Matt walks us through the finer points of tuning Stuart's SK 450 "Dead Cat" quad copter. Pause the video at 14:22 for a clear shot of the settings board. A high res image will be provided soon, check here for the link.
That would be the manual way of accomplishing the same thing we just did with math in this episode. In effect we've told the board exactly where it is relative to the motors, there's no need to physically move it. You do make a great suggestion for anyone building their own copter from scratch though. - Matt
Thank You!. I just scratch built a V-tail quad and it would not get off the ground without tipping somewhere. Some simple trig and now it flies... Sort of at least, just crashed it and currently rebuilding. Turns out that if you cut the throttle because you´re afraid to run into something it falls to the ground.. :) Thanks again!
Fear not. I'll go into the steps for tuning and dialing in a copter, and you'll be able to apply them to the x580. If I get my hands on one during the series, I'll generate some values for you. - Matt
Something of note in my case, on my kk2.1.5 I had to swap the Aileron and elevator figures in the mix editor. With the settings in the video the motor layout diagram in the controller showed the front motors swung forward instead of back
just a lil FYI... make a line from motor to motor and put the kk2 where the lines cross and you balance from the same point. this will give you the right GC and it will fly a lot better that way.
I have a quad that I use for FPV with 20 Amp Blue Series ESCs running SimonK firmware. I use DST-1200 motors from HK and 10 x 4.7 props. I can get about 12-15 minutes of flight time on a Turnigy blue 2200 3S. For aerial video I use a hex with a custom GoPro gimbal. - Matt
This is JUST the stuff I am needing. I will start my build of my own SK 450 "Dead Cat" next week. Thank you guys so much for doing video series that we ask for. ~R~
I tend to be very slow and careful in my tuning, and I tend to do it with short flight hops. (props included) So far I've still got all my fingers. - Matt
This question has been asked below, but there is still no answer. Are the modified P/I settings for the REAR motors as well? You mentioned that you are adjusting for the difference in the position of the FRONT motors, so I assume you only use those numbers on the FRONT motors(?) The whiteboard at 14:22 would indicate the rear motors have only the one change to the throttle setting (82).
The geometry looks really similar, so I would guess that even if it's not exact, the quad would fly better with my SK450 settings than with stock X-quad settings. - Matt
Thanks for that guys,it really helped me out.I have a flycat4 which has some of the traits of the deadcat.I have put the values you suggested in and hey presto. Still not as good to fly as my f450 on 1.6++ but a huge improvement. Have a couple of cheeky thumbs up from me :)
Nice video on the dead cat, was looking forward to how math could be applied to tuning my nearly finished quad. But other than perhaps the title I really don't think this should be lumped in with the kk2 tutorial. At least not this early in the series.
Hey Matt could some of that wobble Stuart got in that last flight be down to coming down in the prop wash rather than an ESC problem,only a guess as i'm still quite new to quads even though I have a few and I wouldn't want you to think i'm trying to tell you your job as that's not what i'm about. :-) Great explanation on setting up the KK for DC and I've learnt quite a bit thanks to you.
Still no word from Stew, can anyone confirm if the 'Mixer Editor' settings are identical (values) for all four channels? There are some positive and negative values that look reverse on apposing channels.
i am using kk v2.0 multicopter controller for my quadcopter but any out of 4 motors one is connected at 1st motor pin it rotates slower as compared to others... therefore my quadcopter does not tack off
Question? It looks like the center of the distance between the front and back motors is not were the balance point was set up. It looks like you balanced it closer to the front motors. Would this mean that the front motors are carrying more of the load then the back. This is my first quad but my logic would seem to think that the KK2 board should be placed at the middle point between the front and back motor center lines. Then the control board placed here.
I have used these settings without success. When I check the motor layout motors 1&2 move the wrong way instead of being closer to the rear motors they move forward and closer together. This doesn't work. I have seen several other setups using similar numbers but all give me the wrong motor layout. What have I done wrong. I have tried 2 kk2.1 boards and a kk2 board all do the same thing. Interestingly if I transpose the elevator values of elevator and aileron ( using negative values where applicable) the motor positions are correct but p & I gains are difficult to tune using values around 10 to get it close to flying.
