Coding my flight stabilizer function

[GJH105775]

Sounds like reversed polarity or a short. Did the Arduino burn out? If so I may be able to tell you how to fix it. I accidentally grounded my 5v pin and found which component to replace, it was a small diode that is a SMD.

 

[Nick]

Under the first inspection, it seems it caused a power surge and didn't fry the Arduino but just the 3.3v components connected to it.... which is everything... the MPU 6050 and the RF receiver. wonderful. No more testing for a while but here is a video before all Hell broke loose tonight.

 

[GJH105775]

Take a look at this testing rig.

Also this appears to be a guide to making quad with Arduino.

 

[Nick]

I've watched all of those videos... I don't have the money to buy the Xbee stuff and I can't use that rig because my quadcaopter is a x shape not a + shape.

 

[Nick]

Well I can confirm that my MPU 6050 gyro sensor and RF receiver is fried. I ordered new ones on amazon and they will be here Saturday. Until then I guess I'm done testing..

 

[GJH105775]

I was referring to how he tested 1 axis at a time by doing two motors. If you can get any schematics on some of the parts I may be able to direct you on repairing some of the stuff that burnt. I hate the feeling after burning something. Have you identified the problem? Are you sure something's polarity was not wrong?

 

[Nick]

I believe it was just the 2 year old thin wires that couldn't handle the voltage. I hadn't change anything it just sparked and burned the wires. I tested the MPU and the RF receiver on 2 other Arduinos and they are definitely ruined and they are too small and integrated to find where it burned. I believe it caused a surge and that's what overloaded the components that were only suppose to get 3.3v. Luckily, a pair of RF transmitters and a new MPU 6050 only came to about $12 and will be here Saturday. Do I need to invest in stronger wires than the ones in that picture?

 

[GJH105775]

Maybe you need bigger wires, but I have ran 5v 1a off smaller, and if a wire burned it would cause a sag rather than a short. If the parts are cheap then you may not worry about fixing them(one or two components usually burn out in a short, or reversed polarity and many in a spike), maybe take a continuity tester over your rig just in case.

 

[Nick]

I might get bigger wires later, I just used some other wires I had laying around but I don't have anything bigger at the moment. You'll have to dumb the rest of that down a bit for someone who hasn't gotten into his engineering classes quite yet in college haha. Rethinking about that rig you mentioned above, I think I may be able to recreate something similar, even with my quad being an X shape, with 2 sawhorses and I pipe connecting them. I'll take a picture when I get home to demonstrate what I mean.

 

[GJH105775]

Sounds great. I now need to make either a tie down table or similar lol.

 

[Nick]

I wouldn't suggest a table like what I have been doing. I suspect that the quad is getting major prop wash from touching the ground all the time ( idk though I've never actually flown a quadcopter before). I'm going to make a rig that suspends the quad into air to test one axis at a time.

 

[GJH105775]

I wouldn't suggest a table like what I have been doing. I suspect that the quad is getting major prop wash from touching the ground all the time ( idk though I've never actually flown a quadcopter before). I'm going to make a rig that suspends the quad into air to test one axis at a time.

In my experience (however little) prop-wash is not too big of a concern when flying low (my quad is a little heavy for it's size, so I may be affected less)

 

[Nick]

I just feel it will be more efficient to suspend it like in that video.

 

[GJH105775]

I agree on that, and you don't have to worry about things getting knocked loose during testing, you don't have to worry about breaking something due to impact or wrapping a prop in the strings.

 

[Nick]

Right, this is the idea.

Spoiler: The Rig

Seems simple enough right? I hope it'll work out when I test Saturday.

 

[GJH105775]

hmm, it will be interesting to see how it works. I have drawn up a few designs that allow 4 axis of tilt, but they are a little complicated to make, unless you were testing quite a few. This may work, what if you put it on there as if it were a plus?

 

[Nick]

With it being an X, it needs all 4 motors to control pitch and roll. Placing it like a plus would give you only half of the correctional thrust you need if that makes sense.

 

[Yash Shah]

hey i am using all the stuff that u are using, but i'm stuck in the coding part. if u have a code ready can u please help me??

 

[Nick]

Well to be honest I kinda gave up on using an Arduino because the coding was very hard and I simply didn't have the time. However I have basically all the code minus the PID algorithms that stabilize the quad. The code I have includes talking between the controller and quad with the RF modules, powering the ESCs and motors, reading the data from the MPU6050 and a failed attempt at writing PID algorithms. If you PM me with your email I'll send you the code I wrote if I can find it on my laptop.