dRonin - No longer just for the brave

[RandomChaos]

Going to have to give this a try. I used OpenPilot before I tried CleanFlight, and I actually liked OP more. The GUI and settings just felt better, an the initial setup process was a lot more intuitive. I switched to CF though because support for OP was faltering, and the MicroMinimOSD support was awful.

 

[jhitesma]

With OP experience a lot of what's new and unusual about dRonin to *flight users should be right at home to you. The minimOSD stuff for MWSP support is brand new, didn't exist in TL before the fork. There isn't much documentation on it yet other than how to flash minimOSD so it will work: https://github.com/d-ronin/dRonin/wiki/Flashing-MinimOSD

In fact, that's probably the #1 problem right now with dRonin - poor documentation. The developers are very friendly and helpful, but don't like forums. There is a google group they use but really the best way to get help right now is on IRC where the core developers are almost all the time. And the documentation is all in the github wiki so anyone can edit it and anyone who thinks they can help with that is very much encouraged to dig in and start editing. Eventually the plan is to reformat the wiki content into something more end user friendly for the main website...but we've got to get the content cleaned up, updated, and gaping holes filled in first

 

[RandomChaos]

All loaded up and calibrated. Thanks for the motor to channel settings for the Naze. Need to fiddle with the failsafe stuff on my D4R-ii and the Dronin firmware to get that working well.

Are there any settings in Dronin to work with the Naze Buzzer or Voltage in? Haven't dug into too much yet, just wondering.

 

[jhitesma]

Are there any settings in Dronin to work with the Naze Buzzer or Voltage in? Haven't dug into too much yet, just wondering.

Naze buzzer isn't supported yet, only PWM buzzers on an output channel. ADC/voltage monitoring is supported on Naze, but you'd need to setup telemetry or an OSD to do much with it right now.

 

[Snarls]

This is mostly for Snarls about getting spek sat working - but there are some general notes near the end

Ok, Snarls...good news...spek sat on Naze32 with dRonin should work and at least one person confirmed that they were able to get it working tonight.

Thanks for all the help. I can't wait to try it out, but it looks like I'm busy until the weekend. I'm excited to try autotune so I can spend more time flying and less tuning. Looking forward to getting the buzzer support for Naze as well. I really dislike having to connect battery monitors.

 

[jhitesma]

Well the twitchity 230 is ready to fly again. Just gotta run an autotune on it tomorrow and pop it in the air! Still no 2204's, just the 1806's that were on my emax 250...which really are pretty beat up...but better than 3 beat up DYS which is all it's had the past few months

However I did run into two difficulties setting it that I'll share in case anyone else runs into them.

1) Setting up the spektrum sat RX - see my post one page back about this, no need to re-hash that again. I'll just say it took me an hour or two of messing with various settings in GCS and on my TX module before I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. Reminds me why I don't like using the spek sats very often!

2) The motor order. I know, I know. I already shared a tip about that on page 1 saying you'll want to configure them on the vehicle page as:

Motor 1 -> Channel4
Motor 2 -> Channel2
Motor 3 -> Channel1
Motor 4 -> Channel3

And that's true...IF...if you have your motors wired as they would be for cleanflight.

I thought I'd be smart (first sign of trouble) and just wire mine up right from the start so they'd be mapped 1-1 2-2 3-3 4-4. So going by the reference image in the GCS I started with the NW (front left) motor as 1 and went clockwise with NE in 2 SE in 3 and SW in 4. Boom, figured I'd be good to go.

Um...no...not quite. Because it's the numbering of the ports on the Naze32 that doesn't line up.

So I had to mess around in GCS to remap the motors again. And they're now:

Motor 1 -> Channel2
Motor 2 -> Channel3
Motor 3 -> Channel4
Motor 4 -> Channel1

Which is what you'll need if like me you try to be smart and put the motor dRonin says is #1 into output #1 on the board and so on.

