Intelligent Orientation Control IOC Naza

[Jim in Massachusetts]

Hi!
I've had my F550 flying since late Sept 2012. Tonight however, I enabled IOC with the NAZA assistant software for the first time. ( I hit "write" after making changes.) (BTW, is anyone aware of and visible confirmation on Naza Assistant indicating "write" is successful?)

I have not activated IOC during flight yet but I plan to try it out over the weekend. I understand what IOC is intended to do. (Bring it home when you pull back on the stick regardless of orientation)

My question is, once I activate OIC in flight, will flipping the switch back bring me back to normal flight control?

I would expect it to return to normal flight but I'm not sure, since I recently found out that if I activate Return to Home(RTH), I must toggle my flight mode switch between modes to regain control.

Also, a secondary but less important question, what would be a good use or benefit of "course lock" ?

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice.

 

[gtranquilla]

Be careful with IOC especially if it gets close to you or passes over your head..... it can get very confusing or switch out of IOC within approx 10 meters/30 feet by design.
Bring it back home when you pull back on the stick is a great feature in concept but make sure it is working before your MR is a dot on the horizon.
Course lock might be of some use for aerial video work when you want your camera to be shooting sideways.
Also it eliminates the mirror image control effect but I prefer to learn how to fly the MR toward myself and learn mirror image flying....

Mirror image........It's even more fun when flying a fixed wing toward yourself inverted, 30 feet off the ground.......at about 80 mph!!!

Hi!
I've had my F550 flying since late Sept 2012. Tonight however, I enabled IOC with the NAZA assistant software for the first time. ( I hit "write" after making changes.) (BTW, is anyone aware of and visible confirmation on Naza Assistant indicating "write" is successful?)

I have not activated IOC during flight yet but I plan to try it out over the weekend. I understand what IOC is intended to do. (Bring it home when you pull back on the stick regardless of orientation)

My question is, once I activate OIC in flight, will flipping the switch back bring me back to normal flight control?

I would expect it to return to normal flight but I'm not sure, since I recently found out that if I activate Return to Home(RTH), I must toggle my flight mode switch between modes to regain control.

Also, a secondary but less important question, what would be a good use or benefit of "course lock" ?

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice.

 

[glacier51]

Hey Jim:

Yeah, just flip IOC back to normal and you're good to go. But as gtranquilla says, do it early.

Regarding RTH, if you switch triggered RTH, then that failsafe switch also has to be reset to normal.

My technique for a switched failsafe is once I know the hexa is headed home, I put that switch back to normal, leaving the flight mode switch where it was and the power in at least 40%. Then if things go sideways on you and it's necessary to regain control, there's only the flight mode switch to cycle.

 

[Eggbeater]

I agree. You have three settings...Off...Home...Course. OFF is off so you are returning to a non-IOC flight. So you will be safe to switch IOC to off. Here is how I remember and use each one.

Home. Basically, you are drawing a line between where you took off (home ) and the aircraft. Pull back and it flies that line back to home. Push forward and it flies away using that same line. Left and right is perpendicular to that line.

Course. Stay standing facing the same direction as when you took off. Forward,back,L,R will be how you are facing. BUT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT of course which could get you in trouble. When you come within a certain distance from home point (takeoff point), your aircraft will switch from course to home by itself. I think this distance is 20m. So the aircraft will fly as you expect in course lock and then suddenly change when it gets close. To me that is a terrible and unsafe idea. There is a YouTube illustrating this by "TestFly". I hate course lock.

Here's how I typically fly. I never use IOC anymore. I know I can use home IOC to recover from a "lost" or disoriented situation. But I never fly out of sight. I may use the POI aspect of IOC later.

Before takeoff I test all three flight mode LED's. I switch to GPS and takeoff. I low hover for a few seconds testing all my control inputs and listening for any problems etc. I rise to maybe 20-30' clear of people/obstacles, then switch to Attt mode. I do all my flying and reverse the procedure to land. As I am approaching, I switch to GPS and land. Yeah...I'm kinda a sissy. It's my money. Sometimes I land in Att mode but not usually. Just my 2 cents.

 

[rexbirk]

I agree. You have three settings...Off...Home...Course. OFF is off so you are returning to a non-IOC flight. So you will be safe to switch IOC to off. Here is how I remember and use each one.

