Setup and testing (open box)

Test all internal components for correct hardware connectivity

Preparation

• Add battery to the powermodule connector

Powerboard

• Test: Powerswitch

  • Press the switch to turn on the plane internals

  • The Lights of the GPS module should light up

Pixracer and Telemetry

QGroundcontrol doesn't have permission to serial port, even when user is part of 'dialout' group? Remove package brltty with: 'sudo apt remove brltty'.

• Do the LED's on the Pixracer light up? If not power may not be connected.

• Test: RFD Connection to QGC

  • Connect the RFD868+ via USB connector to your PC or the SearchWing-Tablet

  • Start QGC and check if it connects to the Pixracer

  • Go to application settings -> Mavlink and check loss rate -> should be less than 10 %

    • Is logging functional? -> If not the SD card may be missing.

      • Arm for a few seconds.

      • The incoming message view should show something like this:

        Logging @SYS/crash_dump.bin

      • After vehicle reboot and new arm-disarm process a new log should show up

    • Disconnect RFD868+ modem if sucessful

• Test: ESP-Telemetry Connection to QGC

  • Connect via PC or SearchWing-Tablet to the drone accesspoint "dronenameRacer" - Password "cassandra"

  • Start QGC and check if it connects to the Pixracer

Motor / RC-control

• Test: is it Rotating in correct direction / RC-Control is working

  • Add a piece of tape to the motor shaft to see the rotationdirection

  • Disable all safty checks using QGC

  • Arm vehicle using the rc-controler

  • Throttle up

  • Check rotation of motor: Looking from the back of the plane to the motor, the rotation should be clock-wise

  • If not correct, switch a pair of cables

  • Enable all safty checks again using QGC

Servos

• Test: do they rotate?

  • Switch system into manual mode

  • either apply to each M-Plug a servo or use a single one and test each connection on its own

  • Use RC Controller to check rotation - trimming will be set later

GPS

• Test: Receive > 10 Sats

  • Put box outside at clear open sky (no building should obstruct the view)

  • Start QGC

  • At least 10 sats should be visible

External compass

• Test: Compass calibration healthy

  • Start QGroundControl

  • Go to Vehicle Setup -> Sensors

  • Start compass calibration for external compass

  • Make sure the compass calibration results in a healthy compass (green)

IMU

• Test: Receive messages

  • Start QGC

  • Do dummy calibration to check if IMU messages can be received

Payload

• Camera cables do not cross each other

• Camera orientation correct: cable connector facing to front of plane

  • Check that left camera image is showing really left side of the drone

  • Check that right camera image is showing really right side of the drone

  • Top border of the images are pointing towards flying direction of the drone

  • Bottom border of the images are pointing to the back of the drone

• Test Camera cables:

  • Camera cable glued to PI

  • Camera cable glued to left camera

  • Camera cable glued to right camera

• Test Camera: Removed camera lens protection

  • Ensure that the green protection film is removed

• Test Camera: PI Can do camera images

  • Check: Check Camera test

  • Check image quality (no blur, no plastic particles)

• Test Payload RX Telemetry / PI Receive Mavlink

  • Check: Check receive mavlink test

• Test Payload TX Telemetry / PI Send Mavlink

  • Check: Check transmit mavlink test - OR -

  • Check: Check if preflight check msgs in QGC are received

  • Open QGC

  • Wait 1 minute

  • Click "Trumpet" symbol at the top of QGC

  • Check if preflight check messages are received

• Test: DHT22

  • Check: Check DHT22 test

ESC Calibration

ESC has to be calibrated before closing the box!

• Turn power off (main switch)

• connect PixRacer with USB to a computer

• Set to manual mode

• Arm

• raise throttle to max on the RC

• Turn power on (main switch) -> ESC peeps (with motor)

• lower throttle to min -> ESC peeps once

• Done.

ESC Calibration — Plane documentation

Finalization & Testing

• check this

• and that...