USER MANUAL - Quadrocopter
Contents
1. Always completly secure the merid landing gar cling ne TT qulek release lover Iris ang gus that are not altel attached can reat ard unplug battery late 3e Adjust battery stops to fit battery strap toa stud on the landing gear Place battery packs in landing gear A Tension and secure battery retention straps COMPASS CALIBRATION Forbes results itis recommended to perform manual compass calibrations away rom ferrous objects buildings and vehicles In addition concrete can contain steel rebar which may influence compass calibrations A WARNING armed prior to performing compass To ensure ALTA dees ol rm set the Jer Enable Sich t and remove the Configuration Jumper B note Wisrecommendedto use two peple to parte he compass calibration as t requires handing and rotating ALTA Perm calibration without a paylana sache NOTE wir carl installed i md priae to prtrming compass can TO PERFORM COMPASS CALIBRATION Secure a battery onto ALTA Plug in the battery Open the ALTA app Select Configurations gt More gt Compass Under Calibration select Start Manual Follow the on screen instructions AUTOMATIC COMPASS CALIBRATION Automatic Compass Calibration will use compass readings over time to resolve an accurate compass calibration Manual calibration is recommended for more immediate2. DATA OR PROFITS HOWEVER CAUSED AND UNDER ANY THEORY OF LABILITY EVEN IF FREEFLY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES IN NO EVENT SHALL FREEFLY S LIABILITY FOR A PRODUCT WHETHER ASSERTED AS A TORT CLAIM A CONTRACT CLAIM OR OTHERWISE EXCEED THE AMOUNTS PAID TO FREEFLY FOR SUCH PRODUCT NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN IN NO EVENT SHALL FREEFLY S LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING DUT OF OR RELATING THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED THE AMOUNTS PAID BY BUYER TO FREEFLY FOR PRODUCT IN THE LAST TWELVE 12 MONTHS IN NO EVENT WILL FREEFLY LABLE FOR COSTS OF PROCUREMENT OR SUBSTITUTE GOODS BY BUYER THE LIMITATIONS SET FORTH HEREIN SHALL APPLY TO ALL LIABILITIES THAT MAY ARISE QUT OF THIRD PARTY CLAIMS AGAINST BUYER THESE LIMITATIONS SHALL APPLY NOTWITHSTANDING ANY FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY Freefly shall nt be able for damages or injuries incurred directly or indirectly from the use of the ALTA including bt not limit to the following situations Faure of operator to follow proper instructions and safety warnings found tw freetlysystems com Faure of the operator to follow onboard safety warnings while using the ATA gt Fare of the operator to follow and comply with local rules and regula Failure ofthe operator to inspect the ALTA and its components prior to operation allure af the operator to properly maintain and or service the ALTA hough an authorized Freefly Service Center with genu
3. In areas where there are no flight training requirements itis the sole determination of the pilot in command as to whether he or she has the appropriate level of training or experience for a given flight Always set and adhere to personal minimums and fly within your own capabilities SYMBOLS ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY WARNINGS CAUTIONS AND NOTES Throughout he manual warnings cautions and nates are used to highlight various important procedures These are defined as follows A WARNING p e ay pes jy rt E CAUTION NOTE aa tiit qe dessus yel sued pont SPEED TERMINOLOGY os Ground Speed is the speed of an relative to the ground True Airspeed is the airspeed of an relative to undisturbed air METEOROLOGICAL TERMINOLOGY International Standard Atmosphere in which The iris dry perfect gas The temperature at sea levetis 15 Celsius 5 Fahrenheit The pressure at sa level s 10132 mbar 29 92 inches Hal The temperature gradient from sea level tthe attitude at which the temperature is S56 5 49 7 F is 2L00198 C per font and zero above that attitude mL Mean Sea Level is he average height above the surface of the sea forall stages of tide Above Ground Level is the height of the aircraft above the ground Outside Air Temperatures the free static temperature surroundi
4. Mode and the Home Sitch is in the middle position Ifan Arm Enable Switch is configured ft must be placed in an ENABLE ARM position To arm hold fuli tow throttle and full left yaw WARNING De not approach ALTA we is armed start the motors hold full tow throttle and ful right yaw Ensure that all the motors are spinning Keep the throttle in the lowest position and move the pitch and yaw controls sight ALTA should pitch and yaw slightly due to isolator cartridge lex Ensure that the ALTA behaves as expected it dos not shutdown ALTA and ensure the props are installed in the correct orientation CAUTION Do not make targe yow command whe onthe grund withthe inverted Landing gear sale Large yaw commands can cauze After checking flight control directions advance the throttle to enter a hover AFTER EVERY FLIGHT Vo Mode Switch MANUAL 2 Mame Switeh CENTER POSITION 3 Arm Enable Switch ENABLE DISARM ESCsand Motors DISARM and STOP 5 Arm Enable Switch DISABLED 4 Orientation Lights VERIFY FLASHING GREEN 7 Status LED VERIFY SLOW FLASHING WHITE AUAM CHECK for warnings 9 Batteries DISCONNECT and REMOVE 30 Radio Controller Power AS REQUIRED 11 Aircraft Condition inspect 12 Motor and Prop Condition insect 13 Battery Condition Inspect AMPLIFICATION Upon tanding disarm the motors by holding ful tow throttle and ful lef yaw This is typically dane on the left radio control s
5. Orientation Light Colar Options Accessory Lighting Port Accessory Lighting Port Location ISOLATION SYSTEM Vibration Isolation System Option 1 Soft Light Payloads Option 2 Medium Medium Payloads Option 3511 Heavy Payloads Freely SYNAPSE fight controller Manual Height Mode Position Mode Retum To Home Autoland DSM 5 Bus 5 Bus2 PPM FPV SD Futaba S Bus amp 5 Bus DSM Daz spekirur IRI PPM PPM Invert PPM Graupner Futaba w built in voltage sense port GPS GLONASS Galle 255 WAAS EGNOS MSAS NTSC PAL Shyzone BOSCAM ImmersionRC Fat Shark Ready Made RC User Configurable 1 Watt Red 1 Watt White RGB LED Red Yellow Bue Green White Outboard on Boom Ends icone O Rings Red O Rings Teal O Rings Black O Rings PAYLOAD MOUNTING Mounting Locations Bottom and Top Mount Mounting System Freely Toad In The Hole ITH Quick Release Forward underneath chassis Boom 5 FPV Camera Mount FPV Transmitter Mount LIMITATIONS B Tres ations are sry nature and do not entend or restr main providet by aca ra operational regulation POWERPLANT LIMITATIONS Maximum RPM 900 RPM Maximum Battery Voltage 252 ots Minimum Average Battery Voltage ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITATIONS Do not fly ALTA in temperatures exceeding 45 C 1139 or below 20 01 42F WEIGHT LIMITS Maximum Taft Weight EI Maximum Useful Load 48kg 150 tbs FLIGHT CONTR
6. Propeller Orientation Propeller Type BATTERY Nominal Battery Voltage Maximum Battery Size Maximum Battery Quantity Battery Connectors Required Minimum Battery Discharge Rating 515mm 20mm n Direct Drive 2 Phase PMAC Outrunner ns sew sow xo RPM Freefly Silent Drive Sine Wave ESC Carbon fiber with batsa core IG CW and CCW Props Folding asina 240 180 80 mm Battery Packs Parallel 2 ECS Paral Dual Pack 200A 400A Peak Single Pack 200A 600A Peak WEIGHTS Maximum Gros for Takt Maximum Useful Lead Maximum Payload Typical Standard Empty Weight SPECIFIC LOADINGS Typical Specific Powert Thrust Ratio at MTOW At sea level Top and bottom mount Includes batteries Payload weight top or bottom mount Battery weight not included and mounted on opposite side from payload At MTOW sea level 80 0 bs 9 1 kg 120 0 be 45k 100s usa FLIGHT CONTROLLER Model Name Flight Modes Supported inputs Supported Radios Supported Radio Controller Telemetry Systems Minimum Radio Controller Channels Required Supported GNSS Supported SEAS First Person View System Video Formats Supported First Person View Transmitters Supported First Person Cameras First Person View OSD Telemetry Installed Transceivers Data Logging Rate LIGHTING AND INDICATION Status Light orientation Lights
