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Eachine Falcon 250 Pro Review – Guide to How It Should Of been Setup With Cleanflight

As per our other guides, I usually take and test the Eachines new quads before I commit to buying them in bulk and recommending them to customers.

In some circumstances we buy them anyway and sell them as “SUPER UPGRADED” versions with the fixes complete as most people who are buying these quads are relatively new to the hobby and have no idea what they are doing.

You may be interested in my other reviews

Eachine Falcon 180 RTF Naze32
Eachine Racer 250
Eachine Blade 185 Guide
Eachine Falcon 250 STD

IMG_20160831_223650 IMG_20160831_222936 

Is this ready to fly? NOPE!
If you are a beginner and you can’t follow the guide below, don’t buy this quad! If you are up the the challenge of change settings below, you can then fly on Angle or Horizon Mode (auto stabalise) and learn to fly.

Issues

  1. i6 Eachine transmitter has locked Bootloader by Default – Can’t change any settings
  2. AUX 1 is set to Knob VRA and it does nothing.
  3. AUX 2 is set to Knob VRB
  4. Aerials aren’t mounted properly
  5. OSD on same UART port – TX/RX pins need to be removed if you want to access cleanflight. (This was on NAZE board, may be different on sp racing F3)
  6. If you turn off dip switch 4 to 0 FC is no longer powered as it runs on the same 5/12v rail.
  7. Comes with old Cleanflight 1.12 and nothing is setup at all
  8. No Flight Modes set, only Acro Mode!
  9. No Buzzer by default – you can add one if required!

Some other improvements they could make

  • Use all CW caps on motors, not have them different
  • Use proper locknuts for the motors
  • Improve battery strap, it is not very strong at all.
  • Change to PPM/SBUS receiver

The Solutions

  1. To Change the Eaching i6 Transmitter settings, Hold the yaw trim to the right, the roll trim to the left and turn on the transmitter. You can then enter settings by holding down ok on the Transmitter
  2. Part of solution 3
  3. Now that you can enter the setup of i6, goto Functions Setup, Aux Channels, then change Chanel 5 to SwB and Channel 6 to Swc. Hold down Cancel to SAVE. Switches for modes and settings are way better than turning Knobs!
    IMG_20160605_121710IMG_20160605_121740IMG_20160605_122431
  4. Get some Cable ties and heat shirnk and mount the aerials facing upwards so there is no chance props can hit them. In default position they will get chopped by props straight away!
    Another method is just to place aerials inside the frame, however range won’t be as far.
    IMG_20160831_225837 IMG_20160831_225858
  5. On the NAZE version it seems the OSD is running on the same UART port as the FC. If you want to do step 7 and 8, it is required to disconnect it as per pictures.
    IMG_20160831_223220 IMG_20160831_222951
  6. I noticed that if you turn dip switch 4 off, it cuts all power to the naze32, so be sure not to do this if you are turning off your lights!
  7. see step 8.
  8. This last stage is quite a bit of work, but hang in there. We are going to upgrade to cleangflight 1.13 and then set it up correctly and configure the switches on your radio.

