CC3D - 250 Drifts away

Zoszko

Junior Member
Hello everyone!

I have just built my 250 FPV today, it was quite easy and straigth forward. It came with a CC3D, I have followed the wizzard and configured it. It does fly but I am having problems with it staying in place. Once I give it enough throttle to lift off it will start moving to the right or to the front.

I have only tested in indoors so I am guessing it could be the problem as the air it sucks in has an angular momentum and that messes up things. (like on turbines, angular momentum is used to controll it's speed so it might have some effect on the quads lifting as well) So I guess my problem will be solved once I can get it to a bigger open space.

The other thing is, when I want to rotate it (YAW) it start to roll and stuff so I have to put it down before it crashes. Is there anything I have missed during the setup or this have to behave like this.

I am using the FS-i6 trasmitter, and the VRa pot to select the flymode (the silly remote does not save my settings once I change the auxilary channel. Ideas on this?) And the 3 modes are Stab 1/2/3.

I have not flown anything before, so I am aming for the best - foolproof - setup.

~Zoszko
 

pressalltheknobs

Posted a thousand or more times
To save on the i6 you have to looong press the "cancel" button. Then you should be able to use the 3 position switch with the aux channel. At least I suspect that is the problem there

They really should have called that button "Back/Save" or something. Trips everyone up until you know.
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Hello everyone!

I have just built my 250 FPV today, it was quite easy and straigth forward. It came with a CC3D, I have followed the wizzard and configured it. It does fly but I am having problems with it staying in place. Once I give it enough throttle to lift off it will start moving to the right or to the front.

I have only tested in indoors so I am guessing it could be the problem as the air it sucks in has an angular momentum and that messes up things. (like on turbines, angular momentum is used to controll it's speed so it might have some effect on the quads lifting as well) So I guess my problem will be solved once I can get it to a bigger open space.

The other thing is, when I want to rotate it (YAW) it start to roll and stuff so I have to put it down before it crashes. Is there anything I have missed during the setup or this have to behave like this.

I am using the FS-i6 trasmitter, and the VRa pot to select the flymode (the silly remote does not save my settings once I change the auxilary channel. Ideas on this?) And the 3 modes are Stab 1/2/3.

I have not flown anything before, so I am aming for the best - foolproof - setup.

~Zoszko

Welcome to FliteTest and welcome to piloting.

The best way for us to see how your copter is behaving is with video. You can directly embed your Youtube videos right into the forum so we can see the symptoms you are describing.

What wizzard are you running? Is it called CleanFlight?

Are you flying in any mode that auto levels the quad? If so, did you calibrate the accelerometers on a level surface?

If you fly the copter in its own wash it will drift. A 250 will probably project a wash about 450mm. It will be strongest the closer to the ground you get. Pop the copter up at least 600mm off the ground or you should expect a bumpy ride.


To have a copter that can be lifted off and have it stay in one place requires a robot with GPS and a barometer. With a CC3D you will have to fly that copter. It don't think it will just park for you.

Learning to fly takes a few weeks. You will crash. Props are expendable and disposable.

I suggest you learn to fly with only the gyro (no autolevels and no robot). You will be a far better pilot. You will crash more early but you will learn faster too.

You will need spare props to master that copter. :)

Got any pics of your build? :)
 

Zoszko

Junior Member
To save on the i6 you have to looong press the "cancel" button. Then you should be able to use the 3 position switch with the aux channel. At least I suspect that is the problem there

They really should have called that button "Back/Save" or something. Trips everyone up until you know.

Thank you pressalltheknobs I have found the manual for it on banggood.com, there is a section for the auxilary channels they did not mention it there.

Welcome to FliteTest and welcome to piloting.

The best way for us to see how your copter is behaving is with video. You can directly embed your Youtube videos right into the forum so we can see the symptoms you are describing.
Thank you for the warm greetings cranialrectosis! I have made a short video with all the 3 different modes.


What wizzard are you running? Is it called CleanFlight?
No I am using OpenPilot 15.02.02 as the latest version does not support CC3D, I have CleanFlight installed (added to my browser) as well. But the OpenPilot wizard seemed to be the easiest way to start.

I have the following modes:
OpenPilot.png

Are you flying in any mode that auto levels the quad? If so, did you calibrate the accelerometers on a level surface?
I have just recalibrated the quad before shooting the video, it's way better now I would say almost perfect. I am not sure about the auto level mode.

If you fly the copter in its own wash it will drift. A 250 will probably project a wash about 450mm. It will be strongest the closer to the ground you get. Pop the copter up at least 600mm off the ground or you should expect a bumpy ride.