7. This adjusts the highest altitude the ALTA is allowed to climb from its starting point vivi in Height or Position modes I the maximum ceiling is exceeded in Manual mode the Status Light wil illuminate white MAXIMUM CLIMB RATE This sets the maximum speed ALTA will climb at ul throttle stick deflection in Height Made or Postion Mode 1 Climb Rate Clamp is mapped to an radio controller channel the parameter will adjust the fastest climb speed available to the Climb Rate Camp feature GPS HEIGHT CORRECTION With GPS Height Correction On SYNAPSE will use both barometer and GPS sensor measurements to determine altitude It be useful for assisting in windy or gusty conditions but requires good GPS reception Iis recommended to keep this enabled unless GPS reception is problematic POSITION MAXIMUM This sets the total maximum acceleration in G s that the controller will place on the airframe tis recommended to use lower G settings with heavier payloads This setting has no effect in Manual mode MAXIMUM GPS ANGLE This sets the matimum pitch and roll angle the ALTA may fy under Position mode This wll not override the Attitude Maximum Pit Roll Angle Instead ALTA wil follow the lower of these two nis MAXIMUM GPS SPEED Max GPS Speed sets the maximum speed ALTA will Ry across the ground at ful stick deflection in Position Mode 1 Velcty Clamp is mapped toan RC transmitter channel the parameter will adjust the
8. Waring Unihasbecome Sheck the GPS Compass disconnected Sta FLIGHT CONTROLLER ALTA Home Suen notin Home Switch to middle postion mi positon ALTA Mode Switch AETA Mode Saile ove Mode Sitch to manual ALTA Arm Enable Shite aton gt Move Arm Enable Switch to Allow Am law Arm Follow radio controller ALTAw not arm not bound manufacturer s binding procedure Check ALTA App radio mapping Rad o not mapped charts for correct behavior properly Adjust mapping as necessary Power ce ALTA Ensure it does not move during boot SYNAPSE boot must move during boot such as on moving platform use Motion Booting ALTA Mode Switch ALTA Mode Sitch Moye Mode Switch to manual Motorswit ot stop ie Move Arm Enable Switch Swichnaten Move Arm Ena Allow Disarm FLIGHT BEHAVIOR chor lm Use te ALTA2gp to sete ATAyaw MEA caca nal dre Recah compass tn Position Mode Reduce Position Hold tuning values una rang Paton Hold ren Mines Compass Take SADE pee mann compass ation Poston ae Ta tng incur Turing gh gc Set tuning back to default values APPENDIX A DEFAULT TUNING VALUES Ptch Roll Hold Strength s Yaw Stifness E das Yaw Hold Strength 100 Ral Trim Pich Trim Maximum Ptc Roll Angle 40 Maximum Ya
9. fastest ground speed available ta the Velocity Clamp feature RANGE Range sets the maximum distance ALTA may away from the home paint while in Position mode I the range is exceeded in Manual mode the status light will laminate white OPERATING ALTA FLIGHT CONTROLLER MODES ALTA has three primary fight control modes Manual Made Height Mode and Postion Mode They are selected with the Mode Switch B CAUTION ling between contrat modes MANUAL MODE In Manual Mode ALTA will only stabilize its attitude At neutral contral input middle pitch and roll stick position ALTA wil attempt to remain level Throttle control is rec HEIGHT MODE Height Mode changes the stick behavior to command climb and descent rates The higher the throttle stick poston the faster ALTA will climb Conversely the lower the throttle stick position the faster ALTA wil descend When the throttle stick is centered ALTA will enter Height Hold In Height Hola ALTA will maintain a target altitude and try to correct for drif f a disturbance moves ALTA away from this target altitude ALTA climb or descend to return to the target altitude POSITION MODE Position Mode changes the stick behavior to command ground speeds Pitch and rl stick deflection wil command fore aft and left right ground speeds respectively Controlling altitude in Position Mode is the same as in Height Mode With pitch and roll controls c
10. mil incremente d wih can As etn ing pen areas ty rom people B The ALTA op oniy alawa turing wile ALTA on the ground ATTITUDE TUNING Attitude tuning adjusts how ATLA responds to control inputs and disturbances Atitude directly controls responsiveness and changes ALTAS fundamental fying behaviors Attitude must be tuned acceptably before tuning height or position parameters When tuning attitude the primary parameter to change is Stiffness followed by Strength STIFFNESS Stiffness is adjusted for pitch and roll simultaneously and aw independently changes how stable ALTA in these ares and is the primary variable to adjust when turing When tuning Stiffness frst or making large stiffness changes Hold Strength shouldbe set to low non zero value Higher Stifness values give mare responsive contral Values that are toa high can cause instability or oscillation A WARNING esse Ngh ales values can cause ALTA to Become uiae and or even impossible ta Ler lies values ges responsive contrat Values thut are ton low can causa o vague or cota response HOLD STRENGTH Hol Strength controls how much ALTA wilt try to maintain a piteh rol angle command or a yaw heading command Itis adjusted for pitch and roll simultaneously and yaw indapendenty higher Hold Strength setting wil give a faster control response and a more responsive feel However values that are t
11. much ALTA will attempt to maintain a desired limb rate Higher values wil resultin more direct feel between pilot climb or descent commands and ALTA fying behavior However values that are too high may cause instability POSITION TUNING Tuning position parameters will adjust how well ALTA maintains a desired ground speed ar a position over the ground Similar to attitude and height tuning the primary value to adjust is stiffness HORIZONTAL STIFFNESS GAIN This changes the horizontal stability of ALTA Higher values increase ALTAS resistance to wind gusts or turbulence moving ALTA ff its target position Values that are too high can cause instability of ALTA HOLD STRENGTH GAIN This adjusts how much ALTA wil attempt to maintain its place over a target postin A higher value wil result in position being held more precisely too high positional instability can result causing ALTA to fiy past a target position ALTA FLIGHT PARAMETERS Flight Parameters are diferent from tuning parameters in that the fight characteristics of ALTA will not change with their modification However they can be used to select neutral points using trim or to set maximum or minimum values ATTITUDE PITCH AND ROLL TRIM Use Pitch and Roll trim settings to correct for tendencies of the ALTA to pitch or roll with a neutral contrat input Use the in app pitch and roll trim settings instead of radio controller trim features as large radio co
12. results thus enabling better closed GPS assisted fying In the ALTA App select Configurations gt More gt Compass Change the Auto Calibration setting to On PROPELLERS The folding propellers include two carbon fiber propeller blades attached to prop hubs which are themselves secured to the motors The propellers installed on booms 1 3 and 5 spin clockwise when viewed from above ALTA and the propellers installed on booms 2 4 and 6 spin counterclockwise when viewed from above Foc information on propeller installation and maintenance refer to the Maintenance section of this manual CHECKING PROP BOLT TIGHTNESS Overtime the bolts that hold the propeller blades to the prop hub can loosen due to Vibration To check pro bolt tightness wist the prop about ts length If there is free lay the prop bolt is too lose Use the provided 2 smm hex driver and wrench to Tighten the bolt and ut that secure the prop blade just enough to remove the play CAUTION Bo not overtighten or the prep fal completa during nor siart up eng a ences vibration FIRST PERSON VIEW FPV ALTA and SYNAPSE can power a variety of first person view cameras and transmitters as well add informational on screen display OSD elements to aid in FPV ying Two FPV transmitter cables are included The cable with two connectors on one of ends wil run ImmersionRC and Fat Shark systems and the
