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X9D+ RC controller
Switch on RC
If Schalter fehlpositioniert: switch SD up
Press Menu
Use +/- to navigate to Billie
Press Enter
Navigate to 'Kopiere Model'
Press Enter
Use +/- to navigate to free slot
Press Enter
Navigate to Billie copy
Press Enter
'Modell auswaehlen'
Press Enter
Press Page
change model name
go down to 'Empfaenger Nummer'
change 'Empfaenger Nummer' to slot number (number in front of model name)
Configuration of the RC is possible through OpenTX companion software too.
30 Minutes
1xWaveshare Board CM4-IO-BASE-B
1xRaspberry CM4 Board
1xUSB-C Cable
1xSW-AP1 Router (for wifi login)
Flash image to SD Card
e.g. using Etcher Tool https://www.balena.io/etcher/
or using dd in *NIX systems https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/installation/installing-images/linux.md
Login to pi via ssh to the default dronename from the image:
or via IP (get from router)
Do first boot setup:
Dronename is set in this script
Partition /data is resized to full disk size
Connect cameras with thin camera cables
You can access each camera via its hostname:
or
Check for new images using pi webserver
Open webbrowser
Go tohttp:\\perlman
Click on 0_latest.jpg@
The most recent image should appear (and can be refreshed using browser refresh / F5-key)
You can also check if new images appear in the main list
For debugging you check output of the image payload:
If the progress is stopped, most probably the pi camera cable isnt working properly
Currently no ROS payload is available so we need to test by hand (from https://learn.adafruit.com/dht-humidity-sensing-on-raspberry-pi-with-gdocs-logging/python-setup)
Run testdh22.py
Stop payload as it uses serial port already
Connect to the flightcontroller via mavproxy
After a few seconds, the connection should be established
On the Pi with RX/TX connected to the pixracer you can now test TX
Set the plane to Manual Mode
Set mode MANUAL by writing to the prompt:
Observe if the output is as following:
The plane should be now in manual mode
using searchwing-pi repo / searchwing-payload-camera
set LOGGER_LEVEL = "DEBUG"
in /home/searchwing/searchwing-pi/configuration.toml
restart: sudo systemctl restart searchwing-payloads-camera.service
Check output
using mavlink-router stats per port
enable mavlink-router stats printing in /etc/mavlink-router/config.d/main.conf
[General]
ReportStats=true
MavlinkDialect=auto
restart mavlink-router: sudo systemctl restart mavlink-router.service
Check output
check current version in text file on SD card
X9D+ RC controller
Mini USB cable
Start RC controller in debug mode by holding both horizontal trimmer buttons pressed towards the center while switching it on.
Connect RC controller via USB.
Find newest version for model X9DP and download SD content (https://www.open-tx.org/downloads)
Extract the ZIP file to the root/top level folder of the microSD Card.
Add telemtry scripts (copy content of https://github.com/yaapu/FrskyTelemetryScript/tree/master/TARANIS/SD to SD card)
Copy new firmware file 'opentx-x9d+-eu-lua-de-2.x.yz-otx' (where to download? did it with the Companion software, see e.g. here https://www.open-tx.org/2022/04/22/opentx-2.3.15) to the FIRMWARE directory on the SD card.
Disconnect the USB.
Press ENT in order to write the new firmware.
Restart.
With a model set up (https://app.gitbook.com/o/-MWAbYktIOVCqPHoTxRn/s/-MYsj38KDFg4fXvhUh7B/~/changes/5sWj9SoPYT4tKrfUbrWj/preparing-components/software-setup/create-model-on-rc), press MENU and navigate to the model, press PAGE 13 times until you see 'Telemetry pages', navigate down to 'Page: 1', press ENT and PLUS (3 times) til 'Script', ENT, MINUS, ENT, select 'yaapu9' and ENT. Telemetry should be set up now.
Download latest clonezilla image from https://cloud.hs-augsburg.de/s/gPpRWP6r69FqyZp
Install image to the laptop using this instructions https://clonezilla.org/show-live-doc-content.php?topic=clonezilla-live/doc/02_Restore_disk_image
Special settings for our ASUS Laptop
boot from USB stick
In Clonezilla Menue Choose "Other Modes" then "KMS"
How to analyze images using the Laptop see https://app.gitbook.com/o/-MWAbYktIOVCqPHoTxRn/s/-MYsj38KDFg4fXvhUh7B/c/pfT6bXQh6gA0kGecJS7e/using-the-drone/after-flight
PixRacer with ArduPilot installed
ESP
Micro USB cable
External USB power supply
Laptop with QGroundControl
Linux users can use the commandline if the ESP is connected to a serial adapter:
Insert the ESP as seen below into the pixracer
connect from your PC to the wifi access point (initial access point ID is either “ArduPilot” with password "ardupilot" or "Pixracer" with password “pixracer”)
open a browser to 192.168.4.1 and a simple web interface will appear
click on the “Setup” link
set config
AP SSID := dronenameRacer (replace "dronename" with your real drone name)
AP Password := cassandra
baudrate := 921600
push the “Save” button and reboot the device
Power the PixRacer with an external power supply (do not connect USB to your PC)
Connect to the new WiFi with name "<drone_name>Racer"
Open QGroundControl and check if you receive telemetry data via WiFi
Open the "Vehicle Setup" menu and check if you can configure the ESP through the ESP configuration menu
Bind receiver to RC
R-XSR receiver
connection cable to PixRacer <-> R-XSR receiver
X9D+ RC controller
If it doesn't work, update receiver as below!
connect the receiver to the PixRacer (not powered)
while holding the small button on the receiver, turn on the PixRacer
All three LEDs are now on (not flashing)
Turn on the receiver
Press Menu
Choose the desired model
Press page (page 2 / 13)
scroll down to "receiver" / BIND
Press Enter
Press Enter (cf. Figure above)
The receiver will start peeping.
Immediately the red LED on the receiver should start blinking.
Press Enter to leave binding mode
Turn the PixRacer off and on - the LED of the receiver should light blue and green.
Press Exit twice to reach final testing.
Looks like this? Your're done!
If the receiver doesn't bind to the remote control, the firmware of the receiver and RC might be not compatible, the used receiver FrSky R-XSR might need a firmware update:
To flash the receiver you need:
Taranis 9D+
R-XSR
included connection cable
On the included jumper cable, you have to swap the red (5V) and black cable (GND) as in the picture.
