87 replies to this topic

[Mat Wellington]

This post will be a go-to woa guide, and i will start fleshing it out over the next week as time allows

The same questions get asked, the same issues pop up.

You guys can reply below with any additions/corrections/changes , then i will move it to the wiki

Step # 1 - Get the Radio Setup
Make sure your radio is ready, we dont want any mixes set up, no heli swashplate setups or the like. Just 5 channels set up for Roll(aileron), Pitch(elevator), Throttle , Yaw(Rudder), and a 5th channel for Flight mode - this 5th channel you will drive from a switch , such as "gear".

Ensure all endpoints are set to 100% and all sub mixes and trims are set to zero.

"what if i only have 4 channels ?" Well, at this stage, the work-around will be to use a Y lead, and connect your throttle channel to be used as flight mode as well.

Step # 2 - Set up the ESC's
Set up the low voltage shut off, timing, battery type, startup etc, by following this guide http://wiki.openpilo...ded ESCsettings

Then using your reciever and transmitter, set up the throttle input range on the ESC.
Consult the literature with your ESC, for most it is as follows, you will need the motor connected (prop off for safety) to hear the confirmation tones from the ESC (it uses the motor as a speaker)
-Turn on your transmitter
-Set the throttle to MAX
-Plug the ESC into the reciever and power up
-The ESC will make a quick series of beeps, swiftly move the Throttle to MIN on the transmitter, the ESC will Beep again (a few times) to confirm the throttle is set, and will inialise
-Making sure your motor is secure, use the Throttle on the transmitter to spin up the motor, make sure its smooth, the throttle range is correct, and the motor is spinning in the correct dirrection.

Step #3 Connect the CC board and select the Frame

Now - first off, i am NOT covering updating the firmware in this article, that will be done seperately

Important - make sure the GCS (Ground Control Station) Software, and the firmware in your copter control are matched.

Plug the copter control board into your PC, and run the GCS software.
The GCS Introduction page will appear
 GCS_start_page.jpg   24.39K   205 downloads
Down the bottom, click on the "Configuration" tab
 config_tab.jpg   8.11K   212 downloads
And you will be presented with the "Aircraft Page" here we will set up the Frame type and assign motors to the 6 available outputs.
Select the "Aircraft Type" drop down box and click on "Multirotor", then in the "Frame Type" drop down box, pick the multirotor of choice (in this case a Quad X)
Next assign the 4 motors to output channels (choose from 1-6, 7 to 8 are not available via the PPM outputs) these are the channels on the CC board that you will plug your brushless ESC's into.
At this stage, grab a piece of paper, and sketch your multirotor configuration, and number the motors, channels, and direction of rotation. The direction of rotation is very important.

 GCS_Dropdown_multirotor.jpg   20.69K   178 downloads  GCS_Dropdown_frametype.jpg   24.47K   227 downloads
 GCS_Dropdown_motors.jpg   51.5K   279 downloads

Note - on a tri-copter the direction DOES NOT matter as the Tail Yaw control will correct for the unbalanced propellor torque.

If you are feeling really keen, you can also modify your "Throttle Curve" to match the one in the picture below, setting the 25% throttle to about 50% output, and dropping the 100% throttle down to about 90% output.
 GCS_Throttle_Curve.jpg   12.61K   363 downloads
This allows the motors to spin up nearer to takeoff thrust quicker (aim to have hover at 1/2 to 2/3 throttle stick) and the 90% output leaves some spare power available to the controller for flight stabilization
As a quick note, 75% output power is about 50% of your total motor power.
It also give you a less "sensitive" throttle stick and allows for easier control of height and power

But , dont get to concerned, we will fine tune this later, so leave it setup as default if you like.

Now ONE LAST CHECK - WARNING - THIS IS A BUG , AND CATCHES MANY OUT ! check the "MIX LEVEL" all values should be between 50% and 100%, 50 is a good start point - if they are "0" ( and the bug causes this) - you will have NO control over your multi apart from throttle ! not a good situation !
 MIX_LEVEL_WARNING.jpg   25.23K   404 downloads

All done for frame setup - congrats , now click "SAVE"
 GCS_Frame_setup_done.jpg   62.93K   277 downloads

[Stacky]

Good man, this will be helpful to many.

[Snagglesworth]

I read somewhere on here or in the wiki to set your tx stick rates to their maximum (150% for me) before you do calibration. This gives CC a higher resolution for the control inputs.

Edited by Snagglesworth, 27 July 2011 - 08:15 PM.

[Mat Wellington]

interesting - can you find the link ? will be worth checking out, makes sense

maybe that can go in the advanced guide.

[gdub73]

hi , align esc dont need to be calibrted , thats if any 1 is using them on multi's

[osnwt]

I read somewhere on here or in the wiki to set your tx stick rates to their maximum (150% for me) before you do calibration. This gives CC a higher resolution for the control inputs.

http://wiki.openpilot.org/display/Doc/General+setup+FAQ
But please remember that this suggestion is only applicable to inputs if you don't use other EPA/DualRate adjustments later. For outputs it is ok as well, but many servos and ESCs do not handle wide ranges well.