13. to indicate descent Displays a bar on the left ot the screen that scales With the forward earward velocity component The bar will extend up to indicate forward velocity or down to indicate a rearward velocity Displays a bar on the bottom af the screen that scales with the side to side velocity component The bar will extend teft to indicate leftward velocity or right t indicate rightward velocity TUNING ALTA comes pre tuned far a wide variety of payloads and fying conditions Generally additional tuning is not required to ALTA and additional tuning will only need to take place if more customization of control feel is desired Default tuning values are included in Appendix A Default Turing Values Parameters fall inta three categories Attitude Height and Position Typically turing should take place in that order ensuring Attitude parameters are set first hen moving to Height parameters and finaly Position parameters Tuning should take place as an iterative process by making oniy small changes test fying the changes observing the new fight behaviors and repeating Only tune a single parameter at a time during this process for best results To tune ALTA open the ALTA App and select Configurations gt Aircraft Dynamics A WARNING Toning can change fundamenta ying racers TADA Pis pss ALTA to Become unstable ar even unconzalabie i vals are sel too Nigh or loo low Only change nita parameters
14. where Fea Ft increasing values are for roll right RC pulse width 1000 2000 where Rabe increasing values are for pitch up RC pulse width 1000 2000us Radio vaw us where increasing values are for yaw ta the right RC pulse width 100 2000us us where increasing values are for increased throttle RC pulse width 1000 2000us where values near 1000us Open Loap Radio Mode us 1500us Closed Loop height hold Closed Loop height and position hold Control loop calculation for oll axis Pitch Control Control loop calculation far pitch anis Yaw Control Control loop calculation for yaw axis Cimb Control Control loop calculation fo ting thrust Motor Command Scaled 0 1 representing 1 Us demanded thrust from motor Motor speed T RPM Propeller speed atlast telemetry update Bus voltage measured at ESC Motor Voltage 1 6 Vol Sater neath Motor fiela current measured at Hen ESC rom last telemetry update Motor Power 1 6 Wats Measured ESC power consumption Motor Energy 1 5 Watthours Integrated ESC power consumption can be used to compare motor efficiencies or thrust skew High pass filtered RMS vibration level Motor Accel 14 measured at ESC can be used to compare motor propeller imbalance ESC temperature measured Motor Temp 1 5 C Motor Status 1 ESC fault condition monitor Number of satelites used for boston calculati
15. wi allow switching inta Position Mode Height displays the current height control made Manual Vario fin Height ar Poston mode and climbing descending and Hold Attitude displays the current attitude control made Position displays the current position control mode Manual Velocity ifin Position made and moving across the ground and Hold Compass displays the status of the compass and if the SYNAPSE believes the compass readings are good or bad If Bad the compass require recalibration see the Compass Calibration section in his manual Station displays if ALTA is currently over its commanded position over the ground or ikt attempting to fy toi Temp displays the temperature of the SYNAPSE fight controller board 2 pers ewes NOR UNPACKING AND SETUP Vo Arat REMOVE from case 2 Prop protectors REMOVE 3 Boom retention clips stow Booms noo 5 Boom latches Lock amp Receivers and wiring check isolator cartridges SELECT and INSTALL as necessary 8 Payload mounting location CONFIGURE as necessary AMPLIFICATION To set up ALTA for flight remove it from the case and remove the prop protectors Stow the boom retention clips by folding them down The clips fold in one rection and are spring loaded stay in open and closed detented positions Unfolding the booms is most easily accomplished by unfolding opposite pairs partially Then unfold the apposite boom pairs completely
16. ALTA can become unbalanced while unfolding booms individual so unfolding opposite pairs reduces is possiblity Once unfolded push on the boom latches until they audibly click indicating the booms are secure There should be tle to no slap in the hinge Check that the receivers and the electrical connectors that attach to the receivers are secure For information on installing isolator cartridges and setting up payload mounting locations refer to the Isolator Cartridges and Configuring or Bottom Mount sections of this manual BEFORE STARTING Lo SECURED 2 isolator Cartridges check microSD Cand INSTALLED Props CHECK CONDITION VERIFY TIGHT 5 VERIFY SECURE Motors CHECK CONDITION Radio Controller ON VERIFY TK BATT 8 Radio Controller Model 9 Aircraft Placement AWAY from people and obstacles 10 Battery Pack Voltage VERIFY ABOVE 24V TLO Battery Packs SECURE 12 Battery Leads CHECK CONDITION and CONNECT Anat KEEP STATIONARY Flight Controller INmALzeD 15 status Light VERIFY SLOW FLASHING WHITE 18 Orientation Lights VERIFY FLASHING GREEN 17 Receivers VERIFY BOUND 18 ALAA CONNECT 19 ALTA App Monitor VERIFY NO WARNINGS 20 Compass Calibration AS REQUIRED 21 Radio Control Range Check AS REQUIRED AMPLIFICATION Check that the payload is secure by checking hat the Toad In The Hole quick lease lever is pushed in and that the payload does not slip Check that al isol
17. DIO CONTROLLER RECEIVER ALTA requires the installation of a radio contro system S Bus Sua DSM2 DSMX and PPM including inverted PPM and Graupner receiver types are supported Additionally ALTA supports radio receiver diversity using S Bus S Bus DSM2 and DSMX receivers This means two receivers may be installed and the SYNAPSE flight controler wil automatically use the receiver with the best signal quali Using two receivers requires the radio controller to be bound to beth receivers Refer to the instructions provided with your radio controller to complete the binding process For Spektrumv R radios receiver is required to bind the satellites to a radio controller 1 Locate the noted closeout panels used for receiver installation between booms 1 2 amp 6 3 Identity required wire Y salou amp Feed wie through grommet amp Plugin receiverfsatelite to wire per the radio manufacturers installation instructions Attach receiver satellite to exterior using the provided double sided tape Futaba amp PPM For Futaba receivers feed antenna wires into antenna tubes and zip tie to noted mounting location 3 Repeat 1 7 on opposite side for duat receivers only applies to Futaba and SpektrumDR RECOMMENDED RECEIVER PLACEMENT FUTABA Mount Futaba receivers mm from the wiring gromm
18. IMU derived deat reckoned IMU Postion East meters The IMU derived dead reckoned mete distance ALTA has traveled upward The IMU derived northward MMU Vetaiy North meters second A The IMU derived eastward IMU Velocity East meters second The IMU derived upward velocity IMU Velocity Up meters second res us sean The MU deed acta ACA aus Jero The MU eed as acceleration Bess De MU dered upward cera Up meters second Without gravitational acceleration MU dered ge were a oes positive values indicate roll right a les The MU deve pic angie where postive values indicate pitch up The IMU derived yaw angle where IMU Yaw degrees positive vales are eastward and negative values westward The IMU derived roll rate where degrees second tet The IMU derived pitch rate where IMU Pte Rate degrees second TM rns Pe ee The IMU derived yaw rate where dees seond kg iom ea etit Tie MU derived bo clan M e pedem e The MU dered body claro Where positive values are in T a rightwards direction The IMU derived acceleration g e rd mo min ae values e ote an panting orinar a compe Unite owe ots png str lt r weer pt e del te to do
