Hello to all,

The MultiWiiCopter is another multicopter based on a Wii Motion Plus extension and an Arduino pro mini board.
I wanted to design something very simple, cheap, minimalist, with an open source code.
It should be compatible with any receiver (4 channels mini, even those with a single PPM sum signal), every standard servo and most standard ESCs.

It can now handle several different configuration: tricopter, quadricopter, Y4, Y6, hexacopter, octocopter

The integration of Wii nunchuk allows an auto stable mode but is not mandatory to fly the model
My approach is more piloting oriented and the help of accelerometers is not really useful for this purpose.

The hardware were not specially intended to evolve toward something with GPS and sensors, however it's on the way .

There is also a GUI where you can visualize and configure several indicators and parameters.
I also developed a way to configure flight parameters directly on a small 2x16 LCD display.


There is a specific web site to detail the design and to keep updated the source code :
http://www.multiwii.com/
and a dedicated forum: http://www.multiwii.com/forum/



Feature list summary:

• Multicopter type:
  • BICOPTER
  • TRICOPTER
  • QUAD +
  • QUAD X
  • Y4
  • Y6
  • HEX COAX6 (Y6)
  • HEX FLAT 6
  • OCTOX8
  • OCTOFLATP
  • OCTOFLATX
  • VTAIL
  • FLYING WING
  • AIRPLANE
• RX input :
  • standard receiver (4 or 5 channels in PPM mode, 2.4GHz or not)
  • PPM sum receiver
  • Open LRS
  • Spektrum
  • Futaba SBUS
• Output:
  • up to 4 standard servo outputs, included PITCH/ROLL tilt stabilization
  • 3, 4 or 6 standard ESC outputs, boosted with a 488Hz refresh rate
• Sensors:
  • Gyro:
    • some versions of Wii Motion Plus: 3 MEMS Gyro: 2x IDG-650, 1x ISZ-650
    • 3 axis gyro ITG3200
    • 3 axis gyro L3G4200D
    • 3 axis gyro MPU6050
  • Acc:
    • some versions of Nunchuk:3 MEMS Acc: LIS3L02AL
    • ADXL345
    • BMA020
    • BMA180
    • LIS3LV02
    • LSM303DLx_ACC
  • Barometer:
    • BMP085
    • MS561101BA
  • Compass:
    • 3 axis magnetometer HMC5843 or HMC5883L
    • 3 axis magnetometer AK8975
    • 3 axis magnetometer MAG3110
  • ultrasonic sensor
    • SRF08
• LCD:
  • 9600 baud LCD 2x16 characters, for configuration of main parameters on the field
  • TextStar LCD
  • Eagle Tree Power Panel LCD
  • OLED I2C 128x64 display
  • VT100 terminal
• GUI:
  • Coded with processing, java core: Linux/MAC/PC compatible, USB connection
  • Exhaustive parameter configuration
  • Graphical visualization of sensors, motors and RC signal
• Flight mode:
  • Angle velocity driven (ACRO mode)
  • Absolute angle driven (LEVEL mode)
• OSD integration:
  • MIS OSD compatible: MultiWii OSD support
  • RushDuino
  • mobiDrone

You can find here a very good "step by step" Quad MultiWiiCopter construction on this blog:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1332876
I advice every beginner to read it first. Thank you Norbert.

You can also find precise information to wire everything on Berkely blog:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1340771

A very good post for initial setup and basic questions from Shikra:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1348268

facebook fans
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MultiW...20552724678815

MultiWii archive code repository
http://code.google.com/p/multiwii/
last version: v2.4
last dev version: updated regularly in https://code.google.com/p/multiwii/

In order to help users to configure the multiwii Arduino sketch, Daniel Saez developed a very nice graphical online tool to generate the needed code.
http://ardupirates.net/config/MW_Config.php
As explained, the generated code should replace the one between the 2 sections delimited by CONFIGURABLE PARAMETERS

How to disassemble and mount wii parts on a shield, with the good orientation
nice tutorial from Quinton here http://www.multiwiicopter.com/pages/videos

Here is a video of my first tricopter based on this electronics.

TriWiiCopter 28/05/2010 (4 min 47 sec)

A more recent one.

Tricopter running MultiWii code, aggressive settings (3 min 57 sec)

Note:
In the pictures bellow, D12 is used to power the IMU.
It is no longer useful since the last I2C code variant.
Any IMU, including WMP can be directly powered with VCC now.

Originally Posted by Alexinparis

The TriWiiCopter is another tricopter based on a Wii Motion Plus extension and an Arduino pro mini board...

Looks great. Can't wait to try it out.

Nice Job - That is awesome - Looks like I need to order some more parts -

Mike

Very NICE!!

