This is my first post on this forum - searched for similar problems but mine may be unique:
I built a Parallax Elev-8 quad with the intention of controlling it with an APM 2.6, external compass & GPS. The craft is wired up - using an APM power module, spliced into the power distribution harness, and no JP1 jumper. I have a single BEC powering the ESC, servo rails. Also have a single receiver channel (Throttle) powering the receiver from the APM - all other power/gnd receiver channel wires are removed.
I was able to successfully configure the APM, radio using Mission Planner but not now. I have version 1.3.3.0 on my Windows 7 laptop. I have re-flashed the firmware and gone through the accel, compass configurations. I’ve also done a successful transmitter/receiver bind while the aircraft was powered via the USB and connected to Mission Planner.
My problem is I the aircraft is not responding to stick inputs from the transmitter. I’m using a Spektrum DX8 transmitter and Spektrum AR610 receiver.
I have searched the internet as well as this forum for problems associated with failed radio calibration with Mission Planner but came up empty. Can anyone provide some suggestions?
Okay, I made some progress. Suspecting that I may have a transmitter problem, I cobbled together a test rig consisting of a spare motor, ESC, receiver and battery. I hooked up the motor to the ESC and connected the BEC to the Throttle channel on the receiver. I reprogrammed the transmitter and bound it to the receiver, and then powered on the rig by plugging it into the battery - it worked! I was able to control the motor.
Inspired by this success, I hooked up my aircraft to my laptop and bound the receiver to the transmitter, then went to the radio configuration page and again, it wored! I was able to get responses from all stick movements as well as the three position F mode switch which is used to select the flight modes.
So next, I went to the Flight Mode Configuration page, and I discovered that all of a sudden I’m getting no response when I move the switch to the other two positions. I went back to the radio configuration page and confirmed that the M.P. is seeing stick movements but no response to the F Mode switch…
Got it to work finally. I reprogrammed the transmitter again, and fiddled with the Switch Settings - assigned F-Mode to AUX 1 and for some reason that seemed to work, I don’t really understand the Switch Settings menu…
At any rate, after binding the transmitter to the receiver and going through all the configurations I managed a successful radio config and Flight Modes config…
But I still can’t get the aircraft to arm - get a slow red LED blinking. I guess I’ll have to wait until I get the telemetry link working so I can troubleshoot with Mission Planner with the aircraft under battery power…
Made some progress but also regressed a tad. I was able to successfully establish a telemetry link, got the motors to spin and arm the aircraft.
I tried to take it out for a take off and hover test - default flight mode was “Acro” - as I throttled up, the aircraft began to yaw counterclockwise and I could not correct with opposite yaw command. As I continued to increase power and the aircraft began to lift off, it pitched forward and forward props hit the pavement. No damage other than slight scuff marks on the props.
Aircraft does not seem to respond to commands except throttle. This leads me to a question:
Have you folks cut and removed the power, ground wires on the receiver channels? I watched a YouTube video on APM set up where the guy recommended cutting power, ground wires from receiver to APM except for one in order to supply power to the receiver. It just so happens that I kept the power and ground wires on the throttle channel. I’m going to replace the cut wires with new ones to see if that makes any difference. At this point I’m shooting in the dark…
Also, I’ve lost my telemetry link - the little green leds, go steady on both radios when I power up the aircraft but M.P. times out when I attempt to connect - no “heartbeat”… Anybody have any ideas what might be going on?
I’ve had Mission Planner lock up on me, several times, and have to go into “task manager” to close the program, and start all over again. I too am just trying to learn this APM/Pixhawk stuff. There’s a lot to learn, and try to remember. I try to print out pages when I stumble across a forum or wiki page that describes something I’m trying to program, then try to follow step by step. And a lot of times, I have to walk away for a few hours, or overnight, and come back later. This avoids me throwing a tizzy fit, which I have been very close to several occasions. Last night I finally got 6 channels out of a 3 way switch, and even got channels 7 and 8 working. “Auto Tune” today, maybe!
[quote=“GlassKnees”]Made some progress but also regressed a tad. I was able to successfully establish a telemetry link, got the motors to spin and arm the aircraft.
I tried to take it out for a take off and hover test - default flight mode was “Acro” - as I throttled up, the aircraft began to yaw counterclockwise and I could not correct with opposite yaw command. As I continued to increase power and the aircraft began to lift off, it pitched forward and forward props hit the pavement. No damage other than slight scuff marks on the props.
Aircraft does not seem to respond to commands except throttle. This leads me to a question:
Have you folks cut and removed the power, ground wires on the receiver channels? I watched a YouTube video on APM set up where the guy recommended cutting power, ground wires from receiver to APM except for one in order to supply power to the receiver. It just so happens that I kept the power and ground wires on the throttle channel. I’m going to replace the cut wires with new ones to see if that makes any difference. At this point I’m shooting in the dark…
Also, I’ve lost my telemetry link - the little green leds, go steady on both radios when I power up the aircraft but M.P. times out when I attempt to connect - no “heartbeat”… Anybody have any ideas what might be going on?[/quote]
A few notes from someone who has made quite a few mistakes in MP and APM:
[ul]Take off in Stabilize mode
Cutting the extra power links is a good idea. I just pull out the extra pins, then tape them so they don’t short to anything else
Try recalibrating ESCs, accelerometers, and compass
[/ul]
I posted this elsewhere, but I’ll put it here as well:
I re-flashed my APM module, went through the calibrations including ESCs; set my flight modes to Stabilize, Alt Hold and RTL. Motors passed the “Motor Test” in M.P. but when I took the aircraft outside for a test flight, the #1 motor failed to spin. Went through lots of troubleshooting - eliminated wiring/solder problems as the culprit. I swapped booms, and found that the boom plugged into #1 output port doesn’t work.
I tried the other two modes - Alt Hold had the same problem, but RTL caused all four motors to spin rapidly - I suspect that the APM was commanding the motors to climb to default RTL altitude (I tested indoors with the props removed).
I just received a suggestion that I flash other code, say Arduplane and then re-flash with Arducopter - might give this a shot. Meanwhile, I’ve ordered a new APM from 3DR - I suspect that my Chinese clone is defective.