19. LTA in the included case and that he battery leads are facing ta the right EMERGENCY GUIDANCE The emergency procedures listed in this section are the recommended practices for handling the areraftn the event of an aircraft emergency This guidance should be considere and applied as necessary The risk of an emergency occurring can be reduced substantial through proper maintenance by performing thorough inspections before and after all fights and with careful pre Right planing Emergency situations are dynamic events and not all conditions or procedures can be anticipated or applied during the event These procedures are not a substitute for thorough understanding of aireraf systems and sound pilot judgement In general tan emergency occurs three basic actions can be applied to most Maintain aircraft control Small emergencies quickly escalate if the pilot is distracted attempting to determine or troubleshoot the problem Always maintain visual contact with the aircraft during an emergency to reduce the likelihood ot disorientation Analyze the situation Once the aircraft is stabilized begin to assess the cause of the emergency if practical Take appropriate action In many cases the appropriate action will be to land the raft as soon a possible Always consider the safety of yourself and others before attempting to save the aircraft in an emergency PILOT DISORIENTATION Vo Controt in
20. MPLE Hold or Postion Hold Active Hold White Fast Flashing White Height Hold and Position Hold Active nl ORIENTATION LIGHTS BOTTOM VIEW The boom end mounted Orientation Lights indicate both the orientation of ALTA in fight and the status af the individual motor Electronic Speed Controllers ESCs during ther f gt phases The following table shows the different meanings of the lat colors in the various Hight phases Booting ESC booting Standby Flashing Green ESC booted normally Armed User defined Nomina Status Fight User defined Nomina Status Firmware Update Blue then Yellow ESC firmware is updating ALTA APP MONITOR The ALTA App includes a fight status monitor that displays information about the health ofthe ALTA and the various controls that can be selected Boot indicates ifthe SYNAPSE booting process has completed successfully Any issues that prevented a normal boot are indicated here Battery displays the voltage af the battery pack Status displays the state of the SYNAPSE fight controller Radio displays if the SYNAPSE detects a radio controller signal A LOS Loss O Signal warning is displayed if signal is present GPS displays if SYNAPSE has resolved a GPS or not Sate displays the number of GPS satellites in view and being received Lock displays whether a position lack is ready indicating a valid GPS fi and good heading This required before the SYNAPSE
21. OLLER LIMITS Maximum Pitch Roll Angle Maximum Yaw Rate 180 second Must additionally observe battery temperature ratings SYSTEM DIAGRAMS SUAS HIGH LEVEL POWER SYSTEM ALTA MOBILE APP The ALTA App is used to configure ALTA parameters and to monitor ALTAS status during fight To download the ALTA App search for Freely ALTA in the App Store ron Google Play Parameters may only be adjusted while ALTA is on the ground and disarmed n addition radio mapping parameters can only be adjusted when the Configuration Jumper is removed For mare information on radio mapping see the Radio Mapping Section of this manual When making configuration changes with the ALTA App wait three seconds for the app to automatically save changes to ALTA before shutting off the app or the mobile device The ALTA App will be actively maintained and additional functionality may be added overtime For information on individual app updates refer to the App release notes ADDITIONAL REQUIRED COMPONENTS NOT INCLUDED RADIO CONTROLLER ALTA supports a variety of radio controllers as outlined in the Flight Controller Specifications A minimum of five 5 channels are required with four 4 used for fight contol and the remaining one 1 used for mode selection However a
22. T CAUTION mounting ta not supported by the MOVI MTD 1 Prepare your MOV for top mount ght Remove landing gear see manual Instali TH receiver on MO see MEVI manual 2 Connect and secure the supplied inverted landing gear the bottom Toad Remove the four flat head bolts that secure the top handle ISOLATOR CARTRIDGES Different Isolator Cartridges be used to fine tune vibration damping performance for different paytoad weights Three isolation cartridge styles are Provided with ALTA with the red for light payloads teal for medium payloads and black for heavy payloads Fight testing may be required to determine the optimal isolator tor a given setup E To install place the cartridges between the top chassis plate and the battery plate Ensure they are engaged in the track features and are parallel with the chassis and battery plate Push inwards fully unti they click indicating the cartridges are Locked in lace Pull outwards on the cartridge to ensure itis locked n place CAUTION Aways ensure isolator carriages rocked in piace bre Tying ALTA cartridges that are ot locked can cause the payiea to basen and change ALTA fundamental hing characte To remave pinch the cartridge Latch to unlock t from the battery and chassis plate Simultaneously pull the battery and chassis plate apart while pulling t
23. TING Wo APPENDIX AppendicA Default Tuning Values Wr Appendix B Data Logging Fields DISCLAIMER AND WARNING IMPORTANT Pease read this disclaimer and warning carefully and review the ALTA User Manual prior to flight 1f you have any questions please contact supporttreetysystems com prior to using the ALTA You can review the most current version of this User Manual at freflsystems com sotware manuall using the ALTA you acknowledge that you have read understand and agree to thie disclaimer You agree that you are solely responsible for your conduct while using the ALTA and for any direct or indirect consequences that may result frm its use You agree to oniy use the ALTA for proper purposes hat are in accordance with local and airspace rules and regulations ALTA is nota toy and should be operated with extreme care as improper Operation can cause damage to property serious personal injury or death As with any multi rotor helicopter the ALTA is a complex and technical machine Novice pilots should invest sufficient time on a fight simulator seek training rom an experienced pilot prior to operation The ALTA User Manual and a Right simulator are no substitute for training with an experienced pilot particularly when it comes to learning how to safely operate the ALTA Novice pilots should never fiy without the supervision of an experienced pilot gt Always check the ALTA and its components prior to op
24. USER MANUAL REVISION HISTORY REVISION DATE DESCRIPTION D CONTENTS 2 Revision History a Contents 5 ALTA OVERVIEW Disclaimer and Warning LIMITATION OF LIABILITY a Introduction E Symbols Abbreviations and Terminology Dimensions Included teme D Specifications Limitations System Diagrams ALTA Mobile App E Additional Required Components not included SETTING UP ALTA Unfolding ALTA E Radio Installation Radio Mapping Configuring Top or Bottom Mount Isolator Cartridges a Battery Installation a Compass Calibration Propellers s First Person View FPV FPV On Screen Display Setup Tuning ALTA n ALTA Flight Parameters 44 OPERATING ALTA Fight Controller Modes Home switch e Arm Enable Switch Staus Light Orientation Lights n ALTA App Monitor 72 NORMAL PROCEDURES Unpacking and Setup u Before Starting Before Takeott After Every Fight After Last Fight EMERGENCY PROCEDURES a Emergency Guidance Pilat Disorientation a Unexpected Fight Controller Behavior Battery Exhaustion Status Light Warning Indicator Iluminates Loss ot Radio Control Signal Loss ot FPV Signal Data Logging Performance Weight Endurance Performance Data m MAINTAINING ALTA n General information and Techniques Maintenance tems s Replacement of Parts Firmware Update Process TROUBLESHOO
