MikeTheCrash,

The autopilot will only kick in if the GPS has obtained a home fix. Once you do this, you will be able to activate the autopilot by setting the control channel to the correct level. For example, one level sets the menu, another sets normal flight, and one level sets the autopilot. There are actually four levels to the control channel setting. If you have assigned it to a three-way switch, you will want to adjust the level for that particular switch setting that you wish to activate autopilot with. There are some other conditions in which autopilot will kick in automatically but the above is the gist of it.

Daniel

Originally Posted by Daniel Wee

MikeTheCrash,

The autopilot will only kick in if the GPS has obtained a home fix. Once you do this, you will be able to activate the autopilot by setting the control channel to the correct level. For example, one level sets the menu, another sets normal flight, and one level sets the autopilot. There are actually four levels to the control channel setting. If you have assigned it to a three-way switch, you will want to adjust the level for that particular switch setting that you wish to activate autopilot with. There are some other conditions in which autopilot will kick in automatically but the above is the gist of it.

Daniel

Thanks Daniel I got all that sorted with a ch 5 switch and a mixer for all 4 options, and GPS locked (not well, but locked with HDOP around 2). I have "autopilot (home)" on screen.
But how "big" a space is "home"?
And do you have to fly first?
Once you have all the min/max data from your flight (i haven't had a flight yet) on screen will AP not activate? So if the airframe has been at 0m/s will it not activate?

I am trying to do this in my garden so I don't have to run around the park with goggles on carrying a RC plane as i think people round here think I'm odd already and I don't want to make it worse! This could be my problem, i need to get further from "home". The garden's big, perhaps not big enough.

I suppose the best way would be to fly it but I really want to make as many mistakes on the ground as I can before going airborne

thanks!

MikeTheCrash,

Home isn't a "space". It's a point. It should activate at any time, except when your GPS loses a lock. This is sometimes possible if you have less than 3 satellites. I suppose you have read the following:-

http://forum.tsebi.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=84

Daniel

Ok thanks Daniel. probably my GPS lock then if it thinks I'm always home. I'm off to a bigger place with less trees when the kids are in bed!

thanks

Mike

Even if it's "home" the autopilot indicator should still remain displayed. You may want to check that your control channel setting is not just marginal. That might cause it to pop back out of autopilot.

Daniel

Originally Posted by Daniel Wee

Even if it's "home" the autopilot indicator should still remain displayed. You may want to check that your control channel setting is not just marginal. That might cause it to pop back out of autopilot.

Daniel

My problem is that I set home at one end of the garden, then walk the plane to the other end (20m or so) and OSD is still saying "autopilot (home)" with hdop @ 1.6
I'll take it to the park later

I'm not with the plane at the moment, but is there a "hit distance" setting or did I imagine it?

thanks

Mike

MikeTheCrash,

I'm not sure I understand you here. The autopilot will always show "AUTOPILOT (HOME)" as long as it is activated. This means that the autopilot is set to fly towards "home". Yes, there was a hit-distance parameter but it was not used in the current setup (since we don't really have waypoints in the current OSD versions) so I removed it. Some of these features aren't available in the publicly available firmware as yet. Even when you are at home, that doesn't change the autopilot display. If waypoints were activated, then it's a different story but it's not.

Daniel

Mike,

On my workbench, once home is set i can switch Autopilot on & because the GPS is indoors & doesnt get a perfect stationary lock i can see the servos twitching (not randomly either) attempting to get back home.

Martin

AAAAH!

I thought that (home) meant that autopilot was on but not doing anything bcse it was at or had reached home. Duh!

Autopilot doesn't twitch anything. more checking required...

thanks Daniel and Badlands

My on screen GPS position indoors moves around (to be expected i think) also my altitude varies even thou my plane is in peices on the work bench.

I think this is what is making the Auto Pilot do its thing.

:-)

I wanted to try the button cell mode on my LS20033 GPS unit.


I removed a small cell battery from an old digital camera.



Hooked it up to GND & VBACKUP pins. Then ditched that connection from DOSD+.

Once it got HOME lock i killed the power, then powered up again & got HOME lock within 10 seconds!



I should really fit a new battery as im sure if that 2nd hand battery dies the GPS will die & thats not a good way to fly!

Martin

Oh Wow!!!

just took the Twinstar out for a dusk fly, trimmed it mechanically, and the IMU stabilisation works great though it's such a calm night I didn't really push its capabilities.

Then I switched it off and tried the autopilot expecting a ton of tweaking and to my amazement it worked on all the default settings without any problem. I kept hold of the Tx but I didn't need to as the plane pottered around above me. I am so impressed and I wish there had been some of the other fliers there to see it. Genius!!!!

A couple of times the plane looked like it was heading away from me and not coming back, so next time I'll do it FPV and look to see what's going on properly.

I am so impressed that the direction and altitude control kept the plane stable without IMU!

Amazing Daniel. So I've got dragon link, Dragon OSD+ now all I need is Dragon video!!

[QUOTE=
I am trying to do this in my garden so I don't have to run around the park with goggles on carrying a RC plane as i think people round here think I'm odd already and I don't want to make it worse! This could be my problem, i need to get further from "home". The garden's big, perhaps not big enough.


thanks![/QUOTE]

Odd already?? nah. Imagine walking around with this on. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=736804 needless to say I have ceased work on that project, too embarrasing

Great news about the Twinstar, Just about to maiden my Twinstar with DOSD/IMU on board, what settings did you use?? just default ones??

Sounds great Mike, i too would like to know your settings/set-up.

Did autopilot control Ailerons & elevator?

n1!

Ok, I am hoping to fly my DragonOSD+ for the first time, this weekend. It will eb flown with a Thomas LRS (12CH), also for the first time. It's being flown on an Easy Star for a fwe weeks, and then will be transplanted into a SkyWalker. So that the moment, my Easy Star doesn't look neat! But, it's temporary, and if things go wrong, I don't mind (but would prefer NOT to) lose my EZ* in a crash. I'd prefer to do this testing on this plane.

BUT...

For the life of me... I can't get a switch to control the OSD! I am using a Futaba 9C.

I have connected CH12 from the Rx, to the PPMIn on the OSD. No servo connections have been added to the PPM1 and 2. Rudder and elevator are still connected to the Rx. But I should still be able to operate the menu, right?

On my 9C, I have done this:

Assigned CH8 to a knob on the transmitter... On the transmitter, I have set the end points of the knob to go to 140% (Full range). In the servo screen on the Tx, I twist the knob, and it goes from full up position (+140%) to full low position (-140%) as I dial it down... So, all points of the channel are 'hit'.

On the DragonOSD+, I have assgined my CONTROLCHANNEL to CH12.

(I am at work now, but NOW think that that should be set to CH8!! Should it?)

This might be a pointless post!