5/18/2015

commonRCsetup|Copter

Copter

ArduPilot>Copter>commonRCsetup

RCsetup
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TurningaRCplaneintoaUAVisessentiallyjustamatterofputtinganautopilotbetweenthe
RCreceiverandtheaircraftsservos,sotheautopilotcantakeovercontrol.Thisarticle
explainshow.

Contents[hide]
1Overview
2PowerInput
3Inputs
4ReassigningyourRCtransmitterstickchannels:
5Outputs
6Installingitinyourplane

Overview
ThewaywedothatistoplugfemaletofemalecablesfromtheRCreceiverintoAPM2s
inputs,andplugtheservos(andmotorcontrollerforelectricaircraft)intoAPM2soutputs.
Whatyoullneed:
Atleasta5channelRCunit.7channelsormoreishighlyrecommended
Femaletofemalecablesforeachchannelyoullbeusing.Thesearefine.
ForAPM2.0youwillneedapowersource.Forelectricaircraft,thisisusuallytheESC.For
gas/nitropoweredplanes,yourradiowillneeditsownbattery/BEC.ArduPilotMega
normallygetsitspowerfromtheRCsystem.
ForAPM2.5youcanusethesuppliedAPMPowerModuleforthepowersource.Youstill
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needanESCorBECtopowertheservos.
Note:YoucanalsopowerAPM2fromtheUSBcable.However,thiswillnotpowertheRC
outputpins,soifyouwanttoseeservosmovewhiletestingAPM2onthebench,youllneed
toconnectabattery(throughanESC)tooneoftheoutputchannels.Itsfinetohavebothan
ESCandtheUSBcableconnectedatthesametime.

PowerInput
SingleSupply
PowerOptions

Nominal

AbsMAX

JP1status

PoweronOutputPWMconnector

5.37V+0.5

6V

JP1connected

DualSupply
PowerOptions

Nominal

AbsMAX

JP1status

PoweronOutputPWMconnector

5.00V+0.5

6V

JP1open

PoweronInputPWMconnector

5.00V+0.25

5.5V

JP1open

NOTE:ifJP1open,separatepowerisrequiredonbothInputPWMandOutputPWM
Warning:DonotexceedAbsMAXinputvoltageswhenconnectingpowersupplyoryou
willdamageyourboard.
Warning:ConnectingUSBwhenyouhaveinputvoltagesatthehighendoftherange
(nearAbsMax)candamagetheboard.DisconnectbatterybeforeconnectingUSBor
testinputvoltagessotheyarewithinthenormalspecifiedrange.

Inputs

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ConnectyourRCreceivertoAPM2sInputswithfemaletofemalecablesintheordershown
above.EachchannelthatyouwantAPMtocontrolshouldbeconnectedtoanInputonthe
APMboard.Typically,theModeSwitch(APMInput8for!ArduPlane)isconnectedtoanyRC
receiverchannelthatyouhaveassignedtoathreepositiontoggleswitchonyourRC
transmitter(formostpeople,thatschannel5).
Note:TheseinstructionsareforAPM:Plane.APM:CoptersmodeswitchgoestoAPM
input5,notinput8,seethisformore
Theground(black)sideofeachconnectorshouldbeontheoutside,closesttotheedgeofthe
board,asshownherewitheitherstraightorrightangleconnectors:

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InstructionsforusingaPPMSumreceiverare(Here!)
[site_ArduPlane]

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Note:
Elevons(combinedailerons/elevator,asusedinflyingwings)arealsosupportedjustconnect
themtothefirsttwochannelsasyouwouldtoyourRCreceiver.YoulltellAPMtodoelevon
mixingintheMissionPlannersetupprocess.
IfyoureflyingaVtail,pleaseseetheVTAIL_OUTPUToptionintheservosetup
documentation.
[/site_ArduPlane]

ReassigningyourRCtransmitterstickchannels:
Althoughthedefaultnormaltransmitterstickconfigurationisgenerallythebest,APM:Plane
doesallowyoutoreconfigurethem.
ToreassigntheRCtransmitterstickstootherthanthedefaultchannels:
ConnectyourAPMsUSBporttoyourcomputerandstartMissionPlannerandSelectthe
Connectbuttonontheupperright..
SelecttheConfigurationtabthenselectAdvancedParamsandtheAdvParameter
List.
ScrolldowntotheRCMAP_ROLL,RCMAP_PITCH,RCMAP_THROTTLEand
RCMAP_YAWparameters.
Theseallowyoutodirectlyassignwhichradiochannel(18)isassignedtoeachofthe
majorflightfunctions.
Thisisusefulwhenyouhaveaflighttransmitterwithunusualchannelassignments.
Orwhichdoesnotalloweasychannelreassignmentatthetransmitter
Additionalinformationontheseparametersmaybefound(Here!)

Outputs

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PlugyourservosandotherdevicesyouwantAPMtocontrolintothematchingOutput
connectorsasshownabove.
fourchannelsetup:
1.aileron
2.elevator
3.throttle
4.rudder

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elevonsetup:
1.starboard(right)elevon
2.port(left)elevon
3.throttle

Installingitinyourplane
WhenyouplaceAPMinyouraircraft,itisveryimportantthatitfacetherightway.TheGPS
connectorshouldfaceforward,andtheservocablesfaceback.Theboardmustalsoberight
sideup,withtheIMUshieldatthetop.Likethis(note:theresalittlearrowonthebottomofthe
shieldthatpointtothefront,too,incaseyouneedareminderatthefield):

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WhenputtingAPMinyourplane,itsimportanttoensurethatitssolidlymountedanddoesnt
movearoundinflight.Itshouldalsobeascloseaspossibletolevelwhentheplaneisinits
flyingorientation.Ideally,youllwanttohaveitasclosetothecenterofgravityasyoucan
(thatswherevibrationistheleast)andmountedonfoamtapeontoasolidplatform.

TipsonmountingtheGPSmodule
ItdoesntmatterwhichwaytheGPSmoduleisoriented,aslongasthesquareantennaside
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isfacingup
ItsbesttomounttheGPSasfarawayfromradiotransmissionequipment(likeyour
telemetryorvideotransmitters)aspossible.
Ideally,theGPSmodulewillhaveaclearviewofthesky.Ontopofyourplaneisagood
choice.
HeresanexampleofonewaytomountAPM(andtheGPSmodule)inanEasyStarusingthe
3DRoboticsElectronicsChassis.AsimilarchassisisalsoavailablefortheHobbyKingBixler.

Chassis:

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Withequipmentmounted:

Questionsaboutthispage?Comments?Suggestions?PosttoAPMForum!Usetheplatform
specifictoyourquery,andmakesuretoincludethenameofthepageyouarereferringto.

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