To flash the firmware (frk file) you have to upload the file to your RC first. Either connect it via USB cable to your PC - or use the SD Card of the RC:
Upload the frk file to the "FIRMWARE" folder
you can download the firmware here: https://www.frsky-rc.com/r-xsr/
the current used version (EU-LBT) can be found here:
connect the receiver
turn on the RC
Long Press MENU
Press Page
choose "FIRMWARE"
choose the right FRK File
Long Press Enter
choose "flash external receiver"
press Enter
After flashing, try to BIND the receiver again.
RFD868+ radio
USB to serial adapter for RFD868+ radio
Laptop with minicom or RFDDesign setup tool
QGroundcontrol doesn't have permission to access the serial port, even if the user is part of 'dialout' group? Remove package brltty with: 'sudo apt remove brltty'. This is a ubuntu problem.
install a jumper between pin 4 and 6
Connect the modem to the computer
using the provided USB-Serial adapter
OR: using the pin description above for your USB-Serial adapter
Connect to the modem using a serial console on your computer
Baudrate: 57600
Get into configuration mode
During startup press "+++"
"OK" should appear to be able to change the configuration
More info can be found in https://www.hs-augsburg.de/homes/beckmanf/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=searchwing-rf-antenne
Check for firmware Version 1.91 (28-05-2022) with command "ATI". Firmware files and tools are found here: http://files.rfdesign.com.au/
Change parameters
Should look like this:
Download the firmware:
Download the `uploader.py` script from the open source SiK firmware:
Install pymavlink and pyserial:
Flash/upload the firmware to a connected device:
Command
Hint
AT&F
factory reset parameters
ATS4=20
(PLANE) set txpower to 20dbm/100mW
ATS4=30
(GROUNDSTATION) set txpower to 30dbm/1000mW
ATS6=1
set data protocol type to MAVLINK
AT&W
write current changes to EEPROM
ATZ
reboot
ATI5
check if changed values are set
Test all internal components for correct hardware connectivity
Add battery to the powermodule connector
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 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 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.
check this
and that...
30 Minutes work
1 day to cure the motor mount glue
UHU Por
assembled Fuselage halfs
Check for Defects before continuation
are V-Tails glued in?
are the carbon pipes for Fuselage stabilization glued in?
is the motor glued in (in one side)?
are the Servo-Connectors tightly screwed on?
are all 3 motor connectors correctly attached (rotation direction of the motor)
are all 3 moter connectors secured with watertight shrink tube?
are all connectiots (V-Tail Servos, Motor plugs...) connected and secured?
Prepare all parts
Apply UHU Por on both parts of the fuselage and the box (see red marks in image below) plus (new!) at the bottom of the box (for additional stability and to reduce water entering)
Spread equally and let it dry for 10 minutes until nearly dry
Only now put UHU on the motor mount (Yellow below) - it should NOT dry
Put the 2 parts together -
UHU Por is a "contact glue" - you can not move them after pressing them together
Why use wet glue on the motor mount?
The motor mount is inserted sidewards into the fusselage - if the glue is dry, its hard to get it in properly. UHU Por can also be used as a "wet" glue.
Check if both parts stick together
Check the V-Tails are fixed
Building: 30 minutes
Curing: 2 days
Silicone
Silicone press
Tape
Cover
glued box
are all M-connectors tight and does every connector have an O-Ring?
is the O-Ring of the charging connector applied ?
is the "condom" of the switch applied and very tight?
is the "Motor-Kabeldurchführung" tight?
is the Weipu connector tight?
Have you performed the Setup and tetsting (open box) list?
Apply the silicone as shown in the picture. The string should be on the groove with a diameter of about 7mm as shown in the pictures.
After applying the silicone on the box you need to press on the cover. The silicone should come out on each side of the box.
Now you should get some tape and try to fix the cover to hold it down a little bit as shown in the picture.
For better GPS connention there is a 3D-printed tower for the GPS module. This one needs to be "glued" to the box with the silicone as well. For more details see pictures.
The tower needs to be attached with tape as well.
Requirements
Alcohol for cleaning and nerves
2x Membranes
First clean the surfaces with alcohol around the designated holes. Then apply the Membranes.
For testing the waterproofness put the box into the bathroom and shower it. Don't forget to attach the membrane on the holes! While testing the waterproofness you should be connected to the Pi's to see the values of the DHT22 sensor.
check this
and that...
This part is outdated. Please refer to the "Add components to the box" section of this manual.
Building: 1 hour
Curing: 2 days
Loctice 243
9mm wrench
all elecrtonic parts
3d printed box
cover for box
screws 1.7mm x 4mm for camera
... 2.2mm x 6.5 for everything else
silicon
pen
Give special instrucktion...
Brown (GND) "up" (away from cover)
Aileron left & right are "identical" - doesnt matter, which is connected to 1 / 5
Connection 6 is left empty
and that...
Do these calibrations and test before the first flight.
Servo Horns (stability check)
Battery charged (16.8 V)
Tighten the screws in the wings
Check for visual defects
Klappen Flügel (noch fest?)
Klappen V-Tails
Servohörner fest?
Kamera
Membran
Deckel auf Ladebuchse?
Antenne noch fest?
Turm noch fest?
Akku-Tüte zu?
Propeller 10x7" r installed (font in direction of flight) and locked
SD cards installed and cleared (via download)
Check M plugs (connecting V tail servos with box)
check barycentre ("schwerpunkt")
note weight
turn QGC, RC, UAV on
AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference System) check
RC Servo Check
Flightcomputer parameters
Validate that safety parameters are set
Calibration
Accelerometer
Compass
Level Horizon
Baro/Airspeed
Barometer, GPS check
Servo trimming
Save parameter set
ARM DISARM testen
Motor direction (clockwise)
Validate that correct parameterset is loaded
We use silicon to glue the back and front of the box. It acts as a glue - and also as seal. super glue, as we use it for the holders on the side of the box, doesnt work as a seal.
In this test we checked, if silicon has also sufficient adhearence properties.
Test parts can be found in this repository:
The adhesive surface is 4 cm2 each.
the force needed to separate the parts was:
13kg for the "double" parts (4 pieces glued together)
6kg for the "single" parts
The silicon did not bond with the ASA:
Similar results for Sika295 and Dosil732 - none bound really good with the ASA. Force needed part is similar - or worse - to the standard silicon used.
Also lightly sanding the surface of the ASA does not improve the bonding of the silicon.
