Setting up the Futaba T8FGS (or 14SG) with the P2

[ianwood]

The profile I built should give you buttery smooth tilts. If you're not getting them, you may need recalibrate. Instructions are in the first post. Use this video as a benchmark:

https://vimeo.com/116444187

As for pulling the throttle all the way down, it won't shut the motors off unless the Phantom stops descending. The centering spring is very helpful to avoid unwanted ascents/descents.

Kevin, I'm using an 8FGS which I don't think has the multi-rotor setting. Airplane works for the Naza as it's input controls map exactly the same.

 

[kmktm520]

Ian,

Holy crap your videos are great!! What settings are you using on the GoPro, what editing software and how many hours do you spent on edit (Downtown LA)? WOW

Can you tell me which switches are you using and how (what combination)? I need to be schooled. I have your Phantom profile loaded but not sure how to use to do POI or what switch to use in conjunction with the Gimbal tilt.

I know I am asking a lot but if you could give a tutorial of how to use your profile would help me greatly.

Thanks again,

Kevin

 

[Alexcabrils]

Thanks a lot Ian.

 

[ianwood]

The best advice I can give you is to practice. Go to your favorite open area and practice. Choose objects to focus on. Try each of the different settings, one by one.

As for editing, yeah, lots of it.

 

[wkf94025]

This is a somewhat duplicate post of one I just put on one of the H4-3D threads, though I've made this one more specific to 14SG programming, and specifically the gimbal tilt functionality using SC and RS on recent 14SG/8FGS models by Ian and others.

I put together a new P2 with H4-3D this weekend. All good except gimbal tilt. It took me a few minutes to figure out the relative movement behavior (new with this rig) versus the absolute positioning behavior of my other P2's with H3-3D's. For those that haven't seen this, the X1 value generally determines speed of tilt up or down, not absolute position. My 14SG (and likely yours) generates X1 outputs in the range from -100 to +100. With SC in middle position, putting RS in its middle position used to put gimbal at 45 degrees downward angle, corresponding to an X1 value of 0. Now, X1=0 means "stay where you are, no matter the current angle of tilt". Positive values cause the gimbal to tilt downward, with the speed of tilt determined by magnitude of X1 output. I.e., with X1=1, the gimbal crawls downward. With X1=100, it quickly speeds down to the lower limit of tilt specified in the Assistant. Similarly with X1 negative values; -1 crawls up; -100 slams up. I suggest setting Futaba SERVO_SPEED to zero, and Gimbal gain to 100, thereby eliminating all latencies, while you experiment with how this works.

Now that I understand the new behavior, I am interested in putting this new H4 bird back to the absolute position behavior of my H3 birds. I don't want one paradigm for my older P2/H3-3D's and a different one for my newer P2/H4-3D. Perfect way to blow a great shot which might not be replicable. Great thing about the 14SG radio is that we can program different models for the different paradigms, but I would prefer one consistent mode. Anyone know how to tell the P2+H4-3D system to take X1 input as absolute position, not relative speed up or down? I am running Assistant 3.0, and don't see the BASIC and UPGRADE radio buttons others have mentioned in this context. Both systems are running v3.8 main controller firmware and 1.0.0.12 gimbal firmware. Are the aforementioned radio buttons in the RC Assistant? (I never use the DJI radios that come with the P2's, so I am never in the RC assistant.)

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[Dubnuh]

If anyone still monitors this thread...
I have followed the excellent instructions, but have the sticks reversed in their operations. The left/right bank is reversed as is the rotation stick, ie. rotating the stick to the right causes the quad to spin to the left, etc. Did I cross some wires, or is this a software fix?
Thanks!
-Dubnuh

 

[ianwood]

If it is reversed, you can change that on the controller but the preferred way is to do it in the P2 Assistant. Use the P2 Assistant to make sure all the controls match before you fly.

 

[sujit]

hi,
I am using this profile with 14SG, however throttle is reversed, when I reverse throttle in assistant software, my motors will not start. did anyone had this issue? if so, how to resolve that? any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Hekselman]

Its my first step on this Forum.

Mr. IanWood
THANK YOU SIR!

 

[Emseal]

Got an 8FGS after spending 3 evenings reading the entire thread, and loaded V5 profile etc.
Set up the throttle to have a small deadspot as I use it for fixed wing as well.
After a weekend's flying - all I can say - what a difference. Hats off to all the experts there that contributed - many thanks - its will take many months of reading the manual to be that fluent in speaking Futaba.

One question: One page one where Ianwood posted the profile and explanations there are two screenshots of the Futatba showing Dual Rate Page with Rudder Highlighted - and SC.
However when I check my TX on that page it show SB and the same rates as in the text.
Is the screenshot correct - as I say still getting to grips with the Futaba.

thanks Martin

 

[ianwood]

Glad it helped. The screenshot is just illustrative and probably out of date compared to the latest profile.

 

[Emseal]

Glad it helped. The screenshot is just illustrative and probably out of date compared to the latest profile.

