Having Difficulty with Naza-M GPS Calibration

johna58

Member
First, I have to say that after weeks of waiting for legs to rebuild my F550 (everything is stock parts, no alterations or replacement of props with other brands), I have flown with both small props using a 4s 4.0 Lipo and the larger props using a 3s 3.3 Lipo. I was able to have it take off and gently navigate it around my front yard today. For many, this might not sound like a great accomplishment but for me it was. In the ATTI mode, it did its best to maintain a stable hover but I still experienced very slight yawing and pitching requiring me to put in minute stick corrections to compensate but not bad. I also notice that it has a tendency to shoot up with only a slight increase in throttle. Is this something I should expect and get use to? One thing I did not try is the GPS mode.

This is because I am not sure if I was successful going through the celebration and it complete correctly. I am able to get it into a sold yellow by flicking between GPS and Manual. The yellow light is solid. I then pick it up and (in the middle of a field and me not wearing jewelry on) I picked up the craft and slowly turned clockwise a full 360 degrees but I did not see a change from yellow to green (how close to each other is their hue?). I then turn the craft vertically and I then repeated the rotation procedure. Many times the light went out. I then rotated it back horizontally and placed it on the ground for takeoff. This is when I notice the steady (yellow or green, I am not sure) flashing light. My question is was the compass successfully calibrated. If so, does anyone have an explanation as to why I did not see a color change between the horizontal and vertical portion of the calibration process (as stated in the online Naza manual and from other YouTube on this subject. I like to put it in the GPS mode and test the Failsafe and RTH features but I fear that if the GPS is not calibrated and working I don’t know what to expect (outside of a definite uncontrolled crash).

Thanks to all in advance :nevreness:
 

Tahoe Ed

Active Member
You are calibrating the compass not the GPS. If you can fly in ATTI mode you were successful if you have no red flashes then engage GPS.
 


mrbonk

Member
First, I have to say that after weeks of waiting for legs to rebuild my F550 (everything is stock parts, no alterations or replacement of props with other brands), I have flown with both small props using a 4s 4.0 Lipo and the larger props using a 3s 3.3 Lipo. I was able to have it take off and gently navigate it around my front yard today. For many, this might not sound like a great accomplishment but for me it was. In the ATTI mode, it did its best to maintain a stable hover but I still experienced very slight yawing and pitching requiring me to put in minute stick corrections to compensate but not bad. I also notice that it has a tendency to shoot up with only a slight increase in throttle. Is this something I should expect and get use to? One thing I did not try is the GPS mode.

Props and motors all balanced? CG is right on the money? What's your altitude gain set at? That might be why it's climbing fast. Yawing is achieved by differential motor speeds, so make sure your motors are all the same and spin freely etc. If you're doing a rebuild, does that mean you had a crash? If so, you have have a damaged motor bearing or something.

Something else to keep in mind....ATTI mode will only attempt to keep the craft level. It won't keep it in position. So if there's any wind, it will drift as a result. What's your yaw gain set at?
 
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johna58

Member
Props and motors all balanced? CG is right on the money? What's your altitude gain set at? That might be why it's climbing fast. Yawing is achieved by differential motor speeds, so make sure your motors are all the same and spin freely etc. If you're doing a rebuild, does that mean you had a crash? If so, you have have a damaged motor bearing or something.

Something else to keep in mind....ATTI mode will only attempt to keep the craft level. It won't keep it in position. So if there's any wind, it will drift as a result. What's your yaw gain set at?

I am confident that the craft is as balance and one can get it. Yes, I have rebuild it due to a crash and I was also concern about the motors but I think I am fine there. I do not here any one of the motors sound different from each other (unless all have bent shafts) and they are not hot after several hover flights today. I do need want to replace the props but finding Graupner are hard to find in stock and a bit too pricey for a newbie like me.

During my last flight today, the prop hub came off causing that leg to break. I have since replace the leg but I cannot fly unless I find the prop hub. Does anyone know if I can buy a set without having to buy a new motor just for the hub? If I am going to buy new motors, which make and models would be a good alternative and better? Do I still need to buy the heavy lift kit too or can I put a better motor in place of the stock ones?
 


OneStopRC

Dirty Little Hucker
I am confident that the craft is as balance and one can get it. Yes, I have rebuild it due to a crash and I was also concern about the motors but I think I am fine there. I do not here any one of the motors sound different from each other (unless all have bent shafts) and they are not hot after several hover flights today. I do need want to replace the props but finding Graupner are hard to find in stock and a bit too pricey for a newbie like me.

