Gopro of my gimbal/ Vimeo link

[Goldenhour]

My next move, in between work, family and rebuilding gutters is to replace the BLS 252 servo with a BLS 251. The frame rate is half of the 252 and is selectable in the HC3sx software. Not sure what this will do or if this will help the wag.
I will also lower the gains on the FBL. I remounted the gimbal dampers vertical instead of going out to the side like they were.
I'll get some video with that set up soon.

[Goldenhour]

I made some changes. Gimbal springs upright from cantered outward. BLS251 from BLS252 ie, from about 1560 to 760 ms framerates. Hoped the shorter framerates would help gyro communication. Lowered gain on FBL about 5.
Seems I have an issue with the tail gyro. I am using the Helicommand tail gyro. I'm thinking of setting up with my GY520 and see what gives. A man recommended that long ago when he was recommending the HC3sx to me. Using the GY520 instead of the Helicommand tail gyro. With cars its said 90% of all problems are electrical. Like cars I cant just start changing out parts to troubleshoot this either.
Anyhoo here is the video. Gopro looking back and the Lx5 as the main.
Vimeo wouldn't convert the 1080p gopro so I went with youtube
Pc3...forgot to clap

Back

BLS251test Gopro back 1080p HD (6 min 5 sec)

Main

BLS251 test Main Cam (6 min 8 sec)

[Goldenhour]

Not sure which way to go now. I have been looking into my Helicommand more. Seeing how all rotating hardware is balanced very well and the only "vibration" is from tail/ swash movement it could be that. After a thorough education there I will then go will the gy520.

[pc3associate]

Looking great. You still have a tail wag. Gotta get that tail dialed in. That should be main focus.

[Goldenhour]

I am looking at a thorough education of the Hc3sx software and application. I will try "realtime tuning" where I assign a given Hc parameter(there must be 20) to an aux. channel and go up and down in the settings at the field to find the sweet spot. This will take some time, maybe not.

[pc3associate]

You have come a long ways! You are now at the point where everyone gives up or says "it just can't be done I am gonna go to multi"

This is the point in the journey with single rotors and video that takes a lot of time and patience. Fly, adjust, fly, adjust, fly adjust, bang head, fly, adjust. It can get frustrating. But if you want reassurance just take your Heli flying as it is now to your local air field and compare how it is compared to all the others. No match. Yours will look smooth as silk in the air. But for video will take just a little more fine tuning.


Keep it up, you are making great progress!

[Goldenhour]

pc3, what FBL controller do you prefer or does it really matter? Hey, and thanks for the support. It really does make a difference when I hit despair and start questioning myself about what I'm doing with this. Know what I mean?

[pc3associate]

We use the Sk720 on all our single rotors. That's what we started with so never felt like having to learn setting up a different one. So that is what we use on them all. And yes I know what you mean.

[Goldenhour]

Thought I'd check in with all you good people. For weeks it seems my copter's been in pieces on my workbench. With me pecking away at it an hour at a time.
I've timed the TT shaft with the umbrella gear in the TT gear box. Have the TT bearing(1) inner race glued to the shaft as well. There really is a position that is the smoothest and one that is vibration producing. Ive removed the bottom of three main shaft bearings. The third one on the bottom is causing the shaft to bind a little no matter how hard I try to do it right. And always did. Putting the hc3sx unit on the bottom plate the skids touch for better support and going to align "orthogonally" to the main shaft. I will use the bolt through the main grips pitch setting tech next for head set up. I also put on 95mm tail blades and took off the 115 asymmetrical spinblades tails. Balanced.
Wondering if the hc3sx is unnecessary for my purposes and a bit too complicated. Looking at every other FBL unit and they are much simpler to set up. Oh well not spending more at this point.
Later, Craig

[reALIGNed]

Member suggested I post this vid. Been chasing vibes. Seriously considering discarding this cheap trex beast for a Japanese Mikado Logo. I believe I've been trying to put lipstick on a pig for the last year and a half. I've spent a small fortune but the basic mechanical design has stayed the same. Align never built a copter for AP. Or ever will.



ALIGN does make an AP rig, (specifically), kind of pricey but it is available. All the other models (ALIGN) are considered 3D.

http://gimbal.align.com.tw/index.php?language=en

[Goldenhour]

Again wanted to thank Ray and his "Authoritative DVD series" for the procedures that eliminated the vibrations.
After a fair amount of work and education I got my first chance to see if my video improved. The copter even sounded friendlier and "happier". The main camera showed little if any vibes and of course the gopro watching the gimbal was steady.
I did many things but one I believe really helped was balancing, actually "timing" the torque tube. The ends of the torque tube shafts are not put in evenly. And there is a natural bias of the gear assembly to be off as well(at the umbrella gear). I could feel that change in the tail. I ditched the high tech pitch gauges and went with a 4mm rod hanging down out of the blade grip. When its even with the main shaft its good. And of course long hours balancing the blades and grips of both. I went over every last component of that copter. I believe my work has had some rewards.

Just posted these videos. Not real sure but I think in the main camera video I see a barely perceptible harmonic vibration that come and goes every couple seconds. Is that possible? Its good enough for me.

Main camera looking forward. (3 min 19 sec)

Gopro diagnostic for swash and tail (3 min 12 sec)

[Goldenhour]

Had an interesting lesson today while working on the copter. Like I've said I've reduced vibration to the point of being a non issue. When I place my Lx5 Panasonic in video mode on the PS1 gimbal, no vibration. When I place the gopro on top of the PS1 gimbal, no vibration.
Next-I had built a flat aluminum plate forward of the PS1 gimbal that supports the 2 axis brushless gimbal. The video was like little vibrations or circles, but level. When I placed the gopro on top of the aluminum support plate the same type vibration. I next built a "cowling" out of cardboard for the 2 axis gimbal with gopro on it. The vibration was easily half. It is becoming apparent to me one of the sources of vibration is the damned rotor blades. Next I'll try to be Kelley Bell and limit the air hammer effect. Perhaps a custom cowling?

