Introduction: Buildup QuadCopter & Controlled by Microduino-Joypad

By Microduino
About: Microduino: small, smart, stackable Arduino compatible boards https://www.microduino.cc http://wiki.Microduino.cc https://www.facebook.com/Microduino http://www.twitter.com/Microduino

Purpose: To control quadcopter via Microduino Joypad.

Difficulty: HighTime-consuming: Six hours

Maker: Microduino Studio-PKJ

Quadcopter, also called a quadrotor helicopter, is similar to a helicopter, which can fly or be suspended in the air. Like a traditional helicopter, it adopts a main rotor to generate lift and a tail rotor to offset the torque generated by the main rotor (Namely head-locking). Different from that drive method, The diagonal motor of the quadcopter adopts the pros and cons propeller design. So it needs no extra framework to have heard-locking. As it is shown in the picture 1.1, the No. 1 and No. 3 propellers are a pair of diagonal pros and cons propellers, and the No. 2 and No.4 are another pair. When the rotational speed keeps the same, the torque generated by the pro propeller will offset the the torque generated by the cons propeller to keep the direction unchanged (As the arrow shows). In the schematic diagram, the most common quadcopter is the X-shaped. (There is also a kind of cross-like quadcopter, which is easy to recognize but has a poor mobility. )

For general fixed-wing model aircraft, the controller is not that necessary and some player won’t install it on the fixed-wing model aircraft. Different from that, the quadcopter is an underactuated system with three degrees of freedom and four control input, which needs a control system to take charge. Off cause, there are some tech details remaining to be designed in the process, such as the reading-in data of the sensor needed to be filtered and the PID algorithm of the pitch, roll and yaw acquired to be adjusted.

Advantages
Microduino adopts the unique U-shaped 27Pin interface standard(UPIN-27) with compact size (25.4mm X 27.95 mm) just like a quarter. All modules can be stacked together through UPIN-27, delivered ready to plug in. Microduino-Quadcopter only needs five functional modules and the 330 Rack Mont Kits recommended at the least to work. (Microduino-Core, Microduino-10DOF, Microduino-BT, Microduino-QuadCopter and Microduino-Joypad.) And you only need to stack them together, which is very simple.

Step 1: Fixate the Flight-control

Hardware Assembling

  • Microduino-Core*1 Core board
  • Microduino-USBTTL*1 Program download
  • Microduino-10DOF*1 Attitude stabilization
  • Microduino-BT *1 Wireless communication
  • Microduino-QuadCopter*1 Four-axis drive

Fixate the flight-control backplane on the main frame and set a forward direction before you do that. (The default forward direction of the flight-control backplane is the open end direction of the UPin interface.)

Step 2: Fixate the Microduino-Quadcopter on the Main Frame

Step 3: ​Fixate the Four Motor Arms on the Main Frame

Fixate the four motor arms on the main frame and in the process, set the head direction as follows: Generally, we set the two orange rotors in the front and the other two black ones in the back so that we can tell the head direction by the color even when the aircraft flies far away.

When doing this, you also need to pay attention to the right order of CW and CCW paddle.CW paddles are marked with an A on it and CCW paddles are marked with a B.CW paddles should be fixed at left-front and right-rear.CCW paddles should be fixed at right-front and left-rear.

Step 4: See Installation Here

Fixate the four motors on the main frame.

Then connect those connectors to the motherboard. Although we’ve tried our best to make sure everything’s good, it’s still recommend to check those wires--the white and red wires from motors should be connected to the pin marked with a cross(+).The last pic shows a finished work.

Step 5: Make Connection Between Two BT Modules

Since we build the wireless remote control through Bluetooth, that makes the two BT modules indispensable.

Step 6: Download & Debug

Stack Microduino-Core, Microduino-10DOF and Microduino-USBTTL on the motherboard as showed in picture.

Step 7: Configuration

Place the quadcopter on a flat surface then connect it to the computer via USB.Select Microduino Core (Atmega328P@16M,5V) in the Arduino IDE，then download the program. Run the config tool in the following path:MultiWiiConf\application.windows32\MultiWiiConf.exe

Step 8: Connect PC to Quadcopter

Click the RECONNECT button to connect.The raw data and some graphs should be shown if everything’s okay.

Step 9: Adjust the Sensor

Make sure the quadcopter is on a flat surface,then click the CALIB_ACC button to calibrate accelerometer.DO NOT move the quadcopter in 5 secs.Then click the CALIB_MAG button to calibrate magnetometer.In the coming 30secs,please grab your quadcopter and rotate it in every axis repeatedly. Then click the WRITE button to save the data. By clicking SELLECT SETTING,various parameters can be set,and the quadcopter’s status will be shown.

Step 10: Set PID Parameter

The quadcopter use proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID controller) to control its movement. With a proper set of PID values,the quadcopter can fly smoothly and stably.

We offer the sample PID config file,user can load it and fly the copter in a few minutes: click LOAD,then select file pkj.mwi to load the config file,finally click write to save. If you want to adjust the parameters yourself,just click on the green bar and hold it,then drag it left or right to adjust.For more info, please google Multiwii.

