Welcome to LibrePilot/OpenPilot Wiki¶

Downloading the GCS installer¶

The first step is to download the appropriate GCS installer. Using the release table below, select the Download Link that corresponds to your computer’s operating system.

If updating from a previous release, you may wish note the current settings for your vehicle first by creating a .UAV file or taking screenshots of vehicle settings.

Visit the LibrePilot forums if you have questions and/or suggestions. Extensive documentation about how the system works and how to install and configure it is available in the LibrePilot wiki and here.

Latest version can be found here: https://librepilot.atlassian.net/wiki/display/LPDOC/Downloads.

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:librepilot/release
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install librepilot

[librepilot]
SigLevel = Optional TrustAll
Server = http://download.librepilot.org/repo/archlinux/librepilot/$arch

Installation of the GCS¶

Open the GCS installer file that you downloaded and follow these steps:

1. Choose a language from the drop-down list on the first page, then click OK. (You can cancel installation at any point by clicking Cancel.)
2. The LibrePilot Welcome screen appears. Click Next.
3. Review the conditions of the license agreement and then click I Agree to accept the terms.
4. You can select which components to install in the Choose Components dialog box. Click Next to accept the default selections.

5. You can specify where to install LibrePilot GCS in the Choose Install Location dialog box. Click Browse to choose a location or Install to install the software in the default location shown in the text box.

   Previous installations of the LibrePilot GCS were installed in the Documents and Settings directory on Windows machines. The latest default GCS location is the standard Program Files location on Windows machines.

6. LibrePilot GCS installs on your computer. Click Next when installation is complete.

7. If you have have chosen the default setup, Windows will now install the CDC driver for the Virtual Comm Port of your LibrePilot board.

8. Click Finish to complete installation. (Clear the check box if you don’t want LibrePilot GCS to run immediately.)
9. If you choose to run LibrePilot GCS immediately, click OK to load the default configuration file.
10. The LibrePilot GCS start page appears. Congratulations! You can explore LibrePilot GCS or proceed to the next step, Installing or Updating Your Firmware.

Downloading the GCS installer¶

The first step is to download the appropriate GCS installer. Using the release table below, select the Download Link that corresponds to your computer’s operating system.

If updating from a previous release, you may wish note the current settings for your vehicle first by creating a .UAV file or taking screenshots of vehicle settings.

Visit the OpenPilot forums if you have questions and/or suggestions. Extensive documentation about how the system works and how to install and configure it is available in this wiki.

Latest version can be found here: http://www.openpilot.org/download/.

Note that the CC3D is not supported by this release.

This release fixes an important bug of Nano attitude drift with Basic
attitude estimation.

All Revolution hardware running 15.05.01 should upgrade to 15.05.02.

Note that this is a hotfix; to get the new defaults a full erase settings
is required.

Stabilization settings and banks can be imported back after upgrade

Furthermore, please review your vtolpathfollowersettings:HorizontalVelMax;
a value of around 4m/s would be more appropriate for preliminary trialing of
a new release and will be changed in future.

This version supports Revolution Nano, Revolution, OPLink Modems, and
Platinum GPS.

This release fixes a bug that prevents revo onboard mag to work correctly.

Release Notes - OpenPilot - Version RELEASE-15.02.02

The full list of bugfixes in this release is accessible here:
https://progress.openpilot.org/issues/?filter=12262

** Bug
* [OP-1820] - fix onboard mag orientation
* [OP-1821] - Tricopter tail servo wrong speed on wizard
* [OP-1827] - Version ID wrong in Windows uninstaller
* [OP-1857] - PPM on Flexi does not work on CC/CC3D

** Task
* [OP-1831] - due to oneshot higher pid values ki now shows "red" warning in
stabilization page

Installation of the GCS¶

Open the GCS installer file that you downloaded and follow these steps:

1. Choose a language from the drop-down list on the first page, then click OK. (You can cancel installation at any point by clicking Cancel.)
2. The OpenPilot Welcome screen appears. Click Next.
3. Review the conditions of the license agreement and then click I Agree to accept the terms.
4. You can select which components to install in the Choose Components dialog box. Click Next to accept the default selections.

5. You can specify where to install OpenPilot GCS in the Choose Install Location dialog box. Click Browse to choose a location or Install to install the software in the default location shown in the text box.

   Previous installations of the OpenPilot GCS were installed in the Documents and Settings directory on Windows machines. The latest default GCS location is the standard Program Files location on Windows machines.

6. OpenPilot GCS installs on your computer. Click Next when installation is complete.

7. If you have have chosen the default setup, Windows will now install the CDC driver for the Virtual Comm Port of your OpenPilot board.

8. Click Finish to complete installation. (Clear the check box if you don’t want OpenPilot GCS to run immediately.)
9. If you choose to run OpenPilot GCS immediately, click OK to load the default configuration file.
10. The OpenPilot GCS start page appears. Congratulations! You can explore OpenPilot GCS or proceed to the next step, Installing or Updating Your Firmware.

CopterControl3D (CC3D and Atom) and CopterControl Introduction¶

The CopterControl, CC3D and Atom flight controllers are all types of stabilisation hardware which run the OpenPilot firmware. They can be configured to fly any airframe from fixed wing to an octocopter using the OpenPilot Ground Control Station (GCS) software. If you haven’t already installed the Ground Control software, see Downloading and Installing Ground Control Station.

The CopterControl was the first generation board, which ceased manufacture in 2012 due to lack of availability of the gyro sensors used for stabilisation. The board design was then revised and released with an improved gyro sensor which is less affected by temperature changes. This revision is called the CC3D, and apart from the gyro sensor change is identical to the original CopterControl. The Atom is the latest edition to this family - it has the full functionality of the CC3D, but in a smaller form factor and was made available in August 2014 by getfvp.com and readymaderc.com.

