AC3.3 TradHeli Release Discussion

WARNING to TradHeli users:

Do not attempt to fly AC3.3 until you hear otherwise from me. I have not even bench tested it yet, let alone test flown it. There are quite a lot of changes that have gone in that could be crash-o-matic for helicopters.

AC3.3 release for Tradheli is likely to be delayed.

This post will serve as the official release progress thread for TradHeli.

Warning: DO NOT FLY RC6! It has a critical bug that will likely end in a crash.

Warning for RC5:

RATE_YAW_FILT_HZ param will change defaults from 5Hz to 20Hz to be more suitable for helicopters. If you have never changed this parameter from 5 before, then it will automatically update the value to 20 without warning. This much faster filter will probably require reduction in your P and D terms, and the yaw may oscillate badly. Be prepared to retune these. As a safety measure, probably cut them in half for your first take-off.

Warning #2 for RC5:

I accidentally broke the Landing Detector. It will probably never trigger. You should land in Stabilize mode, or be prepared to shut down the motor as soon as it touches the ground in Alt_Hold, Loiter, Auto, etc.

Hi Steve,

E-stop and Interlock are not really options for heli. Basically, Interlock is forced to be true, and forced to be on Ch8 input. The gas motor code, has it such that if you are disarmed, the engine throttle will move to the Closed position. When you arm, with Ch8 Low, it will move to Idle position. When you set Ch8 high, throttle servo will begin operating on the 3-point curve for open-loop throttle control.

I think I can add a Engine-Run-Enable Auxilliary function easily for 3.3. This is a good idea. Basically, you would set one of the RCn Functions to Engine-Run-Enable. When disarmed, the PWM of that channel will go low. When armed, the PWM of that channel will go high. This will easily allow usage of a gas engine ignition kill switch.

Is this what you're looking for?

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Ultrafuge October 15, 2015 at 11:57am

Hi,

I tried ACRO_TRAINER=1, ACRO_BAL_PITCH/ROLL=1.

Left aileron stick input, swash follows, stick center, swash goes back to level.

Right aileron input, swash follows, stick center, swash does not go back to level.

Nose down elevator stick input, swash follows, stick center, swash goes back to level.

Nose up elevator input, swash follows, stick center, swash does not go back to level.

Do I have a 'special effect' or is it a bug ?
- Rob_Lefebvre > Ultrafuge October 21, 2015 at 7:10am
  
  That sounds like a bug to me. I'll try to look into it, but essentially that is Leonard's bit of code I think.
David Skipper September 28, 2015 at 7:29am

Hi Rob,

I am looking to build a trad-heli,

Now i see your new release i would like to try it out.

I scanned the documentation and see a TREX 450 is suggested and i see on forum goblin 380 is mentioned

what are your suggestions for a first electic heli to use ?

I had a gas Heli many years ago, been building multis for over 18 months.

Thanks.

David.
- Moderator
  
  Roberto Navoni > David Skipper September 28, 2015 at 8:15am
  
  Hi David,
  
  evaluate Protos 500 it's not so bad it work very well not so much vibration see my last post
  
  http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/the-first-drone-helicopter-enti...
  
  Best
  
  Roberto
  - Steve Mitchell > Roberto Navoni October 10, 2015 at 8:43am
    
    Hi Rob,
    
    I am just about to finished building my next Gas heli. :)
    
    Can you explain how the E-stop and Interlock in AC3.3 might work for Gas/Nitro heli’s please?
    
    At the moment I’m running the engine kill switch through RC10 Aux, which is not the best solution!
    
    Cheers,
    
    Steve
    - Rob_Lefebvre > Steve Mitchell October 13, 2015 at 6:13am
      
      Hi Steve,
      
      E-stop and Interlock are not really options for heli. Basically, Interlock is forced to be true, and forced to be on Ch8 input. The gas motor code, has it such that if you are disarmed, the engine throttle will move to the Closed position. When you arm, with Ch8 Low, it will move to Idle position. When you set Ch8 high, throttle servo will begin operating on the 3-point curve for open-loop throttle control.
      
      I think I can add a Engine-Run-Enable Auxilliary function easily for 3.3. This is a good idea. Basically, you would set one of the RCn Functions to Engine-Run-Enable. When disarmed, the PWM of that channel will go low. When armed, the PWM of that channel will go high. This will easily allow usage of a gas engine ignition kill switch.
      
      Is this what you're looking for?
      - Steve Mitchell > Rob_Lefebvre October 13, 2015 at 5:25pm
        
        Thanks Rob,
        
        That’s roughly what I thought (not for Heli’s) and just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something. The gas motor code sounds good, can’t wait to try it!
        
        The Engine-Run-Enable Auxiliary function is a great idea, please add it. It would also stop me starting the engine while disarmed! I’ve done this a few times now. :)
        
        Do you run a generator on your Gas heli? If not, I have a few spare AC to DC circuit boards if you want one?
        
        IMG_2662.JPG
        
        https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3702852541?profile=original
        
        Gary McCray > Steve Mitchell October 13, 2015 at 6:29pm
        
        Just a question, if it uses an AC to DC converter, isn't it an alternator, not a generator (or at least an AC generator)?
        
        Steve Mitchell > Gary McCray October 13, 2015 at 11:02pm
        
        @Gary, correct, I was just being lazy with my word’s and should have said alternator.
        
        @Rob, no worries, just want to help in any way I can.
        
        I agree that I shouldn’t be able to start the motor, but in AC3.2 I couldn’t get Ch8 to work for throttle. It’s on one of the Aux 1(9) outputs at the moment. The engine run’s lean (to reduce vibration) and can’t be shut off with throttle servo, hence the kill switch. My setup/TX/Pixhawk calibration is a little different to the norm (smoke and mirrors). I do this to bypass the automatic disarm during long autorotation or ground running. Let me know if there is a better way? I’m hoping I don’t have to do any of this in 3.3 :)
        
        Rob_Lefebvre > Steve Mitchell October 21, 2015 at 7:12am
        
        Hi Steve, I actually added an official kill switch function for 3.3. Actually, it's called Motor Run Enable. It's just another Aux Servo Output function. You can slave it to any output. It simply sets PWM at min for that channel when disarmed, and then max when armed. I think this should be sufficient to trigger an ignition system?

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