Help with Kakute F7 and Arducopter 4 build questions - runcam and arm switch

ArduCopter Copter 4.0
1

Hello, I have successfully built 2 quadcopters, one with a Pixhawk 1 and Arducopter, and a racer drone using Kakute F7 and betaflight.

I am attempting another build using the Kakute F7 and Arducopter 4.0 on a 550mm frame. I have finished the wiring and flashed Arducopter to it successfully. I have 2 questions:

  1. Swift Runcam 2: My VTX is working correctly and I can see the OSD data from the FC on my video receiver, but I do not see the feed from the camera. Do I have to do something to enable the camera?

On the racer drone with betaflight the camera just works out of the box. I have looked at the Arducopter camera documentation but I’m still struggling - it wasn’t very clear to me. What does it exactly mean when it refers to “shuttering”??

  1. Arming: Do I need an arming switch? I would prefer to arm the copter using one of my channel inputs after all the prereq for successful arming is complete.

Thank you!

2

There is no arming switch option with the Kakute F7 but in no case do you NEED an arming switch. Just disable it in firmware if you don’t want to use one. I don’t use them on any craft.

1 Like
3

Thanks for the answer about the arming switch.

I tested my Runcam and VTX on a bench and both are working.
I tried reconnecting and now I don’t have the OSD and the VTX is not working. Also the speaker is now not working on the board. I think I might have damaged it when I was soldering the pin headers. I was plugged into the USB and had a Lipo providing power

Anyhoo if everything was working should have I expected to see the camera feed?

4

Hi! The video feed should work out of the box after connection to video out (usually a yellow wire). Battery powered. Best to use the same ground on both vtx and video. I would try to solder the wires again.