LitterBug's dRonin / iNav / Aura5 / ArduPilot / *Flight FC enabled Wingy Thingys

[LitterBug]

RAW maiden flight of RMRC StratoSurfer. (no audio)
RMRC StratoSurfer
Tattu 4200mah 3S battery
Matek F405-Wing FC running ArduPlane 3.9.6
RMRC mini GPS
RMRC 1.3ghz 400mw VTX
RunCam Owl Camera
FrSky R9 RX
Craft & Theory Telemetry Cable (for s.port inversion)

Making adjustments to the FPV gear. Switching from 1.3ghz to 5.8, Modified Camera settings, and re-organized the OSD fields to my standard layout. Also need to pull the FC and fix a booboo I made. Duh, I set the VTX/CAM voltage regulator to 12v. That would be fine on 4S, but on 3S, it is causing problems since the regulator can not pull up to 12v and ends up dropping V further, especially as you get further on in the pack an voltage starts sagging.

Forgot this thing has a rudder. Need to coordinate turns too. LOL

Cheers!
Litter Bug

 

[LitterBug]

RMRC Nano Skyhunter maidenish...

I did an Autotune on this flight. Basically, you flip into autotune, then bang sticks. It starts out very undertuned and slow, then gradually the FC makes adjustments based on the reaction it sees. Do Roll or pitch, but not both at same time. You just need to do full stick deflections. I chopped a bunch out of the middle which was just kinda cruzing around.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

Not happy with the default OSD layout for ArduPlane? It's a piece of cake to change in the latest Mission planner. Drag and Drop much like in the *Flight OSD configurator. There are a few parameters that do not have check boxes, so I had to enable those fields via the parameter tree, then drag them to the right place. Font is configurable too, but does not show in the config screen. Alignment of the Center crosshair is off if you use NTSC rather than PAL. There is a line near the bottom that has "pal" next to it showing where the screen cuts off for the two formats.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Captain Video]

Developing real picture film?

 

[LitterBug]

SD and MicroSD digital film.... :-D

 

[LitterBug]

Back to getting all these ready to fly again...... Weather is starting to cooperate too.....

The Strix Nano Goblin has needed the most attention since it went into the weeds from an iNav lockup during the intial "autotune" I am going to load the latest firmware on it and configure from scratch. Also make triple sure I know which switch is "full Manual" (although I am really really sure it was set right last time). I'll also enable blackbox logging and throw an SD card at it so if for some reason it locks up again, I can send the logs off to the devs.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

Working on putting the brains back in the Nano Goblin after gluing it all back together. I've got the latest iNav on the BetaFlight F3 FC, and am checking to see if everything is working correctly before buttoning it up.

Cheers!
LB

 

[Hondo76251]

I've yet to use the OSD... might have to try that. The batt display on the runcam is all I usually need, the rest I can see on the tablet...

 

[LitterBug]

I usually have 3 OSD profiles set on a switch. 1) All flight data 2) camera only 3) Menu/config. I flew quads fpv for the longest time with no telemetry and needed to be able to get battery stats. Flying fast would suck the power out of a 1500 4S pack in as short as 90 seconds. When flying planks, I find less on the screen is better unless I am doing initial flight testing or have a specific goal which requires more data. Now that I also have full telemetry and can have my radio do shouts outs, OSD is not as important.
I played with the RC Splits when they first came out, and had horrible longevity issues with them. They all died within a few flights. I'm giving a caddx a try so I can have HD footage in addition to my ground station DVR. it would be a bit clunky to put a big gopro on most of the wings I've been flying. I have a few larger builds sitting in the pile for carrying larger cameras at some point after i get more comfortable with all the nuances of the different firmwares.

Cheers!
LB

 

[Aireal Anarchist]

I usually have 3 OSD profiles set on a switch. 1

@LitterBug ... I agree, I feel the same way as you do about OSD

I dont care for on screen display its too cluttered so in my current build I will program my OSD to a toggle switch, if I can turn it on and off that suits me better, I will program the Taranis radio to give me voice read outs of the most important telemetry at specific intervals that are useful but not constantly bugging me, from the FRsky variometer and a Current sensor and the RSSI and timer from the TX
I still want all the telemetry sensors that are useful but I dont really want all my telemetry tied to my OSD only

I also have a caddix 4K Tarsier in route to mount on a 2 axis gimbal but I hear they maybe a little delicate too....I hope not

 

[LitterBug]

Had my original RMRC Nano Skyhunter out at the field the other night with iNav running on a F3 flight controller. Another questionable flight where it would randomly roll right, even in full manual mode. You can see this around 2:20 in the video below. Also happened on landing when it just got all wonky for no reason.

I've been flying these Nano Skyhunters FPV for several years and NEVER had these issues with a standard PWM RX or using a F3 controller running dRonin. The writing is on the wall for me. No more F3 FCs on iNav. The next flight it did the exact same thing on final approach where it rolled right, and it ended up crashing up by the creek. Need to do some more Foam Tac repair on this bird to get it back in the air. Certainly not the first time, and won't be the last. This one is actually the wing from one, and the Tail and fuselage from another after both of those had been crashed numerous times.