=Many thanks - thought I had missed a page in the manual - Martin

 

[duceno1]

Hi, I'm hoping for some extra guidance! To begin, I am a quadriplegic, so with that I have no fine motor skills. Fortunately I am used to using a joystick to operate my motorized wheelchair, but the Phantom receiver's joysticks are a bit more sensitive. My flying can be a bit choppy at times due to the shakiness of my hands. Which brings me to my first question. I assume with the Futaba controllers you can adjust the sensitivity of each stick so that every little moment does not effect the flight of the copter. Is that correct? My next question is regarding yaw. In this particular thread there seems to be a set-up where a switch can control yaw, so if I wanted to film an object while flying in a circle for example, I would only need to operate the right stick? Is that right? I have difficulty coordinating the left and right stick due to my effected motor skills, so if possible, this would be helpful. Thanks for any guidance!

 

[ianwood]

Yes, on both counts. The profile in this thread has two curves (activated by SB) which reduce the sensitivity of yaw, aileron and elevator. They are adjustable under DUAL RATE in the menus.

Also in the profile is an auto-yaw function on SE and adjusted using LD. When activated, it will yaw by the amount set on the knob. The second position will apply aileron as well as yaw. I find it very useful for smooth rotating around an object. You dial it in and then add/subtract aileron as needed.

 

[Jimbob HiVu]

This has been a fantastic thread and like others I would like to say a big thank you to Ian and all other contributors to this Phantom 2 specific profile for the 8FGS & T14SG.

I am fortunate to have the 14 and use it in combination with the DJI Lightbridge. I like the hidden forward/reverse cruise control on SG switch in combination with the RD knob.

Have been thinking that it would be great to also be able to dial in some either + or - throttle to add some smooth altitude change either up or down whilst circling an object.

Could amount of throttle be added to LS (+ or - either side of centre) and could this be enabled on the spare switch space on SG with a slight reshuffle of this switch current set up.

Example

SG

Down/away from you - OFF
Middle - forwards/backwards cruise control in combination with RD
Up/towards you - as middle above + enabling +/- throttle on LS

Am currently only using my 14 via its trainer port to control the Lightbridge in 8 channel mode, but the Lightbridge can control up to 16 channels and has mapping for specific camera controls specifically for gimbals/cameras on bigger rigs like S900/1000.

However I am fortunate to have one of the very first batches of h3-3d gimbals that came with the vertical GoPro interface connector and not the flimsy HDMI cable of later and current production gimbals.

I'm just wondering if DJI originally planned to have full GoPro in flight controls as per Vision/+ models and wondered if anyone else had a similar set up to me and has at least been able to assign the shutter control channel to stop and start recording during flight? Not the full functionality of the Visions but would be extremely useful

3D Robotics are going to have similar on their new Solo, so the camera can be controlled via this interface

Also has anyone run Ian's V5 settings on the latest Futaba V5 firmware. Am currently still running V4 Futaba firmware and don't want to spoil something that is working perfectly with an upgrade that turns out to be a downgrade (been there too many times in the past!)

Apologies that part of this post is slightly off topic

 

[wkf94025]

Ian (and others),

What values are you seeing in the SERVO display on your radio as you cycle through SD positions? Reason I ask is I just stumbled upon a solution to a problem that has been dogging me since January, I was sporadically getting fail safe / autoland behavior during flight, as well as sporadic won't-start behavior with rapid flashing yellow lights. For months I thought it was a battery firmware issue, but could never nail it down. I have 3 P2's and a dozen or so batteries, including a few NukeRC and LimeFuel packs. A motley collection for sure. Anyway, as I was running them all through Assistant 3.0, and getting flashing yellow non-start on a small percentage of starts, and grabbing screen shots of various Assistant screens, I realized that my SD values were just slightly off, or possibly on the edge of falling out of whatever band the Rx/FC considerd okay for the three GPS/ATTI/Manual values. So I went into the 14SG and assigned T2 to be able to trim that channel, and opened up the travel and limits to 100. (I don't recall their prior settings.). By trimming SD up and down via T2, With SERVO screen displayed, on each position of SD, I determined that Rx/FC have a fairly narrow range for those three modes, generally +/- 4 units on the channel as displayed on SERVO screen (not on Assistant screen). Note on the Assistant screen for SD / flight modes if you T2 trim outside that +/- 4 units range you end up in Failsafe quicksand. I *suspect* my problem was having travel limits on SD that were slightly off, and/or lack of calibration on 14SG or between 14SG And P2 that was *occassionally* resulting in channel 7 transmitted value to just fall outside the allowed/expected range and into Failsafe quicksand. I also noticed that Assistant and P2 don't always fall into quicksand at same value. Assistant will often show Failsafe one T2 click before P2 actually goes Failsafe.

Posting this in case anyone ever finds themself in inconsistent / random FS/autoland/won't-start with their 14SG (or 8) radio and your killer model. Setting the travel limits for that channel to 80 has been determined empirically to be the best alignment for the SD channel, on my radio. Others' settings may vary. Also curious as to any theories you have on how I ended up "off center" on SD transmitted values. Radio wear and tear, lack of radio calibration or sticks calibration, or Assistant issues, or ??? I don't ever recall mucking with travel / limit settings for SD in radio menus. Though I have set SH as enabler for SD nearest me to fly in Manual mode.

Regardless, stoked to have found the source of the flaky FS behavior. it nearly cost me another bird lost to Davey Jones locker in the Sea of Cortez, several times this year. Unexpected FS / Go Home when launching from a moving boat made for some exciting landing rescues.

Kelly