[Mat Wellington]

hi , align esc dont need to be calibrted , thats if any 1 is using them on multi's

Why is that ?

[Mat Wellington]

http://wiki.openpilot.org/display/Doc/General+setup+FAQ
But please remember that this suggestion is only applicable to inputs if you don't use other EPA/DualRate adjustments later. For outputs it is ok as well, but many servos and ESCs do not handle wide ranges well.

Thanks for that

[Gary Mortimer]

Good plan Matt, maybe flesh out the wiki so its easy to find rather than a thread??? Several of us might join in. But of course bow our heads when it comes to the mixer as you are....... The Mix Master

[Mat Wellington]

read line # 3 in post #1 gary yep, once its finished here will port to wiki, wanted the wiki article to be done in one hit and not a work in progress

[gdub73]

Why is that ?

no idea, i used a few of them and not 1 of them ive had to calerbrate, u probally would never use them on a multi, only cause they are a bit pricey, real easy to set, no card needed

[dezent]

no idea, i used a few of them and not 1 of them ive had to calerbrate, u probally would never use them on a multi, only cause they are a bit pricey, real easy to set, no card needed

I have calibrated mine, and i suggest you to do the same.

[Berkely]

Step # 2 - Set up the ESC's
Set up the low voltage shut off, timing, battery type, startup etc, by following this guide http://kiwirc.com/ki...r-esc-settings/ (its hosted on an external site, i will add it to the OP wiki soon)

Hi Matt,

I've checked the external link but it has one thing which is not 100% correct there.
The recommended ESC settings are mentioned in the wiki here. The braking is quite important to be swithed off. (see this thread for more info)

[Mat Wellington]

thanks berkly, have linked to the Op wiki

[Stacky]

Struggling to get this thing alive. The problem I have is that Im unsure as to what order I set the radio connections. On the Episode 1 where the radio settings are set in the GCS the order is for a Spectrum, Throttle, Roll, Pitch and yaw from memory. For my Futaba do i do the same order?

[dankers]

Struggling to get this thing alive. The problem I have is that Im unsure as to what order I set the radio connections. On the Episode 1 where the radio settings are set in the GCS the order is for a Spectrum, Throttle, Roll, Pitch and yaw from memory. For my Futaba do i do the same order?

No Use Futaba order

Aileron
Elevator
throttle
rudder

On the config page of the GCS there is a little gagdet that shows what moves when you move the sticks, from there you can see what needs reversing etc.

[Stacky]

Thanks Dankers!

[gdub73]

I have calibrated mine, and i suggest you to do the same.

u sure on that , how exactly do u calerbrate a align esc, cant find any info on doing this with a align escs, and doing the same way as turnigy escs dont work

[Guy]

u sure on that , how exactly do u calibrate a align esc, cant find any info on doing this with a align escs, and doing the same way as turnigy escs dont work

Here is how I do mine for Heli's

Programming the Align 35 ESC, Option settings
--------------------------------------------------
Option 1, Brake setting. Low stick indicates no brake, (which is what you want for a quad), mid stick indicates soft brake, and high stick indicates hard brake.

Option 2, Motor timing. Low stick indicates low timing, mid stick indicates mid timing, and high stick indicates high timing. Generally, lower pole motors use lower timing while higher poles to use higher timing. Higher timing gives more power at the expense of efficiency.

Option 3, Battery protection. Low stick is high protection, or cutoff at 70% of pack voltage. Mid stick is mid protection (default), or cutoff at 65% of pack voltage. High stick is low protection, or cutoff at 60% of pack voltage. I prefer high protection, to prevent over-discharging the pack. Low protection is better for Quads

Option 4, Aircraft mode. Low stick is "normal airplane" mode, mid stick is for soft start, high stick is governor mode. Note that this option may not be available in earlier versions of this ESC. Low Stick for Quads

Option 5. Throttle response. Low stick is low response, mid stick is mid response (default), high is for quick throttle response. Note that this option may not be available in earlier versions of this ESC.


Programming the Align 35 ESC, actual programming
--------------------------------------------------
Many of these sets involve moving the throttle stick to various positions. Please note that it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you remove the pinion gear from the motor before attempting ANY of the following. This will ensure that if the motor were to accidentally spool up, the blades will not engage. As I understand it, you'll need to leave the motor hooked up so that you can hear the beep codes. This is why you want the pinion gear removed! Regardless, ALWAYS use extreme caution!

-Make sure your throttle curve is setup in the default 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 curve. Also make sure your endpoints are set to the default 0 and 100 settings. The ESC uses the stick position to sense what settings you want during the programming phase. You can reset it later to the desired curve.

-Make sure your throttle direction is setup correctly, so that at low stick, the motor is not running at all, but engages as the throttle stick is advanced. If yours is backwards, you need to reverse your throttle direction in your transmitter!

-Unplug the battery from the ESC.

-With your transmitter on, put the throttle stick at full throttle. This tells the ESC that you want to enter programming mode.

-Plug the battery back into the ESC. The ESC will power up, will sense that your throttle stick is in the high position, and will enter programming mode.

