3.10 is here

[thefrog]

Originally Posted by npomeroy

What's with the 2x SL rate?

I do very conservative scale type flying with 80 - 90% SL most of the time. What are the advantages of even faster SL? Is this more for lightning quick bail out during 3D gone wrong?

Yes, yes, yes... I tested it yesterday @ 200%. Put the heli vertical nose down with collective input too - flipped the switch and the heli snapped upright - really impressive. It was a bit weird though as I couldn't really fly it with 200% SL enabled - it just hovered. I had to flip out of SL in order to get some proper cyclic response.

So it works well as a pure bailout.

[asasan]

Originally Posted by ArguZ

...
Oh, by the way...its monday.
Should there be a new version of the software today ?...

One man's Monday is another man's Sunday.

[thefrog]

Originally Posted by RC Mike

You will need to use a carpenter’s lever to make sure that the SK720 is perfectly level in all axes before you do that. If you are not very careful you could end up with a worse cal than you have before. Looks to me like it would be a lot easier to get it perfectly level with the SK720 removed from the helicopter.

My concern is how close to zero the unit needs to be to get a decent result. Remember even the usb cable will exert pressure on the unit and may move it from zero once plugged in. So do we need to set up a flat surface, place the controller and add something heavy (ish) on top of it to maintain it at level?

[SimStream]

if you read the wizard it says to hold down the unit onto the level surface whilst performing the recalibration, this i would presume was with no foam attached.

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by thefrog

My concern is how close to zero the unit needs to be to get a decent result. Remember even the usb cable will exert pressure on the unit and may move it from zero once plugged in. So do we need to set up a flat surface, place the controller and add something heavy (ish) on top of it to maintain it at level?

Use a clamp on the unit. Not one of those super-strength metal ones though...

[Luvmyhelis]

Originally Posted by Groucho_

Use a clamp on the unit. Not one of those super-strength metal ones though...

No guys, absolutely do not clamp the unit. It will distort the vibe padding.
I will get to this in a second. Use a small light accurate bubble level. I did mine with an expensive camera stand. I inside mount mine so I pulled the lower KDE body plate with my Sk720 mounted on its vibe layer. This way the SK will be in its normal enviornment. No padding out there sits perfectly flat. So if you level the SK by itself it is oftentimes wrong as the vibe layer and other outside influences will cause it to be off at some angle or another. Do this with the usb chord installed into the SK already so you don't upset it when you have to plug it in later.

Just tape or clip the lead to the stand in a neutral weight position so it doesn't drag the SK off angle.

Next, I sticky taped the whole Kde plate down to the camera mount. Then levelled it with the carpenters level in every axis. Also make sure the floor underneath this setup is solid. In one case I noticed the level change as I walked across the room. Not good. Then for you guys with laptops, when it is all levelled with its natural vibe layers intact. Hit the SL save and it is done. Again, remember to clip your usb chord down onto something so it leaves the SK720 neutral. Do this, then relevel if necessary.

Hands free hovering!!! I did both mine this way months ago, (sorry, I had the beta test program) and it works perfectly.

If you have top mount gyros, pull off the part it is adhered to and do it. Leave the vibe layers intact! Again, I haven't met one yet that is perfectly level. So if you level your Sk separately, the mounting itself will effect it in one way or another. Art wants us to separately level the SK. I found it isn't realistic.

Hope this helps.

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by Luvmyhelis

Art wants us to separately level the SK

That is why I suggested clamping the unit.

[Luvmyhelis]

Originally Posted by Groucho_

That is why I suggested clamping the unit.

Ahhhh, got ya!

[Groucho_]

Originally Posted by Luvmyhelis

Ahhhh, got ya!

Obviously now, when I eventually need to re-calibrate, I'll be in two minds as to which procedure to follow... Yours sounds perfectly logical and accurate, and Art is the units designer...