    Upgrade Eachine Falcon 250 Pro Cleanflight

  1. Remove Props from Quad.
  2. Install the Cleanflight Configurator from the Chrome Web Store.
  3. Download Latest cleanflight or Betaflight _NAZE.hex from release pages.
    For difference on Cleanflight vs Betaflight view this article.
  4.  In Cleanflight Configuration, make sure you disconnect from your quad, then click the firmware flasher tab.
    2016-06-05 16_27_18-Cleanflight - Configurator
  5. Click Load Firmware [Local]
  6. Select file you downloaded from Step 3.
  7. Select These options as per screenshot
    2016-06-05 16_29_02-Cleanflight - Configurator
  8. Click Flash Firmware
  9. You are now on Cleanflight/Betaflight!
  10. Click Connect at the top right and if successful you should see your quad like this
    2016-06-05 16_30_37-Cleanflight - Configurator
  11. You can check what version the chip is running by expanding the log
    2016-06-05 16_30_58-
    2016-06-05 16_31_19-Cleanflight - Configurator
  12. Place Quad on flat surface and under setup, click calibrate accelerometer.
  13. Go to Configration tab
    Change minimum throttle to 1000
    Change Maximum throttle to 2000
    You can also turn blackbox off here if you do not require it, it will give the CPU less work if so.
    Save and reboot
    Your screen should look like this
    2016-08-31 23_09_54-Cleanflight - Configurator
  14. Now we need to calibrate ESC,  go to the motor tab. remember, you should have removed props at the start, if you didn’t, DO THIS NOW.
    Unplug battery
    Click “I Understand the risks …….”
    Slide Master to MAX
    Plug in battery, wait till you have heard all different types of beeps.
    Slide Master to MIN
    ESC Calibration is now complete!
    Unplug battery, then plug in again. (power cycle it)
    Click on Master slide and slowing push up with your arrow until all motors come on (mine was 1097)
    If they come on at very different throttle inputs, redo your calibration!
  15. Now go back to the Configuration tab
    Change minimum throttle to your number. eg. 1097
    Change Maximum throttle to 1900
    Save and reboot
  16. Next go to the Failsafe tab
    Check you are happy with what the failsafe is. I like it to slowly land, others like it to drop. There is pros and cons to both. Research what you want 🙂
  17. Next go to PID Tuning
    Change roll rate to 0.80
    Change pitch rate to 0.80
    Change YAW rate to 0.40
    TPA should be 0.20
    TPA breakpoint should be 1650
    You can up these rates more if you like. I personally fly on 0.9 for all three.
  18. Now go to receiver tab, and check all your transmitter channels are correct.
  19.  Since we changed the knobs to switches for AUX 1 and AUX 2, we can now move on to next section and setup the switches.
  20. Go to The Modes Tab
    FYI, No mode selected = ACRO+ / Rate mode by default.
    Altitude mode = Angle Mode
    Rattitude  mode = Horizon ModeIn the below screenshot I have setup the following for my switches.
    SWB 1 = Nothing
    SWB 2 = Quad ArmedSWC 1 = Angle
    SWC 2 = ACRO/RATE
    SWC 3 = Horizon
    2016-08-31 23_17_56-Cleanflight - Configurator
    If you are a more advanced Pilot, you may want to change SWB 2 to Airmode and still use the Yaw right, Yaw left to arm and disarm.
  21. Give it a test flight! Make sure you are open space in case you missed a step and it crashes.

Control Eachine H8 Mini With Taranis X9D Plus

Download Eachine H8 Mini EEPE here

Download Eachine CX10 EEPE here

The guide below is for the H8 Mini, however CX10 is pretty much the same.

Upload H8 Mini EEPE To Your Taranis

  1. Make sure you have Taranis Open TX Companion Installed
  2. You may also need the driver “ST Virtual COM port driver V1.3.1 for Taranis CLI” from that same link above (at the bottom of the page)
  3. Launch Open TX Compansion
  4. Click Read Models & Settings From Radio
    2016-06-07 18_41_50-OpenTX Companion 2.1.7 - Radio_ FrSky Taranis Plus - Profile_ My Radio
  5.  Now you should see a window with your models.
  6. Go back to Open TX Companion and go to file—> open and select the eepe file you downloaded at the top of this guide.
    2016-06-07 18_58_11-OpenTX Companion 2.1.7 - Radio_ FrSky Taranis Plus - Profile_ My Radio
  7. You should now have another window to the right with the model.
    2016-06-07 22_53_23-OpenTX Companion 2.1.7 - Radio_ FrSky Taranis Plus - Profile_ My Radio
  8. Simply drag it across to your models in a free slot.
  9. When you are done, close our models and go to the menu at top —> Read / Write —> “Write settings and models to Radio”
  10. 2016-06-07 18_59_41-OpenTX Companion 2.1.7 - Radio_ FrSky Taranis Plus - Profile_ My Radio

Now you just need to load the NRF24 multipro Multi Protocol TX Adapter Module in the back of your taranis
IMG_20160822_192434

Select the Model and then bind to your H8mini!

Switches and what they do

SE – Bind/Rebind Quad
SH – Flip
SD – 40% , 70%, 100% power level
SF – Head

Happy Days!

IMG_20160822_202820

 

F3 OSD Configuration From Phaser FPV

This board gives you the ability to mount the usb port externally where ever you want!

First of all, you can simply flash Cleanflight / Betaflight by plugging it into the label F3 like so

IMG_20160812_170735

The board comes with Cleanflight 1.10 as standard.

To flash another version or betaflight choose options below.

2016-08-12 17_34_10-Cleanflight - Configurator

Now to setup your OSD, change the port to label OSD as below.
IMG_20160812_165820IMG_20160812_165830

The F3 board is preloaded with MWOSD.

