Hi FPVers, may I introduce myself?

I’ve been flying model planes on and off for 60 years. My dad made a few gliders when I was a lad and I flew control line in the park. In 1987 I took it up again with RC helicopters, when they were glow plug powered and there was no stabilisation. I was never very good at it and crashes were very expensive. I lasted a couple of years and gave it up. 

I was tempted back into RC modeling about six years ago by an interest in Leonardo da Vinci and ornithopters and then moved on to conventional planes and slope soaring. My first drone was a DJI Phantom 3 Advanced which I bought nearly three years ago and use for aerial photography and long range exploration. I still can’t believe the capability of this thing; it’s science fiction to that kid in the park in the ‘50’s.

But amazing as it is, it’s not really flying and I’ve always had unfinished business with helicopters. I’m not game to practice in Acro mode on my P3A, so a few weeks ago I bought a Blade Inductrix and have been practicing on that. (I can’t be bothered with simulators.) I can now fly it around outdoors, even in a bit of wind, full circuits, around trees, nose in, everything I couldn’t do with a helicopter. But of course it’s heavily stabilised and locked in that mode.

I could never afford goggles for the P3A and am on an even tighter budget now I’m retired, but I was tempted by the super cheap Eachine EV100 goggles and bought a micro fpv camera which I taped on top of the Inductrix. A Tiny Whoop, I believe. Well the poor thing can hardly lift the camera and the battery only lasts a minute, but that’s long enough to crash into the wall and the ceiling and the floor and the wall again. I’ve lost a propeller and have repaired the frame so many times I’ve bought another. I decided to give up FPV with the Inductrix before I destroy it but I still enjoy flying it LOS outdoors, especially at night.

So I decided to get serious and bought a pre-built Diatone Tyrant 150 in the Hobby King sale. It arrived today, 6 weeks after ordering it from Hong Kong! (A few years ago, before the advent of regional warehouses, Hobby King planes arrived from Hong Kong in less than a week. What happened?)

OK, the Diatone Tyrant is sitting on the table in front of me and I’m looking at the “manual” and it’s giving me options of “PWM” and “PPM” and “S.BUS” and I’m realising I’m sitting at the bottom of a Himalayan learning curve. I suppose it was naïve of me to imagine I could just plug in a receiver and battery and take off.

So that’ll do for an introduction to me and where I’m at. I have a million questions, generally summed up by HELP!!! But here’s one to start.

I have a Spektrum DX7S which I fly everything with, including the Inductrix (which is why I chose it). On the wiring diagrams for the Tyrant flight controller there is a thing labelled “Spektrum SPX” (it doesn’t look anything like what’s on the actual FC) and next to it an empty socket, which I can’t access without disassembling the quad. Is that where I’m supposed to connect my Spectrum RX? There is a cable harness in the kit with a plug that might fit there, but it has male plugs on it, not the female plugs that go into an RX. Those are on the 10 pin harness which plugs into the left side of the flight controller. Can I plug a Spektrum RX in there?

OK, two questions! If that works, will the aircraft fly without any more set up with Clear Flight, which I’ve heard of but haven’t explored? Is there a default flight mode with stabilisation, or do I have to set that up?

Alright, that was three questions!

Welcome to the forum Ubutee!
I'm afraid I can't answer your question re the RX, I'm a FlySky user (call me a cheapo!)

You probably will need to do some setting up with CleanFlight/BetaFlight...
Firstly to inform the FC of which UART you are using to connect the RX and whether you are using a (new) digital 'Serial RX' protocol which allows more channels, PPM (original single signal wire RX communication protocol) or PWM (one wire per channel)

You will also need to configure a switch to 'Arm' the quad.

And configure (ideally a 3 position) switch to change between 'Angle' (self stabilization) mode, 'Horizon' (semi-stabilized) and 'Acro' mode (no stabilization). I think that the default is going to be 'Acro' mode, so you will need to configure flight modes.

My FlySky radio reports an error on power up if all the switches are not in the up position, so if your radio has the same feature, just configure your flight modes switch to be in 'Angle' mode in the up position, thus resetting the 'Acro' default.

Welcome Ubute

Since it's a diatone I am going to make a guess on the cables, but I am not sure if I am right because I've never owned a tyrant 150, but I do buy diatone products.

A lot of times with diatone products you get little white wires with a connector at the end, and no connector on the other end. Usually the connector goes somewhere on the diatone device and you're supposed to solder the cable to anotehr cable that came with the device you're hooking into elsewhere. So your reciever may have come with a similar cable? Then you just have to figure out what wires to what.

On setting up your configurator, it'll probably have betaflight on it. I once wrote my overview of the things I needed to configure on a new quad in betaflight. YMMV but it might at least give you some help at which items to look at.

http://intofpv.com/t-sometimes-betafligh...t=defaults

Other than that, I do a lot of google searches. So for example if i was you I might look up "Tyrant 150 spectrum reciever" to see if anyone has made a walkthrough for the specific components you're working with.

Hi Tom BD Bad and Carl.Vegas, thanks for replying so promptly.