GREAT VIDEO GUYS ! Thanks for explaining the settings on the KK2 Board which I have been struggling with. Can you give me any ideal settings for my home made Tricopters and my Hobbyking Y Copter in beginner pilot mode please ? Looking forward to more great videos ! Kep 'em coming Guys !
when you change these settings and re-load the motor layout screen, is it normal for the front arms to have moved the opposite way, closer to each other.
I haev the SK450 on order and saw the conversion kit but I am trying to understand why someone would want a dead cat? Is it because the GoPro can be inline, on an inline Gimbal like a TBS discovery versus below it like a Phantom / FW450/550?
Hi HK,Thanks for the video on this... I'm building mine now but have a question....Can you tell me where the CofG is?Is there a specific point it should be?
can you clarify the PID loop cause you said us the sin(00) when you get the angle and stuff so how did you get the 50, 100 and so on, im confuse... so does it mean that the sin(20)=34 so you gonna put 34 on PID on kk as roll? please make it very clear thanks.
Hi Stew, I saw on the White board there are some negative numbers and plus number in the mix editor on your channels. My question is in the mix editor, you said the numbers for ch1 - ch4 are the same? So FL, FR, RL & RR numbers/values are identical, please confirm? I thought ch1 & ch2 would be the same and ch3 & ch4 would be the same. But it's the - minus values on your board that are confusing without any explanation. I'm trying to use your settings for a Reptile/Alien frame which looks the same as your Dead Cat frame.
Great video guys,just a quick question if i may having a tbs discovery quad with kk2 running 1.5 acro could i use these settings as its looks badically the same many thanks mark..
Curious if adjustments are required in the mix menu if the KK is mounted 3 inches aft of center/center on an equilateral quad. . A suggestion or two would be appreciated.
can u plz suggest some links to know the actual math behind all this PID number which u got in the video. i need little more details for getting this number what is the basic theory behind it
Hey ,i am working on f450 quadcopter with kk2.1.5 .i have assembeled it but its showz error like no i yaw input and when it goes shows no pitch input can you help me out please it's a f450 quadcopter i bought it frm ebay it has kk 2.1.5
I have my 450 Deadcat setup with these settings (same hardware too although not an NTM motor, using equivalent the same size and KV) and it hovers and punches out great, for some reason that I cannot fathom the front drops when I yaw, so if I yaw right the front left drops, when I yaw left the front right drops. In forward flight this is not too bad but when you just yaw from a straight hover it's terrible, anyone else experience that? I've triple checked the settings, cannot figure it out.
Does anyone know why when i put the settings into my kk2 board and then do a preview of the motors on the lcd the motor layout is backwards. Small in the front and more spaced out in the back..
The concept is largely correct but he used the wrong angle(s) Go to page 21 of this link for the the correct way to determine the input angle. And remember, your looking for the Sin and Cos of the degree, not radian. www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uploads/161447249X30206X38.pdf
+David C I'm getting the same... It looks like the front arms are mover inwards instead of out???? My DC flies like.... well.... it doesn't.... it just flips and crashes! Do you have any tips???
Other then the looks is there an advantage of having a deadcat frame instead of a standard Xframe?...Also is there a complete parts listing for this exact quad for newbee quad builders like myself...thax
It's for cameras. When you have a wide angle camera and you see the motors, it doesn't look all that good. So this stretches the front arms out so you can have a wider angle. For the parts, they have a dead cat kit with all the parts for this but you still need the base sk450 kit too.
Kevo F Thax... I ended up ordering a st360 from hk...I will maybe build one of these later on .... i orderd a new kk2.1 board not sure if its better then the kk2...and a Q brain 4 in 1 esc ...
