Aeronavics / Droidworx Nic's XM-6 build blog...

[nicwilke]

nic video looked good. i also just watched your maiden video. impressive. forgive me, i still have lots to learn...was it something you saw in your gimbal testing video that led yo to believe you need to re-calibrate esc's? or was it how it was flying while testing?

Sorry to not be clearer. When in a hover, there an evident oscillation in my steadiness. That is, there's an audible difference in the sound (like 5 different pitch changes per second) and a visual wobble/shake. This can be seen in some of the video, on the outer edges, you can see it a little. The XM's vibration dampening system kills quite a bit out, but I'm fussy, I want smooth.... I want Ben Roland smooth with this craft.

The issue is non existing with no payload, so adding camera and gimbal contributed to extenuating the issue. If I can't get rid of the wobble with an ESC recalibration today, I'll throw on the 1inch bigger wood Gemfan props. That will slow the rotation of hover from 70% throttle to 56%, and likely iron it out. I can also tweak the gains. As you can see, it's not a big issue, but I want this perfect.

 

[nicwilke]

Video looks good Nic.

Thanks Ben,
Have you started your build yet? Are you going to go + or x hex style?

 

[hjls3]

ok i get it now thanks. "i want ben rowland smooth" - dont we all

Sorry to not be clearer. When in a hover, there an evident oscillation in my steadiness. That is, there's an audible difference in the sound (like 5 different pitch changes per second) and a visual wobble/shake. This can be seen in some of the video, on the outer edges, you can see it a little. The XM's vibration dampening system kills quite a bit out, but I'm fussy, I want smooth.... I want Ben Roland smooth with this craft.

The issue is non existing with no payload, so adding camera and gimbal contributed to extenuating the issue. If I can't get rid of the wobble with an ESC recalibration today, I'll throw on the 1inch bigger wood Gemfan props. That will slow the rotation of hover from 70% throttle to 56%, and likely iron it out. I can also tweak the gains. As you can see, it's not a big issue, but I want this perfect.

 

[nicwilke]

Looked closely at my flight data files from today. Vibration is super low, which is what I'd expected. I noticed several flights I lost GPS signal, in fact, 16 satellites down to zero, and then back up to 12, then to 17.... Very odd. I'm new to video down link, so perhaps I'm knocking out my GPS with 5.8ghz VTX. I'm going to shield the inside of the dome with copper tape, and wire it back to the battery to see if it helps. I've recalibrated my 6 speed controllers, and full weighted tests in my back yard show no wobble. I think I've fixed it.
More tests this week, but getting closer now.

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

Sorry to not be clearer. When in a hover, there an evident oscillation in my steadiness. That is, there's an audible difference in the sound (like 5 different pitch changes per second) and a visual wobble/shake. This can be seen in some of the video, on the outer edges, you can see it a little. The XM's vibration dampening system kills quite a bit out, but I'm fussy, I want smooth.... I want Ben Roland smooth with this craft.

The issue is non existing with no payload, so adding camera and gimbal contributed to extenuating the issue. If I can't get rid of the wobble with an ESC recalibration today, I'll throw on the 1inch bigger wood Gemfan props. That will slow the rotation of hover from 70% throttle to 56%, and likely iron it out. I can also tweak the gains. As you can see, it's not a big issue, but I want this perfect.

Glad to hear that the ESC recalibration helped out. Getting it to hover at near 50% throttle will be good too - it will be easier to fly.

I've started building my XM. I've got the frame assembled. I still need to mount the motors and gimbal. DW is making a change to the retracts, so they'll send those when they are ready. There's definitely a lot of attention to detail on this frame and I like how it will be easy to pack down. I'm building mine in the "+" configuration because that is what I am use to with my Cinestar. Looking forward to getting it flying.

 

[nicwilke]

Glad to hear that the ESC recalibration helped out. Getting it to hover at near 50% throttle will be good too - it will be easier to fly.

I've started building my XM. I've got the frame assembled. I still need to mount the motors and gimbal. DW is making a change to the retracts, so they'll send those when they are ready. There's definitely a lot of attention to detail on this frame and I like how it will be easy to pack down. I'm building mine in the "+" configuration because that is what I am use to with my Cinestar. Looking forward to getting it flying.

Excellent, I so nearly built it as a +, but I had an X hexa (small practice one) and liked it. Go with what you know is the motto. I read in another thread about the 1mm o-rings. I didn't know either, so guessed and basically placed them just at the motor mount boom hole (about 2mm past the hole. When I mounted the motors, I figured the mounts just squeeze those rings tight and they compress/squash flat as the clamps close.


Switching out today to 13x4.5's wooden Gemfan. I did a balance last night, and they were nearly correct out of the wrapper. The 13's felt too big with no payload, so went to 12's, but payload is another 1kg. I'll post my results.

