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Validating Board Sensor Alignment Configuration
#1
Hey Guys, 

Since this came up in a recent post and as my skills start to improve I've been eager to give back to the community I thought I'd share this very basic tutorial on something that I've needed to use. This information is something that will be familiar to experienced pilots but to some first timers it might be helpful. I am going to focus just on validating the set up for this guide but I'd like to point out that there are folks more experience thank I that have shared some good tips on understanding which direction your flight controller is facing in the first place. 

(17-May-2017, 11:17 PM)unseen Wrote: ...On your flight controller there should be an arrow printed on [the top of] the board... ...The arrow should point towards the front of the quad. If it points to the left instead, then all you should need to correct is Yaw, -90 degrees (or +270)...
...You should only change yaw unless you have also mounted the flight controller upside down....

Once you think you have it right you don't have to fly to check, you can use the 3d model on the setup
An easy set of steps to validate Board Sensor Alignment is to:
  • Go to the Setup Tab of Betaflight (I am assuming we're using Betaflight configuration because it's very popular, Cleanflight works the same way but in different colors  Tongue ... I don't know about other flight controllers or configurators). 
  • Validate that accelerometer is not disabled (you can tell if it's disabled because the option to "Calibrate Accelerometer" will be grayed out)
  • Point the quad at the screen with the front end towards the screen and the back end towards you
  • Click "Reset Z axis" (this gets the model pointing forward again)
  • Then tilt the quad to the left, the model on the screen should tilt left... (see screenshot below)
  • ---- If it doesn't tilt left then go back to configuration screen and continue adjusting values for Board Sensor Alignment and start back at the top
  • ---- If it does tilt left then try tilting it in other directions. The model on the screen should move the same directions as the quad in your hand. (sometimes z-axis floats a little for me on this screen... if it does you can always reset it again to continue validating)
[Image: bf3dmodel.png]

That's it... easy enough. 

I hope this helps remove some of the difficulties for first time flight controller configurators. For more info on configuring betaflight I suggest the following article:
http://www.propwashed.com/betaflight-con...ion-guide/
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
[-] The following 5 users Like Carl.Vegas's post:
  • Drone0fPrey, sloscotty, KonradS, RENOV8R, unseen
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#2
Great post!

The next time this question comes up, all we have to do is link to this thread. Thumbs Up
[-] The following 1 user Likes unseen's post:
  • Carl.Vegas
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#3
Is a quad going mental always due to a wrong setup of orientation? Or are there other problems that may cause this?
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#4
(18-May-2017, 02:14 PM)laziegoblin Wrote: Is a quad going mental always due to a wrong setup of orientation? Or are there other problems that may cause this?

I can think of at least 4 or 5 other issues myself just off the top of my head... However, I would say that this is a critical first configuration step on any quad. The setup screen with the 3d model being the first thing you see it's really easy to do a quick check so that you know if you need to configure or not. 

The problem is... a crazy quad could have so many root causes that it's difficult to list all of them. I think the guys did a pretty good job in the other thread of listing ones that logically seem like they might be common. Having never had one go crazy on me after configuring I don't really know. I do know that my motors all spun the wrong way on my first build which required some easy work in blheli and I had to do a bit of tweaking to my receiver channels and some of the other things mentioned, but I made those changes before ever having both props secured and battery plugged in at the same time.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#5
(18-May-2017, 02:14 PM)laziegoblin Wrote: Is a quad going mental always due to a wrong setup of orientation? Or are there other problems that may cause this?
This is the #1 cause, but it may also be the result of motors being assigned to the incorrect channel.  This happened to me last weekend, as I had motor 3 connected to input 4 on the flight controller and visa versa.  I call it the "Tazmanian Devil Effect" Incorrect prop install can also cause a similar result, just not as dramatic.  The quad tends to just flip and tries to dig a hole to the centre of the earth rather than going ballistic
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#6
yeah... for just a basic flip-over... I've had that happen because of a dead motor once and a loose prop another time.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#7
hey guys... I think I posted this in the wrong forum... I rarely look at the main page to decide where to go so I didn't realize that this was different from the tutorial forum... maybe it should be moved?
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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#8
(21-May-2017, 02:29 AM)Carl.Vegas Wrote: hey guys... I think I posted this in the wrong forum... I rarely look at the main page to decide where to go so I didn't realize that this was different from the tutorial forum... maybe it should be moved?

I think this is the ideal place for it Carl!  Hopefully, this is one of the first fora that people new to the hobby will check.  Thumbs Up
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#9
OK Thanks! Smile

I am in a transition period of learning right now where the sting of getting stuck is still fresh in my mind but I've got some solid understanding on what other folks would want to know about stuff like this so I am planning to write more tutorials soon. The next one I am working on is how to increase rates while learning in simulators. which I think is important for someone who might want to fly freestyle and make a bunch of zippy moves as they get better.
carl.vegas
Current Quads: Operational: Diatone GT2 200 In need of repair: Bumble Bee, tehStein,  Slightly modified Vortex 250 
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