Ashta,

I tried to initialize the LCD configuration as directed on multiwii website as - Tilt the yaw stick right + tilt the pitch stick forward.
But nothing happens on LCD as shown in picture attached.

I am using the Serial LCD from RoboKits which is having 9600 baud rate same as the SparkFun LCD which was prescribed on MultiWii website.
http://robokits.co.in/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_64&products_id=191&zenid=89ed442c50ce813309087f745889ba55

Any Idea on why it is not working??

Also, when battery is disconnected and all other connection are present on the board (ESC, Reciver etc), Can I switch to USB power and plug in to PC? I think it wont draw excess power to any connected things like ESC's, LCD or Receiver. right??

dear srekar,
as discussed with you, i have not tried an LCD on this board though prov is made. i will do that in course.
you can always connect the board to the PC thru USB in both cases, namely,
1. When jumper id put to USB side and no battery connected. In this case rcvr will get power from the USB and except motors every thing should work and you should be able to see the sensor values in the configurator.
2. You can also do the same with battery connected, ofcourse change the jumper to reg side. And now you should be again able to see the sensor values in the config.

but caution... motors will run now and be extra carefull.


reg
ashta

Ashta, Thanks for your wonderful support and I really appreciate your effort to support this board and help the community.

I did fly the quad with your controller in my small and less than a 10x10 room to take a webcam video. My webcam could not capture a better quality picture/video but i am just pasting a low res picture here.




 

great srikar, i am really happy that you could fly it.
do take me granted for any support if u need.
there is a lot more in this board and all the best to u in testing these, namely
1. Accelerometrer
2. Barometer
3.Magnetometer.
4. Battery voltage monitor and alrm cct.
5. Writing your own code and use the unused pind of the micro thru the FETs provided etc.

You shoiuld be able to get a silk smooth flight, once
- You balance the props and get the vibrations to min.
- fine tune the PID values, and other parameters thru the configurator.
- there is a code available whre you can enable one motor at a time and measure the vibration. this is there some where in the thread..


best regards
ashta

@srekar could you please post the video. I have also ordered the same board. It may help.

Pratheesh

Pratheesh,
The video was not at all good with messed up audio sync and low quality as I used a very old webcam to record. And moreover, I tried the quad in a very congested room and hence flight time was also very short even though it worked well. I will post a video once I go outside and fly it.

Mistakes I made during the fist fly,
1. I did not realize that JRE must be right on your PC before you run the MultiWii configuration tool and that was resolved when I changes the JRE (Java Run time Environment.)
2. By mistake, I wrongly fitted the props. This was resolved by referring to MultiWii website/talk to Ashta. Thumb rule is all props should blow air downwards.

Also, I think one should have some basic/minimal RC fly experience (At least a bit of minimal flight simulator on heli). I am good at Airplanes in field but I got only a bit of Heli exposure and Heli wont give time to correct your mistakes like airplanes. But this is strictly my personal opinion.
 


 

Thanx Srekar....

Pratheesh,

Here is the video. Please note that I am a beginner in Heli/Quad Stuff and need to make this flight lot smoother in due course of time. I believe the throttle control may get smooth if I can get rid of some weight from quad(replace with lighter landing gear, motor mounts, etc) ?? 

srekar bro great work you have done.

Thanks Dharmik.

@srekar thanx for the video will get my board today... if the DTDC office is open for Pickup.... hope to get my quad to fly before i leave for a month tomorrow.

hello srekar congrats for you maiden flight.

Since you are still learning to fly quad i will suggest you to put some shock absorbing arrangement for landing because a hard land crash damage your motors and props.

Dhiraj, Thanks for the advise and I will follow it.

here are some photos of a very shock absorbing landing gear set up, which is easily repalceable and light too. Vey very effective, not so good looking though..

some more pictures

Ashta,

I could test direction hold and stable mode sensors. I followed the calibration procedure as shown in attached picture. One problem is, when I want to trim Acc as sown picture, I can do so in all 3 directions (4th is not working) - up, down and right. But for some reason, left stick input is not being accepted/acknowledged(No Beep/No LED glow)  by the controller.

Even when I calibrate ACC using config tool and also using stick input as shown in picture, still the whole quad is tilting forward and right directions in stable mode. When I tried to trim the ACC as sown in picture, controller is not accepting left stick input as said above.

Any suggestion/idea??

dear srekar,
hope that you have been able to calibrate by now.
however few tipa that i can give is
1. while calibrating the accelerometer, the Quad should be absolutely level.
2. Check and correct if all motors mounted on the arms are straight and there is no angle. Check this very carefully.
3. Beyond doubt all the props are to be balanced for stability.
4. In all the quads i had made the stable mode was working with nutral trims. so i suggest to look at the source of the problem than correcting it thru trims.
pl see the follwoing link
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1261382&page=1392

also in the same thread search "ACC TRIM". there culd be serveral answers/tips.

best regards
ashta

srikar,
here is the link of the bamboo copter frame
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1522092

Being an open source SW people keep updating the SW and currently it is 1.9

Here is a short video in the nearby park. See the stability.

I have two or three more boards. pl send me the pm in case u need.

https://picasaweb.google.com/ashtakurur/MultiwiXBTMPark#5677414509382355698

best regards
ashta

added the Youtube link also.

Hello Ashta sir,

Long time.  Thats very good stability of your quad.  After installing your WII controller on my quad i got busy with other things and quad project took a toll.  I need to meetup with you.  We're getting a new runway done in Hoskote which will be ready in a week 10 days time, Hope to see you there.

Regards,
Adarsh

thanks Adrash. in fact i wanted to call you and persuade you to install ver1.9. pl call me and let us do it. i thot you are out of station since you said that you will be going to US,  around this time.
let us catch up

best regards
ashta

hello,
here is another video in the near by park,
This is so stable with the new SW. At time 2.20 onwards i am just leaving my hands off the xmittter on and off as you can see.
Since i was shooting with my crude Hatcam, this is the best that i could capture.
thanks for watching

This is the video of my copter wit only the Gyro enabled. I am really happy with the board. Would need to tune the Accelero and the Magnetto also soon... Thank you Ashta sir for all the help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z2JQH9pMl4

thanks pratheesh.
I have been practicing to fly the multi.
it takes really some time and hard work to be able to fly this normal, nose in, side wys etc.
Have fun...
also pl note that al the unused pins are available thru FETS on to the connector and you can write your own code and experiment varius things.
assuring all support.
ashta