Honestly this motor mapping always drives me crazy. It's super confusing because the numbers are easy to mix up. On the Outputs page the NW/NE/SE/SW nomenclature is used but on the vehicle page they're still just numbers. Thankfully that's supposed to change in the near future with the vehicle page changing to the NW/NE/SE/SW names which are far easier to understand.

Right now there are 16 Naze32's that have checked in with dRonin...would love to see a few more already 30 CC3D's and I'd love to see that gap close up

 

[cranialrectosis]

Someday I will fix the servo on this tricopter and join you with another Naze.

 

[jhitesma]

Someday I will fix the servo on this tricopter and join you with another Naze.

The Tri that nilsen gave me is still calling to me...I'm probably going to try flashing dRonin on it soon. But pretty sure that until I get better prop adapters it's going to keep having issues.

I've also got that afromini on my versa I've yet to fly...not many people (if any) trying fixed wing with dRonin yet so that appeals to me

And my knuckle quad with the sparky on it is still on a pre-release so isn't counted in the stats yet. Printed up a case for the sparky last night...then realized it was designed for vertical pins and mine has horizontal pins. So I've still got to work out a mounting option for that thing

Still need to flash my hex with dRonin too now that brain has officially transitioned.


BTW - Hotfix release hit last night:

https://github.com/d-ronin/dRonin/releases/tag/Release-20160120.3

Minor issues with helicopter support, throttle reversal, firmware in Debian package, and BrainFPV alarms were corrected.

 

[Snarls]

Went head to head with dRonin today. Took the settings you told me Jason and finally got the sat receiver working. First I went to try a radio calibration using the wizard. It was recognizing my stick inputs and switches just fine, but then it got weird at the end. For some reason it was only picking up half of some my stick travel. So my roll would only register going right, and pitch up, etc. The current signal value was wonky as well with values between 0 and 1000, and slow to update. Tried the wizard a few time more and still the same results. At this point I was pretty frustrated, or rather, hangry, so I went to get lunch.

After lunch I had some thoughts about my dRonin GUI. I was still using the version from early January or so when I first tried out dRonin, and I figured there had been some updates since then. Got the new GUI installed and tried the radio calibration again. This time the sticks were registering and the were accurate in their movements on screen. Now the input values are between 100 and 1900, which is a little different because I've always seen between 1000 and 2000. Anyway I thought I was on the final stretch, but there was still a warning flashing in the corner.

I started going through the configuration wizard on the main page, but I keep getting stuck at the motor input calibration. Moving the slider never seems to start any of the motors for me. So I decided to try things manually. First I did an ESC calibration in the output window. Wow that scared me. The motors rolled to life at full throttle while I quickly read the message telling me that was suppose to happen. Finish the calibration and the motors settle down along with my heartbeat. Next I was trying to figure out why the board would not arm. I had the arming process set to yaw right+throttle, which I assume is the same as CF, but I would not work for some reason. I decided to try arming on a switch and voila it works.

So right now the inputs look good, the accelerometer is registering the correct movements, and I can arm and rev up the motors. Tomorrow I can finally get out and try autotune followed hopefully by some nice FPV. Looking forward to trying it out.

 

[jhitesma]

Went head to head with dRonin today. Took the settings you told me Jason and finally got the sat receiver working. First I went to try a radio calibration using the wizard. It was recognizing my stick inputs and switches just fine, but then it got weird at the end. For some reason it was only picking up half of some my stick travel. So my roll would only register going right, and pitch up, etc. The current signal value was wonky as well with values between 0 and 1000, and slow to update. Tried the wizard a few time more and still the same results. At this point I was pretty frustrated, or rather, hangry, so I went to get lunch.

Hmmm, that does sound odd. I have had issues with the wizard and the manual mode and I know there's work planned to improve both. The way it detects channels isn't very well implemented.

After lunch I had some thoughts about my dRonin GUI. I was still using the version from early January or so when I first tried out dRonin, and I figured there had been some updates since then. Got the new GUI installed and tried the radio calibration again. This time the sticks were registering and the were accurate in their movements on screen. Now the input values are between 100 and 1900, which is a little different because I've always seen between 1000 and 2000. Anyway I thought I was on the final stretch, but there was still a warning flashing in the corner.

