So I have been flying around with my APM 2.6 in the spider quad layout for a little over a year now. Recently I decided to upgrade it to a Y6B format. All new ESCs and new motors. After soldering up the ESCs and motors, making sure their rotation direction was correct, I proceeded to setup the APM for the Y6B configuration. All seemed good, Frame type set to a value of 10. Now for the problem, my APM will not output to motors 5 & 6 at all. I tested all 6 motors directly to my receiver, and they respond as expected, so no problem there. When I first boot the APM, it says "Frame: QUAD". This doesn't seem right does it? I tried setting it to frame type 1, no change. I even tried loading the default settings for the Y6B, and still nothing on outputs 5 & 6. I am running BLHeli firmware version 14.3 on the ESCs. Is there another setting somewhere I need to change for the Y6 format besides the frame option?
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Slapped on some better quality 10 inch props, and they reduced the Vibrations down to a manageable level. Now I am having issues with the Yaw. I've tuned the pitch and roll so that it feels pretty spot on, but the Yaw is HORRIBLE. I've calibrated the Compass multiple times, and the compass appears to be working properly, the FC itself doesn't do a good job of locking onto and holding that heading. I will try to get video, and some log files of the issue. What seems to happen though is the Yaw feels sluggish. If I give it full yaw, and do a 360, once i release, the stick, it slowly stops yawing, ending up a good 45-90 degrees off from where i let go of the stick, and then slowly yaws back to where I let go. Yaw PIDs maybe?
These "Y's" are new to me, and definitely act differently than a quad or hex, etc. It is kinda a lazy yaw thing. I haven't even started to think about tuning mine, as I'm still adding all the extras. Got the telemetry radios on and working. Have a 3 axis gimble waiting at the post office, and a Black Mamba video transmitter to install. Been using a 10000mah Multistar 4C and a couple of Floureon 5500 4C. Getting around 6 minutes before my battery alarm goes off, set at 3.7 volts. New batteries, as my flight times are increasing with each cycle. I'm probably going to have to experiment with props after I get it loaded up. I'd like to get at least 10 minutes of film/flight time.
Here is its maiden flight. This is a custom built Y6 using the Flite Test Electrohub frame, and Makerbeam rails for attaching the battery, landing gear, and camera mounting plate. It flies good, but needs a tune, and the horizontal legs on the landing gear need to be longer. All easy fixes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg55iPv9As0
After I re-flashed the board with the Y6 firmware, reset to default settings, and went through the wizard and tweaked other minor things, it works 100% now. I first tried calibrating the ESCs through the APM, but then just ended up calibrating each of them one by one. It's usually the first thing I do for an ESC after hooking it up to a motor.
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Nice flying machine there! I wonder how 10" props would do?
Might try some 10 inch t-style carbon props once I get some things sorted out. Having some issue with Althold. Wants to surge up and down a good 10 feet or so in Althold or Loiter. It looks like it might be due to vibrations. I previously used a silicone style ball mount on my Quad setup, but the mount didn't want to fit with the Y6 setup, so just used some double-sided foam tape. Apparently that is not enough! Going to try some motor balancing first, and then check vibes again.
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During my last battle with the Y6, and a Pixhawk, some of the motors would not start or run right, UNTIL I did the ESC calibration. In fact, I'd recommend ESC calibration every time you change something. Keeping my fingers crossed that I finally have mine all sorted out. The 3DR power distribution board was causing me problems, I did away with it. Funny, after I took it out, I can't find anything wrong, using a multimeter to check all the connections. However, you can't actually see the traces on the board, so who knows what gives? As far as what format/setting to load, I dunno, this is my first Y machine. Good luck, and please post your findings. Only way some of us learn.