Most GPS wont lock unless you are outside.I am mounting the Sparrow FC in my plane over the weekend. I still have not been able to get the GPS to lock...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nTGVuJuLg6Wiugqi8
Still getting the flashing lights. I must be doing something wrong
Flight controller recommendations
- Thread starter WM4MM
- Start date
I tried outside as well. I was inside just to take the video...
Aireal Anarchist
Elite member
@stephk
Installed today, had issues....the first ESC I tried was incompatible, second ESC good to go, but then realized the mode "lights" to tell you what type aircraft your going to fly didnt work, almost gave up but DECIDED TO TRY MODE SETUP BLIND, I kept changing mode from what I thought was t tail to delta etc etc till I finally go it into delta mode with no indicator lights.....then realized that the RTH mode was on the bottom of my 3 position toggle, tried to get it the same as I set the zohd with -100 and no go it only goes into RTH in +100....ok I can get used to that , but it took some time to figure that issue out and because I was trying to program in -100 the setting were not being saved and reversed the servos a couple times...just as some have experienced with the zohd if you dont uplug the control board before powering down.....so it is an issue for certain. anyways have it programed
had I not had zohd setup experience I never would have been able to set this up, especially with no indicator lights...its only because I knew of the existing zohd issues could I stumble thru this blind like I did....jeesh
if I toggle to RTH mode, give 50% throttle and holding the wing if I spin around so the wing is traveling 12ft per sec the motor does in fact spin up SO WE DO HAVE LAUNCH ASSIST.....and in STAB mode the elevons and elevator compensates for the tilt I induce to the aircraft so Im good to go test weather permitting
Last edited:
Aireal Anarchist
Elite member
IGNORE THOSE RED AND BLUE LIGHTS ON THE GPS PUCK...... MINE FLASH LIKE THAT TOO....ITS THE RED LIGHT ON THE SPARROW YOU WATCH TO STOP FLASHING AND YOUR GOOD TO GO WITH SAT LOCK WHEN RED LIGHT IS SOLIDI am mounting the Sparrow FC in my plane over the weekend. I still have not been able to get the GPS to lock...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nTGVuJuLg6Wiugqi8
Still getting the flashing lights. I must be doing something wrong
edit: also make sure you have it installed so that the flashing lights face down!
Last edited:
I totally agree, and this is also true on ANY FC. Just because the GPS has a lock does not mean that it is a quality lock. The FCs will wait until there is a large enough number of Satellites and/or the HDOP (signal quality) is good enough to be reliable.
Cheers!
LitterBug
Sounds good. I actually got the modes working and had the same problem as you wil the green light on the Sparrow not showing in what mode it was in. I then realized that for some reason my AUX ch 5 switch lost its assignment. (Weird!).
Seems like I have a GPS lock as the red light is solid on the FC.
I have not tried spinning the plane around at 12 m/s to see if the self launch in RTH will get activated. Right now I have it set to Fence.
I have no clue what will happen in Fence as opposed to RTH. If someone knows, let me know!
I plan on taking it out for a spin this weekend at the nearby park. I mounted it on a modified WL Toys F959 that I have never test flown!
I probably should take it out on a plane that I know flies properly first! Go big or go home!
Aireal Anarchist
Elite member
Sounds good. I actually got the modes working and had the same problem as you wil the green light on the Sparrow not showing in what mode it was in. I then realized that for some reason my AUX ch 5 switch lost its assignment. (Weird!).
Seems like I have a GPS lock as the red light is solid on the FC.
I have not tried spinning the plane around at 12 m/s to see if the self launch in RTH will get activated. Right now I have it set to Fence.
I have no clue what will happen in Fence as opposed to RTH. If someone knows, let me know!
I plan on taking it out for a spin this weekend at the nearby park. I mounted it on a modified WL Toys F959 that I have never test flown!
I probably should take it out on a plane that I know flies properly first! Go big or go home!
fence mode is an invisible geo fence..( fence mode is like an invisible box you can fly inside but not allowed to fly outside the box ) .say you set the fence setting low...the plane would not be allowed to fly more then 120ft high and say 500 ft distance, so as you cross the geo fence limits the zohd kicks into RTH mode and brings the plane back to you and loiters above till you are ready to take control again
I found the control s for the gains to be not very sensitive but the GPS is FAR SUPERIOR to the zohd, I can get sat lock under 2 metal roofs that I could not with the zohd and much faster acquisition of stats....dry weather upcoming and i can do some testing
I too lost aux assignment, I believe we must use that feature to hold the button down for 5 sec to save them.....and the ailerons twitch twice after the changes are made
did you also find RTH mode is the bottom position of the 3 position toggle switch?
Last edited:
Toggle Switch Position: I will check again tonight because I had a tough time a couple of nights ago getting it to work and get it calibrated. My throttle kept turning on without my TX input being given. I am using a FLySKy i6X TX. I finally got that solved when i realizes that I had lost my AUX 5 settings in my TX.
Looking forward to hearing back about your test flights. Please report back as to how the fence and RTH worked out for you.
I will try to fly it this weekend but I am the father of two young kids so sometimes what I have planned to do with my RC stuff does not always pan out!
Theuglycamel
Active member
Hope I'm not jumping in with old info (this is a long thread lol), but I just built the mini cruiser with an spracing f3 mini deluxe (15.00 from ebay and NOT a clone). Other than only having 3 uarts, iNav loves this thing. Even with the limitations I've got osd and gps which is really all I needed. I've done the same thing with a spracing f3 acro but you have to share the gps with usb. Either way it's a CHEAP and light way to get in the air with iNav.
leaded50
Legendary member
Thats a mainly Flight Control for Multicopter though, and connections need soldering (as i understand it) of each part to be used in a plane.
Aireal Anarchist
Elite member
you may need to reverse your throttle servo, I ran into this with a flight controller and the FSi6 ....make sure you take off your prop while testingToggle Switch Position: I will check again tonight because I had a tough time a couple of nights ago getting it to work and get it calibrated. My throttle kept turning on without my TX input being given. I am using a FLySKy i6X TX. I finally got that solved when i realizes that I had lost my AUX 5 settings in my TX.
Looking forward to hearing back about your test flights. Please report back as to how the fence and RTH worked out for you.
I will try to fly it this weekend but I am the father of two young kids so sometimes what I have planned to do with my RC stuff does not always pan out!
Theuglycamel
Active member
Very true, I started by soldering pin headers on and wound up soldering the servo/esc leads directly to the pins (ran out of room). Not plug and play, but cheap.
Theuglycamel
Active member
As for being multicopter, it's not really very specific. iNav really doesn't care about anything but the hardware available to configure the profile. There are particular boards that are more form fitting, but the hardware is the same. I've got 1.7 running on a naze32 for my mini arrow. Gyro and acc is all I need for that one.
Similar threads