25. adio control stick responsible For Mode 2 controllers this is the right stick WEIGHT AND BALANCE Maximum Takeoff Maximum allowable weight tft Wht Tow Standard Empty Weight Weight of a standard aircraft Basic Empty Weight Standard empty weight plus optional equipment Useful Lond Diterence between take off weight and basic empty weight Payens Useful load less battery weight GENERAL TERMINOLOGY us Small Unmanned Aireraf System includes all component the stem required for ta fight of Sn unmanned aircraft including the rado controlar link and other related support equipment DIMENSIONS FN 9 n m c o T 178 aS SSS in uana Loa 550 INCLUDED ITEMS latte Teile Mac aper taa rias IM Sa Head lar Accessory Ael Teta MA Tosin The Hole Male Adapter 142 5 5mm Wench Tier Dear 20mm 25m 1 Accessory Mount Double Sided Tape Armor Landing Gear FP Cables a siyzoneBOSCAM Shark Randy Made SPECIFICATIONS DIMENSIONS DIAMETER 00 T Unfolded Diameter Folded Diameter Height to base af Toad In The Hole POWERPLANT Number of Motors Motor Type Motor Modet Motor Max Continuous Power Output Motor Max Instantaneous Peak Power Output Maximum RPM tat rated Equivalent Ku Electronic Speed Controller PROPELLERS Material
26. ator cartridges are Locked in place especialy if they have been recently replaced microSD card is required ta be installed in the GPS Compass module for reliable compass sensing and data logging The blades should be checked for damage including nicks and scrapes fa prop has been nicked enough such that it catches a fingernail it should be replaced Balt tightness should be checked by rotating the blade about length blade pitch up and down There should be no slop and if there is the bolt and nut should be tightened unti the slop is removed There should be no slap between the prop hub andthe motor Motors should spin freely and here should be grinding or scraping sound from the motor The inside of the motor should be free of debris Always tur on the radio controller before plugging in ALTA Follow the battery Installation guidance in the Battery Installation section of this manual for battery Installation instructions While the SYNAPSE fight controller initializes keep the ALTA as stable as possible ALTA moves during in ializatlon t many not boot properly Wedging a foam prop Protector between the stationary gimbal or landing gar and the ALTA rame can be sed to stabilize ALTA from spinning during this process When itis impossible to initialize ALTA without movement such as booting on a boat Motion Booting can be used Iis not recommended to use Motion Booting regulary During initialization the St
27. atus Light will quickly flash a sequence of red and white At the end of this process it will begin slow flashing white indicating SYNAPSE is ready for arming The Orientation Lights wil atso begin fasting green Verify that al six motors are flashing green indicating all ESCs initialized Successfully Verily that there are no flight warnings by connecting to ALTA via the ALTA app and checking on status from the App For more information see the ALTA App section ofthis manual BEFORE TAKEOFF Lo PropAres CLEAR 2 Mode Switch MANUAL 2 Home Swteh CENTER POSITION A Radio Controller VERIFY CORRECT MODEL 5 Telemetrylif equipped CHECK OPERATION Arm Enable Switch ENABLE ARM 1 status Light VERIFY OFF 9 Orientation Lights VERIFY USER DEFINED COLOR 10 Motors START and VERIFY OPERATION TLO ght Controls VERIFY CORRECT 12 Tete ADVANCE AMPLIFICATION Prior to start check the surrounding area to ensure people and objects are clear and its props Also ensure that there are people or objects between the ALTA takeoff location and its intended fight path A WARNING props spin sk igh RPM and the nds of he Bde moves igh speeds ALIAS props can cause severe injury ct death or cause damage te abjecta wh thay are rotating ensure the area surrounding the prapa and ALTA ler people ar ejt prar o starting motors ALTA can only be armed for fight when itis in the Manual
28. cable through the underside of the hinge and connect to the FPV transmitter lead Zip tie the FPV transmitter lead to the boom cable bundle for strain relief FPV ON SCREEN DISPLAY SETUP number of properties and components can be adjusted or added to the FPV On Screen Display OSD using the ALTA App PROPERTIES za Pic cates to the SYNAPSE the FPV video camera format Units Sl Imperial Changes the displayed units Horizontal s 0 15 30 45 40 Centers the 050 components horizontally Vertical Offset 0 8 16 24 30 Centers the OSD components vertically Adds gaps between OSD components and the edges of the display measured in character widths and heights Borders TEXT COMPONENTS The following components are displayed as texte and can be configured to display as big or small letters or letters effectively turning off the display Height Vario Heading Distance Ground Speed Battery Time Ps GPS Accuracy Latang Displays the height af ALTA from its starting point in meters or feet Displays the vertical speed of ALTA in meters per second or feet per minute Displays the magnetic heading af ALTA andis measured in degrees Displays the distance ALTA is from the home poston in meters or feet Displays the ground speed af ALTA in meters per second or knots Displays the voltage af the Right battery pack Displays the time of the Right in minutes and seconds Displays the nu
29. cable with a single connector on the end will run and SiyZone systems A single camera cable is provided and is configured to run a Ready Made RC Camera and transmitter cables follow this wiring scheme Red voc Black Ground Yellow Video signal WARNING tis he resort ol the patto her people or obstacles maintain ect at sight wh ALTA during fight use seves operations require ad fallow local regulations regarding se requirements FPV SYSTEM INSTALLATION CAMERA Mount FPV camera on the FPV mount on the front underside of ALTA or other preferred location abo 2 Locate the FPV camera cable included the ALTA package 3 Remove the front claseou panel with a 1 5 mm hex driver amp Pass the FPV cable through the grommet and connect to the mating FPV camera lead inside ALTA Connect the other end directly to the camera TRANSMITTER 1 Mount FPV transmitter on the provided carbon fiber accessory mount plate 2 Attach Accessory Mount to boom 5 with flathead belt Locate the appropriate FPV transmitter cable The following cables included ImmersionC Fat Shark cable with two connectors Boscam SkyZone cab with one connector 4 Remove the side closeout panel with the FPV transmitter lead using the 1mm hex driver 5 Pass transmitter
30. eadlacking compound unless the bolt has repeatedly come loose REPLACEMENT OF PARTS Spare or replacement parts are available for sale separately at wyn freeflysystems cem Please refer to the company store for a current listing of all available spare Pars FIRMWARE UPDATE PROCESS NOTE area lo pp instructione lr saning and restoring ALTA raton stings during the fermare proces A WARNING Remove propels peering pat Test radia arming and disarming behavior ater updates t ensure rato mapping has ben preserve Incorrect radio mapping can lead to leza of contrat SYNAPSE firmware is updated using the ALTA App New ap updates may include new firmware installations To update firmware Provide power to Install and plug in a fully charged fight pack or Plug in the USB Futaba cable to an available receiver Por Futaba and PPM receivers oniy 2 Open the ALTA App Open Monitor gt Updates amp The ates firmware included with the ap release is compared with the ALTA firmware new release is available the app wil provide notification 5 Tap the Install button in the App if an update is available 6 Wait until the firmware is loaded and ALTA has booted Donat power down ALTA during this time Reload saved configuration GENERAL WARNINGS ISD ard hack the microSD caris insted Compass Warming Compass Recta the compass 6PS Compass GPS
