So I've been looking on this site and others for a few hours now and I can't seem to find anyone with the following symptom...
When I push my stick to the right, the copter yaws (turns) to the left. And visa-versa, push stick to the left the copter turns to the right. (I originally thought radio too at first but it doesn't seem so)
Also when the copter hovers, it yaws back and fourth quite quickly. I barely get off the ground before this starts happening, so I've been testing it by lightly holding it in my hand and letting it move how it wants. It will spin one way then back to the other.
Originally I was chasing up that weird back and fourth yawing behaviour, but I tried some yaw stick input from the controller when I discovered the yawing seems to be reversed.
I've checked my radio and and PWM is high (~1900) when pushing stick to the right, thus low (~1000) when pushing stick to the left.
I've done radio calibration
Live compass calibration
Accel calibration multiple times (cause I changed my board orientation a few times, and yes I did the calibration AFTER I change the board orientation)
ESC calibration
Balanced the motors
Balanced the props
Did a compassmot
Triple checked the motor connections
If the copter isn't yawing, it does hover in the air well, and reacts appropriately when tilted in different directions.
I am currently on a small miniframe (260size frame?) and I'm using the HK Mini version of the APM 2.5 board. I'm currently using the onboard compass. No GPS connected yet
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__51498__hobbyking_hkpilot_mega_mini_flight_controller_and_autopilot_with_leads.html
I've tried disabling the Use Compass For Yaw param, but that had no effect from what I could see.
So I'm at a bit of a loss where to look next.
See attached log files. I had a look through them for anything obvious and I even compared it to other quadcopters I fly with other APM boards but could not see anything that points out what I might have mis configured.
If my symptom is not obvious, I can do a video later on tonight and upload it to youtube :)
========SOLUTION============
So I had my copter set to use the H Frame type, which has the motors spinning in the opposite direction to that of most X Frame setup types.
So as a temp measure I set the firemware to use X Frame type and the copter began to behave correctly when Yawing.
I hope future people with this symptom see this post and find it helpful :)
Replies
Like you and several others we know, we have lost countless hours on this problem.
1) Where can we read and follow these types of software changes?
2) Where does it say reverse the motor rotation?
PS: Seem to me it will make it twitchy especially in pitch direction because the thrust is moved closer to the CG. (Center-of-Gravity) We fly "H" frame in "X" frame mode. What were they trying to accomplish?
Also been reading there is some software problem with the compass orientation, related to internal and external compasses interfering. Looks like compass calibration has a bug:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/drones-discuss/7TdbK9dF3B4
Its documented in the motor setup page http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/motor-setup/
But looking at it again, its definitely not obvious other than a single picture with some tiny arrows. What probably would be better is a "motors reversed" sort of toggle you could have on each frame type?
Had exactly the same issue!
Changed PC in the middle of a flying day and one flight was fine the next it would not fly!
Turns out that somehow the new PC had change the frame type ... took some figuring out!
Andy
I have checked it time and time again. But you are correct, it is a motor rotation problem, BECAUSE I had the frame set to "H Frame", which requires the rotation of props to spin the opposite to a common X and V frame (the usual quads I build)
So Once I set it to an X Frame, the copter behaved correctly.
I herped the derp :S
Hi ChiggenWingz, is you compass orientation set correctly? What compass setup are you using? Does the HUD direction rotate correctly and smoothly in one direction when turning the copter in one direction?
Yep pretty sure its set correctly. I've watched it through Mission planner, and North was North, South was South