[Luvmyhelis]

Originally Posted by Groucho_

Obviously now, when I eventually need to re-calibrate, I'll be in two minds as to which procedure to follow... Yours sounds perfectly logical and accurate, and Art is the units designer...

I know, Georgi and I have been discussing this at length. I can testify the method I am using works. Arts method leaves the SK level in itself, with itself. Mine levels the unit with its enviornment intact.

[mkovalcson]

Originally Posted by Luvmyhelis

I know, Georgi and I have been discussing this at length. I can testify the method I am using works. Arts method leaves the SK level in itself, with itself. Mine levels the unit with its enviornment intact.

There are two important things.

1. The unit knows what level is.
2. The unit is on the heli 90 degrees to the main shaft from left to right and front to back.

Unless they are both correct, it can't really work.

[NRPY]

Something tells me this ability to recalibrate the SK-720 is going to cause people all sorts of problems.

[georgi UK]

=] its an interesting feature and has been given to us with a sense of end user responsibility in the handling of it! we must respect that....

[asasan]

so is the updated update released with the same 3.10 or not yet and 3.11 will be the signal for go.

[SimStream]

Ive got another idea. Lets calibrate the SK with the heli lying on its side, then we can practice hurricanes with ease. ;-)

[georgi UK]

=] cool!!

[npomeroy]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

There are two important things.

1. The unit knows what level is.
2. The unit is on the heli 90 degrees to the main shaft from left to right and front to back.

Unless they are both correct, it can't really work.

I get the ideal BUT it seems inevitable the unit will not be perfectly horizontal on the heli due to wire tension, pad imperfections etc.
So, having got the unit as leveled and angled as correctly as possible on the heli, doesn't it make sense to THEN recalibrate the unit to "level"?

Also, has anyone written how to tell whether the calibration is off in the first place?
(If the heli drifts, correct with linkages - the swash never stays exactly flat because of the right tilt needed. Do you use the green "bubble" in the GUI? - that seems fairly imprecise.)

[rdarby777]

I got my heli on a level surface. My level surface was an inch and a half plate glass table. Made sure the bird was level on the table and recalibrated the 720 while it was mounted in place. Outcome was near perfect sl hover...it drifts ever so slightly backwards.

[Cascade]

If you're using recal in the heli without a perfect CG the SK won't be able to compensate which could be why you're getting the backward drift.
I can't recalibrate in my airframe, the rear skids are 8mm higher at the back which will give the SK a false reference point which could lead to any number of unforeseen issues as well as mask others.

The mainshaft is supposed to be absolutely vertical, the blades at zero pitch are supposed to be absolutely horizontal which is why the recalibration is supposed to occur as level as possible.

Nothing beats a well setup heli.

Edit, Don't do this..... If you're going to calibrate the unit in the heli, attach a string to the head button, hang it from a ceiling then try it.

[mkovalcson]

Originally Posted by npomeroy

I get the ideal BUT it seems inevitable the unit will not be perfectly horizontal on the heli due to wire tension, pad imperfections etc.
So, having got the unit as leveled and angled as correctly as possible on the heli, doesn't it make sense to THEN recalibrate the unit to "level"?

Also, has anyone written how to tell whether the calibration is off in the first place?
(If the heli drifts, correct with linkages - the swash never stays exactly flat because of the right tilt needed. Do you use the green "bubble" in the GUI? - that seems fairly imprecise.)

Is your heli actually level where your FBL controller is mounted?

I've found my landing gear is sometimes off a bit.

More importantly many helis do NOT sit level.

My TDR does not sit level. In fact a number of newer helis have gone after an "aggressive" stance where the heli and main shaft are pitched forward.

In fact I'm pretty sure the same is true of my Protos, that specifically has a 90 degree base plate that is pitched forward so it is 90 degrees to the main shaft.

So if you can plumb your main shaft and GUARANTEE that it is perfectly level. Then go ahead.

You will probably need one of those heli work clamp things that grabs your boom with a clamp, then you would need to make sure your main shaft is perfectly vertical, and then level you SK unit.