Determine the goal of the flight
Plan flight sequence (take-off, flight and mission, landing; which modes)
Plan and validate mission
If required: load offline maps into QGC Plan mission in QGC (consider duration and range!)
Set QGeoFence sensibly
Transfer mission to aircraft (will only be verified during upload)
Save verified mission
Briefing
procedure/explain mission
abortion criteria
determine observer, protocol
Editing positions (coordinates) in QGroundControl
Enter coordinates waypoint/pattern by clicking ☰ > Edit position... (right hand side) or drag&drop
Set Altitude: 550 m
For a search pattern, click Pattern > Survey > Basic/Circular and edit values:
Trigger Distance (for a camera, not used)
Spacing: 1800 m (theoretically 2068 m w/o overlap)
You may want to Rotate Entry Point for a quicker start.
(optional) Sun position dependent flying to reduce image reflections
Cameras of the plane are to the left and right of the plane - thus the sun should be always infront or behind the drone to reduce reflections
Choose the angle of the pattern flight the same as the current sun azimuth
Check communication channels with bridge and recovery crew
Battery charged (16.8 V)
Tighten the screws in the wings
Check for visual defects
Klappen Flügel (noch fest?)
Klappen V-Tails
Servohörner fest?
Kamera
Membran
Deckel auf Ladebuchse?
Antenne noch fest?
Turm noch fest?
Akku-Tüte zu?
Check M plugs (connecting V tail servos with box)
check barycentre ("schwerpunkt")
note weight
turn QGC, RC, UAV on
Payload
Clean camera window with a tissue
Check preflight-selfcheck of payloads in QGC
All services are running (camera + dht22 + mavlink-router)
SD card got enough space for a 1h flight - delete old images if necessary
Camera can take and save photos to SD Card
DHT22 humidity and temperature acceptable
PI CPU temperature acceptable
Check camera image quality in browser via wifi connectionhttp://droneName/0_latest.jpg
AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference System) check
Barometer, GPS check
compass Check
Servo check (RC and Autopilot). (Plane in a steady position and RC in stab. mode):
When pitching up, elevators (tail) go down
When rolling right (left), right (left) aleiron goes up
Safety parameters?
Save parameter set
Propeller 10x7" r installed (font in direction of flight) and locked
test Motor (-> vibration is bad is inlay in propeller?)
This website shows you, how to build the Search- and Rescue drone from the Searchwing project.
You will find more detailed information on the official homepace:
To connect different components, special cables have to be produced.
Building: 30 minutes
soldering iron
heat shrink tube
for DHT:
3x Cable ca. 65mm (red, yellow, black)
1x Cable ca. 30mm
1x 4.7 kOhm (yellow)
JST Pinout
This cable connects the power from the power module to the CM4. Use the JST GHT and the fitting, crimped cables and put it together. There is a +5V supply on pin 1&2 and ground on pin 3&4. We combine each of the two pins to get enough power for the CM4.
This cable also connects the DHT22 sensor (humidity and temperature) to one pi.
To meassure the air temperature and humidity on the inside of the Box, a DHT22 sensor needs to be attached to one of the Pi's.
First solder (red) vcc cable and the resistor to the DHT as shown
2. Solder the 20mm cable to the data Pin and shrink the first DHT pin.
3. Solder the open end of the resistor, the open end of the 20mm cable and the long data cable (yellow) together.
4. Attach the (black) GND cable to the last Pin, and cover your bad soldering points with shrinking tube.
Solder two precrimped JST-GH cables (~20cm long) to the power switch as follows
Insert the cable ends into the JST connector. Insert at pin 1 and pin 4 of the JST connector.
Isolate the cables at the switch side
Using hot glue
!! Special caution needed on the lenght of the isolation at the switch side !!
The next step is to build the cable for the telemetry connection between Pixracer and the CM4. Therefore the JST GHT is needed. Moreover you need a wire, because each Pi needs to be connected to the PixRacer. There need to be 3 wires in the JST GHT.
The cable connects receiver in the plane (FrSky R-XSR) to 2 ports ob the PixRacer: RCIN and FRS.
You need:
From FrSky-Receiver:
Plug with 5 cables
Remove the white one
From PixRacer:
JST-5 connections (fitting the RCIN connection)
JST-4 connections (fitting the FRS connection)
Cable must be drilled!
connect to PixRacer
connect to receiver
check connection
check telemetry
Long Press on "PAGE"
See the telemetry from the PixRacer
from https://www.hs-augsburg.de/homes/beckmanf/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=searchwing-rfd868-mount
The modem is connected to the PixRacer Telem2 port and the power module. The modem is mounted in the right fuselage half and will be connected just shortly before glueing the two fuselage parts to the PixRacer and the Powermodule.
Use three 12inch precrimped JST-GH cables
Remove the JST-GH crimp at one side
Remove 3-4mm of isolation to crimp a Harwin M20 crimp
Crimp a Harwin M20 connector
Use a Harwin 8 pin connector and put the crimps in the connector according to the following image
Compare the connector to the RFD868+ connections at the modem.
Remove Pin 15 of the RFD868+ modem. This will be the safety pin to avoid wrong mounting of the connector.
Solder the pin in a Harwin M20 connector and insert that connector in the Harwin housing. Fill the other four open places with empty Harwin M20 connector to increase the holding force of the connector.
Mark the RX and TX and GND cables and then weave the cables such that they are closer together. Now take a JST-GH 6-Pin connector and insert the pins according to this image
Pixracer pin layout: https://docs.px4.io/v1.9.0/assets/flight_controller/pixracer/grau_setup_pixracer_top.jpg
Please note the different directions of the connector/cables in the labeling.
Pin layout of the Pixracer:
Pin layout to the RFD868+:
Note the difference between the yellow cable named TX on the board and RX on the connector!!! The name RX for the yellow cable on the JST-GH cable connector refers to the RX on the RFD868 modem. Please remember to connect the RFD868+ TX to the PixRacer RX and vice versa. So according to the following table:
The electrical connections of the cable are shown here:
The final weaved cable looks like this:
You can remove the cable markings.
4x 8" JST already crimped cable
JST 4-pin to female connector 8-pin
GND + GND, 5V + 5V (double cable)
To mark the cable use colored shrink tube.