I have a F4 based BrainFPV Radix Li and wPB to test next. Trying to decide what plane to try it in. Should probably throw it in this bird.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

Look into the quilema SQ12 camera LB.

Its not too bad for 1 inch cube camera. I can even fly it around on my gremlin its so lite. The only thing is it loses sync with audio at times and for an airplane audio outside is not a good thing without serious wind screens. Something that small can have a hole in the nose of most air frames and be tucked away in a semi safe place with a good perspective.

 

[LitterBug]

Welcome back 'Borg! I am running this DVR on my ground station not on the flyers. I have been using a HMDVR for a few years that provides really good results and does not suffer from the PAL bug. I was running a test with both hooked up to my ground station at the same time to see which one had better recording quality. The HMDVR actually works better from a functional standpoint at the field. Should I crash.... (yeah, should be WHEN) I can review my footage right on the ground station to get an idea of where the bird "landed". Has come in handy when having GPS coordinates on the screen to find a quad that was about 200 yards from where I thought it went down. The RunCam DVR, is only a recording device. I find myself not liking any of the RunCam recording options, as all three of the Runcam Splits I bought died within the first three flights. They just wouldn't boot the next time out to the field. Thermal cycling and bad solder joints on the main board were to blame. Now issues with this SD recorder.... Yeah, I'm going to be looking at other options like the one you provided. I have one camera with built in recording, but the lens has a really odd focal length, and isn't great for FPV. My next test will be with a Caddx Turtle V2 on a Strix Alatus race wing that is almost finished. It has one of the FT Aura 5 lites in it, so that build will be coming online to this thread soon!

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

yeah I had the same issue with the split I tried. Heat issues as well. I wrote them after I used it for the short time it was alive. I told them they need to set the hd up in totally neutral settings as 99% of the people who use hd footage do some type of color grading before posting. I said they need to save all the adjust-ability for the FPV part as the way they had the first one set up the light handling was total crap. you would go blind if you went from shade to light and ground would disappear for a long time if you went from bright sun to shade.

I use run cam swifts exclusively just because of their ability to be set the way I like to see things. I can literally point one at the sun and still see the clouds then immediately walk into a darker lighted hallway in my building with no perceived changes to the image. The stock settings they use (which totally freakin baffles me) is the original static in door security camera settings.... I was like dude... yer selling it as an FPV camera get with the program hehe. At least make some effort to have a usable default. The next revision had the three presets you could choose from but were STILL set up as a static indoor camera just with changed contrast and brightness and higher dynamic white balance which still had issues going from light to dark and back.

I still use them though. I really like the microswift 2's and their adaptability and reliability. (right up to the point the lens or the housing shatters after crashing full speed into a steel sliding board pole)

 

[LitterBug]

Next FC option to test with iNav.... BrainFPV Radix Li and wPB. I pulled the GPS, RX, VTX, beeper, and all associated wiring off the BFF3 and have moved it over. Printed up a new FC mount since this is a 20x20 instead of 30.5x30.5. Doing some bench testing and initial config before throwing it in the re-constructed Strix Nano Goblin.

Also switching to a smaller, better ESC that RMRC now sells as standard gear on their PNP Nano Goblins. Just happens to also be the FT Power Pack A & F ESC as well. 2-4S, 20A, with a 3A BEC.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

isnt that 20x20 stack a JOY to solder to hehe. My eyes are still crossed from that 3 inch build I just did.

 

["Corpse"]

isnt that 20x20 stack a JOY to solder to hehe. My eyes are still crossed from that 3 inch build I just did.

And as if that wasn't small enough the new trend is 16x16 stacks! WHYYYYYY

 

[LitterBug]

And as if that wasn't small enough the new trend is 16x16 stacks! WHYYYYYY

well.... < 250g does not leave much room for big bulky gear. If you have ever tried making a "smart" Nano Goblin, or some of the nano <2" prop multirotors like the FT Gremlins, you would get it. I should throw an old APM 2.5 in the Nano Goblin for comparison.


Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

So here's that new 20x20 "BRAIN" stack all mounted up in the repaired Nano Goblin. The nose was pretty much completely knocked off from the wing forward and in about 20 pieces. Had to fill in one 10mm-ish hole with other foam for a missing piece. All servos and the motor check out. Fortunately all the critical parts seperated at connectors without ripping wires and were undamaged. Hooked the new ESC up with a servo tester and tested the motor direction and thrust by using it as a leaf blower on the patio. Should have paid closer attention to clearance for the USB port when gluing the FC mount in. I can get my right angle cable in there, but will probably cut a small amount of foam out to make it easier. Time to pull the prop off and bench tune the servos and calibrate the sensors.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

isnt that 20x20 stack a JOY to solder to hehe. My eyes are still crossed from that 3 inch build I just did.

This was probably one of the easier 20x20 stacks to solder since the majority of the solder points are through hole and standard spacing. Put pin-headers in most of them to plug servos, ESC, and GPS in. There is also an interconnect ribbon cable between the FC and wPB boards.

LB