Download MWOSD 1.6 (Version we used) click connect and setup as required.

Everything else is the same as a standard F3 Chip.

If you want to upgrade MWOSD or put other OSD software on it you can follow our other guide here

How to Flash MWOD and setup OSD and Configure

Here is a wiring schematic for SBUS receiver and telemetry connections:

sp3 v2 hookup

 

Dont forget to turn on Serial connection in Cleanflight on Uart 2 and set telemetry to smart port in Uart 3.

If you require any other information, you may try this manual, however it is the DELUXE board, so some features may be different.

 

 

 

 

 

Emax F1 / F3 OSD Flight Controller OSD/Video Wiring Diagram

Here is a diagram of the Emax F1 + OSD FC video hookup. Please note that while the F3 is different the hookup is the same, just check you have the right tabs on the underside of the board.

All the topside connections remain the same.

*Please note, in most cases the ground connections can be omitted, so only Video in and Out are used. If you have any problems you may need to connect them.

osd hookup

The Perfect Settings For HS1177 and HS1190 Foxeer FPV Cameras

PLEASE NOTE. Further updates are available here.

 

We searched long and hard and tried many video tutorials on good camera settings. These are the best we have found!
Please do it in the order we have set, as some options won’t appear unless you do it in correct order.

REMEMBER TO HIT RETURN AT THE END TO SAVE SETTINGS – POWER OFF THEN POWER ON AND CHECK SETTINGS WERE SAVED!

Before you do anything, perform a factory reset.

Lens: Manual

White bal: Manual
– Color Temp: Manual
– Blue: 45
– Red: 55

Day&night: Color

##Image Adj

Lens Shad: off

2DNR: off

Contrast: 150

Sharpness: 30

##### Display: LCD

Gamma: .45

PED Level: 35

Color Gain: 175

##Exposure

Shutter: Auto

Brightness: 42

AGC: Mid

DWDR: On

#### DWDR

Level: 63

 

 

REMEMBER TO HIT RETURN AT THE END TO SAVE SETTINGS – POWER OFF THEN POWER ON AND CHECK SETTINGS WERE SAVED!

BOLTRC Kraken 6 Inch build log

BoltRC Kraken build (K5/K6)

A challenging build due to the need to fit all components into a small area. Not for beginners. Direct soldering to FC and most likely some modifications needed to other parts. Please note there are pictures below from multiple builds where different methods were used. They are not sequential and parts and layout differ from picture to picture.

20160626_034922

The first decision you will need to may is how to mount and route your motor/ESC wires. There is a few possibilities here with each method having pros and cons.

In the picture below you can see the motor is mounted with the ESC wires wrapped around the arm, with the ESC mounted underneath the arm. This can protect the ESC from prop strikes, but also allows for the easy routing of power wires to the PDB, away from the edges of the Lexan shell. If you choose to mount your ESC on top, be sure to allow adequate clearance of the power wires to reach the PDB without rubbing against the shell.

20160626_043618

An alternative method is to mount the motor “backwards” with the wires pointing away from the center. Route the motor wires down and underneath to the ESC, making sure to insulate the parts that come into contact with the edges of the frame with shrink wrap or nylon braid.

20160715_062935

20160715_063207

20160726_110333

From here you need to mount your ESC making sure you have enough room to clear the bolt holes for the shell and FC stack. Route your ESC power wires up to the PDB, place your shell ontop before you solder to make sure you have enough clearance. You dont have to use the BoltRC PDB but it does strengthen the frame a little more as well as offer some more realestate for mounting extras. Make sure you mount the negative side down onto the frame.

20160726_110339

Please note, the provided regulator on the PDB is for 8v. If your FC or other components require less you will have to add further regulators.

Once your PDB is mounted its time to layout your FC stack. I recommend doing a mock up of this to check that everything you have will fit. To be extra thorough mount your camera with the supplied bracket inside the shell and slip the shell over the top to check clearances.

20160715_075812

Consider mounting your strap at this stage then placing your FC over the top. Space your FC with the included spacers so it does not come into contact with the PDB. Be as minimal as possible.

20160716_120639

Keep all your leads to the FC as short as possible.

20160716_114011

If you want to cut a slot in your shell so that the FC port is accessible make sure to orientate your FC accordingly.