Connect Pixracer, Pis and Power Module
Pi receives messages from pixracer
Pi measures DHT22 humidity
PixRacer JST-GH board | RFD868+ IDC connector |
---|---|
GND
GND
RX
TX
TX
RX
The motor itself is waterproof in general. The only weak points are the bearings - the original bearings are vulnerable to water, especially salt water.
Building: 10 minutes
3D-printed mounting aid (export the STL data from the CAD modell)
cotter pin drive
hammer
small screwdriver
Circlip Plier for circlip on motor shaft (Knipex 46 11 A0)
1x Extron Motor
2x bearing small
1x bearing big
1x replacement circlip for 5mm motor shaft
First of all the circlip shown in the picture below needs to be removed. Therefore a small screwdriver could be helpful.
After removing the circlip the motor can easily pulled apart. For the next steps you only need to modify the part of the motor, shown in the right side of the next picture.
There are two little spacer made out of brass on the big bearing on the right side of the picture. You will need the spacer, so don't lose them.
The motor has two small and one bigger bearing which needs to be replaced. You should start with removing the two small bearings first. Therefor place the motor in the mounting aid. You can use your cotter pin driver and position it as shown in the following picture. Use a hammer to cast out the bearing.
After dismounting the two small bearings turn the motor and the mounting aid around and place it like shown in the next picture. Remove the big bearing by the same method used for the smaller ones.
You are now able to integrate the new bearings. Start with the two small bearings and use the mounting aid, so that the bearings and the motor stays in the right position won't get damaged by the hammer. After putting in the two small bearings flip the motor around and install the big bearing with the bigger mounting aid.
After installing the new bearings you are now able to reassemble the motor. Don't forget to place the two little spacer made out of brass on the shaft before adding the circlip. The two motor parts move quite fast due to the magnets - make sure you do not have parts of your skin between the two parts...
check this
and that...
These settings apply to QGC running on Tablets or Laptops
QGroundControl doesn't have permission to serial port, even when user is part of 'dialout' group? Remove package brltty with: 'sudo apt remove brltty'.
Default allowed maximum range from the plane to next Go To Location is 1000m
Set it to a more reasonable value
Open "Application Settings"
Goto "General" section
Set "Got To Location Max Distance" to 50000m or more
Open "Application Settings"
Goto "General" section
Set suitable path
Enable the red marked entrys
PixRacer firmware version 4.0.9
Micro USB cable
QGroundControl installed
time: 30 min
SD card 8 GB
PixRacer
Start QGroundControl
Connect PixRacer with USB cable
Check message log for ArduPlane version
Log should contain a message with "ArduPlane V4.0.9"
Start QGGroundControl
Open Vehicle Setup menu
Open Firmware menu
Follow instruction for firmware upgrade
Download parameters from Gitlab
Upload Parameters
Start QGC
connect Pixracer via USB
Go to Menu->VehicleSetup->Parameters->Tools->Load from File
Choose file "LATEST.params"
do not panic! confirm need to reboot (many times)
Reboot via Tools->Reboot
TODO
Make sure to use the right device. If you use a wrong device you might format your laptops hard disk!
On Linux:
identify device with lsblk
this example will use sda
create partition table with:
sudo parted /dev/sda --script -- mklabel msdos
create partition with 100% FAT32:
sudo parted /dev/sda --script -- mkpart primary fat32 1MiB 100%
Format partition:
sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sda1
On Windows:
right-click on device and use GUI
Configure the SYSID_THISMAV parameter with QGC:
Go to Menu -> VehicleSetup -> Parameters
Search for SYSID_THISMAV
Configure a unique SYSID
Document usage in the table below
UAV | SYSID |
---|---|
Maggy
1
Elly
2
Motor marked with "WP" (waterproof)
4 screws M3x6mm
4 screws cylindric head
4 non-metric? screw for motor mount
4 screw nuts
motor cross
3D-printed motor mount
Loctite for all screws!
Screw motor cross to motor (M3x6mm, PH1, metric with countersunk head)
screw propeller axis to motor
Press nuts in motor mount (heat nuts and use tool)
screw motor cross to motor mount (M3x10mm, PZ1, not metric?)
Preparation & Work: 1-2 hours
Cure time: approx. 24 hours
Clamps to fix the parts
silicon gloves
mixing rod
mixing container
brush
plastik wrap
Box parts from "Printing the box"
SuperGlue
2-Component Epoxy - https://shop1.r-g.de/art/100100
Glue the box parts together (15 min)
Glue the holders to the box (15 min)
coat the box, cover and GPS tower with epoxy
let it cure for 24h / temper if possible
Glue the 2 parts of the box together
Use the additional positioning help part to put the 2 holders in the right position
Make sure to use the right smaller part - there is one for the left and one for the right side
Prepare all parts to be coated:
Box with attached holders
cover
GPS Tower
Prepare your tools
Brush
Gloves
Container for mixing the epoxy
Prepare your workplace
use a board to place the coated parts - cover it with plastic wrap
Make sure to mix the right ratio of the epoxy. Best to use weight-ratio with a exact mg scale.
Use 12g of mix for all parts. 6g Harz, 6g Härter.
After mixing the epoxy, spread it out in a larger container! Epoxy gets hot while curing, the hotter it gets, the faster it cures. Normal c
Apply the coat with a brush
hold the box on the holders while applying
apply on all parts - the thinner the better!
dont let the epoxy fill up the holes or the grove for the cover
let the exopy cure for 24h
if possible, you can "temper" the parts while curing, increasing the temperature during the curing increases strength of epoxy ande decreases curing time - see below
Curing can e.g. be done in the heated box of your 3D printer. Set the heating plate to a low temperature e.g. 50 degree and put the parts in the print chamber.
Building the GPS Tower
GPS tower/top cover of box
M9N GPS module
6-PIN JST cable
4 x screws (2.2 mm x 6.5 mm)
"styropor" block
copper tape
plastic foil
electrical tape
cross-head screw driver
scissor
Screw in the GPS m9n Module. Direction doesn't matter. Case is symmetrical.
Fit GPS cable through the hole in the cover and plug it in the designated port on the pixracer.
Prepare a styropor cube of the size: 50x40x30mm and cover the bottom side with Alu or Copper foil.
To prevent short circuits wrap it with some plastic foil.
Here are some leftovers from the vacuum packages from the battery bag used.
Put the cube in the GPS tower.
Before glueing of the Tower check if the GPS gets an appropriate amount of Sattelite locks (>15 is good).
Check if the external compass works.