All three of these boards are 100% compatible with the latest firmware release when updated to the latest boot-loader. All documentation referring to the original CopterControl board is applicable to both the CC3D and Atom boards.

Getting to know your board¶

CopterControl¶

Weight: 8g

CopterControl3D/CC3D¶

Weight: 8g

The CC3D and the Atom are both available with right angle or straight output connectors.

ATOM¶

Weight: 4g

The Atom doesn’t have mounting holes. Cases designed to mount and protect all of the flight controllers are available from a number of sources. For example, for the Atom, www.readymaderc.com have lightweight cases with and without feet.

Connection diagram¶

The diagram below summarizes how the overall CopterControl system is connected.

Connection Details¶

Ports¶

CopterControl / CC3D / Atom have 4 ports.

(click image to see full size)

• Servo Output 1-6: These are the PWM outputs that go to servos or ESCs. Power is typically applied through these headers from only one of the ESCs. The positive (Vcc) and negative (Gnd) pins are indicated on this diagram and the board.

  Servo output pin layout is

  • Outside –> ground
  • Middle –> 5V - 15V
  • Inside –> signal

• MainPort (also previously known as Telemetry): JST-SH 4-pin. This is a serial USART whose baud rate can be adjusted through the GCS. Optionally Futaba S.Bus receiver, Spektrum/JR satellite receiver or GPS can be mapped to the MainPort. Default configuration is Telemetry for connecting an RF modem.

• FlexiPort: JST-SH 4-pin. The function of this port also depends on the configuration and can be configured for I2C or Serial. The default configuration doesn’t use this port but it can be used for Telemetry, GPS, Spektrum satellite receivers (all working), and other I2C peripherals (under development).

• ReceiverPort : JST-SH 8-pin. The receiver port can act as an input or output port depending on the configuration which is set in the Hardware Settings. Configuring the receiver port as an output port allows the user to assign more output channels then the 6 standard servo outputs.

  ReceiverPort use depends on the type of RC receiver in use, and whether OneShot125 or PWM Sync output is desired:

  • PWM
    • PWM+NoOneShot should be used with a normal PWM type receiver. The 6 rightmost wires of the receiver port carry the signal for each channel individually.
  • PPM - Pin 3
    • PPM+NoOneShot is used with modern PPM type receivers, that combine the control signal to one wire. The PPM stream should be sent to the first input through the white wire connected to CC ReceiverPort wire/pin 3. For a PPM receiver, only one pin is used for signal - the remaining wires connected to CC ReceiverPort wires 4-8 are left unused.
    • PPM+PWM+NoOneShot combines the two modes above, wire/pin 3 is used for PPM and the rest, wires/pins 4-8 are used as PWM inputs.
    • PPM+Outputs+NoOneShot enables PPM input in ReceiverPort wire/pin 3, and PWM output in wires/pins 5-8. These work as output channels 7-10.
  • PPM - Pin 8
    • PPM_PIN8+OneShot is a new mode, where PPM input wire is moved from previous ReceiverPort pin 3 to pin 8 to allow PWM Sync and OneShot125 to be used as ESC output modes.
  • RECEIVER PORT AS OUTPUTS
    • Outputs+OneShot makes ReceiverPort pins 5-8 work as output channels 7-10. ReceiverPort pins 3 and 4 are unused. This and the Disabled option can be used if the control communication is via a spektrum satellite receiver or directly through telemetry.
  • DISABLING
    • Disabled+OneShot basically disables the ReceiverPort.

  Default settings

  By default, the Vehicle Setup Wizard will set receiver port as PPM_PIN8+OneShot when PPM type receiver is selected.

Note

Please note that the output rate on the output channels from the ReceiverPort cannot be set individually. If servos are connected to this outputs, you must ensure that they can work with the defined output rate for the bound channel. E.g. if you choose a high output rate to support an octocopter configuration, the update rate from the output channels from the ReceiverPort are bound to the update rate from channels 5 & 6. In this case, you cannot connect analogue servo’s to these outputs since an analogue servo only supports an output rate of 50Hz. The output rates are set in GCS Outputs page.

Power¶

• CopterControl can be powered in several ways. Via the USB port, through the power pins on the servo headers or through the ReceiverPort connector (see the ports section for the port location). When powered by USB, peripherals connected (receiver, serial ports, servos, ESCs) will not be powered to protect your computer from too much current draw through the USB.
• The minimum allowed input voltage for CopterControl is 4.8V, the maximum allowed input voltage is +15V.
• Power consumption = ±70mA.
• You can connect the USB and the receiver (with the power) at the same time.

If you power the flight controller through the servo connectors (utilising the BEC function of the speed controller), the positive power lead from only one ESC is truly necessary. In most cases, all the wires can be left intact and plugged into the board without any problem. If you experience problems with setup or know for a fact that your particular ESC model requires it, you may remove the positive and negative pins from all but one of the ESC servo connectors. In some ESCs (very few, actually), connecting multiple voltage regulators (built in to the ESC’s) in parallel could cause problems. Also, in rare cases, connecting multiple ground wires could cause ground loops so remove the extra ground pins only if experiencing weird problems.

These photos show how to remove and insulate the positive wire from the ESC. Remove the positive & negative wire leaving only the signal cable connected for all but one of your ESC’s. A small flat blade screwdriver (or X-Acto knife could be used) and 2mm heat shrink tube was used in this example. This modification can easily be reversed by removing the heat shrink and inserting the positive wire back in to the ESC plug. Also, remove the ground wire when removing the hot and insulate separately from the hot wire.

Cables, colors & pin-outs¶

CopterControl uses the JST-SH series headers. A CopterControl board comes standard with one 8-pin connection cable as shown below to connect your receiver. Additionally, one 4-pin JST-SH cable is supplied to connect to the MainPort or FlexiPort. You can easily cut the 4-pins cable and connect your telemetry or Spektrum satellite.

