Tricopter V2.5 Build

Did some work on the Tricopter over the last few days. Uploading a video of it now. Used mostly hardware store stuff to build it. Home Depot wood sticks and sheets of Lexan, Diamond Hardware screws and a shelf bracket for the tail, Parallax 902 KV motors and servo, Hobby Wing Pentium ESC's at 18A (Same as HobbyKing Plush ESC's) and one ball link from a Blade 450 3D helicopter. Will try the APC 10X4.7 props from Parallax but so far they won't go on the motor shaft. Shaft is .203" and the only prop adapter in the bag is .190", will have to ream them out somehow. Or machine new ones out of Lexan.

Issues so far, have no idea if the KK board is flashing with the right firmware (have no idea what firmware to really use, there are dozens) but I don't know how to read the loaded firmware that is on the board to determine which one actually made it on there? The configure window still shows a quad copter firmware? Also forgot to order the wires that go from the Rx to KK board so until I get some I can't really try anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYj0spivfHE&hd=1

Pretty cool.  Did I see some Snap-Ware there?
I thought those propellers came with a whole bunch of adapters for different motor shafts.

Of course, I never build aircraft that can't carry food and drinks around anymore. I got the props to work. Just needed a cleaning with a razor knife to get the burrs off.

I just cut the draft out of those bushings with an exacto knife to the point they will slip on the threaded part of the shaft.  Then I put the prop on and use the nut to force the bushing down the rest of the way.  This doesn't over stress the bushing but makes it tight enough that it never comes off the shaft.  That way when you have to change props, the bushing always stays put.  Most of the guys on the Parallax forum seem to force it down without cutting at all.  I think this expands it to much to go into the prop like I'd like.  I have extra APC props if you ever need some Tyson.  I'm only using the colored ones now.

My two bits!  ...Tiger

PP - Just realized I missed a few things in your first post.  The firmware that comes in the KK board is for a quad and the security bits set so you can't read it and worse yet, you can't save it.  You should ask Rick what firmware he is using and where he got it for his tri-copter.  His is working great!  I'm almost certain it was from the (real) KK site (not HobbyKing).  I have the KK to Rx cables left over from my Parallax build.  You are welcome to those if you want them.  I always build my own.  I'm going to be in town after lunch tomorrow if you want to get those from me.  Anything else you need to get that thing going?

KK Site:  http://www.kkmulticopter.kr/

Rick:  rick@oregonsouth.com

...Tiger

Thanks Tiger, we did the parade thing today and didn't get home until a while ago. I think I have the official KK version 1.5 loaded on it now. I still need to do some wiring but really all that is missing are those Rx cables. I will see how far along I get and maybe borrow those from you to get it running.

Still don't know how to configure things yet, but will figure it out.

Had some time this afternoon and got the Tricopter running. I was worried about the configuration, but it was about 10 times easier than I thought it was going to be. Once the cables were hooked up (Thank's Tiger) I was able to program the ESC's, and get the get the channels correctly setup on my radio. Once test flying it took a lot of sub trim for some reason to have it hover flat? it wanted to roll left and backwards, it took 45 out of 100 to straighten it out. I then went to the gains, most everyone online says 50% on the pots is about right, and after hunting around I ended up right in the middle like everyone else.

How does it fly? When test hovering in a small area I really didn't know what to think, seemed about the same as a 450, but then I took it to the school and flew in the open, wow! this thing is fun, it can fly very slow and lazy, or really get moving if you want it to. Within one battery (6 minutes) I was flying circles and almost a figure 8. But one thing I noticed is that you can't tell the orientation any easier than anything else, now it's just a triangle flying around out there. Need to hang a sign on it's tail.

For some reason I sometimes get a error beep on one motor that won't arm, after messing with throttle it seems to start to work, so I need to figure that out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MalbqqoR2q8&hd=1

I think you need some sponsored by Snap-Ware stickers...or powered by Snap-Ware?  I know: Protected by Snap-Ware.