Preparation: 30 Minutes
Print Time: approx. 15 hours
3D-Printer (Prusa recommended)
ASA Filament
SuperGlue
2-Component Epoxy
Light (approx. 30% lighter than PETG)
Stable - good layer adhesion (compared to ABS)
The complete config bundle for the PrusaSlicer, most current STL Files ande more can be downloaded here:
The brim is important, when printing with ASA. ASA tends to warp and contract - this holds the print better to the plate.
Density is set to 100% - the box is designed, to print in 4+ perimeters, this makes sure, all the cavities are filled.
Check the glue joints
Check the silicon seals
Check that cover fits on box!
We choose ASA () as our printing material of choice:
To connect the servos for ruders to the box, containing all the electronics, we use M8 connectors. These offer a small footprint and the required watertightness
V-Tail to PixRacer internal M8 cable length: 24 cm
Wing to PixRacer internal M8 cable length: 14 cm
Cable code: blue signal, brown 5V, black GND
Cut M8 pre-made cable to 7 cm for V-tail
Cut the servo cable to 16 cm for the V-tail
Aileron
Cut the M8 Cable to 37 cm
remove about 15 mm outer isolation and 3 mm inner isolation
Route it through the designated cable hole in the fuselage, and attach it to a counterpart which is mounted in a box.
Insert the servo motor into the wing and hold the wing to the fuselage
if you are brave, cut the servo cable at the beginning of the uninsulated copper of the other cable
solder them together and apply shrinking tube
Final Product
2x F1
2x F2
4x F3
Complete cable assebly set: 170 min
Preparation: 30 min
Building F1: 60 min
Building F2: 40 min
Building F3: 40 min
4x
4x
Schrumpfschlauch und Kabel ablängen
check this
and that...
Building: 30 minutes
UHU Por glue
spatula
cutter/knife
carbon rods
both fuselage parts
3D printed motor mount
The glue has to dry for 10 minutes before fitting the parts together. So apply UHU por glue to the carbon rods and the fuselage part where the rods are inserted. Wait 10 minutes. Only then press the rods into the slots in the fuselage.
Do the same for the V-tail rods.
When all the rods are glued, install the servos and test fitting the servo connectors through the fuselage. Do not use the servo hinges included (to be glued) but take our custom ones to screw.
Apply UHU Por glue to the first half of the fuselage:
Apply glue to half of the motor mount:
Wait for 10 minutes and press motor mount firmly against the fuselage.
First, cut of the rear "hook" symetrically (as a 'pyramide').
Use the box to mark the area of the bottom of the fuselage below the wings that has to be cut out. It's a width of about 35mm (to both side of the center, inside and outside of the bottom of the fuselage) with a length of about 70mm from the front edge of the narrow part of the bottom of the fuselage (outside). The camera bulge of the box is narrower (2.5cm inside the fuselage bottom) but they need some opening angle (about 60 deg) to both sides to take proper pictures, so the opening widens from 2.5cm inside to 3.5cm outside. It might be advantageous to cover the entire contact area of box and fuselage with glue when glueing together in a later step.
check this
and that...
LiPo battery
Titanex power cable 2.5 mm²
shrinking tube
Weipu connector
balancer board
PlastiDip
label printer
When working on the batterey terminals take care to not short circuit the battery. Always tape the loose end if you work on another end
Prior to assembly make sure the battery works and has proper voltage levels.
Use a label printer and add a label with the minimum and maximum battery voltage to the battery.
Add a unique identifying label to the battery. Suggestion: "<dronename>-01".
...
...
Make sure the Weipu connector is wired correctly.
Pin 1 should be XXX.
Pin 2 should be XXX.
Add battery to the powermodule connector
Test: Power switch
Press the switch to turn on the plane internals
The Lights of the GPS module should light up
Pixracer: Does it work
Connect USB Cable
Start QGC and check if the Pixracer connects
Is SD Card inserted?
is logging functional? AHRS
Telemetry test: RFD Connection to QGC
QGroundcontrol doesn't have permission to serial port, even when user is part of 'dialout' group? Remove package brltty with: 'sudo apt remove brltty'.
Connect the RFD868+ via USB connector to your PC or the SearchWing-Tablet
Start QGC and check if it connects to the Pixracer
Disconnect RFD868+ modem if sucessful
5. Telemetry 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
6. Motor / RC-control
Test if RC-Control is working
Disable all safty checks using QGC
Arm vehicle using the rc-controler
Throttle up
Enable all safty checks again using QGC
7. GPS: 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
8. External compass:
Calibrate external compass
Check if compass calibration is healthy (green)
9. IMU: Receive messages
Start QGC
Do dummy calibration to check if IMU messages can be received
10. Payload test
Test Camera: PI Can do camera images
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
Building: 30 minutes
Soldering iron
Heatgun
Powermodule
Powercable (3mm diameter)
Shrink tubing
ESC Pigtails for motor connection
ESC
charging port/connector
Presolder the following soldering pads for the upcoming steps
Cut a 9cm piece of power cable (red and black) - long enough that the battery connctor outside can be connected
Remove 5mm of isolation on both sides
Presolder the wires
The whole cable should be covered with solder
Solder the Cables to the corresponding spots on the power module
Check your solderings by pulling at them
The Weipu connector can only be connected when the power module is inside the box and the cables are routed through the Weipu connector-hole.
Directly solder the ESC power cables to the designated spots on the power module.
Remove 5mm of isolation on the end of the cable
Presolder the wires
Prepare the connector like this (15cm of cables and shrinking tube)
Add the prepared power plug to the power module like seen in the image below (without the irritating excess shrinking tube)
Solder the cables at the back of the power module
Add some more solder to the soldering spot to get them soldered perfectly to the board
Check you solderings by pulling and rotating them
No part of the cable should get free
Now your power module should look like this... (shorter cables at the front, shorter connections to the ESC)
Cut 3x 25cm pieces of power cable (red + 2x black) - long enough, that the motor and its pigtals could be later replaced without taking the fuselage apart
Elongate the three phases of the ESC with these 25 cm long cables.
