Firmware version 1.03 is now available for the Radian modules. The principle changes are: 1) The maximum/minimum end points are now user defineable as is the fixed position angle. Note that these are all IMU angles relative to the Earth - so please allow some margin for aircraft pitching+rolling if you are setting them to avoid hitting mechanical limits. 2) The PPM handling for the Graupner receivers has been modified to avoid random glitching caused by the PPM marker from the receiver having occasional glitches which caused the Radian to lose sync. Additionally you can now also use all 12 channels from the PPM receiver. 3) An option has been added which will turn the axis off UNLESS the active control is through the Spektrum port. This allows dual/operator selection without needing to rewire or unplug anything. The pan axis will remain off whilst the Radian is being controlled through the PPM or SBUS interface (single operator) but will automatically switch on if a camera operator turns on his SPektrum controller. Please be aware that the Spektrum takes a few seconds to initialise after you turn it on - so the camera operator must not move the sticks until it has finished otherwise the 'null' point latched will be wrong. If this happens, you can just turn the Spektrum off and on again and it will reinitialise. 4) Fixed the bug where the pan axis could start to spin on the ground after power up. Hopefully Mr Tabb will post the download links in the first reply below ...
Links are up on the Freefly Systems site: http://www.freeflysystems.com/products/freefly-radian.php And here: FREEFLY RADIAN SOFTWARE 1.1 http://www.freeflysystems.com/products/software/RadianStabiliserPCSoftware1.1.zip FREEFLY RADIAN FIRMWARE 1.03 http://www.freeflysystems.com/products/software/RadianStabiliserFirmware-1.03.zip FREEFLY BOOTLOADER 1.1 http://www.freeflysystems.com/products/software/FreeflyBootloader-1.1.zip
Did the update. I ended up having to re-map a lot of the controls from my previous setup. It switched around all the switches. Took about 30 minutes to re-map them correctly. LOVE that we can control the end points now. We already went out and flew and my cam op was very happy about this feature! Still wish there was a little more ramping on the stop/end points. It is a very abrupt stop if they don't manually slow the movement down but this is a great step and a very useful update! THANKS GUYS!!!! Josh
I was just about to do the upgrade myself, Josh. From what you say, it makes sense to connect up to each sensor, Read, and take a screen shot to preserve the current settings, right? Andy.
I did that ahead of time when I did the upgrade myself. What happened I think is that now the Radians see all 12 channels of PPM it re-mapped or moved stuff around. All the settings stayed the same when I did the upgrade but, for example, my mode switch before was showing as channel 14 on the input monitor but after the upgrade it was showing as input 6 HOWEVER this was only when I had both my MX20 and Dx6i transmitters on. If just the MX20 was on it worked like it did before. I ended up changing the mode to run on channel 8 and used channel 6 as the AUX channel for taking pictures. Hopefully this makes sense... Josh
Josh, When the PPM was only 8 channels, it reflected them in the upper 8. Now it uses 12, it can only reflect 4 and I figured the first 4 (analog sticks) were the most useful. Now there are 12 channels from the PPM, the thing for people to do is look at the input channel monitor window to choose the channels. It will switch between the 2 radios as and when you turn the Spektrum on/off. On the slewing, the idea is that you should not be hitting the end-stops during normal use as you are going to screw up the shot anyway. The limiting stays inactive for as long as possible to avoid interfering with your shot - which is why it is quite abrupt. JohnC
Hey John, Thank you for that information. I am having an issue after this update. The ROLL Radian is doing it's normal start-up initialization but then when I activate it it will not switch modes. If I watch the mode in the Radian Settings it is changing but it never activates the stabilization. I have not had a chance to re-flash the Radian with the new firmware again. I am hoping by doing this it will make it work. Anyone else having an issue with this? Josh
Hey John, Great job on the update. Is there a way to limit the amount of tilt when "just flying" without an operator? I'd still like to avoid shooting the booms. I've been playing with numbers, but they only affect the travel distances when slewing. Is that correct or is there a way to limit travel distances when operating as "pilot only"? Jim
Josh: Check that you didn't select the 'Axis Off unless using Spektrum' for the roll axis. Jim: The end-points set the max/min angles according to the IMU which is referenced to the ground. The Radian has no way to know if you are pitching/rolling so it is possible the booms can come into view if you set the limits too far. The only way around it is to leave some margin at the end points for the movement. Is this the problem you are describing ?.
John I have checked and that is not selected. Didn't have a chance to try and refresh it yet. Might do it today.
Yes, but it is still possible for the pilot to lean too far forward on the sticks and get the boom in the shot. I was trying to set a maximum up deflection of the camera tilt so that dosen't happen. It appear the end points only work in slew mode.
Have you tried the trick of tilting the camera up as far as the Radian will let it go, then powering off, removing the belt but being careful not to rotate the big pulley, then re-position the camera to the maximum tilt that you want it to have, and putting the belt on again? That way the Radian's upper tilt limit will also prevent the camera from moving up beyond the tilt range you want. Andy.
Thanks Andy, I'll give it a try. Before I forget, everyone have a great Thanksgiving Day with friends and family. jim
Don't forget you can use the cameramans radio to tilt the mount up as far as you want it to go (while connected to the PC software) then click the 'set' button under the 'Max' angle. This will set the current angle to be the maximum. You can do the same with the 'Min' angle and also the 'Fixed Position' angle.
Hey Andy, When you reposition the camera do you do it with the set screw on the pull or the camera plate?
Hey John, Unless I'm missing something, 'min', 'max' limits only come in to play when in slew mode. I was hoping these limits would work in the simple stabilize mode. I fly a lot without a camera operator in just stabilize mode and was trying to figure out a way to not shoot the boom. jim
I did it with the camera plate just because it was easier to do that without jostling the position of the Radian sensor. But try JohnC's suggestion too -- I'd forgotten that he'd added that capability to the 1.03 fw. Andy.
The Radian will try to keep the axis level when in stablization mode even if the Mount flips upside down to due to the fact the Radian has no way of knowing the angle of the aircraft. I have an AV130 and had to devise a way to keep it from stripping gears. I ended up making a clutch for each axi so tha when the mount hits the stop points the clutch will let loose.