To have a copter that can be lifted off and have it stay in one place requires a robot with GPS and a barometer. With a CC3D you will have to fly that copter. It don't think it will just park for you.

Learning to fly takes a few weeks. You will crash. Props are expendable and disposable.

I suggest you learn to fly with only the gyro (no autolevels and no robot). You will be a far better pilot. You will crash more early but you will learn faster too.

You will need spare props to master that copter. :)
I have ordered a couple with the quad so I have got 4 spare pairs. More on the way. Are these 3 blade props good? I have ordered one set just to see if it changes anything.

Got any pics of your build? :)
QUADX.jpg

~Zoszko


EDIT:
At the end of the video there is some extra footage showing one of the motors not spinning up after a crash or hard landing. If I move the connectors a bit it works just fine again. I assume this is just some soldering or contact issue and the ESC and the motor is fine. Am I right?
 
Last edited:

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
I think you are right about the motor contact issue. Jittery motors are common and almost always caused by a poor connection somewhere between the ESC and the motor.

3 blade props are less efficient than 2 blades but provide more thrust. You will have shorter flight times but more thrust available during the flight.

You need a larger space to fly and a softer crash pad. :)

Your copter seems a bit twitchy. Are you using any expo?

You are flying well inside the copter's own wash. The air below the rotors is turbulent. It is doubly turbulent because you are flying so close to a hard, flat surface which is reflecting that turbulence back up into and around the rotors. If you fly higher, the air will be less turbulent and the copter simpler to control. Of course, the higher up you fly, the wider an area you need to control it. :)

When you can, get this monster outside and pop it up into the air at least knee high. I think you will be pleased with the results. I also have found it easier to fly somewhere than to try to hover in place. When you can get outside, pop the copter up and walk behind it and fly it around, keeping the tail pointed toward you. It's a good way to start to learn the controls and not deal with orientation issues yet.

Nice build Zoszko. :)

Keep posting video and let us see how it's going.
 

Zoszko

Junior Member
I think you are right about the motor contact issue. Jittery motors are common and almost always caused by a poor connection somewhere between the ESC and the motor.
I will resolder those than.

3 blade props are less efficient than 2 blades but provide more thrust. You will have shorter flight times but more thrust available during the flight.
Well thrust is not a problem now in my opinion so I will stick to the regular props than.

You need a larger space to fly and a softer crash pad. :)

Yeah I know, but the weather is kinda bad, raining, snowing and repeat (while it's well below 0°C).
There is a community centre nearby I might ask if I can fly in there.


Your copter seems a bit twitchy. Are you using any expo?

No expo at all. I have not touched anything on the remote except the auxilary channels. I am open for suggestions on what and how to tweak :)

You are flying well inside the copter's own wash. The air below the rotors is turbulent. It is doubly turbulent because you are flying so close to a hard, flat surface which is reflecting that turbulence back up into and around the rotors. If you fly higher, the air will be less turbulent and the copter simpler to control. Of course, the higher up you fly, the wider an area you need to control it. :)

When you can, get this monster outside and pop it up into the air at least knee high. I think you will be pleased with the results. I also have found it easier to fly somewhere than to try to hover in place. When you can get outside, pop the copter up and walk behind it and fly it around, keeping the tail pointed toward you. It's a good way to start to learn the controls and not deal with orientation issues yet.

Nice build Zoszko. :)

Keep posting video and let us see how it's going.

Thanks, I am trying my best :)
 

Zoszko

Junior Member
Hello everyone!

Just a quick update on my progress. I have managed to damage to props (1CW + 1CCW)
PROP1.jpg PROP2.jpg

I have made an other video this time in the community center, I can't wait to get it outside.

 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Broken props are evidence of flying and pushing your abilities! :)

I have seen photos of Christmas tree garland made from strings of broken props. :)

Expo is a setting on your transmitter or flight controller that "numbs" the center of your transmitter sticks. It makes it so you have to move the sticks more in the center to make the copter respond. Without expo any little twitch makes for a copter that jumps to respond if you have the copter set up to respond quickly for aerobatics. Expo makes it simpler to land because small movements of the sticks don't make huge jumps on the copter. Expo deadens the center of the sticks. If you are making big moves, the farther from the center of the sticks you get, the more the copter jumps to respond.

Throttle control is one of the hardest things to learn and is one of the most important. A little expo say 30%-40% will help you with the throttle. You won't bounce between the floor and ceiling so much because the little stick movements won't cause the copter to jump so high or fall so low. :)

I don't know APM software or your transmitter so I don't know how to set expo on your copter. You will need a little research there but check it out. Expo makes a huge difference when you are flying in a restricted space.

