Need help with my Bat Bone build. Won't hover.

[TheKat]

I need some help with my Bat Bone tricopter. This is one of my 1st builds and I'm new to most of this. I can't get it to hover or fly straight up and down. I'm not sure if I missed something small or it's the settings. Is it something with the ESC or just vibration? I did the ACC calibration on the board but other than that the settings are default. Any help or tips anyone can give to me would be great.

Let me know if you need me to give more photos or info.

Here's my set up

Frame - Bat Bone Tri 370 Kit
Flight Control - Hobbyking KK2.1.5
ESC - 3 Turnigy Multistar 30 Amp Multi-rotor Brushless ESC 2-4S
Moters - 3 Turnigy Park300 Brushless Outrunner 1600kv
Servo - TGY-375DMG Metal gear Digital Servo w/ Heat Sink 2.3kg / .11sec / 11.5g
Propellers -2 8x4.5 MRP 1 8x4.5 MR
Batteries - Turnigy 2200mAh 3S 20C
Receiver - OrangeRx R620 Receiver Compatible Full Range 6Ch 2.4Ghz
Radio - Receiver DX6i
D/R&EXPO
AILE 75% + 35%
ELEV 75% + 35%
RUDD 100% + 40%

 

[earthsciteach]

Did you calibrate the escs? Also, are you sure the motors are spinning in the correct direction?

 

[William A]

I can't get it to hover or fly straight up and down.

Little more detail please, what exactly does it do ?

 

[TheKat]

I did not calibrate the escs. When I take off it just want to shoots off in one direction. Most of the time it goes forwards and keeps going up then I end up crash landing it. I payed with the trims and stuff but didn't really help. They are all at 0 on my radio now.

The ESCs are for multi-rotors so I didn't think I would have to calibrate them. Do you think that's what's going on?

 

[earthsciteach]

Probably not. Do you have auto-level on? And, is your flight control board centered on the center of gravity?

Also, is the tri sitting on a level surface when you plug in the battery?

 

[earthsciteach]

And, check the motor layout to verify you have your motors plugged into the correct channels.

 

[TheKat]

I just was looking into the auto-level. I didn't have it set up last time. I'm going to do that and see what happens.

I did have it on a level surface and the layout is right. Do you think it was the auto-level? I see people flying with out it all the time. Let me know if you have any other ideas I could try too.

Thanks!

 

[TheKat]

I'm not 100% sure on the center of gravity. I'm guessing it should be in the center of the tricopter. Maybe I'm doing that wrong. How do you test for center of gravity and is it in the center of the tricopter?

 

[earthsciteach]

Yeah, those non-auto level flying people... If the multi is balanced just so and the flight controller is set up just right, they will fly without auto level fairly well. But, mine is not quite that dialed in. Auto-level is your friend!

Ideally, the center of gravity would be equal distance from the center of each motor. Meaning, in the ready-to-fly condition, you could balance the copter on your finger at that point. The flight controller should be centered on that point. However, due to geometries of the frame, the cg may not be at the point equidistant from each motor center. Try to balance it out as close to the center as makes sense, then plane the board at that spot.

 

[TheKat]

Thanks a lot. I'll give it a try after work and tell you how it goes.

Thanks!