The pigtails have to be applied after the cables are routed through the "Kabeldurchführung"
prepared Raspberry Pi compute module 4
carrierboard for compute module 4
2 x camera cable
2 x Rasberry Pi camera
prepared power cable
prepared telemetry cable
prepared DHT22 sensor/cable
prepared power module incl. ESC and charging port
prepared PixRacer
prepared RFD868+ telemetry
prepared RC receiver
isolated shielding tape
double-sided tape
8 x short screws (1.7 mm x 4 mm) for cameras
2 + 4 + 3 + 4 x long screws (2.2 mm x 6.5 mm)
Weipu battery connector
4 x prepared M8 connectors
Kabeldurchführung with Mehrfachdichteinsatz
solder wire
shrinking tube
hot glue gun
cross-head screw driver
soldering iron
heat gun
If M-Plugs are not mounted in the box, do so.
Connect DHT22 to CM4 before screwing it in (easier):
Red/Purple - VCC (3.3V or 5V) --> Pin 4 or Pin 1 (e.g. 1st pin in inner row)
Yellow/Blue - Signal -->Pin 16 (8th pin in outer row)
Black/Green - GND --> Pin 20 or 9 (e.g. 5th pin in inner row)
Shield both camera cables with isolated shielding tape. Glue the cables to the CM4 and the cameras. Make sure the heat sink is attached to the CPU.
Attach Power and Telemetry cables to the CM4.
If Test components before box assembly is done, glue all GPIO connectors with a hot glue gun to the Raspberry PI. Glue the shielded camera cables to the camera connectors as well as the Raspberry PI. Glue the SD cad of the Pixracer in-place.
4. Screw the module to bottom with USB ports to tail/empennage.
5. Screw cameras with short(!) screws to mounts: Camera0 to right, Camera1 to left (both connectors pointing to front).
6. Glue DHT22 with double-sided tape below power connector.
7. Make sure the charging connector is soldered to the Power-Module.
8. Put the battery power cable through the power connector hole and solder the Weipu connector to the cables. When Vinc is soldering, remind him to put both shrinking tube AND nut when connecting the power cable.
9. Tighten the nut on the power connector.
10. Make sure all cables (JST-Connectors) are attached to the Power-Module.
11. Screw the Power-Module with two screws (2.2 mm x 6.5 mm) into the Box. (there are two additional screw holes for an additional version of the Power-Module.)
12. Put the Nut from the ESC-Durchführung over the cables and insert it into the designated position on the inside of the box.
13. On the outside, pull the Kabeldurchführung over the cables before applying the Mehrfachdurchführung. Make sure the O-Ring is in place. Screw the Kabeldurchführung into its nut.
14. Attach all cables to the Pixracer. (Power on the designated Pixracer port of the Power Module, GPS cable, UART - Telemetry 2 - connection to the Raspberry PI, Telemetry 1 for the RFD 868 Telemetry)
13. Screw the Pixracer in place.
14. Glue the RC Transmitter with double-sided tape to the opposite wall of the Power-Module.
15. Put the Switch through the smaller hole and attach from the outer side the watertight O-Ring sealed Noppen.
16. Insert the Charing port like shown in following picture:
17. Screw the GPS module in the tower. Make sure it is connected to its shielding and to the Pixracer.
18. Connect the RFD 868 Telemetry to the Pixracer (Telemetry 1 port) as well as the Power-Module (power connector at the back of the Power Module)
19. If every component is in place, solder the Pigtails to the ESC cables.
Remove 4 mm of insulation
apply solder to the litzen
heat the pigtail up until solder liquifies
insert the pre-soldered wire
add additional solder until the cup is full
let it cool
apply a long shrinking tube that the outside of the pigtail is fully covered with shrinking tube
Warning: This documentation is outdated. We plan to use a PlastiDip sealed battery pack
Building: 30 minutes
solder iron
screwdriver
knife to cut the rubber seal
shrink tube
aloksak sealable bag
Curil K2
3D-Printed cable passage (Printing and preparing the box)
Rubber seal
XT-90 Battery connector (female)
Make sure your working area is clear of sharp parts! These can easily harm the bag!
Use shrink tube to attach the cables to the outer part
Cut the rubber according to picture
Put a cutting board inside the bag
mark the size of the inner part
cut a hole into the bag
put Curil on the outer part & one side of the rubber - let it dry for 5 minutes
Turn the bag inside out
screw the parts together
solder the XT90
The whole in the rubber should be cut large enough, so the screws don't go through it. this makes assembly much easier
Put air in the bag
seal it according to the instructions on the bag
hold it under water
No air or bubbles shoud be visible
We use ASA for printing the box:
light
good layer adhesion
aceton smoothing
We use Extrudr Dura Pro Asa, which requires lower print temperatures than normal ASA:
If its too hot, the result looks a bit like Swiss cheese:
Final results: Test with pressurized air showed that the connections with shrinking tube/hot glue are not waterproof on silicon and pvc cables.
Shrinking the cables watertight requires a good adhesion between the cable and the shrink tube / hot glue. Tests showed that silikon cables are not as good as normal PVC cables
Building: 30 minutes
UHU Por glue
spatula
silicone
(1.2mm drill)
Servos with assembled servo arm
servo push rods
(optional: flexible tube)
You can choose between two methods to mount the servo rods to the servo horns. If you don't want to drill a hole in the rudder horn, you can also use a flexible tube with and circumference of 2mm.
For the long two Pushrods cut off 150mm long wires, and 15mm long tube pieces and put the tube on one end like this:
Now bend the wires with the tube:
Now the other side like this:
Repeat the process with two 75mm long wires.
Put glue on the carbon rod and the corresponding place in the vtail. Wait 10 minutes and push the rod into the corresponding place.
Put the carbon wing pipe into the glue and remove it again so that the glue gets to the contact dry. Wait about 10 minutes.
When putting back the carbon parts apply high force to get a better stabillity.
Put glue on the lower part of the ruder horn. Put glue on the wing part.
Insert the ruder horn into the wing and apply pressure:
Ruder horn after proper assembly:
Now cut free the rudder of the V-Tail:
Repeat the process with the Wings.
Make sure the servo is centered before installing the servo into the wing. Make sure the servo arm is installed with a O-Ring inbetween the servo arm and the servo housing.
Before continuing with glueing the servos and cable into the wing make sure the carbon tubes are inserted into the wings.
There is a right and wrong way:
The short wire part after the angled part at the rudder horn is on the plane inside.
