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Solutions to Common Problems

August 5, 2024 by
Solutions to Common Problems
Drone Sports, Inc., William Aumer

Problem 1: How to Arm Your Drone After Building and Programming It

Arming your drone is a crucial step before taking off. If you're having trouble, follow these steps to ensure everything is set up correctly:

  1. Turn on Your Remote Control: Make sure your remote is powered on and ready to go.
  2. Plug in the Drone's Battery: Connect the battery to your drone.
  3. Throttle Stick Position: Ensure the throttle stick (left stick) is all the way down.
  4. Activate the Arm Switch: With the throttle stick down, activate your programmed arm switch. The propellers should start spinning. You can then slowly push up on the throttle stick to lift off.

The arm switch is typically mapped to a latching switch on either side of your remote controller.

Problem 2: Checking if Your Drone is Bound Correctly

After binding your receiver with the controller, it’s essential to ensure they are communicating properly. Follow these steps to check the binding:

  1. Turn on Your Remote Controller: Make sure your remote controller is powered on before proceeding.
  2. Connect to Betaflight: Connect your drone to Betaflight and select the “Receiver” tab.
  3. Test Remote Movement: Move the sticks on your remote controller. If you see movement on the “Preview” screen, your drone is bound correctly.
  4. Troubleshooting Non-Responsive Controls:
    • Check the receiver box on the left-hand side to ensure the correct “Receiver Mode” is selected. For example, if you're using the Commando 8 remote control with the ERLS receiver, select “CRSF.” For the Orqa remote control with the Ghost receiver, select “SBUS.”
  5. Save Settings: Click "save" in the bottom right corner, then test the stick movement again.
  6. Check Ports: If there's still no movement, try adjusting the UART ports:
    • If “UART 1” Serial RX is selected, unselect it and select “UART 2” Serial RX, then save and check movement.
    • If “UART 2” Serial RX is selected, unselect it and select “UART 1” Serial RX, then save and check movement.

Problem 3: Drone Takes Off and Falls to the Side

If your drone is taking off and then tipping over, the issue might be with the propeller orientation or board alignment:

  1. Check Propeller Orientation: Double-check that the propellers are installed correctly and not upside down.
  2. Board Alignment:
    • Connect your drone to Betaflight and go to the “Setup” tab.
    • Ensure the back of your drone (where the USB port is located) is facing you.
    • Select “Reset Z Axis” to align the drone’s orientation in the software with the actual direction of your drone.
  3. Test Alignment: Tilt your drone forward. The on-screen diagram should mimic your movements in real time. If not, adjust your board alignment.
  4. Adjust Board and Sensor Alignment:
    • Go to the “Configuration” tab. Look for “Board and Sensor Alignment” on the right side.
    • Change the “YAW Degree” value to 0, 90, 180, 270, -90, -180, or -270 degrees as needed. Save after each adjustment.
  5. Final Check: Return to the “Setup” tab and ensure the diagram matches your movements. Once aligned correctly, attempt another takeoff.

Final Thoughts

With these tips, you should be able to troubleshoot and solve some of the most common issues encountered when operating your drone. Remember, practice and patience are key.

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