Records home position but crashes to the ground :(

Benjamin Kenobi

Easy? You call that easy?
Hmm, maybe my explanation is wrong then. I'll sit down with it later and post some vids. On a train now. Cheers!
 


thurcombe

Member
Well i have tried repeatedly to get this to work but to no avail. I have tried leaving the bind plug in, holding the bind switch for almost forever, releasing the bind switch quickly, no matter what I try the naza just will not drop into failsafe when Tx lost.

Interestingly, if I go full throttle then switch off the controller when connected to the assistant, the throttle drops to 50% so it looks like it has remembered that, just not the position of the failsafe switch. The only thing I can think of is that in order to get the two way switch to go beween GPS and failsafe, I had to reverse the gear switch it in the Tx setup, is this possibly where my problem is arising?
 

FlyGirl

Member
Well i have tried repeatedly to get this to work but to no avail. I have tried leaving the bind plug in, holding the bind switch for almost forever, releasing the bind switch quickly, no matter what I try the naza just will not drop into failsafe when Tx lost.

Interestingly, if I go full throttle then switch off the controller when connected to the assistant, the throttle drops to 50% so it looks like it has remembered that, just not the position of the failsafe switch. The only thing I can think of is that in order to get the two way switch to go beween GPS and failsafe, I had to reverse the gear switch it in the Tx setup, is this possibly where my problem is arising?

Hi :) Because of your post I realized I didn't have mine set up either so I thank you for posting your problem. I did finally get mine set up but it took about 7 tries to get it to take the setting. I almost felt like it was some sort of timing issue with holding the button down. Anyways this is the set of instructions I used that finally worked. http://www.xflysystems.com/blogs/ne...ur-spektrum-dx7s-ar8000-failsafe-for-dji-naza
 

thurcombe

Member
Hi :) Because of your post I realized I didn't have mine set up either so I thank you for posting your problem. I did finally get mine set up but it took about 7 tries to get it to take the setting. I almost felt like it was some sort of timing issue with holding the button down. Anyways this is the set of instructions I used that finally worked. http://www.xflysystems.com/blogs/ne...ur-spektrum-dx7s-ar8000-failsafe-for-dji-naza

I'm glad my post helped you before you found out the hard way :) That said I am really pleased with how durable these things are, even when you land it on top of the compass (sometimes depth perception is an issue for me, either that or those hedges are just jumping out in front of me) :0

Those instructions are for a DX7s and a different Rx so I think not relevant to my setup.

I am thinking its either a problem with the model of Rx I have, or its due to the gear switch being reversed. Later I will try to get something working without the switch reversed (which from my past attempts means I'll only be able to asssign manual and failsafe modes to the switch but it will prove the reversed switch theory I guess.
 
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FlyGirl

Member
I'm glad my post helped you before you found out the hard way :) That said I am really pleased with how durable these things are, even when you land it on top of the compass (sometimes depth perception is an issue for me, either that or those hedges are just jumping out in front of me) :0

Those instructions are for a DX7s and a different Rx so I think not relevant to my setup.

I am thinking its either a problem with the model of Rx I have, or its due to the gear switch being reversed. Later I will try to get something working without the switch reversed (which from my past attempts means I'll only be able to asssign manual and failsafe modes to the switch but it will prove the reversed switch theory I guess.

From what I understand at least on my system, once the value is stored in the receiver you can change the switch back to whatever way it was before and not affect what is stored in the receiver. I think? :) By the way, it did say in those instructions I followed that the Rx needs to be capable of storing a failsafe which indicated to me that some aren't. Maybe the one you have doesn't have that feature? (grasping at straws here I guess... LOL!)
 
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thurcombe

Member
From what I understand at least on my system, once the value is stored in the receiver you can change the switch back to whatever way it was before and not affect what is stored in the receiver. I think? :) By the way, it did say in those instructions I followed that the Rx needs to be capable of storing a failsafe which indicated to me that some aren't. Maybe the one you have doesn't have that feature? (grasping at straws here I guess... LOL!)

It's not the reverse of the switch causing the problem as I just checked it.

Then I read this in a manual.....

The AR6200 features SmartSafe failsafe. SmartSafe is ideal for most types of aircraft. With SmartSafe,
when signal is lost the throttle channel only is driven to its preset failsafe position (normally low
throttle) while all other channels hold last command.

Looks like this is the problem, doesn't sound that "smart" to me :(
 

FlyGirl

Member
It's not the reverse of the switch causing the problem as I just checked it.

Then I read this in a manual.....