The cables on the wings/V-tails shoult look like this:
are the carbon pipes glued in?
do the servos work?
are the cables and servos glued in?
stuff to take with you for flying
Rumpf
V-Tail
Flügel
Flügelstangen
Dick
Dünn
Motor
Motorhalterung
Unterlgescheiben
Muttern
Propeller
Akku
Taoglas Antenne
Montagematerial
2m Antennenkabel
Antenna Box
Montagematerial
Masthalterung
Schraubschellen groß
Schraubschellen klein
Deckel
PE-Verschraubung
Akku
PoE-Adapter + Mikimauskabel
PoE-Injector Kabel
PoE-Dejector Kabel
RFD-Telemetrie
Platine Antenna Box
Fernbedienung
Ladegerät
Akku
Ersatzakku
Umhängegurt
Sonnenbrille
Schutzteile für Sticks damit diese beim Transport nicht beschädigt werden
50-HTRC Ladegerät
Balancer Erweiterungsboard
Kabelbaum
Zigarettenanzünderstecker auf XT60 Buchse
XT60 auf Flierger Ladebuchse
XT60 auf XT90 für Akku
Schukustecker auf Mickeymouse Stecker für Ladegerät
Festplatte + passendes USB Kabel
Flightbook
Kugelschreiber
Telemetrie FD Modem auf USB-A
Antenne für 868MHz
USB-A auf USB-C Adapter
Tablet
Ladegerät Tablet
USB-C Kabel
Image Download Station
2 Accesspoints
3 Lan Kabel
2 x USB-A auf Micro USB
Netzstecker für USB Stecker an Accesspoints (genug Power! ~1.8A)
Schnittfeste Handschuhe
Laptopladegerät inklusive Kaltgerätestecker
Mehrfachstecker
Multimeter
Ratchenkasten klein
Propeller Nuss (10mm) inklusive Schraubendreher Griff
Inbus für Flügelscharuben (H2.5)
Inbus für Motor
Seitenschneider
Cutter-Messer
Gewebe Klebeband
Isolierband
UHU-Por
Sekundenkleber
Ladebuchse Abdeckung
Kabelbinder
Schrumpfschläuche
Motor
Motorhalterungen
3xPropeller oder mehr
Propeller Einsätze
Ersatz Flügelstangen
Membranen
Flügel
V-Tails
Motorachsen
Schräubchen
Dichtband/Dampfsperre
Kameragläser/Plexiglas
FLugzeugständer
how to bring stuff to destination
Might depend on airline. Example Lufthansa (https://www.lufthansa.com/de/de/informationen-zur-mitnahme-von-gefaehrlichen-gegenstaenden):
Checked baggage: No
Hand luggage: Yes (1)
Checked baggage: No
Hand luggage: Yes*
Airline authorisation required: Yes
Maximum of two batteries allowed in hand luggage.
Authorisation probably only required by Lufthansa, Condor, Finnair, KLM, Suiss
GPS lock (number of satellites >= 4), geofence
Arm plane
Test full throttle (beware of the propeller!)
Disarm
Clear area, biwarn bystanders
Launcher: Put on protection glove
arm
launcher takes plane and stands up against wind
launcher gives ok signal
switch to Mission Mode, running motor
throw horizontally
Pilot: maintain visual contact
Observer: Monitor QGC
Return to home: In the own GPS position and click "go-here" in QGC (this might need to be applied multiple times in a moving ship)
Clear area, warn bystanders
switch to stabilized (manual) mode
Visually define the landing area:
In water - Check that the waves are not very big
Check for other boats or bystanders
Descend and slowly decrease the throttle
When close to land turn throttle off (0%) and nose-up
confirm landing
disarm UAV
collect plane
remove prop
check for damage
This section describes the operation of the GUI and the instructions to download images and logs from the Pi.
After the plane is landed, you should immediatly start downloading the images to the groundstation laptop through the image download station.
Start by pressing "Download Drone images" on Groundstation Laptop
Enter dronename - here "perlman"
Leave cam prefix empty
Two windows should appear - each for one camera / pi in the plane
Approximatly 1 image download should take 1-2 seconds.
While image download is running, start analysis of the images while they get downloaded.
There are different algorithms available to analyse the images
Classify Images: Shows whether a image includes a boat but not where it is
EfficientNet
Detect Boats: Shows where in the image a boat is located
FRCNN
RetinaNet
Be aware that only one analysis run / algorithm can run at a time! You NEED to close it by pressing STRG+C in the window where the processing takes / took place! DONT close it by just closing the window!
Start analysis by clicking the corresponding desktop icon
Choose the currently downloaded images of the plane according to planename and timestamp from /home/searchwing/flightdata/
Press "OK"
All current and live added images to the folder will now be processed
Current progress and left over time can be observed
Start "Image Classification" as it is the fastest algorithm
Wait until Download and classification is finished and close the window by pressing STRG+C
Start "Detect Boats (Retina)" as its more accurate than classification but takes longer
Sometimes it can happen that you cant start a new analysis run. This can be caused by:
still running analysis in the background
analysis window wasnt closed by using STRG+C on the window
You can fix this by closeing / killing all running docker container / analysis runs by typing the following command in a terminal:
While the download and the analysis is running you should now observer the images and the analysis results by using the searchwing-gui.
Start GUI via desktop icon - The browser should open
Select / click the currently downloaded image data
Read "Help" to get more usability info
Use Arrowkeys to browse images
Sort images using "DateTime" or "Algorithm"
Press "Shift"-Key to temporarily hide Analysis Run Boxes
Press "Enter"-Key to mark image as viewed and go to next image
Press "Space"-Key to mark image as interesting / that there is REALLY a boat
Current GPS Position is shown in the top bar
Press "<back" to choose a different flight dataset
If the GUI is already running and you try to open it up again a message will appear whether you want to open the GUI at another port. Dont press "Y" but instead open the browser and open the GUI via typing in "http://localhost:3000".
Remove battery from the drone
Plug in main lead and balance lead to the charger
Select the right charging mode*
Press charge (process takes around one hour when the battery is fully discharged)
*The right charging mode depends on the type of the battery used (material, voltage - number of cells, S, and C load). This should be specified in the label provided with the battery. The setitngs for our battery are: LiPo 14.8 V (4S).
TODO include pictures with the right charger.
Download the pi log file(s) via scp
UAV / drone
Remote control
QGC / tablet
TODO
Include guide and screenshots to download logs from QCG GUI
Get flight log / book
Is goal reached?
TODO
If drone is not used anymore within the next hours cleaning is needed!
TODO
building a 'how to fly'
The purpose of this chapter is to group the most important information needed to safely operate the system.
Attention: So far, it's under construction and far from being complete!
