Originally Posted by Z06 Tony

LOL even though they gave away a bunch of X450 funny thing is only vids I can find on youtube are from Xair and Norf. Looks like nobody else bothered to upload some good vids of their gift LOL. Unless I missed some. maybe anyone who did upload a vid can post it here.

no video bcos they sent out the frame and motors only...no FC or AHRS...thus one had to remove one from X650 to fly x450...i hope this can put people at ease

Just back from outdoor testing for the active antenna. very HOT.
I try add some influence on the antenna, much more stable than passive antenna

Originally Posted by Jingchen

Just back from outdoor testing for the active antenna. very HOT.
I try add some influence on the antenna, much more stable than passive antenna

JC, why are we moving to a different antenna when the data that Josh keeps posting up is strong evidence for GPS firmware changes? He is clearly getting even better results than you with an active antenna doing so. The hardware is used in many other platforms with success, it just sounds like some tweaking of the firmware is required. Can we focus on that instead of new hardware that will require everyone to be sent replacements?

Originally Posted by Jingchen

Just back from outdoor testing for the active antenna. very HOT.
I try add some influence on the antenna, much more stable than passive antenna

Jingchen...what is an Active antenna?

Edit: Went to google (my friend) and got the info.

Well I finally got around to test flying my compass and GPS module with some expected results after read all the test reports on here.
To start with I installed the compass as per the instructions and the Xaircraft videos instructions.
Now the GPS module, I decided the install the module on the top plate and I used Velcro to hold the antenna half way along one of the arms.

First test flight was the compass module and I must say this worked really well and the yaw lock was great. The only thing I thought was unuasal was the coupling I noticed between pitch and roll. When pitching back the aircraft appeared to roll right slightly, so Im just wondering if the compass calibration process didn't work correctly.

Next was the altitude hold, which at first didn't appear to work until I left it for a while in the hover position. It then started to pitch up and down by approx. 4 metres, so this seemed to work OK, not great.

Now position hold, flew the 650 to approx 50 feet altitude and turned on the position hold, at first I thought WOW, then it start to drift in a clockwise direction, this drift got worse and worse and the corrections got more and more aggressive. At this stage I decided to switch off the test before I lost the X650.

At this stage I was concerned about testing the Return home function, but I thought I'd give it a crack. This function actually work quiet well and the 650 really cranked over and return home really fast.

The GPS took approx 7 minutes for the first cold boot and acheived 6 sat locks. After powering down and changing battery it achceived lock within 30 seconds.

My x650 (CF) arrived a couple of days ago and I've been slowly putting it together since, almost there. I have to say it's one of the most involved things I've ever done like this. to me it's an engineering work of art in itself just as it is and I haven't even added any power yet. The camera mount has taken me a lot longer than expected, but I think I've got it right now.

I'm a bit unsure about what betteries to use. I've got a 3s 2500mah 50A (20C), which I think might not be enough but is the best the local shop had. I want to mainly use it with a Gopro and perhaps a video transmitter for FPV. Any advice here would be brilliant. Also, sounds a bit stupid, but I can't figure out how those battery straps work - the velcro doesn't match up one the right side, or maybe I'm just not doing it right?

I wasn't sure where to put my receiver so I've just stuck it on top of everything.

I haven't even switched it on yet, do I need to plug it into my PC first and install software before I try to fly it?

---Deleted---

Originally Posted by robone

I mentioned previously that I changed my lower setting to 1135. Did you try that

I have NOT as of yet, that will be the first thing today. I ( for mypieceof mind needed to isolate 650 from laptop USB bus first, check. An rather pricy USB extender with it's own regulated power supply ) I hate doing things twice, after measuring once...but insane behavior is how computers need to be worked...he he.
As soon as I get squared away, I'll run a higher lower throttle setting and if goes well, anew ahrs zeroing and a real battery check, depending on what happens after 1135 higher low setting...that sounds weird like indoor dirt track "please all racers wipe and wash rc cars off before using indoor dirt track..." ( sign I saw at a indoor track...

---Deleted---

Originally Posted by Sid3ways

JC, why are we moving to a different antenna when the data that Josh keeps posting up is strong evidence for GPS firmware changes? He is clearly getting even better results than you with an active antenna doing so. The hardware is used in many other platforms with success, it just sounds like some tweaking of the firmware is required. Can we focus on that instead of new hardware that will require everyone to be sent replacements?

I fully agree...we have bought some hardware and expect it to work. I have the confidence that XA would find a solution soon...but i was thinking about firmware upgrade and not hardware upgrade.

Jingchen: are you doing something on firmware improvement??

---Deleted---

Originally Posted by Maljonic

My x650 (CF) arrived a couple of days ago and I've been slowly putting it together since, almost there. I have to say it's one of the most involved things I've ever done like this. to me it's an engineering work of art in itself just as it is and I haven't even added any power yet. The camera mount has taken me a lot longer than expected, but I think I've got it right now.

I'm a bit unsure about what betteries to use. I've got a 3s 2500mah 50A (20C), which I think might not be enough but is the best the local shop had. I want to mainly use it with a Gopro and perhaps a video transmitter for FPV. Any advice here would be brilliant. Also, sounds a bit stupid, but I can't figure out how those battery straps work - the velcro doesn't match up one the right side, or maybe I'm just not doing it right?

I wasn't sure where to put my receiver so I've just stuck it on top of everything.

I haven't even switched it on yet, do I need to plug it into my PC first and install software before I try to fly it?

Jeff gave some good suggestions. I would like to add one, that really helped me. Having never flown anything before, other than a Flight Sim, I found that the X650 was very responsive to touch, so I suggest that you put some expo on all your controls, especially the throttle. I know there are others here who will say don't, but try it and see

Cheers
Rob

I have always flown my X650 in cruise mode, without many problems. When I got the GPS/compass I started doing some practice flying in hover mode. It does seem stable and easier to fly with the auto level that hover mode has, but every time I move it, it has a bad "bounce back" when it stops. Like it's over correcting or something. I'm just using the Xaircraft settings for 3s. What can I change to tame this?

Bill Davenport
AMA 28141

Originally Posted by badbill

I have always flown my X650 in cruise mode, without many problems. When I got the GPS/compass I started doing some practice flying in hover mode. It does seem stable and easier to fly with the auto level that hover mode has, but every time I move it, it has a bad "bounce back" when it stops. Like it's over correcting or something. I'm just using the Xaircraft settings for 3s. What can I change to tame this?

Bill Davenport
AMA 28141

Thats because it is

Originally Posted by Sid3ways

JC, why are we moving to a different antenna when the data that Josh keeps posting up is strong evidence for GPS firmware changes? He is clearly getting even better results than you with an active antenna doing so. The hardware is used in many other platforms with success, it just sounds like some tweaking of the firmware is required. Can we focus on that instead of new hardware that will require everyone to be sent replacements?

I am glad someone noticed this.

The fact that they are looking at a hardware fix in the form of a more powerful antenna suggests that we may be stuck with the default settings of the U-Blox Lea-5s which are not optimised for UAV's never mind Static hovering machines

The Lea 5H is the one all other Uav gps systems use if they choose the U-blox chipset. it's a couple of dollars per unit more expensive but is totally configurable and upgradable. The Lea-5s is aimed more at car sat-navs etc. oh well