ReceiverPort¶

Pin	Color	PWM+NoOneShot Function	PPM+NoOneShot Function	PPM+PWM+NoOneShot Function	PPM+Outputs+NoOneShot Function	PPM_PIN8+OneShot Function	Outputs+OneShot Function
1	Black	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND
2	Red	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)
3	White	PWM input 1	PPM input	PPM input	PPM input	—	—
4	Blue	PWM input 2	—	PWM input 2	—	—	—
5	Yellow	PWM input 3	—	PWM input 3	PWM output 7	—	PWM output 7
6	Green	PWM input 4	—	PWM input 4	PWM output 8	—	PWM output 8
7	Orange	PWM input 5	—	PWM input 5	PWM output 9	—	PWM output 9
8	Purple	PWM input 6	—	PWM input 6	PWM output 10	PPM input	PWM output 10

MainPort and FlexiPort serial cable pinout¶

Pin	Color	Voltage	Serial Function	I2C Function	Spektrum	S.Bus
1	Black	GND	GND	GND	GND	GND
2	Red	4.8V - 15V	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)
3	Blue	3.3V	TX	SCL	—	—
4	Orange	3.3V (5V Tolerant)	RX	SDA	TX (Signal)	TX (Signal)

Caution

The Spektrum adapter should only be powered by 3.3V, a step down adapter must be used.

Caution

The PWR Out voltage is dependent on the CC supplied voltage. Verify that you use the correct voltage for your S.BUS receiver.

Sensors and Components¶

• 3-axis Gyroscope array: IDG-500 and ISZ-500 [1]
• 3-axis Accelerometer: ADXL345 [1]
• Supports several common RC inputs: 6 PWM channels, combined PPM, Spektrum/JR DSM2, DSMJ, DSMX satellites, and Futaba S.Bus receivers
• Simultaneous support for multiple receivers
• ReceiverPort functions (configurable): 6 PWM input channels or combined PPM stream, 4 PWM output channels
• MainPort functions (configurable): serial telemetry (default), GPS, S.Bus, Spektrum/JR satellites
• FlexiPort (configurable): serial telemetry, GPS, Spektrum/JR satellites, or I2C peripherals (under development)
• 10 PWM outputs to servos or ESC’s, or for camera stabilization
• Camera stabilization: supports up to 3-axis camera mounts with stabilization and manual control from any of configured receivers
• Onboard USB connectivity for easy configuration
• USB and serial telemetry and configuration (including wireless with optional radio modules)
• Supported by powerful OpenPilot GCS
• 4 Mbit onboard memory
• 3C Quaternion based complementary filter running at 500Hz

DIY Boards¶

Schematics, PCB Layout, Gerbers, BOM for CopterControl: CopterControl.zip

Schematics, PCB Layout, Gerbers, BOM for CopterControl 3D: CopterControl 3D.zip

Schematics, PCB Layout, Gerbers, BOM for Atom: Atom.zip

Other Information¶

Dimensions¶

CopterControl & CC3D used the standard OpenPilot footprint, and hence has the same dimensions and mounting holes as the OpenPilot Revo, GPS, OSD and PipX boards.

Prerequisites¶

• Download the UCenter software here, check Zip icon in bottom page.

• Install UCenter software
• Setup a serial connection with GPS using USB port (if any) or USBSerial (Gnd, +5V, Tx, Rx).

Configure your GPS¶

Connect¶

• Connect GPS to USB serial or USB.
• Start UCenter software.

• Select COM port used for GPS.

• Open console (F6 key) or View > Packet Console and check if link is correct, you should see messages output from GPS.

Reset to defaults¶

• Open Configuration View window: View > Configuration View.
• Reset current GPS config to defaults: Check Revert to default configuration.

• Send config:

Select set of messages¶

• Open Messages View window: View > Messages View.
• Disable all active NMEA messages.

• Enable UBX messages needed:
  • POSLLH
  • DOP
  • SOL
  • VELNED

• Save current configuration using a little icon with a gear on top.

Note

Using this configuration you can’t display satellite in GPS plugin because GPS don’t send this data (usually SVINFO message).

CC3D works only with minimal messages. (POSLLH, DOP, SOL, VELNED)

Setup port and protocol¶

• Open Configuration View window: View > Configuration View. Move to PRT (Ports) in left column.
• Change message output in UART1: only UBX for protocol in/out.
• Change baudrate for UART1 port, same baudrate set for Flexi/Main GPS port.

Caution

You should use 9600 or 19200 baudrate for CC3D, or packets are dropped at higher speed.

• Send config:

Change refresh rate and save¶

• Move to Rate (Rates) in left column
• Change Measurement Period value to 200ms for a 5Hz refresh rate.

• Send config:
• Save current configuration: Check Save current configuration.
• All devices selected in blue.

• Send config:

Introduction¶

Welcome to the Revolution (Revo) board setup page. Here you will find a number of video tutorials to assist you in setting up your new Revo board.

Along with the tutorials you will also find links to the relevant Wiki pages to assist you in setting up the best Flight Controller board on the market.

WELCOME TO THE OP EXPERIENCE.

The OpenPilot Revolution board, also called ‘Revo’, is a new breed of Autopilot using the STM32F4 series, 210MIPS ARM Micro-controller. This is important, as it contains a hardware floating point unit (FPU), which is a huge advancement for hobby-class autopilots. Of course, OpenPilot has been 32bit since day one, and the FPU is another step up the performance ladder. The FPU allows precise, low-latency processing of real-life measurements using advanced attitude estimation algorithms.

The Revolution is a flight control computer with autopilot, intended for multirotors, helicopters and fixed wings. It is a full 10DOF with gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer and pressure sensors.