Make sure you also upgrade the firmware, just like with Tau Labs the firmware and GCS are tightly linked and should be upgraded at the same time. 100-1900 is odd, that doesn't sound right at all. Might want to stop in at the dRonin irc channel to see if anyone has any thoughts on that, I've never heard of it before. The main project leader is on vacation for the next two weeks though so it may be a bit slower than normal getting assistance the next two weeks. The rest of the team is still doing a lot of work but he's always in IRC and quick with answers

I started going through the configuration wizard on the main page, but I keep getting stuck at the motor input calibration. Moving the slider never seems to start any of the motors for me. So I decided to try things manually. First I did an ESC calibration in the output window. Wow that scared me. The motors rolled to life at full throttle while I quickly read the message telling me that was suppose to happen. Finish the calibration and the motors settle down along with my heartbeat. Next I was trying to figure out why the board would not arm. I had the arming process set to yaw right+throttle, which I assume is the same as CF, but I would not work for some reason. I decided to try arming on a switch and voila it works.

Hmm, that does sound like something still isn't right. The motors shouldn't spin during a calibration if you do things correctly. You should have the battery disconnected when you start the calibration, then plug it in when it tells you to after it's raised the values to max.

Not sure why the motors aren't spinning for you in the neutral calibration either, that's definitely something we'll need to figure out. You did have a battery plugged in for that part right? Did you select the correct ESC settings? If you're on an older version of blheli then oneshot may not work unless you upgrade to a more recent version. The "turbo pwm" 400mhz mode should still work. (There's also a 60mhz mode for servos but there's no point in building a multi with ESC's that only work at that speed anymore!)

So right now the inputs look good, the accelerometer is registering the correct movements, and I can arm and rev up the motors. Tomorrow I can finally get out and try autotune followed hopefully by some nice FPV. Looking forward to trying it out.

I'm a little nervous about those input numbers and the output issues you experienced. But if it flies then autotune should get you dialed in pretty quickly. Look forward to hearing how it goes. If you get frustrated just go to dronin.org and click on the link for the IRC channel and ask for help. Good chance of someone helpful or at least sarcastic will be listening almost any time.

 

[cranialrectosis]

My biggest challenge with dRonin was overthinking it. dRonin works one way. You click the GUI buttons in sequence. If you get out of sequence, start over.

Don't change ANY switches on your remote during failsafe testing. Once the GUI goes into failsafe testing turn the transmitter off and then back on, but change NOTHING in between or the GUI will stop seeing your radio.

 

[allofyourmoney]

Hey anyone here know how I can get dronin running on my Naze? I've flashed the firmware, configured the beginnings of it, however I cannot get my transmitter inputs to work . I'm using a d4r-II however I am not very familiar with this receiver. I have set my mode in the beginning to ppm, I have all of the channels as ppm, and I have a jumper on the d4r-ii to make it cppm. Any advice or knowledge would be greatly appreciated because I am very stuck

 

[cranialrectosis]

I have a working mini-tricopter with a Naze32 rev 5 running dRonin. I documented some of the parts here.

The main thing with dRonin is that once you have it flashed the wizard won't cut it on the inputs so you have to manually configure them. I had some trouble with one of my Brain FPV boards and manually configured dRonin on it for my 4" Alien build and documented those steps here. Different board but the GUI is the same.

If and when you go beyond my posts, get help with dRonin online here.

 

[jipp]

I have a working mini-tricopter with a Naze32 rev 5 running dRonin. I documented some of the parts here.

The main thing with dRonin is that once you have it flashed the wizard won't cut it on the inputs so you have to manually configure them. I had some trouble with one of my Brain FPV boards and manually configured dRonin on it for my 4" Alien build and documented those steps here. Different board but the GUI is the same.

