First flight in Att mode, instead of hovering my AD-8 just flips over: IMU orientation double-checked, seems to be correct. Motor connections / propellers double-checked - looks fine. What might be wrong? Is there any utility (like MK's KopterTool) where I can see how WKM "sees" the kopter in terms of orientation (in space)?
Gains: As recommended in the manual, I left the Autopilot settings unchanged, for the first flight. However, after all I begin to doubt whether that was a good idea. The default settings are 100% for basic as well as for attitude settings. If I compare these values with the recommended settings on one of the last pages (in the manual), I see that for a copter like mine, weighting about 4-5 kg, these values might be ways too low. For an S800 with comparable weight, they recommend 200/200/195/175/190/190, that's not close to the defaults at all. Could this be the reason why the copter doesn't stabilize at all?
You might also want to check that the props are mounted the correct way around -- it looks like the only the prop on the left of the screen was generating lift -- it's hard to tell from the video, of course. Andy.
I still belief that V8 is exactly what I'm looking for. The flight direction lies exactly in the middle of the two orange marked booms, with motor #1 (to the right) and motor #2 (to the left). M1 is equipped with a R-propeller, turning CCW M2 is equipped with a L-propeller, turning CW Doesn't that exactly correspond to configuration V8, as described in the WKM manual?
Try triple checking the esc connections. I was sure I had it right and later discovered it wasn't. When you test again, get a friend to hold it over their head by the landing gear and make sure it wants to stay level, and responds to inputs correctly.
I checked it again, unfortunately there is no startup sequence like with MK, where you can see each motor moving very briefly. There is also no "motor test" facility, allowing each motor to be explicitly tested. Unlucky. I did hold the copter myself while a friend was moving the controllers: - it did feel stable somehow but when I tried to tilt it, it didn't really fight back strong enough, IMHO - however, nick as well as roll commands clearly directed the copter in the proper direction
Is it your first copter? If you lift very slowly, this might even happen if everything is correct. At least it almost happened to me two times, luckily I stopped soon enough and restarted with more power. I can´t really recommend that though if you haven´t doublechecked everything. I was sure back then because I lifted the same copter before that for quite some times. What was your throttle position? Is the whole system well balanced in regard to COG? Also: you say motorconnectors, propellors "look" fine - did you make a testrun without props to see whether they turn in the right direction? Not sure if that helps, but rest assured - the first start is always the most difficult.
I tie my copter down loosely with ropes to something heavy (like the roof of my car or a picnic bench) so I can test the motors and the controls before I fly it. I'm not all that comfortable doing a significant throttle test with a person holding it, as things could go wrong in any of a number of ways, and that person could get seriously hurt. With 3 inches or so of slack in the rope lines, you can clearly see if it can hover and move in all degrees of freedom.
I've used the same copter for two years, flying MK controlware. No problems with starting and landing and free flying whatsoever. However, since transition to WKM I couldn't successfully launch anymore. I fully agree with Steve in respect with tethered vs. man held tests. The latter is pretty dangerous, I wouldn't do it again. Another WKM flyer told me about a very similar problem in rather cold environment. The white flashes seem to indicate a problem, however, I don't fully understand all the numerous ED codes. I will give it anoth try, tethered down, maybe indoor where it's warmer. I really belief it's an IMU problem rather than a misconfiguration.
Hover, not familiar with the motor layout of the WKM vs MK but I too got caught not reading directions when I switched to Hoverfly. While the motor/prop direction layout was ALMOST the same as MK it was rotated one boom to the left. Interesting first lift off, like a drunken sailor, as the HF board tried to figure out what the stupid pilot was trying to do with the control inputs. Just sayin'.... And just looked at the WKM vs MK motor layouts in their manuals and the I8 vs Okto2 layouts are different. Boom one on the Mk is a clockwise while boom one on the WKM is counterclockwise. Yet the Okto and V8 seem to the have the same rotation setup.
It also took some time for me to realize that the octo motor layout changed between MK and WKM but I'm pretty sure I got it right. The fact that my R/C commands (nick, roll) are transferred into the correct momentum (I felt when I held the copter over the head) makes me even more confident. The only problem seems to be the autopilot, the attitude (not altitude) control, how DJI calls it. That's why I was pretty sure that the IMU Iocation might be not correct. But I can't find any error.
Hi Hover, Wookong is a pretty easy to understand software once you figure it out. The main difference is, as Gary said... DJI and MK boom 1 are different rotations. But I believe your trouble is with the calibration. Or it could be the direction or the motors/props. You can pull off the props and do a motor start up to figure out if the direction is correct. Putting a piece of tape on the side of the motor helps to visualize it easier. Double check your calibration settings though. Check in the Wookong manual starting on page 17. I love working with Wookong and Naza over MK. It's an easier program to use and I've had better results with them. Don't give up on it. As far as the position of the IMU, as long as your not upside-down and close to COG then you should be able to get your copter flying. Good luck. brandon
I had a similar problem with MK. In the end,after 100 checks it was down to a faulty Roll gyro wich was responding much less than the Roll Acc. I dont know if you have a a diagram reading of the gyros but it came out obvious on the Mk Tools.
I finally managed to make my AD-8 fly with WKM. Among other things like changing the IMU orientation from LEFT to STRAIGHT and, of course, changing the settings accordingly, I also changed the gain values pretty dramatically from 100 to 180. With the default values I had to takeoff very rapidely and the copter tended to roll/nick up to 45 degree until it finally started to stabilize. With the new gain settings I can do that as smooth as I used to takeoff with MK electronics. However, I still remember the white flashes ("flashes of death"), which I haven't observed ever since. Maybe this was the real reason for my tip over and not the combination of smooth takeoff and too low gain settings. Important to say that my AD-8 weights about 4.5 kg. Thank a lot for your help!
I am glad you finally got it done. You should try the gains at the end of the manual and do the final adjustments from there. Even though the manual said you can mount the IMU in any direction it is wrong. Take a look at the S-800 DJI they made sure that the IMU is mounted facing forward. They knew what they are doing. At the end all is well.... now go and fly Bill
If your assumption is true, I would call that an imposition. If I crash my copter because I'm using documented functionality (IMU can be mounted in 4 directions and the setup assistant provides 4 different settings (right, front, ...) which has never been tested or which doesn't work at all, I could hardly excuse that.
Well maybe so, But I haven't seen anyone mounting the IMU any other way but forward. It can be left, right, top bottom, but the arrow always point forward. Same with the GPS, the arrow points forward no matter where you install it. Lesson learned I guess. I am glad you found the problem, now others might learn from your experience. Cheers Bill