Setting up the Futaba T8FGS (or 14SG) with the P2

[Kicerk52]

These sticks are indeed very, very sensitive, they do change a bit with every move - that's natural and nothing to worry about. The sticks DON'T have to be dead 0!

What you're getting now is perfectly fine, you're good to go and fly.

 

[Xrover]

Excellent!
Now I just need for the winds to die down..

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Xrover]

At what voltage should I re charge the battery in the 8FGS? How do I know when it is fully charged since the stock charger doesn't have auto shutoff.

 

[ladykate]

At what voltage should I re charge the battery in the 8FGS? How do I know when it is fully charged since the stock charger doesn't have auto shutoff.

The easy way (I have both the 8 and 14 and can never remember which is which) is to charge it the recommended time (15 hours) and then read the voltage. Mark it down on the charger. Then all you have to do is read the voltage by turning on the radio and you will know the charge state. It is then easy to tell, when charging, that it is fully charged.

Note that Futaba does not recommend 'topping up' the charge. Let it run down (just leave it on) - record the low voltage when the radio tells you to turn itself off and then charge it. You will now know the charged state and the discharged state. Also note that the first cutoff warning still gives you time to bring the aircraft in and land it. I usually run mine a few times and then let it run down and charge it for a few hours (which is usually enough).

You can also buy an extra battery and make it a little less onerous. If you have a battery charger, you can also discharge it and then charge it (this is cool if you have two batteries).

 

[Xrover]

Thanks for the great answer!

 

[Quadro]

Re: T8FG Batteries

For what it's worth, I use a pair of 2600mah 2 cell LIPOs to which I soldered Futaba connectors.

Fully charged they read 8.4v on a Venom charger, but only about 8.1v under load in the T8FG. I recharge them when they drop to 7.3v -- which provides at least two hours flying time per battery. I could squeeze out another hour or more, but with two batteries, there's no need. The LIPOs are somewhat smaller and lighter than the original Futaba battery and fit easily into the battery compartment. I find 7.5v to 7.4v is their sweet spot, and it seems as if I can fly all afternoon while the T8FG readout stays pegged at 7.4v.

IMO the advantages of LIPOs with the T8FG include:

Cost, they are a fraction the price of the replacement Futaba battery, and I always have a backup battery available.

Time, the LIPOs recharge in a couple hours -- not 15 hours.

Weight, I don't need to haul the Futaba charger when traveling--that thing is a real brick. In my case, I need to take the Venom anyway to recharge the 3-cell LIPOS I use to power the old Phantom 1 and Lilliput FPV Monitor.

 

[wkf94025]

quadro,

helpful insight on Futaba power plan. what are you doing for your Lilliput power? and do you mount it on Futaba, tripod, or other?

kelly

 

[Quadro]

Curious to know in your travels if you've seen differences in the the compass hook as you've covered a lot of ground.

Ian:

I noticed very little drift or hooking (in either direction) on my P2s during this last cross country trip. But the zinger is that after 40+ broken P2 props, in mid-March I switched exclusively to 8.5" DJI props. Later, I discovered I had been mixing the 10" XOXO knock-offs with actual 10" DJI props and the results were horrendous. In retrospect, this was doubtless the main source of my control problems.

With the 8.5" props, the P2s are far quieter, more responsive and vastly easier to control in 15mph+ breezes -- which seems to be the only wind conditions I've been able to find so far this year. I've dinged a bunch, but have yet to actually break an 8.5" prop.

With gimbal, FPV TX, and OSD I get about 10 minutes of flying time before reaching my 25% battery level warning. That would be flying in a 15-20 mph breeze at roughly 50% GPS, 25% ATTI, and 25% HL/CL.

While driving across country, I typically did a compass correction every morning -- about every 8 to 9 degrees of latitude.

I just finished setting up a trip to CO, WY, and SD in early July (the Rockies are hosting the Dodgers at Coors Field for the July 4th weekend). I'll make a couple of flights around NY with the 10" props before I go, and see if I observe any difference in hooking or drifting when I reach the Rockies.

Given DJI's ability to program in GPS lookup tables for those inverted wedding-cake shaped ATC-no-fly zones into the 3.0 update, it seems that adding deviation tables would be, well, real a piece of cake.

 

[Quadro]

quadro,

helpful insight on Futaba power plan. what are you doing for your Lilliput power? and do you mount it on Futaba, tripod, or other?

kelly

Hi Kelly:
Soldered an XT60 connector onto the Lilliput so I can power it with my P1 2600mah 3Cell LIPOs.

The Lilliput (664w, same as yours) is mounted on the Futaba using an aluminum Seacraft TX Tray and FPV Stand (http://aerobertics.be/productDetail.php ... 0&brand=41. You can buy these in the US, the UK site just happened to have good photos). I've tried the cheap carbon fiber FPV mounts, the Seacraft is expensive but massively better.

From time-to-time I also use a tripod, but I often wander around while flying to get a better vantage point, which is pretty hard even with a lightweight tripod. Also, my tripod blows over in anything more than a zephyr.

I fly two P2s and a P1 using the 8FG programmed with Ian's v4 Profile.

 

[pitslave]

A lot of good information here. I'm still setting up my T8FG for my P2

 

[Gator113]

Marked for later read.....

 

[Kicerk52]

I think I figured out the POI feature, will test it soon (it's pretty much raining all the time now :/ ) and post back.

 

[guile]

Hi do you think its possible to set SB as different servo rates for the tilt gimbal RS for the T8FG?

Eg:
OFF - 0
Middle - 15
On - 27

RS slider is still used to tilt the gimbal at the rate selected from SB.

