Cyclops Storm wants to commit suicide!

[jweaver]

Video is private - cannot view

So its is.. Try now. Cheers.

[karlak]

In level(ish) flight your pitch is showing +17 (P)  , you need that to be Zero.

This is set in the Menu, so you would need to dial in -17 for the pitch, this should then show pretty much Zero when in level flight.  I reckon that would also then make the AHI be more central in the display.  I am pretty sure this would really confuse the Storm when you hit PA or RTH mode as it will be, starting from a bad base-line.

[jweaver]

In level(ish) flight your pitch is showing +17 (P)  , you need that to be Zero.

This is set in the Menu, so you would need to dial in -17 for the pitch, this should then show pretty much Zero when in level flight.  I reckon that would also then make the AHI be more central in the display.  I am pretty sure this would really confuse the Storm when you hit PA or RTH mode as it will be, starting from a bad base-line.

I hope you are right.. I did put the plane 'level' on the ground (level as in how it would fly, not roll) and set the trims in the software.. But I will look at that again....

I just looked at the video and can see places where its flying pretty level (rate of clime +/- 1).. And the pitch is certainly off.. But then I have seen others times where its at zero.

I need to re-look at that...

One thing I don't understand is now you setup the Storm for level flight. On the ground its going to be nose up, so I just prop up the tail and get it to where I think it would be in level flight and then do the reset.. Is this right??

If my Storm does think that level is -17 as you say.. How do I get it to zero? Is that what zeroing the trims does?

Jon

[karlak]

Start by as you say setting it on the ground as if level in flight - near as anyway.  Check what reading the Pitch (P) is on the OSD.  if it is +10, then go to the menu to the TRIM section, select the "P" setting and dial in -10 (it may actually be +10 can't recall), then go always to EXIT so it saves.  My understanding is that this tells the storm when the Gyro is set level, so compensates for a less than ideal fitting location.  Is the storm mounted on the level in the plane?

Now, the OSD should show ZERO.  This is with the plane still set in a level(ish) flight attitude. See if that helps..  Also check your gains in the Storm and perhaps reduce them down ?

The plane did look quite skittish generally in manual flight.  Have you set exponential for the controls ? Also, may be worth reducing the rates a little ?  I am not an expert by the way :)

[jweaver]

Start by as you say setting it on the ground as if level in flight - near as anyway.  Check what reading the Pitch (P) is on the OSD.  if it is +10, then go to the menu to the TRIM section, select the "P" setting and dial in -10 (it may actually be +10 can't recall), then go always to EXIT so it saves.  My understanding is that this tells the storm when the Gyro is set level, so compensates for a less than ideal fitting location.  Is the storm mounted on the level in the plane?

Now, the OSD should show ZERO.  This is with the plane still set in a level(ish) flight attitude. See if that helps..  Also check your gains in the Storm and perhaps reduce them down ?

The plane did look quite skittish generally in manual flight.  Have you set exponential for the controls ? Also, may be worth reducing the rates a little ?  I am not an expert by the way :)

I have been thinking about this.. And I don't think this explains the behavour.. I did zero it on the ground.. and I did have P&R at about zero when holding it approx level flight...  But even like this, when I put it in PA, the Ailerons move like they want to roll the plane over.. And whats worrying is that for no apparant reason, they would suddenly reverse and go the other way.

When I find the sweet spot, where the ailerons go neutral, I can then wobble it back and forth and they correct.. But the plane is at a bank.. And the Elevators did nothing to correct

THe bit I am not sure is when its in this mode, the Roll shows it as being off level.

I am going to have another good look at this.. Hopefully with fresh eyes things will make more sense.

Jon

[CurryKitten]

It looks as though your ailerons are reversed for PA, but you are saying that if you hold the plane and wiggle it back/forth on the ground that in PA they move the correct way to correct the roll ?  If in any doubt, just do a quick ground test having reversed the ailerons in the OSD setup and test again.

