So I have 2 different copters with gimbal and fpv. Most of the time I'll be flying and running the camera by myself. A portion of the time I'll have a partner running the camera.I have an extra controller so I could easily set up for one or the other, but am not sure the best way to switch between the 2.I know others have done this. I can't be the only one.I thought about wiring a second joystick that would be removed when by myself, but plugged in when I have a camera man. That way it would run from one controller.My other thought is a switch system. So it would switch between radio receivers.I'm sure I'm really putting too much thought into this. It seems that it would be a common problem and I've just not found the right solution yet.Can anyone give me some insight?
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I have had several conversations about this very subject (with mixed response) and chose to implement my own solution using a 2nd radio and a trainer cable ( so only my master radio is Tx and one Rx in my hexa). I use FrSky Taranis Plus as my main radio with 16 channel (X8R) receiver in my hexacopter. You can bind the X8R in mode 4 (assuming you have one - see here - http://www.fpvblog.com/rctech/how-to-bind-x8r-to-the-frsky-taranis-...) so that channels 9-16 are available on the PWM outputs whilst all 16 channels available over SBus, connected to the pixhawk. Using those PWM channels I can connect to the gimbal (Ch11-15 in my case). I then have a 2nd radio (Turnigy X9R Pro, with no Tx module installed - so just a dumb radio) connected over a trainer cable (just a mono 3.5mm jack-jack cable) to to my Taranis. On the mixer screen for my hexacopter model, I have the gimbal channels mapped to switches/pots of the Taranis using the initial mix line for each of these channels (in my case Switch B up gets this mix), but then secondary mixes for 4 of these channels (which take effect when I flick Switch B to the downmost position) taking their inputs from TR1-TR4 (instead of the switches on my master radio). The TR1-4 inputs come from Ch1-4 mix on my camera operator radio. So by flicking that gimbal control switch on my Taranis (Master) I switch control of 4 of the gimbal channels to the camera operator radio.
The above is the simple explination. In more detail, I actually have that 3 pos switch configured so that when fully up, I have the gimbal on pilot control in follow-pan mode, but by switching to the middle position, it retains pilot control but allows for fixed yaw/pan which can be manually directed from one of my pots, then switching that 3-pos switch all the way down I get the slave control of 4 of the gimbal channels.
For info I have the X-Cam A10-3h gimbal which allows 5 channel input over Sbus, so I have to convert my 5 PWM outputs from the FrSky X8R into SBus with a converter board. The 5 channels control: move to home pos, operation mode, yaw, tilt, roll.
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I have had several conversations about this very subject (with mixed response) and chose to implement my own solution using a 2nd radio and a trainer cable ( so only my master radio is Tx and one Rx in my hexa). I use FrSky Taranis Plus as my main radio with 16 channel (X8R) receiver in my hexacopter. You can bind the X8R in mode 4 (assuming you have one - see here - http://www.fpvblog.com/rctech/how-to-bind-x8r-to-the-frsky-taranis-...) so that channels 9-16 are available on the PWM outputs whilst all 16 channels available over SBus, connected to the pixhawk. Using those PWM channels I can connect to the gimbal (Ch11-15 in my case). I then have a 2nd radio (Turnigy X9R Pro, with no Tx module installed - so just a dumb radio) connected over a trainer cable (just a mono 3.5mm jack-jack cable) to to my Taranis. On the mixer screen for my hexacopter model, I have the gimbal channels mapped to switches/pots of the Taranis using the initial mix line for each of these channels (in my case Switch B up gets this mix), but then secondary mixes for 4 of these channels (which take effect when I flick Switch B to the downmost position) taking their inputs from TR1-TR4 (instead of the switches on my master radio). The TR1-4 inputs come from Ch1-4 mix on my camera operator radio. So by flicking that gimbal control switch on my Taranis (Master) I switch control of 4 of the gimbal channels to the camera operator radio.
The above is the simple explination. In more detail, I actually have that 3 pos switch configured so that when fully up, I have the gimbal on pilot control in follow-pan mode, but by switching to the middle position, it retains pilot control but allows for fixed yaw/pan which can be manually directed from one of my pots, then switching that 3-pos switch all the way down I get the slave control of 4 of the gimbal channels.
For info I have the X-Cam A10-3h gimbal which allows 5 channel input over Sbus, so I have to convert my 5 PWM outputs from the FrSky X8R into SBus with a converter board. The 5 channels control: move to home pos, operation mode, yaw, tilt, roll.