Looks like this is the problem, doesn't sound that "smart" to me :(

I think you are right on the money there unfortunately! Doesn't sound so smart to me either! LOL! Maybe bump up to an AR8000?
 




Benjamin Kenobi

Easy? You call that easy?
Hey there! Sorry for delay.

You've gone off down the blaming equipment stage again. Stop it. The vast majority of Spektrum rx work exactly the same way. You can follow any instructions. You have the throttle channel correctly set (throttle goes to 50% when switching off) but you still haven't got your switch set to failsafe before binding. That is all you're doing wrong.

It doesn't matter if the switch is reversed. As long as the blue failsafe bar is on in the assistant when the two way switch (hopefully the switch on the front of the DX6i marked Gyro) is in position and in that same position before you press the bind button then it will bind.

Binding is binding.

Ps - I used the DX6i and that same receiver for 3 years. Believe me you are just binding incorrectly. Read the manual please
 

bensid54

Member
Propilot you say you have a Futaba? I have a Futaba 12FG and have not yet set it up for failsafe tell me please what settings you used and what channels are you using on your controller and your receiver. Thanks
thurcombe, sorry for confusing you. I'll try to explain myself a bit more.

There are multiple ways to get the Naza into Failsafe mode.
1. The easiest way is using the Naza Software Assistant, you can configure the U channel to be GPS, ATT, FS, and giveup usage of MANual mode. I personally do not like this because I want Manual mode available if I need it.
2. Setup the Naza for the U channel to be GPS, ATT, MAN, but then have the transmitter send a value (based on a switch) for the U channel to be in between those three mode into the region called Failsafe. This is something external to the Naza, and requires special programming in the transmitter. Sadly, I do not know the DX6i transmitter, so I can't help there, but I would search YouTube; that's where I found out how to do that for my Futaba. Basically you are going to do a "mix" of two switches. One three-way switch that commands max, middle, min values which associates the three positions to the three flight modes. Then you "mix" in another switch which adjusts that same output of the 3-way switch to force a value in the in-between area. This way you can trigger the Naza into Failsafe with this other two position switch.

The above two methods are the pilot triggered ways of getting the Naza into Failsafe, and it is advisable that you setup one of those two. However, there is the true Failsafe intent which is the case when communication between you and the Naza is somehow broken, typically because the receiver is no longer receiving the signal from the transmitter. That is the transmitter/receiver failsafe programming that everyone should also setup. If this is setup correctly, the Naza failsafe will kickin if power is lost to the transmitter, or the signal is lost because you flew out of range. Again, I don't know the DX6i, so I can't give you specifics. But the jist is that you program each of the outputs to a specified response if communication is lost. So on my Futaba I have the throttle output set to 25% if the signal is lost, and the U channel set to a value that puts the Flight Mode into the Failsafe region.

So all of the above settings/programming should be verified on the ground with the Naza Software Assistant running to confirm the Naza flight mode is truly "Failsafe". Then, once you have confirmed that, try invoking Failsafe with one of the switched methods. Once you have confirmed stuff and you feel confident, then maybe you can try the loss of power method, but just be careful. I have tested it that way, and as soon as I confirmed it was returning back home, I turned it back on just to give me that piece of mind.

As to another question you had earlier... "Intelligent" shutdown is what I prefer, so you're fine there. I was just wondering why your MR just fell to the ground, and I'm guessing the Naza is getting a zero throttle input when you power off your transmitter. You can double check that with your Software Assistant.
 

Propilot you say you have a Futaba? I have a Futaba 12FG and have not yet set it up for failsafe tell me please what settings you used and what channels are you using on your controller and your receiver. Thanks
Hi Bensid. I will try to keep this brief just so that we don't get too far off topic.
Basically my 8FG and R6208SB is setup so that only two channels go to specific values, and the others maintain last transmitted value. The three channels I setup for Failsafe are the U channel which will output a value in the Failsafe region of the Flight Mode slider (I think somewhere around 35%), and the Throttle I have set to 25%. I also have the retractable landing gear control set to output to the Down position so that the retracts lower if it's on it's way back to home. And the outputs going to the Zenmuse, I set the Mode to "Forward". Does that make sense? Again, all other outputs are to hold the value.
I hope I answered your questions Ben. If not, please let me know.
 


thurcombe

Member
Hey there! Sorry for delay.

You've gone off down the blaming equipment stage again. Stop it. The vast majority of Spektrum rx work exactly the same way. You can follow any instructions. You have the throttle channel correctly set (throttle goes to 50% when switching off) but you still haven't got your switch set to failsafe before binding. That is all you're doing wrong.

