I finally got out for my maiden flights today. Other than the super muddy soccer field everything was perfect. I just toodled it around the soccer field, not too high or far away. Remarkable how stable she is in Alt Hold, even though that really isn’t a purely manual mode. I tested the Loiter and RTL functions as well and perfect. Pretty cool to see Iris lock on and engage those when the switches were flipped. I did not plan and run an auto mission yet.
I feel comforatble enough already that I can add the gimbal and camera whenever. But first I may try a flight or 2 with my Muvi camera on the GoPro mount just to see how it comes out. But will surely get a GoPro to put on the gimbal soon.
One comment… it is so stable that anyone looking for flying fun may be disappointed, but that is not really why we buy these particular types of quads.
Yes, when I purchased my IRIS I read that you should by a small indoor quad like the X1. That would get you use to flying a Quad copter.
I found that it’s easier to fly the IRIS than that small X1.
The biggest problem I have run into is stupidity. This is a very complex piece of equipment and knowing what it’s doing and what you should be doing is the key to success.
Yes, indeed, Mike the toy quads were good training. My first was also an X1. Then I got a Blade 180 and a Blade Nano. That Nano is a ton of fun. It almost defies physics.
Agree that Iris+ is a heck of a piece of equipment. It is so good that almost anyone can fly one. That is both good news and bad news. I have some friends long time in RC that believe these things will hurt the hobby due to irresponsible inexperienced users and/or terrorists doing stuff that could lead to a FCC/FAA crackdown. Let’s hope not.
Yes, the modes that are configured when they ship the Iris+ are very stable and tame. I’m sure that’s so everyone can have a positive experience when they first put it in the air. I was amazed how easily it flew. I had practiced with a little Hubsan X4 for months and there was just no comparison. That said, those are just the basic flight modes with the default parameters. The software that runs this is very configurable and can do just about anything you want.
As an example, you might want to try PosHold instead of Loiter. It holds position like loiter when you stop flying around but it’s a lot smoother and more fun to fly. There are also several modes you certainly don’t want to try until you are a lot more experienced and feel comfortable with your soldering technique (acro, sport).
If you haven’t done so, check out the flight modes in the wiki. copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/flying … ght-modes/ Look at the links on the left because the page itself doesn’t link to all of the modes.
Interesting… I don’t quite understand the difference between Position and Loiter. In Loiter I can fly around, go up, down, etc. and as soon as I release the controls it Loiters in the new spot. But it seems moot since this says Position is not available in AC 3.2 and up.
Yup, I know it can do acro mode, but not something to try with a camera and gimble attached. Probably good to leave that kind of flying for a cheaper more purpose built machine.
Position is no longer available but Position Hold is. It flies like Loiter mode but is much more responsive. When you release the stick you will see it brake to hold it in position.
