Advice thread turns into 680 Pro + E800 build thread

[Friskle]

i know your talking losing Altitude, but what the flight like on Pitch and Roll axis ? eg, is there any oscillations or wobbles ?

[soundsk]

It drifts a bit, it responds well to input, but it';s carried by the wind a bit.
When you let go of one input like left roll, it doesn';t stop immediately, which as I understand is low gains.

[Friskle]

Yes, Low if drifting,, cant wait for Video also , we need video :)

[soundsk]

Had some issues with the gimbal.
Don';t quite know what happened, but it stopped responding to the pitch control input.

After much tinkering about I was able to get it working again using the EXT_PITCH channel.

Went to do a couple of test flights in the daylight, videos from last night were horrible, you could only hear the noise and see the leds - the videos from today are uploading right now.

Today it started as yesterday, drifting to the left. Tried doing the dance a couple of times, tried IMU calibration, and adjusted gains a couple of times.

About the third time I put it in the air, it seemed to get better after flying a bit.
Then I noticed the so-called TBE when rotating around YAW.



Adjusted the GPS offset from -10 to -12 (it';s now sitting on it';s standard mount on top of the mount I made, dead center on top of the Naza), then used the level on the iphone to level the FC mount ensuring the FC was level, and did IMU calibration.


By the last flight, which unfortunately I didn';t record, the TBE was gone, but now when you rotate YAW, it drifts de-centered from the its CG, it doesn';t actually rotate around it';s center.
How can I fix this?

Hoping a couple more flights and adjustments get it flying perfectly. I hate this trial and error approach to stuff, not knowing how to get things right the first time around.

Here are the gains now, and the readings from the sensors.





As soon as the videos are done, I';ll post the links!

Any help and advice you can give on how to get it flying smooth and holding hover well is welcome... 

[soundsk]

The videos just finished uploading, I';m sorry I didn';t edit the boring stuff out, but I wanted to get them up fast in time to get your feedback in time for tomorrow';s test flights!

Here they are, from first to last:
http://youtu.be/Uc07YoOPdPo

http://youtu.be/rO4ZpzekgbQ

http://youtu.be/BY5yhJcf9AI

[Friskle]

One thing i observed on your second video when you did compass calibration at the start, well i assume it was that, on the vertical rotation, you didnt have its nose pointing downwards, how much difference it makes who knows for sure, but just thought i would mention it :)

overall that is looking nice and stable and seems to hover nicely :)

As for drifting when Yawing, you can get it near as damn it, but i really dont think you can ever get it perfectly rotating around its axis without a little drift here and there.

[soundsk]

on the vertical rotation, you didnt have its nose pointing downwards, how much difference it makes who knows for sure

That';s the first time I';ve read that, didn';t know you were supposed to have the nose pointing down.
I calibrated my Phantom a few times just like that and it was good.
My phantom also "yawed" quite perfectly.

But tomorrow I';ll do it with like that, no harm in trying!

Going to do another IMU calibration here at home and maybe another compass cal too.

Tomorrow';s a new day, hopefully I can get it flyin'; straight! 

[Friskle]

There you go :)

[soundsk]

HAHAHAHA 

Believe it or not, I actually read that a couple of times back when starting to fly the phantom, but I must admit I never saw that.

Just tried it but failed because I had the nose pointing away from me and had to rotate midway I guess.
So you start with the nose pointing the way you are going to rotate, and then just point it down the second time on the vertical?

[Friskle]

 

Its funny, someone on the Yuneec Q500 forum, has just asked a Q, and the answer is Facing you on one of the quick start pages lol.

Like my Q500 saying Nose to Magnetic North, i even put a compass app on the phone lol, DJI face the Gravitational pole, How crucial i dont really know.

Just had an enquiry for my Wookong, only, they just want the motors lol, as i think once thats gone and some other stuff, I`ll go for another Q500, but the 4K version. will still keep the Naza 450 and Phantom though :)

[soundsk]

I';ll try and get it right tomorrow. Need to get some sleep, all these late nights are messing with my brain...

BTW, in my transmitter I';m using the profiles I used with the phantom. One is the standard configuration with a fail safe switch and pitch control via the naza, the other is the same, but the pitch is connected straight from futaba receiver via ch5 which frees up x1 for gain control via the trim switch.
In this second profile I have a couple of mixes activated by switches: one induces a self spin for panoramic shots at a constant rate, the other mixes yaw and roll for automatic panning around objects or buildings.

