SK-450 frame with PixHawk PixRacer build continued Spring-2019

I recently found my un-finished SK-450. It was to be my first Pixhawk-class aircraft. I think I will work on it for a while, and hopefully get it more flight-worthy .

Since it's the original PixRacer-clone model in the metal-box/case, I decided to just mount it with four 11mm-square pieces of black HobbyKing Zeal-clone material. I then tied it down with a thin nylon-wire-tie. I don't think a "dental-floss tie-down" is quite enough after all. Like the compass, it would be really bad if the FC became detached in flight somehow.

The on-board RC receiver (a FrSky-X8R) is mounted up-front (upside-down, so that top of X8R still ends-up being accessible) .
If you Bind manually, you want:
Mode-4 (D16) FrSky-XJT = CH1-CH16 with Telemetry. FailSafe-Mode is No-Pulses.

On the Taranis, you can setup a new model for the PixRacer-450.
Actually, I just duplicated an APM ArduCopter model (the Nova-360) , and then changed the name and Receiver Number. I noticed I did not even need to re-Bind. You know they are working (actively bound) when RSSI appears on Taranis. Also, the LED on the x8r will now be lit green.

In May-2019, I'm using the current Mission Planner (for Windows) v1.3.66 . I'm using a standard Micro-USB cable.

Upgraded the PixRacer's firmware from ArduCopter v3.5.4 to ArduCopter v3.6.9 (Quad with ChibiOS). Reboot the PixRacer-FC.

• Click Connect. 
• Reset Parameters with Reset to Defaults button. It will reset to v3.6.9 Defaults. Let it Reboot.
• Save initial default v3.6.9 params to file . Start building-up your best params from here.
• If not already Disconnected in MP, do so now.
• Shut-Down MP, disconnect cable, and power cycle aircraft.

On next power-up, ESC might be beeping.  Seems to indicate that ESCs aren't getting a signal because FC can detect that radio is not calibrated yet (getting that message in MP-HUD). Looks like the constant ESC beeping happens with ArduCopter v3.1.x (or higher) and certain versions of ESCs. And, of course, what the APM-FC considers an un-calibrated RC radio.

• Reconnect USB cable, start MP, and click Connect.
• In MP, set your main top-6 or so Flight Modes and Write/Save them
  1. Stabilize
  2. Loiter
  3. Alt-Hold
  4. Drift
  5. Land
  6. Auto
  ... and in Extended Tuning, CH7=SuperSimple and CH8=RTL (each of which I also have on dedicated Taranis buttons).
   
• In MP, calibrate the RC Radio, 
• The sticks obviously, but since the radio is already programmed, step thru all the pre-programmed Taranis Flight-Modes on the switches. All channels should move on MP screen (except CH6 which is not assigned to anything on Taranis).
• Remember that any problems at this point (like only some switches not responding) might be due to incorrect programming on the Taranis radio itself.
• Write params, click Disconnect and power-cycle (reboot) FC.
• If ESCs were beeping before, they should stop now (now that the radio is calibrated).
• Verify or Set Frame Type to X-Y6A (a X-4 quad-config)
• Recall that you have the PixRacer FC mounted in a normal/forward orientation.
• Compass is Forced-External (which also disables any Auto-Detection). Verify proper Compass Yaw-degrees hardware-config settings. Just using one the single external compass for now.
• I would say these are the minimum parameters you want to set or verify before calibrating:

AHRS_ORIENTATION,0
COMPASS_AUTODEC,1

COMPASS_EXTERNAL,2 

COMPASS_ORIENT,0 

COMPASS_PRIMARY,0
COMPASS_USE,1
COMPASS_USE2,0
COMPASS_USE3,0

FRAME_CLASS,1
FRAME_TYPE,1

Mandatory Hardware Devices - Click Connect and calibrate the rest of the mandatory hardware devices. The PixRacer seems to like being rebooted (and/or power-cycled) after each major component is setup and/or calibrated. Save your work and params files as you go.