Your helpful answers have raised yet more questions. All these acronyms! I'm sure a PID isn't a Pilot Intelligence Detector but what is it? And what's a UART that I'm supposedly connecting to the FC? (Flight Controller - see, I do know something.) I read Oscar Liang's Drones for Dummies, most of which I did know already, and now I’ve found his glossary of acronyms and am exploring further.

I now know PID is Proportional Integral Derivative, but reading the explanation makes me realise that if it was a Pilot Intelligence Detector, I don’t think I’d score very high. Do you really have to be an electrical engineer to fly these things?
From a practical point of view, the PWM option for connecting to the FC seems to make most sense to me. The manual says, in the familiar Chinglish in which these pamphlets are written:

“Default to use PWM mode, no need to reset, and assure rightly connect to 1-4 channel, NAZE32 1-4 in sequence: Aileron – Elevator – Throttle – Rudder, please connect to the receiver corresponding port.”

At least this refers to the flight channels I’m familiar with, and this mode doesn’t seem to a need to connect to CleanFlight, while the PPM and S.BUS modes do. I think I’ll take off the props and give this a go, see if the Tyrant fires up.
I’m planning to use a six channel Spektrum RX. In the FC wiring diagram it shows CH5/LED, so I suppose this controls the lights, but CH6 is blank. I wonder if this is the channel you set to arm the quad, whatever that means. Is that powering up, or starting the motors?

I thought after all these years I knew something about RC…

here's a picture i had handy ,not your FC .
so you will see uarts that you can solder to
also notice there is one that is a plug style uart .

lets get you flying then work on PID's  stock settings on CF or BF are good
enough for now.

 i use serial/ ibus but if memory serves me
easiest thing to do is connect the first 3 wires(GND,5v,ch1) that come out of your FC ( PMW input on  picture)
to ch1 on your RX
set in CF   --- RECEIVER TAB  "Receiver Mode" RX PPM  and choose SPEK/1024

 if you are using CF or BF you have to set flight modes or your in acro--- not good, you will crash.
also you do not have to set a switch to arm quad, quad will be armed when you move left stick all
the way right and disarm left stick- left-- make sure you turn on 'Motor Stop' and set 'Minimum Throttle' to like 1100 or 1150
for safety.

 also found this  i didn't watch it but  looked good
 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...RB2ZFQE7t0

i don't use Spektrum but the general idea is the same

(03-Jan-2018, 04:56 AM)buzzjob Wrote: make sure you turn on 'Motor Stop' and set 'Minimum Throttle' to like 1100 or 1150
for safety.

The safeness of motor-stop is debatable and has actually been a simi-controversial topic around here. In the past there has been a slight-consensus on here that it's safer not to use motor-stop because it makes it clear that the quad is armed and could take off at any moment. Of course proponents of motor stop say that you're less likely to get hurt because the props aren't spinning at a time when the quad isn't running. My argument against that is, you should never be touching a quad that's armed with props on it.

Also Ubute... PIDs are for "Tuning" which generally as Buzz mentions is OK to get started without any tuning. Generally you might find some vibrating noises, shaking in video if your tune is bad but most other tuning issues you probably wouldn't feel on the defaults until you've had more experience.

As for needing an electrical engineering degree... maybe not quite a degree... but I would say that learning everything that you need to be proficient with quadcopters does take several months of being very interested in it. There is a ton of learning, and the barriers to entry are high... but it's all worth it in my opinion

(03-Jan-2018, 02:30 AM)Ubute Wrote: Hi Tom BD Bad and Carl.Vegas, thanks for replying so promptly.

Your helpful answers have raised yet more questions. All these acronyms! I'm sure a PID isn't a Pilot Intelligence Detector but what is it? And what's a UART that I'm supposedly connecting to the FC? (Flight Controller - see, I do know something.) I read Oscar Liang's Drones for Dummies, most of which I did know already, and now I’ve found his glossary of acronyms and am exploring further.

I now know PID is Proportional Integral Derivative, but reading the explanation makes me realise that if it was a Pilot Intelligence Detector, I don’t think I’d score very high. Do you really have to be an electrical engineer to fly these things?
From a practical point of view, the PWM option for connecting to the FC seems to make most sense to me. The manual says, in the familiar Chinglish in which these pamphlets are written:

“Default to use PWM mode, no need to reset, and assure rightly connect to 1-4 channel, NAZE32 1-4 in sequence: Aileron – Elevator – Throttle – Rudder, please connect to the receiver corresponding port.”

At least this refers to the flight channels I’m familiar with, and this mode doesn’t seem to a need to connect to CleanFlight, while the PPM and S.BUS modes do. I think I’ll take off the props and give this a go, see if the Tyrant fires up.  
I’m planning to use a six channel Spektrum RX. In the FC wiring diagram it shows CH5/LED, so I suppose this controls the lights, but CH6 is blank. I wonder if this is the channel you set to arm the quad, whatever that means. Is that powering up, or starting the motors?

