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| 1 | +# Components and FC connections editor usage |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +Here you should enter information about you vehicle components and their respective connection to the flight controller. |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +Most optional information fields are only visible in `normal` GUI complexity mode. |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +All components have **optional** information about the product itself: |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +The URL can be used to store a link to a datasheet or a link to a shop product page. |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +Some components have **optional** information about their firmware: |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +All components have an **optional** notes field. |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +## Flight Controller |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +Some information, if available, is automatically filed in by the software as seen in the example above. |
| 24 | + |
| 25 | +## Frame |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | + |
| 29 | +The minimum take off weight and the maximum take off weight in Kilo are entered here. |
| 30 | +If you have variable payload configure the vehicle at the minimum take off weight. |
| 31 | +Only after completely tuned can you add the additional payload. |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +## Battery Monitor |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +All supported connection types and their corresponding protocols are: |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +| Connection Type | Protocol | |
| 38 | +|----------------|----------| |
| 39 | +| `None` | `Disabled` | |
| 40 | +| `Analog` | `Analog Voltage Only` | |
| 41 | +| `Analog` | `Analog Voltage and Current` | |
| 42 | +| `Analog` | `FuelLevelAnalog` | |
| 43 | +| `Analog` | `Synthetic Current and Analog Voltage` | |
| 44 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `Solo` | |
| 45 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `Bebop` | |
| 46 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `SMBus-Generic` | |
| 47 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `FuelFlow` | |
| 48 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `SMBUS-SUI3` | |
| 49 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `SMBUS-SUI6` | |
| 50 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `NeoDesign` | |
| 51 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `SMBus-Maxell` | |
| 52 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `Generator-Elec` | |
| 53 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `Generator-Fuel` | |
| 54 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `Rotoye` | |
| 55 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `MPPT` | |
| 56 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `INA2XX` | |
| 57 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `LTC2946` | |
| 58 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `EFI` | |
| 59 | +| `I2C1`–`I2C4` | `AD7091R5` | |
| 60 | +| `CAN1`–`CAN2` | `DroneCAN-BatteryInfo` | |
| 61 | +| `PWM` | `FuelLevelPWM` | |
| 62 | +| `SPI` | `INA239_SPI` | |
| 63 | +| `other` | `ESC` | |
| 64 | +| `other` | `Sum Of Selected Monitors` | |
| 65 | +| `other` | `Torqeedo` | |
| 66 | +| `other` | `Scripting` | |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +It is strongly recommended to use a battery monitor. |
| 69 | +But if you do not have one select `none` in the flight controller connection: |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | +If your battery monitor has an analog connection to the FC, select `analog` and one of the possible protocols: |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | + |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +If your battery monitor has an I2C connection to the FC, select the I2C bus and one of the possible protocols: |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | + |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +If your battery monitor has a CAN connection to the FC, select the CAN bus: |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +If your battery monitor has a SPI connection to the FC, select the SPI bus: |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +If your battery monitor has a PWM connection to the FC, select the PWM: |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | + |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +Otherwise select `other` and one of the possible protocols: |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | + |
| 96 | + |
| 97 | +## Battery |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | + |
| 100 | + |
| 101 | +Select the correct battery chemistry, doing so will automatically set typical voltage thresholds for that battery chemistry. |
| 102 | + |
| 103 | +Afterwords you should tweak the voltage thresholds to meet your requirements. |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +- `Volt per cell max` - PID values will only scale when below this voltage |
