550 Pilot's lounge
- Thread starter OI Photography
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H3-2D and general noise. It's not rolling lines and it's not like the signal is weak noise, it's just generally not clear-like screen door type noise is the best way to describe it.OI Photography said:
It happens even when the engines aren't armed.
whereas the P2 is crystal clear, and even my P1 is crystal clear-the F800 is not. And so far-it's effecting any attempt at long distance flying. I can still see the IOSD mini stuff clearly, but not clear enough that I'm comfortable flying FPV at any place i don't know really well.
But, TBH, I haven't really started chasing it down yet...still trying to get the aircraft stable and handling well first. I can easily re-do the entire video system and start isolating things. I know I'm on the right channel, as I have the AVL58 and the boscam monitor-so they match frequency bands...same VTX that is on the P2-and they're all on the same channel. I've gone through all 8 channels and they all look the same-bad.
EDIT: and this was the BEC I was thinking of getting;http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_66_71&products_id=2938
That's the one, mine just showed up today 
I also finally picked up one of their little DVR's (been waiting for it to be restocked): http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... ts_id=1204
...and a full set of these to try on the 550 (3x regular, 3x pusher): http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... cts_id=834
I also finally picked up one of their little DVR's (been waiting for it to be restocked): http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... ts_id=1204
...and a full set of these to try on the 550 (3x regular, 3x pusher): http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... cts_id=834
I'm very curious about how those props perform for you. I've had them in my cart a few times and not purchased, because I still have the Gemfan 12X3.8's that haven't flown. The problem with the Gemfans is that the hubs are questionably balanced, at best, and I just don't like the look of them with giant globs of CA on one side of the hub...almost like the hole isn't straight-so I'm not flying those.OI Photography said:
SF-is my only other choice-so hopefully, they will balance up for you w/o much problem. My APC MR balanced up with just a couple needing tape, and a couple more needing some CA....I've flown them, but, I don't think the RPM is fast enough to "balance" my "little pig" in the wind.
Best edit and FPV flight yet! Sorry about forgetting to cover up the prop noise, but its not that bad.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utSDP9zpKJo[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utSDP9zpKJo[/youtube]
Went out this morning and flew the F800 through 2 batteries. it's at 3450 grams right now, and both flight were with the 11X5 props, right at 11 minutes. So, I lost roughly 1:30 of flight time; as to be expected.
However-since the wind was calm, I was finally able to lock down my gains at 210 for both pitch and roll-done.
The aircraft handled better. However-I still get this weird J-turn in GPS mode, in any direction of flight, when I release the right stick. The aircraft doesn't hold position very well, and tends to drift a little until it settles down. The H3-2D had a hard time decided what is level....go figure?
But, there were no surprises on either flight. I did fly out to 1400M at 50M, and the quality of my video-although still with noise, did not change-it remained "clear". Also-I remember to look at the iOSD mini and compare it to the video it; the iOSD is crystal clear, while my video feed has diagonal lines running through it....noise.
I've narrowed it down to 2 possible things; the EZ UHF RC system, or, the main power wires for the AVL58.
I will be changing to the Futaba system today!!! So-hopefully that goes well. If I don't run into any snags, I fly with the Futaba on the F800 for the first time Tomorrow.
EDIT: Futaba receiver installed and bound to my 14SGH!! Took me longer to take the top off than it did to plug in the receiver, stick it down, and bind it.
Only trouble I ran into was-it was having trouble binding. Since I had it plugged into Naza, it dawned on me that I hadn't changed the RC setting from Traditional to D-Bus. Once I did that-it bound immediately. Calibrated the remote and everything works fine.
Old weight was 3540 grams. New weight=3460 grams!! I lost 50 grams-that outta be good for almost a minute
Now the bad news; I checked my video again-just sitting in the office, and the exact same signal noise is present. So-it wasn't the UHF remote system.
The only solution I see is to un-solder the AVL58 mains, and if I'm really good, solder on a JST? plug, so I can plug the main power of the AVL58 into the "filtered" 12 volt BEC.
OH-pictures of where I mounted the 400mm long antenna's(had more than enough wire);
However-since the wind was calm, I was finally able to lock down my gains at 210 for both pitch and roll-done.
The aircraft handled better. However-I still get this weird J-turn in GPS mode, in any direction of flight, when I release the right stick. The aircraft doesn't hold position very well, and tends to drift a little until it settles down. The H3-2D had a hard time decided what is level....go figure?
But, there were no surprises on either flight. I did fly out to 1400M at 50M, and the quality of my video-although still with noise, did not change-it remained "clear". Also-I remember to look at the iOSD mini and compare it to the video it; the iOSD is crystal clear, while my video feed has diagonal lines running through it....noise.