I';ve been thinking of making another mix triggered by a switch which when activated, induces a percentage of yaw to the roll, so piloting can become a bit more dynamic in certain situations, like say chasing a moving object through a course or road. Don';t know if I';m explaining myself well...

[Friskle]

I';ll try and get it right tomorrow. Need to get some sleep, all these late nights are messing with my brain...

BTW, in my transmitter I';m using the profiles I used with the phantom. One is the standard configuration with a fail safe switch and pitch control via the naza, the other is the same, but the pitch is connected straight from futaba receiver via ch5 which frees up x1 for gain control via the trim switch.
In this second profile I have a couple of mixes activated by switches: one induces a self spin for panoramic shots at a constant rate, the other mixes yaw and roll for automatic panning around objects or buildings.

I';ve been thinking of making another mix triggered by a switch which when activated, induces a percentage of yaw to the roll, so piloting can become a bit more dynamic in certain situations, like say chasing a moving object through a course or road. Don';t know if I';m explaining myself well...

Yep understand what your thinking there :)

i did have the gain on X1 at one point, but once it was flying how i liked it, i dropped that off, but, i only flew it certain weathers, but if your going to be using it regular in varying wind conditions, the X1 gain control would be handy.

[soundsk]

Flew again today, I calibrated the compass as suggested.

It';s not bad, but I still think it needs to improve a bit. Could it still be the gains?
Is it normal for the gains to be around 200% for a setup like this?

The hold is good sometimes, other times not so much... Also sometimes it doesn';t actually go forward but kind of diagonal to the left, maybe the GPS is slightly pointing right?

http://youtu.be/Xk1M_vuljCs

[Mark_Felton]

Good to see hex in the air in all its glory

[soundsk]

Good to see hex in the air in all its glory

Thanks Mark!

I';ve decided to switch the layout of things again, going to put the BTU under the bottom plate, and I';ve already moved the FPV to the rail, trying to keep everything away from the GPS so I can rule out any interference. Also going to try and align it again.
On the other hand, the gimbal seems to be doing quite well, either the settings or the new dampers or a combination of both are keeping the camera really steady!






I';ll record the next test flights, but this time with a gopro on my head, since I';m flying alone, and having the camera on a tripod means the hexa is out of the picture most of the time.

I';ve been reading about batteries, and I';m thinking I need a higher discharge battery...
The 12000mAh is a 10C discharge, the hexa is weighing in at 4.2Kg with it. Toward the end of the flight yesterday it seemed like it was loosing altitude at the end of a heavy handed move on the pitch or roll, which might be explained by the battery levels going down and not being able to supply enough power...
A Tattu 12500mAh is 25C/50C and is a couple hundred grams lighter. Double the price tag, but maybe worth it...
Anyone got any insight on this?

[soundsk]

The retracts arrived today, but the Tattu battery is sold out, should arrive next week - since it weighs 1/2Kg less than my current multistar 12000 I';m expecting to see a big change.

The replacement iOSD arrived yesterday, but either I';m the unluckiest guy on earth, or something';s wrong. It';s completely dead.
To be on the safe side this time, I disconnected the BTU from the PMU, and connected only the iOSD mini, without connecting the video cable. No LED, nothing.

The dealer offered to replace it on the spot, but I really want to be sure if I really did get a defective iOSD mini, or if there';s anything else wrong... Since the BTU lights up and works when connected to the PMU, I can only assume the problem MUST be with the iOSD.
Going to try and meet a friend I know flies a Naza setup, and have him connect my iOSDs to his PMU, see what happens. Also ordered a MAX7456 as in my research it seems these are one of the main components on the iOSD that causes it to stop working, and can be replaced.

Tomorrow I';ll do some more test flying hopefully and post updates as they happen!

Cheers!

[Mark_Felton]

Wow your not having any luck unless its bad luck!   Ooh retracts sound fancy.  How long do you reckon you will get with the Tattu battery? 

[soundsk]

I have the Tattu battery, but the drone is still in parts waiting for the new PMU.
I should receive it next week, along with - hopefully - the IC';s to try and fix the other PMU';s.

As soon as I have news I';ll update this and the other threads!!