So I have some vacations coming up and already have some quads and a hex I figured I needed a fixed wing to round out my aerial camera fleet. (for now) heh. So I took the plunge and picked myself up an X8 to fill up with electronics.
I'm running an ArduPilot Purple, with a Castle 75 esc waiting for Hobbyking to drop of my new Scorpion motor until then I have a 700W max 50Amp local hobby store motor to power the bird. I'm running 1.2 video feeding through MinimOSD with a Sony 720 line mini cam. I have a roll and tilt GoPro mount in the works that I'll post up some pics when I can get some play time on the router this weekend. Communication is done through a Futaba 10C 72Mhz and some 900Mhz XBees.
I've only made a few mods for now like adding a second motor mount plate that bolt through the foam to the outer plate.
I made some electronics trays and filled in the lower camera cut out with some foam and Gorilla glue.
I ended up bringing the control linkage up through the wing, leaving it on the bottom seemed like a bad idea for a belly lander. I have never flown a or built a fixed wing, but I said the same about the multirotors and DIYDrone's gear and community made it simple, awesome and enjoyable. Only crashes were ah-hem user error. So I'm hoping for the same luck with this bird. I do have tons of hours now on RealFlight sim just to make sure I feel comfortable with the controls. That being said any input from from you guys will be greatly appreciated. I'll update this blog as things progress and as I get the camera mount going. But for now heres some more eye candy. Be happy and safe all!
Comments
@John I had telemetry, and a GoPro camera, but no FPV.
@Rick
Just out of curiosity, did you have telemetry or FPV for that flight?
@Rick m Much appreciated sir! And many thanks for jumping in here from my comments on you tube, I love living in the future. Hopefully I can get back in time today to try 'em out otherwise it will have to wait till Monday or Tuesday. Toby super fantastic man. Do you have telemetry if so what are you using XBess or 3DR? Once again thank you gentlemen.
rick m at 4:09 shadow of plane looks close
reposting the video
Here's my current setup:
setup] show
Radio
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CH1: 1180 | 1500 | 1821
CH2: 1177 | 1500 | 1807
CH3: 1103 | 1104 | 1906
CH4: 1499 | 1500 | 1500
CH5: 1499 | 1500 | 1500
CH6: 1499 | 1500 | 1500
CH7: 1499 | 1500 | 1500
CH8: 972 | 2037 | 2037
Batt Mointor
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Monitoring volts and current
Gains
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servo roll:
P: 0.700, I:0.010, D:0.000, IMAX:500
servo pitch:
P: 1.000, I:0.000, D:0.002, IMAX:1000
servo rudder:
P: 0.000, I:0.000, D:0.000, IMAX:0
nav roll:
P: 0.600, I:0.000, D:0.005, IMAX:500
nav pitch airspeed:
P: 1.000, I:0.005, D:0.000, IMAX:1000
energry throttle:
P: 0.800, I:0.030, D:0.000, IMAX:50
nav pitch alt:
P: 0.650, I:0.000, D:0.000, IMAX:500
Crosstrack
----------------------------------------
XTRACK: 80.00
XTRACK angle: 3000
Throttle
----------------------------------------
min: 0
max: 100
cruise: 60
failsafe_enabled: 0
failsafe_value: 950
Flight modes
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Pos 0: Auto
Pos 1: Auto
Pos 2: FBW_A
Pos 3: Stabilize
Pos 4: Stabilize
Pos 5: Manual
IMU
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Gyro offsets: 0.97, -0.67, -0.04
Accel offsets: -0.15, -0.04, -0.79
Compass: ??
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disabled
Mag Declination: 0.0000
Mag offsets: 0.0000, 0.0000, 0.0000
Raw Values
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FORMAT_VERSION: 12
SYSID_SW_TYPE: 0
SYSID_THISMAV: 1
SYSID_MYGCS: 255
SERIAL3_BAUD: 57
KFF_PTCHCOMP: 0.200000
KFF_RDDRMIX: 0.500000
KFF_PTCH2THR: 0.000000
