Adding buttons?/Features?/Functions to R/C TX ???

[justin00]

Soo this is kind of hard to explain what I am trying to achieve..

Basically I want to create more buttons on the R/C TX that just do anything.. e.g act as on/off switch for stuff that will come later on.

Right now on the RC TX (NAZA mode) we have 2 switches... S1 and S2..
- S1 is either 'GPS', 'ATTI' and 'failsure or Manual'
- S2 has 'OFF', 'CL' and 'HL'
- S2 also sets the home point when you click it down/up approx 6?? times

Now.... How would I make it so like for example if i flip S2 down/up 10 times it does something else, like turns on a LED, or just acts a switch and allows whatever it is connected to, to get power or something.

or like if i have S1 in ATTI and S2 in HL and then flip S1 3 times it does something ???

Simply put...I need to create new combinations which can act as switches and do/activate <something>

The doing or activating <something> bit is not important right now... At the moment I am still trying to figue out a way power on the <something>

I Imagine this sort of thing could be used for powering LEDS, ex/detract landing gears... skys the limt really... but yeah just need a way to turn the function on!!

Hope you folks now what I am trying to do, some what

Any help or pokes in the right direction would be great.

I love learning about this stuff, but feaI am little out of my league, for the time being :/

Justin r

 

[N017RW]

You can't.

Yes you can make mods to the existing channels (Yaw for instance) but the OEM system has no means for adding additional features beyond what it is designed for.

You'll have to swap the control system to a programmable type with more channels or add auxiliary systems (like keyfob type but with very limited range).

 

[p fandango]

there was a company that had done it, their'd made it so you flick the left switch several times to fold/unfold the legs. I asked them about just buying the box unit instead of the full kit but they didn't want too know. Can't remember who it was now, & it was a very dear kit

 

[N017RW]

That was not a mod to the Tx though.

It was a proprietary control module inserted into the X-2 channel.

Maybe you can buy just the module.

 

[justin00]

Yeah I saw the company doing the retracts for landing gear.. you had to flip s1 or s2 or somthing X times to make it take affect..
I don't actually want to do anything involving retracts, but the thing where you flip something X times is kind of what i want..

Just want to find a list of exactly whats possible in terms of pressing buttons.. Once I have a list of some buttons, I can start playing around.. hooking the buttons upto something that will actually happen when you press them.... but yeah... anyone have any sites, threads, pdfs, doco's anything describng adding a bugton to <something> that would be great.

I could very easilly do it using 2x recievers and 2x TX's but that is pathetic

Any IRC servers on freenode or any other servers that might discuss this .

 

[justin00]

Does whqt im trying to do have a technical name?

Tryibg to research stuff on google but im going arpund in circles qa I dont no wat to searxh for.. basic searchs for "how to aff extra controls to radio controllee blah" doesnt have expected results..

Suspect I need to acyually search for some specfix terms?? Only lead so far is dping what someone else suggested and ask the people who made the retracts hpw they made a module yo plug into X2 so when you flipped the swtch X times it took affect. Im more interested in how they made it so when you did the initializing action... as opposed to how the action then make sumthing happens.. when well i suppose both parts I vital.

Sounds like you guys get what i mean...just hard to do lol :/

Anyways...3am time to bed... getting quite incoherent. Thanks folks

 

[N017RW]

R/C controllers/transmitters/etc. are limited to the number of channels they have.

The OEM Tx/Rx for your Phantom does not have any unused channels.

Therefore aside from what the retract vendor has done with the custom module you cannot add extra features.

You'll have to replace the Tx/Rx in your quad with an aftermarket one with more channels.

This is further complicated by the fact that the V+ uses a 5.8GHz system which are not generally available.
This is because DJI V+ uses the more common 2.4GHz band for the video link.

I hope this helps as I cannot think of another way to explain it.

 

[Kev the Frog]

Well, it has been done at least once by the "retractable landing gear" vendor, referred to previously.

They did it by an Electronic Engineer programing (what I think is called) a PIC.... some sort of programmable chip etc.

So if it can be done to make that work it can be made to work in other combinations for other uses etc, if you have the knowledge to do it, or know someone who has....

Do you know any Uni students studying Electronics?

