coreyperez
Member
I had an interesting day of testing…
I flew the 550 today (first time in about a month). I decided to play around with failsafe and had absolutely NO luck! My failsafe didn’t work. UGH. (Basically it had been so long I forgot I swapped my FS and Course lock/Home lock switches)
So, I burned through two batteries playing with it in Manual mode and then hooked it up to my laptop with the Naza assistant. When I checked the configuration I realized that I had the switches confused (good thing I was practicing!)
I just got back in this evening from trying two more batteries (I forgot my Flytrex memory card, arrrrrgggghhh…). But I was able to test the fail-safe switch, power-off fail-safe, manual mode (with failsafe recovery), home lock, course lock, arrested flight with the failsafe and the scariest thing I did was arrested a rapid (unusual attitude recovery) descent with the power-off failsafe. That my friends about scared the S#!T out of me! I think it was within 15’ of the ground when the failsafe kicked in, leveled it and recovered with power. I was actively in the process of flipping the switch when it recovered.
BUT, I have full confidence again in my Naza. Oh, just gee-wiz info below:
* If you go to failsafe you can IMMEDIATELY recover by turning off the failsafe switch.
* A few moments after you have activated FS, and it is actively performing functions, you must cycle between GPS/ATT/MNL mode to retake control of the craft. Just cycling the FS switch will not regain control to you. (I believe the point of “no return” is when it reaches its initial level hover at the max altitude set in the FS settings). At that point I had to cycle the GPS switch.
* The 550 (in GPS, ATT) can safely be descended at zero throttle (stick) and still recoverable, but this was only a few second drop. The motors are actively heard “working”.
* The 550 (in MNL mode) sustained “motor speed” when at zero throttle, but MUCH LESS and was very nerve wracking. I didn’t try it for very long.
* Ihad a few different landing experiences in failsafe. When I was flying around for a while it landed within 20’ of the takeoff point. When taking off and immediately switched into FS, it landed within a couple feet. (I’m not sure if this was a onetime thing, or of the flight controller’s buffer gets cluttered with points and figures “close enough is close enough). Just an observation.
* You can get a solid take-off point fly around in GPS, switch to different modes (ATT/MNL) and the craft will still RTH in FS.
* Switching to FS in an unusual attitude, etc. while in manual mode will immediately right-itself and RTH (provided you had a GPS lock).
* The 550 is a bit more “snappy” and has more control authority when in Manual mode. This was highlighted when full forward acceleration (in GPS mode) and I switched to MNL mode, it immediately snapped forward at least 10-15° and accelerated faster. This increased control do NOT include increased thrust capability. (Or didn’t seem to) Correction, Yes, in manual the thrust availability WAS increased. I was able to arrest rapid descents (faster i.e.: more power) in Manual vs. GPS mode.
* Switching to FS immediately actuates FS, whereas turning off the TX still seemed to require about a second to get the craft under its own control. (Highlighted in my rapid descending turn in MNL mode). The craft recovery is immediate in FS, delayed in TX-power off.
* CAUTION!!!! When playing in Manual mode, with transmitter “power off Fail safe testing”, and attempt to recover with TX turned back on (was trying to see what would happen), my TX requires the throttle to be at zero. The powered ascent was immediately interrupted because I knew I would have to have my throttle at zero when powering on. When powered on, and the TX/RX started talking the immediate “dropping like a rock” effect kicked in. Remember, as I mentioned above, it appears that before the Naza reaches the initial hover, you can still regain immediate control. Consider this a warning!
* Unconfirmed as of yet. It appears as through the Naza comes “home” the opposite direction it was flown out (figure nose out, tail in on departure, it comes home nose in. When I took off immediately after a failsafe test (nose in) it landed the subsequent time tail in. It may just come home the opposite way it left (compass).
* You must cycle GPS/ATT/MNL mode switch even after landing.
Yep. Learned a bunch about my Naza’s programming today!
