The Quadcopter Controller

Table of Contents
Introduction to the Quadcopter controller...........................................................................................2
Flight Configurations .........................................................................................................................2
Updating the Firmware........................................................................................................................3
Mounting the Quadcopter controller in your Quadcopter...................................................................8
Quadcopter (Configuration!.............................................................................................................."
#etting up the Quadcopter controller.................................................................................................$%
Introduction to the Quadcopter controller
&he 'o((y)ing Quadcopter controller is a flight control (oard for * rotor +ircraft (Quadcopters!.
Its purpose is to sta(ilise the aircraft during flight. &o do this it ta,es the signal from the three on
(oard gyros (roll- pitch and yaw! then passes the signal to the +tmega*8.+ IC. &he +tmega*8.+ IC
unit then processes these signals according the users installed software and passes control signals to
the installed /lectronic #peed Controllers (/#Cs!. &hese signals instruct the /#Cs to ma,e fine
ad0ustments to the motors rotational speed which in turn sta(alises your Quadcopter.
&he 'o((y)ing Quadcopter control (oard also uses signals from your radio systems recei1er (23!
and passes these signals to the +tmega*8.+ IC 1ia the ail- ele- thr and rud inputs. 4nce this
information has (een processed the IC will send 1arying signals to the /#Cs which in turn ad0ust
the rotational speed of each motor to induce controlled flight (up- down- (ac,wards- forwards- left-
right- yaw!.
Flight Configurations
&he Quadcopter flight configurations depend on which firmware is loaded onto the chip.
&his configuration is Quadcopter (* 2otor configuration!.
Updating the Firmware
&he Quadcopter (oard has an +tmega*8.+ chip on (oard which allows users to twea, and load non
standard firmware.
#et IC Fuses 5 Flashing the Firmware
Connect the +62I#. M,2 (or similar! .rogrammer to the si3 pin I#. header on the
Quadcopter controller (oard.
Connect your .rogrammer7s 8 pin soc,et to the I#. header on the (oard. .in $ on the I#. header is
usually mar,ed with a small triangle. &hen connect the a 96 :C power source to the .C; pins.
4pen +62 #tudio *. It will as, you if you want to (egin a new pro0ect- or open an e3isting pro0ect.
Choose Cancel and clic, on the connect icon.
It will open a new window with a connection dialogue as,ing you to select your programmer and
connection port. <ith a programmer li,e the +62I#. m,II it is easy (ecause when you select that
programmer it (rings (ac, only one choice of port... U#;. &he +62=I#.9%% from 4lime3 is
recognised as a #&)9%% and has the option to auto choose the port. If it fails to recognise the port-
you may need to manually set the port for the programmer in your <indows de1ice settings to
C4M$ up to C4M* for +62 #tudio to recognise it.
<hen you ha1e chosen your programmer and port- clic, connect and you will (e ta,en to the +62
programming dialogue.
In the +62 programming window go to the >Main> ta( and ma,e sure that the chip you are
programming (e.g. +tmega*8.+! is selected in the >:e1ice and #ignature ;ytes> drop down menu.
+lso ma,e sure that the> .rogramming mode and target settings are set to I#.. Ma,e sure that the
settings for the I#. mode ha1e the I#. fre?uency set low enough to tal, to the chip.
.rogrammer7s fre?uency can set to $$9.2 ,'@. &his is ?uite an important setting to get right. If you
clic, on >2ead #ignature> and you get the response >#ignature matches selected de1ice> you ha1e
successfully managed to connect to your IC.
+lso ma,e sure that the target (oard or .C; is powered (Aou can chec, this (y clic,ing on the '<
#ettings ta( and chec,ing if the programmer can see any 1oltage!.
Bow it is time to set the fuses so clic, on the >Fuses> ta(. +62 #tudio is 1ery good in this respect as
it will wor, out the fuse settings for your particular IC depending upon the chec, (o3 options you
choose.
#et the chec, (o3es according to the following.
#/CF.2D/BE unchec,ed
2#&:I#;CE unchec,ed
:</BE unchec,ed
#.I/BE checked
<:&4BE unchec,ed
//#+6/E unchec,ed
;4:C/6/CE Brown-out detection at VCC=1.8 V
C):I68 E unchec,ed
C)4U&E unchec,ed
#U&FC)#/CE Int. RC Osc. 8 M!" #tart-up ti$e %&R'&()R*#*T+ , C-)1. C- / ,0 $s
&he fuse setting output will (e displayed at the (ottom of the window.
Chec, the >+uto read> >#mart warnings> and >6erify after programming> options at the (ottom of
the window and then clic, program.
If all goes to plan- you should get 4) response messages in the output section at the (ottom of your
window for /ntering .rogramming mode- writing fuse address- reading fuse address- Fuse (its
1erification and lea1ing programming mode.
If you get error messages- then rechec, your chip 1ersion and all the connections from your
programmer to the (oard and that the power is on. +lso ma,e sure that your fuse settings are as
descri(ed a(o1e.
Flash the Firmware
Clic, on the >.rogram> ta( and ha1e a loo, at the >Flash> section which is the 2nd section down.
Chec, the >Input '/G file> chec, (o3. &hen (rowse the un@ipped firmware folder and clic, on
your firmware '/G file suita(le for the chip you are programming for an +tmega*8.+. &hen clic,
>.rogram> in the Flash section of the window and you should get an 4) response in the output
section at the (ottom of the window. &hen clic, >6erify> to ma,e sure that the program has (een
successfully uploaded and if you ha1e an 4) response coming (ac, at the (ottom of the window
then you ha1e successfully programmed the IC with the test program.
