Setting Up Software and Calibrating Sensors

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awoods177
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:08 pm

Setting Up Software and Calibrating Sensors

Post by awoods177 »

Hi all,

This is my first post here on the forums.

I am working on on a quadrotor project and have just received the airframe/motors/rotors with the Crius MultiWii SE.

I plugged it into my laptop to configure the sensors (following one of the "noob" guides) and it just keeps beeping at me which is incredibly irritating. Whats with that?

Also, I am trying to use MultiWii 2.0 but the program says that there is a mismatch in version so I must have an older version firmware on the board (correct use of terms?)

Anyways I was wondering if there is a walkthrough for upgrading the firmware?

Thank You

bill516
Posts: 334
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:27 pm

Re: Setting Up Software and Calibrating Sensors

Post by bill516 »

Things you need to do.

Use Arduino 1.0 for multiwii v2.0 software. If you use v.19 or before use Arduno 0023/0022.

Set max min points for all your esc's, usually done by connecting an esc and a motor to Rx throttle channel and and powering up then put throttle to max and switch on Tx after beeps move throttle to min, some more beeps, (unless instructions for your esc's differ then follow them). Switch off Tx and Rx, do for all esc's individually.

Configure multiwii sketch with the parameters you need i.e type Quad, sensors you have gyro accl etc. Upload sketch to board.

On first power up after uploading sketch you need to calibrate accelerometers, (on a level surface), motors will not arm unless this is done . If you wish to enable any of the sensor options you need to click on the boxes so they turn white, click write button to write the settings to eeprom. If you select all three boxes for a sensor that sensor will be active at all times.

Use GUI to see that the throttle is reaching the min command if not readjust end points Tx or change value in sketch and reload. You can also test that sensors are activating at this point when you flick the desired switch.

Remove props and connect battery, you should now be able to arm the motors and they should spin up to min throttle speed. Not all motors may run at this point, you haven't done any trimming yet.

Once you have the motors running run up to 50% adjust Tx trim until all motors are approx same value in GUI. If the trace on the GUI is bouncing all over the place at this point and motor rpms are jumping up and down you need to find what is causing vibration and cure it and insulate the gyro and accl from vibration, a flat or almost flat line is what you are looking for. Trim should now be near to what it needs to be to fly, final trimming is done by flight test to enable a hands free flight, or minimum stick input to correct. Best done in still air or indoors if you have a large enough room.

Enable stable mode and trim uses sticks to adjust values (motors have to be dis-armed to do this). Use GUI to get all motors at approx same value. Flight test again to finalise trim settings. If you re-calibrate your accl after this point you will loose your stable mode trim setting and you will need to re-enter them.

That should be all you need to know to get going

After this its a case of tunning PIDs and I cant help with that as yet, Im still learning that part.

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UndCon
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:10 pm

Re: Setting Up Software and Calibrating Sensors

Post by UndCon »

In the MultiWii FAQ

http://www.multiwii.com/faq

There are some useful links at the bottom of the page - Shikra guide is very beginner friendly.

//UndCon

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