During my last flight today, the prop hub came off causing that leg to break. I have since replace the leg but I cannot fly unless I find the prop hub. Does anyone know if I can buy a set without having to buy a new motor just for the hub? If I am going to buy new motors, which make and models would be a good alternative and better? Do I still need to buy the heavy lift kit too or can I put a better motor in place of the stock ones?

Some people remove the prop hubs, and they install nylock nuts. A little more weight but they do not come undone.

Also, if you're worried about prop prices, you can buy some GemFans for $2.00 a piece, they are engineered to fit on the stock shaft of a DJI motor. See here... https://www.gothelirc.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=178&cat=GemFan+Carbon/ABS+Mix+Prop They are a carbon mix prop, work fairly well and not bad balance out of the bag.
 

02deuce

Time Warped
You are calibrating the compass not the GPS. If you can fly in ATTI mode you were successful if you have no red flashes then engage GPS.
I kindly disagree, Just because you can fly in Atti mode does not mean you preformed your calibration correctly. If you didn't calibrate correctly you can get inconsistent flight characteristics in both Atti Mode and in GPS mode. If your calibration was performed correctly you will get the lighting sequence as described in the manual (the color change from Yellow to Green is very noticeable). Please post your gain settings, and make sure you black out (electrical tape) the left side of your MC as it is very sensitive to light and will play havoc with holding altitude in ATTI And GPS mode.
 

Tahoe Ed

Active Member
I kindly disagree, Just because you can fly in Atti mode does not mean you preformed your calibration correctly. If you didn't calibrate correctly you can get inconsistent flight characteristics in both Atti Mode and in GPS mode. If your calibration was performed correctly you will get the lighting sequence as described in the manual (the color change from Yellow to Green is very noticeable). Please post your gain settings, and make sure you black out (electrical tape) the left side of your MC as it is very sensitive to light and will play havoc with holding altitude in ATTI And GPS mode.

If the calibration failed then he would not have been able to fly in ATTI successfully. The black out of the left side of the Naza is still up for debate. Some experience the issue, some do not.
 

02deuce

Time Warped
Kindly disagree again.
Owning two Naza's both drop like a rock when the left side is taking direct sun light. And I just maidened a new build F450 in Atti & GPS mode without Compass calibration today, and there was no noticeable difference in flight characteristics other that a little bit of drift in GPS mode.
Compass calibation has nothing to do with Atti mode only GPS mode. The owners manual clearly states "If you do not have GPS skip this procedure".
Atti mode is governed off of barometric pressure to maintain altitude only during flight.
 
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johna58

Member
As a newbie to all of these different suggestions, I am not sure which one will work for my situation. To give and update, I have my DX8 AR8000 receiver to the right of the MC. Due to a short cable and an effort to maintain as even a weight distribution our CG I have the TM1000 unit to the left of the MC. Would I still need to get black electrical tape and affix it to the left side of MC unit as previously suggested in this thread. Could my position of both Spektrum units be affecting my celebration?

As for my default gain values, I am following another person's recommendation and attach my pitch, roll, yaw attitude and attitude Gains to Aux3 knob. The default (middle setting) values are: Pitch=190, Roll=225, Altitude=110 and Attitude gain = 80. Does anyone have any default gain setting that I need to try?
 

02deuce

Time Warped
The one thing that I have leaned over the years is that electronic placement is critical for maximum performance of each component. I cringe when I see photos of other peoples builds where all the wires look like a birds nest and all the electronics are stacked on top of each other, will it work Yes will it work good.... No. Maximum separation of each electronic component is the key. On small platforms it can be hard but do the best that can be done with the real-estate that you have. I strongly suggest you move your AR8000 and satellite to the upper plate away form your MC making sure your antennas are pointing opposite directions. I have found that the best performance form GPS is obtained when is is mounted high on the mast well above the rest of the electronics.
Gains are subjective however the manual suggest the following for a starting point for a stock F550 setup: 170 170 150 140 170 170
 

johna58

Member
I have to agree with you. I am one who strives to be orderly and neat in my professional and personal life. I would like to ensure an adequate space between these components but this is a challenge given the small area and with features in more equipment being added, space becomes more of a premium. Couple this with the short length of many of the wires spacial engineering is more a concept than a practicality. I will work with my setup to see what is possible. I will also try these gains settings.
 

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