| 106 | +- `Volt per cell arm` - vehicle will only arm if battery voltage is above this threshold |
| 107 | +- `Volt per cell low` - first failsafe level gets triggered when below this value |
| 108 | +- `Volt per cell crit` - second failsafe level gets triggered when below this value |
| 109 | +- `Volt per cell min` - PID values will only scale when above this voltage |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | +They must obey `Volt per cell crit` < `Volt per cell low` < `Volt per cell arm` < `Volt per cell max` |
| 112 | + |
| 113 | +`Number of cells` is the number of cells connected in series. |
| 114 | +For a 6S battery this is 6. |
| 115 | + |
| 116 | +## ESC |
| 117 | + |
| 118 | +Electronic speed controllers have a `FC->ESC Connection` for control of the motor speed and an optional `ESC->FC Telemetry` for telemetry feedback from the ESC to the flight controller. |
| 119 | + |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | + |
| 122 | +The `FC->ESC Connection` type can be `Main Out`, an `AIO` integrated output, a serial port, or a CAN bus. |
| 123 | +The protocol is determined by the `MOT_PWM_TYPE` parameter (e.g. `Normal`, `DShot600`) for PWM outputs, |
| 124 | +or the serial/CAN protocol (e.g. `FETtecOneWire`, `DroneCAN`) for digital connections. |
| 125 | + |
| 126 | +The `ESC->FC Telemetry` type and protocol describe the return path: |
| 127 | + |
| 128 | +| Protocol | Type | Notes | |
| 129 | +|----------|------|-------| |
| 130 | +| `None` | `None` | No telemetry | |
| 131 | +| `BDShot` | same as FC->ESC | Bidirectional DShot on the same PWM wire | |
| 132 | +| `DroneCAN` | CAN port | Telemetry over CAN bus | |
| 133 | +| `ESC Telemetry` | serial port | Dedicated UART telemetry | |
| 134 | +| `FETtecOneWire` | serial port | Bidirectional FETtec protocol on the same wire | |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | + |
| 137 | + |
| 138 | +## Motors |
| 139 | + |
| 140 | + |
| 141 | + |
| 142 | +Enter the number of magnetic **poles** of the motor rotor. |
| 143 | +This is the **P** number in the common `nNmP` motor winding notation (e.g. `12N14P` → 14 poles). |
| 144 | +The value must be an even integer. |
| 145 | +It is used by ArduPilot to calculate the actual motor RPM from the ESC telemetry electrical frequency. |
| 146 | + |
| 147 | +## Propellers |
| 148 | + |
| 149 | + |
| 150 | + |
| 151 | +Enter the propeller **diameter in inches**. |
| 152 | +This value affects automatic PID tuning (AutoTune) and is used for thrust and performance calculations. |
| 153 | + |
| 154 | +## GNSS Receiver |
| 155 | + |
| 156 | + |
| 157 | + |
| 158 | +Select the FC connection **type** (serial port or CAN bus) and the matching **protocol**: |
| 159 | + |
| 160 | +| Protocol | Connection | |
| 161 | +|----------|------------| |
| 162 | +| `AUTO` | serial port — auto-detect | |
| 163 | +| `uBlox` | serial port | |
| 164 | +| `DroneCAN` | CAN bus | |
| 165 | +| other | serial port — vendor-specific | |
| 166 | + |
| 167 | +If you do not have a GNSS receiver, select `None` as the connection type. |
| 168 | + |
| 169 | +## RC Controller |
| 170 | + |
| 171 | + |
| 172 | + |
| 173 | +The hand-held controller used by the pilot. |
| 174 | +Enter the manufacturer and model for documentation purposes. |
| 175 | +This component has no FC connection — it communicates wirelessly via the RC Transmitter and RC Receiver pair. |
| 176 | + |
| 177 | +## RC Transmitter |
| 178 | + |
| 179 | + |
| 180 | + |
| 181 | +The RF transmitter module (may be integrated in the RC Controller or a separate module). |
| 182 | +Enter the manufacturer and model for documentation purposes. |
| 183 | +This component has no FC connection. |
| 184 | + |
| 185 | +## RC Receiver |
| 186 | + |
| 187 | + |
| 188 | + |
| 189 | +Select the FC connection **type** and **protocol** that match how the receiver is wired to the flight controller: |
| 190 | + |
| 191 | +| Protocol | Connection | |
| 192 | +|----------|------------| |
| 193 | +| `All` | RCin/SBUS — auto-detect all protocols | |
| 194 | +| `PPM` | RCin/SBUS | |
| 195 | +| `SBUS` / `SBUS_NI` | RCin/SBUS or serial | |
| 196 | +| `DSM` | serial port | |
| 197 | +| `CRSF` | serial port | |
| 198 | +| `FPORT` | serial port | |
| 199 | +| `MAVRadio` | serial port | |
| 200 | +| other | serial port — vendor-specific | |
| 201 | + |
| 202 | +If your receiver is connected to a dedicated RC input pin, choose `RCin/SBUS` as the type. |
| 203 | +If it is connected to a UART (e.g. CRSF, FPORT, DSM), choose the corresponding serial port. |
| 204 | + |
| 205 | +## Telemetry |
| 206 | + |
| 207 | + |
| 208 | + |
| 209 | +Select the FC connection **type** (serial port or CAN bus) and the matching **protocol**: |
| 210 | + |
| 211 | +| Protocol | Notes | |
| 212 | +|----------|-------| |
| 213 | +| `MAVLink2` | recommended for most ground stations | |
| 214 | +| `MAVLink1` | legacy ground stations | |
| 215 | +| `MAVLink High Latency` | satellite / low-bandwidth links | |
| 216 | +| `DDS XRCE` | ROS 2 micro-XRCE-DDS bridge | |
| 217 | +| other | vendor-specific | |
| 218 | + |
| 219 | +If you do not have a telemetry radio, select `None` as the connection type. |
| 220 | + |
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