Where to wire in the OSD Pro.

[jrohland]

I run a copilot device on my rigid (flybarless) heli. I had a number of Freaks ask me about the order I used when wiring the various electronics. What does that have to do with Eagletree? I recently got the OSD Pro and am getting ready to start installing it. It needs to be wired in to the control chain.

The question came up in my mind, where does the OSD Pro go in relation to the other devices. Of course, for me the answer is easy. Let me give you a glimpse into the oddball workings of my brain.

I think of the heli control systems as a series of concentric rings:
The servos and linkages are the inner most ring.
Next is the rigid (flybarless) gyros.
Than the FMA Direct Copilot.
Next is the ET OSD Pro.
The outter most ring is the pilot.


Each of these devices has a different roll to play in the complete control chain.

The rigid gyros are there to cancel out uncommanded rotations around their respective axis. For example, in forward flight the heli wants to nose up. That would cause an unwanted rotation about the elevator axis. The elevator gyro is there to detect and counteract that uncommanded nose up rotation. These are NOT flight stability devices.

The copilot is used for maintain level attitude stabilization only. In most flight regimes the copilot is inactive. It is configured to activate only when the aileron and elevator control stick (the right stick on my radio) is centered.

The OSD Pro is a kind of emergency flight director. Its job (in flight control) is to return the aircarft to a designated spot when failsafe activates.

FInally is the pilot. All those other systems are there to assist the pilot. Only the OSD Pro and the pilot actually "fly" the model. The OSD Pro only "flys" until the model has reached a specified map coordinate or the radio link reactivates.

[JimLerch]

I doubt it helps, but I agree exactly with your approach!

[jrohland]

Coming from you Jim that means much. I know you are experienced and clever with this sort of thing.

[nightflyr]

mechanically sound thinking..I agree with the approach for the installation, BTW silly question....with all the electronics how is your flight time?

[jrohland]

I don't have the OSD Pro installed yet.

However, I would guess the power used by these electronics--as a percentage of the power used by the motor and servos--is minuscule.

Anyway, the Maxi Joker3 is flying for 8 minutes on 11s 4200.