FPV, Going digital! My experience with Walksnail Avatar gear

[LitterBug]

Like what I'm seeing in some of the new INAV 8.0 RC1 release notes. Headtracking passthrough from the VTX to the FC So It will be able to pass the Goggles headtracking to the Pan servo....

Need to check Ardupilot for similar since the Stratosurfer is running Ardupilot Plane.

I could still use PPM out from the headtracker into my RadioMaster TX16S though.

Support for Walksnail serial gimbal and headtracker.

Headtracker can be used with serial gimbal or in the mixer.

Saves a few pwm outputs in exchange for a UART.

Headtracker information can be read from VTX via UART and gimbal can be controlled via uart.

serial 5 67108864 115200 115200 0 115200

set gimbal_sensitivity = 0
set gimbal_pan_channel = 15
set gimbal_tilt_channel = 16
set gimbal_roll_channel = 0

set headtracker_type = SERIAL
set headtracker_pan_ratio =  1.000
set headtracker_tilt_ratio =  1.000
set headtracker_roll_ratio =  1.000

 

[LitterBug]

Well, once gain, I did NOT physically update the servo, but DID pick up a WalkSnail GM3 Gimbal and the WalkSnail Head Tracking module for the Goggles X. SO, I should be enabling full head tracking on one or more vehicles in the near future. Of course, with new modules, comes more updates and more update procedures to learn so I'll post my details once I dig in and figure it all out. I also picked up a handful of LHCP VAS antennas to play with on my VRX and GogglesX to play with range and tree penetration.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Hi All!
Long time analog FPV flyer here and I have been keeping tabs on a few of the digital FPV platforms out there as they have matured. I have finally broken down and jumped into the game myself, and am going down the CaddxFPV Walksnail Avatar path. The two others I had considered were DJI, and RunCam Zero. Not going to be covering those, but will document the setup of the Walksnail gear.

Cheers!
LitterBug

Ooooh! I am jealous!

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Ooooh! I am jealous!

Yeah I wouldn't trust DJI from China.......

 

[LitterBug]

Need to swap out this pan setup for the GM3 gimbal. The Gimbal has the camera cable routed already, so we need to disconnect everything, mount the camera to the gimbal cable and gimbal, then hook the other end of the cable to the VTX/4K DVR. (or whatever gear you choose)

Camera flipped to other cable and ready to mount. Just need to remove the rest to gain access to the bolts holding the other end ov the cable.

Now all done. Going to 3D print a mount that can easily be swapped between vehicles.

Caddx sells a gimbal and headtracker updater tool with the correct cables for $0 +$9.99 shipping. Went ahead and ordered it, but in the mean time, I'll hack together a way to update the firmware and settings using a standard FTDI adapter.

Free-GL and GM Upgrade Cable

As a leading global supplier of HD Digital FPV Solutions, Caddxfpv provides high-quality products and services for FPV enthusiasts around the world. Our goal is for every pilot to experience flawless image quality and stable performance, and enjoy the perfect flight.

caddxfpv.com

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Looks cool!

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Any advice for me the first time time I fly FPV?

 

[LitterBug]

Any advice for me the first time time I fly FPV?

Take a good attentive spotter who can give clear directions back to the field if you get lost. Make sure they can also fly LOS if you need to hand over control to them.

 

[LitterBug]

Painless360 has a really nice set of files on thingiverse that I am using for my more generic mounting solution. Has several mounting hole options for the base plate and options for single or dual antennas. Need to shrink wrap the antennas to the masts and it will be ready to mount in a few places.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6700942

Still need to update the firmwares first. Going for a complete round including all VTXes and RXes too.

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Take a good attentive spotter who can give clear directions back to the field if you get lost. Make sure they can also fly LOS if you need to hand over control to them.

Good idea thanks!

 

[LitterBug]

Starting down the patching rabbit hole. Appears the Avatar firmware on my walksnail RXes and TXes from last july predates the headtracking gear, color OSD, etc. So getting current with the latest firmware on that firmware first. Easiest place to find the release notes is at WalkSnail.app and I am currently on 38.43.4.

