Thanks Johnno and Robone. Actually, ZeroUAV has been trying to help out. Peter, the support guy has suggested a number of things. I think part of the problem in troubleshooting this is the language barrier. Peter does pretty well with English - I, on the other hand, don't do any Chinese! I have been chatting and sending emials and videos to show what is going on. But I am not sure I have gotten through. Though, today I received a fairly detailed email with a number of things to try. I will give that a shot and see what happens. As robone mentioned, why not just go back to previous FW. Well, I can't find it on the download site and every time I bring it up with Zero, they say it wouldn't matter. ????? So today, I will reload FW (11/28), and re calibrate everything from scratch and see what happens (this is probably the 4th time I have tried this from scratch). I will follow the email directions to a "T" and hopefully get this thing flying. I hope it is just something dumb that I am doing wrong! We'll see.
Zero UAV UAV Zero Steadi470
- Thread starter johnno
- Start date
I keep all the previous FW versions on my website http://multirotor.co.za/?page_id=964 and so does http://gothelirc.com/ys/ysx6mainpage.html
Let us know how it goes.
Cheers
Rob
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Went through all the suggestions Peter asked me to. And I tried going back to the October version of the FW. Neither solved the problem. However, I think the problem with the gimbal may be getting isolated. Peter asked me to setup on cntl 6, press alignment, then check attitude angle on data. I swung the gimbal around but the values stayed at 0/0. For some reason, the IMU may not be working? Quadruple checked wiring on FC - 1-white, 2-yellow, 3-gray and 4-red connector. Hmmmmmmmmm ?????
Really sorry to hear about your trouble on the stabilizer Socratic, and also thanks rob for keeping the important files on your side. Great help! ..I'm in process of repairing my Zero-steadi-470 now. For future reference I now know that batteries don't even work one third as well as normal in below zero degrees celcius temperature. We've had about minus 20 C here now.
Okay, another problem (almost) solved. Got the gimbal working (but for some reason my roll knob isn't working any longer- need to check the receiver). Turns out it was the firmware all along. Apparently there is a different firmware for the Steadi470 that is not the same as the YS-X6 (Steadi has an additional 20 kbs). The alignment went easily as soon as I tried it after loading the correct firmware (surprise, surprise). Peter will check the download site and be sure the correct firmware is available. Just be sure it is 191 kbs. The standard FC firmware is 171 kbs. I haven't tested out the motors yet but Peter says that it will act differently once the props are installed. So I will try a tie down test over the weekend and see how the motors behave. Closer........
johnno
Member
Hi Jim, its good to see that UAVZERO are involved in helping and so they should I think a lot of these companies get a bit Blazay after a while and forget about the customer on the other end Hopefully thats the end of your woes and you can start flying. John.
What really gets me is that as a dealer, no one tells us that the FW is different. Please can you send me the correct FW for the Steadi470 as it is not listed on any of the sites and I would like my website to have the correct FW.
Cheers
Rob
Result from tie down test were not good 
Even at take off rpm #4 cuts out! I have also lost my roll control on the gimbal (transmitter knob no longer works - tilt is still okay). Tough trying to troubleshoot....is it firmware? Bad connection somewhere (though I can reproduce the problem with different motor), bad FC, something wrong with receiver sbus, transmitter.......It is hard to troubleshoot when I am not confident of the hardware AND software first. When troubleshooting it is usually best to start in the middle and work your way out. Hmmmm - I wonder what the middle is? Any ideas for troubleshooting are appreciated.
Here is a short video of the motor cut out. http://youtu.be/fGISpirZ9AU
Even at take off rpm #4 cuts out! I have also lost my roll control on the gimbal (transmitter knob no longer works - tilt is still okay). Tough trying to troubleshoot....is it firmware? Bad connection somewhere (though I can reproduce the problem with different motor), bad FC, something wrong with receiver sbus, transmitter.......It is hard to troubleshoot when I am not confident of the hardware AND software first. When troubleshooting it is usually best to start in the middle and work your way out. Hmmmm - I wonder what the middle is? Any ideas for troubleshooting are appreciated.Here is a short video of the motor cut out. http://youtu.be/fGISpirZ9AU
Result from tie down test were not good
Here is a short video of the motor cut out. http://youtu.be/fGISpirZ9AU
Hi Jim
Thanks for the Stead470 FW. I have put it up on my website so others can access it.
Not having used or calibrated a Steadi470, it is quite difficult to give any advice, but I would start by removing all connections to the Gimbal and concentrate first on getting the Auto Pilot to work well. I have had two incidents recently, with people I know, where one had all motors cut out due to a dry joint leading from the battery, and another incident where a bullet connector was giving intermittent faults, with the motor cutting out now and again, so I would start there and check all the connections. Maybe even solder them all and remove any bullet connectors.
Looking at the video, everything seemed to be working well for a while. Maybe try and swap the motors around and then if the problem is still there, swap the ESC around. But please solder all the joints.
IMO the YS_X6 hardware and software is good and nearly always, if there have been problems it has been due to something small in the setup, and not a hardware or software problem.
Cheers
Rob
Rob, thanks for the advice. Since I checked the connections from the #4 output of the FC by swapping out the motors and got consistent results, it has to be something that either is effecting the output on #4 or has to do with the receiver/SBus or transmitter (I think). I wonder if there is any way to see the signal coming from the receiver to the transmitter???? Maybe there is something causing channel 4 to screw up on the input/output of the receiver? Since there seems to be a lot of confidence in the FC, I am beginning to suspect the receiver. I think I will take a look at the data and see if I can find any variations on the controls.