NB: Please also check out the other pages of "Using the drone'.
This section will give you a short overview about the system.
This section describes a list of the main components of the system (airborne and ground sides).
X-UAV Mini Talon (Including controller, servos...)
RC Controller Frsky Taranis X9D Plus
Battery (LiPo 4S)
Battery charger
Rapsberry Pi w/ camera (aka. payload)
Power module for the battery
Telemetry Groundstation Box (RFD868)
Laptop (Ground Station) - includes the following software:
QGroundControl QGC: Configuration of the vehicle, mission planning and monitoring.
Searchwing GUI
OpenTX: Software to set up the RC configuration
The operation of the system is in the context of different units systems, at land or at sea. Hence, these conversions might be useful for the user:
1 km/h = 0.54 knots
1 NM (Nautic Mile) = 1.852 km
1 ft = 0.305 m
(WIP)
How to use the walkie-talkie
Always push to talk
Finish the sentence with a keyword, so that the other user know that your sentence has finished.
Use clear and precise communication
It is better ot overcommunicate than undercommunicate
Make sure that all participants know what will happen and what happens. Make sure all participants are reachable via walkie-talkie. Do a radio check!
Inform bridge about planed takeoff in e.g. 10 minutes. Request change of course if necessary, e.g to start the UAV with head wind.
Request permission for takeoff. Inform bridge about successful takeoff
Update bridge about flight if necessary.
Request permission to land in e.g. 10 minutes from bridge. Inform bridge and recovery crew prior to landing. Inform them about planed position of landing.
Inform bridge and recovery crew about position of the plane. If the UAV is disarmed inform recovery crew that the UAV is safe for recovery.
Await feedback from recovery crew about successful recovery.
How to document flights etc.
(WIP)
Legal situation on land, e.g. at test flights and legal situation at sea, in e.g. international waters/airspaces.
Question: what applies at sea?
basic pilot license (Kenntnisnachweis)
https://lba-openuav.de/einstieg/
operator of the UAV
operator id
insurance
The groundstation is composed by a laptop (and/or tablet) and a telemetry station that is used to communicate with the drone via radio. The ground station is mainly composed of the flying control software (QGC) and the image recognization software. The first, is used to setup everything related with the UAV, prepare the mission and monitor the flight, and it is the main interface of communication with the drone.
This section provides instructions to perform basic operations using QGroundControl. A more detailed guide regarding how to use the tool, can be found in Pre-Flight.
The setup view is used to configure the vehicle, including sensor calibration, setting up flight modes or checking the radio connection. Set up should be performed prior flying and the parameters are saved for latter use, so what you should see is the following screen with only green lights:
In general, most of the set up should be performed only once, and only from time to time the following maintainance tasks should be done:
Accelerometer and gyroscope calibration (on land always) every 14 to 30 days.
Magnetometer calibration, every 7 to 14 days
Battery calibration, every 30 days
If you want to modify some configuration, such as sensor calibration, make sure that you are in a space with no motion and far from iron structures (i.e. not on a ship), as this will affect the accuracy of the calibration!
Flight plan
for using QGroundControl (QGC), see Pre-Flight.
Preparing a mission - Scenarios
Reported case. Fly to reported position and fly pattern: lawn mower or SAR (e.g. expanding square search, to be implemented).
Finish line. Fly some lines or always the same line (?) and back. This might be some line to be crossed by a target boat either by engine or when drifting (wind/current).
Accompany the ship. Example assuming constant speed (no wind): Ship going south with 5 kn, drone with 25kn, thus excess speed of 20 kn. Fly 5/25 of the time parallel to ship, (20/2)/25=10/25 of the time east and other 10/25 of the time back (west). Free choice of order for three legs? In order to cover the area without overlap*, one might fly 5 min (4000m) east, 5min (4000m) west, and 2.5 min south (2000m), repeatedly.
*At an altitude of 550m, the sector recorded is about 2000m wide, which is crossed within ~2.5 min at 45 km/h.
When planning a mission and battery consumption, compare the final distance to be traveled displayed in QGC with the drone's capability (~40 km/h) and mind the wind.
Pre-arm safety checks
QGC includes by default several checks in order to arm the plane. These can be deacivated, but it is extremely not recommended to do so! Best practice is to enable all of them.
The Fly View is used to command and monitor the vehicle when flying.
You can use it to:
The Log Download screen (Analyze > Log Download) is used to list (Refresh), Download and Erase All log files from the connected vehicle.
See after flight section.
This section includes important remarks about using the drone.
It is crucial to follow all steps mentioned in this checklist. Best practice is to print it out and check all steps before every flight.
(Link to the checklist)
Observer: The person that has no direct control of the plane but is in charge of monitoring the flight. Duties:
Monitoring QGC
Defining the flight path
Asist with checklist
Document post-flight
Pilot. Person in charge of operating the plane. Duties:
Arm/Disarm plane
Hold the RC at every time.
etc...
By standers
(WIP)
Question: Which buttons to press?
(WIP)
TODO maybe link the original documentation of the RC controler and OpenTX
(WIP)
TODO choose the plane/model
TODO start telemetry script
Question: What maneuvers are to be mastered with the aircraft?
Basic instructions:
do not push it but rather lift it... etc
insert nice movie of a takeoff ...
Basic instructions (WIP)
Slowly descend to a lower altitute (~ 100 to 50 m)
When the drone is inside the line of sight, switch to stabilized mode and initiate the descend.
Beware that your speed is not too high (insert num here) and slowly reduce power.
When the airframe is close to the ground, reduce power to 0 and elevate nose up to touch the surface.
Abort from a bad landing approach.
fly an eight
fly a circle
fly other pattern
fly by instrument
return to home by instruments
Question: optional training
approach the plane from a safe direction
do not arm before checklist complete
wear safety cloth
Not arming before being 100% sure ready to flight
Beware of others
(WIP)
This section compiles a series of emergency situations and what to do in each case.
What to do if another airplane approaches (TBD)
Communication in emergencies (TBD) first aid
Emergency plans (TBD)
What to do in case of a fly away
TBD
who to contact, how to contact them
What if QGroundControl Crashes?
In this case, and if the visual conditions allow it, the drone operator should inmediately switch to stabilized mode and return back manually.
What if the RC controller does no work?
If QGC is operative, use the return to home function to send the drone back to your position.
Broken parts
Servo does not work
QGroundControl configuration has disappeared