Setting up your Revolution Board for the first time¶

You have just received a brand new Revolution board and are itching to mount it in your air frame, follow the Video Tutorial below.

https://vimeo.com/64065065

Vehicle Setup Wizard¶

Once you have mounted your Revo on your frame you need to configure it through the Ground Control Station (GCS) using the Vehicle Setup Wizard, follow the Video Tutorial below for setting up on a Multirotor.

https://vimeo.com/65454262

Sensor calibration¶

Revo - Sensor Calibration.

Tuning your Revolution¶

LibrePilot Wiki

Connection diagram¶

The diagram below summarizes how the overall Revolution system is connected.

Technical description¶

Dimensions¶

OpenPilot products use the standard OpenPilot footprint, and hence has the same dimensions and mounting holes as the OpenPilot Revo, GPS, OSD and PipX boards.

(All dimensions are in millimeters.)

Ports¶

• Servo 1-6: These are the PWM outputs that go to servos or ESCs. Power is typically applied through these headers from only one of the ESCs. The positive (Vcc) and negative (Gnd) pins are indicated on this diagram and the board.

  Servo output pin layout is:

  • Outside –> ground
  • Middle –> 5V - 8.4V
  • Inside –> signal

• Flexi-IO Port: JST-SH 10-pin. The receiver port can act as an input or output port depending on the configuration which is set in the Hardware Settings. Configuring the receiver port as an output port allows the user to assign more output channels then the 6 standard servo outputs.

  PWM -vs- PPM Recievers

  Please be aware that not all receivers can be configured to use a PPM output. It is the user’s responsibility to research this feature in regards to the desired receiver they wish to use for PPM and ensure it can be used as such. Many hours of frustration can occur while trying to troubleshoot why you can’t get your radio to connect to the board with PPM if using a receiver than isn’t designed with that feature! Simply make sure the receiver can do it before trying to set it up that way.

• MainPort: JST-SH 4-pin. This is a serial USART whose baud rate can be adjusted through the GCS. Optionally, Futaba S.Bus receiver, Spektrum/JR satellite receiver or GPS can be mapped to the MainPort. Default configuration is Telemetry for connecting an RF modem.

• FlexiPort: JST-SH 4-pin. The function of this port also depends on the configuration and can be configured for I2C or Serial. The default configuration doesn’t use this port, but it can be used for Telemetry, GPS, Spektrum satellite receivers (all working), and other I2C peripherals (under development).

• RF Socket: Antenna connection socket for on-board OPLink Modem.

• Pwr Sen/Sonar Port: JST-SH 4-pin. This port can be configured to accommodate an Autopilot current sensor and a low cost Sonar sensor such as the HC-SR04. It can also be used as a general purpose input/output port or as a one or two channel analog input port.

Note

Please note that the output rate on the output channels from the ReceiverPort cannot be set individually. If servos are connected to this outputs, you must ensure that they can work with the defined output rate for choose a high output rate to support an octocopter configuration, the update rate from the output channels from the ReceiverPort are bound to the update rate from channels 5 & 6. In this case, you cannot connect analog servo’s to these outputs since an analog servo only supports an output rate of 50Hz.

Sensor suite¶

• 3 Axis Gyro
• 3 Axis Accelerometer
• 3 Axis Magnetometer
• Barometric pressure sensor

MPU¶

The MPU-6000 combines a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer on the same silicon die. This sensor can also be found on the CC3D and already has a proven track record of great flight performance.

Pressure Sensor/Altimeter¶

When it came time to select a barometric pressure sensor, there were many to choose from and many were not up to the task. For the Revolution, OpenPilot selected the Measurement Specialties MS5611.

The MS5611 is not just any barometric pressure sensor, it is purpose-built, and has a very high resolution. As a result, it is ideal for use as a UAV altitude sensor. The sensor is so sensitive that it can sense a vertical shift of only 10 cm. The Revolution uses the newer MS5611-01BA03 version of this sensor that is far less susceptible to light interference than the older, plastic case versions.

Magnetometer¶

Whether you are in ‘Position Hold’ while taking aerial photographs, or you are flying a fixed-wing UAV on a pre-planned flight path, it’s vitally important to have accurate heading information. The Honeywell HMC5883L is a three-axis digital compass module which provides rapid updates to changes in orientation which are accurate to a tolerance of 1° to 2°.

Connectivity¶

Just like CC & CC3D, the Revo has many ports, but a key new addition is the Flexi-IO Port. A lot of thought went into creating a small device that’s flexible for use with multirotor platforms, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, as well as making connectivity as future proof as possible.

FlexiPort¶

The Revo uses the same FlexiPort as the CC3D. The port can be used as either a UART or for I2C bus connectivity. It can be connected to serial devices like the OP GPS or any I2C device like the the EagleTree Airspeed expander module, ADCs, I2C ESCs and a lot more. It can also be used to connect Spektrum DSM2/DSMX Satellite to be used as receiver, or any other custom component interfacing with I2C or a serial connection including custom extension boards. Of course, it’s also possible to run a serial Telemetry link to the GCS over the FlexiPort.

Pinout

Color	JST-SH Pin	Voltage	Serial Function (GPS, Telemetry)	I2C Function	DSM
Black	1	GND	GND	GND	GND
Red	2	4.8V - 15V	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)
Blue	3	3.3V	TX	SCL
Orange	4	3.3V (5V Tolerant)	RX	SDA	TX (Signal)

Warning

The Spektrum adapter should only be powered by 3.3V, a step down adapter must be used.

Warning

The PWR Out voltage is dependent on the CC supplied voltage. Verify that you use the correct voltage for your S.BUS receiver.