31. entered ALTA wil enter Position Hold In Position Hol ALTA wil maintain its position over a given point on the ground and correct for disturbances Postion Mode requires a strong GPS signal Ifa weak signalis present ALTA will not anter Position Mode and if the GPS signal degrades while in Position Mode ALTA vil automatically revert to Manual Mode CAUTION Fight using Polon Mode n areas ol degraded OPS signal such aa near bugs or under dense cover nat recomenendd The suomi reversion to Manusi Mode cause brut changes behavior RETURN TO HOME Return To Home Mode wil command ALTA to fly back to the starting point of the fight or the last defined Home Point When ALTA first acquires a GPS position it sels this as the Home Point of the f gt The Home Switch on your radio controller can alsa be used to set a new Home Point See the Radio Mapping section in this manual for more information on setting up the Home Switch RTH can be initiated manually by the Home Switch or be initiated with an LOS event When initiated with the Home Switch ALTA will fy back to the Home Point and the Pilat wll maintain control of ALTAS altitude the entire time ALTA wil not Autoland fan adequate signalis detected The pilot can cancel the RTH procedure by commanding pitch or roll command or by retuning the Home Switch to the middle position The Mode Switch must be in Position Mode to activate RTH manually During an LOS even
32. eration Always maintain a safe distance from the ALTA when in use gt Never attempt to touch the ALTA when the propellers are moving Never fy the ALTA over or around people power lines or ather airera Never fy with any propellers that have visible imperfections ar damage Always keep children and animals a safe distance away from the ALTA when in use and when changing configurations gt Always remove the propellers or power ALTA using a low power source when making a change to the configuration of the ALTA to prevent propeller Strikes in the event of unintentional motor starts gt Always remove the configuration jumper when making changes to the configuration of the ALTA gt Always test the ALTA with the propellers removed to make sure that the are spinning in the correct direction and that the motor assignment de correct with respect to the SYNAPSE fight controller Ifyou hav either ofthese wrong the ALTA wil be uncontrollable and dangerous gt responsibilty to perform a full system check of the ALTA prior to every fight gt responsibilty to learn how to safely operate the ALTA and to ad hereto applicable rules and regulations Fiyatyour own risk LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IN NO EVENT SHALL FREEFLY BE LIABLE TO BUYER FOR ANY INDIRECT CONSEQUENTIAL PUNITIVE INCIDENTAL OR SPECIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE ALTA OR FROM LOSS OF USE
33. et for easy S Bus wire installation and removal See Radio Controller Receiver step 7a SPEKTRUM IR SATELLITES Mount satellites so antennae are blocked by the airframe as as posse If using two receivers place them ata 91 angle to each other See Radio Controller Receiver Th VOLTAGE TELEMETRY ALTA supports battery voltage telemetry on Futaba radios using a receiver that Supports an external voltage sensor such as the To set up ALTA with voltage telemetry for Futaba radios 1 Locate the radio receiver wire bundle behind the closegut panel between booms and 2 1 Identity the voltage sense wire and connector in the bundle Itis the small Zin white connector attached to a black and red twisted wire pair NOTE Soldering a fuze Into this wire nt equina 3 Feed the voltage sense wires trough he grommet on he claseout panel 4 Connect the white connector to the external voltage sense port on the Futaba receiver RADIO MAPPING ALTA can be used with a variety of radio controllers Different radio controllers can functions to different channels so property mapping controller channels to ALTA functions is an important step before flying Radio mapping is performed using the ALTA App This section describes the steps required to complete radio mapping Ifyou are uncertain about your channel mapping obtain assistance rom an experienced pilot or from Freefly Customer Su
34. he cartridge INSTALLATION Batteries may be installed on either the top or bottom of an ALTA and are always mounted opposite of the payload location In boh locations battery pack are secured with silicone straps tensioned across the pace The straps are secured using studs located on either side of the packs WARNING naa secure battery pall wth both battery retention pa CAUTION When installing two battery packs ensure they areata ilar o charge afl pack lage erence lers than Plugging a t similar charged packs ett cause one paci o decharge into he ather rd damage the batteries or cause o battery fre CAUTION When using wo battery packs only use packs that are identical in hele capacity and at similar nd ling pack wth another that Lag or has mere cycles can damage the battery packs CAUTION Amaya reter ta and follow he battery mandatur structions recommendatns and guidlines tor batery handing CAUTION When plugging in battery packs ensure the polarity rc stv indeed by a red power and ls indicated by a black powe lent Reversing wi damage ALTAS BOTTOM MOUNT 1 Place battery retention strap studs at the appropriate height for battery pack 4 Place battery pacis on battery tray below handle 5 Tension and secure battery retention straps h TOP MOUNT CAUTION
35. his manually nites the RTH command In a manual RTH the pilot maintains control of height while the SYNAPSE will command ALTA position over the ground ta the home paint ARM ENABLE SWITCH The optional Arm Enable Switch allows for added safety while working around and ying ALTA by disallowing arming during ground handling or disarming during Aight To set up an Arm Enable Switch refer ta Mapping Channels or the ALTA User Manual W used the Arm Enable function should be mapped to a three position switch 1 Possible Not possible Possible Possible Not possible Possible STATUS LIGHT The rear facing Status Light shows the status of ALTA as it boots arms and es The following table shows the different meanings of the ght in the various flight phases EC LA ap cna nig Fight controlar running Flashing White Fiat contol Standby Fight controller is running Fasting Red ang not ready to arm Solid Red Fight controller boot unsuccessful med or Ready for Fight Aflight controller error has Fight allmodes Sold Red ocurred or Battery cell voltage below user defined levels Nominal fight status or Fight Manual No errors Outside defined range height or speed limits Nominal ight status De Height hold inactive Flght Height mesi Hold White Fasting Nomina foh status or Height hola inactive Postion hold naci Fight Postion SI
36. ine ALTA parts Use of third party products on the ALTA Use of the ALTA in a physically or mentally impaired capacity ofthe ALTA without sufficient training Use ofthe ALTA in unsafe conditions including but nt mitad ta bad or severe weather such as rain wind snow lightning dust storms etc or in areas of magnetic or radio interference such as power stations Broadcast ing and cell phone towers government prohibited airspace te Improper operation misjudgment risky behavior while using the ALTA Infringement af third party data audio or video rights recorded when using the ALTA INTRODUCTION ALTA is a professional multi rotor aircraft designed for demanding cinematic television and photographic applications Within five minutes ALTA can unfold from its carrying case to flying some of he most capable cinema cameras on either the top or bottom of the aircraft The SYNAPSE flight controller is purpose built for cinema use yielding precise yet smooth control This User Manual has been prepared to describe the complete operation af airframe and flight control systems and the normal maintenance of those items Do not operate ALTA without reading and understanding this manual This manual is nat a substitute for adequate flight training Training requirements can vary when operating in different countries or under different fight conditions Always consult local regulations before flying ALTA
