Help Needed on MultiWii PRO FC w/MTK GPS Module

[perdification]

Soon this one will rule https://pixhawk.ethz.ch/px4/modules/px4fmu, combine with https://pixhawk.ethz.ch/px4/modules/px4flow for computer vision.

Arducopter software now being migrated to this board.

Looks like the transition to ARM chips are imminent. In terms of functionality, it sure beats the current ATMEL processors that we're using. Its also 32 bit compared to 8 bit ATMEL, and it only sips power. I have an STM32 discovery board, and the cortex M4 series is just powerful, and has a much richer feature set. The number of I/O ports alone is a great plus, we could connect a ton of expansions to this thing. This is great, but I'm waiting to see how much would these changes translate into actual improvements in flight performance.

I think the Apple A5 chips are also based on the arm architecture. One day we might just be able to use iPhones, coupled with it's three axis gyro, as an FC.

[zennith]

Crack my head from 10am ~12.20 pm (kean in my mind keeps remind abt sensor)

Redo and read youtube n re "config h" switch on all sensor "on".

Manage to hover the xcoptor abt 2ft level. Will post field test again.

Indeed this is a challenging interesting FC board (not for beginner)

[zennith]

Kean

Just to cfm the GPS wire to FC board are these color wire correct? (Black, yellow, white green) only

Seems different batches of GPS types and connection wire coloured in YouTube ,rc group, hobbyking pic PDF, mine n yours.

Thks

[Kaen]

Looks like the transition to ARM chips are imminent. In terms of functionality, it sure beats the current ATMEL processors that we're using. Its also 32 bit compared to 8 bit ATMEL, and it only sips power. I have an STM32 discovery board, and the cortex M4 series is just powerful, and has a much richer feature set. The number of I/O ports alone is a great plus, we could connect a ton of expansions to this thing. This is great, but I'm waiting to see how much would these changes translate into actual improvements in flight performance.

I think the Apple A5 chips are also based on the arm architecture. One day we might just be able to use iPhones, coupled with it's three axis gyro, as an FC.

Lol... I'm not interested in flying my phone as a FC.... how am I supposed to recieve my calls when I'm flying? Also... FCs are a lot cheaper than smartphones these days.. my smartphone won't survive a crash!

Naze32 has been running 32bit STM32s for a long time... 8bit arducopter has been ported to it also. But well.. without pushing the firmware harder... it's just another apm clone.

How are u liking your STM32s?

Crack my head from 10am ~12.20 pm (kean in my mind keeps remind abt sensor)

Redo and read youtube n re "config h" switch on all sensor "on".

Manage to hover the xcoptor abt 2ft level. Will post field test again.

Indeed this is a challenging interesting FC board (not for beginner)

Congrats! You did it!

Kean

Just to cfm the GPS wire to FC board are these color wire correct? (Black, yellow, white green) only

Seems different batches of GPS types and connection wire coloured in YouTube ,rc group, hobbyking pic PDF, mine n yours.

Thks

Erm... I am not using a hobbyking board and my gps is uBlox neo-6M not the default mtk board.

[perdification]

Lol... I'm not interested in flying my phone as a FC.... how am I supposed to recieve my calls when I'm flying? Also... FCs are a lot cheaper than smartphones these days.. my smartphone won't survive a crash!

Naze32 has been running 32bit STM32s for a long time... 8bit arducopter has been ported to it also. But well.. without pushing the firmware harder... it's just another apm clone.

How are u liking your STM32s?

You shouldn't be calling when your quad is in the air! The smartphone thing is taking it to the extreme...

Sure, with powerful hardware, you need matching code that can take advantage of it too... Otherwise it'd just perform all the same.

Not bad I'd say, programming an STM32 isn't the easiest thing in the world, and it's harder to do the same stuff on an STM32 as compared to an 8 bit ATMEL sometimes. I like the wealth of GPIO ports and stuff like multiple ADCs and UARTs available on the STM 32 as compared to the ATMEL.

[Kaen]

You shouldn't be calling when your quad is in the air! The smartphone thing is taking it to the extreme...

Sure, with powerful hardware, you need matching code that can take advantage of it too... Otherwise it'd just perform all the same.

Not bad I'd say, programming an STM32 isn't the easiest thing in the world, and it's harder to do the same stuff on an STM32 as compared to an 8 bit ATMEL sometimes. I like the wealth of GPIO ports and stuff like multiple ADCs and UARTs available on the STM 32 as compared to the ATMEL.

I might not want to call out... but people will still want to call me anytime they feel like it.

Are you using the STM32 on a plane?

I'm very interested in the PX4 project... just waiting for it to be a bit more "ready" before I push the buy button...

[perdification]

I might not want to call out... but people will still want to call me anytime they feel like it.

Are you using the STM32 on a plane?

I'm very interested in the PX4 project... just waiting for it to be a bit more "ready" before I push the buy button...

