Newbie Unable to link flight controller help please

ArduCopter
1

Hey guys and thanks in advance
I purchased my first copter over the weekend and loving it per than being able to sort it out hahaha. I have downloaded apm planner 2.0 and have been trying to link the flight controller with my laptop and radio gear but it’s killing me, I saw it fly from the previous owner and it was flawless on his radio gear and laptop, my radio gear is a spectrum dx9 and it’s a Mac laptop. The specs of the copter are
DJI FlameWheel F550 Multirotor Frame
Integrated PCB Wiring
6x Genuine DJI branded legs

Flight Controller
APM 2.6 ArduPilot Flight Controller and Mount
915Mhz Radio Telemetry - RX + TX
Mini OSD
Power Module
USB Cable
Shock absorber

GPS/Compass
Ublox Neo-M8N GPS with Compass + Folding Base
Plus original GPS/Compass that came with APM + Base is also included.

Landing Gear
Aeroxcraft DJI F550 LANDING GEAR SET

Motors
6x Rc Timer Out runner 930Kv Brushless Motors

ESC
6x Multi-Rotor SimonK Firmware Speed Controller ESC 30A OPTO

Flight Battery
ZIPPY Flightmax 5800mAh 4S1P 30C

Props
6x RC Timmer 10x3.8 Props (3xCW+3xCCW)

6x spare props exactly the same as the ones on the the drone

FPV RX
Fat Shark Predator FPV Goggles V1
original box, instructions and cables included
Plus 4x spare original antennas
FPV TX
ImmersionRC 5.8Ghz Audio/Video Transmitter - FatShark compatible (600mw)

Antenna
ImmersionRC 5.8GHz Circular Polarized SpiroNet Antenna V2 (RHCP SMA)

Gimbal
DYS Smart3 3 Axis GoPro Gimbal with AlexMos Control Board (BaseCam)
DIY gimbal mount
Plus original mounting bracket, box and manual included

Gimbal/FPV TX Battery
ZIPPY Flightmax 1300mAh 3S1P 15c

Any help would be perfect as I am about to make it fly on its own hahaha

2

Probably something simple like serial port or baudrate.

3

I can get it to connect with the cable between the flight controller and the laptop and I can arm it manually letting my radio gear control it but it automatically disarms after 20 seconds. Also when I plug the usb dongle in I can get it to connect to the usb but then it will not talk to the flight controller at all. I saw it all working perfect on the guys computer but can not get it to work on mine

4

You are a little short on detail of what procedures you are following to achieve connection.

Have you looked through this Telemetry

5

Yeah sorry I am very new to this and I am afraid I am well over my head.i have the cable to go from the flight controller to my laptop and also the 3dr usb aswell.
[http://discuss.ardupilot.org/user_avatar/discuss.ardupilot.org/mboland/45/2763_1.png]

6

Are you powering up the hex with a battery?
Have you connected the radio to your computer?
In your GCS have you selected the correct port to connect to?
Have selected the correct rate (5600) to connect at?
Then when you click connect what message do you receive?

Some pics and screen shots would help

7

Yeah I am powering up the copter with a battery, I have not connected my radio to my laptop but when I connected my copter to my laptop I was able to configure my radio and see the values change when I moved the sticks on the screen.
I can get the usb to connect in apm planner 2.0 but nothing shows in the initial setup tab for any of the settings to change etc.
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8

First image : Baud rate - 57600 - not the 115200 as that is what you can use over USB direct connection but the radio modems are slower.

That should be all you need to do - hit connect and done, unless you mucked around with the radio modem configuration on the copter.

9

Ok thanks I will give that a try tonight

10

I tried changing it but I got no different outcome, I have stopped trying to sort the usb out as I am not getting anywhere and connected the copter back up to the laptop via the cable. Now once connected and checking my radio is connected all fine, I keep getting a pre arm bad velocity warning coming up. I also tried to then calibrate the 3D accelerometer and it’s not asking to place the copter on different angles it’s just running down 40 seconds and then giving a failure warning, I took some screen shots to show you what I have. Thanks for helpingUploading… Uploading… Uploading…

11

No screen shots? Links don’t work.

You generally don’t need to be in the radio config page just select the correct port and baud and connect.

12

This may seem obvious, but the autopilot does not ship with firmware installed. You have installed the firmware, correct?

I ask this since you can connect to the port as expected, you just not seeing any data.

13

Well I bought the hex copter off a local guy who took me to a field and showed me it fly, link to his laptop etc. I then got home downloaded apm planner 2.0 and linked to the flight planner via the cable he gave me. There I configured my radio and got to see all the gps working etc. the only thing I have not tried is to reinstall the firmware on the flight planner from my laptop, I have never done this hence was not sure what the outcome would be.

15

Hey Dylan

May I suggest this guy,“Painless 360”. His name is Lee, he is in the UK and his youtube channel is a huge help with all manner of Multi rotor and RC issues

Here is his series on Pixhawk and Mission Planner.

Peace, Wolf

16

OBTW

he has a whole section on APM as well. I run a Pixhawk and they are of the same blood line. Lee is your man. He will respond promptly to questions too.