f550 Start Up

[Francis Hayden]

I';m a college teacher and I';ve been building a couple of DJI 550s with a group of students. They are all built and calibrated and everything seems OK but when we switch on we just get left with flashing lights and they won';t fire up. can anyone help?

[Area21]

You have not provided any helpful information so its difficult to offer any answers. What transmitter, what flight controller, what motors,what ESC';s, battery type voltage, does the assistant software show everything is functioning (make sure the props are removed form safety purpose).

[Francis Hayden]

Props are removed.

Naza V2 and everything seems to work fine while it';s connected to a laptop.

Futaba T8J radio connected conventionally.

Turnigy 5.0 battery and fully charged.

We think we managed to calibrate the compass but we are still getting two green lights and one red. We are sure the sticks are centred and are not touched during the initialisation.

We can';t think of anything else we need to do.

[jamesb72]

OK I';ll bite.

Csc ?

Have you gone through steps in manual?

[Francis Hayden]

We reckon so. Everything is calibrated and centred and working as far as we can make out.

[ched]

I know nothing about naza but on other flight controllers you set an ';arm'; switch or stick position. i.e zero throttle and yaw right, but it could be set to some other stick position. Hope that gives you a clue.

I know you have already posted props are off but until you fully understand your flight controller';s config do not connect battery with props on!!!!!!!

added: just found a post that says: '; when you are ready to "arm" or fly, position both pull both sticks to bottom corners.'; does that help?

[PropsToYou]

As Ched mentioned, to arm your hex when you';re ready to fly, pull both sticks to the inside bottom of your transmitter.

[Francis Hayden]

Thanks for the ideas, guys.

We';ve tried a combination of things - increasing the transmitter limits to 116 and then recalibrating, leaving the throttle stick in centre position instead of zero, and pulling the sticks to the bottom middle corner.

Unfortunately it is raining and we don';t want to get it wet so we can';t go outside and find enough satellites to make it happy. Tomorrow with any luck!

[PropsToYou]

Thanks for the ideas, guys.

We';ve tried a combination of things - increasing the transmitter limits to 116 and then recalibrating, leaving the throttle stick in centre position instead of zero, and pulling the sticks to the bottom middle corner.

Unfortunately it is raining and we don';t want to get it wet so we can';t go outside and find enough satellites to make it happy. Tomorrow with any luck!

With Props off, have you tried arming indoors not in GPS mode?

[Hairydog]

Have you reversed the settings on the Throttle and Elevator in the assistant software?
Otherwise it wont arm.

[Francis Hayden]

The main controls are all set to NORM but they seem to operate correctly. Do we need to reverse them in the Assistant and the TX?

[Yellow]

I had what felt like a similar issue when fiddling with my A2 once.

When you plug it into the assistant, first should make sure the sticks are moving the inputs in the right direction (the naza assistant will tell you which way they should move). If they are not correct, just reverse them on the tx to make sure they are correct (I find that easier) This should be all you need to do for reversing, I think on my t8j/naza combo I needed one reverse.

You mentioned endpoints, I';m pretty sure I kept these at defaults on my naza, maybe worth resetting those for now and just double checking the stick directions are correct.

As Props said, to arm you need both sticks down and to the middle to arm a naza, which can be thrown off by one stick being in reverse lol

Worth doing it with props off and inside just to get things going before worrying about the gps

[Hairydog]

The main controls are all set to NORM but they seem to operate correctly. Do we need to reverse them in the Assistant and the TX?

As far as I remember you reverse them in the Assistant only.

[Hairydog]

I had what felt like a similar issue when fiddling with my A2 once.

When you plug it into the assistant, first should make sure the sticks are moving the inputs in the right direction (the naza assistant will tell you which way they should move). If they are not correct, just reverse them on the tx to make sure they are correct (I find that easier) This should be all you need to do for reversing, I think on my t8j/naza combo I needed one reverse.

You mentioned endpoints, I';m pretty sure I kept these at defaults on my naza, maybe worth resetting those for now and just double checking the stick directions are correct.

As Props said, to arm you need both sticks down and to the middle to arm a naza, which can be thrown off by one stick being in reverse lol

Worth doing it with props off and inside just to get things going before worrying about the gps

I am sure I read somewhere that if you reverse the TX settings it can mess up your failsafe.

[Nige8021]

On all my electric fixed wing and my 550 clone with a Futaba Tx (T9ZAP WC2) I';ve had to reverse the throttle channel to get the ESC/s to work correctly, It doesn';t affect the failsafe as the Tx looks at the throttle gimbal position & not the radiated signal

[Hairydog]

On all my electric fixed wing and my 550 clone with a Futaba Tx (T9ZAP WC2) I';ve had to reverse the throttle channel to get the ESC/s to work correctly, It doesn';t affect the failsafe as the Tx looks at the throttle gimbal position & not the radiated signal

But if you lose TX signal the flight controller will revert to the settings made on the assistant and that will mean the throttle isn';t reversed.
I am trying to find where I read it to post a link but I am sure I had to reverse the TX settings to calibrate the ESC';s then turn it back after and reverse the settings on the assistant.

