LONG READ: Dragon Fly w/ KK2.1 HC Programming Issues

Rossko85

New member
Setup:

Flite Test Dragon Fly kit (Electro hub, wooden booms, fasteners, motor mounts, Tough Tilt)

Motors: EMAX 2213-935kv (x5)

Props: Graupner 10x5x3 (x5)

ESC's: Spider 30A Non BEC - SimonK flashed from factory (x5)

Flight Controller: KK2.1 HC w/detachable LCD programmer

RX: Spektrum 2.4Ghz, 9 channel - DSM2/DSMX AR9020 w/ three (3) Satellite RX's
TX: Spektrum DX9 2.4ghz w/ Telemetry

Battery: Pulse 4s, 4500mah-35c

BEC: Castle Creations 10amp, 4.9-9v (Since my ESC's do not have BEC's)

Heres the big one! LONG READ
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I have some tech questions and need assistance in regards to where the Rudder output (yaw) needs to go...I have an open rudder port on my copter and I am using the KK2.1 HC flight controller. I have everything set up on the FC as far as I know via David W's video. Some of the options you have on the KK2.0 are not available on the KK2.1 HC..I think they streamlined programming for this version, like the Gyro Bubble, it is NOT within this firmware out of the box.

I have the Dragon Fly setup from Flite Test with the Tough Tilt yaw servo. This servo is connected to my Spektrum AR9020's RUDDER port and I have all ESC's including the Tough Tilts mounted flight motor ESC running to the corresponding M-ports on the KK2.1HC FC, and all are in order and plugged in according to the FC setup for Tricopter in the firmware that is displayed on the LCD with help from David W's walk-through on this video.

Things I have tried for trouble shooting so far really are limited next to actual connection issues, but everything is where it needs to be and I get all the standby tones when the board is in menu mode etc; so far I have bound using both 11ms and 22ms, as well as DSM2 and DSMX (I'm a Spektrum/Horizon user) with no motor response from the copter once I have all parameters put into the FC and loaded. I do get a message on the board and it displays Warning or something along the lines of "No Yaw Input detected"...and that makes sense, since there is not input plugged in on the FC for the RUDDER channel...I only have an ESC to plug into M4 port on the FC (my set up and where the esc is recognized) and then I have the Tough Tilt servo plugged into my Spektrum RX for its communication and actuation.

My limited experience is still telling me that I know we need to put something into the RUDDER port of the FC to have it recognized by it, but as I said I only have an ESC to plug into one side of the FC and then the Tough Tilt servo to plug into the RX, so where does the RUDDER port on the FC get connected to? My next attempt was to use an non-amplified Y harness (Cant amplify with Spektrum RX's-for reasons they give but I don't go too much in depth beyond that they say don't) to run a servo connector from the FC RUDDER channel to one end of the Y and then run the other servo connector from the RX to the remaining port of the Y connector; issue here though my limited experience is telling me, is that I'll have servo signal going into one side of the Y, and then have the board output for RUDDER going into the other...which would simply just satisfy the issue of the FC not having anything connected to the the RUDDER port and RUDDER port on the the RX at the same time...I look at it and it only solves the issue of having a port that is not plugged into a anything...the two may be split but one is for out signal from the FC that will Y into the Tough Tilt servo; one is ESC/FC related and the other is a stand alone simple actuating servo....this is where I am stumped.

I need some help with how this Dragon Fly is supposed to be set up in my configuration...They Tough Tilt is throwing the wrench a little here..but it could be another factor possibly....

Now, I did have to run a Castle Creations (CC BEC 10amp 4.9-9v) from one of my ESC's since my 30A Spider ESC's DO NOT HAVE BEC's. I spliced the CCBEC into my M1 port on my KK2.1 for proper 5v signal (The kk2.1 requires signal to go to M1 port, and it was taken by M1 ESC, so I had to tap the connector for M1 so I could have signal where it was needed AND have 5v to power or give that signal in that port per KK2.1 HC instructions). Further, I also have that BEC split into the BATT terminal of my RX, so the BEC runs the RX and the FC so one is not dependent on the other when both are plugged in getting power.

So the BEC is spliced and split two (2) ways from the battery, one into the M1 port and the other into the BATT port on my RX. One thing that does happen is that if I unplug one or the other I still have power to one of them due to the BEC being split and the FC and RX being connected. So I don't know if this could be the issue possibly as well? I spliced and split the BEC due to me thinking I wasn't getting power to the RX due to no lighting of any LEDS; I learned that there is only a single orange LED on my RX and that won't come on and stay steady, as well as with the satellite telemetry receivers unless I BIND it first...so once I split the BEC I discovered I really didn't need to because once the bind plug was plugged in I was showing power.

I did separate the BEC from the RX and kept it on the FC M1 for signal and sure enough it turned on and went into bind mode and give me those gold LEDS, so the RX was being jumped from 5v supplied by the the BEC from the ESC; I kept the BEC plugged in the way it is thinking now I will have constant power to each one when they are both plugged in from the BEC, my limited experience says that's not necessarily a bad thing...that it kind of works out better especially with the telemetry satellite receivers taking a little more amp draw anyways, I was also told by a semi-pro heli and quad/rc air guy that it wasn't a bad idea, and probably worked out for the best accidentally LOL. Lots of that in the hobby world I think? LOL.

Sorry so long...just need some help! Thank you so much!

Ross
 
Last edited:

Rossko85

New member
I think I might of figured it out...

I just ran the servo lead to an AUX channel on the RX...the servo only needs to have power so I might have to reassign some channels and mix a little, but I think this is the only way to get the RUDDER channel on the the FC to the RUDDER channel on the RX...

To avoid mixing I could just Y harness them...that might be easier just to save the hassle and keep the same RUDDER channel that is programmed on the RX and bound to my RX

Please chime in with anymore ideas.