Wow Alex. That's fantastic!
And it seems like this controller can be made for really cheap. Even cheaper then Kapteinku's controller (which is as cheap as you can go so far).

adrian

Awesome job!

Anybody got a good source for the Wii controllers?

Interesting, I got exact the same idea of changing config. without PC
Bought $4 LCD(RT0802B) off ebay and made simple menu
with menu buttons on LCD there is no need for remote controller

Good job Alex

just a question

is the PID setting are for all the axes yaw roll nick
we can't dissociate the PID setting for each axe ?

rgds

Originally Posted by Alexinparis

Hello to all,

The TriWiiCopter is another tricopter based on a Wii Motion Plus extension and an Arduino pro mini board.

I wanted to design something very simple, cheap, minimalist, with an open source code.
It should be compatible with any receiver (4 channels), every standard servo and most standard ESCs.

I didn't integrate the Wii nunchuk extension because my approach is piloting oriented and the help of accelerometers is not really useful for this purpose.
The hardware is not specially intended to evolve toward something with GPS and captors, however it could.

Compared to other multi rotor helis, there is no GUI for the moment and I developed a way to configure flight parameters directly on a small 2x16 LCD display.

I made a specific web page to detail the design and to keep updated the source code :
http://radio-commande.com/internatio...copter-design/



Here is a video of my first tricopter based on this electronics with the last code.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGsMt5ntcXw

Alex - Have you flown it in the wind yet? If so how does it handle?

Thanks
Mike

Originally Posted by fmkit

Interesting, I got exact the same idea of changing config. without PC
Bought $4 LCD(RT0802B) off ebay and made simple menu
with menu buttons on LCD there is no need for remote controller

Interesting too, and very cheap.
RT0802B is not a serial LCD, and your LCD seems to be connected with only 3 wires. did you develop a specific thing to handle the serial communication and the buttons ?
I searched a lot to find a ready to plug serial LCD, and Sparkun one was my best choice regarding the cost. If you have a better option, I would be pleased to know it.

Originally Posted by tazdevil

Good job Alex

just a question

is the PID setting are for all the axes yaw roll nick
we can't dissociate the PID setting for each axe ?

rgds

Hi,

Currently :
The PID settings are global to nick and roll.
Yaw PID is static and not configurable.

For some strange reasons, I discovered the sensibility of nick and roll gyro could differ depending on the WMP copies you get => I plan to separate nick & roll PID settings in a future version.

Originally Posted by cdi3d

Alex - Have you flown it in the wind yet? If so how does it handle?

Thanks
Mike

Hi,
Yes, I already flew it in a quite heavy wind. It is not really a problem for the stability. I would say it can handle the wind like a collective pitch heli of the same size

Originally Posted by Alexinparis

Interesting too, and very cheap.
RT0802B is not a serial LCD, and your LCD seems to be connected with only 3 wires. did you develop a specific thing to handle the serial communication and the buttons ?
I searched a lot to find a ready to plug serial LCD, and Sparkun one was my best choice regarding the cost. If you have a better option, I would be pleased to know it.

yes, used 6 IO controller , bit mode LCD and 2 buttons with series resistors on LCD pins, in the picture buttons on other side.
Sorry I never used Arduino and my ASM code only good for Cypress chips!

Hi Alex

my version is working with arduino 168 (m168P)

but , I use original version of the WII from nintendo

but sometime the board initialise , sometime not, I've got strange reaction comming I guess from I2C bus.

if I unplug the wii+ all is fine, if i replug it could work or not very randomly.

gyro are working and react on motor and servo.

do you think there could be some difference betwhen copy and original (i2C speed or else ?)

rgds

Originally Posted by tazdevil

Hi Alex

my version is working with arduino 168 (m168P)

but , I use original version of the WII from nintendo

but sometime the board initialize , sometime not, I've got strange reaction coming I guess from I2C bus.

if I unplug the wii+ all is fine, if i replug it could work or not very randomly.

gyro are working and react on motor and servo.

do you think there could be some difference between copy and original (i2C speed or else ?)

rgds

I noticed something I still don't understand:

• When I power the arduino with FTDI USB module (to upload a version or to debug), the WMP initialization is always good.

• When I powered the arduino with the BEC of the ESCs, the WMP initialization fails sometimes as you explain. But when the init is good, every thing works perfectly after.

In both cases, the WMP is powered with 5V.

It may be due to the quality of the 5V at the very beginning.
I think I will power WMP with another method:

• even if it works with 5V, it maybe better to operate WMP under 3.3V

• I will use a free analog PIN output to create this alim

• this alim will be a little temporized to have more voltage stability at the beginning.

I don't think bad copies is the origin of this problem