Hey Guys, Need some help. According to ZeroUAV the problem with the motor stopping is (what we used to call in the software business, an undocumented feature!) normal while on the ground and NOT a problem! Here is the message from them:
you are so Careful .
in the ground you can test the ap mix ouput is correct or not ,
but more test you need fly it , that mean the aircraft need take off ,
the motors will be stop in the ground , if it long time not take off ,
pls test it , fly it ,
So the question is - anyone else have this issue when the quad sits on the ground with the motors running for more than 10 seconds or so? Can anyone check this for me - yes, perhaps I am being too careful, but this quad is not cheap - crash could be pretty expensive to repair!!! In any case, if anyone can to a test for me, I would appreciate it - otherwise, guess I need to wait for nice weather (rain and wind today) and give it a try!!!!!!!!!
you are so Careful .
in the ground you can test the ap mix ouput is correct or not ,
but more test you need fly it , that mean the aircraft need take off ,
the motors will be stop in the ground , if it long time not take off ,
pls test it , fly it ,
So the question is - anyone else have this issue when the quad sits on the ground with the motors running for more than 10 seconds or so? Can anyone check this for me - yes, perhaps I am being too careful, but this quad is not cheap - crash could be pretty expensive to repair!!! In any case, if anyone can to a test for me, I would appreciate it - otherwise, guess I need to wait for nice weather (rain and wind today) and give it a try!!!!!!!!!
Actually, I was going to say the same thing at one stage.
I have heard of the motors shutting off because it thought it had landed, but that was in GPS mode.
What have you got to lose by trying to fly. You will soon see if there is a problem, while still not to high off the ground, which should not cause too much damage.
Went out and did a successful hover test today! As Peter promised (and Robone mentioned) #4 did NOT cut out once I got airborne. Took a few tries to get it airborne with weight on the gimbal substituting for the camera. Crashed twice - really just a roll over - no real damage. After I took the weight off the gimbal it took over pretty easily and did a decent hover. Tried manual and manual atti - both seemed to work fine - though I couldn't really tell the difference between the two modes. Still need to set up fail safe correctly - when I switch off the transmitter, the FC goes into manual atti ???? Not return to home. I haven't figured out how to change that yet. Some issues with the gimbal - one of the servos is stuttering causing a bit of a vibration to the quad. And roll knob still not working. I will recalibrate the gimbal and see what happens. I am really shocked that the motor cut out issues was a non issue!!!!!! However, I did run into an issue with one crash that the motors kept running even though I had brought throttle down to 0. Maybe an option for that? C l o s e r......
johnno
Member
Phi Jim, I bet that feels good after all the trouble you went through and ready to throw it in , I got my futaba tx/rx yesterday so will be starting not really looking forward to it knowing all the problems people are having , when you took the weight off the gimbal did it stay vertical or did it lay over to one side? And how much weight did you end up with? John.
Hi Johnno, The gimbal was sort of vertical - slightly tilted (I thought my camera was running but apparently not) both pitch and roll without weight. Never got a chance to see what it did with weight as it rolled over - twice. I used the exact same weight as my 5N - something like 370 grams. If you get stuck setting up anything, just give a holler....I think I am "beginning" to understand this thing. Still lots to figure out though.
Glad to see everything is working
Can I make a suggestion. Don't fly with Manual Attitude mode (Mode 2). It does not add any value. Either use manual or GPS mode. I have found it to be sometimes unpredictable. In manual mode 1 you can really enjoy the flying characteristics and in GPS mode it gives you what you really want and that is good position hold. But it is a different machine compared to manual mode 1
I take off in manual and land in manual mode and either fly in manual or GPS mode. Remember when switching over to manual mode, you may get a drop in altitude because of the way the throttle is positioned, so expect it and compensate.
I personally would leave the gimbal settings alone for the time being and get to know how the system flies. Understand what you can or can't do. In other words, take it one step at a time.
I know a lot of people who only fly in GPS mode. They take off (semi automatic) and land in GPS mode.
You have to set failsafe with your Rx
Cheers
Rob
johnno
Member
Hi Jim yes I bet there is a lot to figure out, the reason asking about the gymbal was that if it wasnt vertical could it have aided the roll over, if I put a battery in place the gymbal falls to one side straight away no sign of being close to balance, anyway thank you for your assistance offer its handy to be roughly in the same position in the timeline.. Cheers John.
johnno
Member
Glad to see everything is working
Can I make a suggestion. Don't fly with Manual Attitude mode (Mode 2). It does not add any value. Either use manual or GPS mode. I have found it to be sometimes unpredictable. In manual mode 1 you can really enjoy the flying characteristics and in GPS mode it gives you what you really want and that is good position hold. But it is a different machine compared to manual mode 1
I take off in manual and land in manual mode and either fly in manual or GPS mode. Remember when switching over to manual mode, you may get a drop in altitude because of the way the throttle is positioned, so expect it and compensate.
I personally would leave the gimbal settings alone for the time being and get to know how the system flies. Understand what you can or can't do. In other words, take it one step at a time.
I know a lot of people who only fly in GPS mode. They take off (semi automatic) and land in GPS mode.
You have to set failsafe with your Rx
Cheers
Rob
Hi Rob, do you have one of the Steadi's??
Were you trying to take off in Manual mode or GPS mode? In any of the modes, the slightly off balance created by the gimbal should not have an impact.
If you takeoff in Manual mode, what I do is check the which way it is going to lift, and then as I takeoff, I compensate by moving the sticks. If you try and takeoff slowly, it may tip over.
If you takeoff in GPS mode, it should compensate as you takeoff and you should not have a roll over.
Rob