550 Pilot's lounge

djp4059 · Aug 30, 2014

I just finished building a 12 motor F550. Here are some pics and a link to a video I just shot indoors, because its windy and looks like its going to rain, which I weighted down so it couldn't take off.

The pics where taken yesterday before I was finished.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpsNOg3 ... e=youtu.be
I've tried the youtube button and added the link to the youtube video in between to post videos on here but can't seem to get it to work.

[youtube]UpsNOg3AJNA[/youtube]

havasuphoto · Aug 30, 2014

That looks like it's going to be a whole lot of fun. did I miss the post on which engines/props you used?
Looks like the same lights El G is using.
What's your AUW?

I'm spending the day making 4 1/2" extensions w/bullets so that my motor leads will reach the ESC's on the arms of my AimdroidX extended arm F550. What a PITA.
Arms and top and bottom are on. Bottom bolts are loctited in. Motors are on. I'll loctite the top and the motors tonight.

Have about 15 more wires to tin, and add male bullets too...oh, and heat shrink too!! I ended up chopping off 4 1/2"s off the "new" wires I made about 2 weeks ago.....didn't feel like doing 2 bullets on the end of a wire so short. Luckily-the only time the heat transfer gets kinda warm is during the tinning process. Doing the bullet, and checking the other bullet on top-it's cool to the touch...so I won't be un-soldering anything in the process. I was worried about that with such short wires.

ElGuano · Aug 30, 2014

Djp, really impressive! What motor mixer are you using? I-6 for symmetry?

I have the aimdroix mounts too. I don't like how they include such long (~15mm) standoffs, it impacts efficiency and I thought it looked a little too "open." Works well on the dodeca though!

djp4059 · Aug 30, 2014

Thanks for the compliments guys. Havasuphoto, I'm using the E300 motors and ESC's and the 9443 props (I'll be putting the self-locking gray ones back on the top motors and save the white non-self-tightening ones for the bottom motors, I just want to see how much the LED's reflect off the white as ElGuano suggested). She weighs in at 2960 grams w/o batteries. And yes I'm using ElGuano's neo-pixel mod ( I always looking thru these forums to see what kind of mods everyone comes up with, and ElGuano seems to come up with some good stuff).

ElGuano, What do you mean about motor mixer and symmetry, its still set-up as if it has 6 motors if thats what your asking. And the standoffs are kinda long, I saw on some pics of your 650 where you use those short red ones, but I'll let it go for now until I see how she flies. I also like those folding props you have, I might try those out eventually. I saw a post of yours yesterday with videos about Laser balancing and Motor Vibration balancing, some good stuff to know, I wonder how long it will take me to do those to this copter.

ElGuano · Aug 30, 2014

Yeah it has to be set up as 6, but there are a few ways to do it. Alternating cw ccw and set up as flat hex in Naza, or top ccw bottom cw, set up as an i6. I've heard the latter is better for maintaining yaw authority and symmetry, but both seem ok to me and you are the one with the first hand experience

One advantage of the flat hex model is you "waste" fewer props.

SanCap · Aug 30, 2014

How much louder are the E600 motors and props compared to the E300 motor and props?

djp4059 · Aug 30, 2014

I see what your saying now, I had to open NAZA Assistant to find out, Its set up as Hexa-rotor V. I never noticed the Hexa-rotor I. I have the motors spinning in opposite directions (if the top one spins CW the bottom one spins CCW as you look at it mounted on the arm, if you took them off and placed them side by side they both spin CW).

ElGuano · Aug 30, 2014

Yeah you have to set it up as counter rotating or you would have almost zero efficiency below. The way you have it set up, the virtual motors are over the existing ones.

If you build it as all ccw up top all cw below you would set it up like a coaxial "I-6" and the virtual motors would be between the front two and back left/right pairs.

havasuphoto · Aug 31, 2014

Aimdroidx arm conversion-finished!!

