dRonin - No longer just for the brave

[LitterBug]

grnd flyr,
I used the BrainFPV mPB with voltage and current monitoring because I had one laying around. It works flawless with the Seppuku FC and is hard to beat for the price. Had to wire it manually since the pin locations do not align between the boards, but no biggie. There is a pad for RSSI on the Seppuku too if your RX supports it, and even a spare DAC input. There is supposed to be a Seppuku PDB released later this year but have no idea on the timeframe. The OSD is my telemetry. You can set it so alarms/alerts show on the OSD. I need to move the alerts from the top of the screen because it is hidden behind the compass which I don't have on my RE1. You can see it flash battery in my video where I had the sticks pegged. Don't really need the compass, Horizon, or altimeter, but am leaving it there for the time being for testing, and to show off how fast and smooth the OSD is on this board. Finally got around to cleaning the mud off from my last time out without locknuts and throwing a prop. DOH. Looking for an opportunity to get some more footage.

Cheers!
LitterBug

PS: This is what happens if you don't use locknuts on standard thread motors with CW props and you throw a prop:

 

[jhitesma]

Nice, thanks for the vid jhitesma. Uhm, just how big is that battery? Vid said: Consumed energy: 3316 mAh

It's only a 2200, and was only taken down to about 7.8v per cell. I just haven't calibrated the current sensor yet

Gotta say, even with that video you can see that you handle it very smoothly. Looks very smooth...

I can't take credit for the flying, that's my friend Ethan on the sticks. He goes by "Flyer 135" and is a much better pilot than me so I've been getting him to fly the hex. He has a youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-WS5b7KltrXeRCcJQIq9gQ

The tune is straight from autotune, just the rates were bumped up to 600/35/140 (600 max, 35% slope, 140 center)

This was the tune...ignore my comments on it I forgot to update them before submitting:
http://dronin-autotown.appspot.com/...hdXRvdG93bnIYCxILVHVuZVJlc3VsdHMYgICAkLyyqAoM

I saw Voltage, Current, & RSSI pads on the pic of the board, just not sure how to setup telemetry for low battery warning to be displayed on OSD. I'm sure it'll be pretty straight forward very soon.

Thanks again for the info & vid!

Yeah, I should do a setup video on how to configure it. It's pretty simple though, basically you just enable the battery module and then it's all on the setup tab for that module:



Pretty much every field has a tooltip with more information if you hover over it. And while the default configuration values aren't quite right for my current sensor - most of the configuration "just works". All I did was enable the module - no other configuration (which is why my values are still a bit off.)

And actually, I just checked the data sheet for my sensor and the defaults should work for it...so I have to do a bit of digging as to why that was so far off. Maybe I'm not actually running the 90amp version but the 180amp version...that could very well be it...I bought this sensor so long ago I can't really remember but that may explain the difference. Going to have to do a bit of testing to figure out what's up with my sensor

Also, please excuse my video quality. This is my oldest most beat up VTX and it's definitely showing it's age! I'm going to swap in a newer one before the next flights.

 

[grnd flyr]

It's only a 2200, and was only taken down to about 7.8v per cell. I just haven't calibrated the current sensor yet



I can't take credit for the flying, that's my friend Ethan on the sticks. He goes by "Flyer 135" and is a much better pilot than me so I've been getting him to fly the hex. He has a youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-WS5b7KltrXeRCcJQIq9gQ

The tune is straight from autotune, just the rates were bumped up to 600/35/140 (600 max, 35% slope, 140 center)

This was the tune...ignore my comments on it I forgot to update them before submitting:
http://dronin-autotown.appspot.com/...hdXRvdG93bnIYCxILVHVuZVJlc3VsdHMYgICAkLyyqAoM




Yeah, I should do a setup video on how to configure it. It's pretty simple though, basically you just enable the battery module and then it's all on the setup tab for that module:

View attachment 82187

Pretty much every field has a tooltip with more information if you hover over it. And while the default configuration values aren't quite right for my current sensor - most of the configuration "just works". All I did was enable the module - no other configuration (which is why my values are still a bit off.)

