Setting up the Futaba T8FGS (or 14SG) with the P2

[wkf94025]

Thanks to Malcolm Holt for quickly implementing the functionality described above: SH as a lockout on SD being used for Manual Mode flying when SD is in the lowest position. SD up is independent of SH (use for GPS), SD middle is independent of SH (use for ATTI), and SD down is ONLY active if SH is pulled up and held (use for Manual). Of course you will have to enable Manual mode on SD in the Assistant.

Here is the model: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gd9zhom3dz7usk1/Phantom 2 v6?dl=0

I just flew it and it works great. Climbed to 1,000m straight up, and had an E-ticket ride coming back down. Never would have survived that climb without Manual mode descent. Up to 10m/sec descent rate, and lived to tell about it. Suggest no more than 2 seconds of Manual descent at a time, and be ready with yaw and/or forward right stick to arrest free fall.

Thanks Malcolm!

Kelly

 

[ianwood]

Is the profile otherwise the same as v5? I want to maintain one version in this thread to avoid confusion.

 

[wkf94025]

Sorry Ian, wasn't thinking yesterday when I posted this. Didn't mean to hijack source control. Just that I was so stoked that it worked and I can do high altitude shots with good chance of survival. Yes, I believe Malcolm's only change was SH lockout on SD low for Manual mode. Though I did need to reset Servo Speed for gimbal tilt to 24 (my preferred setting for smooth tilt). Also, your call as to when V5 becomes V6, and what other refinements go into that. Perhaps this feature alone only warramts v5.1.

Kelly

 

[MacMan]

I have been flying my Phantom 2 now for several months and I just installed the gimbal today. I wanted to practice without a gimbal and I had been waiting to get a new GoPro 4 when they came out. So, I installed the gimbal and the GoPro 4 Black today. Video works fine and all Iosd info shows up, but the gimbal does not respond (won't go up or down). I'm using ianwood's .v5 profile and have been since it was posted. It's a great program and I have had no problems using it, although without the gimbal. I am sure that I have probably just missed something but can't figure out what. Oh, the gimbal does sort of respond. When I move the left joy stick right or left, the gimbal will move slightly right or left. Also, worth noting the gimbal goes through it's normal initialization process on power up.

What I'm I not doing correctly? :?:

 

[ianwood]

MacMan, Check the calibration of X1. Likelihood is you need to calibrate it. There are specific instructions on the first page for it.

 

[MacMan]

Ianwood, thanks for jumping in here to help me with this. I can't seem to get X1 to calibrate, but since my earlier post it is partially working. Here's what it's doing: Both the SC and SG switches are moving it. With SC fully back camera is level. SC mid position camera points 3/4 down and with SC fully down (toward me) the camera points straight down. Moving between positions on SC is very slow and that's perfect for what I want.

SG is also controlling it too but much faster and the camera is stopping at slightly different angles.

The RS doesn't do anything (no response).

I thought I read in the latest update that the SG wasn't assigned? I have iosd MK II and have it assigned to switch video between the GoPro and a small primary FPV camera.

I really appreciate the help.

 

[ianwood]

Have you modified the profile to use the 7th channel? I have channel 7 on LS which controls some strobe lights. Not sure why RS isn't working. Are you downloading the profile from the first page in this thread? If you've made changes to it, I would start again with a clean copy of the profile, calibrate the gimbal using SC and RS and then reassign channel 7 if you want to.

 

[MacMan]

Ianwood, I did download the profile from page 1 after you posted the update. I don't think I have modified it as far as I know. I have been going in and out of the various menus on the 14SG trying to get a "basic" understanding of how it works, so it is certainly possible that I may have changed something without knowing it. I did map the SG switch to the MK II so that I could switch between AV1 and AV2 which works fine. Let me ask a dumb question, but how can I tell if I made a change to ch 7? I'm going to play around with it a little more and if nothing changes I'll probably do as you suggest and just delete and start over. It's a great program you have put together and I know there are many in this community that are benefiting from your effort. Thank you again!

 

[MacMan]

I am really lost on how to do something and my head is about bloody from beating it against the wall. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Let me begin by once again offering my many thanks to ianwood and all the others who have graciously shared in creating this profile. It's wonderful and I think it really makes the Phantom much more than an expensive toy. As noted above, I had some problems trying to make some changes and after a couple of days getting nowhere, I have take ianwood's advice to delete the profile and reload it. So that said, I am starting from a clean profile (No Changes).

Here's what I'm working with: Phantom 2, H3-3D gimbal, Sony Effio-V FPV camera, GoPro 4 black camera, iosd MK II, Futaba 14SG tx, installed R7008SB receiver (did the mode B to turn ch 8 into S-BUS).

What I'm trying to do is utilize the video switching on the iosd MK II so that I can switch AV1/AV2 between the 2 cameras. The MK II has a servo cable that goes from the MK II to a channel slot on the Futaba R7008SB that when assigned a "3 position switch" allows the toggling between the 2 cameras.

I initially followed the DJI video tutorial on how to connect the MK II to the R7008SB. In their tutorial, the servo cable is connected to channel 5 on the Futaba rx and they selected the "SC" switch to operate it. I believe any of the 3 position switches would operate it. Not sure if a 2 position switch would work, but I am really wanting to use the "SG" switch since it's not assigned in the .v5 profile.

