Posts: 48 Threads: 20 Likes Received: 15 in 6 posts Likes Given: 1 Joined: Dec 2016 Reputation: 0 I've always used Airmode on all my quads since it was first created. However, I noticed that on quads with an AUW below 375g I start having problems. It gets worse on even lighter, very powerful quads, such as with an AUW of around 250-275grams.
Basically, the slightest touch on anything freaks airmode out and causes the quad to shake uncontrollably and climb. If I clip a prop and snap a blade this happens as well.
I'm considering eliminating Airmode on my lighter builds, but I still want to keep that control at zero throttle. I just think airmode might be a little too aggressive on lightweight yet powerful builds.
How do you all recommend I do it. Idle up switch? Or simply my standard arming, with motors spinning slow at zero throttle, just with Airmode off? ![[-]](https://intofpv.com/images/collapse.png) • Posts: 55 Threads: 27 Likes Received: 7 in 5 posts Likes Given: 1 Joined: Oct 2016 Reputation: 1 i'm not convinced airmode is the cause of your problems. maybe your PIDs are too high? higher power to weight ratio quads will need lower PIDs • Posts: 48 Threads: 20 Likes Received: 15 in 6 posts Likes Given: 1 Joined: Dec 2016 Reputation: 0 07-Jul-2017, 11:02 PM (This post was last modified: 07-Jul-2017, 11:03 PM by beastmode92.) I tried putting airmode on a switch to see how the quad reacts with it on or off... both with motors spinning at idle. On the bench the quad tries to correct aggressive to any movements, when airmode is on. It still corrects with it off just not as aggressively.
Maybe my Pids are too high, but the quad does fly well and oscillations are almost non-existent. However, the FC is highly dampened, so it might just be flying fine because of that even with the PIDs too high.
Even though there are some stability corrections without airmode, the quad still needs it if I want it to not lose axis at zero throttle. This is a racer, so I technically don’t need it… but if I fly it in any way a freestyle quad, looks like I’ll need Airmode. That, or maybe find a way to get more stabilization at zero throttle without it.
What I did was I dropped PIDS way low to see if it gets better. So far, I see an improvement. However, it still reacts a bit too adversely to small impacts when compared to my larger quads. Also, I can feel how it’s less tight. I might try and keeps P and D down low, yet increase I and see if I can correct that driftiness without freaking the quad out too much. • Posts: 1,149 Threads: 50 Likes Received: 704 in 450 posts Likes Given: 1,189 Joined: Sep 2016 Reputation: 30 12-Jul-2017, 10:14 AM (This post was last modified: 12-Jul-2017, 10:16 AM by fftunes.) You could try with idle-up - you just need to get it above min_check to get full PID activity.
However, depending on (betaflight-)version you might not even notice a difference - there apparently was a bug that prevented airmode from being totally disabled... it is fixed in actual 3.2 development version, a lot of people are flying it already (mostly for the dynamic notch filtering) and report good results.
PS: Did you play with the dterm weight and transition sliders? They have big influence on dterm behaviour, maybe they could change it for the better as well? • Posts: 1,590 Threads: 89 Likes Received: 1,283 in 768 posts Likes Given: 1,274 Joined: Jan 2017 Reputation: 31 12-Jul-2017, 02:37 PM (This post was last modified: 12-Jul-2017, 02:38 PM by Carl.Vegas.) I think you can disable airmode on 3.1.7 but it's either that you have to do it only with the switch... or it has to be done without a switch... I can't remember which. It was something I read when researching my own airmode issues. I am still on 3.1.6 anyway so I don't have that option. It's full time airmode for me, but I don't mind at this point I am used to it. carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein, Slightly modified Vortex 250 • Posts: 2,416 Threads: 51 Likes Received: 1,861 in 1,175 posts Likes Given: 3,315 Joined: Mar 2016 Reputation: 74 12-Jul-2017, 02:56 PM (This post was last modified: 12-Jul-2017, 03:08 PM by sloscotty.) I use 3.1.7 and Airmode on a switch. However, I also use MOTOR STOP (I know, I know - I've read the arguments). I arm in Acro (Airmode switch off), take off and switch to Airmode. This overrides Motor Stop. When I'm ready to land, I switch back to plain Acro. This works well for me. Posts: 1,149 Threads: 50 Likes Received: 704 in 450 posts Likes Given: 1,189 Joined: Sep 2016 Reputation: 30 (12-Jul-2017, 02:37 PM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: I think you can disable airmode on 3.1.7 but it's either that you have to do it only with the switch... or it has to be done without a switch... I can't remember which. It was something I read when researching my own airmode issues. I am still on 3.1.6 anyway so I don't have that option. It's full time airmode for me, but I don't mind at this point I am used to it. You are right it was fixed for 3.1.7, i mixed this up before... again.  Posts: 12,099 Threads: 125 Likes Received: 3,739 in 2,836 posts Likes Given: 99 Joined: Feb 2017 Reputation: 388 (12-Jul-2017, 02:56 PM)sloscotty Wrote: I use 3.1.7 and Airmode on a switch. However, I also use MOTOR STOP (I know, I know - I've read the arguments). I arm in Acro (Airmode switch off), take off and switch to Airmode. This overrides Motor Stop. When I'm ready to land, I switch back to plain Acro. This works well for me. +1. I do the same. I find it works great. You get the best of both worlds. It is always nice that betaflight OSD tells you that you are in airmode. Posts: 5,315 Threads: 672 Likes Received: 3,155 in 1,743 posts Likes Given: 2,030 Joined: Jan 2016 Reputation: 139 I used to like "motor stop", until one time I thought I disarmed my quad, but I didn't as the motor wasn't spinning. One accidental touch on the throttle stick and I cut my fingers  Since then I've never used motor stop • |