37. mber of GPS satellites in view Displays the horizontal accuracy of the GPS signal in meters or feet Displays the GPS derived latitude and longitude coordinates of ALTA ARTIFICIAL HORIZON COMPONENTS The artificial horizon displays pitch and roll information in the center of the FPV display in the form of a horizon line and accompanying elements No Artificial Basie Horizon Ladder Turns of al artificial horizon components Adds a horizon line that moves up and down ALTA changes pitch and rolls as ALTA rolls Adds pitch marks at intervals defined by the Pitch Interval setting Adds small dash marks the left and right side of the artificial horizon hat indicate changes in roll Ms marts t includea ett smal marts on ter sie lec adier t aw AA morer pm Allow e sig lt ai lanl aoan andn herten marinas at cameras of different field views Sathe umber disque een ating hen te artificial horizon ladder is used OTHER COMPONENTS The following components can be turned on or of There are no other options associated with these componente Compass Arrow Home Arrow Vara Bar Forward Velocity Sidestip Displays an arrow that points in the direction of north Displays an arrow that points in the direction of the home point Displays a bar on the right of the screen that scales with vertical speed The bar wil increase in length up to indicate a climb or down
38. n ALTA is armed for fight Data is recorded as a cev fle at a rate of 25 Hz a microSD card installed on the top ofthe OPS CEmpaas modus A table of recorded data is included in Appendix 8 PERFORMANCE WEIGHT ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE DATA Conditions Attitude Sea Level Winds Zero ALTA Aparato Ft Timos ve Payo GENERAL INFORMATION AND TECHNIQUES USE OF THREADLOCKER Bolts and screws that are called out in this manual to regularly remove or replace typically do require use of a threadlock compound This includes the screws holding on the handle battery retention strap studs battery stops closeout panes the top male Toad In The Hole adapter In addition fasteners that attach to nuts with a nylon locking feature tack nts do not require threadlocker Al structural fasteners require the use of threadlock This includes chassis screws lower male Toad In The Hole adapter and motor attachment fasteners In addition the four 3 x 8 socket head bolts that attach the folding propeller to he motor require tresdlocker Typicly a medium thresdiocker such as Loctite Blue 243 is sed on structurat fasteners BOLT INSTALLATION The hex drivers included with ALTA are designed to help limit the torque that can be applied to each bolt Thread all fasteners into their respective holes until snug This is when the fastener head bottoms out and lightly clamps the two mating parts together To preven
39. ng the aircraft Pressure Aude Altitude measured from standard sea level pressure 29 92 in Hhal pressure or barometric altimeter Is the indicated pressure attitude corrected for Position and instrument error In this Manual altimeter instrument errors are assumed to be zero POWER TERMINOLOGY Maximum Continuous The maximum typical power output ofa Power Output molor averaged over the entire Night Maximum Instantaneous The maximum power output of a motor during Peak Power Output any phase of ight such as when maneuvering FLIGHT AND POWERPLANT CONTROL Throttle Sci The radin controller stick responsible tor throttle control For Mode 2 controllers this isthe vertical movement of the left control Stick For Mode 1 controllers his is the vertical movement of the right control stick for yaw called panl control EET The radio controler stick responsible For Mode 2and Mode 1 controllers this is the lateral movement ofthe left control stick Pitch Stok The rado controller stick responsible tor Pitch control For Mode 2 controllers this is the vertical movement of the right stick For Mode 1 controllers this is the vertical movement of the left stick Rll Stick The radio controller stick responsible for rolt control For Mode 2 and Mode controllers this is the lateral movement of the right control stick or Cyclic Stick for bath pitch and roll contrat Sek The r
40. ntroller ims could prevent position hold from engaging at neutral stick positions MAXIMUM PITCH ROLL ANGLE This sets the maximum angle the ALTA wil be allowed to fiyin all modes and in all fight conditions MAXIMUM YAW RATE Thisis the maximum rate the ALTA will yaw pan when at full stick deflection HEIGHT HOVER THROTTLE Hover Throttle is a parameter that adjusts ALTAS thrust at center throttle stick and ensures ALTA does nat climb or descend at the center stick positon while fying in Manual Mode A Hover Throttle setting hat is too high or too law can cause ALTA to or descend when switching between Manual and Height Modes note Hover Tivol wil rad ta be ane when hanging he overall weight of he pte or when moving between very ret elevations Adjust the Hover Throttle setting such that during stable hover the required throttle position is at middle stick or about 1500 ps in the App radio chart Increase Hover Throttle hover occurs above center stick and decrease if hover occurs below center stick Alternatively ALTA climbs when switching from Manual to Height made increase hover throttle since a climb indicates a stick position that is higher than neutral in Manual mode f ALTA descends decrease hover throttle since descent indicates a stick position that is lawer than neutral in Manual mode B note The ALTA Ap does nat alaw hover rt while ALTA hing MAXIMUM CEILING
41. nual or turn blinking red if holding position or altitude Terminate the flight and land as soon as possible In the event the cell voltage drops below the Land Voltage ALTA will begin to auto land However pitch and roll commands are stil active During the time ALTA is descending use pitch and roll to avoid people or objects during he descent and landing STATUS LIGHT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATES V Mode Switch MANUAL 2 nm LAND as soon as possible 2 Ama OPEN MONITOR AMPLIFICATION The Status Light can turn red indicating warning for a number of different reasons Itis always recommended to land as soon as possible and investigate the problem while ALTA is on the ground LOSS OF RADIO CONTROL SIGNAL Vo Controller Battery check 2 Controller Antenna REPOSITION Mode Switch POSITION HomeSwitch RETURN TO HOME AMPLIFICATION Loss of Signal LOS can occur the radia controller stops transiting a signal ALTA is too far away to receive t In the event ALTA detects a LOS twill automatically execute a Return to Home or Autoland as configured in the Apo However itis always recommended to attempt to regain signal link with ALTA to keep the pilot in control of the aircraft Move the antenna orientation for best signal strength Ensure the transmitter antenna matches the direction ofthe receiver antennae Move the transmitter away rom objects to get a clear line of sight to ALTA Setup the Mode and Home