I finished my Aimdroidx arm conversion!!! Only took me about 2 days..... :lol:

AUW before, w/800mm Aerial Mob arm kit=3450gr
AUW after, w/650mm arm kit=3150gr!!! And-it fits through the door now!!
Finally got all the little detail stuff done-zip ties, loctite, etc..etc..
Before;
No arms;

Now;

Large · Aug 31, 2014

Hello all,

Any advice on connecting my Futaba T10J to the receiver (R3008SB) on my hexa? The battery is plugged in to the hexa which is also plugged in to the computer and here is where I am stuck. When I turn the radio ON, you can see the receiver light turn from red to green, but when I try to calibrate the controls with the Naza M lite software - the computer does not recognize stick input. Everything is brand new, and the hexa has not even had a maiden flight. Any help is always appreciated.

havasuphoto · Aug 31, 2014

Large said:
Hello all,

Any advice on connecting my Futaba T10J to the receiver (R3008SB) on my hexa? The battery is plugged in to the hexa which is also plugged in to the computer and here is where I am stuck. When I turn the radio ON, you can see the receiver light turn from red to green, but when I try to calibrate the controls with the Naza M lite software - the computer does not recognize stick input. Everything is brand new, and the hexa has not even had a maiden flight. Any help is always appreciated.

I believe the T8J and the 10J are the same-just more channels. Read this thead;
http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7688
Hopefully it will help you program your remote, then bind them....also-1 servo cable from S-bus(bottom port on receiver) to X2 on the Naza should do it.

Also-try a search for 10J on this forum to see if you can find any further help. I'm using a 14SGH which is different technology than the 8J/10J.

Large · Aug 31, 2014

havasuphoto said:
Large said:

Hello all,

Any advice on connecting my Futaba T10J to the receiver (R3008SB) on my hexa? The battery is plugged in to the hexa which is also plugged in to the computer and here is where I am stuck. When I turn the radio ON, you can see the receiver light turn from red to green, but when I try to calibrate the controls with the Naza M lite software - the computer does not recognize stick input. Everything is brand new, and the hexa has not even had a maiden flight. Any help is always appreciated.

Click to expand...

I believe the T8J and the 10J are the same-just more channels. Read this thead;
http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7688
Hopefully it will help you program your remote, then bind them....also-1 servo cable from S-bus(bottom port on receiver) to X2 on the Naza should do it.

Also-try a search for 10J on this forum to see if you can find any further help. I'm using a 14SGH which is different technology than the 8J/10J.

Thanks bud. I read the entire guide a few times over to make sure I didn't miss anything. I've double and triple checked my wiring and connections and everything is 100% complete. I will search for 10J on here to see if I can get a hit, thank you.

havasuphoto · Aug 31, 2014

Did you bind the receiver to the transmitter? I'm not sure how it's done with the FHSS system...but I think you need to go to system-bind, FHSS, then bind, or something like that-power up the aircraft and you should see a flashing green from the receiver.

OH. check in Naza under the RC tab and make sure D-bus is selected. If you used 1 wire from S-bus to X2 on Naza-you should be running D-bus, not PPM or Traditional.
I ran into that same issue when changing from EZ UHF which was Traditional to Futaba.....wouldn't bind for nothing. As soon as I changed to D-bus, it bound immediately.

OI Photography · Aug 31, 2014

Also, make sure you're following this process (After first making sure NAZA is set to D-bus as havasu mentioned):

1. Bind Tx to Rx, while the NAZA is powered on and connected to the Rx, but not to the PC (yet)

2. Power cycle the quad/Rx and Tx

3. Connect NAZA to PC, run Assistant to check for response.

SanCap · Sep 1, 2014

Re: Aimdroidx arm conversion-finished!!

havasuphoto said:
I finished my Aimdroidx arm conversion!!! Only took me about 2 days..... :lol:

AUW before, w/800mm Aerial Mob arm kit=3450gr
AUW after, w/650mm arm kit=3150gr!!! And-it fits through the door now!!
Finally got all the little detail stuff done-zip ties, loctite, etc..etc..
Before;
No arms;

Now;

Very Nice!

havasuphoto · Sep 1, 2014

Thanks-but now I'm held "hostage" by the winds.....with no end in sight for this week anyways.