If and when you go beyond my posts, get help with dRonin online here.

wow, this sounds like its more complicated than just running librepilot. its real easy to setup.. i would think dRonin using the same gui would make it easy. i guess i was wrong in my thinking..

maybe ill just stick with pilot since im familiar with it for now. but im a long ways away from that point.. i need some damn ESC. heh. hurry up kiss get in stock before i buy some little bees or RMRC race edition esc.. which are probably just little bees. laughs
chris.

chris.

 

[jhitesma]

wow, this sounds like its more complicated than just running librepilot. its real easy to setup.. i would think dRonin using the same gui would make it easy. i guess i was wrong in my thinking..

LP's GCS has diverged greatly from OP's and dRonin's has divered from Tau's which had diverged from OP. So while dRonin and LP both have a common ancester their GCS are pretty different at this point. To be brutally honest while I haven't tried it from what I've heard LP's GCS is considerably easier to use at this point. There was about about LP and dRonin combining efforts but both groups have different ideas on the directions to take with things so other than some initial talks nothing has come from that.

dRonin is well aware of the usability issues with the GCS and there are plans to do some major upgrades to it in the next few releases.

I'm really not sure why cranial wasn't able to use the wizards, quite a few people (myself included) have had no issues with them on brain (and sparky, and sparky2) the one exception is with Naze32 where some of the hardware options can't be done by the wizard due to limitations of the Naze32 hardware (like setting the input type to PPM which has to be done manually on Naze32 but can be done through the wizard on other supported boards.)

allofyourmoney stopped in IRC last night and a couple of dRonin devs and myself worked on his problems but no one is quite sure just what's going on with his situation yet. He's the second person this week who had a problem with a FrSky RX in PPM mode on Naze32 but none of the devs have been able to replicate them (either due to lack of matching hardware or lack of time until later this week.) There are people who've successfully used FrSky RX's in PPM mode with dRonin on Naze32 though so it's really a head scratcher.

maybe ill just stick with pilot since im familiar with it for now. but im a long ways away from that point.. i need some damn ESC. heh. hurry up kiss get in stock before i buy some little bees or RMRC race edition esc.. which are probably just little bees. laughs
chris.

I need more RX's. Have more things built and ready to fly than I have RX's to control them with! Wish I could find a way to get a decent failsafe on the lemonrx 6ch featherweights because I've got a half dozen of them sitting here. But I bought those before I got into multis and started needing failsafe

I have another half dozen boards and components to build some openLRS brotronics designs...but the needle on my solder paste is way too big so I'm having a hard time getting a small enough amount of solder paste on the boards to assemble those. Need to find a smaller needle or someone who can cut me a paste stencil. Maybe if I ever finish the MPCNC and get a laser on it.....

 

[jipp]

im forcing my self over to my taranis. sorta scared since im stupid but if im forced, ill learn, i have too. laughs.

so yeah 25-40 a pop is expensive.. compared to the 6.00 lemon jobs.. iv used them and i have it setup so if they lose signal they just drop..

not sure what other failsalfe you want out of the feather light lemon jobs.. but yeah i just have lost of signal drop like a rock. im not really doing any hard flying, hovering and circles etc for now.. but this may change.

my parents have started a hobby shop in there store, so far they have horizon and a few other shops they are contracted to sell.
iv been helping them stock there little hobby section.. anyhow.. they are thinking about flying every sat, or something
so everyone can learn to fly etc and anyone who comes into the store.. so i may end up flying with them each sat ( weekend, etc )..
which would be good for me to get out of the house and a place i can fly.. instead of just noodle round.

so we see what happens. which would mean i have to buy into the AMA etc since you need that to fly at the fields here. but whatever, if that is what i need to do to get out of the house maybe good for my health. being locked up, sometimes i feel like im imprison be stuck at home. joys of being a crippled.
chris.

