FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD

g.collins · February 27, 2011, 01:17:56 AM

Hi

I'm new to this forum, and this is my first posed, there for I'm not sure whether I'm posting this in the right place or not, so sorry if this is wrong,
I have been in to RC sins the 80s and have numerous models, and I'm a model maker by trayed.
for the lased 10 years I have been living in London, and away from my flying bud-es in Cornwall, this means that I tend to fly solo in a local park. I recently discovered FPV on YouTube whilst downloading an on board video of my mustang flying, called "Mustang Tony RC test pilot" using one of thes cheep key ring videos.
About 30 years ago at a local youth club we were shown a black and white film, that I think was called flying eye or something, of course pure fantasy at the time, but a boy hood dream never the less, I love flying and once was taken up in a microlight, great experience. When I was a teenager I lost sight in one of my eyes, this means I would not pass the medical, needed to get a pilot's license, FPV is my chance to fly and having 2D vision for most of my life means that I'm used to the 2D perspective.

I'm putting together a FPV setup, I have the Goggles and Ive ordered a FPV512 Plug and Play 1.2Ghz 500mW Wireless System - Lawmate with a Plug and Play Camera WDR600 Mini Sony CCD Color Camera 550 TVL from Hobby Wireless, I have a new Multiplex EasyStar, with a replacement brushless motor, that I will build when I have all the component I need, it will probably need custom compartment that will be eseyer to create before I glue together, this brings me to my first question, I have looked at many OSD systems and read lots of links and decided I won't to buy a FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD, partly because of the relative safety of fail safe Home function, until I get an idea of the rang that my 2.4Ghz RC controls give me, at the moment I have a Spektrum DX6i or a Futaba T6EX, I know that I would be better of with more channels, I believe the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD needs up to 3 extra channels for the different flight modes, as you all no its costing me a lot of money to set this up and at the moment if I can get away with using some kit that I already have, at the moment I'm only interested in the fail safe home if I loos signal, I have performed some tests with a Spektrum AR6110e. on some servos and the only channel that reverts back to fail safe position is the throttle channel, I then tried it on my B/F Blade MSR and all channels go to fail safe, I have ordered a Spektrum AR7000 Rx before I discovered this potential problem, dose eny one know whether all the channels work with fail safe to activate the home mode on the Autopilot with this Rx, or is there a little gizmo to switch auto home on if the Rx looses signal, or will the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD work with this setup.

thanks Gordon

Ian F · February 27, 2011, 11:21:05 AM

I use the FY21 system. For it to work properly you need a minimum of 7 channels. The failsafe is dependant on how your TX works. I use futaba 10 and you can set any number of channels to failsafe to a predetermined mode, so you need a radio where you can program your failsafes, I don't use spectrum so you will have to read the manual.
Also I wouldn't recommend 2.4 ghz for RC control due to its limited range and LOS issues.

g.collins · February 27, 2011, 01:25:31 PM

thanks Ian

I know that the range isn't that good, I have been looking in to signal boosting it, I have also sent an e mail to Dragon link, but they have not got back to me yet, I was just looking to fly close rang 400 to 500ft for now, and need the fail safe home to work, and need to now if it will work with my setup, or do I have to connect all the functions up to work
thanks Gordon

Ian F · February 27, 2011, 01:51:18 PM

Yes you need to connect them up to work as they are switchable. You dont have to go to the expense of dragon link, 35mhz is very cheap now (second hand) and very good for FPV capable up to 2 or 3 miles so would be perfect for around 500 feet and has far less LOS (line of sight) issues, even a boosted 2.4RC would not overcome these.

ORCA · February 27, 2011, 02:10:27 PM

Futaba failsafe is set by the Tx. Spektrum failsafe is set by the Rx. Go to the Spektrum site and check out the recievers you have http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/Products/airReceivers.aspx
Use the little red arrows top and bottom of the list to scroll and find what you have, click on it and go explore.
I think that you will require an AR9000 Rx to have failsafe on all channels.

ORCA · February 27, 2011, 02:20:08 PM

AR7000 user guide http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR7000UserGuide.pdf
AR9000 user guide http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPMAR9000.pdf

g.collins · February 27, 2011, 08:48:07 PM

thanks Orca

It looks like the AR9000 is the one I should of gone for, I suppose on the bright side I only payed £43 on ebay for it, I'm shor it will come in handy, I suppose I better get an old 35mhz system, I use to have a 9 channel futaba but it died, all my old 35mhz stuff is 6 channel, more money and more research to fined a suitable tranny :+

regards Gordon

g.collins · February 27, 2011, 09:26:18 PM

Hi

back when I used 35mhz kit, I remember getting attacked by other signals.
When flying 2 or 3 miles out, what are the chances of someone terning on a matching frequency. scary!

regards Gordon

Coyote · February 28, 2011, 02:29:31 PM

Depends if you fly near rc clubs which you shouldnt, broadcasting on 1.2ghz would also effect your 2.4ghz you know ? 1.2ghz is the second harmonic of 2.4 so you will run into trouble pretty quick.

Failsafe with spektrum has always been their downfall. If you ust use 2.4ghz rc control use a FRSKY set, full failsafe control and full 2.4ghz band usage :)

g.collins · February 28, 2011, 10:25:33 PM

thanks Coyote

never mined I'm going to look for a second hand 35mhz setup.
I'm looking at FUTABA FF7 T7UPS, FUTABA FF9 T9CP, or Futaba FP-T8UP.
I don't suppose that you no which ones are compatible to work the FY21AP II IMU Autopilot + OSD properly.
or do you have a recommendation so that I don't bye lodes of transmitters.
thanks Gordon

Coyote · March 01, 2011, 12:28:45 AM

The futaba 7 or 9 will work fine. The 9 only supports 8 channels in ppm mode bear in mind.

Terrortroopers got a Futaba 7 for sale in classifieds thats a bargin ;)

g.collins · March 01, 2011, 10:52:28 PM

Hi Coyote

thanks for the info, I don't no what Terrortroopers is.

thanks Gordon

Coyote · March 01, 2011, 10:57:33 PM

Terrortrooper`s a member, Iain

Heres the transmitter ad :

Futaba 7 Sale

lc4092 · March 02, 2011, 11:19:02 AM

Quote from: g.collins on February 27, 2011, 01:17:56 AM
I have ordered a Spektrum AR7000 Rx before I discovered this potential problem, dose eny one know whether all the channels work with fail safe

Time to stop lurking....

An AR7000 with recent firmware can be set to failsafe on all channels, but it's not the default. To get it to do it -

Power up the AR7000 with the bind plug in.
Remove the bind plug.
Power up the transmitter in bind mode.

HTH

Steve

g.collins · March 02, 2011, 03:47:41 PM

Hi Coyote
I don't no whether its because I'm a new member, but the link comes up as an error.

Thanks Gordon

Hi Steve
thanks for the info on the receiver I will give it a go, I will probably be looking for some 35mhz kit, apparently the 2.4gnz kit will affect my 1.2ghz video kit.

thanks again Gordon.