MainPort¶

Standard serial port/S.Bus port (same as CC3D). This can be used to connect serial devices like Telemetry, OP GPS, Futaba S.Bus receivers or Spektrum DSM2/DSMX satellites (to be used as a receiver), freeing in these cases the Flexi-IO port for other uses. These systems use a single wire to help cut down cable clutter.

Pinout

Color	JST-SH Pin	Voltage	Serial Function (GPS, Telemetry)	DSM	S.BUS
Black	1	GND	GND	GND	GND
Red	2	4.8V - 15V	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)
Blue	3	3.3V	TX
Orange	4	3.3V (5V Tolerant)	RX	TX (Signal)	TX (Signal)

Current / Sonar¶

This port can be configured to accommodate an Autopilot current sensor and a low cost Sonar sensor such as the HC-SR04. It can also be used as a general purpose input/output port or as a one or two channel analog input port.

Pinout

Color	JST-SH Pin	Voltage	Power Sensor
Black	1	GND	GND
Red	2	4.8V - 15V	PWR Out (VCC Unregulated)
Blue	3	3.3V	Current Input
Orange	4	3.3V (5V Tolerant)	Voltage Input

See also: Revo - Current/Voltage Sensor Setup

SWD Port¶

Serial wire debug port. This allows the use of cheap boards like the STM F4 Discovery as an in-circuit debugger to ease the firmware development.

Pinout

Color	JST-SH Pin	Pin Description
Black	1	GND
Red	2	NRS
Blue	3	IO
Orange	4	CLK

DIY Board¶

Schematics, PCB Layout, Gerbers, BOM: Revolution.zip

Overview¶

This document will describe the necessary hardware and software setup to connect an external notification LED to Revolution. WS2811, WS2812 and WS2812B multicolor LEDs are supported in both single LED or multiple LED configurations. The LED is useful for debugging and it provides visual information about flight modes and warnings during flight. The battery low voltage warning is particularly useful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CISYWC7MA

Hardware Connections¶

The OpenPilot firmware supports LEDs wired in both parallel and series configurations. A single LED is capable of displaying all of the data. Both the LED strips and the modules have voltage input (5V), ground (GND) and signal input (DI) pins, and also often corresponding output pins. For a single LED configuration, the output pins are not used; and in a multiple LED configuration, you can wire the LEDs together serially in a chain.

On the left is an example of a very common single LED module which is readily available on eBay. If you use a single LED, make sure that the breakout board has a capacitor on it; otherwise, inrush current spikes can damage the LED. The capacitor is usually a surface mounted component just like the brown one next to the LED unit in the photo. A capacitor is optional on configurations with two or more LEDs.

Revolution can command the LED(s) from various outputs. For the output signal, servo output rail pins 1-6 are supported, and Flexi-IO port pins 3 and 4 (from the left) are supported. Power for the LED is available from Flexi-IO pins 1 (GND) and 2 (5V), or from the servo output rail. After making the necessary connections, it is recommended that you mount the LED so that it is visible from below while flying.

The diagram below show the various configurations.

Software Setup¶

Following hardware setup, configure the controller in GCS as follows:

• Go to System tab > HwSettings > WS2811LED_Out and choose the pin where you connected the LED(s)
• Click the red Save button in the top part of the view
• Disconnect Revolution from PC
• Connect your flight battery. LED(s) should start showing system status according to the graphic in the Light Codes section below.

Light Codes¶

The following graphic shows different notifications Revolution will display with the LED(s).

Overview¶

This page describes how to setup a voltage/current sensor using a Revolution or Revolution Nano board.

Hardware Connections¶

Basic voltage sensor¶

A basic voltage divider can be used, two resistors connected between ground and plus from battery.

For a 4S battery (16.8Volts) the following values can be used:

• R1: 2,2 KOhms
• R2: 10 KOhms

With Vbattery = 16.8V, Vout = (16.8 * 2.2) / (10 + 2.2) = 3,03V

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_divider

Current / Voltage sensor¶

Here is a list of common Attopilot sensors that can be used:

For custom sensor see the Calculate SensorCalibration values section.

Hardware settings¶

The first thing to do is to configure the hardware settings:

1. Connect the board to your computer and got to the System tab in your GCS
2. Browse the first part (Settings) and find the HwSettings UAVObject
3. Enable the Battery module: OptionalModules > Battery > Enable
4. Set the analog input pins for voltage and current:
   • ADCRouting > adc0 > BatteryCurrent
   • ADCRouting > adc1 > BatteryVoltage
5. Save changes, click Upload button
6. Reboot your board: disconnect all power sources and reconnect to your computer.

Calibrate sensor¶

Now connect the battery to the battery sensor, if changes are done and battery module enabled you can see the display on PFD:

But values displayed are not accurate, we need to calibrate sensor!

Setting FlightBatterySettings Properties¶

1. Connect the board to your computer and go to the System tab in your GCS
2. Browse the first part (Settings) and find the FlightBatterySettings UAVObject
3. Set the VoltageFactor and CurrentFactor as in the previous section.
4. Set the cell Capacity if you want a warning to be issued when there are less than 2 minutes of flight time available; otherwise, set to 0.
5. Set NbCells with the number of cells in series (2 for 2S, 3 for 3S, 3 for 3S2P)
6. Set the Warning and Alarm thresholds if you would like a warning or critical alarm to be issued when going under the values that you specify.
7. Save changes, click Upload button.

Introduction¶

This panel will allow you to undertake a Manual Calibration of the Senors on the Revolution board.

There is six (6) different Calibrations that can be preformed.

