Micro APM Hardware "Just make it smaller.."

Just seen our friends over at HobbyKing have released some new hardware focused toward the mini guys

Or just get the whole Set

The Micro HKPilot Mega master set is a complete open source autopilot and flight controller system featuring matched hardware, cables for a Micro plug-and-play UAV control system.
The new micro Master set total weight is just 23.5g and all components can fit in a 35x35x30 cube, for the smallest UAV total solution available. Perfect for mini MultiRotors and Park UAV missions.
The HKPilot is based on the rapidly evolving and refined Ardupilot mega or “APM”, an open source project from 3DR robotics. This amazing flight controller allows the user to turn any fixed wing, rotary wing, or multi-rotor vehicle (even boats and cars) into a fully autonomous vehicle, capable of performing a wide range of tasks even programmed autonomous missions with waypoints, with the included micro high precision NEO-6M Ublox GPS.
Various user interfaces are available for programing, reviewing logs, setup and even some Apps for smart phones and tablets. The included telemetry radio, OSD, power sensor and GPS allow for full two way radio communication, giving you full control and provides live data back to your computer or tablet. The list of what this flight controller is capable of has quickly surpassed what it cannot. Feature rich settings, flight modes and supported platforms have made this the go-to UAV controller.
The HKPilot Mega Micro master set includes: The NEW Micro HKPilot Mega 2.7.2, the super precision Micro Ublox NEO-6M GPS module with integrated compass, Micro telemetry radio with built in PCB antenna and ground module for bi-directional data, 4s 60A PDB/BEC/ power sensor Module, Micro minim OSD for FPV feedback, complete matching cable sets for a plug-and-play experience.
This product is based on the open source APM Project from 3DR Robotics, the Cad files per the creative commons license are available under the files tab. The APM project is supported by thousands of users pushing this open source flight controller to be one of the best systems available.

So with the APM at the end of its life cycle as far as software support is concerned i do think its great we're getting these variants but how many will they really sell i wonder?

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Comments

Jun Yamog March 13, 2015 at 3:12am

Its flying better now, but I am not yet confident to take the quad over water or cliffs like what I have done when it had the pixhawk/pilot 32 on it. I have put in a new discussion with more details and logs. I need some help to make this APM good. Otherwise I might swap back the pixhawk, as we are about to take a break and I would like to use a quad that I can confidently fly.

Help me tune my micro APM here: http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/help-tune-my-apm-so-it-flies-clos...
Jun Yamog March 12, 2015 at 3:59pm

Finally some progress today. My 4th attempt to cover the barometer. Using my wife's make up foam and pressing it with plastic covering the APM which I screwed on. Did another auto tune, much more aggressive now. Still not as good as the Pixhawk, but now better. The throttle accel is still lowered to .4 and .8 and alt hold to .9 otherwise the motor just keeps on hunting up and down. On to making the GPS better and adding back the OSD.
Tommy Larsen March 11, 2015 at 11:48am

I just did like in this video :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nqr4-cbyvI
Tony Kenward March 11, 2015 at 5:43am

ALL: I haven't seen a link on this thread to this tutorial, so I just wanted to throw it out there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv49LdcaLv0

@Tommy: Can you post your set-up process for the rest of us to learn from? Did you configure like iskess describes above?, with SBUS flash of course. . .
Erik Suit March 11, 2015 at 5:00am

iskess, thanks for Your effort - my problem actually was between the board and the chair :)

oh, and btw, I reflashed the original ppm encoder back and it works with that (at least d4r - haven't tried x8r).

but i noticed one thing - dunno if that's important - in radio calibration the bars move smoothly and quickly, but when calibration is done, there's noticable lag in bar movement - i hope it's just a display issue and does not influence flying..
Erik Suit March 11, 2015 at 4:57am

PPM yes, confirmed finally - my problem was most probably bad quality shorting of 2&3.

(even used oscilloscope to check whether receiver outputs ppm or not :) )
glenby March 11, 2015 at 3:30am

PPM - d4r-II . jumper channels 2&3 for ppm - confirmed works.

question: internal compass works, external not as good. fly, get bad compass health, crash. anger etc....

which wire (6pin) do I cut to stop external compass but leave internal enabled?

I have 2 apm 2.72 HK apms and scratching between jumpers enables external compass but $100 later in parts, I consider it unreliable.

cheers and thanks
iskess March 11, 2015 at 1:07am

@Erik,

I just successfully tested my stock HK Micro. Now encoder changes, jumpers on inputs channels 2&3, PPM into ch.1.

I tested with DragonLink PPM out, but I'm sure it would work with FrSky too, they have always been interchangeable for me.

I can test with the D4R-II if you want, but I'm sure it will work.

@ Tony,

No, I'm just using the stock setup because I don't use SBUS or the FrSky X-series receivers.
Tommy Larsen March 10, 2015 at 11:57pm

I'm using it and it works perfect Tony :)
Tony Kenward March 10, 2015 at 10:36pm

Erik, iskess, Hector, . . .
Are you guys all using this SBUS encoder hex file?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nqr4-cbyvI

(link to file is below tutorial video)

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