If all is going OK with your Micro-USB-cable connection, you should be good to try connecting by WiFi instead. Its your choice.
- WiFi connection notes. Connect to copter's WiFi in Windows first. Use UDP in MissionPlanner .

• Accelerometer calibration. 
• Click the button to do the quick Accel calib (just leave level) and then reboot the PixRacer flight-controller (FC).
• After reconnecting, click the other button to do the longer (multi-step) 3D-Accel calibs. Reboot FC again when finished. 
• Follow directions. I find it easier to prop-up against a door because it must be keep still and perpendicular at each step. Use Enter/Return to go to next step.
• It should say Successful at end. 
• It might show the 6 calibration parameters it just created. IIRC, they should all be close-to or between -1.00 and +2.00. I think it might Write them to the FC at the Successful end.
• You can also see them as INS_??????? in params list.
• Return to Full Parameters List and Write them (just in case). You might need to Connect first. Finally, I Save as a File since we made it this far. 
• Compass Calibration
• Due to initial problems getting more than one compass activated and calibrated (with good Offsets) ... I'm just using the one main external compass (up in the GPS/Compass-Combo module) for now. This should also help with compass "variance errors".
• Calibration is pretty self-explanatory. Just start it and then slowly rotate the multi-rotor aircraft on each of its 3 main axis (likely a couple of times each). If done properly, it should progress and complete in good time. 
• It would not hurt to do this outside (like at least the back-yard). Not only would this eliminate any possible building-structure interference, 
• but also ... you can do it while Auto-Declination and GPS are active. 
• Note that after it has been done successfully, it SHOULD NOT need to be done again, any time soon. 

Optional Hardware Devices - Click Connect and calibrate any optionally-installed hardware devices. The PixRacer seems to like being rebooted (and/or power-cycled) after each major component is setup and/or calibrated. Save your work and params files as you go.

Battery Monitor or Power Module (standard APM-style PM)
- This is with a Turnigy 11.1v 2700mah 3s 20-30c LiPo battery
Monitor: 4: Analog Voltage & Current               Battery Capacity: 2700
Sensor 0:Other
APM Ver: 4:The Cube or Pixhawk
Power Module Calibration
1. Measured Battery Voltage: 11.6v (measure and enter yours here)
3. Voltage Divider: 10.82
6.  Amperes Per Volt: 19.1
For this PixRacer Flight Controller, my relevant parameters were:
BATT_MONITOR,4
BATT_CURR_PIN,3
BATT_VOLT_PIN,2

Reboot, and it should be working and now appearing in HUD.

Also, verify or change these core parameters     
(this first set should also be Pixhawk defaults):

ANGLE_MAX,4500
GPS_HDOP_GOOD,140
LAND_SPEED,50
LOG_BITMASK,176125       (Most logs, including IMU for vibrations )

RTL_ALT,2500
FS_GCS_ENABLE,0
FS_THR_ENABLE,1                (Very important)
FS_THR_VALUE,950              (Adjust for your calibrated radio throttle)

Also DONE :
- Install FAA ID-Tag sticker

ToDo:
- Calibrate ESCs (a good time, since new FC in new aircraft).
- More Arming and motor-run tests.
-     -    Already noticed GPS-Module working really well in shielded areas.
- Calibrate compass again, outside this time.
- Test Fail-Safes and RTL
- Setup Taranis "Flight Time" telemetry Page for this model
- Install props (mark type and direction)
- Tethered flight test.
- Maiden flight
-     -     Stabilize (manual mode) and hopefully some GPS-Modes testing as well.

Taranis OpenTX v2.2.1 Flight-Modes and Sound Profiles

Here are some setup notes for my Taranis (running OpenTX v2.2.1), about Taranis audio and setting-up sounds. Remember that if you switch computers and you start having USB detection and communication problems ... try a different (higher quality) Micro-USB cable.
OK, so let's start with this tip:

I setup the S1 (left) potentiometer to be the Taranis' full-time volume control. The other command is for resetting the Timer to zero. These are Global Functions (affects all models) .