Steps:

• Setting Home Location
• Thermal Calibration
• Accelerometer Bias Calibration
• Magnetometer Calibration
• Board Level Calibration
• Gyro Bias Calibration

How to Video¶

by Corvus Corax

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn9IDw2D1qw

Setting Home Location¶

There is two ways of setting your home location:

1. Using GPS Module
2. Manually Select

• Go to Flight Data Tab
• Either wait for GPS to goto your home location (using GPS Module) or manually zoom map up to your location (Manual Select)
• Once found, right click on the map and click on Set the Home Location

• Enter the Altitude of your home location in metres, click OK

Thermal Calibration¶

1. Plug your USB cable into your Revo. Start the OP GCS and ensure that you have disabled the OPLink modem (i.e. Max Power = 0). Then Save and Disconnect. Remove USB cable from computer but leave Revo plugged in.
2. Put your Revo in a plastic bag and seal it reasonably well, but with the USB cable exiting the baggie so it can be plugged in the computer.

3. Put Revo/baggie/cable in the freezer for 20 minutes or so.
4. Take it out, put it in the hot box or wrapped up or in the sun, or not... Immediately start the thermal calibration.
   • Don’t move it at all while calibrating is best (gyros and baro are being calibrated).
   • Don’t allow your home heater or air conditioner fan to run while doing this is best (air pressure changes).
   • Don’t open or close any doors in the house is best (air pressure changes).
   • Don’t do this on a windy day (chimney, etc.).
   • Don’t do this on a stormy day (rapid changes in barometer).
   • Don’t play 1812 Overture or let your sister dance in the next room is best (:)).

5. Watch the thermal calibration and unplug the light bulb when it gets within a few degrees of your desired high temperature (i.e. 10-15 deg above what hottest day in your location).
6. If it finishes thermal calibration before reaching your desired temperature, you can start over or use what you have.
7. Save your thermal calibration with the Save button in the lower right.

Accelerometer Calibration¶

1. On the Calibration Tab, click start “Accelerometer calibration”.
2. Place the board as shown in the picture on screen and click Save Position.

...

10. If the calibration failed, you will see above, you will need to restart the accelerometer calibration over.

First time use with OPLM¶

When you first try to use your OPLM with the GCS, it will not be automatically picked up by the GCS. You first need to go into the ‘Firmware’ tab and click ‘Upgrade & Erase’ while the OPLink is disconnected. Then plug in OPLink when the upgrade process asks for it. Once this has been done, your OPLM board will show up at the bottom of your GCS as a connected device. The configuration page icon at the bottom of the page icon list may be hidden without scrolling down, depending on the size of your computer screen.

Different input voltage versions¶

The voltage input must be clearly mentioned. Typically, these boards can handle a power supply between 3.6VDC ~ 6.0VDC when an on-board voltage regulator is available.

Check for the input & output voltage which is mostly mentioned on the module diagram.

• Bluetooth Setup for Telemetry

Summary¶

This page will walk you through how to set up the hardware connections that are required for CopterControl, CC3D and Atom OPLink operation. All OpenPilot boards support connection with the OPLink module. The OPLink connection can be used for telemetry and/or vehicle control.

The OPLink module will get it’s power from the flight controller’s external power, so unlike Revolution, the modem will not get powered on by just plugging in the USB to the flight controller. Make sure that you have the same OpenPilot firmware versions on both the flight controller and OPLink modem. All the examples below are shown with a CC3D flight controller board, but they can be applied to CopterControl and Atom, also.

Hardware connections¶

Telemetry only¶

The OPLink will be set up to talk bidirectional telemetry with the flight controller. You can use a regular OpenPilot 4-pin JST SH cable to connect the two boards. It is recommended to use Main port for both boards, but you can also use other ports to connect telemetry. Just remember the changes in the Configuration steps below. Connect the boards like in the diagram:

Telemetry and vehicle control¶

If you also want to use OPLink modem for vehicle control, you’ll need to add one additional wire from the TX pin of the OPLink to the PPM input pin on the flight controller. In this diagram the wire goes to PIN 8 on the controller, because that is the pin that allows OneShot125 and PWM Sync with CC3D. Revolution PPM remains on PIN 3.

Configuration¶

Change the flight controller and OPLink Mini configuration to reflect the wiring changes that have been made. This is where it all becomes pretty rational. After these configuration steps, you are ready to proceed with OPLM Binding and Basic Telemetry.

Flight-side OPLink modem configuration¶

• Connect to the OPLink mini modem with USB.
• From the Configuration tab, Navigate to the OPLink page in the GCS.
• From the Main Port drop down menu, select Telemetry.
• Click Save, wait a few seconds for the telemetry gadget (the meter at the bottom of the GCS) to calm down, and disconnect from the modem.

Summary¶

OPLink radios can be used in several different ways: for telemetry connection only, for telemetry + vehicle control, and for vehicle control only. The common thread for all these uses is binding, which also leads to basic telemetry data being transmitted over the link automatically.

This procedure will bind an OPLink mini to another OPLink, either to the integrated OPLink of the Revolution, or to another independent OPLink module. If you are binding two stand-alone OPLink modules together, it is recommended to first go through the OPLM CC - CC3D - Atom Hardware Setup page in order to prepare hardware for the binding operation. For Revolution, port setup or hardware changes are not necessary.

We will use the ground OPLink as a link coordinator, and the flight OPLink as a link slave. This enables full telemetry capabilities and makes it possible to use the link for vehicle control. If you are going to use OPLink for vehicle control, do this tutorial first, then proceed to the vehicle control tutorial. If you only intend to use telemetry, you can also make the flight OPLink the coordinator, but this does not have any additional benefits.

Prerequisites¶

• Make sure that all modules are up to date by using the GCS Firmware Update & Erase feature, found in the Firmware tab. OPLink must be disconnected before clicking the update button. The OPLink that is integrated into Revolution will be updated when you update the flight controller firmware.
• If you are connecting a ground OPLink to another stand-alone module, set up the hardware first by following the OPLM CC - CC3D - Atom Hardware Setup page.
• To protect your hardware from short circuits, consider mounting the OPLink module inside a case or at least wrap it with heat shrink. DO NOT mount a bare board so that it can touch carbon fiber frame without insulating it first (carbon fiber is conductive).
• OpenPilot firmware can only support one Telemetry link at a certain time, so disable Telemetry going to OSD or Bluetooth module etc. DO NOT disable USBTelemetry.
• Check, and re-check that there is an antenna connected to both OPLink modules!

