Beginner settings w/ Robird G31

[Chris Arena]

FINALLY got around to maidening my 300x today.. Put training wheels on it for safety and spooled up. Eveyrthing seems to be moving in the right directions while light on the skids....
But the second it gets off the ground, it is REAL SENSITIVE. Came very close to losing it. (Note that i fly my 130x with no problems). I shut it down and for now have it back on the bench with only about 3 inches of altitude gained 3 times with almost 3 possible crashes. Once slightly left tip over and twice slightly right tip over. (at least i know that cyclic, rudder and elevator ar going in the right directions. Also, with radio on, when i hold heli in my hand and move it around, the swash moves in the right directions. So I know I am alright in this dept.
This is the first flybarless heli I have ever built. What would be good beginner settlngs at least to get it up and off the ground. Note that I am used to setting my servo travel, Expodential, etc up on the transmitter. Any advice!

[Ah Clem]

Chris,

What settings in the Performance tab did you used for your test flight?

I have not flown a Robird in a 250 yet, but have found that the Sport settings in the Performance tabs are pretty sedate (I usually fly a new model first in Sport, so it is a bit slower, then move to 3D).

"Also, with radio on, when i hold heli in my hand and move it around, the swash moves in the right directions. So I know I am alright in this dept."

This is great! Sometimes this does not get set up right the first time.

Is the Robird correcting in the right directions (holding the machine with the motor off, if you roll it to the right, does the swashplate correct to the left; if you tip the nose down, does the swashplate correct by tipping aft; if you move the tail to the left, do the trailing edges of the tail blades point to the left?

[Chris Arena]

Whoops, Aileron correction is opposite of what it should be lilt to left aileron tilts to left.
Will correct.
0 expo on ail, elevator. set from 0 to minus 30.
Was on the high side of sport. tamed it down about 3 notches.

We'll see what happens in the next exciting and gripping chapter of Charlie Brown's Heli-Kite.

[NSFlyer12]

I believe you want positive expo in tx not negative. Also if your dual rates are high, you can try bringing them down a bit to help.

[ToddMcF2002]

I remember my first maiden with the 300. I couldn't believe they didn't recommend expo as I found it very sensitive. I run at 15 expo on cyclic, calms it nicely.

[Chris Arena]

What is going on now is that when I move my sticks to the left, right, forward and back, the swash moves in those direction. Which is what we want. But when I put the transmitter down, and must tilt the heli in the same directions. the swash should be moving in the opposite direction to correct the heli right?.

If this is correct, then, all of my swashplate movements when I move my heli around are NOT correcting, instead, they are moving WITH the tilt of the heli.This is BAD right?

That would probably explain the EXTREME movement in my heli when I tried to lift off!

So, bieng a noob to this FBL setup.I guess that I have to reverse the FBL reactions to compensate properly, Right?

[NSFlyer12]

Go through the Robird setup again. Make sure you selected the right mounting position for the Robird.

[Ah Clem]

"If this is correct, then, all of my swashplate movements when I move my heli around are NOT correcting, instead, they are moving WITH the tilt of the heli.This is BAD right?"

In the extreme.

"That would probably explain the EXTREME movement in my heli when I tried to lift off!"

Yes! The fact that you got it down at all is very impressive-good piloting skills to accomplish that!

Set up properly, it should be quite docile on the Sport setting.

Again, holding the machine with the motor off, if you roll it to the right, does the swashplate correct to the left; if you tip the nose down, does the swashplate correct by tipping aft; if you move the tail to the left, do the trailing edges of the tail blades point to the left?

Check everything in the setup, as NSFlyer12 suggested. Make sure that the left servo is really the left aileron servo and the right aileron servo is really the right servo. I swapped them on my first V-Bar setup and it took me a while to figure it out (it compensated backwards on aileron).

Keep working with it and keep asking questions. There are quite a few of us here to help you!

[Chris Arena]

Here is what I have. Looking at the rear or the heli in front of me, I have the left servo hooked up to the left servo on the robird, center on center and right servo on right robird servo. Robird mounted upright on top of heli, wires facing back.

Transmitter sticks work as they should, Everything moves in the proper direction

Robird is compensating in reverse. tilting to right, swash tilts to right.

How do I reverse the compensation? I am suspecting servo placement is reversed. Maybe I should be looking at the heli from the front?

[Ah Clem]

"Here is what I have. Looking at the rear or the heli in front of me, I have the left servo hooked up to the left servo on the robird, center on center and right servo on right robird servo. Robird mounted upright on top of heli, wires facing back.

Transmitter sticks work as they should, Everything moves in the proper direction"

So far, so good!

Until this: "Robird is compensating in reverse. tilting to right, swash tilts to right."

NSFlyer12 mentioned this earlier...

Which option did you select in Step 6 of the Setup Guide (the left side of the screen)? From your description,It sounds like you should select "Top-Wire Back."

"I am suspecting servo placement is reversed. Maybe I should be looking at the heli from the front?"

No, you are correct in looking at it from the rear. You may well have the servos reversed and have missed something in the wiring (this is fairly common when hooking up FBL units).

Do you have a photograph of your Robird mounted on your helicopter?

[Chris Arena]

Note that I have removed much of the wiring tie downs






[ATTACH]
547445[/ATTACH]

[Chris Arena]

Yes, I have software set at "Top Wire Back".

Suspect servo hook up. Will take some time and really read thru the instructions tomorrow when I have the time.

Notice that I am using Turniqy servos. tgy/113mgs on cyclics and a GY2120mh digital on the tail. Note yellow wires up on all three cyclics. Oange on tail servo.

[Chris Arena]

Stoopid question. At present, I have all the transmitter reverse functions set on N. If i reverse the aileron and pitch servo on the transmitter, then reverse those same settings on the robird, would that work? Or, is it taboo to change the transmitter reverse functions and just leave them all on the N position? Transmitter is a late model DX6i.

[Chris Arena]

Finally, I got all of the servo's correcting in the proper direction! Maiden will have to wait for a new main shaft as I found that I slightly bent it with a light blade strike from my prior attempt. Looks good, can't wait to finally maiden!

[Ah Clem]

"Finally, I got all of the servo's correcting in the proper direction! Maiden will have to wait for a new main shaft as I found that I slightly bent it with a light blade strike from my prior attempt. Looks good, can't wait to finally maiden!"

Outstanding!

Was it just a wiring issue?

[Chris Arena]

It was really simple. Just had to listen to the instructions on servo reversing.

I have to admit that this bird, thru no fault of it's own has been a comedy of errors. First off, I got a defective Robird, which is just about impossible to do, but I did manage to get one. Then with my Yep 35 esc, I could not get this thing to get past half power. Musta re-set it more times than I can count until I determined that the motor was bad. Sent mptor back, waited about 3 weeks for a new one, only to find that it was the right model number, but a 1500kv motor instead of the 3500 kv unit. Put the stock motor in for now and everything worked fine with the exception of the servo set ups. Got it done just in time for the rain and end of summer. Will maiden as soon as the rain stops. Hopefully tomorrow.