Comments

• Harry August 27, 2012 at 4:06pm

  Unreal, it's getting difficult.  I took it out tonight and it looks ready to go, got a GPS lock immediately again even though I'm not so far from using waypoints or RTL, launch in manual and crash again.  I need to replace the servos is my guess and I need a replacement wing.  I'll probably have to build that since they dont make the one I'm using anymore.  What I noticed was the dihedral under load was big like the wing might fold if stressed, and it was dutch rolling without any input.  So, either the servos were acting funny or it was just unflyable because the wing was weak or both.

  Time for plan B and using the Ardupilot/IMU combo to control a gyro only KK board.
• Harry August 26, 2012 at 6:04pm

  I couldnt fly today due to rain, so I figured I'd take a picture of the battered bird before I try it again.  You can see the cowl is all cracked up and I have packing tape on the front to keep the paint from peeling.

  I'm convinced it crashed in FBW because I didnt understand how it was supposed to work.  Somehow that made my thumb reckless.  A day to cool off will help.  It works great in stabilize, so that had to be it.
• Harry August 25, 2012 at 11:39am

  Anwar, dont be scared because of my dumbness.  I think I figured out why it was so bad in FBW-A.  I was giving it huge stick inputs for some reason.  To fly this plane, really just small pressures on the stick are needed.  I cant explain why I thought I had to throw the stick like I did.  I was probably thinking it would correct every mistake I might make and it wont do that.  I tested it on the ground just now and in FBW, it lets all my input through, so I just need to be gentle.  I'll give it another try in FBW when in the air.
• 

  Anwar Ali Khan August 25, 2012 at 3:21am

  Harry, there are 110 members of this ArduPilot Legacy group but no one is looking back to help us except a few. Probably they are no more using this AP Legacy.

  I am still waiting for full recovery of my right arm and hand (as I am right-handed) to start work on my airframe. Once my AP is on air, I expect similar problems as you (I am afraid).
• Harry August 24, 2012 at 3:27pm

  I can report partial success.  I took it out and started in manual and everything was good.  I switched to stabilize and it was still good, slower to respond to my input.  I guess that's normal.  I switched to FBW-A and it was all over the place, hard to know what was going on.  At one point I thought it was spinning and trying to barrel roll.  I switched it off and regained control.  Tried stabilize again and it was still good.  I thought I'd try FBW again and it crashed.  It went into a dive, I switched it off and was too late and couldnt pull out.  The one servo popped its cover and the little motor came out.  I cant trust it now and dont know if it caused it or was the result.  The plane is taking a beating and needs more glue.

  So, here's the question.  Why would stabilize be gentle and FBW a total nightmare?
• Harry August 24, 2012 at 1:00pm

  I got it finally.  I had to reverse one of the servos, the opposite one I had reversed.  Weird, dont know how it happened unless when I was testing, I had put the IMU in backwards.  We'll see.
• 

  Anwar Ali Khan August 24, 2012 at 11:42am

  Mike X-10 looks great.
• Moderator

  Brian August 23, 2012 at 10:04pm

  Dr. Mike, That is one sharp looking platform!  It is way cool looking dressed up that way.  What is the water based varnish for?
• Harry August 23, 2012 at 5:29pm

  Wow!  That is a sharp looking platform.  I like the BW theme, Dr. Mike.  My fixed wing design is BW except I swapped the wing for a bigger orange one.

  Adding the Ardupilot/IMU, GPS, and all the wiring had me worried about wingloading.  I like em floaty but responsive with power.  I'll find out soon, finished winding the motor, got a prop, everything is mounted.

  You can probably tell I've put the IMU based tricopter to the side for now.  The next attempt with that will be to use the Ardupilot/IMU output as input to a KK board.  That wont need any new code if I'm lucky

  EDIT:

  I found out!  It flew fine in manual.  I switched to stabilize and it almost crashed.  It went into a dive and I switched it off and saved it.  I flew it some more in manual and needed a touch of trim to stay straight, hands off.  Pitch was good.  I landed and go to the store for a drink. 

  I came back and tried it again.  This time, I had bumped a switch and didnt double check.  I launched it and it nose dived.  I pick it up, turn off the switch and launch it again.  It must have had a loose servo because it started out fine and got about 50 yards out and nose dived again.  This time it needs glue. 

   

  Satelite lock was seconds even with it sitting on carbon and a magnet. 
• 

  Dr Mike Black August 22, 2012 at 1:06pm

  Hi all,

  Sorry to hear of your fall Anwar, all the best and hoping you are feeling better!

  Sorry not been around much, in-laws down from Scotland, so been balancing work and family.

  Anyway......X-10...done.....

  Covered with carbon look vinyl, quick and easy to cover, only took about 3 hours to do the whole thing.

  The only thing i did to the surface was give it one coat of water based varnish, in the hopes that the vinyl would bite...and it does, so that worked...

  All the updates have now been done, and the V2 of the model has now been produced, and we are in the process of costing up.

  Here are the pics.

  Anyway Specs:

  Span 2.75m (3m with tips)

  Will carry 2.5-3kg (above basic flight gear and airframe)

  Wings removable with wingnuts to hold on wings.

  
  I have tested the airframe with both the APM2 & Ap2.6.5 (had a servo reversing issue, on 2.6.5, but it did work)

  
  Landing is a doddle and easily hand launchable.

  As i progress i will post the findings as i add gear, but pretty much the only thing left is the gimballed camera (had one taped on for testing)

  I will be taking pre-orders once costed up - so keep an eye if interested.

  looking forward to everyones thoughts.

  P.S how did it go Harry? are we working or returning to FW?