I been using pixhawks etc. the equipment is brilliant. Never had any problems except for once I shorted it.
For a recent small project of mine, I started playing with small FC. Particularly F405 mini. Had so much issue and problems Esp with the onboard magnetometer
I bought from a well known brand which I don’t want to name here. Assuming it should have certain level of quality.
First board, having issue with compass. Solder, desolder, solder and desolder, I didn’t know the solder pad can be damaged this way.
Kept having compass error which I thought is my placement blab blab blab… End up it’s the connection issue. So the I2C isn’t connected well and it gives compass error as well.
In a stack, gps compass above esc power wire, mag error. 3cm away. It’s fine.
the older 5883 magnetometer is crap. Tons and tons of problems. Buy the newer 5883 it’s a different model, some model comes with a shield at the bottom. That’s the best. The newer compass and gps some of which can be place nearer to FC without issue.
don’t assume it’s new FC there is no problem. My third FC from this well known brand, first installation. One of the serial connection fails. Doesn’t work at all. Lucky it’s serial where I can still switch to another serial port.
Stack FC IMU can also get messed up by emi if placed near EMI source. And if it get mess up for a long time, it can damage the imu permanently.
sometime you do compass calibration again and again, interference calibration again and again. It still doesn’t work, kept having errors after errors, likely it’s a hardware issue even if it’s new.
Finally if you have a choice, avoid these small tiny FC, they are just not as robust as the bigger pixhawks . Perhaps maybe I just happened to gotten the bad batch.
I’ve used plenty of F405 boards with 5883 magnetometer. While I recommend going to H7 controllers now, the current generation of Matek F405 controllers are reliable with the limited features. I would rather see somebody use one of those than some clone pixhawk.
What brand of F405 are you concerned about? If you want this to be helpful that’s a key bit of info.
As anyone that has used Ardupilot for several years will know the “F405” based Flight Controller was used by all at the time.
Identify the Flight Controller you are referencing or it should be moved to Rant.
Ok I be specific on the model which I use.
I was testing out 4 sets of matek 405, 1 speedybee 405 mini and 1 microair 405 mini
Speedybee hasn’t really tested it out so can’t say much.
Microair I assume it’s the position of the FC too near antenna which somehow mess up the imu. After a number of flight, many yaw reset. I changed the position. Now it seems the imu it is permanently messed up. But since it’s only 1 used so I can’t say it’s not my fault or whose at fault.
First 2 matek seems to be fine. One I installed as 30x30 the rest I fitted as 20x20.
Only problem is I shorted one so my fault.
Third one having problem with the current meter. I thought maybe it’s incompatible with my esc. No the fourth works with the same esc and current meter so it’s definitely not compatibility issue but the PCB itself. Solder desolder few times on the compass, mess up it. Weak connector or maybe my skill for soldering. Doesn’t have the same issue with gps which I also solder multiple times.
Fourth matek, one of the serial port fails right from the start. So this I think clearly has some production quality issue.
Now the most problems I had is with matek compass with 5883. I guess this is a outdated tech issue. It uses QMC5883. Which is giving a lot of problems with interference. It’s a older magnetometer. Especially when if you cannot solder too long wires the spi can’t read. So you cant use too long wire for the compass and yet you can’t put too near other EMI source … Catch 22 you see, putting your compass out like an unicone also doesn’t help much. Could it be one gps at fault? No… I have 4 all doesn’t work.
Also when you place Matek gps too near anything, it just can’t receive the sat signal.
Nowadays newer gps comes with HML5883 which is better, and with shield at the base. Does it have problems when too near FC? Yes it does but it’s has lesser problems and can tolerate a shorter distance. And still get reasonable sat reading.
Also found one issue, if you just plug USB into FC to edit parameters without battery. It usually drains the gps battery and reset it because of low voltage. (So avoid) As for Matek gps it will take years to lock back on with the sats. Others might only take 30 secs or so.
All in all, because on all the feedback, matek might be reliable before but I find them Abit of a glory of the past with outdated tech. There are just better models coming up.
Any electronic can fail, specially such small not ESD safe PCBs like our FCs.
I see out of your above posting that you solder on the PCBs manually. This is the most kind to destroy components by temperature, mechanical or ESD stress.
Also you says matek is using outdated components.
If I look to the datasheet for example the GPS+Compass M10Q-5883. this is using a QMC5883L which you says is better.
So it might be not Matek but you are using old models?
I tried a few of these 5883 gnss and the problems seems to occur more on matek version. Could be a design fault could be just parts quality. I cant say for sure. The other one I have does have shield below uses a different 5883
you are right PCB board can be destroyed by soldering. I been soldering for decades and honestly ai never met one which are damaged by first time soldering.
After all the board is meant to be soldered what other ways do you connect the FC? If you PCB can be destroyed by first time soldering, it’s definitely not a soldering fault but the PCB fault. Only reasons I can conclude is the piece is a faulty one when I got it.
I don’t know anything about your soldering and electronics experience and I will insult or attack you. I don’t know if this experience is more hobby based or professional electronic developing and maintaince. ESD is one of the most underestimated defects on such controller boards.
All these products are low price consumer electronic so the MTBF is much higher as on automotive, aeronautical or military electronic.
Many other user are very satisfied with the matek products
if you have been browning out the boards repeatedly then its possible you have corrupted the firmware, try STM32cube programmer to erase the memory and reflash it with the bootloader, that will fix a lot of weird issues that are caused by corrupted memory. Reflashing Ardupilot in mission planner doesn’t do a full wipe of the memory.
Yes, I used impactrc to made it into dfu mode and inav configurator to flash with the latest ardupilot.
anyway that particular serial port I had changed to another not really a problem. Just alittle disappointed with the gnss and experience so far. Supposedly a reliable brand.
I understand ESD, I guess the whole post I am pointing out is these small PCB aren’t exactly as reliable as the more robust Pixhawks. There are many whom are satisfied with the product but we all know the company isn’t exactly very innovative in recent years.
Many companies are coming up with newer designs and versions of F405 board( improvements). Even recently I heard alot of grunt on Matek ELRS.
I think anyone getting into smaller FC should look out for these hardware issues that rarely happened in the bigger pixhawk. Then again, if the drone can accommodate a pixhawk, who would choose a F405
Yes, I get your point.
But why should these companys come up with newer designs and versions of the moreless outdated F405 controller if they have in point of size and weight a comparable H743 version.
Why should I buy an outdated F405 if I can get same sized H743
The SW of FCs is steady expanding and the resources of old controllers are limited. So as always we have switch to newer controllers not to new designs of old controllers.
Did you look to the manufactures datasheets?
Your F405 mini has only mounting holes 20x20 but the real size is bigger.
Also the mateksys H743 mini has this 20x20 mounting holes and nearly same size as the F405.