 

[jhitesma]

im forcing my self over to my taranis. sorta scared since im stupid but if im forced, ill learn, i have too. laughs.

so yeah 25-40 a pop is expensive.. compared to the 6.00 lemon jobs.. iv used them and i have it setup so if they lose signal they just drop..

not sure what other failsalfe you want out of the feather light lemon jobs.. but yeah i just have lost of signal drop like a rock. im not really doing any hard flying, hovering and circles etc for now.. but this may change.

They must have changed them at some point then, because mine don't drop, they lock on the last signal they had. Not a big fan of PWM anyway and bought them for planes in the first place. But I haven't got around to building many planes since getting hooked on multis

so we see what happens. which would mean i have to buy into the AMA etc since you need that to fly at the fields here. but whatever, if that is what i need to do to get out of the house maybe good for my health. being locked up, sometimes i feel like im imprison be stuck at home. joys of being a crippled.
chris.

Getting out helps a lot when you've been shut-in. I bet it will do you a lot of good. I really expected to have more time to get out and fly with my wife's new schedule. But it hasn't worked out as well as we'd hoped. She's mostly 9-5 now...but there are still things in the evenings and weekends that she has to cover now. So it's 9-5 Plus random evenings and weekends which is kind of worse. And one week a month it's 9-5 plus 3 late late nights when the school boards have their meetings. I pray we don't have any teacher strikes while she's on this job.

I shouldn't complain too much, I actually have had more time...just I've been spending it catching up on house and vehicle maintenance/repair projects that have been put off WAY too long.

And she and my daughter are doing two over night girl scout trips this summer so that will give me 2-3 days to myself to catch up on things which will be REALLY nice. Probably won't get to do a lot of flying during them though since they'll be in the heat of summer. And since despite catching up on vehicle stuff none of them are up for trips out of town we'll have to pay for rentals for those trips my budget will continue to be strained. But...even small bits of progress are progress. Hopefully by next fall I'll be able to get back into a more regular flying groove again.

 

[jipp]

yeah, every single one of the lemons 6ch feather drop on lost of signal. granted none of them were older than a year old so my guess they did change them? probably because of multis?

i hear ya on family life.. that would take up a bunch of time.. so hopefully you will get some me time.

here is to a summer of mild heat, hahah.. who am im kidding my guess we will break records yet again :d

i do look forward to getting out and flying with my parents.. it was funny my mom tried to fly the nano qx for the first time, wow, its amazing how people who never touched a TX do.. my mom was pinching the throttle and thumbing the other..

well after about 20 crashes she started to get frustrated.. so off to her laptop, installed a flight sim.. after about 10 mins there she gave the nano a try again and she was hovering..

she had a lot of fun after some time with a flight sim.. i told her i total my nano learning to learn the basic, she said oh. i do not feel so bad now.. im like no mom, its gonna take practice

i think she will enjoy a plane tho more. something more relaxing.. not sure what to do with her thumbs switch her to thumbs or tray and pinch..

whole reasons my parents even went into the hobby section is because of my step dad he was bored at the st ore selling this and that.. now he has something to do while killing time.. working on his train layout, and flying nanos
chris.
chris.

 

[jhitesma]

Well, sounds like there may be an issue for dRonin with sbus on Naze rev6 ... icee was able to repo the issues today:

https://github.com/d-ronin/dRonin/issues/936

No real details on what may be causing it yet as it doesn't make a lot of sense. Nothing between r5 and r6 really changed that should be causing it. So the devs are trying to get more repos to figure out exactly what is going on right now.

We'll just have to wait and see what shakes out now...I'm going to try and test PPM on a few other rev5 boards tonight to see if I can get anything to act up. But I don't have any FrSky hardware or rev6 boards so I can only test so much.

 

[jhitesma]

So there's a fix for the PPM issue on Naze. Turned out my test last night was invalid, I was using an older version of the firmware and didn't realize it (doh!) apparently just a day or two before the last release a small bug crept in that was killing PPM on Naze hardware.

There's a fix here: https://github.com/d-ronin/dRonin/pull/937

I'm guessing there will be a hotfix release soon but it needs more testing before that can happen.