Hi guys, and thanks in advance for all your support. I'm now installing the RADIAN system for the 3 axis gimbal, but I can't seem to find a proper tutorial on how to mount and install it. First of all I've already reviewed the video from Freefly Radian in Depth guide, but it lack some important information, like for instance: 1.) What to do with the potentiometers? On the Radian manual from Freefly it's noted that the external potientiiometers are no longer needed, so should I remove them? if so, it seems that I will be needing a Dual Bearing Tilt Mount for the tilt pot? 2.) How to manage power supply to the system (another lipo perhaps)? 3.) Sorry if this sounds silly, but I don't know how to use the BEC? reading some other forums, It seem that the BEC is mandatory but I don't know how to use it. There is this forum: "3 axis-radian install questions" followed up by Andy Johnson-Laird, where he explains that two BEC's are needed, one for the frameset and one for the gimbal... ? Should I order a second one? If perhaps there is somewhere a straight forward tutorial or a detailed guide on how to put them to work from the box, until the camera is recording while flying, it would be great. For now, I will keep posting questions until I figure this out. And again. Thanks for all your support.
Item 1, remove the roll pot. If you want to remove the tilt pot then you need the Dual Bearing Tilt Mount. Item 2, use the same Lipo that is supplying power to your 3 axis. You probably already have a BEC to step down the voltage to 5 volts for the servos. Item 3, on the gimbal you may only need one to supply power to the first Radian, usually the pan, which in turn will supply power for all of the other Radian's and servos. Shoot some photos of what you have if you run into issues. Look at the online Radian manual on the Freefly site. Videos over on Freefly and Quadrocopter Youtube, Vimeo and websites.
Hi Julian: 1. Yes. Remove the pots. You can leave the tilt one in place to act as a bearing if you like, or get the bearing tilt mount. 2. You can drive the Radians/Servos from a BEC but allow for 5Amps at 5volts. 3. You connect a Lipo to the input side of the BEC at say, 11.x volts, and, if it's a 5v BEC, you'll get 5v and 5 Amps out. This is quite a good BEC http://www.dpcav.com/xcart/5VDC-6VDC-Voltage-Regulator-BEC-Switch-Mode-Type.html (but is variable voltage so you need to preset it. This is the one I use: http://www.dpcav.com/xcart/5VDC-5A-Voltage-Regulator-BEC-Switch-Mode-Type.html You may need two BEC: One for the Radio, Radians, Servos, and one 12v Traco/Recom for 12v at 1Amp if you plan to use an FPV system. Make sure they share a common ground (that is, connect the -ve side of the output of the BEC and Traco/Recom. Here's what I use: http://www.quadrocopter.com/DCDC--Regulator-TSR1-24120-SIP3-12V_p_362.html Hope this helps -- I've not seen any tutorial beyond those from FreeFly and the tutorial from QC Andy.
Well guys, you're the best. So far, I've managed to successfully (or at least it seems so) installed and wired all radians to the system. I'm using a Castle 5.1v BEC to power up the radians (connected to port 1 or channel 1) on the GR-12. From there, I've connected a servo wire (Output on port 6 in the GR-12) to port 1 on the PAN radian and the PAN servo on port 4. From there, a servo cable output from port 3, to port 1 on the ROLL radian, and from there another servo cable (from port 3) to the TILT one (port 1). (image attachments included). On the Radian Stabilization Config. software, I can see the slew movement but only when I move the right stick from left to right on the MX12. I can also switch modes with (SW 5 on the MX12) from OFF, Fixed Position Stabilized and Stabilized Slew. All three Radians have a solid orange LED, and a slow blinking green. Now the issues: 1.) There is no Servo Out movement in the "Freefly Radian Stabilizer 1.1" window, though I can see in the "Input Channel Monitor" window movement for all input I made on the MX12 (left and right sticks respond in that window). I presume that this is a MX12 configuration issue, but can't be sure about that, and if so, don't know how to configure it. (windows screen shot attached ) 2.) I can see that the stabilization for Tilt and Roll works if I lift the gimbal from the table, but I can't seem to be able to manage and control tilt and roll from the MX12 (camera movement) while on Stabilized Slew. 3.) There are some values for Min Angle, Max Angle and Fixed Pos. that I don't know if they should be altered or not (on the "Radian Stabilizer Configuration" window) 4.) In regards power for the FPV, I'm planning to use a 5.8ghz transmitter for the Cinestar 8 with a fpv camera and a and a 1.3Tx for the camera gimbal. I think I can use the 3S lipo on the stabilizer to power the 1.3tx (directly 12v), and a HDMI connector to the Camera hdmi output, powered directly from any of the Radians (the seem to have a 5v output), which are powered by the Castle BED (taking power from the 3S lipo)... am I presuming a lot or it could work that way...? Thanks' again for all the help and taking the time. Most of this issues I know are a bit a lack of common sense, but for me a s a newbie they are mind blowing; but rather interesting. I've got hooked, and a fan for ever.
Julian 1 & 2. Do you have the control you are moving on the MX mapped to channel 2. In your photo you have chosen channel 2 to be the tilt channel. So the control channels need to match. 3. For tilt the Min angle and max angle set the 'stops', how far up and down do you want to tilt. For down, if you want it pointed at the ground then -90. For up i limit mine until I can see the boom. No need to go much over about 15. Fixed is the starting position. at zero using a bubble level the camera plate should be level for both roll and tilt. The with your camera in place you will probably want a slight - value for tilt so that the front boom isn't in the picture. For roll if 0 is not level you use the angle trim to adjust for 0. 4. That is a good setup.
Gary: 1,2.) How do I map that control on the MX to channel 2? or any other to other channels? 3.) Thanks about that, now I know what values to input.
Well Gary, perhaps this sound silly but I haven't been able to control the gimbal. As far as I'm concerned, I will use ANY control recommendation you could suggest. I have the MX12 but haven't been able to use it for controlling the camera, though there is no camera movement whatsoever when I move the sticks. So, perhaps if you could let me know what could be a proper configuration or suggest me one, and also referring on how to program/configure it, I'll really appreciate it.
For each axis you need to determine which channel on the TX you want to use. Example you want to use the right hand stick for tilt and pan. Then those channel numbers need to be assigned in the Radian software to the Slew setting. And you need to assign a 3 position switch on the MX to control the Mode (off, stabilizied, Pan stabilized). The channel for that switch goes into the Mode setting on all three modules.
ok. For tilt I have channel 2 (right hand stick un and down). For Pan channel 1 (right hand stick left and right). And for roll channel 3 (left hand stick up and down). Those channel numbers are assigned in slew field for tilt-1, pan-1 and roll-1 (and tilt-2, pan-2 and roll-2 as well). The Mode is assigned to channel 5 (in the input channel monitor) and it is on all three modules as 5. Aux is off in all three modules. Camera still doesn't move on the pan stabilized mode... what I am missing?
Try unchecking the 'Off unless Spektrum' check box. That might fix. Should not be checked on any of the Radians