Flight control Set and Kit

Quick Start Guide

For MegaPirate NG

Version 1.2

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Thanks for choosing AirStudio flight control electronics. We have created it based on best-in-class software, hardware and our team experience in Multi-rotors. This is multi-rotor remote controlled aircraft flight control electronics with advanced features like integrated OSD, ultrasonic sensor (Sonar) and GPS. AirStudio Control board (set) feature list:

Stabilized flight modes for different multicopter frames (Tricopter, X4, plus4, Y6, Hexacopter, Octocopter, X8);

Integrated On Screen Display (OSD) for First Person View (FPV) flights;

GPS for position hold, return to home position and loiter (GPS position hold);

Magnetometer (Compass) for heading determination;

Very precise barometer for altitude hold;

Sonar sensor for automated takeoff and landing capability and altitude hold (up to 5m height);

Automated waypoint navigation using ground station software;

Mounted camera stabilization and shutter capability;

Wireless telemetry for long distance communication;

Specialized Power board for power distribution and current measuring;

User configurable LED output with possibility to inform about low battery;

Capability to use any R/C receiver;

External signal module (Status board) for visual summary of aircraft condition; You can find latest version of this manual from http://air-studio.eu/en/content/23-support

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Specification Input voltage: 6-18V Current consumption at 12V: Board only: 40mA Board with GPS, IMU, sonar: 80mA Switching voltage regulator for reduced heat dissipation. Operational temperature: 0°C ... +60°C Dimensions: 50mm x 70mm Mounting holes: 3mm diameter, 45mm x 45mm Receiver channel count: 5 to 8 Motor count: up to 8 Camera gimbal outputs: pitch, roll, shutter Output for high current load (LED strips): 8A Firmware MegaPiratesNG compatible multicopter hardware.

http://code.google.com/p/megapirateng DIY OSD compatible OSD hardware with LM1881 video sync separator.

http://code.google.com/p/diy-osd-opensource http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1473207

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Description

Air Studio Control board

Control board is MegaPirateNG compatible hardware with

ATmega2560 and some additional features:

Dedicated output pin for high current load up to 8A (LED strips, and etc.)

Third output (besides Pitch and Roll) for camera gimbal that can be used for camera

Shutter control

Integrated OSD controller with LM1881 sync detector that is compatible with DIY

OSD and other open source OSD software that can use ATmega328P. OSD has serial

connection to main controller for receiving sensor readings

Integrated voltage divider for battery voltage measuring up to 4S LiPo, input for

current and RC receiver RSSI measuring

Air Studio Sense board

Sense board contains ITG-3200 gyroscope, BMA180

accelerometer, HMC5883L magnetometer, MS5611 barometer

and logic level converter.

Sense board can be used with 5v host MCU and has integrated pullup resistors on both logic

level lines.

Air Studio GPS board

This is low cost high performance GPS module with MediaTek

MT3339 GPS chipset.

It has built-in super capacitor for memory retention when power is disconnected. If GPS

module is left without power for time less than 9 hours after power up it will get almost

instant fix.

Connector pin out of this GPS module is identical to many other modules.

Pin No. Function

1 Not connected

2 GND

3 Transmit data

4 Receive data

5 +5V

6 GND

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Prerequisites

1. Download and install CP210x serial port drivers from

http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documents/Software/CP210x_VCP_Win_XP_S2K3_

Vista_7.exe

2. Download and install Arduino 1.0.1 from http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software

3. Download AirStudio customized copter control firmware from http://air-

studio.eu/en/content/23-support

4. Download latest Mission Planer from http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-

mega/downloads/list

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Elements of the Set and Kit

Flight Control Set includes following components:

Control board Sense board GPS board Status board Power board Schema:

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Flight Control Kit includes following components:

Control board Sense board GPS board Schema:

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Control board

No Description

1 Receiver signal level input (RSSI)

2 Receiver inputs CH1 - CH8 (PPM input configurable on CH1)

3 Jumper for powering board from motor 1 ESC

4 Motor outputs M1 - M8

5 Camera gimbal outputs Pitch, Roll, Shutter

6 Sonar connector

7 Video connector

8 GPS connector

9 Telemetry connector (XBee, APC220, APC230 …)

10 IMU connector

11 LED connector

12 Power connector

13 Status indicator connector

14 Firmware upload target selection jumpers

15 Mini USB connector for firmware upload

16 Command line jumper (CLI)

17 Analog alternative inputs A1-A5

18 Sonar alternative connections

19 GPS alternative connections

20 ISP programming connections (for service use)

21 +5V power LED

22 Status LEDs A, B, C

23 OSD status LED

Sense board (IMU)

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Power board (Set only)

Status board (Set only)

A (Green) Solid = Armed, motors are live; Blink = Disarmed, motors will not spin with throttle up

B (Yellow) Flash during calibration, otherwise not used

C (Red) Solid = Lock, Blink = Waiting for Lock, OFF = No GPS connected or Serial received

GPS board

Features: MediaTek MT3339 66 channel GPS chipset Dimensions: 38mm x 17mm x 8mm High sensitivity: Up to -165dBm tracking Position accuracy: < 3m Maximum update rate: up to 10Hz Time to fix: Hot Start 1 second typical Warm Start 33 seconds typical Cold Start 35 seconds typical

Very low power consumption：25mA acquisition, 20mA tracking Power supply: 3.6 - 16V