 

[LitterBug]

The Caddx upgrade cableset arrived today. I gave up on using a standard FTDI adapter as I didn't have the correct connector for the gimbal, and it was going to be more of a time dump than it was worth. I recommend picking up the upgrade kit when you pick up the gimbal(s) to save the hassle. https://caddxfpv.com/collections/caddxfpv-cable-2024/products/gl-and-gm-upgrade-cable

Have it ALL up to current releases. Just need the weather to cooperate now. I may add a cooling fan, throw it on my Traxxas Slash, and go for a drive in the mean time.

 

[LitterBug]

I have been away from this thread (and many others) for far too long. Been doing a lot of general house purging, new used 6YO dog, bicycling, working, etc... been ramping up the off season with short work off season hours at the bike store, which is giving me time to catch up. There have been patches to the HD FPV gear and Headtracker/gimbal in all this time, and trying to decide if it is worth the effort to upgrade before flying...... Biggest change is the ability to "gimbal lock" via a double press on a headset button. Just want to get some airtime while the air is calm right now... Stratosurfer is 99% ready without doing any updates....

 

[LitterBug]

Well, let things sit too long without being used, you are bound to find that there are updates/patches available. Such is the case with my headtracking gear which I still have not used.

Updating the Gimbal and headtracker (above) requires an external serial port dongle available from Caddx. The headtracker module, whether internal or external uses a 3 wire headphone jack/plug and the unit must be powered separately. NOTE: the serial port for the configuratio/firmware update on the external headtracker is NOT the same one that connects to the headset. This allows the headtracker configuration to be modified while the headtracker is connected over the RF link to the gimbal.

Below, the gimbal uses a more typical connector for the serial connection, and the unit must be powered separately as well. Again separate serial port than the connection to the FC OR VTX.

The key update in this firmware is the ability to "lock/unlock" the gimbal in look forward position via a button double press on the goggles.

This will also require a firmware update to the Headset firmware to add the lock shortcut, and additional configuration menu items. That will also require the firmware on any VTXes I use with the headset to be updated as well.

Best practice (reqirement) is to run all walks nail devices paired together on the same revision of the firmware.

Regards,
LB

 

[Bricks]

One of the things I hate about technology update one thing and everything else has to be updated to make the new update work, and if you have more then one then they all have to be updated.

 

[LitterBug]

One of the things I hate about technology update one thing and everything else has to be updated to make the new update work, and if you have more then one then they all have to be updated.

Yeah, as a semi retired sysadmin \ SysEngineer, that "could" be avoided with proper planning. People just don't plan far enough out these days. Backward compatibility is a good thing.... But in this case, they were adding a feature, and anything that touches that feature must be updated.

I only have one headset, headtracker, and gimbal so not having to update a whole bunch of other transmitters and receivers. I have a standalone VRX used with different goggles, so everything else can stay at the lower release.

 

[LitterBug]

Updated the headset and VTX firmware today, bound it all together, and played with it on the bench. It's pretty slick when I have everything calibrated right. I need to review my setup and calibrations as a couple of times, the gimbal/headtracker were not pointing in the same direction causing roll/pitch to be inverted or swapped. Yaw always seems to be correct. Once I figure out what I am doing wrong, I'll put the canopy on the plane and have a look around outside. One thing I found in the Gimbal config was it was set to auto detect Up or Down orientation. I have it above the fuselage, so I forced it to up.

Have a squirrel cage fan for keeping the VTX cool while it is powered up stationary. Even at 25mw, the unit heats up very fast with no airflow.

LB

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Yeah, as a semi retired sysadmin \ SysEngineer, that "could" be avoided with proper planning. People just don't plan far enough out these days. Backward compatibility is a good thing.... But in this case, they were adding a feature, and anything that touches that feature must be updated.

I only have one headset, headtracker, and gimbal so not having to update a whole bunch of other transmitters and receivers. I have a standalone VRX used with different goggles, so everything else can stay at the lower release.

I think some reason for firmware updates are because they are always tweaking and tuning and getting feed back....When they first release it they haven't had months of feed back, ect.

 

[Bricks]

I think some reason for firmware updates are because they are always tweaking and tuning and getting feed back....When they first release it they haven't had months of feed back, ect.

I agree with this but for us non techey`s it sucks, as shown here someone that is techy still having issues figuring it out.

 

[Houndpup Rc]

I agree with this but for us non techey`s it sucks, as shown here someone that is techy still having issues figuring it out.

Yup