Fool proof guide for newbies to avoid flyaways or disarm problems?

It is one heck of a topic. Obviously it is only relevant for beginners who do not remember yet all permutations of factors that may occur.

Here are my 2c. First of all - you need to look here at 2 factors - you need to understand what your machine is doing and second factor - you should be able to terminate any activity that you do not understand.

For first item - from rude 'RTFM' to very detailed descriptions - read forum, set transmitter correctly, look at flight mode combinations, check failsafe section, etc. - all this is your homework. I would suggest one thing for an initial flight that some people do not agree with - set to 0 a parameter that dictates default altitude your drone should get to when it initiates RTL function. As with partially not working systems it is in my opinion a #1 reason of all flyaways- when RTL is initiated, GPS glitches, barometer glitches, etc.

For the second thing - in 3.3rc5 there is a new mode 31 - motors kill switch. put that on one of channels.

What I have on my taranis for that - SF flip switch is 'RTL'. above it - 'SE' switch is set to mode 31 'kill motors'. that is needed in some conditions when drone lands and starts dancing game on the ground with props touching grass.

'SH' flip switch on right side is a 'LAND' command. It was needed for APM drone, I will remove it later.

Flight modes are switched by combinations of SC, SD. Default mode is ALT HOLD, flipping SC down switches to POS HOLD that requires GPS. in any occurrence of GPS issues - you flip it back to default and go into ALT HOLD.

lowest position for SD with SC switch up is "stabilize". It was helpful before 3.3 version as in 'stabilize' with throttle to min motors would stop - that is how it would be possible to kill propellers before. now with function '31' it is no longer needed, but if you still use older 3.2 you can use that trick.

That is all I can think of on a controller side.

On a drone side - you need to do what any aviation industry design does - make sure your systems are redundant. Have 2 GPS receivers on board - one of new m8n type, other is up to you - some folks recommend old neo-6m as it locks into sats slower and has higher HDOP but holds at them better.

One compass should be in the FC, embedded, one is external in M8N, on the mast, elevated and well away from ESCs/motors/etc.

Calibrations are critical - radio, failsafe for radio/battery, calibration of compass and then magnetic interference from motors to compass - for that you mount props 'invert' way - means you swap them around so rotation causes drone to be pushed into ground, and then you run this calibration. If during calibration you see a significant interference - move compass away, twist power wires, use coaxial cords for power cables to ESCs, etc.

Good luck, it is one heck of a hobby.

PS. Do not trust 'simple' and 'super simple' modes. all 'default' modes you have on transmitter should not have either one selected. I used before a logic to flip 'SC' switch down to go into GPS modes in combination with 'simple/super simple' but then removed it completely and thanks to additional channels in 3.3rc5 I moved that to SA/SB switches.

Sometimes those simple modes act weird and when it messes up direction of your controls inputs you can panic and crash. having it all on a different channels is way safer as you can always flip all to default positions and then go into basic 'alt hold' and then do 'land' or 'rtl'.

I never had a crash anymore after I reconfigured all input like that.

Replies

- - - Emin Bu > Paul June 21, 2015 at 11:30pm
      
      What part u do not understand?You sad;Just keep in mind that (IIRC) Simple Mode is GPS dependent.....SIMPLE MODE IS NOT GPS DEPENDENT.PERIOD.Super simple yes but not Simple...other from that you made great guide.
      - Paul > Emin Bu June 22, 2015 at 2:30am
        
        U're right, but for beginners it's very dangerous and difficult to understand the difference.
        
        So never take the risk/change of failures..........
        
        Emin Bu > Paul June 22, 2015 at 11:00pm
        
        ;-)
- Stephan > Felipe Rabat June 19, 2015 at 9:11pm
  
  Good summary Felipe.
  A couple more to add:
  - ensure that Wifi is always turned off on your GoPro. Otherwise it may interfere with your 2.4 RC
  - Check your RC Rx antenna placement and before first flight, do a range check of your RC equipment.
  And a bit more sophisticated, but a must check for me:
  - verify current solar activity for your area. A solar storm can have severe impact on the GPS signal quality, not necessarily detectable by a bad HDOP.
  You find plenty of apps in the App Store or services over the internet for this.
  http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/spaceweather/
Paul Atkin June 17, 2015 at 7:52am

It is one heck of a topic. Obviously it is only relevant for beginners who do not remember yet all permutations of factors that may occur.