I thought after all these years I knew something about RC…

Honestly using PPM or SBUS will be easier and cleaner for your build because you only need to solder 1 wire for signal, where you would otherwise need to solder 5 or 6 wires, 1 for each of the channels you require.

A UART is basically a 'port' that you can use to connect peripherals to your quad, the FC is able to communicate with the peripheral through the UART connection allowing you control from your TX. ie. If you have a newer VTX, you might be able to change the output power from your TX rather than having to use buttons on the VTX itself. The most common use is for a lost model alarm, that triggers a buzzer (and sometimes LED's) when you flick the corresponding switch on your TX.

Channel 1-4 Aileron, Elevator, Throttle, Rudder, or AETR can be set in the configurator, some TX and RX use different channels (TEAR for example).

Arming, - your quad is powered on, but it will not respond to stick inputs until it has been 'Armed' this is a safety measure, in case you bump your sticks before you are ready to take off. Your quad is dangerous! This is why people say that deactivating 'motor stop' is a good idea, so when you arm the quad the motors spin, not fast enough to take off, but as an unmissable warning that it is now responding to stick inputs and can turn into 90MPH of rapidly spinning blades in under a second!

Lol at Pilot Intelligence Detector - If you see some of the stupid    that some of the guys in the hobby do, you will realize that there is minimal connection between intelligence and ability!

Tom BD Bad Wrote:...
Arming, - your quad is powered on, but it will not respond to stick inputs until it has been 'Armed' this is a safety measure, in case you bump your sticks before you are ready to take off. Your quad is dangerous! This is why people say that deactivating 'motor stop' is a good idea, so when you arm the quad the motors spin, not fast enough to take off, but as an unmissable warning that it is now responding to stick inputs and can turn into 90MPH of rapidly spinning blades in under a second!

Lol at Pilot Intelligence Detector - If you see some of the stupid    that some of the guys in the hobby do, you will realize that there is minimal connection between intelligence and ability!

Welcome to the boards!! Glad some of the boys have already answered most of the questions. I found this one particularly interesting, as to I have learned this lesson once already. Holding the quad in one hand and the controller tucked into my elbow, it slid and pegged the throttle. Much chop. Much blood. No fun. Also, just to add to this, there is now a "pre-arm" you can do as well. But I tend to be a little more free spirited on this one. But be safe, and have fun!! We are all here to help!

(03-Jan-2018, 07:07 PM)s3npai Wrote: Also, just to add to this, there is now a "pre-arm" you can do as well. But I tend to be a little more free spirited on this one. But be safe, and have fun!! We are all here to help!

I have a 3 switch arming process myself... 2 of my switches override the arming channel... so all 3 have to be engaged fully for the quad to be armed. this is also useful because it gives me 3 different switches to disarm when I am panicking!!!! Why do I use 3 switch redundancy for arming you ask? because it was someone else's blood when I made the same mistake!

(03-Jan-2018, 07:19 PM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: Why do I use 3 switch redundancy for arming you ask? because it was someone else's blood when I made the same mistake!

I can imagine that conversation consisting mainly of 
"sorry, no, like I'm REALLY sorry!" 

Later on alone in your car muttering to yourself - 
"...shouldn't be touching my quad anyway..."

(03-Jan-2018, 07:07 PM)s3npai Wrote: Welcome to the boards!! Glad some of the boys have already answered most of the questions. I found this one particularly interesting, as to I have learned this lesson once already. Holding the quad in one hand and the controller tucked into my elbow, it slid and pegged the throttle. Much chop. Much blood. No fun. Also, just to add to this, there is now a "pre-arm" you can do as well. But I tend to be a little more free spirited on this one. But be safe, and have fun!! We are all here to help!

:O

If the quad is powered, you should always treat it like a loaded gun!

I nearly did something like that when I started off in the hobby. I had the radio in one hand and as I bent down to pick up the quad, I nudged the throttle. It was very close.

Now, when I've landed, I put the radio down before I approach the quad. Then there's no chance of mistakes.

Hi Ubute
Welcome.
I have a similar story flying rc helis in the past.....more repairing than flying to be honest.
Got my first diatone gt200 drone in December thinking it would be easy.? Im part way up the himalayan mountain of learning that is required althought actually enjoying the experience.
This is a great forum that has loads of advice, support and information.
Enjoy?

have you ever owned a gun?
they are always loaded.
many people have been shot with 'unloaded' guns.
you do not climb over fences with one in your hand because of a accidental discharge.

if you take that approach you will keep your fingers on your hand or your flying partners hand.

but there is a point to having the props spin as most people won't stick their hand
into the fan blades in you car's motor.
but then again i've seen some wacko's on youtube stick their head into ceiling fans or tounge
into cooling fans just for fun!

(04-Jan-2018, 02:00 PM)buzzjob Wrote: many people have been shot with 'unloaded' guns.

This is why guns don't kill people, people kill people!

(03-Jan-2018, 10:10 PM)unseen Wrote: :O

If the quad is powered, you should always treat it like a loaded gun!

Can confirm. From Texas. Has guns. It was a newb mistake my first week into it before fully learning of switch configuration. Totally worth it to read as much as possible.