Binding¶

Coordinator side¶

1. Connect to the OPLink module that you are going to use as Coordinator, usually the ground module.
2. Go to the OPLink page in the GCS, available on the Configuration tab’s left bar. It is only visible if an OPLink or Revolution is connected.
3. Set the following recommended settings:
   1. “Max Power” 100 (or maximum for your country)
   2. “Com Speed” 38400
   3. “Max chan” 250
   4. “Min chan” 0
   5. Tick the Coordinator checkbox
   6. Click Save, wait a few seconds for the telemetry gadget (the meter at the bottom of the GCS) to calm down.
4. Write down the Device ID. You are going to use it later.
5. Disconnect from the coordinating module.

The OPLink Save button will display a green “tick” when settings are saved, but it can disappear soon after settings are saved. This is normal behavior.

Using custom frequencies

If your country allows only a fraction of the available frequency band to be used, you can adjust the operational OPLink channel range to reflect that. The GCS indicates minimum and maximum used frequency when you change min and max channels. Both OPLinks must have the same min and max channel pair to bind successfully.

Slave side¶

1. Connect to the another OPLink device that is going to be the connection slave
2. On the OPLink page in the GCS, set exactly the same Max Power, Com Speed, Max chan and Min chan as you did for the Coordinator. DO NOT tick the “Coordinator” checkbox.
3. Enter the Device ID that you wrote down from Coordinator into the Coordinator ID text box.
4. Click Save, wait a few seconds for the telemetry gadget (the meter at the bottom of the GCS) to calm down.
5. Disconnect from the slave module. The bind is complete.

Testing the link for the first time¶

At this point, the OPLink modules have a successful bind and no more configuration steps are needed. The next step is to actually test and verify that the connection between the OPLink devices works properly. All OpenPilot devices should be powered off and disconnected from your PC before testing. This is because the modules need a proper power cycle to apply the changes we made, and because only one telemetry connection can be supported at a time. This means that if you have USB connected to the flight controller, only the USB connection gets telemetry, and the OPLink does not.

1. Power on your vehicle using external power (i.e., a flight battery).
2. Connect to the ground module with USB and observe GCS behavior as communication link comes online. The link usually takes between 10 and 30 seconds to establish, because there are a lot of settings objects that need to be downloaded through the link. You can observe the download process in System tab.
3. Go to the OPLink Configuration page, and you should see a blue bar in the Remote modems area, which indicates signal strength.

Congratulations! Your OPLink telemetry connection is now ready for use. If you wish to use the connection for vehicle control also, proceed to the OPLM Vehicle Control Link page.

Advanced topics¶

Summary¶

These instructions will walk you through on how to use your existing OPLink telemetry connection for vehicle control. The instructions consist of hardware and software side. Set up the hardware side first and then do the necessary hardware configuration changes. If you have not done binding yet for the OPLink modules, do that first using OPLM Binding and Basic Telemetry page instructions, and return to this tutorial after that.

For Revolution, no hardware configuration is required at the flight controller side. For CC, CC3D and Atom, a PPM wire has to be connected from the OPLink module to the flight controller. The instructions for how to prepare those flight controllers for control link can be found on OPLM CC - CC3D - Atom Hardware Setup page. If you do not have the PPM wire connected, do it now, and then return to this page.

OPLink wiring¶

You will need to supply power and control data from the transmitter to the OPLink module. The OPLink Mini module requires three wires for normal operation with a transmitter.

• Ground
• Voltage (recommended 5V - 8.4V)
• PPM Out from the transmitter

The voltage wire, Vcc in the picture, is a bit tricky. A regular transmitter usually uses 3S LiPo for power and it outputs that 3S voltage to the trainer port and radio module connections. That voltage is too high to be directly used. You should use a linear regulator or UBEC to bring the voltage down to 5 volts.

The PPM wire can be directly connected and does not need anything in between the OPLink module and transmitter. You can cut a regular OpenPilot 4-pin serial cable in half and use that to connect the wires to your OPLink module. The blue wire in the 4-pin cable is not used for this application, so you can remove it.

OPLink PPM input

OPLink module is programmed to accept PPM sum between 4 and 8 channels. Recommended PPM frame length is 22,5 milliseconds.

OPLink input voltage

Do not input higher than 8.4 volts (2S) to the OPLink module! Higher voltage will cause permanent damage to the electronics.

Pinouts for connecting OPLink to the transmitter¶

Here are two pinout diagrams that might help to connect the OPLink module to your transmitter. The JR type module bay outputs PPM, which can be connected directly to your OPLink module. A 5V UBEC is needed between +BAT and GND. You can connect the UBEC output to OPLink Vcc and GND. The +6V wire can be used to power the OPLink directly if your radio has it, but most radios don’t.

The Futaba and Hitec trainer ports have similar pins that you can use, called GROUND, PPMout and Vbattery in the diagram. A nice trick is to cut a trainer cable in half and use that to make a neat connection to the transmitter. If you cut a trainer cable, you’ll have to identify the correct wires with a multimeter.

Mounting the OPLink module to the transmitter¶

There are many ways to attach the OPLink mini module to your transmitter. The options listed here are just ideas and possible inspiration for the job.

• You can install the OPLink module inside an existing JR or Futaba transmitter case
• 3D print a JR module: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:585245
• Heat shrink the module and attach it to the transmitter with velcro
• Install the OPLink and UBEC inside the module bay without a case
• Invent a new method and contact a forum moderator to add your idea here!

