A place for West Australian UAV / UAS enthusiasts or businesses to discuss topics, arrange meets or share experiences.
Hexicopter
Hi AllPurchased a FlyPro X600 and I am trying to sort out what would be the most suitable camera to use for FPV and some video/stills photography. The supplier has wired it up for a GoPro 3. That model is a little out of date but a good camera to start with although if I am going to purchase a camera I would like to only spend on a one of that last for sometime. I have had a look at the specs for the for what I will be flying it for Sony FDR-X1000V. The software has stabilisation and some…
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Mode 2... I just can't get used to splitting the aileron from the elevator, it seems unnatural, especially after so many hours on flight sim since I was a teen, and doing some hours for my PPL. The rudder in a plane is on the floor with pedals, and has nothing to do with the stick as such. I have heard that mode 1 is meant to give you better separation and control, but I just don't get/like the feel at all. Apparently mode 1 is more common here in Aus, but mode 2 is more common in the US.
As John pointed out, mode 2 allows for one handed control whilst fiddling with other gear, like the APM MP, or even launching the plane if you can throw with your left hand.
BTW in regards to the "video game" setup, I'm actually using a PS3 controller for APM control via bluetooth to the notebook...at least it has enough buttons (for mode changing etc), and flying with the accelerometer is quite cool too, similar to the AR Drone experience.
mode 2 because the first rc toy i got was mode 2 :D
I'm a mode 2 (throttle left) guy.
Just seems more natural to me. Easier to keep a hand free for changing modes, and fiddling with other junk ;-)
Probably a dumb question however I fly Mode 1 with the throttle on the right stick. The APM manual shows only Mode 2. How do you people fly - Mode 1 or 2
@Hai
Sorry about the loss of the planes. Having lost one myself below the treeline - again never to be seen again I know what it is like.
I am a complete nube to this as I do not have my APM yet however I think I am going to go to extreme lengths to make sure the power to it is clean. UBECs and BECs so not always give clean power so I think I will use one of these that the giant scale modellers use to clean and regulate the power. It also has dual battery input.
http://www.smart-fly.com/products/Regulator/3.htm
Thoughts? Any advice would be appreciated.
@John Cousins
Which rig?
Nice! This thread is still alive after all!
Hey John
I like your mates ground station setup. Looks like something I'd like to do, always been a big fan of vans...might have to setup our old OKA into one of those!
I also just bought a Condor (free shipping atm till 31th for $129), the black version. It looks pretty good, hopefully it will more easily handle the weight of all the gear than the Bixler. It gets really slow with the gear on board, I like having a bit more reserve to get back up to altitude. Maybe we can get together after we maiden?
In regards to PC joystick flying, do you know of any drivers/setup to get some force feedback into the joystick? Maybe by adding some force feedback into the stick the FPV/UAV experience would become more intuitive and less detached than it is now? A sim chair would be even better of course! ;)
BTW when you say dark and noise free environment in the GS-mobile, does that also include Air-con and a fridge in the summer? If so count me in as a permanent tenant!
As for most being too busy...you guys really need to get your priorities straight!! ;) What can be more important than flying FPV/UAV? But yeah, reality is that there is only so much time we can afford to spend, sadly most of us spend it on making money, so that we can spend that on RC gear! lol. Having 4 kids and being self- employed myself, plus the fact you're away for work, I can only to well understand your time problem.
@ Hai
I had a few issues with the APM2 and ESC as well. For some reason 2 of my 20-30A ESC's wouldn't arm when plugged into the APM output. I don't know if it's related to your issue, but I still cannot figure out why some work and some don't, even after doing the usual trim/reverse/calibration etc on both the RC and APM. Things I do not understand worry me, especially if I want to go long range and need reliability. Your 3-5minute flight and subsequent losses are troubling too...didn't you have the GPS co-ordinates from the APM before she went down? Do you think it could of been a faulty ESC rather than the APM ie full power/no power after getting hot in 3-5min, with the BEC failing/faulty so no RC? We might have to organise a SAR mission to recover and diagnose...what was that about salvage rights again? Finder keeps all? :)
Sorry for your loss btw, two planes is not a nice experience! I still have a EDF F35 I just can't get airborne...well that's not true, rather I just can't do a controlled landing directly after launch! It's really annoying, I've seriously considered installing a spring instead of a nose on that thing! The Habu looks like a nice plane btw, I'm glad you had better luck with that one. What speeds does she do?
LoL it wasn't fun, but I got back on the horse straight away by maidening my Habu 32 fibreglass EDF 5 mins later. It was insanely quick, even after over 100 flights on the foam Habu EDF.
That doesn't sound fun, Hai. What Ardupilot code were you running - v2.5? I had a weird issue with APM 2.0 and Arduplane 2.5 - the plane did a loop with no input from me, then crashed into the ground.The APM 2.0 was smashed so I upgraded to APM 2.5 harware and ArduPlane 2.6.
No issues so far, but I don't have many hours on it. Arduplane 2.6 has some issues with channel 5,6,7 not remembering their function settings between reboots, but this is pretty minor.
I loss my second X5 Wing (both on their maidens) about 3-5 mins into flying circuits, both being flown on manual mode with APM 2.0.
First one lost R/C during turn onto downwind, and the throttle went to zero and it continued the bank into the ground.
I recycled the APM2, motor and ESC and put it into my second X5, this time with a Futaba Rx instead of Spektrum and a separate BEC, same thing, 3-5 mins of doing circuits, on downwind flying straight and level the thing goes full power and no R/C, it continues whilst losing height at the flying field.
It crashed somewhere in Whiteman Park, never to be found again.
I never had any issues with APM1, and I'm a bit surprised that on two maiden flights, I lost r/c when using two different Rx, but the same APM2
Yes you are right, of course. No respawn in this computer game!
I know how you feel with the googles. I use them too, and without a head tracker so it can be weird when you turn your head and the view doesn't move. I have hooked up a gamepad to my computer to control the camera channel for pan and tilt, that certainly helps.
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