What happens when you pitch it up and down in this mode, does the elevator move at all ?  If it does then you can try increasing the travel

Watching the video, the roll/pitch wasn't massively out for much of the flight.  There's times when you have the "shaky plane" symbol flash up and that's Storm saying "arrgghh don't know where I am" which can take a few seconds to calm down again.  Like-wise you got the AHI going out - which can happen after some big moves - the question is, did it settle again, and it did seem to.

Some more height would be really useful, because you were low down, you were only in PA for a second at a time

[jweaver]

It looks as though your ailerons are reversed for PA, but you are saying that if you hold the plane and wiggle it back/forth on the ground that in PA they move the correct way to correct the roll ?  If in any doubt, just do a quick ground test having reversed the ailerons in the OSD setup and test again.

What happens when you pitch it up and down in this mode, does the elevator move at all ?  If it does then you can try increasing the travel

Watching the video, the roll/pithttp://www.fpvhub.com/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/lipsrsealed.gifch wasn't massively out for much of the flight.  There's times when you have the "shaky plane" symbol flash up and that's Storm saying "arrgghh don't know where I am" which can take a few seconds to calm down again.  Like-wise you got the AHI going out - which can happen after some big moves - the question is, did it settle again, and it did seem to.

Some more height would be really useful, because you were low down, you were only in PA for a second at a time

No elevator movement at all.. Pitching up and down whilst on the ground did not cause the elevators to move, which I thought odd.

The ailerons do not look reversed.. Doing this by hand.. When I put it in PA, the Ailerons move as if the plane wants to roll.. I roll the plane in the direction of the ailerons and at about 20 degrees they level out (even though the plane is banked at 20 degrees).. At this point I can roll left and right and the tiny movements of the ailerons would keep the plane in that orientation (20 degrees off)..

Suddently for no reason, there is a noise (of the servos moving quickly) and the ailerons go the other way.. and rolling the plane in the other direciton, it "levels out" at 20 degress the other way.

The whole stabilization thing works. Rolling the plan gently causes the ailerons to react like they should. But its "level" is approx 20 degrees off level.

And as I said, the elevators do absolutely nothing...

As for the short PA in the video.. Believe me, if I didn't switch off when I did, it would have dropped out of the sky.. As soon a I put it in PA, the rolls violently to the left/right and drops...

I guess i could go higher and test for longer, but considering the ailerons do what they do on the ground, there is little point in flying agian...

[FPVSteve]

When you hit RESET GYRO do you have your plane sitting level, or balanced on a wing?

[English Turbines]

I dont think the giros have reset when you have pressed the button myself...Clearly you know how to set the plane level in order to do this, but if your Storm is like mine, then its not even obviuos its actually done it..!!!

So...first off start using the full display, because you need the ladders to show where you have set pitch level...yours is very clearly way off!!!!
The roll looks ok to me as you Taxied about, but the pitch was being hidden as the AHI was locked at the screen bottom.
Then, stop flying the model, because when you select PA, you can do a full function check just watching the flying surfaces to see if they are correcting ok....If you need to, temporarily increase the control surface throws while you check it out...Do not fly it, if it dont work on the ground it wont work in the air either. I assume you have the Storm Mainboard fixed nice and level in the plane under the wing somewhere?....Hope this helps...Oh, and find somewhere more suitable to test fly, flying the model round your head is not good....you need to fly level for up to 1km, not 300mtrs.

:vulture:

[jweaver]

When you hit RESET GYRO do you have your plane sitting level, or balanced on a wing?

As level as possible. Certainly not significantly off centre.

The post from English Turbines above offers a lot of good info, so am going to follow that when i have my next go.

That said.. You mention flying 1km? Thats not going to happen as the last time i lost my plane was when i pushed out to 1km for the first time and i vowed that from now on, i was going to keep it "local" when flying.

At the rnd of the day, the PA mode is of little interest. I bought the Storm for its HUD. But i need RTh to work and thats not going to happen in its current state.

Oh yes.. Location.. Its mounted right under the wing.. Dead flat.. Dead straight.. Pointing forwards..