Home. Basically, you are drawing a line between where you took off (home ) and the aircraft. Pull back and it flies that line back to home. Push forward and it flies away using that same line. Left and right is perpendicular to that line.

Course. Stay standing facing the same direction as when you took off. Forward,back,L,R will be how you are facing. BUT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT of course which could get you in trouble. When you come within a certain distance from home point (takeoff point), your aircraft will switch from course to home by itself. I think this distance is 20m. So the aircraft will fly as you expect in course lock and then suddenly change when it gets close. To me that is a terrible and unsafe idea. There is a YouTube illustrating this by "TestFly". I hate course lock.

Here's how I typically fly. I never use IOC anymore. I know I can use home IOC to recover from a "lost" or disoriented situation. But I never fly out of sight. I may use the POI aspect of IOC later.

Before takeoff I test all three flight mode LED's. I switch to GPS and takeoff. I low hover for a few seconds testing all my control inputs and listening for any problems etc. I rise to maybe 20-30' clear of people/obstacles, then switch to Attt mode. I do all my flying and reverse the procedure to land. As I am approaching, I switch to GPS and land. Yeah...I'm kinda a sissy. It's my money. Sometimes I land in Att mode but not usually. Just my 2 cents.

I'm with you eggbeater. It seems this Naza unit has so many functions it's easy to get confused. At times I thought I had too many options on my aircraft but this puts them to shame. One H*ll of a lot of fun though!

 

[Eggbeater]

Yep. switching back and forth with a helicopter makes it even more confusing. I'm waiting on the arrival of the new JETI DS-16 radio. Had a DC-16 (panel type) for about a month trying it out. Reason I mentioned it is that you can easily move the switches around and configure them. Helps a little keeping the ol brain straight. I am using a WK-M but have a 2nd project and may use the Naza this go around. One Hex will be more for just flying and the other payload. I knew you had expereince using the unit and didn't mean to tell you what you already knew. Just my effort to be clear. That TESTFLY guy on YouTube helped me understand IOC, and Failsafe setups. He repeats himself too but you are really clear about things when he gets through. Having fun too flying everyday the weather allows.

 

[hershey]

OK. You guys are playing with my mind. My IOC means that the copter flys in a forward direction (as deemed forward at takeoff) no matter which way the copter is actually facing. Even it its spinning on its axis, forward is forward and left is left etc.
Mine is set up that way and it has no problem with my landing it right at my feet...no 10 ft or 10 yd invisible buffer around me.
I thought that RTH (Return to home) was the same as what is being eluded to in the above thread?
Then theres RTH and Land which adds another element to my confustion.

 

[Eggbeater]

Hershey. I sincerely apologize for what I thought was a good explanation. I guess I didn;t do so well. I use WK-M and WK-H so maybe there is a difference. But I think not. I am not at my Assistant software so I can't verify things and I am leavng to comfort a dyng aunt. So I am worthless to you at this moment. Here is what I can explain and suggest that MAY help.

The Home Lock IOC doesn't care how you are facing. It draws a straight line from the takeoff spot (home) to the aircraft. Stick forward is moving away on that line and Stick Back is moving towards home on that line. It doesn't matter how the aircraft is rotated.

The Course lock IOC does care how you are standing. If you are facing North, I suggest you try to continue to face North. The aircraft will respond as if it was always facing North. NORTH is Stick Forward, SOUTH is Stick Back. Again, it doesn;t matter how the aircraft is rotated.

Now ONE of the IOC's is supposed to revert to "normal" manual type flight when it reaches a given perimeter around your home takeoff spot. I think it is course lock and 20m but not sure. Whichever it is, once the aircraft gets within that circle, it reverts back to a normal front-of-aircraft-is-front situation and your TX sticks will change. Understand? I don't like this change and is why I seldom use any IOC unless disoriented.

RTH is a different thing and seaparate from the two different IOC's. You seem to be working fine and doing RTH ok.

Google YouTube and search for "Testfly". He made some nice videos on IOC, setting up failsafe (RTH) with JR9503 and other things that will illustrate what I am saying. He is flying and explaining as he speaks.

Sorry I have to run but had to respond since I seem to have caused you confusion. We can talk later at a better time.