ZTW Spider 40A OPTO Small ESC with stock SimonK firmware can be easily flashed with BLHeli using Cleanflight interface. I just did it, the whole process took few minutes. To be true, it took me more time to find out which firmware should those ESC be flashed with, than to flash them. For unknown reason…

LiPo batteries that run RC hobby are potentially dangerous devices. When not handled properly they can ignite or even explode. And they do not live forever. Even the best battery, no matter how taken care off, loses capacity, swells and has to be disposed. When we combine both facts we face a problem: how to…

As long as Naze32 / Flip32 are decent flight controllers for those who does not demand too much, they share very big flaw: low flash memory size. While even a year ago 128kB of flash was enough, times changed, and limited flash makes a problem for advanced flight controller software like INAV. Starting from INAV…

Last week, first parts for my new racing quadcopter started to arrive. One of them, was carbon fiber frame: Reptile X4R 220. Why this one? Like I stated many times: I’m cheap. Plus, I did not wanted to go with another ZMR250 build. This frame was easily available, within budget and good looking. So, few…

As long as quality is decent, there is nothing better like "el cheapo" electronic components. Just like below $5 Matek PDB-XT60 Power Distribution Board with integrated 5V and 12V BEC. Preparing to build a new 220 racer I just got my Matek PDB from Aliexpress. Quality, at a first glance looks good. Laminate nicely cut,…

After a short brake, let’s return to Blackbox series with new entry: “How much gyro noise is too much?”. Almost all PID tuning tutorials states: reduce vibrations that affects gyroscope and accelerometer readouts. Yes, this true: any vibrations that appear during flight affects gyroscope and accelerometer readouts are bad and should be kept as low…

You finished your build, you connect LiPo, power up flight controller, apply throttle (no propellers of course) and you see that one or motors are spinning in wrong direction. How to fix that? You can not do it, for example in Cleanflight Configurator. ESC communication protocol does not allow to change BLC motor direction. There…

Modern drones utilize many different sensors to archive flight. Some of them are required to fly, some are only optional and they can only improve flight performance. This entry will be a summary of those sensors, with short description and information how UAV utilizes data from them. Gyroscope Gyroscope, or shorter gyro, is the only…

Below is a video I’ve recorder 2 weeks ago, showing almost fully automatic mission performed by INAV. The only “non automatic” phase in this flight was take off. Besides regular nice views, this video presents a feature that will be available in future INAV 1.2: refactored and greatly improved MAGHOLD controller. MAGHOLD known from previous…