Wookong experts need fail safe advice

modular46

Member
I have a new Wookong system that I installed and setup and it flies nice. I use 5.20 firmware as I believe its truly the last reliable firmware. It flies very smooth and stable in GPS, ATTI and manual modes. I have been reading and researching how to properly setup the failsafe correctly. I have set it up so that when my radio powers off, it does go to fail safe in the U channel. I also have selected altitude go home and 50 meters selected. My question and concern is about inconsistencies about a throttle value needing to be stored in the radio or not. Some people believe that you do not need to store any throttle value and that the flight control system just automatically will know how to land. Some people believe you need to manually store and program your radio with a throttle value of less than what your normal hover throttle is. Some people believe that if you don't store a value into it that it will use a value of 0 and throttle will essentially cut off when it tries to land. So the opinions vary and the Wookong user guide is not specific about the proper procedure.

With all that said I am very confused. After reading everything so far I would draw the conclusion based on my assumption that you do indeed need to set the fail safe throttle value in the radio because every copter will be different as far as the amount of throttle required to hover because this is based on motor-prop choice and payload.

Now with that said, if this is true I don't know how programming the value into the radio makes any difference because when the radio is shut off or loses connection with the RX the value in the radio is meaningless. So I ask this question, if you do need to store a fail safe throttle value into the radio upon binding, does that mean it stores this value into the RX so that if the RX loses the TX's signal it will give the wookong the appropriate throttle value? What happens if you don't program a value would it just use a default of 50% or 0%?

Any help is very much appreciated. I have a very good flyer and do not want to crash a very good working copter.

Thanks in advance.

Dave King
 

Hexacrafter

Manufacturer
Modular...
I think you are confusing two different aspects of "failsafe".
1. The RTH function can be set-up as part of failsafe, but this is only one piece in of the puzzle... the WKM portion.
2. The "failsafe" is set-up in the TX and then bound to the RX to save the "loss of radio signal" settings. This is the "real" failsafe.
The way this is done is different from Spektrum to Futaba and other radio brands, but I will describe both Spektrum and Futaba.
With Spektrum, you bind the radio to the RX twice. The first binding is to simply link the RX to the TX. The Second binding saves the desired "failsafe" stick, switch and knob positions in the RX. In your case this means that Throttle would be mid-stick, as would all other stick locations, the switch for flight mode would be "GPS" , the switch for RTH would be set for RTH, and retractable landing gear would be set to down. After the rebind, when you are in DJI assistant and power off the TX, you should see all of the sliders move to the positions you have set.
With Futaba, it depends on the actual radio, but in most, you have to go to the "failsafe" menu. In this menu you can set the same settings mentioned above for spectrum but it is done in the on screen menu. REMEMBER... most Futaba radios set the Throttle failsafe position and most others as HOLD by default. This means that the last stick, knob, slider... positions will remain where they were when the radio signal was lost..... translation.... the WKM is basically told that you are still giving it those same commands and the aircraft just keeps flying away........not knowing any different.....
There are tons of videos on the web...., but above are the basics...
 

modular46

Member
HI HexaCrafter

Thanks for the help. I understand exactly what you are saying. Are you saying that the "real" failsafe value that you store when binding is hover throttle or landing throttle? If you select altitude return home as fail safe mode it a hover throttle value to able to safely keep altitude until returning home, and then a landing throttle value. Which failsafe function would be the value you store? Hover or landing? Since you can select hover only as a failsafe method I might want to "assume" that is the value you store and then for landing the flight controller will simple use a smaller value of the hover value you store so that it descends slowly?

Again any feedback is appreciated. It's important that the process is clear for obvious reasons.
 

Hexacrafter

Manufacturer
Throttle at 50% - dead centered.
Once RTH is triggered (as a result of the loss of radio signal OR when the RTH switch is manually activated when you wish to have it RTH), the FC takes control and will RTH and land.
 


Carapau

Tek care, lambs ont road, MRF Moderator
For Spektrum, if you dont mind me saying Hexacrafter, its not about binding it twice, it's about using two slightly different procedures. To set the channel failsafes anything other than middle and throttle at zero you insert the bind plug and power up the receiver. Now remove the bind plug with all the channels on the transmitter set to where you want them. Turn on the TX holding the bind button. Job done. To bind with all sticks at zero you put in the bind plug, turn on the transmitter with the bind button held, wait for it to do its thing and then remove the bind plug.

For WKG in order to prevent your aircraft falling out of the sky on a genuine failsafe, the throttle must failsafe to a value over 10%. Most people choose 50% as this gives a good factor above the stated minimum.
 

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