Here are my 2c. First of all - you need to look here at 2 factors - you need to understand what your machine is doing and second factor - you should be able to terminate any activity that you do not understand.

For first item - from rude 'RTFM' to very detailed descriptions - read forum, set transmitter correctly, look at flight mode combinations, check failsafe section, etc. - all this is your homework. I would suggest one thing for an initial flight that some people do not agree with - set to 0 a parameter that dictates default altitude your drone should get to when it initiates RTL function. As with partially not working systems it is in my opinion a #1 reason of all flyaways- when RTL is initiated, GPS glitches, barometer glitches, etc.

For the second thing - in 3.3rc5 there is a new mode 31 - motors kill switch. put that on one of channels.

What I have on my taranis for that - SF flip switch is 'RTL'. above it - 'SE' switch is set to mode 31 'kill motors'. that is needed in some conditions when drone lands and starts dancing game on the ground with props touching grass.

'SH' flip switch on right side is a 'LAND' command. It was needed for APM drone, I will remove it later.

Flight modes are switched by combinations of SC, SD. Default mode is ALT HOLD, flipping SC down switches to POS HOLD that requires GPS. in any occurrence of GPS issues - you flip it back to default and go into ALT HOLD.

lowest position for SD with SC switch up is "stabilize". It was helpful before 3.3 version as in 'stabilize' with throttle to min motors would stop - that is how it would be possible to kill propellers before. now with function '31' it is no longer needed, but if you still use older 3.2 you can use that trick.

That is all I can think of on a controller side.

On a drone side - you need to do what any aviation industry design does - make sure your systems are redundant. Have 2 GPS receivers on board - one of new m8n type, other is up to you - some folks recommend old neo-6m as it locks into sats slower and has higher HDOP but holds at them better.

One compass should be in the FC, embedded, one is external in M8N, on the mast, elevated and well away from ESCs/motors/etc.

Calibrations are critical - radio, failsafe for radio/battery, calibration of compass and then magnetic interference from motors to compass - for that you mount props 'invert' way - means you swap them around so rotation causes drone to be pushed into ground, and then you run this calibration. If during calibration you see a significant interference - move compass away, twist power wires, use coaxial cords for power cables to ESCs, etc.

Good luck, it is one heck of a hobby.

PS. Do not trust 'simple' and 'super simple' modes. all 'default' modes you have on transmitter should not have either one selected. I used before a logic to flip 'SC' switch down to go into GPS modes in combination with 'simple/super simple' but then removed it completely and thanks to additional channels in 3.3rc5 I moved that to SA/SB switches.

Sometimes those simple modes act weird and when it messes up direction of your controls inputs you can panic and crash. having it all on a different channels is way safer as you can always flip all to default positions and then go into basic 'alt hold' and then do 'land' or 'rtl'.

I never had a crash anymore after I reconfigured all input like that.
- Anthony Sole > Paul Atkin June 24, 2015 at 12:52pm
  
  What are simple and super simple modes? Like headfree.
  - Paul > Anthony Sole June 24, 2015 at 11:28pm
    
    http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/flying-arducopter/flight-modes/sim...
- Jason McCarthy > Paul Atkin June 18, 2015 at 12:28am
  
  I would be very wary not having stabilize as a mode.I recently had my quad head for the moon with the throttle stick full down and in alt hold. It had flown fine for weeks but this was caused by vibrations induced by strong wind. I had only added the 'stabilize' mode back about a week earlier.
  - Paul Atkin > Jason McCarthy June 18, 2015 at 5:16am
    
    That was most likely an initiated RTL that was getting drone to the predefined altitude, 15 meters by default.
    
    Stabilize with throttle to min is a good method, but a kill switch in 3.3 works better.
- Paul > Paul Atkin June 18, 2015 at 12:22am
  
  Hi Paul,
  
  Great explanation. Thanks. gonna try some of your ideas as soon as the weather (wind) here in Holland gets a bit more quit.
  
  BTW is the (beta) AC 3.3-rc5 already that reliable to fly?

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Fool proof guide for newbies to avoid flyaways or disarm problems?

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