Ben, thanks for your help, I do appreciate it but I DO have the failsafe switch set. It shows me failsafe in the assistant status bar at the bottom, then I left that switch in the 1 position which is failsafe enabled before binding. I will video it when I get time so that you can see. Just going back to the equipment, the naza cost me almost £400, I can buy a laptop for that kind of money and still have change for a £10 plane finder that plugs into my Rx and can detect when Tx is lost so yes, i'm a little unhappy that the naza cant do this itself.

It doesn't matter if the switch is reversed. As long as the blue failsafe bar is on in the assistant when the two way switch (hopefully the switch on the front of the DX6i marked Gyro) is in position and in that same position before you press the bind button then it will bind.

Binding is binding.

Ps - I used the DX6i and that same receiver for 3 years. Believe me you are just binding incorrectly. Read the manual please

I worked out it wasn't the reversed switch causing the issue. I assigned my failsafe to the gear switch though, not the gyro switch and I can see it select between GPS and failsafe in the assistant, here is a screenshot from my assistant that shows that.View attachment 13612

I read the manual and as i posted before the manual states... "With SmartSafe, when signal is lost the throttle channel only is driven to its preset failsafe position (normally low throttle) while all other channels hold last command"

Unless that is deliberately misleading, it sounds to me like the failsafe works only with the throttle channel. After reading the helifreak post I now see that it is a little misleading as it depends what you do with the bind plug when binding but as I said in a previous post, I have tried binding (Soooo many times) with the bing plug in and the bind plug removed but I have just tried it again following the instructions on the helifreak thread, this time I left the throttle at 100% just for testing so I could see after the bind if the throttle jumps to 100% after Tx poweroff, which it does. It doesn't put the naza to failsafe mode however.

Maybe i am still doing something wrong but I don't know what, like you said binding is binding... clearly it has been binding fine hence the 100% throttle when I turn off the Tx

Maybe it is a timing issue, maybe im not getting the bind plug out quick enough but that seems silly to me, as long as it is removed before the Tx is turned on to bind it should make any difference right?


 

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thurcombe

Member
Here are the instructions for my Rx, which make no mention of removing the bind plug before binding the Tx.

http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR6200.pdf

Ben are you sure it was a 6200 you were using? I have tried this process another fie times to no avail.

The only reference to failsafe is to "SmartSafe" which as I said before, works only on the Throttle channel. I think any other failsafe is non-existent here.
 

thurcombe

Member
Ps - I used the DX6i and that same receiver for 3 years. Believe me you are just binding incorrectly. Read the manual please

Ben can you please confirm if it was definitely the 6200 Rx you used as the more I trawl the internet the more I read that the 6200 does not support preset failsafe, only smartsafe.
 

Benjamin Kenobi

Easy? You call that easy?
Ben can you please confirm if it was definitely the 6200 Rx you used as the more I trawl the internet the more I read that the 6200 does not support preset failsafe, only smartsafe.


Howdy, it was indeed that rx. I used the gyro switch on the front though. Maybe that's your problem??? Hmm. By the by, sorry for sounding so preachy. It just sounded like you were trying the same thing over and over without changing anything which was frustrating.

Smartsafe is failsafe!!! Don't let the branding get you. Smartsafe is Spektrum failsafe.

Now go and change the switch you use to the gyro (including swapping the rx wires around) and see if that makes a difference. Your switch is not working properly or is not suitable for binding. I use a helicopter model on mine as I want throttle hold so using the gyro switch you just adjust the gyro gains to enter the various modes.

Good luck mate! You can do it!
 

thurcombe

Member
Howdy, it was indeed that rx. I used the gyro switch on the front though. Maybe that's your problem??? Hmm. By the by, sorry for sounding so preachy. It just sounded like you were trying the same thing over and over without changing anything which was frustrating.

Smartsafe is failsafe!!! Don't let the branding get you. Smartsafe is Spektrum failsafe.

Now go and change the switch you use to the gyro (including swapping the rx wires around) and see if that makes a difference. Your switch is not working properly or is not suitable for binding. I use a helicopter model on mine as I want throttle hold so using the gyro switch you just adjust the gyro gains to enter the various modes.

Good luck mate! You can do it!

Hi Ben, I think you may be confused, unless you happened to have a 6200 running a different firmware somehow.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1488019

The 6200 does not support preset failsafe, only Smartsafe which works on the throttle channel only.
 

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