Help! I dialed these numbers into my new deadcat and maidened it, once I put a little forward elevator on it, it flips forward and lands on its top, I have the kk2.1.5 v1.6. I have all the motors spinning the right way, the correct CW and CCW props, ESC's are calibrated and all the leads are connected correctly. Any Solutions? Thanks
David C Yeah i got it flying perfect with digits I got of a friend, they aren't as fine tuned as hobbykings but it Flys perfectly smooth, I'm gonna be putting up a video of these numbers soon, didn't try hobbykings again :/
David C Yeah i got it flying perfect with digits I got of a friend, they aren't as fine tuned as hobbykings but it Flys perfectly smooth, I'm gonna be putting up a video of these numbers soon, didn't try hobbykings again :/
FlyingMaddLadd I found another video on RU-vid that worked perfect for me. Dead cat is flying smooth and awesome. Gonna put my fpv gear on maybe tomorrow.. Thank you though..
what happend to the part 2 of setting up the board you went from how to do the firmware update to this. what about instaling the board pligging in the wire im lost
I got it installed now, I am stuck on the I and P gains, and what are limits about? I can fly a quad just not this big one with the KK2 board! You see I have two micro quads I fly in the house, one is a HK Q Bot Micro and the other is Horizon Hobby Blade Qx The Blade flys awesome, I feel very safe and confident flying it, I let of the sticks it levels out I stop it by bulling back the opposite direction I had it flying in and it stops and holds it position and it is because of its built in autolevel, the Q bot does not have it and it is a pain to fly it just keeps on going when I let off the sticks and over shoots when I pull back. I am not sure if the Q bot has a problem but I am working on the KK now so I will mess with that later. I am wanting the Kk2 board on my big quad to fly like the Blade! The Big quad I have is Hobbyking X650F Glass Fiber Quadcopter Frame 550mm The KK2 board I have is version HK 2.12 Firmware version 1.6 Using turnigy XP 950kv motors, a Qbrain with a 4000 mah 30c turnigy lipo 3cell, and covered in gold and blue turnigy led light strips Props are those blue and yellow props sold on HK website 8 X 4.5 they feel soft and flexable compaired to APC, but they seem to hold the copter in air ok, I may go with apc when i am able to really let the copter fly hard! Also made a housing for the KK2 board with the 3d printer for added protection and to insure a level installation of the board, with a cover to insure wires do not come off during flight. It oscillates slowly at level and flies like the Q Bot does. I let off the stick and it just does its own thing. I do have autolevel set to a switch, my radio is a Taranus X9d I have done nothing with the rates on the sticks. When I turn auto level on it wigs out! Rotates to one side and takes off! I do not know if it is flying badly because of the I and P gains or the limits, or what to set up to use autolevel. This KK board has settings listed in the menu that I do not see on any online instructions, like camera stab for example. I really just want it to self stabilize like my blade micro does, so I feel safer flying it around.
can anyone help me. I'm using a dsmx receiver, dx6i, kk2.1.5, and a f450 quad and when I push up my throttle the aileron or elevation change I've tried switching cable and they are just resigned again
When i fly my deadcat, it stays nice and level and hovers just fine,until i have been flying a few minutes, and then it starts drifting forward and to the right,and the longer i fly it,it will drift more and more those directions,i can set it down and unplug the batteries, and then plug it back in,and it will work great for a few minutes, and start to drift again! can you help me figure this out?
yaw is different from pitch roll btw... longer arms dont equal more torque and authority. motor location is irrelevant. its rotational force from the motor torque. where on the frame its applied makes no differenc at all.
Just destroyed my props and aerial mast! This DeadCat flies about as well as a DEAD CAT! :-( There has got to be something I can't see???? Took it for a fight at the field and as soon as I gave it some stick, it just flipped and drove into the ground!!!! UN-FLYABLE!!!
Geez guys, All these new settings manage to do is to cause my converted SK450 to the Dead Cat configuration to flip straight over. It somersaults right onto it's back. I balanced, set the trims to 0 and installed the values to what you recommend but it won't get off the ground. Useless information. Very disappointed.
Matt, i know its the way you naturally speak. but please please please stop doing the talking faster but quieter at the end of sentences. Makes is so hard to hear what you are saying! The fast part wouldn't be so bad if you kept the volume up! Please don't take offense, just constructive criticism :)
Does that dude REALLY have a watch tattooed on his wrist?? I would say I suppose the good news is it's right twice a day, but it appears to be digital. . .LOL
