KDS Flymentor first look.

[cactus]

I've read multiple accounts of it not initializing correctly on power up.

[pril250]

Originally Posted by cactus

I've read multiple accounts of it not initializing correctly on power up.

I use it on two helis with AR7000, never once had a problem

[Ivor Hill]

Originally Posted by cactus

I've read multiple accounts of it not initializing correctly on power up.

They must have been old accounts, this was a problem on early Flymentors but went away a long time ago, I guess KDS made a change.

[n3m1s1s]

Originally Posted by tko5o

I have heard a lot of talk about the Co-Pilot II, and yet when I look it up, it's found under flybarless systems. Can this be used with a flybar system? If so, what are its down falls in compared to the Flymentor system. It appears that it is only $189. If that the case, Why isn't this a more popular option over the Flymentor.

Brian

couple of things flymentor is $74 from hobbyking? so you get 2 and lots of change for ya moiney

try using co pilot 2 in the woods, near a wall, building, on a cloudy day, in snow, over water, in the dark, in the uk most of the year, and you might find problems

try making something like this with co pilot 2 and gyros and post us a video of how you get on

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkBkWiPe7ik[/ame]

[R_Lefebvre]

Originally Posted by Ivor Hill

They must have been old accounts, this was a problem on early Flymentors but went away a long time ago, I guess KDS made a change.

I'm not sure if this is exactly the same problem or not, but sounds like it:

Often, I turn on the reciever power, I'm not sure where the failure lies, but the controls are unresponsive. The ESC works, so I'm assuming it's the FM. All the servos are dead, but the ESC is getting a signal. It's a simple matter of turning off the reciever power, and turning it back on. That usually fixes it.

I'm using a Futaba 9C radio, with a FrSky 2.4Ghz transmitter module and reciever.

As I said, this happens "often". Maybe as much as 1 out of 4 times. I don't think it's a huge deal.

Another time, and this only happened once, I turned it on, and the swashplate started doing a rolling motion. At first I thought it was radio interference, like my reciever had locked onto another signal. But then I noticed the servo motion wasn't random. It was a perfectly syncronized motion of all 3 cyclic servos making the swash plate roll in a circle. I can only imagine it was the FM doing it, because of the pattern. Again, turn it off, turn it back on, all is normal.

[pril250]

There could be two main reasons for that to happen, either the heli or cyclic was moved during boot up or that the RX was slower to boot than FM which during that time received no centre cyclic signal.

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm not too concerned by either, as long as it doesn't happen in flight, which hasn't happened yet. I don't really understand why it would be a "slow to boot" problem, as all reports state the FrSky reciever has a really fast boot time. No big deal.

The rolling swash thing probably was caused by the heli being moved.

[pril250]

The 'slow to boot' may only be a matter of milliseconds.

[Ivor Hill]

The rolling swash can also be caused by a sudden change in temperature.
I also use the 9c with FrSky and failing to initialize is very rare maybe one in fifty and thats probably because I moved the heli.
You should always check the FM LED to check that it has initialized. Or push the servos out of position before power up so you know it has initialized because the servos will move.

[R_Lefebvre]

I wonder why mine would fail to initialize more often that yours? Would a simple light bump while flicking the switch do it?

Change in temp, possible. Hard to say. I took it out of the house, into my trunk, it was -5C, I finished loading the car, drove to the lake, took it out and turned it on. Plenty of time to acclimitize? Or maybe the trunk was warm from the sun on it. Dunno.

The failure to initialize was only an issue once. I didn't notice, and tried to spool up, the rotor RPM was high but it wasn't lifting off. Then I noticed the swash wasn't moving at all.

Anyway, the problem is immediately apparent on a quick preflight which should always be done in any case, but I didn't.

[jbx907]

i got my flymentor this feb 11 2011, installed it and never has it failed initializing on me!

Model:KDS450C
Tx:KDS-7X
Rx:KDS-8X
All KDS electronics onboard!

if i was to analize the problems.. it must be timing of electronics from power esc to reciever timing! ive seen other units take a long time to initialize, even on rx and tx!
i may be wrong and kds just reviewed the flymentor!

[FlyLT]

How would you do this?
My Flymentor does not want to initialize...the red led flashes rapidly like there is no signal from the receiver... And I could try again and again for hours with no luck... and then it initializes and works as it should for some time,so I can fly. But the next day it would not initialize again.
Any ideas?
(the radios is dx6i)

[Ivor Hill]

Originally Posted by FlyLT

How would you do this?
My Flymentor does not want to initialize...the red led flashes rapidly like there is no signal from the receiver... And I could try again and again for hours with no luck... and then it initializes and works as it should for some time,so I can fly. But the next day it would not initialize again.
Any ideas?
(the radios is dx6i)

Provided you are not moving the heli while it initiaIizing I can only assume you have a faulty FM. Try this disconnect the FM wires from the aileron port of the receiver ( the plug with 3 wires) power up the reciever and then reconnect the wire. If FM initializes ok then a fix would be to fit a reciever switch to the wire so you can power up the reciever and then FM. Or return it to your supplier.
Eary Flymentors did suffer from this problem but not so severe,it would initialize after 4-5 attempts but this problem went away a long time ago. The only other thing I can think of is a faulty receiver.