Nice video. You are learning and progressing and experimenting. You are flying at higher altitude and using a bit of yaw to re-orient the copter. Once you can fly the copter away and land and then back to you and land, try walking behind the copter and flying in a circle. :)

One last tip. Don't try to catch your copter unless you are trying to score a date with a pretty nurse at the hospital. Stitches on the hand are a pain in the bum and usually not worth it unless the nurse (or doctor) is really someone special. :)
 

Zoszko

Junior Member
Expo is a setting on your transmitter or flight controller that "numbs" the center of your transmitter sticks. It makes it so you have to move the sticks more in the center to make the copter respond. Without expo any little twitch makes for a copter that jumps to respond if you have the copter set up to respond quickly for aerobatics. Expo makes it simpler to land because small movements of the sticks don't make huge jumps on the copter. Expo deadens the center of the sticks. If you are making big moves, the farther from the center of the sticks you get, the more the copter jumps to respond.

So I have an option for Dual rate/exp on Yaw, Pitch and Roll. -80% might be a little too much, but there is a huge difference for sure. I will try to lower this to the 30-40 You have recommended.


DualRateExpo.jpg

Throttle control is one of the hardest things to learn and is one of the most important. A little expo say 30%-40% will help you with the throttle. You won't bounce between the floor and ceiling so much because the little stick movements won't cause the copter to jump so high or fall so low. :)

I don't know APM software or your transmitter so I don't know how to set expo on your copter. You will need a little research there but check it out. Expo makes a huge difference when you are flying in a restricted space.


And there is a different page for Throttle:


ThrottleCurve.jpg


I have tried to set the throttle to start at 30% and look like it's hyperbolic, but I was unable to arm the copter :mad: .
I might set the throttle hold to 0, so I can have my curve at 30% and still be able to arm the beast.


Nice video. You are learning and progressing and experimenting. You are flying at higher altitude and using a bit of yaw to re-orient the copter. Once you can fly the copter away and land and then back to you and land, try walking behind the copter and flying in a circle. :)

One last tip. Don't try to catch your copter unless you are trying to score a date with a pretty nurse at the hospital. Stitches on the hand are a pain in the bum and usually not worth it unless the nurse (or doctor) is really someone special. :)

Yeah I was running for it than I have realised I still need my hand so I have eneded up correcting and still crashing it.

I am waiting for some XT60 plugs. Until those arrive I am sticked to one 1500mAh lipo. So it's charging time... (I have got a 2200mAh Turnigy here, but the plug kills me... I am also planning on ordering some more of these so I can fly more and practice more.) (This was the first time I have started without banging it to the floor :) so tweeking the FS-i6 helped for sure.)
 

Zoszko

Junior Member
Issues and how I'm trying to solve them.

Update time!

Hello everyone!

It's me again with some new updates on how I fly this monster and a couple issues with it.

Issue #1

From time to time I am having an issue with the power distribution board. I have soldered everything to it and sandwiched it between the two bottom plates. When I was trying to calibrate the ESCs the battery wires came off and it looked scarry :D (and it did not smell good) So as I have quickly figured the frame is shoring the board out. I have applied isolation tape all around the board. It worked until now, the drops and hard landings made two of the solder joints to poke thru the tape and it made a fair bit of smoke during flight.

power-distribution-board-369-p.jpg

So I made a little 3D printed box for the power distribution board and mounted it to the bottom of the copter.

BOX4PDB.jpg

My battery cable goes to the side as it's not long enough to reach the back. I will change it, but not sure about the size. I have got plenty AWG10 on hand. I will give it a go.


Issue #2

Mounting the FPV antenna and video transmitter is a huge pain in the A#$ in my opinion. I need Your advice on how and where to mount it. I am using a TS5823 transmitter which is nice and small (but it actually makes it harder to keep it in one place)

I have ordered one pair with a 90° connector and a short extension cord which has a nut so it can be mounted. And as I was 3D printing anyways I made this little 'backpack' which holdes the transmitter and tilts it back a little(10°).


BACKPACK_4.jpg NIGHT RIDER_1.jpg

It also looks like it had a tail light.


Issue #3

Where Shall I put the RC antenna leads? Not like I am flying away more than 30 meters currently I am just cutious where to put them. First they were going all the way to the back on the sides of the top plate, but now I have made them to go with the two back legs. Now they form a V or Y shape. What's the best solution for this?

Video

The tuning on the the FS-i6 did the trick, I am - slowly - getting better at this.