[Digit]

But if you lose TX signal the flight controller will revert to the settings made on the assistant and that will mean the throttle isn';t reversed.
I am trying to find where I read it to post a link but I am sure I had to reverse the TX settings to calibrate the ESC';s then turn it back after and reverse the settings on the assistant.

Failsafe on a Naza is either land or return to home, it takes complete control doesn';t matter where the throttle stick is.

[Hairydog]

Failsafe on a Naza is either land or return to home, it takes complete control doesn';t matter where the throttle stick is.

Cool.
I read so much and watched so many video';s about this I am going to have a look at mine again.
What you say makes sense. 

[Francis Hayden]

Managed to get one started. Thanks very much.

Reversing the elevator seems to have been the key.

Now I can';t get the other one to talk to my laptop. Does the Assistant only work with one aircraft?

[Francis Hayden]

Managed to get the second plane started now. Had to reinstall the driver to make the Assistant talk to a different plane. !

Been through a set of props already!

[Kez]

If they both have the same naza (V1/v2 etc) then they should work on the same software. sometimes the usb cables can be a bit tempermental.
You really need to make sure everythings set up before trying to run it up.
First step is to set the aircraft type (basic > aircraft) for a 550 it will be hexa rotor I
next enter the gps antenna position (basic> mounting) note - the Z is -10
Then calibrate the sticks so the sliders on screen move to each end and settle in the middle (basic > r/c) and make sure the function switch has the correct positions (how to set it depends what tx you have)
It also helps to set the motor idle speed low, so it doesn';t keep going when you shut it off (advanced > motor) Also set the cutoff type to ';immediately';

If all looks good, you need to do the ';naza dance'; to calibrate the gps:
-flick the mode switch back and forth quickly until the status led is a solid yellow (takes around 10 times)
-rotate the copter a full corcle on the table (just spin it flat) - the light will go green
-pick it up so the nose is pointing at the ground and rotate it a full circle clockwise (like a corkscrew) and the led will start blinking yellows and reds again. After a while it will flash green (if gps mode is on)

To start the engines, you put the sticks in the bottom outside corners. from there you can increase the throttle and see if the motors spin the right way (if not just swap the outside 2 plugs on the esc). Note - if you don';t increase the throttle then you have to do the switch on position again

[Friskle]

If they both have the same naza (V1/v2 etc) then they should work on the same software. sometimes the usb cables can be a bit tempermental.
You really need to make sure everythings set up before trying to run it up.
First step is to set the aircraft type (basic > aircraft) for a 550 it will be hexa rotor I
next enter the gps antenna position (basic> mounting) note - the Z is -10
Then calibrate the sticks so the sliders on screen move to each end and settle in the middle (basic > r/c) and make sure the function switch has the correct positions (how to set it depends what tx you have)
It also helps to set the motor idle speed low, so it doesn';t keep going when you shut it off (advanced > motor) Also set the cutoff type to ';immediately';

If all looks good, you need to do the ';naza dance'; to calibrate the gps:
-flick the mode switch back and forth quickly until the status led is a solid yellow (takes around 10 times)
-rotate the copter a full corcle on the table (just spin it flat) - the light will go green
-pick it up so the nose is pointing at the ground and rotate it a full circle clockwise (like a corkscrew) and the led will start blinking yellows and reds again. After a while it will flash green (if gps mode is on)

To start the engines, you put the sticks in the bottom outside corners. from there you can increase the throttle and see if the motors spin the right way (if not just swap the outside 2 plugs on the esc). Note - if you don';t increase the throttle then you have to do the switch on position again

Thats the Compass, not GPS :)

[Kez]

It';s the same unit. the compass and gps antenna are one module

[Nige8021]

It';s the same unit. the compass and gps antenna are one module

Yes it';s the one module but the "Dance" is to calibrate the compass not the GPS

[Kez]

I think this is all rather pedantic. On the DJI site they refer to it as a gps/compass. Why we are splitting hairs I dont know

[Friskle]

no ones splitting hairs lol, Or being pedantic, just saying Fact, same unit maybe, but your calibrating the Compass, not the GPS

[Kez]

Ok lets put it this way.. was your petty point scoring reply any help to the op at all? No, so why bother?

[Nige8021]

Ok lets put it this way.. was your petty point scoring reply any help to the op at all? No, so why bother?

Was your wrong info any help NO !!

[Friskle]

Ok lets put it this way.. was your petty point scoring reply any help to the op at all? No, so why bother?

Seriously, what is your problem ? 

[Two-Six]

! No longer available

I was really enjoying the postings in general, all good stuff.  I read the interjection about calibrating the compass not the GPS as a valid clarification.

Perhaps quoting back Kez';s posting was a mistake.  I try not to do this as it instantly dings my bells if somebody does it to me on forums...Generally speaking, even if they don';t say anything controversial etc...

Chaps, take a deep breath..Calm down :-)

Lets see if we can get the teacher';s drone doing it';s thing.