Hopefully when i look at it again with fresh eyes, it will make sence.

[English Turbines]

As level as possible. Certainly not significantly off centre.

The post from English Turbines above offers a lot of good info, so am going to follow that when i have my next go.

That said.. You mention flying 1km? Thats not going to happen as the last time i lost my plane was when i pushed out to 1km for the first time and i vowed that from now on, i was going to keep it "local" when flying.

At the rnd of the day, the PA mode is of little interest. I bought the Storm for its HUD. But i need RTh to work and thats not going to happen in its current state.

Oh yes.. Location.. Its mounted right under the wing.. Dead flat.. Dead straight.. Pointing forwards..

Hopefully when i look at it again with fresh eyes, it will make sence.

Good plan, I hope you get it sorted out....For sure, you need PA Mode to check its working as it should...You cant use RTH, as the plane will try and steer a course home....But if PA Mode works ok on the ground, then it will work ok in the air also...Unless your motor and prop are vibrating badly....So, you are sure when the Storm boots...it shows version 2.10?....and not 2.01?....I had 2.01 in mine, and it was useless!!!

:vulture:

[jweaver]

Good plan, I hope you get it sorted out....For sure, you need PA Mode to check its working as it should...You cant use RTH, as the plane will try and steer a course home....But if PA Mode works ok on the ground, then it will work ok in the air also...Unless your motor and prop are vibrating badly....So, you are sure when the Storm boots...it shows version 2.10?....and not 2.01?....I had 2.01 in mine, and it was useless!!!

:vulture:

Cheers.. understood that RTH wont work which is a huge problem as if i get a glitch on the radio and it triggers RTH, the plane will get its wish and crash.

Firmware is certainly 2.1 not 2.01.. Wish that was the solution... What bothers me is that the Storm on my WOT4 worked first time.. I had to make slight adjustments, but it still worked.. I didnt see anything like this when i was setting it up.

I am sure i will work it out...

[elmattbo]

Just plugged in my storm for the first time in a while and it's dead... For no apparent reason, no power! I must have made an error somewhere but it doesn't look good at the moment. Last time it worked fine, ended the flight, unplugged the battery - and now this!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[_tj_]

Cheers.. understood that RTH wont work which is a huge problem as if i get a glitch on the radio and it triggers RTH, the plane will get its wish and crash.

Firmware is certainly 2.1 not 2.01.. Wish that was the solution... What bothers me is that the Storm on my WOT4 worked first time.. I had to make slight adjustments, but it still worked.. I didnt see anything like this when i was setting it up.

I am sure i will work it out...

Latest firmware is v2.2 not v2.01
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=30344019

You could try flashing it with that.
If you get really stuck and aren't getting anywhere (To the point you wanna throw it out the window)
Just send me a pm.

[jweaver]

So here is an update.

I have connected it up in the garage (no GPS) and PA appears to be working normally (alteast the roll).. As soon as I enable PA, the servers start to 'chatter' and when I hold the plane level, the ailerons are level.. As I bank left, the move to push the plane right.. And visa versa.. It looks completely normal and as is working as expected..

I did notice that (as people pointed out) the HUD was calibrated for when the tail wheel was on the ground (i.e nose up).. I have levelled it, and reset the trims and now the HUD is in the middle.

So there are 2 possibilities..

1. The storm was a bit 'confused' and a power rest of a few days has sorted it out
2. This is linked to GPS and Heading hold.

The Ailerons appear to be working.. But I am not convinced about the elevator.. When I pitch up and down, the elevators don't move.. Alteast that's what I thought.. They do.. But only about 1mm in each direction.. Perhaps this subtle movement is all thats needed to stay level, but I thought they moved more? Before I continue, could someone confirm how much movement I should see?

I would expect more.. THe HUD and Pitch indicate a large amount of pitch, so the Storm knows that its climbing/diving.. So I would expect it to know that its in a climb/dive and do something.. But perhaps that not how it works?

My next test is to take it in the garden to get a GPS lock and try again.

Atleast its not looking as bad as I feared...

Jon