors with 9" gemfan props.
Will move the camera to above the battery and leave off the landing gear which should get me 180g back, off to the workshop.
FPV Build Progresses
Camera mounted and servo working off a spare channel on the receiver.
| Camera Mounted and servo working (0 min 25 sec) |
FPV Gear starting to arrive
Received the Sony 600TVL Camera from SecurityCamera2000 and the 5.8ghz Tx/Rx
Powered up and test ok , ranged seemed ok at about 30m from Shed to TV inside though 2 brick walls and 3 internal walls and test gear on the bench.
The Camera mount also turned up, servos should be this week I hope.
The cut-outs on the board don't match the camera plugs as I assume it is to match HobbyKing cameras, a bit of cutting will fix this.
Not worth trying to make one of these for the price.
Powered up and test ok , ranged seemed ok at about 30m from Shed to TV inside though 2 brick walls and 3 internal walls and test gear on the bench.
The Camera mount also turned up, servos should be this week I hope.
The cut-outs on the board don't match the camera plugs as I assume it is to match HobbyKing cameras, a bit of cutting will fix this.
Not worth trying to make one of these for the price.
V3 Complete
Completed assembly and did a quick fly in the garage, too windy again.
The new frame seems to amplify the noisy worn bearings in the motors, maybe time to use the spares.
Weight without Battery is 545g and with is Battery 780g, down 80g.
The new frame seems to amplify the noisy worn bearings in the motors, maybe time to use the spares.
Weight without Battery is 545g and with is Battery 780g, down 80g.
V3 assembly has progressed
Frame is assembled and is amazingly rigid, weight at the moment it 160g, hope to fly before the weekend is out.
The V2 Frame was at 230g so I have saved 70g
The V2 Frame was at 230g so I have saved 70g
Time for Version 3 frame
As I have stopped crashing and now understand how it flies so time for a lightweight frame, I have access to a laser so cutting the aluminium top/bottom plates was easy after drawing them in auto-cad, based on a design at www.diymulticopter.org but with the battery carrier added.
It will be using 10mmx10mm square C section for the arms, estimated weight should be about 100g, down 88g from Version 2.
All connections will be pop rivets and controller nylon screws
[Edit I had the material size wrong in SolidWorks, 134g is expected weight]
It will be using 10mmx10mm square C section for the arms, estimated weight should be about 100g, down 88g from Version 2.
All connections will be pop rivets and controller nylon screws
[Edit I had the material size wrong in SolidWorks, 134g is expected weight]
Finally have BT running at 115200
Took a while to find out what to do but it looks like the Module is only in config mode for a short period after power-up.
It is discovered as a HC-07 and the firmware is Linvor 1.7 in response to "AT+VERSION"
(One of these -> crius-mwc-multiwii-blutooth-module-patameter-configurator-module-adapter)
The Sketch to do this was:
Now I can remove the code to switch the Baud rate when the quad is armed and the response on the phone is now excellent
Tried to use the new Arduino Plugin for VS2012 which is fantastic, it's like comparing Notepad to MS Word but looks like the Serial Port monitor has issues and had to drop back to old Arduino IDE for this.
It is discovered as a HC-07 and the firmware is Linvor 1.7 in response to "AT+VERSION"
(One of these -> crius-mwc-multiwii-blutooth-module-patameter-configurator-module-adapter)
The Sketch to do this was:
Code:
#define rxPin 2
#define txPin 3
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
SoftwareSerial mySerial(rxPin, txPin);
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println("Start");
mySerial.begin(115200);
/* add setup code here */
mySerial.write("AT+MODE8");
}
void loop()
{
if (mySerial.available())
Serial.write(mySerial.read());
}
Tried to use the new Arduino Plugin for VS2012 which is fantastic, it's like comparing Notepad to MS Word but looks like the Serial Port monitor has issues and had to drop back to old Arduino IDE for this.
New Battery Arrived
Can fly again now I have the replacement battery, also grabbed a power meter as well to get an idea of motor load and esc sizes really needed as I think they are a bit bigger than what is really needed.
AUW is now down from 860 to 855 even with a bigger battery as the battery tray is basic now
AUW is now down from 860 to 855 even with a bigger battery as the battery tray is basic now
Looks like I lost my Lipo, not my fault
Went to top up my Lipo for a fly and the charger complained about the volts, pulled it out of the change bag where it had been since storage charge earlier this week and I had a bulging pack.
Check with the meter and zero volts, looks like leaving hooked up to the charger was not a good idea, or so I thought.
Read the threads about recovering and that seemed to be working until it was at a voltage for balance so I attempted it, alarm on cell volts, but why, showing 10v but cells as zero still.
I had bought a balance extension cable during the week, removed it and all good, closer look at the extension cable, the wiring on the plug was backwards, I suspect that was the cause of the flat battery.
New batter ordered, this one gets hot now and goes flat quickly
Check with the meter and zero volts, looks like leaving hooked up to the charger was not a good idea, or so I thought.