And actually, I just checked the data sheet for my sensor and the defaults should work for it...so I have to do a bit of digging as to why that was so far off. Maybe I'm not actually running the 90amp version but the 180amp version...that could very well be it...I bought this sensor so long ago I can't really remember but that may explain the difference. Going to have to do a bit of testing to figure out what's up with my sensor

Also, please excuse my video quality. This is my oldest most beat up VTX and it's definitely showing it's age! I'm going to swap in a newer one before the next flights.

Well, kudos to your friends flying then, very smooth.

Setup video would be awesome when you can find the time, thanks.

Think I read somewhere that we ought to be able to use a TBS Unify Pro & be able to change PIDs, bands, & transmitting strengths via Smart Audio at some point too right? (This is/would be absolutely terrific!)

Ya, just put in a second order plus ordered a couple more mPbs... so jazzed to get this working!

Thanks again jhitesma and LitterBug

 

[Balu]

I really need to get back into this. :-/

 

[Snarls]

I really need to get back into this. :-/

Me too. I've been thinking about upgraded my old ZMR250 and DRonin sounds like a nice upgrade from ye old Naze32.

 

[jhitesma]

Think I read somewhere that we ought to be able to use a TBS Unify Pro & be able to change PIDs, bands, & transmitting strengths via Smart Audio at some point too right? (This is/would be absolutely terrific!)

Yes, you can change PID's through the OSD - though with autotune it's a lot less necessary

With the TBS VTX's that use Smart Audio you can also configure the channel and strength through the OSD - but I don't have any of those TX's so I haven't used that feature.

I know that's all supported on OG Brain, Brain RE1 and Seppuku...I'm not sure about the omnibus F4. OminbusF4 is supported and the OSD works...but there's no GUI for configuring it right now so it's a bit more confusing to deal with. And apparently my OmnibusF4 board burned up (I gave it to my friend who was flying my hex to put on his quad...not sure what's wrong with his quad but he's burned up something like 3 FC's in the past month!)

 

[cranialrectosis]

At least I only burn up KISS ESCs...

Naze32 and dRonin isn't a fun combination.

Brain, Sparky2 and RE1 and dRonin for sure are. Autotune makes it so you can fly hard the first day without spending a day tuning.

 

[jhitesma]

At least I only burn up KISS ESCs...

Naze32 and dRonin isn't a fun combination.

It isn't fun...but it does work. Just don't get the super nice auto-updates and have to flash the .hex with a *flight config tool. And can't turn on any other modules when autotuning due to low resources. And doesn't support the new improved autotune code...and there's talk about dropping support for F1 targets on new releases in the not too distant future. So not at all recommended if you're looking get get your feet wet. But if you get the dRonin bug and have a bunch of Naze32's on hand it can work.

Brain, Sparky2 and RE1 and dRonin for sure are. Autotune makes it so you can fly hard the first day without spending a day tuning.

Also Sparky (original) which is cheap from various cloner sources, revo and revo acro and omnibus f4 (which is basically revo acro with an OSD chip added in) and of course Seppuku (https://www.airdtf.com/shop/seppuku) which should be shipping this month and is basically original Brain with through hole components and newer sensors and a few more options for future expansion.

Autotune still isn't 100% - there are still setups that it fails on. But it does seem to work on about 90-95% of setups. And the improvements to autotune on F3/F4 targets in the latest release make it more likely to work on that last 5-10% (as well as opening the door to post-PID control schemes in the near future.)

 

[jhitesma]

grnd flyr - thanks for pointing out that current reading to me! I had totally missed it. I usually tune out the OSD while flying so missed it on my flights, and didn't pay attention to it reviewing the DVR footage from Saturday.

Apparently the defaults in GCS are backwards for Seppuku Not in my screen shot how the pin for Voltage is "A" and the Pin for Amperage is "V". Except...that still doesn't explain my readings. My seppuku is a pre-release though and had a few assembly issues so it's possible that that's what's throwing me off. I'll have to take a closer look at it tonight. The shipping seppukus are machine assembled and go through a rigorous QC process that didn't exist for my test sample. They also feature a voltage divider on the V input pin so you can run battery voltage straight to get that in the OSD without needing an external divider circuit - it can even handle up to 6s input.