I've narrowed it down to 2 possible things; the EZ UHF RC system, or, the main power wires for the AVL58.
I will be changing to the Futaba system today!!! So-hopefully that goes well. If I don't run into any snags, I fly with the Futaba on the F800 for the first time Tomorrow.
EDIT: Futaba receiver installed and bound to my 14SGH!! Took me longer to take the top off than it did to plug in the receiver, stick it down, and bind it.
Only trouble I ran into was-it was having trouble binding. Since I had it plugged into Naza, it dawned on me that I hadn't changed the RC setting from Traditional to D-Bus. Once I did that-it bound immediately. Calibrated the remote and everything works fine.
Old weight was 3540 grams. New weight=3460 grams!! I lost 50 grams-that outta be good for almost a minute
Now the bad news; I checked my video again-just sitting in the office, and the exact same signal noise is present. So-it wasn't the UHF remote system.
The only solution I see is to un-solder the AVL58 mains, and if I'm really good, solder on a JST? plug, so I can plug the main power of the AVL58 into the "filtered" 12 volt BEC.
OH-pictures of where I mounted the 400mm long antenna's(had more than enough wire);
Can anyone confirm the GCU for the Zenmuse H3-2D will also work for the H3-3D? I'm reading conflicting stories on different forums. A few have told me it's plug & play. Unplug my current H3-2D ribbon cable from the gimbal, remove H3-2D and replace with H3-3D, then reconnect ribbon cable. Can't be that easy can it?
U.M.
U.M.
I've heard the same thing-but; you will not be able to upgrade the firmware in the GCU. It's strange that I haven't read of anyone actually using one on an F550 yet-and what issues that inability to upgrade firmware causes?
I recently saw a mount for the F550, but from the video, I'm unsure how it mounts to the front lower plate-just that it does.
I'm also "p/o'd" that my Dealer did NOT send me an H3-3D w/GCU like I specifically requested he do, like 10 times!! I was willing to wait longer for it, but no, when all the parts arrived, I got a P2 only H3-3D......
So-I eagerly be watching this thread, as I think I need to go this route too, and I have a perfectly good H3-3D on my P2, so swapping is easy. Just need a mount.
I recently saw a mount for the F550, but from the video, I'm unsure how it mounts to the front lower plate-just that it does.
I'm also "p/o'd" that my Dealer did NOT send me an H3-3D w/GCU like I specifically requested he do, like 10 times!! I was willing to wait longer for it, but no, when all the parts arrived, I got a P2 only H3-3D......
So-I eagerly be watching this thread, as I think I need to go this route too, and I have a perfectly good H3-3D on my P2, so swapping is easy. Just need a mount.
ElGuano said:
Correct, the P1 board still just uses the same GCU firmware that's been out for quite a long time.
@havausu: I use the H3-3D on my 550 and it works great. It can get upgraded because the stand-alone GCU is used instead of the one built in to the P1 mainboard.
OK, so by not being able to upgrade-what are you missing? Is your tilt speed just as fast on the 3D as it was on the 2D?
I'm also assuming it doesn't "pre-yaw"..which is a good thing. The only other thing I can think of that you might be missing is FPV mode-which I haven't even tried yet.
How do you have it mounted-picture? My Xerocraft 650 rail system's mounting plate for the 2D isn't wide enough to allow for the P2's "spacer" mount to bolt on-so I need another mounting solution.
I'm also assuming it doesn't "pre-yaw"..which is a good thing. The only other thing I can think of that you might be missing is FPV mode-which I haven't even tried yet.
How do you have it mounted-picture? My Xerocraft 650 rail system's mounting plate for the 2D isn't wide enough to allow for the P2's "spacer" mount to bolt on-so I need another mounting solution.
Well I've never updated the firmware in ANY of my DJI components yet. Like they say, if it ain't broke don't f@#k with it! I haven't seen any new features I felt were worth the risk of potentially screwing up a build that so far as performed flawlessly. So if I can just plug-n-play the H3-3D gimbal for the H3-2D gimbal that would be great. Since I'm using the video out from the H3-2D GCU to feed my FPV transmitter will this still work when I swap for the H3-3D?
U.M.
P.S. Been looking around the web and it appears that whether you buy the H3-3D version with GCU, or the Phantom specific model without GCU the prices are the same? Bummer... was hoping to save a few bucks by utilizing my old GCU...
U.M.
U.M.
P.S. Been looking around the web and it appears that whether you buy the H3-3D version with GCU, or the Phantom specific model without GCU the prices are the same? Bummer... was hoping to save a few bucks by utilizing my old GCU...
U.M.
