i86 Stabilizer

[fliteadmin]

The i86 is not only a stabilization board, but a multi-rotor control board! Featuring a 4-bit DIP-Switch for multi copter type and flight mode selection. With a flip of a DIP, you can go from aero copter to a quad copter.

The control board comes preprogramed with just about any multi rotor up to 6 rotors, so you don't have to re-flash your board to configure for a new setup. The board also features a single 3-axis MEMS gyro chip which is much more streamlined then the old insert of a large vertical board.

The i86 stabilizer is primarily made for multi rotors but airplane flyers can use this too. To setup the board, all you need to do is refer the diagram, flip the DIPs, make a few calibrations with your radio and you're ready to fly!

We've installed the i86 on our TwinStar ARF foam flyer. The TwinStar is a great FPV flyer and we thought it'd be the perfect plane to try this stabilization board on. We setup an FPV station so Josh can watch the onboard camera live and give us an instant review of how well the board works to stabilize our plane.

Flying with the i86 stabilizer off, Josh could see from the FPV live feed that the plane was flying shaky as expected. So we took another flight with the i86 turned on. But first we had to make a few calibrations and do some stick centering.

With the board off, we turned the pitch to zero and on our radio, we centered all of our trims. We powered the board up and checked the gyro compensation to be sure they are working correctly. We switched some of the banks on the control board because our ailerons were reversed. The elevator was correct, but the rudder was reverse, so we switched that.

On the HobbyKing manual, it doesn't list the banks correctly, the banks on the board are setup as:
5-6 controls yaw, 3-4 elevator (pitch), 1-2 roll.

Although there will always be some uncontrollable shaking or vibration that will occur, the i86 board seems to improve the stability of our plane. In addition to the i86 board, you can improve your FPV video results and your planes stabilization by balancing your plane and your props before flight.

Links to some of the items mentioned in this episode:

Hobbyking i86 Multi-Rotor Control Board

Twin Star II ARF

FPV Station

Balancing your plane

Balancing Props

 

[Tritium]

I would like to see you review this one as well:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idproduct=25448

It is for planes only though. I do like the fact that it is cased.

Thurmond

 

[TimothyTaylor]

Great review.... This really opens up the possibilities with fixed wing craft.
Thanks to Flitetest and RCExplorer I am going to be getting into FPV. I eventually want to make a tricopter but think that mixing multi-rotar and FPV at the same time as is just too much and will cause problems.

So I was thinking about getting some FPV gear first and building a wing by schraut5 and then easing into FPV. Then I would slowly build a tricopter later.

My question is could I get a KK2 board instead on the i86 and use it on my wing, like you did with the Twin Star, and then I would be one component ready for the future tricopter?

 

[RBM]

nice review.! i had some extra bonus points on hobbyking so i decided to give one a try!

i also remember seeing something simillar when i was browsing through youtube. its called OpenAreo they also flash firmwares etc. but this i86 board looks more simple


heres the video that i said i found while browsing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLFenZskyyc

 

[lobstermash]

The i86 and Orange stabilisers look like good, cheap stabilisers. I already know that you can't turn the stabilisation off, but do these take the plane back to level? Also, do they act as a failsafe if you get out of control range?

I've got a FMA Copilot, that I managed to get for about $45 with a buddycode, and it's truly amazing. I couldn't hold off from flying on Saturday, in spite of 30km/h+ turbulent wind. The takeoff (FPV) was a little shaky, but when I flicked on the Copilot the plane just locked in, and you wouldn't have known it was windy (I don't have a mike on my flight camera)! Virtually hands off flying. The FMA Copilot also keeps the plane straight and level if you lose control signal.

 

[Nonamerc]

The i86 and Orange stabilisers look like good, cheap stabilisers. I already know that you can't turn the stabilisation off, but do these take the plane back to level? Also, do they act as a failsafe if you get out of control range?

I've got a FMA Copilot, that I managed to get for about $45 with a buddycode, and it's truly amazing. I couldn't hold off from flying on Saturday, in spite of 30km/h+ turbulent wind. The takeoff (FPV) was a little shaky, but when I flicked on the Copilot the plane just locked in, and you wouldn't have known it was windy (I don't have a mike on my flight camera)! Virtually hands off flying. The FMA Copilot also keeps the plane straight and level if you lose control signal.

Sounds like a bargain!

 

[Nick5]

Just got my board but when i power it up i just get a red flashing led, the manual says no signal, even though my tx is on?
Can anyone please help?
Cheers,
Nick.

 

[Techno]

What are the optimal settings for the gyros for multirotors on this board, 75%, 80%?