Unfortunately this is school board week so my wife is working late all week and I probably won't get much time in my shop to look into what's up with my setup On the upside...I'll be in the back room with the 3D printer so more time to work on printing things

 

[LitterBug]

Seppuku SHIPPED!

Just got an email notification about my order:
Your order has been updated to the following status:

Shipped


WOOHOO!


Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[grnd flyr]

Just got an email notification about my order:
Your order has been updated to the following status:

Shipped


WOOHOO!


Cheers!
LitterBug

Yahuh ditto that, me too me too...

Your order has been updated to the following status:

Shipped

...LitterBug, you have any setup pics laying around? How did/do you wire it up for telemetry? Taranis-x4rsb here...

feel like a kid at Christmas...

 

[LitterBug]

Yahuh ditto that, me too me too...

Your order has been updated to the following status:

Shipped

...LitterBug, you have any setup pics laying around? How did/do you wire it up for telemetry? Taranis-x4rsb here...

feel like a kid at Christmas...

I run Spektrum DSMX so no telemetry other than on my OSD. Current and voltage monitoring wired from the mPB to the appropriate Seppuku pads is all I did. The board itself is labeled very well. The pre-release is marked slightly different than the final version after they took our suggestions and applied them to the design. The pictures on the AirDTF site are probably the best study material until the board is in my hands.
https://www.airdtf.com/shop/seppuku

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

More testing this weekend of the pre-release Seppuku FC with dRonin's latest Artifice release flogging the snot out of my gear with rates turned up to 1000deg/sec. Seems that my camera caused some OSD video sync/format issues at the end and had an in-flight reboot. Still waiting on my officially released FC to show up so I can get my Kreiger 225 finshed up.

RMRC Hellbender 204 V1 frame
Seppuku pre-release test FC/OSD
TBS zero/zero camera
RMRC cricket 200mw VTX
Omnivision 3 lobe RHCP antenna
BrainFPV mPB PDB
Speedex ES 25A OS125
Spektrum FPV Racing diversity RX
Sunnysky x2204s-16 2300kv motors
DALPROP 5045 triblade
Tattu 1550mah 4S 75C

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

WHAT? ONLY 1000 degrees per second? Why anything under 1500 is for sissies. Man up and put some serious twist in your flying.




BTW I'm a Sissy. I only fly in mid 1100s on my pitch and roll

 

[LitterBug]

WHAT? ONLY 1000 degrees per second? Why anything under 1500 is for sissies. Man up and put some serious twist in your flying.




BTW I'm a Sissy. I only fly in mid 1100s on my pitch and roll

LOL, You know I will, just for you PB.... I better double up on the battery straps first. BTW Found your hidden message.

Cheers!
Litter Bug

 

[grnd flyr]

... Still waiting on my officially released FC to show up...

Ditto that, just how long does non-tracking Canalien Mail take nowadays? Maybe they just heard of the Pony Express?...

All kidding aside, kudos to airdtf.com...: When I purchased the second Seppuku, I asked that it be shipped with my first purchase in the "notes" section of the purchase page. Next day got an email that they had been shipped & that they refunded me $5 shipping charge from the second order, even though they didn't have to! Great first impression!

...and now, about that Pony Express...

 

[jhitesma]

I've heard a few people started getting boards, so they should be arriving soon.

 

[LitterBug]

I've heard a few people started getting boards, so they should be arriving soon.

This soon for me....



Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[grnd flyr]

This soon for me....

Yeup, Pony Express delivered!

Got yours flying?

 

[LitterBug]

Yeup, Pony Express delivered!

Got yours flying?

Nope, but I have it all staged and ready to go. Want to do some Flying this weekend, but don't want to rush. I'll be doing a full build doc on it.... Starting tonight.

How about you?

Cheers!
LitterBug