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Uncle Meat said:
Yeah, for the price of a $150 GCU, you either get the GCU, or some misc. phantom mounting hardware :?
If you go for the Standard model (with GCU) and just buy the mounting hardware separately, you're still up over $100.
Sudden drop to low voltage-2nd level warning
Today, I went out and flew the F800. The only change I've made to the aircraft since the last flight, was add the Futaba receiver.
I calibrated the remote-and the aircraft flew fine the first flight.
On the 2nd flight-this is a fairly new 4S8000mah Readymade battery(all 3 of mine are), I get out about 500M and am cruising along in GPS mode, when I glance at the voltage, 14.5-good to go. then suddenly and w/o any movement of the controls or aircraft-it drops to 13.8!!! Of course now the battery symbol is flashing-and it goes into Auto-Land.
I switch to Attitude mode, flipped a U-turn, and since I had about 60m in altitude lowered the throttle for the return home-against the wind. The voltage immediately returned to 14.5. So-I'm trying to "hurry" back home without disturbing the throttle, but at about 30M I have to level off-so I add throttle, and again, low voltage, this time down to 13.7!!
I'm frantically looking for a soft flat spot to put it down, I'm at full throttle, but not really descending, so I press on. I get it back home, switch to GPS, lower the throttle, and the voltage returns the normal. WTH??
So, I add a bunch of throttle, and the voltage once again drops by about 1 entire volt!! What is going on here!!
I land-check the battery, and it has 15.34 volts out-cell gap of only 0.016. Very strange!!
So, I put in my brand new battery and repeat the flight-exact same thing happens-cruising along in GPS mode(at 24m/sec-windy), looking at the volts, when it drops from 14.5, to 13.9(2nd level set to 13.8). This time I'm only a couple hundred meters out, switch to attitude again, and bring it back in. Both times it happened with a tailwind, in cruise, at about the 3 minute mark.
I hover it around and fly "gently", for nearly another 8 minutes; landing at 11:30.
What is going on here!!! I did not calibrate the battery voltage when I changed the receiver. However-the voltage was reading correctly-it was the same as my voltage checker.
What would cause a sudden massive drop in voltage-but then recover, like it didn't even happen? Am I getting erroneous voltage readings? OR-do I have an ESC, or wire that's coming loose, that's is causing a true voltage drop?
Today, I went out and flew the F800. The only change I've made to the aircraft since the last flight, was add the Futaba receiver.
I calibrated the remote-and the aircraft flew fine the first flight.
On the 2nd flight-this is a fairly new 4S8000mah Readymade battery(all 3 of mine are), I get out about 500M and am cruising along in GPS mode, when I glance at the voltage, 14.5-good to go. then suddenly and w/o any movement of the controls or aircraft-it drops to 13.8!!! Of course now the battery symbol is flashing-and it goes into Auto-Land.
I switch to Attitude mode, flipped a U-turn, and since I had about 60m in altitude lowered the throttle for the return home-against the wind. The voltage immediately returned to 14.5. So-I'm trying to "hurry" back home without disturbing the throttle, but at about 30M I have to level off-so I add throttle, and again, low voltage, this time down to 13.7!!
I'm frantically looking for a soft flat spot to put it down, I'm at full throttle, but not really descending, so I press on. I get it back home, switch to GPS, lower the throttle, and the voltage returns the normal. WTH??
So, I add a bunch of throttle, and the voltage once again drops by about 1 entire volt!! What is going on here!!
I land-check the battery, and it has 15.34 volts out-cell gap of only 0.016. Very strange!!
So, I put in my brand new battery and repeat the flight-exact same thing happens-cruising along in GPS mode(at 24m/sec-windy), looking at the volts, when it drops from 14.5, to 13.9(2nd level set to 13.8). This time I'm only a couple hundred meters out, switch to attitude again, and bring it back in. Both times it happened with a tailwind, in cruise, at about the 3 minute mark.
I hover it around and fly "gently", for nearly another 8 minutes; landing at 11:30.
What is going on here!!! I did not calibrate the battery voltage when I changed the receiver. However-the voltage was reading correctly-it was the same as my voltage checker.
What would cause a sudden massive drop in voltage-but then recover, like it didn't even happen? Am I getting erroneous voltage readings? OR-do I have an ESC, or wire that's coming loose, that's is causing a true voltage drop?
ya know, I build an F550 w/ Futaba receiver and used two of the RMRC 4S8000 batteries with it (not at the same time) and I experienced what I think is the same thing. I don't have the exact battery stats but only going by the failsafe flashing lights from the DJI LED.