Summary¶

These instructions will walk you through how to use a serial Bluetooth module, such as HC-05 and HC-06, with OpenPilot hardware to establish a telemetry connection. There are two ways to connect the module; either directly to the flight controller, or to an OPLink ground module. Connecting to the flight controller makes it possible to configure and calibrate the flight controller near a PC or a smartphone, but as a Bluetooth connection does not travel long distances, the link is usually lost during flight. OPLink solves this problem, and communicates telemetry data from the vehicle to ground. Then Bluetooth connection can be used to connect a PC or a smartphone to the OPLink ground module. This is especially useful when using OPLink for vehicle control + telemetry.

No matter which hardware configuration you choose, the Bluetooth module’s configuration procedure is basically the same. HC-05 and HC-06 Bluetooth modules are factory configured to 9600 baud rate, 8 data bit, 1 stop bit and no parity serial connection. The baud rate must be increased to 38400 to match with that of the OPLink. Alternatively, 57600 baud can be used if you are connecting the Bluetooth module directly to the flight controller, or if you use 57600 baud with OPLink.

Configuring the Bluetooth module¶

HW method 1: Using an FTDI adapter¶

Most R/C hobbyists are familiar with FTDI USB to serial adapters. This is probably the easiest method to connect to the Bluetooth module. An FTDI module can easily be found on eBay.

1. Connect the wires according to the diagram.
2. Connect USB cable to the FTDI adapter.
3. Install any necessary FTDI drivers on your PC, or wait for your operating system to install them.
4. COM port becomes available automatically, and can be seen in the Windows Device Manager. Proceed to the next step below: Software steps.

HW method 2: Using the flight controller Virtual COM port¶

OpenPilot flight controllers can work as a USB-to-serial adapter with a feature called Virtual COM port (VCP). The configuration for VCP ComBridge is fairly straightforward. The VCP ComBridge feature works with all OpenPilot flight controllers.

1. Connect the wires according to the diagram.
2. Connect USB cable to the flight controller.
3. Set the following settings:
   • USB VCP Function ComBridge
   • Main Port ComBridge
   • Speed 9600
4. Click Save, and wait a few seconds for the changes to apply.
5. Reboot the flight controller, and the Virtual COM port should appear in the Windows Device Manager.

6. Proceed to the next step below: Software steps.

Note

To power up the Bluetooth chip for configuration, the flight controller has to be powered up externally, with a flight battery and UBEC, for example.

Software steps¶

In this section, the Bluetooth module will be configured to correct the baud rate. You can also customize the Bluetooth unit’s name. The Bluetooth module expects to be called AT commands in the COM port, which you can either write in a command line, or automatically send with a Windows tool that former OpenPilot developer PT_Dreamer wrote. Connect your Bluetooth module to your PC with either the FTDI or VCP ComBridge. VCP ComBridge usage requires external power to the flight controller.

If you have not decided on the baud rate you want to use for the Bluetooth module, now is the time. Recommended settings are 38400 for usage with OPLink and 57600 for usage directly with your flight controller. Remember the setting, it is a good idea to use a marker pen and write it on the Bluetooth module.

Connecting the Bluetooth module to OpenPilot devices¶

Connecting directly to the flight controller¶

For direct connection from the flight controller to the Bluetooth module, the wiring is exactly the same as USB VCP ComBridge wiring. The flight controller has to be configured to output telemetry data at the correct baud rate.

1. Connect the wiring according to the diagram above.
2. Connect the USB to your flight controller.
3. Navigate to the Hardware tab on the Configuration page in the OpenPilot GCS.
4. Select Telemetry in the port where your Bluetooth module is connected (usually Main Port).
5. Select 57600 (or another speed that your Bluetooth module is configured to) as Speed.
6. Click Save and wait a few seconds for changes to apply.
7. Disconnect from the flight controller. You are now ready to test the link.

Connecting to OPLink ground module¶

For completely wireless telemetry with OPLink and Bluetooth module, the wiring has to be connected according to the diagram above. OPLink vehicle control is not necessary for Bluetooth operation, but that is the most common use scenario. Completely wireless telemetry also works with CC/CC3D/Atom, as long as the flight side OPLink wiring has been configured using the OPLM CC - CC3D - Atom Hardware Setup instructions, and you have a successful bind. When you have done the wiring, proceed with the following steps. The baud rate of the Bluetooth module has to be the same as the OPLink radio baud rate. Remember to power up the OPLink via Flexi or Main port, because powering it from USB port redirects Telemetry temporarily to USB.

1. Connect your ground OPLink module to your PC with USB .
2. Navigate to the OPLink tab on the Configuration page in the OpenPilot GCS.
3. Select Telemetry in Main Port of the ground OPLink module.
4. Click Save, and wait a few seconds for the changes to apply.
5. Disconnect from the OPLink ground module. You are now ready to test the link.

Todo

FIXME: screenshot

Connecting to the flight controller via Bluetooth telemetry¶

Your Bluetooth telemetry link should now be ready to test.

Connect to the Bluetooth module using your computer’s Bluetooth utilities. Use a new Pin if you changed it, or the usual default of 1234.

1. Connect to the Bluetooth module using your computer’s Bluetooth utilities. Use a new Pin if you changed it, or the usual default of 1234.
2. Launch the OpenPilot GCS and select a serial COM port from the connections drop-down menu in the bottom bar. Then click Connect. You might have to try multiple ports to find the right one. This is the COM port that your PC’s internal Bluetooth chip automatically creates when connection to your Bluetooth module is established.
3. Success! In the example screenshot above, the GCS is talking to an OpenPilot Revolution via OPLink <-> Bluetooth connection that is available on Serial COM13 port. The COM port number will most likely be different for you.