[sctholson]

Originally Posted by Goldenhour

Had an interesting lesson today while working on the copter. Like I've said I've reduced vibration to the point of being a non issue. When I place my Lx5 Panasonic in video mode on the PS1 gimbal, no vibration. When I place the gopro on top of the PS1 gimbal, no vibration.
Next-I had built a flat aluminum plate forward of the PS1 gimbal that supports the 2 axis brushless gimbal. The video was like little vibrations or circles, but level. When I placed the gopro on top of the aluminum support plate the same type vibration. I next built a "cowling" out of cardboard for the 2 axis gimbal with gopro on it. The vibration was easily half. It is becoming apparent to me one of the sources of vibration is the damned rotor blades. Next I'll try to be Kelley Bell and limit the air hammer effect. Perhaps a custom cowling?

That doesn't actually surprise me. I'd like to be able to build a cowling around my gimbal and camera, but with all the external wires, they cannot be shielded, at least not on my set up. If the wires that connect the craft to the gimbal or camera are allowed to be in the path of the multi-rotor blades or heli blades the ensuing wind from the blades are sure to cause a vibration of the wires that directly transfer to the camera/gimbal.

[Goldenhour]

I've seen cowlings on many of the pro designs with single rotor. I can see the beauty of a multi with its wash missing the gimbal. More or less.
Yes it seems a cowling is my next step. I got out my 700 size cowling and will attempt to retrofit it to the top of the tube assembly.
Its also possible that the vibration however slight I dont see in the video on the PS1 gimbal is being felt by the gyros in the little 2 axis gimbal. Or the wash is "pushing" the little gimbals' arm's around. The video(which I deleted in disgust) was made up of little circles. Something I have never seen before. Since I get such smooth video when the camera is mounted hard to the frame of the copter I'm thinking of mounting the front mount tube assm. hard to the frame.

I'm in the NorthWest, Vancouver, Wa. This is a picture looking South to the Columbia River during our Snow/Ice storm this weekend.

[Goldenhour]

This is my latest iteration if you will of my AP copter. I changed the FMTube spring dampers to be up and down instead of at an angle. Not sure yet if I've created some harmonic vibration with that set up. The gimbal battery on the right on the back skid was for balance consideration. The main camera that sits on the 2XPT tray had some unexpected vibration I could see in the video it made that was not present last time. I had removed a vibration table I bought that the Panasonic LX5 sat on. The 2 axis gimbal with gopro is attached under the 2XPT tray. I also placed a second bearing on the topmost main shaft bearing block.
I would haved used Vimeo but $$$. The youtube gopro vid can be set to 720p. I believe I can see a very high frequency vibration in the video, maybe not. As I said the copter was not balanced perfectly so I had to do some in flight hover correction with ail. and elev.
I am going to try and make a rotor wash cover out of a cowling for the gimbal. Not sure yet if it will create its own set of problems as the wash hammers the cover. Or maybe it will protect the camera from the wash and quiet things down.

I sure get a kick out of this and watching my videos. Expensive though.

Observations and ideas VERY MUCH welcome. I am a scientist at heart and believe collaboration with men (and women) is a must if we are to acheive our goals. Petty pride, arrogance and ignorance get us nowhere. Onward to the stars!!

Love you all.

RC Copter with Gopro on 2 axis gimbal (4 min 40 sec)

[pc3associate]

Wow! You have come so far! Great progress!

Are you running a governed head speed? What head speed? Really appears to be a head speed thing. Look closely at any straight lines. By the end everything seems to get very smooth (as voltage drops).

If it were me, I would turn any governors off and play with head speeds at this point.

[Goldenhour]

Hi PC! I am running a bit lower head speed that before. I will experiment with that, headspeed. I too noticed that effect. Funny I've asked myself the same question why video would look great at the start sometimes and get worse towards the end. Battery voltage drop.
I am playing with the idea of modifying a 700 size cowling to fit over the FMTA and gimbal to minimize the negative effects of rotor wash. Think it is worth the trouble?

[Goldenhour]

Saturday and from 8am til about 3 I'm working on all the business of living not related to my occupation during the week. With the left over time and daylight I went back to work on my copter. Through all this I never bothered with a power wire that comes out the FrontMountTube and into the Rx on the PS1 gimbal. After rubber banding up this loose loop of wire and trying yet again the vibration I had been chasing was gone. (Videos later) Could this loose wire have been transmitting that much shock into the gimbal? I am now going to secure every last loose thing on the copter and see what happens.
Now to go take my copy of Kid Cannabis to my in laws accross town and watch it.
Tomorrow is more testing and God I hope this Easter is blessed.

[Goldenhour]

Kinda lame when you start posting to your own thread. Anywho I'm still working of vibration and have come a long way. I just timed the TT to the rear umbrella gear. Front and back on the Align copter needs to be timed cause its not a perfect fit and one fit will be right on and the other three bad to so so. Talking about the four keys on the shaft that fit into the umbrella gear. I'm almost to the point of saying good enough for video and stills. I get the feeling an Align single rotor is more toy than engineering excellence. But I am not spending more money on another bird.

[Goldenhour]

This is the best I've done so far. I have other vids from todays work but this one kind of sums up the level of vibration. I need to tilt the gopro down out of the blades a little. Its not perfect but damn I'll take it for now. I now have this capability and a main camera to make stills with.
It nows seems blade tracking was a vibe maker I didn't get just right and paid for it with small vibes.

Best AP Copter video (1 min 1 sec)