GPS modes tied to Flight Mode (DX9)

[remoterecon]

Hey Guys,

I routinely use the GPS "Hard Floor" now to reduce my pucker factor, but it's a bit awkward to use as part of a separate switch. I'd love to tie it to a flight mode for a few reasons.

1. I always land in Normal mode, so transitioning out of the hard deck is natural if I flip down to normal mode.

2. It's dangerous to have the GPS "Hard Floor" not tied into the throttle hold. If I had to do an auto for whatever reason, having the heli 'save' me at 7m with no head speed would be catastrophic.

3. I'd love to have Flight Mode (Normal) be off, FL1 be off and FL2 be "on". Hold would be "off".

Digging through the DX9 menus, you can hook AUX channels up to flight modes, but I can't figure out how to have multiple values set for an AUX channel for a particular flight mode.

Skookum: It would be great to have GPS / SL mode set per the throttle position. Automatically revoking the Hard Floor if the throttle drops below x% would be really good.

Thoughts?

[dcope17]

You'll need to do Tx mixes. I believe a DX9 is easily programmable but I have a JR so I won't be much help.

[remoterecon]

ok.. cool. I'll try that.

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by remoterecon

Skookum: It would be great to have GPS / SL mode set per the throttle position. Automatically revoking the Hard Floor if the throttle drops below x% would be really good.

Thoughts?

On the GPS this was implemented from day 1.

When you cut the throttle, GPS reverts to OFF (Manual)

SL keeps working if its on.

[remoterecon]

Really?! I'll have to check that out!

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by remoterecon

Really?! I'll have to check that out!

I have to strongly suggest you try it only on the bench as opposed to in actual flight.

Once your heli goes below your preset hard floor, an autorotation abort with the GPS switch still set to hard/soft floor, spells disaster.

[Skookum]

"Once your heli goes below your preset hard floor, an autorotation abort with the GPS switch still set to hard/soft floor, spells disaster."

It reverts to manual control if you kill throttle.

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by Skookum

It reverts to manual control if you kill throttle.

Yes, that's exactly what I said.

But when you abort an autorotation below the hard floor, the throttle is reactivated, and so is the GPS hard floor. That is what spells disaster.

[Xrayted]

I didn't think the hard deck would do anything when activated below the set deck limit? You can certainly activate it, but must fly above it first in order for it begin working. At least that is what I have observed on my setup, however I haven't tried the exact scenario being described here either.

[Groucho_]

When the hard deck is activated above the limit, all proceeds normally.

When it is activated below the limit, the helicopter will always want to climb.

This can be observed also on the bench. The floor does not need to be cleared for the deck protection to initialize.

Even if that were the case however, it would not change the behavior of the GPS when aborting an autorotation below the floor.

[Xrayted]

Originally Posted by Groucho_

When the hard deck is activated above the limit, all proceeds normally.

When it is activated below the limit, the helicopter will always want to climb.

This can be observed also on the bench. The floor does not need to be cleared for the deck protection to initialize.

Even if that were the case however, it would not change the behavior of the GPS when aborting an autorotation below the floor.

I didn't realize that and assumed it would do nothing until above the deck for the first time. I always wait to activate it until I'm above it anyway.

That would explain why my heli once took off and went autonomous on me, shooting up to the deck into position hold as soon as a flipped out of TH on the ground to fly. This was back on the old previous firmware, but somehow I guess I managed to activated the hard deck before taking off, and I thought it was taking off and flying away on its own and was just about to hit TH and let it fall before I realized it stopped and went onto position hold.

That behavior should be corrected, so activating the decks do not go into effect until after the heli has risen above the set deck limit for the first time of each flight.

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by Xrayted

That behavior should be corrected, so activating the decks do not go into effect until after the heli has risen above the set deck limit for the first time of each flight.

I would like that too.

I always seem to activate mine when it's still a meter or so below the deck, and it's annoying.

[Xrayted]

Originally Posted by Groucho_

I would like that too.

I always seem to activate mine when it's still a meter or so below the deck, and it's annoying.

It would be one less switch to fiddle for once in the air, or to forget to arm. Just turn the deck on before you ever take off, and then it becomes active after the baro detects the set deck limit has been exceeded.

Things always sound simple to implement to me, but I'm sure the SK gang can tell me reasons why this wouldn't be a great idea to do

The good thing is if it really is a good idea, we have a high likelihood that they will listen and implement it

[remoterecon]

I would love that as well.. that would essentially eliminate the need to have such complicated flight modes... set GPS floor, take off and go fly.

Flipping a bunch of switches mid flight is a bit nerve wracking.

BUT ... I must say, I am over the moon happy with the performance and the peace of mind that the SK720+GPS gives. Switch flipping or not.

Making it simpler to engage and disengage would be great.

(BTW I'll definitely test on the bench!! to see the Manual mode kick in with the throttle cut)