Skywalker people who have Cyclops Flight Controllers

[FPVSteve]

No it doesn't do anything with the rudder, I wish it did as I'd lke to do nice flat turns :)

I find on the Skywalker if you allow too much bank it drops like a stone before recovering, RTH + PA mode get eventful. On my Bixler it wasn't a problem though probably because that has dihedral so it's always wanting to level off.

It's an issue in wind because you can find that RTH takes an AGE to kick in (big circle!) since the vertical stabiliser might be weathervaning and countering the roll :o  So finding a sweet spot is important ... enough roll to make it actually turn, but not enough to allow it to lose loads of altitude.

[English Turbines]

No it doesn't do anything with the rudder, I wish it did as I'd lke to do nice flat turns :)

I find on the Skywalker if you allow too much bank it drops like a stone before recovering, RTH + PA mode get eventful. On my Bixler it wasn't a problem though probably because that has dihedral so it's always wanting to level off.

It's an issue in wind because you can find that RTH takes an AGE to kick in (big circle!) since the vertical stabiliser might be weathervaning and countering the roll :o  So finding a sweet spot is important ... enough roll to make it actually turn, but not enough to allow it to lose loads of altitude.

Thats good info m8, Im wondering if its possible to have a mix switch where when RTH is activated, the Rudder is mixed with the Ailerons, not much Rudder, but enough to assist in the turn....I remember Blueflyer complain about adverse yaw on the SW1900..

What do you think to the idea...?

:vulture:

[FPVSteve]

I don't think it'd work because at that point the flight controller has full control of the ailerons so any mixes from the radio wouldn't be active.

[English Turbines]

I don't think it'd work because at that point the flight controller has full control of the ailerons so any mixes from the radio wouldn't be active.

Of course, you are right...bugger....If only it did RTH on the Rudder too....

Will the SW1900 turn ok without using the Ailerons..?

:vulture:

[FPVSteve]

Yea, mine has loads of authority. I guess you could plug the rudder into the aileron slot on the flight controller? I wonder how well that would work.

[English Turbines]

Yea, mine has loads of authority. I guess you could plug the rudder into the aileron slot on the flight controller? I wonder how well that would work.

Thats exactly what I was thinking....:)

Alternately, how about a Y lead out the Storms port feeding Ailerons and Rudder...?

But....Only a little Rudder throw, when Ailerons are hard over..?

:vulture:

[Loopdreams]

It's an issue in wind because you can find that RTH takes an AGE to kick in (big circle!) since the vertical stabiliser might be weathervaning and countering the roll :o  So finding a sweet spot is important ... enough roll to make it actually turn, but not enough to allow it to lose loads of altitude.

Surely that can't be right can it.  I mean about RTH taking longer to turn the plane in a wind due to weathervaning.  Planes don't weathervane in the air.  At least that's what I always understood.  Although things are different with a flight controller since they're always trying to keep the nose pointed at a heading whilst simultaneously trying to fly to that heading which is never going to be good if there's any kind of crosswind.  In fact thinking about it what sort of ground track would a plane on heading hold end up flying in a crosswind?  Can't get my head around it.

[English Turbines]

Surely that can't be right can it.  I mean about RTH taking longer to turn the plane in a wind due to weathervaning.  Planes don't weathervane in the air.  At least that's what I always understood.  Although things are different with a flight controller since they're always trying to keep the nose pointed at a heading whilst simultaneously trying to fly to that heading which is never going to be good if there's any kind of crosswind.  In fact thinking about it what sort of ground track would a plane on heading hold end up flying in a crosswind?  Can't get my head around it.

With the FC switched into RTH...the first thing that needs to happen is to get the plane heading back home....Worst case scenario, is that the turn needs to be a full 180 degrees, less if you are flying out at an angle.
The SW1900 is typical of a plane which requires a little rudder as well as Aileron to make a smooth, quick turn without sideslip or adverse yaw. That bit of rudder can make a big difference in the rate of turn....
Once heading back, I would imagine the Storm goes into heading lock to keep on course.


It is possible for instance to turn a plane like the SW1900 using for example left Rudder, but at the same time holding in some right Aileron. ..Result, a nice, flat left turn, with little height loss....just the ticket after you switch in RTH.....:)

:vulture:

[Loopdreams]

I think we're talking about two different things.  I'm just rambling a bit about how planes don't care about the wind assuming that you're high up and it's quite smooth.  But then wondering what sort of ground track a flight controller would fly with a crosswind.  If you were flying in a plane and there was a crosswind from the right then the nose of the plane would be pointed off to the right by some calculated amount of degrees in order to fly a direct route so to an observer on the ground the plane would appear to be flying at an angle.  But a flight controller is dumb so it just points at the target, meaning that surely it's going to having to keep making a turn to the right and end up flying I guess a sort of curved path to home.

[Loopdreams]

Or do they use the GPS course and just make sure that the plane flies in a straight line over the ground, pointing the nose wherever necessary?  Whenever I've tested RTH on my Storm it just seems to point straight towards home and stay that way but I've never consciously tested it in a crosswind to see exactly what it would do.

[English Turbines]

Or do they use the GPS course and just make sure that the plane flies in a straight line over the ground, pointing the nose wherever necessary?  Whenever I've tested RTH on my Storm it just seems to point straight towards home and stay that way but I've never consciously tested it in a crosswind to see exactly what it would do.

You are right, most if not all FC are dumb when it comes to RTH...In a strong crosswind, they dont allow for drift sideways...What they do is keep the plane pointed at home, but thats all..

The original post was about using bank and yank with a plane like the SW1900. ..it doesnt work very well....but add in some Rudder, and its a different story....
  Once its headed home, a bit of Aileron correction will keep it headed in the right general direction....
  Getting the SW to do a 180 turn in the first place on just Aileron and elevator can be tricky, even when its calm, worse if the planes headed into wind...I think this is what Steve was on about....and hes right....:)

:vulture:

[Loopdreams]

After I posted I was having a bit of a read up and some folk are saying that the Vector will actually try and fly a straight GPS track.  I'm going to put mine in my mini talon once it arrives so hopefully I'll get to do some testing with it.  Looking forwards to seeing what it does.

[English Turbines]

After I posted I was having a bit of a read up and some folk are saying that the Vector will actually try and fly a straight GPS track.  I'm going to put mine in my mini talon once it arrives so hopefully I'll get to do some testing with it.  Looking forwards to seeing what it does.

Could be so....Doesnt the Vector have a Rudder output on a giro as well as Aileron and Elevator..?
  I assume you would need Tailerons to make it work on a M.Talon...?


:vulture:

[Loopdreams]

Yeah it'll do v-tails.

[dp106]

After I posted I was having a bit of a read up and some folk are saying that the Vector will actually try and fly a straight GPS track.  I'm going to put mine in my mini talon once it arrives so hopefully I'll get to do some testing with it.  Looking forwards to seeing what it does.

It does appear to do this (I think).  Sometimes when I'm flying in 2D-hold I will let go of the sticks and expect the plane to carry on flying pointing in the exact direction I let go, instead it often starts to drift off one way or the other.  I think this is the vector pointing the plane in the direction it needs to fly in to actually head in that direction.