BLHELI ESCs in hex or octo configuration

Hardware Multirotors
1

I’ve got some questions about any configuration with more than 4 BLHELI ESCs. I’ve been unable to find any information on using more than 4 blheli ESCs at once, in relation to the telemetry and ESC numbering. I do have a 4in1 ESC working OK in quad configuration and everything is as expected.

Do the ESCs automatically renumber as they are discovered in the blheli telemetry?
I wouldn’t like to see two conflicting packets of ESC1 telem and two conflicting packets of ESC2 telem and so on. I’m hoping the ESCs sort themselves out into ESC1, ESC2, ESC3, ESC4, ESC5 and ESC6 for example, and the appropriate data appears in the .bin log

And a more general but related question
Has anyone tried using PWM (assuming the flight controller wont do DSHOT outputs) and BLHELI Auto Telem on?
Does the ESC telem data still appear in Ardupilot even though it wasn’t requested via DSHOT?

I’ll try some tests myself, but hoping the brains trust has some insights :slight_smile:

EDIT slight update: using PWM outputs and setting Auto Telem ON does give ESC telemetry data back into the FC and I can see it in MissionPlanner Status tab. The RPM is fluctuating and looks wrong. I dont know if the data rate would overwhelm the flight controller while actually in flight.

2

I’m not sure if this answers your question Shawn but you definately get Individual ESC Telemetry in an Octo. Here is an example of an Octoquad log of RPM. And the ESC# is the same as the Motor # output.

ESC Telem RPM
ESC Telem RPM1813×911 245 KB

3

Thanks, that certainly helps.
I’ve also found that I can set everything up as if I’m using 8 blheli ESCs with DSHOT on an old pixhawk BUT just plug into the MAIN OUT connectors (so using PWM in reality) I can get the ESC telemetry as per normal. The ESC numbering sorts itself out.
The blheli auto telemetry setting needs to be enabled for that to happen.

I havent flight-tested it so unsure if the RPM’s will become realistic, or if the old pixhawk will get overwhelmed with data.

image

4

That’s cool. I didn’t know that would work!