Hello everybody !
Prior to build my own quadcopter, I have build a GAUI330x and it was flying very well for few months.
Then, I have started to upgrade it to familiar myself with APM+oil pan boards.
This is its new configuration :
- structure/ESCs/motors from a GAUI 330x (except GAUI inertial unit, unmounted)
- Spektrum AR9000 Rx, with one additional satellite (Tx a Graupner MC22)
- New IMU : APM with its sensor board (SW release : alpha_RC1)
- no GPS for the moment: my mediatek is back to DIYdrones, to be repaired...
- no telemetry for the moment: Xbee 900 MHz are shipped from Sparkfun, and their board from DIYDrones
AMP is mounted with the Rx on a wooden plate, with remaining room enough for Xbee and GPS (Grrr !)
The plate is softly mounted on the platform with 4 pads of hard foam
(hard enough to cut motors high frequencies vibrations, without unacurate low frequencies displacements)
Then, I have prepared the quad for its 1st flight :
- radio calibrated in the configurator,
- ESCs calibrated directly with the Rx,
- motors direction check, and good behavior of counter-reaction when I move the quad by hand,
- only one default : a slow drift on yaw axis (~0.1°/s), but seems to be "normal" without magnetometer hybridization.
Then I have programmed 2 phases on my MC22 radio to swap easily between acro & stable modes.
These phases are programmed by a switch on the left stick : very easy to switch keeping fingers on the sticks !!!
Other advantage : each phase memorises its own trims and adjustments (expo, dual rate, ...) so each mode can be customised.
1st flight : everything has been alright and without any fear with default parameters !
ACRO MODE :
- very accurate & nervous,
- only a very low drift on the yaw axis (roll & pitch are OK), easily corrected with trim
- no oscillation, but a little ring (few Hz) a the end of strong & violents orders.
=> I will only have to adjust a little bit the Kp
STABLE MODE :
- very stable !
- a small drift on the yaw axis, but not in the same direction as in ACRO mode ??!??
=> corrected by trim (thank you for phases : customised trims in ACRO or STABLE modes !)
- too slow answer to orders : of course it is a stable mode, but there is a limit !
=> to be adjusted by PID parameters ... (may be a long road ...)
Just for fun, few pictures of my quad :
- original GAUI configuration :
- original GAUI 330x in flight :
- quad upgraded with APM board :
- on the other side :
zoom on the plate :
And its mounting on the structure :
Regards,
Gilles
Replies
- have checked your cable between APM & Xbee ? - I have use the same cable during progam on XCTU and on airborne. Are there any special type of cable?
(the other between PC and Xbee must be OK, as you have managed to program them)
- have you correctly set parameters with x-clu :
1. allocate a same number,
2. modify the new data rate (112520Bd) - i have set all at 115200 baud rate. Able to communicate in X-CTU between two xbee using pc, but not communication using onboard system.
If already done, may be some one else could help you ?
s
Gilles
PS : Henri, how did you solve your motor issue ? - it was the PWM issue (timing issue)
1. you turn on your radio Tx
2. you plug the APM on the PC micro-usb cable
DON'T CONNECT THE MOTOR'S BATTERY, you could create power supplies conflict (provided by ESc and USB simultaneously !).
You risk to burn something
3. the APM is booting (flashing LEDs...)
4. You launch the configurator SW
5. in the configurator, you click "CONNECT" button
6. At the top of the window, you will see that the SW will attempt to connect (1, 3, 4 times...) and then mentions as "reading data".
7. you must see sensors "noisy" cursors randomly moving (a little bit of course !) and horizon moving
Is it your process ?
I use to do all the above. But on sunday, when i find start to reconfigure my APM and discover that my accele roll, pitch and z axis is reading at -2000 (not moving) and Horizon is tilt to far right. Really a DOWN for me.
Try reload the code for initialize for EEPROM and APM, then reload the alpha code also dont work.
Really lost. Unsure what is fault
can you post a vid of the flight! I'm doing almost the samething as you!
https://sites.google.com/site/gauiquad/
https://sites.google.com/site/gauiquad/build-photo-version-2
Not working hard on it currently! Have 2 gyro and 2 accel on it on a seeeduino mega. My goal is to make an indoor avoiding obstacle robot like!