Read the threads about recovering and that seemed to be working until it was at a voltage for balance so I attempted it, alarm on cell volts, but why, showing 10v but cells as zero still.
I had bought a balance extension cable during the week, removed it and all good, closer look at the extension cable, the wiring on the plug was backwards, I suspect that was the cause of the flat battery.
New batter ordered, this one gets hot now and goes flat quickly
Test while waiting for no wind or no work weekend
Windy again, so thought I would do some tests today.
Running 9x4.7 props at hover about 2m up, the total current was a fraction under 9 amps.
Then tested with 9x4.7 and 8x4.5 on each motor (4 blades), current was just over 10 amps, then tested with 9x4.7 and 9x4.7 it went to just under 11 amps.
Staying with normal configuration.
Running 9x4.7 props at hover about 2m up, the total current was a fraction under 9 amps.
Then tested with 9x4.7 and 8x4.5 on each motor (4 blades), current was just over 10 amps, then tested with 9x4.7 and 9x4.7 it went to just under 11 amps.
Staying with normal configuration.
Recieved the new FrSky for the 9XII - not what I expected
When I ordered the "FrSky DJT 2.4Ghz Combo Pack for JR w/ Telemetry Module & V8FR-II RX" I expected to have a usable telemetry system. Needed to read the full specs, the receiver in this set is not suitable for telemetry, I do now have a fail-safe 
New build complete
Powered up for the first test and behaves nothing like the original, will hover nearly in the same spot, now to do some PID adjustments to get rid of the drift.
Weight without battery - 630g
With battery - AUW 860g
Weight without battery - 630g
With battery - AUW 860g
Need the new frame.
Finally had a free day and no wind to fly this thing for real in the open spaces.
Was not bad to fly but I found that it seemed to gain altitude without any input, I guess some PID tuning is needed, also a lot of drift.
Tested altitude hold and was ok for a while but began to drift towards some very tall trees, I then got the throttle/pitch mixed up and by the time I realized it was descending it was too late, tumbled all the way to the ground inside the tree, time for the new frame.
I was able to bend the thing back a bit and amazing how crooked everything can be and still fly, was really to test the flight time, nearly 15 minutes and not just hovering, happy with that.
Back home and complete the new frame, ready for next weekend.
Was not bad to fly but I found that it seemed to gain altitude without any input, I guess some PID tuning is needed, also a lot of drift.
Tested altitude hold and was ok for a while but began to drift towards some very tall trees, I then got the throttle/pitch mixed up and by the time I realized it was descending it was too late, tumbled all the way to the ground inside the tree, time for the new frame.
I was able to bend the thing back a bit and amazing how crooked everything can be and still fly, was really to test the flight time, nearly 15 minutes and not just hovering, happy with that.
Back home and complete the new frame, ready for next weekend.
A bit Fragile, time for version 2
My first Quad fly's ok, I just need more practice.
I have found that while the aluminium tube is light, it is very brittle and breaks with very little bending, time for version 2.
This should not be much heavier than the last as I can remove the thick aluminium that held the arms.
The Battery carrier will be rubber mounted hanging from the centre and the controller mounted to it, hopefully the mass if the battery will stop and vibrations reaching the gyro/acc which I seem to be have a bit of at the moment.
I have found that while the aluminium tube is light, it is very brittle and breaks with very little bending, time for version 2.
This should not be much heavier than the last as I can remove the thick aluminium that held the arms.
The Battery carrier will be rubber mounted hanging from the centre and the controller mounted to it, hopefully the mass if the battery will stop and vibrations reaching the gyro/acc which I seem to be have a bit of at the moment.
It Flys
Running on a power supply while waiting for the lipo to arrive, fly as long as I like.
Took a while to get the feel of how these things handle and I can see some PID tuning is needed.
AUW with 2800 Lipo is 860g
Took a while to get the feel of how these things handle and I can see some PID tuning is needed.
| The Copter flys (3 min 24 sec) |
AUW with 2800 Lipo is 860g
First Hover
Connected all the motors to the the ESC's and then to the controller, Made wiring neat as possible without cutting any (I want to do a real test flight before cutting) and then clipped the main power leads together to be run from a power lead.
I was then able to hover a just off the ground but was moving about but I think due to be so close the the ground, but it worked. Now to wait for the power distribution board & servo cables ( only 2 made up to arm the motors and throttle) then a real flight will be attempted.
I was then able to hover a just off the ground but was moving about but I think due to be so close the the ground, but it worked. Now to wait for the power distribution board & servo cables ( only 2 made up to arm the motors and throttle) then a real flight will be attempted.
ESC arrived
The ESC arrived and hooking up one and running via a Power Supply I have a spinning Prop, now to do the connections properly
Feature of the 9X
While playing with the Multiwii connected to the receiver as the esc's have not arrived, I found an interesting feature, no failsafe. Looks like a FrSky conversion is needed soon, not keen an running without it.