It would be a pretty basic (and interesting project) for them. I also think the component parts would be very cheap....

There is a business opportunity there!

IMHO

 

[N017RW]

You're right Kev, never say never.

But it is beyond what I would think most people want to deal with.

 

[justin00]

Thanks for all the replies

Yeah I was thinking that vendor had a PIC or something fancy/beyond my limits
And yeah def sounds like a good business idea for some smart person..

I know a few people have said they would like a bucket or something ( I personally wouldnt ) but yeah.. a few secret RC commands that connect up to a servo would be cool and potentially sell a few..

All my friend are stoopid lol... i need to start hanging around a uni... I look young enough not to get me arrested / called a pervert :]

 

[dbooty]

That retractable landing gear mod for the vision+ is here https://www.rcdepothobbies.com/RCDH_RETRACT_LANDING_GEAR_FOR_DJI_PHANTOM_2_p/rcdh-ph2retract.htm

I reckon they've got an Arduino Nano or similar hiding in there.
Those things are awesome and can be programmed to do so much!

On that page there's also instructions showing how it taps in to the NAZA

 

[justin00]

Ah yeah thats the one, thanks for posting up the links.
Would be abit of over kill if they did have an arduino in there

I have a beaglebone, which is a competitor unit to arduino.. I can make it turn a servo and do some stuff, but still have the problem of interfacing it. If I slapped her in the Phantom I would have no way of turning it on lol

I downloaded the Naza manuals from DJI site, quite interesting, It tells you what all the connections on the Naza does and a bit more info.. no secret ports however heh..
I also downloaded the Naza assistant software.. I thought perhaps it would work If I plugged it in the Phantom..no go...It has some cool options though, like idle speed and a few other advanced options.. Probably best DJI don't let us play with some of the options as some of them could get you into a bit of trouble if not configured correctly.

 

[cougar]

Folding landing gear is a cool option, but remember that the antennas are located in the gear and might have severe effects on performance.

 

[Kev the Frog]

Unless you go to a Stage III (with on board Ant).... The new twigs are separate from the landing legs, and fixed in better areas on the bird!

Sheeezzz..... It's a never ending spiral of upgrades and tweaks that all cost.... !

But it would kill two birds with one stone (so to speak) A landing light that goes on when the gear is down and off when the gear is up!

 

[dbooty]

Ah yeah thats the one, thanks for posting up the links.
Would be abit of over kill if they did have an arduino in there

Yeah they probably don't have a real one in there but I'd betcha it would be a compatible clone.
I bought 5 Nano clones off eBay a couple of months ago for about 4 bucks each from memory.

One is on my f550 replicating the Naza LED indications on RGB Neopixels on 4 of the 6 arms.

If I slapped her in the Phantom I would have no way of turning it on lol

It would just be on all the time and be looking for a specific trigger, S2 going high twice within a given time for instance, then it would activate whatever you've got the sketch setup for.

Folding landing gear is a cool option, but remember that the antennas are located in the gear and might have severe effects on performance.

Simply untape the antennas, they're just fine flying in the wind as long as you don't have any nasty kinks in them.

None of my birds have the antennas taped

 

[Mopar Bob]

Don't forget the compass is attached to the struts as well. You have to deal with that as well which is probably a bigger concern than the antennas.

 

[dbooty]

You're indeed correct Bob, and problem solved...

 

[CityZen]

If you want to understand the electronics better, here is the place to hang out:
http://www.rcgroups.com/multirotor-electronics-792/

 

[justin00]

dbooty if I may ask... approx were abouts in melb are you ?
I'm inner east.

Always looking for more Phantom people to fly with and would love to check out your 550

Thanks for the link cityzen. I'm going to check it out.

I work for a very large Telco and while I personally don't have the electronics experience.. someone at work might.. so will see if anyone is interested in partnering up, and possibly making a few $$

 

[dbooty]

dbooty if I may ask... approx were abouts in melb are you ?
I'm inner east.

Always looking for more Phantom people to fly with and would love to check out your 550

Hey mate, for some reason I thought you were in Sydney :shock:

I'm in West Footscray but yeah we can catch up for a fly and show off out toys by all means!

I'll PM you my contact details