I’m currently working on a UAV project and facing some challenges integrating a Flipsky Mini V6_MK5 ESC with my CUAV X7 Pro Plus flight controller using PPM. Despite following all available documentation and updating both devices to the latest firmware, the ESC isn’t being recognized by the flight controller, and there is no response to the control signals.
Setup Details:
ESC: Flipsky Mini V6_MK5
Flight Controller: CUAV X7 Pro Plus
Connection Method: PPM
Firmware Versions: Latest for both devices
I’ve tried various troubleshooting steps, including checking all physical connections and rechecking the configuration settings, but nothing has helped. The ESC works fine when tested independently, but I can’t seem to get it to communicate with the CUAV X7 Pro Plus.
Has anyone here experienced similar issues or can offer any insights on how to properly configure these two devices to work together? Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated as I am unsure what else to try at this point.
So I guess this is the ESC being used and it doesn’t seem to accept PWM input. Instead it supports PPM, ADC, NRF, UART, SPI and I2C so at first glance I don’t think AP supports this ESC. This is our ESCs and Motors wiki page which lists what we do support.
I wonder how you tested it independently. I guess you directly connected an RC receiver with PPM ouput to it?
Thank you for your response and for highlighting the compatibility issues regarding PWM input.
You are correct; my ESC supports PPM, ADC, NRF, UART, SPI, and I2C but not direct PWM. I have not tested it directly with an RC receiver that outputs PPM; my tests were conducted using other control setups. Given this information, I am considering using a PPM output from the CUAV X7 Pro Plus to control the ESC.
The reason for choosing a VESC-based ESC is due to its capability to function as a starter-generator for an internal combustion engine (ICE) in a UAV project I am developing. It was recommended for its efficiency and control features suitable for this application.
Given this setup, would you recommend using the PPM output from the CUAV X7 Pro Plus to control the ESC, or is there another method or workaround you might suggest for integrating this ESC effectively with the ArduPilot ecosystem? Additionally, if you believe another type of ESC might better suit my needs, I would appreciate any recommendations. I am also open to suggestions on configuring the VESC Tool to optimize my current ESC setup.
Any guidance on configuring the flight controller to output PPM signals to the ESC or insights into adjusting the VESC Tool settings would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your help and looking forward to your suggestions.
Update on VESC Integration with CUAV X7 Pro Plus via UART
Hello everyone,
I wanted to provide an update and seek further guidance on my project where I’m trying to integrate a VESC-based ESC with a CUAV X7 Pro Plus flight controller. I am currently attempting to establish communication between the ESC and the flight controller using a UART connection.
We are in the process of setting up the connection and have not yet successfully completed it. Our goal is to control the ESC’s operations directly through scripted commands via LUA, allowing for more complex and dynamic control scenarios.
I am seeking advice on:
Best practices for configuring the UART settings on both the VESC and the CUAV to ensure reliable communication.
Examples or tips on writing LUA scripts for sending specific commands to the VESC, such as motor start/stop, speed control, etc.
Any general advice or recommendations from those who have managed similar setups, particularly regarding the stability and efficiency of such integrations.
Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I continue to work through these challenges. Thank you all for your support and guidance!
We have some information here about using Lua scripts with ArduPilot and this directory has sub-directories called “applets”, “drivers” and “examples” which might be good references.