KFF_THR2PTCH: 0.000000
MANUAL_LEVEL: 0
XTRK_GAIN_SC: 80.000000
XTRK_ANGLE_CD: 3000
ALT_MIX: 1.000000
ARSPD_RATIO: 1.993600
ARSPD_OFFSET: 2832
CMD_TOTAL: 7
CMD_INDEX: 7
WP_RADIUS: 40
WP_LOITER_RAD: 80
FENCE_ACTION: 0
FENCE_TOTAL: 0
FENCE_CHANNEL: 0
FENCE_MINALT: 0
FENCE_MAXALT: 0
ARSPD_FBW_MIN: 8
ARSPD_FBW_MAX: 20
THR_MIN: 0
THR_MAX: 100
THR_SLEWRATE: 0
THR_FAILSAFE: 0
THR_FS_VALUE: 950
TRIM_THROTTLE: 60
FS_SHORT_ACTN: 0
FS_LONG_ACTN: 0
FS_GCS_ENABL: 0
FLTMODE_CH: 8
FLTMODE1: 10
FLTMODE2: 10
FLTMODE3: 5
FLTMODE4: 2
FLTMODE5: 2
FLTMODE6: 0
LIM_ROLL_CD: 4000
LIM_PITCH_MAX: 1500
LIM_PITCH_MIN: -2500
TRIM_AUTO: 0
SWITCH_ENABLE: 1
ELEVON_MIXING: 1
ELEVON_REVERSE: 0
ELEVON_CH1_REV: 0
ELEVON_CH2_REV: 1
SYS_NUM_RESETS: 105
LOG_BITMASK: 382
LOG_LASTFILE: 0
RST_SWITCH_CH: 0
TRIM_ARSPD_CM: 1500
MIN_GNDSPD_CM: 0
TRIM_PITCH_CD: 0
ALT_HOLD_RTL: 10000
ALT_HOLD_FBWCM: 0
GND_TEMP: 26
GND_ABS_PRESS: 101820
MAG_ENABLE: 0
FLAP_1_PERCNT: 0
FLAP_1_SPEED: -1
FLAP_2_PERCNT: 0
FLAP_2_SPEED: -1
BATT_MONITOR: 4
VOLT_DIVIDER: 4.127115
AMP_PER_VOLT: 13.661200
INPUT_VOLTS: 4.680000
BATT_CAPACITY: 4400
INVERTEDFLT_CH: 0
SONAR_ENABLE: 0
ARSPD_ENABLE: 1
RC1_MIN: 1180
RC1_TRIM: 1500
RC1_MAX: 1821
RC1_REV: 1
RC1_DZ: 30
RC2_MIN: 1177
RC2_TRIM: 1500
RC2_MAX: 1807
RC2_REV: 1
RC2_DZ: 30
RC3_MIN: 1103
RC3_TRIM: 1104
RC3_MAX: 1906
RC3_REV: 1
RC3_DZ: 3
RC4_MIN: 1499
RC4_TRIM: 1500
RC4_MAX: 1500
RC4_REV: 1
RC4_DZ: 30
RC5_MIN: 1499
RC5_TRIM: 1500
RC5_MAX: 1500
RC5_REV: 1
RC5_DZ: 0
RC5_FUNCTION: 0
RC5_ANGLE_MIN: -4500
RC5_ANGLE_MAX: 4500
RC6_MIN: 1499
RC6_TRIM: 1500
RC6_MAX: 1500
RC6_REV: 1
RC6_DZ: 0
RC6_FUNCTION: 0
RC6_ANGLE_MIN: -4500
RC6_ANGLE_MAX: 4500
RC7_MIN: 1499
RC7_TRIM: 1500
RC7_MAX: 1500
RC7_REV: 1
RC7_DZ: 0
RC7_FUNCTION: 0
RC7_ANGLE_MIN: -4500
RC7_ANGLE_MAX: 4500
RC8_MIN: 972
RC8_TRIM: 2037
RC8_MAX: 2037
RC8_REV: 1
RC8_DZ: 0
RC8_FUNCTION: 0
RC8_ANGLE_MIN: -4500
RC8_ANGLE_MAX: 4500
HDNG2RLL_P: 0.600000
HDNG2RLL_I: 0.000000
HDNG2RLL_D: 0.005000
HDNG2RLL_IMAX: 500
RLL2SRV_P: 0.700000
RLL2SRV_I: 0.010000
RLL2SRV_D: 0.000000
RLL2SRV_IMAX: 500
PTCH2SRV_P: 1.000000
PTCH2SRV_I: 0.000000
PTCH2SRV_D: 0.002000
PTCH2SRV_IMAX: 1000
ARSP2PTCH_P: 1.000000
ARSP2PTCH_I: 0.005000
ARSP2PTCH_D: 0.000000
ARSP2PTCH_IMAX: 1000
YW2SRV_P: 0.000000
YW2SRV_I: 0.000000
YW2SRV_D: 0.000000
YW2SRV_IMAX: 0
ENRGY2THR_P: 0.800000
ENRGY2THR_I: 0.030000
ENRGY2THR_D: 0.000000
ENRGY2THR_IMAX: 50
ALT2PTCH_P: 0.650000
ALT2PTCH_I: 0.000000
ALT2PTCH_D: 0.000000
ALT2PTCH_IMAX: 500
COMPASS_OFS_X: 0.000000
COMPASS_OFS_Y: 0.000000
COMPASS_OFS_Z: 0.000000
COMPASS_DEC: 0.000000
COMPASS_LEARN: 1
COMPASS_USE: 1
COMPASS_AUTODEC: 1
SR0_RAW_SENS: 0
SR0_EXT_STAT: 3
SR0_RC_CHAN: 3
SR0_RAW_CTRL: 0
SR0_POSITION: 3
SR0_EXTRA1: 10
SR0_EXTRA2: 10
SR0_EXTRA3: 3
SR0_PARAMS: 0
SR3_RAW_SENS: 0
SR3_EXT_STAT: 3
SR3_RC_CHAN: 3
SR3_RAW_CTRL: 0
SR3_POSITION: 3
SR3_EXTRA1: 10
SR3_EXTRA2: 10
SR3_EXTRA3: 3
SR3_PARAMS: 0
Here's one of our videos. Can't remember if this was the no-wind day (I think it was): https://vimeo.com/41881013. I'll try to post the track of our bad flight, if I can find it.
@Rick, I have the same problem, the PID's I posted above work awesome in no wind, but on a slightly windy day today it was all over the place. Winding up the gains and it started hunting. So I think these PIDs need some more work.
Here is some video of the flight in no wind this morning, it was so amazingly stable that it blew my mind
Nice call, I went back to the ArduPilot manual and READ the instructions and I did have manual trim set on my radio. Do I set radio to neutral, calibrate and then go back to manual to set my trims in manual? Whats your flight weight that your testing at and your motor specs. Looking forward to your updated PIDs and getting this thing in the air this weekend. Thank you.
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