A while back I assigned sounds to my Flight Modes (via Special_Functions and Play_Track) .

However when I am using an Android GCS (like Tower/Mission-Maker) ... their nice verbose announcements include Flight-Mode as well. Having them both announce the Flight-Mode seems redundant and un-professional. Turning-down the volume isn't a good solution because other important sounds are silenced.

With the help of the guys in the forums, looks like I have figured out a way to have TWO separate Sound Profiles (controllable with a switch). One for flying with the GSC, and the other without. It's a combination of new Logical_Switches and Special_Functions.

Finally, I recently found-out that (some how) I downloaded the wrong Amber v2.2 sound-file pack (back in 2017), or ... it has been slightly updated in the past few years. Anyway, the new file I downloaded is 19mb and now has about 714 wav-files. I installed this on my Taranis-x9d (running OpenTX v2.2.1). It seems to work fine, and provides more Amber spoken tracks than the old file.

FrSky Taranis X9D TX Clock Battery Replacement.

It's flying season again, so I took my FrSky Taranis X9D transmitter down off the shelf. I haven't used it much in the past 6 months, but I do keep its main battery charged/cycled. I bought it new July-2014.

I noticed the Time was very wrong, and the Date was 1970. I tried to set the correct Date-and-Time several times, but it kept reverting back to 1970 after a simple power-cycle.

Turn off Taranis and remove main NiMH battery.
Loosen 2 of the switches a bit (just the two on the case-seam)
Remove 6 screws on back
Carefully separate halves and lay flay on table (don't strain cables)
Replaced tiny CR1220 3-volt lithium coin-cell battery.
- The old one was dead (down to 0.5-volts).
- The battery socket is clean (no corrosion)
Re-assembled and test radio.
Set Time and Date and test it's retention after a power-cycle.
Be sure Time and Date survives the radio being turned off for 15 minutes.
Mine tests good again.

FrSky Taranis X9D - Inside PCB and CR1220 coin-cell battery.
Open in a new Window or Tab to fully Zoom-In

Best Indoor Beginner RC Drone Eachine E014 Windmill - WiFi SmartPhone FPV 2019

I like my new indoor WiFi 720p FPV Drone with Altitude-Hold (via optical-flow AI). This is the best beginner RC drone I have flown in a while. Very stable and easy hover. Auto-TakeOff, Auto-Land, and Altitude-Hold ...  all work fine.

Comes with a good/basic Mode-2 RC-Controller and SmartPhone-Clip for FPV.  I fly (Mode-2 like most people) with an old iPhone-5 clipped-on. I use 4- AAA Eneloop rechargables in black RC-Controller.

Connect Eachine drone to phone's WiFi.

WiFi Password: 12345678

Power-on RC-Controller. Watch the blue-lights on controller and drone.

Apple iOS App: Eachine Fly- Hailin Yi

Works on iPhone-5 (even with 16gb with old iOS-10.x) 

In Options (gear icon) , set to:

Scenery-Mode

Master-Mode (use controller). Model-2 = Mode-2
- Click X in top right to save/close.

Throttle (left stick) from Max-to-Min to ARM drone
- IIRC, you get a beep and last blue-led on RC-Controller goes solid-on.
Flight time is around 5-minutes indoors.
Just coreless-motors on this one (which are not too loud).

Nice RC-controller, on-board flight-controller, and position-hold abilities for a quad under $39 usd. There is usually a good coupon, but it only works from this page (and once per customer). I pay with PayPal. 

If you are new pilot, I suggest you stand behind the drone before take-off. Indoors, empty garage, or zero-wind is easiest. Don't fly over people, houses, traffic, or anything expensive. If windy, watch your position and altitude (to minimize fly-aways). Know before you fly outdoors.