 

[xzoticskillz]

Hey I flashed the Futaba Profile but I've been noticing that in random situations I'm getting a jery/stuttery tilt. I have attached a short 7 second clip demonstrating the problem. Has anybody else encountered this?......is this stemming from my h3-3d gimbal or futaba controller? I notice it happens when I'm panning or flying forward on occasion. So frustrating...

https://vimeo.com/95668369

 

[ianwood]

Hi do you think its possible to set SB as different servo rates for the tilt gimbal RS for the T8FG?

Unfortunately it is not possible to make it work that way.

Hey I flashed the Futaba Profile but I've been noticing that in random situations I'm getting a jery/stuttery tilt.

Have you re-calibrated X1 according to the first post in this thread?

 

[havasuphoto]

Buying a used T8FG-is there a difference between that model, and the T8FGS? I'm looking at pictures of this remote, and I can't find where it says "super" on it....it does say "FASST", which I think is the profile for the P2-correct?

Also-you have 1 knob assigned to "yaw trim".......without having to read 58 pages-does this just adjust the yaw gain? Or, does it start a slow yaw, left or right?

Thanks

EDIT: Figured out that the S(Super) model has 10 channels vs. the standard 8 channel T8FG. So-guess I'm still looking for a used Super model-as I'll need the extra channels later on. Bummer.

 

[ladykate]

Buying a used T8FG-is there a difference between that model, and the T8FGS? I'm looking at pictures of this remote, and I can't find where it says "super" on it....it does say "FASST", which I think is the profile for the P2-correct?

Also-you have 1 knob assigned to "yaw trim".......without having to read 58 pages-does this just adjust the yaw gain? Or, does it start a slow yaw, left or right?

Thanks

Yes, and yes (meaning it will work with the P2 and the knob starts a slow yaw left or right). While I don't have first hand knowledge, my understanding is that the difference between 'regular' and 'super' is a firmware upgrade that is free. Don't quote me (and it probably doesn't make much difference).

Also, I posted to this page earlier but darned it if didn't disappear so I'll do it as part of this message... I changed the right/left slider gimbal control to the right knob. For some reason I could not stop moving the darn slider accidentally - usually right when I was in the middle of a panning run - sometimes without knowing it and with bright sun so I didn't see it in FPV right away. I gave it a shot (many flights) but I'm just too ham-handed. Now I can see the position of the gimbal (right is up, left is down and centered eliminates props and landing gear) immediately.

 

[xzoticskillz]

Hi do you think its possible to set SB as different servo rates for the tilt gimbal RS for the T8FG?

Unfortunately it is not possible to make it work that way.

Hey I flashed the Futaba Profile but I've been noticing that in random situations I'm getting a jery/stuttery tilt.

Have you re-calibrated X1 according to the first post in this thread?

Yes, many times. I even disabled LD, thinking that might be interfering with it. I'm using h3-3d if that makes any difference.....are you just using this profile for the h3-2d only?

 

[ladykate]

Yes, many times. I even disabled LD, thinking that might be interfering with it. I'm using h3-3d if that makes any difference.....are you just using this profile for the h3-2d only?

I'm using it on an 810 with h3-3d. Works ok.

 

[Xrover]

Hey Guys,

Problem with my 1st flight with the T8FGS
I just moved to a new house and wanted to take off from the backyard and try to get some video of a menacing neighbors bird that keeps everyone up all nite with it's squawking. Well I didn't see the feathered bird but it looks like the neighbor saw may and gave me another bird.

First test flight with the Futaba also.

I did a compass Cal. First. Turned off the P2 then turned it back on and let it fully initialize and acquire 10 sats.
I did a slow take off up to 10' and hovered it making a few yaw checks and pitch/roll checks. After trying to get some bird video, I climbed out to 120' and flew around within a few house away. I let it hover and it held position pretty well. Not much wind at all.

I threw it in FS (Programmed to switch SD lower position) and the yellow indicator lights went on to confirm and a few seconds later the P2 just slid over roughly to the area near Home Point. I didn't notice it climb at all before moving over the Home Point area. It moved over the Home Point area really damm quick. Twice the speed it used to.

It started it's descent and moved a little bit more towards Home Point but still was over the patio overhang. It was off Laterally about 15' from Home point.

I could tell when it was about 10' from the top of the patio that it wasn't going to move closer to Home Point and it was going to drop right onto the corner of the patio.

Immediately I took it out of FS and back into normal GPS mode but it didn't come out of FS. I tried giving it throttle but it would not respond. I then tried some hard roll to get it to clear the top corner of the patio. Still no response. It remained in FS.

Battery Voltage on the P2 was still 54%
Futaba Voltage was fully Charged.

I reached up as it hit the patio cover corner, and grabbed the corner bottom of the skid. Immediately I dropped the throttle and held it there but the motors would not shut down. At the same time the P2 rolled over as I grabbed the skid and seemed like it was still trying to auto land. It tilted over and cut up my arm a bit. I kept holding the throttle down as it was fighting and biting me. Finally the motors shut off.

Only damage was Pride, 1 blade chipped and some blood lost.

FS seemed to activate but didn't seem to want to deactivate. In the P2 Assistant Software, The SD Switch does work just like i programmed it. Top=GPS Middle=Atti Bottom=FS.

I was recording video and the camera was pointing down during the auto land.
Looking at the flight control lights reflecting off the rooftop, It looks like the Greens were blinking normally and the Reds were ON saying it was out of FS mode. I'm at a loss on this one.

Anybody have any ideas?