The ESC will emit a succession of tones indicating that setup mode is being entered, followed by a series of beeps indicating what the options are currently set at.

-Put the stick at low throttle and the setup sequence begins.

At this point, the ESC will emit a beep (or beeps) indicating which option you are setting. To begin with, it will emit a single beep, repeating slowly, indicating you are setting option 1. Simply place your throttle stick either in the low, mid, or high position, based on the desired setting for the option. Keep your stick in this position until you hear a quick succession of "up down up down" beeps. This quick succession indicates that the previous option has been set. The programming will continue in the same manner... 2 slowly repeating beeps for option 2, 3 slowly repeating beeps for option 3, 4 for option 4, and so on. Simply continue the programming by placing your throttle stick in the desired position, based on which option is being set.

After a preset period of time you will hear a scale of notes in quick succession, followed by the ESC playing back your settings using beep codes for options 1, 2, or 3 (low stick, mid stick, high stick). Listen carefully to verify they are correct.

For example, on my own heli, I set the following options:

Option 1, no brake
Option 2, mid motor timing
Option 3, battery protection high
Option 4, soft start
Option 5, high response

So, when listening to my options play back, here is what I would hear:

beep
beep beep
beep
beep beep
beep beep beep

Once you have verified your settings, unplug the battery, put your throttle stick to low, then plug your battery back in to verify that all is as you'd expect.

[gdub73]

Here is how I do mine for Heli's

Programming the Align 35 ESC, Option settings
--------------------------------------------------
Option 1, Brake setting. Low stick indicates no brake, (which is what you want for a quad), mid stick indicates soft brake, and high stick indicates hard brake.

Option 2, Motor timing. Low stick indicates low timing, mid stick indicates mid timing, and high stick indicates high timing. Generally, lower pole motors use lower timing while higher poles to use higher timing. Higher timing gives more power at the expense of efficiency.

Option 3, Battery protection. Low stick is high protection, or cutoff at 70% of pack voltage. Mid stick is mid protection (default), or cutoff at 65% of pack voltage. High stick is low protection, or cutoff at 60% of pack voltage. I prefer high protection, to prevent over-discharging the pack. Low protection is better for Quads

Option 4, Aircraft mode. Low stick is "normal airplane" mode, mid stick is for soft start, high stick is governor mode. Note that this option may not be available in earlier versions of this ESC. Low Stick for Quads

Option 5. Throttle response. Low stick is low response, mid stick is mid response (default), high is for quick throttle response. Note that this option may not be available in earlier versions of this ESC.


Programming the Align 35 ESC, actual programming
--------------------------------------------------
Many of these sets involve moving the throttle stick to various positions. Please note that it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you remove the pinion gear from the motor before attempting ANY of the following. This will ensure that if the motor were to accidentally spool up, the blades will not engage. As I understand it, you'll need to leave the motor hooked up so that you can hear the beep codes. This is why you want the pinion gear removed! Regardless, ALWAYS use extreme caution!

-Make sure your throttle curve is setup in the default 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 curve. Also make sure your endpoints are set to the default 0 and 100 settings. The ESC uses the stick position to sense what settings you want during the programming phase. You can reset it later to the desired curve.

-Make sure your throttle direction is setup correctly, so that at low stick, the motor is not running at all, but engages as the throttle stick is advanced. If yours is backwards, you need to reverse your throttle direction in your transmitter!

-Unplug the battery from the ESC.

-With your transmitter on, put the throttle stick at full throttle. This tells the ESC that you want to enter programming mode.

-Plug the battery back into the ESC. The ESC will power up, will sense that your throttle stick is in the high position, and will enter programming mode.

The ESC will emit a succession of tones indicating that setup mode is being entered, followed by a series of beeps indicating what the options are currently set at.

-Put the stick at low throttle and the setup sequence begins.

At this point, the ESC will emit a beep (or beeps) indicating which option you are setting. To begin with, it will emit a single beep, repeating slowly, indicating you are setting option 1. Simply place your throttle stick either in the low, mid, or high position, based on the desired setting for the option. Keep your stick in this position until you hear a quick succession of "up down up down" beeps. This quick succession indicates that the previous option has been set. The programming will continue in the same manner... 2 slowly repeating beeps for option 2, 3 slowly repeating beeps for option 3, 4 for option 4, and so on. Simply continue the programming by placing your throttle stick in the desired position, based on which option is being set.

After a preset period of time you will hear a scale of notes in quick succession, followed by the ESC playing back your settings using beep codes for options 1, 2, or 3 (low stick, mid stick, high stick). Listen carefully to verify they are correct.

For example, on my own heli, I set the following options:

Option 1, no brake
Option 2, mid motor timing
Option 3, battery protection high
Option 4, soft start
Option 5, high response

So, when listening to my options play back, here is what I would hear:

beep
beep beep
beep
beep beep
beep beep beep

Once you have verified your settings, unplug the battery, put your throttle stick to low, then plug your battery back in to verify that all is as you'd expect.

i think u have programing the esc confused with calerbrating(sorry about my spelling)the throttle