Large · Sep 1, 2014

Thank you all for the help / replies. I've cycled power to the Rx/Tx probably 20 times or so. The Rx is showing when it's connected to the Tx with the LED light on it. I've bound the Tx to the Rx probably 3 or 4 times already. I did notice that when switching to Tradition from D-bus, in the Naza software, THEN it is seeing all the controller input (ie: I can see when I move the throttle). When I switch it back to D-bus, it is still acting like I am not giving the Rx any stick movement.

havasuphoto · Sep 1, 2014

Large said:
Thank you all for the help / replies. I've cycled power to the Rx/Tx probably 20 times or so. The Rx is showing when it's connected to the Tx with the LED light on it. I've bound the Tx to the Rx probably 3 or 4 times already. I did notice that when switching to Tradition from D-bus, in the Naza software, THEN it is seeing all the controller input (ie: I can see when I move the throttle). When I switch it back to D-bus, it is still acting like I am not giving the Rx any stick movement.

Try PPM. Under the RC tab.
Also-just to confirm, you have 1 servo wire into the receiver on the bottom(it runs with the pins horizontally-all other plugs run vertically), and you have that plugged into Naza in X2?

My Phantom 1 is powered by the same receiver and a T8J. But-I have the camera tied up on another aircraft right now, so I can't power it up and check things for you.

1 more thing-does the 10J have a calibration utility built into it? If so-start by calibrating the remote itself.
But-I think your not their yet.
IF-it see's all the controls in Traditional, and not D-bus....that's strange....

If the TX/RX are already "bound", you don't need to keep repeating that step. You have either wired the receiver wrong into Naza, or you need to check the Naza settings-and I'm not the resident expert on that.

OI Photography · Sep 1, 2014

Yeah I think havasu is on the right track, sounds like you have your receiver wired to the NAZA wrong somehow. The beauty of S-Bus/D-bus is that all channels are sent over one single cable.

I don't know Futaba gear very well, but is it possible the Rx has to be told which output protocol you want it to use?

Large · Sep 1, 2014

havasuphoto said:
Large said:

Thank you all for the help / replies. I've cycled power to the Rx/Tx probably 20 times or so. The Rx is showing when it's connected to the Tx with the LED light on it. I've bound the Tx to the Rx probably 3 or 4 times already. I did notice that when switching to Tradition from D-bus, in the Naza software, THEN it is seeing all the controller input (ie: I can see when I move the throttle). When I switch it back to D-bus, it is still acting like I am not giving the Rx any stick movement.

Click to expand...

Try PPM. Under the RC tab.
Also-just to confirm, you have 1 servo wire into the receiver on the bottom(it runs with the pins horizontally-all other plugs run vertically), and you have that plugged into Naza in X2?

My Phantom 1 is powered by the same receiver and a T8J. But-I have the camera tied up on another aircraft right now, so I can't power it up and check things for you.

1 more thing-does the 10J have a calibration utility built into it? If so-start by calibrating the remote itself.
But-I think your not their yet.
IF-it see's all the controls in Traditional, and not D-bus....that's strange....

If the TX/RX are already "bound", you don't need to keep repeating that step. You have either wired the receiver wrong into Naza, or you need to check the Naza settings-and I'm not the resident expert on that.

The PPM option does the same thing as the D-Bus option, it does not show on the comp screen that I am hitting buttons / physically moving the throttle stick, etc. The horizontal input on the receiver is an S-Bus 2 connection which I read somewhere that the Naza lite does not support yet. On this particular Rx I have 1-6, a 7/B (B is orange), an 8/SB (all of which are vertical slots) and the S-Bus2 which is a horizontal slot. I've read the manual for the 10J and can't find anything about there being a built in calibration for the Tx. Agree with the last statement as well. I'm stumped.

@ OI Photography, I'm not sure really. I have I've tried the X2 slot in 7/B, 8/SB and Sbuss2 with all the same results. I dove head first in to multirotors after driving rc cars for years but I guess I should have done a little more research.

Thank you all for the help.