[jbx907]

assuming we have all the servos figured out, all the movements are all moving the right way when tilted! the next big problem would be aligning the serovs and swash back to your original alignment! one thing they didn't put individual servo trims in the software, the neutral slider are mixes and it will really take time to get it figured out!

note NEVER trim or adj or try to correct anything and leave all deflut settings in the transmitter even when the flymentor is off... dont go try to correct anthing there!
use the software only or you get funny glitches or sudden movements in flight when you switch modes...sample when your hovering, you should be able to switch from off>>horizontal>>postion mode without any sudden changes if you only use the software to align everything!

[FlyLT]

Originally Posted by Ivor Hill

Provided you are not moving the heli while it initiaIizing I can only assume you have a faulty FM. Try this disconnect the FM wires from the aileron port of the receiver ( the plug with 3 wires) power up the reciever and then reconnect the wire. If FM initializes ok then a fix would be to fit a reciever switch to the wire so you can power up the reciever and then FM. Or return it to your supplier.
Eary Flymentors did suffer from this problem but not so severe,it would initialize after 4-5 attempts but this problem went away a long time ago. The only other thing I can think of is a faulty receiver.

Thanks for the replay.
Sure Im not moving the heli while initializing.
What surprises me is that if I were lucky and after some time got the FM initializing, It would continue to work properly for as many battery packs as I have( 5-6)
But once I have used all the batteries and put the heli away for some time,the FM wouldnt work again.

I tried to disconnect the FM wire from aileron,but it did not help.
Then I tried to disconnect the FM's gyro from the FM and it worked! Every time I disconnect the FM's gyro, it initializes from the first time. Of course it wouldnt work properly once reconnected.

[FlyLT]

Originally Posted by jbx907

assuming we have all the servos figured out, all the movements are all moving the right way when tilted! the next big problem would be aligning the serovs and swash back to your original alignment! one thing they didn't put individual servo trims in the software, the neutral slider are mixes and it will really take time to get it figured out!

note NEVER trim or adj or try to correct anything and leave all deflut settings in the transmitter even when the flymentor is off... dont go try to correct anthing there!
use the software only or you get funny glitches or sudden movements in flight when you switch modes...sample when your hovering, you should be able to switch from off>>horizontal>>postion mode without any sudden changes if you only use the software to align everything!

To be honest did some corrections in the radio.
I 've done it on my tricopter and it still worked,so I did the same with my heli.
OK,I think it worth trying to set everything Up from 0
Thanks

[jbx907]

i tried this trim stuff, it mosly works on FM off.. but when on, it will re adjust it self to the initiated horizon! as long as u dont so much switch to all the mode and off.. it will be ok! the only thing that does not change from OFF postion to other modes is the software you program!
the trims subtrim in our radio will already act as stick movements for th FM once initialized.. once you reach the threshhold sensitivity it will be as if you gave a command.. i like my FM gain down so far that th slightest stick movements will be detected so i feel the stick as if with w/o FM.. if i give the slighted trim on the control it is considered a stick command!
its okie anyway!

[watdazit]

Originally Posted by Ivor Hill

Provided you are not moving the heli while it initiaIizing I can only assume you have a faulty FM. Try this disconnect the FM wires from the aileron port of the receiver ( the plug with 3 wires) power up the reciever and then reconnect the wire. If FM initializes ok then a fix would be to fit a reciever switch to the wire so you can power up the reciever and then FM. Or return it to your supplier.
Eary Flymentors did suffer from this problem but not so severe,it would initialize after 4-5 attempts but this problem went away a long time ago. The only other thing I can think of is a faulty receiver.

Nothing to do with FM but Interestingly I had a similar problem with my HC 3A. After 12 months of me stuffing around trying different things Captron replaced it. The unit now initializes first time everytime. I think it was some interaction between the Rx and the HC unit. Captron thought the unit might be too sensitive. No complaints about Captron service excepting when they supplied a new unit they did not supply any foam tape. Trying some gyro tape to see if it is OK.

[jbx907]

hi guys,
im planning to test the FM internal tail gyro relieving my kds800 for a moment, ive seen the advance tabs and some settings concerning yaw etc in the program, does this mean the FM will also have control over the tail in correcting the postion of the heli?
my test was with ext tail gyro, it's good in holding in postion... i had a little tail drift... it will soon loose the original postion caused by rotation of my tail! i was wondering if i use the internal tail gyro, it would have more control over the tail in postion mode,
i dont know if weather using intenal or external tail gyro are just the same, meaning i wouldn't benefit on the FM itself in postion mode?

[kdsoman]

hello im kinda new in flying helis please help, my idle up mode is not responding to my heli. meaning, whenever I flipping up the switch of the idle up mode it doesnt do anything.. what should I do. i am using kds k-7x transmitter.. thanx alot!