Pixhawk for Bench Power Measurements?

ArduCopter Copter 4.2
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1

If I:

  1. Connect a pixhawk and 1 motor to a PDB
  2. Disconnect ESC signal wires from the pixhawk, and connect them directly to reciever, so that motor responds to throttle input alone
  3. Do not arm the pixhawk

Will the pixhawk function as an effective current / power measurement sensor for static thrust bench measurements?

2

Sure, it should work. Make sure that the ESC pixhawk and the receiver are powered from the same battery, to ensure a common ground. If you run the power cable to the ESC through a current and voltage reading sensor connected the the pixhawk, it should measure voltage and current.

If you connect the esc to the pixhawk and put the throttle channel to rc pass through, and than arm, (you would have to disable arming checks, prearm) you would get your throttle signal output and the current reading logged together.

3 Likes
3

ah RC pass through seems like the right solution.

1 Like
4

i thought that this would be straightforward, but now trying to do it im not sure how to set all motor channels to passthrough. do you know how?

for no props (read no-load current), i think Stabilize mode will just work. if i add props stabilize would still work, but I would need to weigh the craft down or mount it.

6

i ended up just using the logs from motor test