1 is brand new-2nd flight on it. The others have about 6 flights total. All cells read normal ranges and this has never happened before with any of these batteries. Perhaps 10+ flights, on 4S before changing to Futaba.FangsCPO said:
So-the only change made was the Futaba receiver.
it may just be a coincidence and I need to dig a little deeper inside to see what's really going on. but-it's grounded until I can find the problem, or re do the mains.
took the top off and checked everything out-and all the joints are fine with no charring or anything strange.
I'm building my F800 into an F650!!! I have the AimdroidX extended arms........was getting tired of the 800mm-just to big and clumsy.
So-got the Aerial Mob arms off-that was super easy. But-I ran into an issue. The Aerial Mob arms use 3mm screws...stock 550 and the Aimdroidx arms, use 2.5mm!! I had exactly zero!!
So-after an hour running around to hardware stores, I decided to check the local hobby shop, 10 minutes after closing. luckily they were still there, and, they had them in stock!! so, I got 36 2.5mmX8 allen screws. Was a bit expensive-but, I was not going to spend my entire 3-day weekend, not building my 650!!!
I've discovered that my ESC will not fit on top-the wires are just not long enough, and I'm not going to re-solder them. They do fit through the hole in the end of the arms, and will sort of fit underneath the arms. The DJI 30A ESC's are just slightly too wide to fit snugly under the arm-can't win em all. And-I don't want to use force to get them to fit.
So, I got the arms onto the bottom plate. I used plenty of blue loctite-as I just don't trust those screws in aluminum. Tomorrow, I'll pull my motors off the old arms, and yes I have 3mmX6mm engine bolts, and try to see if the leads from the engine will reach the ESC's.
The way my luck runs, I will need to make like a 2 or 3 inch extension-w/bullets on each end. That's gonna suck!! But-I have some spare wires that I can re-purpose and use, and plenty of bullet connectors. I don't want to cut up the wires I just did. And-those are way to long to use-don't need all that extra weight either.
My hope is that my AUW will be under 3200 grams. I think my "little piggy" was up to 3450 grams before tear down....so stay tuned for the rest of the build-and pictures.
Question for those that have the AimdroidX extended arms; what did you end up with for your p/r gains?
I'm at 210 for basic p/r, 225 for attitude and 100/100 for attitude p/r.
Also-is anyone running these arms with 12" props? What props are you using and how does the aircraft handle in the wind?
I can tell you that a 3400+ gram F800, with 12" props, does NOT like the wind. It's a lot like a Phantom 2-wiggles a lot to stay in place. and-the problem is, it was so big that it had to make these large movements to correct for balance-almost impossible to adjust the gains.
I'm building my F800 into an F650!!! I have the AimdroidX extended arms........was getting tired of the 800mm-just to big and clumsy.
So-got the Aerial Mob arms off-that was super easy. But-I ran into an issue. The Aerial Mob arms use 3mm screws...stock 550 and the Aimdroidx arms, use 2.5mm!! I had exactly zero!!
So-after an hour running around to hardware stores, I decided to check the local hobby shop, 10 minutes after closing. luckily they were still there, and, they had them in stock!! so, I got 36 2.5mmX8 allen screws. Was a bit expensive-but, I was not going to spend my entire 3-day weekend, not building my 650!!!
I've discovered that my ESC will not fit on top-the wires are just not long enough, and I'm not going to re-solder them. They do fit through the hole in the end of the arms, and will sort of fit underneath the arms. The DJI 30A ESC's are just slightly too wide to fit snugly under the arm-can't win em all. And-I don't want to use force to get them to fit.
So, I got the arms onto the bottom plate. I used plenty of blue loctite-as I just don't trust those screws in aluminum. Tomorrow, I'll pull my motors off the old arms, and yes I have 3mmX6mm engine bolts, and try to see if the leads from the engine will reach the ESC's.
The way my luck runs, I will need to make like a 2 or 3 inch extension-w/bullets on each end. That's gonna suck!! But-I have some spare wires that I can re-purpose and use, and plenty of bullet connectors. I don't want to cut up the wires I just did. And-those are way to long to use-don't need all that extra weight either.
My hope is that my AUW will be under 3200 grams. I think my "little piggy" was up to 3450 grams before tear down....so stay tuned for the rest of the build-and pictures.
Question for those that have the AimdroidX extended arms; what did you end up with for your p/r gains?
I'm at 210 for basic p/r, 225 for attitude and 100/100 for attitude p/r.
Also-is anyone running these arms with 12" props? What props are you using and how does the aircraft handle in the wind?
I can tell you that a 3400+ gram F800, with 12" props, does NOT like the wind. It's a lot like a Phantom 2-wiggles a lot to stay in place. and-the problem is, it was so big that it had to make these large movements to correct for balance-almost impossible to adjust the gains.