It sounds to me like you either messed up or didn't do the throttle calibration.  Without that it won't lift evenly.  That could also account for the one ESC not seeing the throttle low enough to arm.  When you do the throttle calibration, zero your trims.  When you are done, give the throttle trim three or four clicks down so it will arm reliably.

Next what you need to do is paint your props or bolt on some of those colored ones we're all using.  It makes all the difference in keeping orientation.  Sounds like you're doing really great!  If you fly tomorrow, I'd love to come and check it out.

...Tiger

I did step 2 (In green) on this page:
http://rcexplorer.se/Educational/kkguide/kkguide/tri.html

But when I was just looking for that I scrolled down to the bottom and see that he wrote it is common to need some clicks of trim for a level hover.

I will be flying tomorrow, just don't know what time or where yet. Boatnik race starts just after the jets flyover and don't want to miss that.

Oh, the orientation, I was flying this at the school so late that you had to be high enough above the horizon that it would contrast against the sky, at one point the bats were flying around and one distracted me to the point that I completely lost which way was which then I suddenly realized what GC had said about "You got a big enough servo on that thing?" and I focused on the arm that had the big square black block and yawed that one straight at myself and backed it in. I was done after that!

Going to put lights on it.

Just about all my heli's require a few down clicks on the throttle trim clicker even after throttle calibration ...
... It can be a pretty common adjustment. My DX6i is NOT very precise as to where it thinks bottom is.
In more cases than not a few clicks of trim (down) fixes things nice'n pritty

As always PP good to see another Bird up, up and away



[hr]

I was just shopping for snapware this morning, the 16 oz rectangle jobs are hard to get. Fred Meyer has a few in stock.

Well it was bound to happen  Somehow got inverted and did not know it, as it was falling I thought why is it falling? More throttle! That just shot it into the ground at full speed, landed real flat. The snapware which is not very shatter prone, shattered like glass even though it hit the grass. Broke the yaw gyro off the board in the process....... 

About to order a new board and thought, I can't make it any worse, grabbed a soldering iron and went to work, now I have a remote mount yaw gyro 

Off to Fred Meyer for another Snapware job to see if this is going to work or not........

Pic of the surgery:
http://www.bluefincnc.com/pics/KK_Gyro.jpg

If you don't find the SnapWare you need at Fred Meyer go to BiMart, that's where we got most of ours.

BTW: Ditto on the full gas downwards inverted.  That will teach me to try Ricks super quad flips!

Fixed and flying again, I think what I thought was good gains and poor trims was poor gains. Worked on the gains and now have a small about of trim. And yes, throttle trim from center needed backed off to arm the esc's more reliable. Work pretty good so far. I bet I have the only remote located yaw gyro of the KK boards!

I measured the AMP draw at about 9.5 amps with the throttle stick in the hovering position. I measure 160 milliamps when it is just sitting there. So now I need some new props, Tiger where do you get yours?

The colored props (10-4.5) come from:  http://www.innov8tivedesigns.com/index.php?cPath=46_132  Note that we DO NOT use the carbon filled flavor.  The two buck ones are just great! 

If you want a set to fly until your order gets here, I can provide that.  If you need a set of APC props, I will give you those.

...Tiger

Hey PP good you worked things out, hows she flying now? Guess we can expect a video soon

One question and excuse my noobish ways as I admit I don't know Multirotor aircraft as well has I could, there's allot to be said about piratical {LOL, piratical} hands on experience. But what do you mean when you say 'poor gains' ?

Each prop sort of works like the helicopter tail rotor. There is a gyro in-between the Rx and ESC. So once you have established a level hover and a gust of wind tries to roll the aircraft the gyro will kick in more throttle to the side that is falling down. (kind of like flybarless or even a real flybar) Too much gain and it is all jumpy and shakes around. Too little gain and it will roll over on it's own because the gyros become lazy and in-effective.

Mine is tail heavy and without enough gain it was trying to fly backwards because the tail would drop and the gyros would not get off the couch from watching TV to do anything about it, turning the pots up about 1/8 of a turn made a huge difference.