20160716_131158

 

Here you can see some modifications being done to the TBS unify VTX. Ive added a small carbon plate to the top of the FC stack, available from Phaser for a few dollars. It allows for the mounting of the VTX/RX and 5v reg if required.  The RX is mounted on the underside of the Carbon plate with the VTX and reg on the topside. Alternatively you can mount some of your hardware to the shell itself, make sure you make it easy to disconnect if you do. Check clearance on your VTX antenna, the TBS pigtail will need to be modified to clear the FC stack. Or you may chose to replace it with a 90 degree pigtail.

20160718_104654

Once you have all your clearances sorted out you can begin porting the shell for your camera. Use a soldering iron to get started and clean the edges up carefully with a file or dremel. Careful, the lexan marks easily and can crack if you are rough.

 

 

 

 

Foxeer Arrow CCD with OSD voltage Setup Wiring Diagram

Just a quick post for those who may be trying to get the OSD voltage on the Foxeer Arrow CCD camera.

You can run power straight from the battery to the camera (5-22v) and it will display the voltage but the manual suggests a regulated voltage for the input, especially if you have active braking enabled. So running regulated voltage to the camera is recommended, but now our OSD voltage will be a constant voltage and not reflective of the sources voltage.

To get around this you need to remove the back cover, revealing the circuit board. Just below the positive terminal of the plug you will see two copper tabs/perforations, marked + and –

20160629_150808

Run two tiny wires from these tabs through the hole on the front of the case and route them to your source voltage on the PDB. When these wires are connected it will display voltage from here by default.

20160629_151141

Happy voltage monitoring.

How To Charge The Fatshark Battery 7.4v 1600mAh Properly

You may notice that the Fatshark battery has DO NOT BALANCE CHARGE on the balance Lead.

This is because the battery has its own balance circuit so it does not need balance charging.

IMG_20160615_221756

You may get an error that says “Balance Connect Error”
Some chargers still need the balance lead connected to the charger even though it’s not balance charging.

The correct way to charge is LIPO charge and 1C would be 1.6amps like below picture

IMG_20160615_221740

 

If you have an advanced charger, it may also check the resistance. The battery will show high resistance, this is normal because of the balance circuit and you may ignore it.

Sigan 250 Build Log

1. Components

Total Cost – $629.70 + $6 hours labour + Consumables.

2. Tips On Building

The Sigan drone is an award-winning compact racer with a very specific design requiring a tight and compact assembly of the electronics. It should not be attempted for those who are new or inexperienced in the craft. The build pics below are from the 210 and 250 class available from Phaser computers.

If you decide to use different components than those listed above please check to see if they will fit. The space between the top and bottom plates is around 10mm. Since all components bar the camera, buzzer and xt60 are intended to fit in this space anything higher than 10mm is essentially a problem.

20160601_11213620160601_112419

Once you have checked all your parts are there I recommend inserting your standoffs first and test fitting your escs. 20 amp esc’s are recommended for the 210 build, though the right 30 ampers can fit if you are careful. The 210 seen below has 30 amp DYS escs with solder tabs. Take special care when soldering the middle motor lead in particular, it will need to be slightly longer to accommodate wrapping around the body post. Test fit your 3D printed side skirt/bumper too, if your esc doesn’t fit inside you may as well stop now until you solve that. Everything should lay as flat as possible, motor leads will need to be short and soldered directly to the esc, especially in the case of the 210.

20160604_21234720160604_223122

Mount your flight controller next. -90 or +90 so you can access the usb port. You may choose to use some longer bolts for the pdb and FC. There are holes on the top deck that line up with the pdbs bolts and I chose to lengthen these bolts to stiffen the pdb and center of the drone. When you solder in your xt60 connector remember to trim the bottom tabs off flush so they dont rub against the carbon fiber and cause a direct short. This will most likely end very badly if you aren’t careful.

received_23589864346238620160605_122107

Route all your power cabling down either side of the craft to the PDB, leaving enough room for the 3d printed skirts to fit and allowing access to the FC usb hub. Solder all connections directly to the FC where possible. Use the 5v regulator to power your FC and any other components like the VTX in this case.

3. Final Build Pictures

IMG_20160615_103512IMG_20160615_103518IMG_20160615_103509IMG_20160615_112455IMG_20160615_11251920160605_12213720160605_122213IMG_20160615_112500IMG_20160615_112443IMG_20160615_112526IMG_20160615_120156IMG_20160615_120149