Sent from my GT-I9305T using Tapatalk 2

 

[nicwilke]

I'm etting closer every evening. It takes time to tune both the flight controller and the gimbal. There's an unsatisfactory anomaly with the skyline stabilizer, but I've chatted to Kimberly from photohigher, and he's aware of it, and new FW will fix it. I think I'm about 60% there. I'm getting the best results I've ever got in AP, so happy, but a lot more to do before I'm 100% happy with it. Bring it on.

 

[droidworx]

Hi Nic - brilliant! You've done an amazing build, truly, thank you so much and thank you too for sharing it here so thoroughly. Last steps to perfection... Loved your first flight video - did you see that huge quad in the playground at the end?? I can see you're a great pilot - I said to Lucy - "See how good Nic is at flying backwards..!!". :highly_amused:

 

[nicwilke]

Hi Nic - brilliant! You've done an amazing build, truly, thank you so much and thank you too for sharing it here so thoroughly. Last steps to perfection... Loved your first flight video - did you see that huge quad in the playground at the end?? I can see you're a great pilot - I said to Lucy - "See how good Nic is at flying backwards..!!". :highly_amused:

Haha, yes. I thought someone would chip me about the orange leading boots/nacelles.... So, I'll change it over. I'm used to the leading edge being the different colour. I'll order yellow nacelles and boots for the front, and put orange on the back.

 

[nicwilke]

Well, I bailed on the orange being lead edge, and decided it's black all round now. I've got fluorescent yellow on the 2 leading booms, and fluorescent orange trailing... No more droidworx staff picking on me.

 

[Droider]

Looking good. U got any lights on it?

Dave

 

[nicwilke]

No. No lights yet. Thinking about it. I have heaps here to install but effort to pull it all to bits.

 

[nicwilke]

Just a small addition, only about 25g of copper shielding tape. I want the GPS/Compass to be a little more protected from the IMU and Speed controllers since the antenna is not on a mast. I dont think its vital, but will do a check with and without the shielding.

 

[nicwilke]

Busy little dining area in my house. My dog thinks this thing is great, when I pick it up, he darts for the back door to the yard thinking we're test flying.

 

[Efliernz]

Great photo. I love it when people take this stuff seriously

One addition I made to my VM last night was installing small U-shaped rubber as diy grommets around every hole or carbon surface that had wiring passing through. Very tidy and it will prevent chafing.

Pete

 

[nicwilke]

Great photo. I love it when people take this stuff seriously

One addition I made to my VM last night was installing small U-shaped rubber as diy grommets around every hole or carbon surface that had wiring passing through. Very tidy and it will prevent chafing.

Pete

Pete, Great idea n the rubbers. I'm swinging 13x4.5's tonight, after a test on the 12's with the new firmware loaded late last night. It will give me a hover all loaded at 55% throttle. I'm thinking the 12's are a little small, or pitch not higher. The eCalc is saying 12x4's are higher revs, but all parameters are within tolerance, but the 13x4.5's put me over the limit at full power. It'll be fine since I never throttle full for longer than a few seconds. I'm waiting to see the upgrade options for the old AD series stuff, and may rebuild the ADX-4 into a quad for FPV. Either that, or next build with be the new CX-4, so I've got something nifty for the next video competition.

 

[hjls3]

Nic have you had ample flight time to compare the gemfan to turnigy wood props? also, if you have a moment - do you have a link to where a guy could buy the gemfans. thanks - and thanks also for such a great build thread. regardless of the drool on my keyboard - really have enjoyed your documentation.

 

[nicwilke]

Nic have you had ample flight time to compare the gemfan to turnigy wood props? also, if you have a moment - do you have a link to where a guy could buy the gemfans. thanks - and thanks also for such a great build thread. regardless of the drool on my keyboard - really have enjoyed your documentation.

I have thoroughly assessed the Gemfan and Turnigy wood props (13x4.5's) and can say that I cannot note the difference. The Turnigy ones look a little nicer if anything, like a cleaner grain wood. Since these props are CNC'd using a 3D cad file, I'm pretty sure they are identical. I did a hover in GPS hold with full payload (AUW 4.8kg) for 7 mins on the Turnigy props, and then landed, and swapped to the Gemfans. I hovered for another 7 mins, and landed. I looked at the vibration readings from my YS-X6 telemetry on my phone, and the Gemfans were vibrating at 0-2. The Turnigy were vidbrating the IMU exactly the same. I'd go as far as saying that I could use one or the other as spares and mix and match them.
I have 12x4's on at the moment to test agility with a smaller, shallower prop (also Gemfans) but you can get the 13's from Got RC Heli or the Turnigy woods from hobbyking.com
I have Gemfan plastic props (12x4.5's) but just dont trust plastic anymore.

 

[hjls3]

thanks nic. im gonna give the gemfans a go.

 

[nicwilke]

thanks nic. im gonna give the gemfans a go.

Try www.flitelab.com Also, Got some 12x4's Gemfan woods off him, very pleasant to deal with.