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Built-in supercap for RTC backup power to decrease Time To Fix after power reconnection Built-in patch antenna for reduced size Serial TTL Interface with default baud rate 38400 bps NMEA and Binary protocol Includes cable adapter Weight: 10 g

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Uploading OSD firmware

1. Select Arduino target with jumpers to OSD

2. Connect USB (Picture above)

3. Copy DIY_OSD_v0_18_1 folder to your arduino sketchbook folder

4. Run Arduino 1.0.1

5. Open "DIY_OSD_v0_18_1"

6. If needed configure parameters in "config.h"

7. Select correct serial port and board "Arduino Nano w/ ATmega328"

8. Upload

Uploading Controller firmware

9. Select Arduino target with jumpers to CTR

10. Run Arduino 1.0.1

11. Select sketchbook location in Preferences "MegaPirateNG_2.7_R3_AIR" folder and

restart Arduino software

12. Open "ArduCopter"

13. If needed configure parameters in "APM_Config.h"

a. Frame type tri, quad, hexa, octa FRAME_CONFIG & FRAME_ORIENTATION

b. PPM Sum SERIAL_PPM

c. Receiver type TX_CHANNEL_SET (see step 20.)

d. …

14. Select correct serial port and board "Arduino Mega 2560"

15. Upload

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Configure board

16. Take off all propellers

17. Connect Sense board to IMU connector (10)

18. Decide how to power your board:

From battery (3S; 4S LiPo)

From Motor 1 ESC (connect jumper “ESC POW”)

WARNING!!! Do not use both power sources! Disconnect “ESC POW” jumper if

powered from battery.

19. Connect at least one ESC to M1 connector to power receiver

20. Connect RC receiver

Chanel mapping configurable in “APM_Config.h” (see step 13.c)

Graupner/Spectrum Robbe/Hitec/Sanwa some

Hitec/Sanwa/others MultiWii

layout

TX_set1 TX_standard TX_set2 TX_mwi

R1/PPM Yaw Roll Pitch Throttle

R2 Roll Pitch Roll Roll

R3 Throttle Throttle Throttle Pitch

R4 Pitch Yaw Yaw Yaw

R5 Mode Mode Mode Mode

R6 Cam Pitch Cam Pitch Cam Pitch Cam Pitch

R7 CH7 CH7 CH7 CH7

R8 CH8 CH8 CH8 CH8

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21. Connect Sense board (IMU)

22. Run Mission Planer (tested with 1.1.54), choose serial port and speed 115200

23. Connect

24. Select Configuration > Setup

25. Calibrate radio (follow instructions)

26. Configure modes on your control channel:

“Stabilize” should be your default mode unless you are experienced and know what you

are doing.

You can also set failsafe on your radio to match “Return To Launch”.

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27. If you have enable sonar (LV-EZ0) in Hardware tab

28. Set declination in Hardware tab

29. If you have AirStudio Power board Select Battery monitoring "4: Volts & Current"

30. Connect cables from ESC’s to motor pin headers on board

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Motor layout and propeller rotation directions:

31. Balance your propellers! Unbalanced propellers induce vibrations that reduce copters

ability to correctly detect attitude and the copter may lose stability in the air.

32. Calibrate your ESC’s

a. Safety First! - Remove the propellers!

b. Disconnect USB.

c. Put the throttle high and connect the Lipo to power the control board.

d. When the board boots the lights will cycle continuously.

e. Disconnect the Lipo and reconnect it. High PWM will be sent to the ESCs

triggering calibration.

f. Drop your throttle stick to the lowest position. You should hear a

confirmation/arming beep or two. Move the throttle to confirm all ESCs are

armed and working in sync.

g. Unplug the battery. Your ESCs are now calibrated. No further action is

required.

33. To reduce 5v power consumption used from Control board voltage regulator that is

designed for 300mA current and for increased electric noise stability some external

components are powered from motor ESCs:

a. Motor 1 ESC powers Receiver, Telemetry transceiver.

If ESC POW jumper is shorted Motor 1 ESC also powers Control board

b. Motor 2 ESC powers camera gimbal Pitch servo and Status board

c. Motor 3 ESC powers camera gimbal Roll servo and Shutter servo

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Before flight

34. Connect battery

35. Put your copter on level surface

36. Configure level for sensors by holding RC transmitter throttle stick down-left for

approximately 15 seconds (status LEDs flash) (must be done once, repeat if needed)

37. Hold throttle stick down right (approx. 3s) to arm motors and then take-off

38. After flight hold throttle stick down-left (approx. 3s) to disarm motors

39. PIDs should be tuned for each type of multicopter frame to have best stability.

OSD

Control board has integrated OSD that receives data about sensor values from main

controller and overlays them on video.

No Description

1 Coordinates (decimal degrees with N/S, E/W letters)

2 GPS satellite count used

3 Speed (km/h)

4 Distance and direction home (m)

5 Altitude (m)

6 Armed/Disarmed status

7 Low Battery warning

8 GPS fix warning

9 Controller flight mode

10 Flight timer

11 Orientation heading

12 Receiver signal level (RSSI %)

13 Current consumed from battery

14 Battery voltage

15 Battery mAh consumed

PID tuning

PID settings depend on many factors and it is advisable to tune them for every copter

configuration individually. Please see those online resources for information about PID

tuning:

http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/AC2_Tweaks

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Connecting OSD

Connecting LEDs