Hoverfly Anyone Using Carefree?

[Earl E Adobtr]

I've avoided the gps board up until now mostly because it adds another layer of complexity but also I was waiting for features to mature a bit. Carefree seems pretty useful for LOS fliers who never got comfortable flying nose in (yeah, that's me all over). I'd really like to hear from any of you who have used this feature and how well it worked and whether you felt comfortable using it as a bonafide tool for AV. Specifically, I'm having trouble picturing how you would go about doing a nose-in 360 around a house using this feature.

 

[Av8Chuck]

Do you need GPS to use Carefree on the HFPro? I read somewhere that you didn't.

I have not flown Carefree with the HFPro, in fact I've never flown my HFPro yet, but I have flow Coarse-lock [Carefree] with my NAZA. I love AP, like building these things but I don't really care for flying them that much, Coarse-lock makes all the difference in the world for doing AP.

When I arm the NAZA I point the Hex at the object I want to shoot and as long as I [and the Tx] remain facing that direction, left is left, right is right, forward on the stick pushes it away and pulling it brings it back no matter what the orientation so its very easy to do a 360 around an object. You just have to remember to always be pointing your Tx in the same direction that you armed. Also its a good idea that you always keep the multi in front of you, it it passes behind you and you turn to control it your now 180 degrees out and its like flying nose in.

Usually when the Hex gets about 10 to 20 feet away, or when I can easily see the the orientation I'll rotate "tail" in and switch to manual for landing.

 

[Earl E Adobtr]

Thanks AV8Chuck. My sentiments exactly on flying. So when you're doing a nose-in 360 with the NAZA when does the nose become the tail? -at the 45degree point or the 90 degree point?

 

[yeehaanow]

I have never used this feature, but I'm positive you need the GPS board. It must have a magnetic compass in order to work consistently.

Earl, my understanding is that it is continuous and doesn't switch at any one point, it constantly adjusts as you yaw.

 

[Earl E Adobtr]

Thank you Tim. My understanding is also that you need the GPS board as there is no mag compass on the HFP
Interesting that no one visiting this board is actually using this feature (or even cares for that matter).

 

[Av8Chuck]

You bring up an interesting point, when I first started flying with the CC controller and needed help tuning the attitude mode [I don't remember if that's what it was called] it was really difficult getting help, no one it seemed was using it -- real men fly in manual mode! Then some hot dog FPV guys started using attitude a little and guess what, people started to answer the questions about tuning in attitude/stability.

I'm not into flying these things for the sake or exhilaration of flying them, I want to be able to place a camera where I want it, at the altitude I want it to be and then I want it to stay there as I move the camera. I just flew in coarse-lock [NAZA] at about 300 feet and rotated acft/camera 360 degrees, I could totally pay attention to the camera and if the acft started to drift away I just pulled it back, if it drifted towars me I pushed it away I did not have to pay attention at all to the acft orientation. It makes AP so much easier.

For me multirotors are just a tool to get the shot, a lot of fun but what counts is how good the footage is and the more I can focus on getting the shot and the less on flying the better.

Not sure I want to spend an additional $450 to get a GPS..

 

[Aerovideo]

I haven't tried carefree mode yet myself but it would be interesting to try. I know that I fly FPV so much now that LOS flying is actually pretty hard... hehe Especially all the orientation at a distance. I get too far away and it all looks the same to me. So unless I remember what I was doing I can get messed up pretty quick LOS. But FPV cures all that

I do have a quad all setup with my HFGPS, hopefully this weekend I can get the new firmware on it and give all the features a try.

Paul

 

[Earl E Adobtr]

Yeah, "getting the shot" lured me into this hobby. I wasn't into any form of rc before that. So I'll gladly use any "crutch" to be able to position my camera correctly. And one of those tools happens to be fpv which I am also terrible at. Paul, You're not going to try the Carefree mode on fpv, are you? At any rate, I'll be anxiously awaiting your verdict.

 

[JZSlenker]

I think for me it would be dangerous. So much of LOS flying is input / reaction brain training. If I don't know what is going on because things are getting too tiny, I make a small input, I see the reaction and my brain knows what is going on. ( Like flyong a CP heli nose-in). Carefree mode would be in direct conflict with what I have spent many years training my brain to do. I fear if I got in a "clutch" situation that my years of brain traing would kick in and instead of saving the bird would destroy it or hurt someone. I have no doubt that HF will get it working well and it will benefit many users. I'm just vary apprehensive to try it with our good rigs. If I needed it, that would be a different story, but so far I can fly where I need to and get the shots the director requests. Just my $0.02

 

[Av8Chuck]

Yeah it wouldn't work well for FPV,

The other thing I'd point out about carefree is that you don't have to use it all the time. If your LOS and not having any trouble with orientation then you probably don't need to use it. But if you lose orientation just turn it on and orientation is no longer a factor, you can just push it away from you or pull it towards you, its really that simple. Once you get your bearings turn it off and fly normally.

It also greatly simplifies flying around an object where you want to keep the camera oriented towards the object.

 

[Earl E Adobtr]

So I guess the answer is NO.

 

[Av8Chuck]

Thanks AV8Chuck. My sentiments exactly on flying. So when you're doing a nose-in 360 with the NAZA when does the nose become the tail? -at the 45degree point or the 90 degree point?

Yes, the answer is no.

As long as the Tx stays in the same orientation it was when you armed the FC then once you switch into Carefree orientation makes no difference.

The exception to this is that if the multirotor passes behind you and you turn to face it that would be the same as flying nose in and your commands would be 180 degrees out. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Earl E Adobtr]

Yes it does! Now to decide whether to spring for the board or practice like crazy on the sim

 

[Av8Chuck]

I guess it depends on why you fly. Even if I don't use it on a flight, I find it very comforting knowing that this functionality is available if I need it for any reason. It seems to lesson the pressure on the shoot. I have yet to fly my HFPro and I don't have a GPS for it anyway, all the Carefree flying I've done has been with the NAZA.