RCTimer Brushless gimbal controller - How to get it to work.

[Gaza07]

Nice one Steve I think 
was the firmware you tested 049b r58 ?

[coastersteve]

Yes mate   

[Smit80]

Do any of you guys have a set way of dialing in the PID?

I know what and how PID';s work but I';m just curious if you have a set procedure that you follow? My first (poor lol ) attempt with v48 is below, any tips?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7XItHluPE4#ws

[rcjarvis]

Hey guys, finally got it... connecting I mean... Using my gopro usb cable... I did try many other usb cable.. but .. hey... it works...I set it up as gaza';s settings... works ok but it gets twitchy when the tricopter yaws... I think Coastersteve has mentionned this bug. has anyone figured that one out ?

I repositionned the imu, a little less sensible to yaw,  but not perfect.

Dan

[rcjarvis]

http://youtu.be/iVWKAZyipbI

You';ll notice that I have to be real smooth with yaw... When I';m not, the roll axis twitches...this home made tri was set for agressive flight... THanks guys, I got mor here than the controller';s home site!!! I will try to fine tune soon and will post a screenshot of my pid';s " Right now I';m running on Gaza';s pid';s !!!

Dan

[rcjarvis]

Here';s my success story for today. :

1- I downloaded and installed  https://code.google.com/p/brushless-gimbal/downloads/detail?name=BruGi_049A_r45.zip&can=2&q=

2- Downloaded and installed this: http://www.activestate.com/activetcl/downloads

3- I opened the brugi_049... Connected but firmware could not update ( error message)

4- I updated  the firmware with arduino and babaaammm !!! COnnects every time... every time !!!

The roll twitch when vehcile yaws seems to be gone... let the clouds roll-off so I can make some kool videos !!! Jusit in time for my son';s Motocross camp !!!

Thanks again for all your input !! Mostly Gaza, Powerlord and Coastersteve...

Dan

[Smit80]

V49 is way better, Got some great results!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQBMRQlSiWA?&hd=1

[Gav]

Nice one. Brushless gimbals are a revolution in aerial video success

[coastersteve]

_R61 is out, had a play tonight, as you do.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li71bT_FlqY

[Smit80]

_R61 is out, had a play tonight, as you do.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li71bT_FlqY

Wow, that';s pretty close to 90° straight down and seems really stable! Also looking at the landing gear and props you really were testing that gimbal this evening :) Nice work. What FC are you running btw?

Did you find  in 049A_r45 manual pitch control was always very slow no matter what you set rcGain too?

[coastersteve]

Ooh and r68 is out now with a new GUI!

[coastersteve]

Wow, that';s pretty close to 90° straight down and seems really stable! Also looking at the landing gear and props you really were testing that gimbal this evening :) Nice work. What FC are you running btw?

Did you find  in 049A_r45 manual pitch control was always very slow no matter what you set rcGain too?

Yeah, R45 never worked right really. The newer one';s are worlds quicker to respond.

[coastersteve]

_R69 adds the ability to trim roll & pitch, I was plagued with a wonky horizon and this allows me to trim it out  

Not had chance to fly it yet as its just gone midnight and the missus refuses to let me out the house.

[powerlord]

Arse. Just when I though it was all sorted , you lot tell me a new version I';d out !!

More flagging tomorrow then

Sound sweet though

[Gav]

Blimey im still on v49.  Need to keep up.  Getting a bluetoothed alexmos soon too for quad no 2. No more cables

[coastersteve]

Got _R69 installed and trimmed up 

! Private video

I now need some ultra flexible cable for the sensor and to my GoPro. Even though my video was stable, it was always on the skew. Not no more, quite chuffed!

[powerlord]

Is it worth moving to 69 from 45 ? Do I need to start from scratch with the pids again ?

[powerlord]

The skew thing I had in the early firmware only. The main thing that sorted it though Maas calibrating imu - battery off. Get level and set calibration. Then it was fine

[coastersteve]

I had no joy what so ever calibrating my IMU, didn';t seem to do anything no matter what I tried.

I';m guessing if its not broke don';t fix it 

[rcjarvis]

I will post videos and pids  tomorrow but r69 really nailed it for me !!! I now have good video Stab with my rc timer brushless gimbal !!! Awesome !!!


Dan

[rcjarvis]

Not perfect, but the best results I';ve had since my beginning over a year ago

So here it is:
http://youtu.be/eVJPoGRoaH4

Dan

[Balders]

Just watched it Dan. Any ideas what happens at 4:30 to cause that tilt?

Mine should be here in a few days, can';t wait to get stuck in.

[Balders]

Quick question to those who already have this gimbal/board.  Does it come with the plastic stand-off';s to mount the board as shown on the rctimer website?

[Gaza07]

Yes it does although I swapped em for slightly shorter ones 

Quick question to those who already have this gimbal/board.  Does it come with the plastic stand-off';s to mount the board as shown on the rctimer website?

[DarrenG]

My RCTimer gimbal arrived this morning and the first issue is one of the grub screw holes on the camera frame isn';t tapped. How can I get around that?  Can I get a tap set that small and what size is it anyway??

[Balders]

Darren, sorry not an answer to your question...mind if I ask what date you ordered it?  Patiently (yeah right!) waiting for mine to arrive. I know it hit the UK yesterday but no further tracking info

[DarrenG]

Darren, sorry not an answer to your question...mind if I ask what date you ordered it?  Patiently (yeah right!) waiting for mine to arrive. I know it hit the UK yesterday but no further tracking info

Ordered on 4th June. Managed to get the grub screw issue sorted. Now got to get the roll shaft to fit into the small ';X'; shaped bracket. It';s too tight, trying to find a suitably sized bolt I can use to tap through the shaft hole to enlarge it a tad!

[Balders]

Ordered on 4th June. Managed to get the grub screw issue sorted. Now got to get the roll shaft to fit into the small ';X'; shaped bracket. It';s too tight, trying to find a suitably sized bolt I can use to tap through the shaft hole to enlarge it a tad!

Quality control isn';t always their strongest suit...did you get the rctimer controller too or go for an alexmos from elsewhere?

[DarrenG]

Went with the Martinez from RCTimer as well. All assembled now. Will do the setup this evening and decide how best to mount it.

[DarrenG]

OK, updated to 049B_r69.  Confused about connections and how I power this though?

I take it that, unlike a servo gimbal, there is no direct connection to the APM as the IMU handles all the levelling etc?   But what about power?  Does this board require 5v via a UBEC or do I connect it direct to the PDB.