Nope, I'm not using it on a plane, I'm using it for home automation... Hehe. Yeah, it's always good to wait, but some times the 'buy" button is hard to resist the more and more you think of it.

[Kaen]

Nope, I'm not using it on a plane, I'm using it for home automation... Hehe. Yeah, it's always good to wait, but some times the 'buy" button is hard to resist the more and more you think of it.

I'm still resisting!!... when I'm tempted to buy an optical flow sensor then perhaps I will just buy the PX4fmu and the new optical flow sensor for it... right now just too many first mover kinks to iron out...

[perdification]

To those who have many bugs... You need a de-bug tool.

Check this out: http://dx.com/p/crius-co-16-oled-dis...rd-blue-180386

I've never used it before, but it looks awesome.

To those who are looking for the NAZA GPS look, maybe you can consider this:

http://www.goodluckbuy.com/ublox6-2-...pin-cable.html

Do comment on the LCD, if any of you have used it before!

[Kaen]

To those who have many bugs... You need a de-bug tool.

Check this out: http://dx.com/p/crius-co-16-oled-dis...rd-blue-180386

I've never used it before, but it looks awesome.

To those who are looking for the NAZA GPS look, maybe you can consider this:

http://www.goodluckbuy.com/ublox6-2-...pin-cable.html

Do comment on the LCD, if any of you have used it before!

Bluetooth module is cheaper and android apps let u do the same thing without having to mount an LCD.

As for the GPS.. it's a uBlox GPS... I doubt it will work with Naza... unless someone has tried and verified it.

[perdification]

Bluetooth module is cheaper and android apps let u do the same thing without having to mount an LCD.

As for the GPS.. it's a uBlox GPS... I doubt it will work with Naza... unless someone has tried and verified it.

Regarding the GPS, I didn't mean that it would work with Naza, what I meant to say was that it looks round and circular just like the Naza GPS, though the color is black. It's a lookalike, function wise, I highly doubt that it would function the same.

Just my 2c.

[perdification]

I like the bluetooth idea, problem being, I don't have a bluetooth enabled device. Yes, this hobby has taken up so much of my money I don't even have a bluetooth device lol.

[Kaen]

Regarding the GPS, I didn't mean that it would work with Naza, what I meant to say was that it looks round and circular just like the Naza GPS, though the color is black. It's a lookalike, function wise, I highly doubt that it would function the same.

Just my 2c.

lol now i get what you were saying... just to get a naza gps "look" ? On the plus side... GPS' mounted 20cm away from the flight controllers tend to get better performance and lesser noise interference.

I like the bluetooth idea, problem being, I don't have a bluetooth enabled device. Yes, this hobby has taken up so much of my money I don't even have a bluetooth device lol.

Not even a laptop or netbook with bluetooth? ouch!
if thats the case.. then just bring whatever laptop and configure via usb. i'm not a huge fan of these LCDs... takes too much time twiddling out in the field. Unless you don't even want to tug a laptop/netbook/tablet out with u then I guess an $8 lcd isnt so bad.

[perdification]

lol now i get what you were saying... just to get a naza gps "look" ? On the plus side... GPS' mounted 20cm away from the flight controllers tend to get better performance and lesser noise interference.



Not even a laptop or netbook with bluetooth? ouch!
if thats the case.. then just bring whatever laptop and configure via usb. i'm not a huge fan of these LCDs... takes too much time twiddling out in the field. Unless you don't even want to tug a laptop/netbook/tablet out with u then I guess an $8 lcd isnt so bad.

I do have a laptop with bluetooth, but I mean, if I had to lug my laptop to the field, might as well just use the cable and save the $6 for the dongle.

I think I found the cheapest SimonK flashable ESC. This one: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idproduct=6460

Do not buy the card programmable version, it has locked fuses. Problem with flashing this one is, it doesn't have the solder pads connected to the legs of the ATMega, so you'd probably need the socket tool which costs USD 20. Unless you can solder a really fine gauge wire on the legs, which I wouldn't recommend. I still love those DIP ATMegas. SMD components can be a pain sometimes.

[Kaen]

I do have a laptop with bluetooth, but I mean, if I had to lug my laptop to the field, might as well just use the cable and save the $6 for the dongle.

I think I found the cheapest SimonK flashable ESC. This one: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idproduct=6460

Do not buy the card programmable version, it has locked fuses. Problem with flashing this one is, it doesn't have the solder pads connected to the legs of the ATMega, so you'd probably need the socket tool which costs USD 20. Unless you can solder a really fine gauge wire on the legs, which I wouldn't recommend. I still love those DIP ATMegas. SMD components can be a pain sometimes.

Gotta research it a bit more... ESCs are extremely important for multirotors... a lot of cases of bricks dropping from the sky for "no reason at all" are really ESC failures.. via overheating and locking up usually.

You need "N-fet" based ESC (Not P & Not hybrid N/P) that uses external oscilloscopes. SimonK firmware doesn't stop bad hardware from failing or overheating.

I won't save a few bucks on ESCs when F-30As are so cheap.