Step 11: Set Flight Mode

To enhance the experience,we recommend users set several flight modes.

Different flight modes can be selected by toggle the switch on the remote.And by using different combinations many flight modes can be chosen.The recommended flight modes settings are shown as below.

To set a flight mode,just toggle the switch as your wish and click on the mode you want(the cube).ANGLE mode is the most stable mode,starters can practice under this mode.Don’t forget to WRITE before unplug the quadcopter.For more info,please google Multiwii.

When everything’s done, remove the Microduino-USBTTL.

Step 12: Build & Debug the Remote Controller

Here we adopt Microduino-Joypad as the remote controller. Of course, you need modules, such as Microduino-TFT, Microduino-Core, Microduino-USBTTL and Microduino-BT to build the remote controller.

Install Microduino-TFT on the panel of Microduino-Joypad;

Step 13: Stick the Panel

Fixate Microduino-Joypad with screws and stick the panel to the bottom of Microduino-Joypad;

Step 14: Connection

Connect Microduino-TFT and Microduino-Joypad through wires;

Step 15:

Connect the Li-ion battery to the bottom of the base board and make sure a right connection of the positive and negative charges;

Step 16:

Fix the base board and the panel with nylon screws;

Step 17:

You can start the power and see if it is charged normally.

Step 18: Stack Modules

Stack Microduino-USBTTL, Microduino-Core to the base of Microduino-Joypad. In the meantime, just don’t stack Microduino-BT module, or it will cause the serial port conflict.

Step 19: Debuging

  • Open Microduino_Joypad_Ctrl program and choose the right board for download after it is get compiled successfully.
  • Take off Microduino-USBTTL after the download, stack Microduino-BT and have an overall debugging at last.

Step 20: Test Fly

Stack Microduino-Core, Microduin-10DOF and Microduino-USBTTL together, then install them to the flight control plate, as picture 3.4-1 shows:

Step 21:

Put the quadcopter on a flat desk, connect it to a computer with a USB cable, select the board Microduino-Core (Atmega328P@16M,5V) and then compile the modified program and download it to Microduino-Core.

After that, just open MultiWiiConf.exe and adjust parameters as an administrator in MultiWiiConf\application.windows32, which can be seen from the picture below:

Step 22: Debug the Quadcopter Frame

Make sure Microduino-BT stacked on the quadcopter for communicating with the remote controller.

Fix the battery at the bottom of the quadcopter and then connect with the power cord of Microduino-Quadcopter.(The red cord is the positive and the black one is the negative.)

Step 23: ​Start Microduino-Quadcopter

Start Microduino-Quadcopter, put it on a stable area, press the reset key and the system will automatically adjust the sensors.

When it is undone, the red LED light will blink on the board and will go off after the adjustment is done, waiting for unlock.

Step 24: Overall Test

Watch whether the Microduibno-BT module on the quadcopter is connected with the BT on the Joypad, which you can tell by the indicator of the BT module.

When the indicator does not blink, it means the BT modules being connected.

Step 25:

Unlock the quadcopter and pull the top-left switch downside(Close the throttle) and adjust the throttle to the lowest before flying for fear that the throttle rocker value is too large and causes accident.

Put the throttle to the bottom-right and you can see the LED blink, just be ready for connecting, wait for about 2 seconds and loose the throttle rocker.

Repeat that operation for several times until the LED is on for a long time.

But if you try that operation and still cannot unlock the quadcopter, please reset the quadcopter’s core and the system will adjust the sensors automatically, just try to unlock once again.

Step 26: Fly

Pull the throttle rocker to the bottom, push the top-left switch upside(Open the switch of the throttle), at this time, you can refer to the rocker control schematic. Just need a slight push of the the rocker, you can see the four propellers get spun rapidly.

Keep increasing the throttle, make sure it fly away. A little higher, don’t fly along the ground and then you can control the stability with the rocker bar.

Step 27: Recharge a Battery

When you find the quadcopter can only fly along the ground and fail to fly higher even when you increase the throttle violently, it means the battery has run out of power.

At this time, please charge the battery and avoid the accident. Since our fly-control backplane integrates battery management, you only need to charge the quadcopter with a USB cable.

Before you turn off the quadcopter, please cut off the power of the quadcopter first and then turn off the power of the remote controller, otherwise the quadcopter may get out be control.

Step 28: Attention

  • BT connection is the first and the key step. So please make sure the two BT modules connected successfully.
  • Please don't stack the BT module during the download for it will cause serial port conflict.
  • Make the installation of the quadcopter’s four propellers, or it can’t fly.
  • Please don’t get wrong of the electrode, or it will get the circuit burnt.Before flying, please adjust the Microduino-Joypad for it may lead to an unstable fly.
  • Before the remote control and unlock, please pull down the top-left switch (Close the throttle) and adjust the throttle to the lowest before flying for fear that the throttle value is too large and causes accident.
  • Before you turn off the quadcopter, please cut off the power of the quadcopter first and then turn off the power of the remote controller, otherwise the quadcopter may get out be control.

Find more information on official website of microduino / microduino wiki