Drift Calibration?

[franknsled]

My Nano S2 has a right drift. I've leveled the swash and want to do a calibration but it won't go into calibration mode(red/blue flashing) no matter how long I hold the sticks(to low outer corners). Any one have an idea?
I'm using a DX6i and have changed some parameters as suggested by
captain charisma in the DX6i 3mode set up thread by carlosii. Don't know if they are why it won't calibrate?

[fiddle]

what kind of changes did you make? are you trying to enter the calibration mode from the normal flight mode (blue LED)? I'm assuming you are talking about the trim flight?

[franknsled]

Yes. Blue solid but wouldn't change to blinking no matter how long I held the sticks. Kept trying and finally got blinking blue and did hover but light just kept blinking until battery went lvc. 4 minutes. Now heli just wants to go forward. Have to hold back elevator constantly.

[fiddle]

In full 3d mode it wants to just go forward or is that in "safe" mode?

[franknsled]

That's in stability mode. I tried a couple of drift calibrations and rebinding. Finally gave up on stability and panic and just run it in 3d mode. Its kind of twitchy for the house but I'll get better. Eventually!

[fiddle]

I never tried the safe mode on the nano s2 as I had used it on an earlier helicopter and it stymied my learning I felt, so I don't know much about how to fix it other than trim flight I guess.

[franknsled]

Tried a couple of drift calibrations. Even took off blades and taped it to the bench. Can enter the calibration mode(flashing re/blue) but when done I flip the trainer/bind switch and the lights keep flashing. I have an aluminum swash on the way so I guess I'll wait and see if that gets rid of this small backward drift.

[fiddle]

mine has always drifted backwards a little in 3D mode. Its so small ... I never tried to level the swash other than visual ... I never checked balance but I suspect its quite tail heavy ... 230s v2 is due to motor on the tail.

[mejmea]

Originally Posted by franknsled

Yes. Blue solid but wouldn't change to blinking no matter how long I held the sticks. Kept trying and finally got blinking blue and did hover but light just kept blinking until battery went lvc. 4 minutes. Now heli just wants to go forward. Have to hold back elevator constantly.

Originally Posted by franknsled

Tried a couple of drift calibrations. Even took off blades and taped it to the bench. Can enter the calibration mode(flashing re/blue) but when done I flip the trainer/bind switch and the lights keep flashing. I have an aluminum swash on the way so I guess I'll wait and see if that gets rid of this small backward drift.

Not sure if you got this all sorted to your satisfaction or not....

Make sure your control throws are all at 100% and TH is off when you are trying to get it into calibration mode. If you have dual rates set and are on low rates when you try to do this it won't work.

To save the calibration after you land, activate panic mode. I know the instruction say to press the bind button but what it really means is to active panic mode. In my case, for example, panic mode is not actuated by the bind button so I have to remember to do it with the switch I've designated.

Over the the RCG thread on this heli I've seen a number of people say that it took several sequential calibration flights to get theirs to stop drifting. That was not the case for me but YMMV. I do think it is important to try and hover with as little stick motion as possible (as stated in the instructions) as it seems like the system is basically trying to "measure" the average offset(s)you are having to hold in and then save those internally as trim values.

I too have only ever leveled the swash visually but you can be more precise if you set your pitch so that your blade tips are even when the blades are folded back on each other. Then slowly rotate the head and watch the blade tips. If they stay even all the way around then the swash is level. If they separate as you rotate the head and then come back together at the starting point the swash is not level and the servo links need to be tweaked.

On an unrelated note but simply as general information: I found that with a linear pitch curve, if I set my pitch stick to 50% I did not have zero pitch (i.e. the blade tips were not even when the blades were folded back on each other). There wasn't enough thread on the servo links to make the proper adjustment (I couldn't screw the front two ball links on any further) so the solution was to loosen the head screws, slide the head up slightly on the main shaft until I got zero pitch, and then tighten the head screws again. Personally I don't love this method, it seems like things should be in the proper position when the head is pushed all the way on the main shaft, but it's the only way to do it afaik.

[mejmea]

Originally Posted by fiddle

mine has always drifted backwards a little in 3D mode. Its so small ... I never tried to level the swash other than visual ... I never checked balance but I suspect its quite tail heavy ... 230s v2 is due to motor on the tail.

With the std 150mAh battery it is pretty well balanced actually. If you fly a bigger battery like a 220mAh you have to pull it backwards 6-8mm or so to get the heli not to be nose heavy. The motor on this one doesn't cog significantly so you can check the balance easily without disengaging the main gear from the pinion. (by holding the heli by the head with the main shaft horizontal to see whether the nose or tail drops - as you probably already know )