Mounting the Quadcopter controller in your Quadcopter.
&he Quadcopter controller uses Murata pie@o gyros that are less sensiti1e to 1i(ration than #M:
type gyros- (ut it is still a good idea to mount the (oard on a 1i(ration dampening material. &he
(oard must also (e mounted with the white arrow facing the direction of forward flight.
<hen connecting your 2emote Control 2ecei1er (2G! you must connect the white signal wire of
the channels (C'$- C'2- C'3 and C'*! from your 2G corresponding to the aileron- ele1ator-
throttle and rudder to the inner pins on the (oard while the red (6CC! wires are connected to the
center pins- and the (lac, (DB:! wires are connected to the pins on the outer edge of your (oard.
&he pins mar,ed M$ to M* are connected to the 3 pin ;/C plug from your /#Cs. &hey follow the
same con1ention as the 2G pins with the white wires connected to the inner pins- the red wires to
the center pins and the (lac, wires to the outer pins. &he /#Cs and the connected motors are
plugged onto the pins M$ to M* in the following order depending on flight rotor configuration.
Bote also the direction of rotation for each motor. &his is achie1ed (y connecting the three /#C
wires to the motors and swapping two of the wires to achie1e rotation in the opposite direction.
Quadcopter (+ Configuration
!etting up the Quadcopter controller
$.Chec,ing transmitter channelsE
=&a,e off the propellers.
=&urn on transmitter and flight controller.
=#et throttle to a(out $H*. Motors should start.
=Mo1e pitch (ele1ator! stic, forward. ;ac, motor should speed up. If not- re1erse pitch (ele1ator!
channel.
=Mo1e roll (aileron! stic, to the left. 2ight motor should speed up. If not- re1erse roll (aileron!
channel.
=Mo1e yaw (rudder! stic, to the left. Front and (ac, motor should speed up. If not- re1erse yaw
(rudder! channel.
2. &ransmitter throttle ad0ustmentE
= &urn on transmitter and flight controller.
= If led does not turn on and stays on- lower your trim.
= If still no go- you may need to re1erse the throttle channel.
= +rm your (oard (y putting the left stic, down and to the right for the C/: to come on. If this does
not happen- ad0ust your throttle and yaw trim down and to the right on your transmitter. Ma,e sure
you do not ha1e any mi3ing switches on your &ransmitter ena(led.
3. Initial transmitter +&6Hser1o range settingsE
= .itch (ele1ator!E 9%I
= 2oll (aileron!E 9%I
= Aaw (rudder!E $%%I
*. /#C throttle rangeE
= &urn yaw pot to @ero.
= &urn on transmitter.
= &hrottle stic, to full.
= &urn on flight controller.
= <ait until the /#Cs (eep twice after the initial (eeps. (:epend on which /#C7s!
= &hrottle stic, to off. /#Cs (eep.
= &urn off flight controller.
= 2estore the yaw pot.
9. Initial Dyro gain pot 1alue is 9%I. Increase until it starts to oscillate rapidly- then (ac, off until it
is sta(le again. Fast forward flight needs lower gain.
&oo low gain is recognised (y the Quadcopter (eing hard to control andHor always wanting to tip
o1er.
8. Chec,ing gyro directionsE
= &a,e off the propellers.
= &urn on transmitter and flight controller.
= #et throttle to a(out $H*. Motors should start.
= &ilt Quadcopter forward. Forward motor should speed up. If not- re1erse pitch gyro.
= &ilt Quadcopter to the left. Ceft motor should speed up. If not- re1erse roll gyro.
= &urn Quadcopter C<. Front and (ac, motor should speed up. If not- re1erse yaw gyro.
J. 2e1ersing gyrosE
= #et roll gain pot to @ero.
= &urn on flight controller.
= C/: flashes rapidly $% times.
= Mo1e the stic, for the gyro you want to re1erse.
= C/: will (lin, continually.
= &urn off flight controller.
= If there is more gyros to (e re1ersed- go to step 2- else set roll gain pot (ac,.
8.Final chec,E
.lace the ?uadcopter on the ground- stand (ac, a safe distance and slowly ad1ance to a(out $H2
throttle. 'old it steady when you start increasing the throttle- (ecause the Quadcopter controller
cali(rates its gyros when throttle lea1es @ero- and then the gyros need to (e at rest.
If the ?uadcopter tries to twist away- chec, propeller and motor directions- gyro placement and trim
settings. + slight twist is 4).
If not- try to twist the ?uad. It should resist your mo1ements. More gyro gain gi1es more resistance.
If it starts to oscillate- reduce the gain. Aou should not need to reduce the gain (elow *%I.
BoteE the correct procedure for ta,ing off from the ground is as followingE
$E &he ?uad and its propellers needs to (e motionless.
2E Increase the throttle (collecti1e!. Kust as the throttle lea1es @ero- gyro cali(ration is performed.
3E /n0oyL +nd remem(er to close the throttle if you lose control. Much less damage.
B4&/#E :o not use (igger propellers than you need. Cight propellers gi1es faster response and
more sta(ility. &ry to get it to ho1er at a(out mid stic, ($H3 to 2H3 throttle!. Use smallerH(igger
propeller- different motor )1 or moreHless ;attery cells to achie1e that.