Here's my problem. If I plug into channel 5 and assign the "SG" switch, it works but I loose the RS control of the gimbal. Also, when I do this the "SC" switch still operates the gimbal as per .v5, but it also operates the channel switching on the MK II. There is obviously some channel mixing that I don't understand.

So what I want to do is leave everything working as ianwood has in .v5, but be able to use the "unassigned SG Switch to change my video.

Where do I start? Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to be as specific as possible.

Thanks!

 

[ianwood]

You should put it on channel 8. Channel 5 is the gimbal. Plug the cable for the MKII into the 8th channel on the receiver.

BTW, in my post above where I refer to channel 7, that should be channel 8 as well.

 

[MacMan]

You should put it on channel 8. Channel 5 is the gimbal. Plug the cable for the MKII into the 8th channel on the receiver.

BTW, in my post above where I refer to channel 7, that should be channel 8 as well.

Thank you sir! I will give that a try later today. Hope to get this bird in the air this weekend.

 

[MacMan]

You should put it on channel 8. Channel 5 is the gimbal. Plug the cable for the MKII into the 8th channel on the receiver.

BTW, in my post above where I refer to channel 7, that should be channel 8 as well.

Thank you sir! I will give that a try later today. Hope to get this bird in the air this weekend.

I made the change and all seems to work perfectly now. Greatly appreciate the help and especially the profile! I plan to try my first video tomorrow.

 

[ianwood]

Good to hear, MacMan.

For everyone else, some potential changes...

I've made a minor update to the profile (haven't uploaded it yet), adding a safety to manual mode so it is less easy to accidentally engage it.

If you put SD in the down position (manual), it will still act like it's in the middle position (ATTI) until you pull up the SH momentary switch and then it will act like it's in the down position (manual). Pulling up SH while in the top (GPS) or middle position (ATTI) has no effect. Note: you need to have "manual" set as the third position in the Phantom Assistant for this to be of any use.

This allows you to trigger manual for briefs periods of time. If people find this interesting, I can upload the profile and call it version 5.1.

 

[havasuphoto]

Good to hear, MacMan.

For everyone else, some potential changes...

I've made a minor update to the profile (haven't uploaded it yet), adding a safety to manual mode so it is less easy to accidentally engage it.

If you put SD in the down position (manual), it will still act like it's in the middle position (ATTI) until you pull up the SH momentary switch and then it will act like it's in the down position (manual). Pulling up SH while in the top (GPS) or middle position (ATTI) has no effect. Note: you need to have "manual" set as the third position in the Phantom Assistant for this to be of any use.

This allows you to trigger manual for briefs periods of time. If people find this interesting, I can upload the profile and call it version 5.1.

Will you need to hold SH switch for it to continue flying in Manual mode, or is that just the "trigger" to activate Manual Mode?

 

[ianwood]

Will you need to hold SH switch for it to continue flying in Manual mode, or is that just the "trigger" to activate Manual Mode?

You need to hold it. Once you let go, it goes back into ATTI mode. If you're a true manual mode flyer, it's probably not a good option. But, for those who, like me, fear manual mode and will only use it sparingly if at all, I think the safety switch works pretty nicely.

 

[wkf94025]

Unless you have large stones and a deep RC wallet, I would strongly suggest staying with the SH and SD method of enabling Manual Mode. It's an exciting/bad mode to end up in accidentally. Extremely useful when you need it, potentially very expensive when you don't.

Kelly

 

[havasuphoto]

I've tried manual mode-twice. Once on the P2-by accident, and I gave it full throttle and it shot up like a rocket.
2nd time, was on purpose on my Phantom 1. Problem was-the P1 with 2700 Maddog battery is nose heavy-not balanced.
So, this is what happens when you enter manual mode-keep in mind I did add throttle and full aft stick, and was still going down at 5+m/sec;


[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYmzJjYWBUo[/youtube]

Any questions? I recovered with about 10 meters to spare, by flipping into GPS mode.

I'll keep my P2 setup with the 3rd position switch as "fail safe". I have well over 100 flights on it now, so I feel there is no need for Manual Mode, for me. This way, I can use either hand to immediately enter Fail Safe.

 

[MacMan]

Ianwood, I have a question regarding the "SC" switch for the slow gimbal control. Currently when I flip it ("SC") there is a delay of perhaps 10 seconds (not timed it yet) before the gimbal begins to move. When the gimbal reaches the other end, I can flip it back and the gimbal begins to move immediately with no delay. I like the overall slow speed of travel, but would like to have it so that travel in either direction begins at the same time. What do I need to change?

 

[skeeter]

Not to be a "buttinski", but I've had that happen to me as well. As I recall, redo X1 calibration. Be sure the three position tilt switch is in the middle spot. Methinks this was the fix.....let us know if it works for you. ...

 

[MacMan]

Not to be a "buttinski", but I've had that happen to me as well. As I recall, redo X1 calibration. Be sure the three position tilt switch is in the middle spot. Methinks this was the fix.....let us know if it works for you. ...

I didn't mention in my previous post that the RS works fine. No delay in movement in either direction. The momentary delay is ok, it's just that I would like to shorten it by a few seconds. I'm thinking that the "SC" switch is somehow programmed to have the momentary delay before the camera begins to tilt. I may be wrong though. I will try a recalibration of X1 and be sure that I have SC in the middle. Thanks for the input.