Corey
I flew the 550 today (first time in about a month). I decided to play around with failsafe and had absolutely NO luck! My failsafe didn’t work. UGH. (Basically it had been so long I forgot I swapped my FS and Course lock/Home lock switches)
So, I burned through two batteries playing with it in Manual mode and then hooked it up to my laptop with the Naza assistant. When I checked the configuration I realized that I had the switches confused (good thing I was practicing!)
I just got back in this evening from trying two more batteries (I forgot my Flytrex memory card, arrrrrgggghhh…). But I was able to test the fail-safe switch, power-off fail-safe, manual mode (with failsafe recovery), home lock, course lock, arrested flight with the failsafe and the scariest thing I did was arrested a rapid (unusual attitude recovery) descent with the power-off failsafe. That my friends about scared the S#!T out of me! I think it was within 15’ of the ground when the failsafe kicked in, leveled it and recovered with power. I was actively in the process of flipping the switch when it recovered.
BUT, I have full confidence again in my Naza. Oh, just gee-wiz info below:
* If you go to failsafe you can IMMEDIATELY recover by turning off the failsafe switch.
* A few moments after you have activated FS, and it is actively performing functions, you must cycle between GPS/ATT/MNL mode to retake control of the craft. Just cycling the FS switch will not regain control to you. (I believe the point of “no return” is when it reaches its initial level hover at the max altitude set in the FS settings). At that point I had to cycle the GPS switch.
* The 550 (in GPS, ATT) can safely be descended at zero throttle (stick) and still recoverable, but this was only a few second drop. The motors are actively heard “working”.
* The 550 (in MNL mode) sustained “motor speed” when at zero throttle, but MUCH LESS and was very nerve wracking. I didn’t try it for very long.
* Ihad a few different landing experiences in failsafe. When I was flying around for a while it landed within 20’ of the takeoff point. When taking off and immediately switched into FS, it landed within a couple feet. (I’m not sure if this was a onetime thing, or of the flight controller’s buffer gets cluttered with points and figures “close enough is close enough). Just an observation.
* You can get a solid take-off point fly around in GPS, switch to different modes (ATT/MNL) and the craft will still RTH in FS.
* Switching to FS in an unusual attitude, etc. while in manual mode will immediately right-itself and RTH (provided you had a GPS lock).
* The 550 is a bit more “snappy” and has more control authority when in Manual mode. This was highlighted when full forward acceleration (in GPS mode) and I switched to MNL mode, it immediately snapped forward at least 10-15° and accelerated faster. This increased control do NOT include increased thrust capability. (Or didn’t seem to) Correction, Yes, in manual the thrust availability WAS increased. I was able to arrest rapid descents (faster i.e.: more power) in Manual vs. GPS mode.
* Switching to FS immediately actuates FS, whereas turning off the TX still seemed to require about a second to get the craft under its own control. (Highlighted in my rapid descending turn in MNL mode). The craft recovery is immediate in FS, delayed in TX-power off.
* CAUTION!!!! When playing in Manual mode, with transmitter “power off Fail safe testing”, and attempt to recover with TX turned back on (was trying to see what would happen), my TX requires the throttle to be at zero. The powered ascent was immediately interrupted because I knew I would have to have my throttle at zero when powering on. When powered on, and the TX/RX started talking the immediate “dropping like a rock” effect kicked in. Remember, as I mentioned above, it appears that before the Naza reaches the initial hover, you can still regain immediate control. Consider this a warning!
* Unconfirmed as of yet. It appears as through the Naza comes “home” the opposite direction it was flown out (figure nose out, tail in on departure, it comes home nose in. When I took off immediately after a failsafe test (nose in) it landed the subsequent time tail in. It may just come home the opposite way it left (compass).
* You must cycle GPS/ATT/MNL mode switch even after landing.
Yep. Learned a bunch about my Naza’s programming today!
Corey
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