Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Boland on May 31, 2012 at 4:31pm

Does your transmitter have a servo monitor function?

That is where I would start. Check your Tx is on Plane and not Heli, and that when the throttle goes up only the throttle channel is responding.

Next I would plug a servo into the Rx on throttle and check that works as expected.

If you have 6 servos plug them into the APM and see if they are moving in sync.

At least it will lead you to the cause, Tx, Rx, APM or ESC's

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Permalink Reply by etienne.t.micallef on June 1, 2012 at 10:56am

I have checked  results as follows:

TX plane, only throttle responding

RX with servo ok

 i removed one esc and plugged a servo in the aAPM. the servo started doing strange noise and did not work. APM would not keep armed. i noticed that the servo moves towards one direction and keep on trying to move in that direction., the sound ie hissing is because it get stuck.  it seems that APM is putting a continous signal out...

Any idea of this

Please

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Permalink Reply by etienne.t.micallef on June 1, 2012 at 11:05am

above was with output one on the APM.

when i tested on output 5 same thing

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Permalink Reply by Vernon Barry on June 1, 2012 at 11:14am

The APM update rate for the ESCs is higher than what a servo can take. Thus this is normal, you cannot test with a servo. This was actually discussed in the another thread involving a gas engine using throttle servos. There is a setting in the APM firmware if you compile from Arduino that you can slow the update rate and thus a normal servo would work.

when I push the throttle the motors do not start at the same time.,  i have one motor starting at 6 % trottle,  another at 27, 2 at 30% and another at circa 64%.

Did you level the quad first via the first time setup? This sounds normal if the current position of the quad has been moved from level, or if the "assumed" level was never set and thus the machine is trying to move to what it thinks is level.

 

Check these directions again 

http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/AC2_First

 

Then do this test:

http://youtu.be/YfjnIX78oSY

http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/first-flights?commentId=705844%3A...

 

 

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Permalink Reply by etienne.t.micallef on June 1, 2012 at 11:17am

ok 

Veron do you have an idea what is causing my problem please

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Permalink Reply by Vernon Barry on June 1, 2012 at 11:27am

I think I described it to you.

I have seen using the stock firmware on the ESCs with APM2.0 the ESC didn't catch the bootup sequence and sometime either don't respond at all, or worse, some work and some don't. The fix is to disconnect the battery, and reconnect.

My permanent fix was to reflash the ESCs with a non-BS firmware intended just for quads that works 100% every time.

http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/flashing-3dr-escs-or-rc-timer-esc...

 

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Permalink Reply by etienne.t.micallef on June 1, 2012 at 12:35pm

ok.. my hexa does not pass the basic tests.  as when i press the throttle, not al  motors start etc.  in order to have al lmotors going i need to be above60 %.  it behaves as in your video.  I checked and the hexa was levelled in the setup and it is on a level surface.

Can it be that the APM is defect?

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Permalink Reply by Vernon Barry on June 2, 2012 at 6:10am

No, the APM is working as expected. Your ESCs are not working as expected due to calibration being off. As I have described this is a common occurence because the stock ESC firmware always wants to calibrate every time it first has power applied. The link I provided is to a firmware just for quads that does not do this calibration and thus removes the problem completely.

Every time you plug in the battery, there is a chance to mess up the calibration of the ESCs and get your current non-working state.

It is extremely likely the 30A escs you have can be programmed so read the link, cut off the heatshrink on one of them and verify what cpu it has and the board layout. Then all you need is an AVR programmer (a tool you will need eventually in this hobby anyway).

Your other option is to cailbrate each ESC using the radio receiver manually. Calibrate each motor individually plugging it into the bare receiver (nothing else plugged into the receiver) by itself. Follow the directions cards that came with the ESCs. Bascially you will use the throttle channel and move a lot of top and bottom stick to set the settings and total "range" of valid signal.

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Permalink Reply by etienne.t.micallef on June 2, 2012 at 2:28pm

thanks Veron

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Permalink Reply by Vernon Barry on June 3, 2012 at 10:14am

Sorry, I wish it were easier to flash the ESCs but honestly, it works so much better.

Again, if you follow the manual calibration of each ESC using either a servo tester (another handy too to have) or just the radio and receiver, then you will get it so all the motors spin at the same time.

Based on your statement:

in order to have al lmotors going i need to be above60 %.  it behaves as in your video

I must believe the APM is working, it's just the ESCs.

Anyway, hope you get it sorted out and begin flying. You are very close at this point.

Permalink Reply by etienne.t.micallef on June 3, 2012 at 12:48pm

Dear Veron,

Can you kindly ell me how to use a servo tester to calibrate escs. please?

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Permalink Reply by Vernon Barry on June 3, 2012 at 4:35pm

Pretty easy, just use the servo tester like it's the throttle stick and follow the normal ESC instructions. The key is that the ESC goes into program mode as soon as the battery is connected.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=rc%20timer%20esc%20m...

Begin To Use Your New ESC

Please start the ESC in the following sequences:

1. Move the throttle stick to the bottom position and then switch on the transmitter. (In your case, the servo tester to minimum position).

2. Connect the battery pack to the ESC, the ESC begins the self-test process, a special tone " 123" is emitted, which means the voltage of the battery pack is in normal range, and then N "beep" tones will be emitted, means the number of lithium battery cells.Finally a long "beep------" tone will be emitted, which means self-test is OK, the aircraft/

 For example, this is the tester I hae and it makes it very simple. http://www.hobbypartz.com/ek2-0907.html?gclid=CNKA3oues7ACFcSa7Qod6... 

 

The point is, all you need is the battery, motor, esc, and servo tester, where if you follow the manual for the esc, you would need the tx and rx too. All the servo tester does is emulate the stick on the trnasmitter and the output of the receiver. Doesn't get much simpler.

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