42. o controller and verifying the displayed graph in the ALTA App responds correctly A WARNING Ensure proper chame mapping priar to ight Incorrect mapping ONCE CHANNELS ARE MAPPED 7 Remove the battery or USB Futaba cable rom ALTA Replace the Configuration Jumper FUNCTION DESCRIPTIONS The following functions can be mapped to radio controller channels These are found in the Radio section of the Configurations menu in the ALTA Ap Each function is also represented by chart that responds to control input allowing for quick verification of mapping settings CONTROLLER Use this to select the appropriate receiver The following guide is comple for convenience For complete specifications and which mode will work with your receiver refer to your radio controller or receiver manuals gt DSMZ DSMX are typically used by Spektrum and some JR controllers gt SEUS is typically used by Futaba controllers PPM isa generic standard used by many controllers and receivers gt PPM invert is the same as PPM except channel inputs are reversed gt PPM Graupner interprets Graupner radio PPM inputs PITCH ROLL YAW THROTTLE The Pitch Rall Yaw and Throttle controls are the bai flight controls and are mapped to the two radio controller sticks mone The required Mode Switch selects between the three diferent Night modes Manual Height and Position A three position switch is recommended to select the three different modes Ho
43. on by GPS Horizontal position accuracy gnis im reported by GPS xem Horizontal speed accuracy GPS Sace meters second ee Main battery voltage measured me bythe ight controller 5 Total battery current inferred inia dnm rem ESC measurements Power Watts Total battery power Integrated battery power to be used in conjunction with battery recharge Ener Watthoure id measurements ascertaining battery health and expected fight times Temperature Fight controller PCB temperature Barometre meters Height above take off location Atitude derived by pressure measurement Flight controller status indicating things Uke auto and Machine alarm register indicating Ber particular system failures OPS Lose p Declared if GPS signatis not of Signal adequate for safe position hold Radio Drops number Accumulated signal drops from rada A Radio B Drops number Accumulated signal drops rom rado B ES binary Alarm indicating compass magnitude is corrupted Poston Lock binary Status indicating position estimation fiter has lacked Heading lock binary Status indicating heading lock is active Status indicating Attitude Mode register eg Position Lock register Status indicating position control mode Height Loek register Status indicating height control mode CRC Failures number Internal communication errors
44. oo high can cause ALTA to overshoot pitch or roll commands or even cause instability A WARNING easly igh strength value cae caue ALTA ta become play hi seting wl not ned to be changed Iram value and only henin increments HEIGHT TUNING Tuning height parameters v ll adjust the control feel of height contro while in Height and Position modes Ifor additional information on fight modes see the Flight Controller Modes section of this manuail Tune height parameters only after satisfactorily tuning attitude parameters Similar to attitude tuning stiffness is the primary tuning parameter W switching to Height Mode causes ALTA to fy in an unstable manner switch back to Manual Mode land and try reducing the values of height tuning gains if they are very high or increasing them if they are very low VERTICAL STIFFNESS Vertical Stiffness Gain modifies the vertical stability of the ALTA in Height mode Decrease this value I ALTA experiences vertical oscilaion or vibration Increase this value if ALTA s sluggish while accelerating to a desired climb or descent rate in Height mode HOLD STRENGTH Hold Strength Gain tunes how much ALTA wil attempt to stay on a desired altitude in Height Hold mode A higher value wil result in height being held precisely Too high of a value can cause ALTA to overreact to winds gusts or turbulent air CLIMB RATE STRENGTH Climb Rate Strength adjusts how
45. orrect direction wl cause ALTA to be cnt REPLACING PROPELLER BUMPERS Under normat use propeller bumpers may split and fal out af the folding propeller assembly spare bumpers are provided with the ALTA To replace the bumper disassembly o the folding propeller required Start by removing the 3 x 19 bolt and nylon nut Pull off the upper prop adapter The two bumpers are held in place by circular features in the lower prop adapter Replace the worn or split bumper with a new one t ge To reassemble follow the part layout in the gure above Note that there are two different types of washers one made of nylon and the other made of PTFE The washer is smaller in width and thicker and is installed between the nut or bolt head and the two prop adapters The PTFE washer is wider and thinner and is installed between the prop blades and prop adapters EVERY 15 FLIGHTS ALTA is designed to be as maintenance free as is possible is recommended to check ALTA fasteners regularly This check should occur roughly after every 15 Rights dependent upon the levet of vibration ALTA experiences in flight or during handling To check ALTAS fasteners apply a Tightening torque to each fastener on the chassis using the supplied hex drivers The fasteners should not slip Wa fastener does tighten it using the methods described in the Bolt Installation section Do nat apply addtional thr
46. pport CONFIGURATION JUMPER small jumper is used to prevent motor operation while configuring radio mapping parameters With the jumper in place the motors may operate but channel mapping is prevented Wih the jumper removed channel mapping may take place but motor operation wil be prevented To remove or replace the Configuration Jumper 1 Locate the closeout panel where the jumper is installed 2 Remove the side closeout panel with the jumper using a mm hex driver 3 Remove or replace the jumper A Reattach the closeout panel MAPPING RADIO CHANNELS USING ALTA APP Channel mapping is accomplished with the ALTA App Prior to mapping channels ensure your radio controller and receivers are propery installed Refer to the Radio installation section of this manual and your Radio Controller s documentation 1 Remove the Configuration Jumper A WARNING Amaya ensure the Configuration Jumper ie removed prior to radia settings to prevent renal moter sarts 2 Power ALTA using a battery pack or by plugging in the included USB Futaba cable into an available port on a Futaba receiver 3 Open the ALTA App and connect to ALTA 4 Open Configurations gt Radio 5 Open each ALTA function and adjust the channel te the desired channel number and use the toggle to invert the orientation of a contrat 6 Ensure proper channel selection by moving the contrat input on the radi
47. puts NEUTRALE 2 Mode Switch POSITION a ew NOSE AWAY Roll VERIFY DIRECTION AMPLIFICATION Regaining spatial orientation as quickly as posse is mast important In disorientation situations control inputs wil not give the expected result so neutralize them If a good GPS signal is available enable Position Mode so ALTA will stayin a one place Use yaw only to reorient ALTA so the nose is pointed away then use the roll control to verify the orientation of ALTA UNEXPECTED FLIGHT CONTROLLER BEHAVIOR Vo Control inputs NEUTRALIZE 2 Mode Switch MANUAL the probem persists LAND as soon as possible nm AMPLIFICATION Ifthe ALTA behaves unexpectedly neutralize contrat inputs and observe fit fying in an uncommanded manner switch to Manual mode if it isin Height Pasition modes In most cases unexpected behavior is due to erroneous sensor readings or degraded GPS signal reception Ifthe behavior occurred while in Manual mode land as soon as possible and check Ihe ALTA App for any warnings EXHAUSTION W battery cell voltage is between Alarm Voltage and Land Voltage Vo status Light Muminates red solid or blinking 2 nm LAND as soon as possible M battery cell voltage is below Land Voltage Lo am Begins Autoland 2 Rll MANEUVER away ram people or objects AMPLIFICATION Ifthe battery cell voltage drops below the Alarm Voltage the Status Light will turn solid red in Ma
48. radio controller with at least 9 channels is highly recommended to make use of Velocity and Climb Rate Clamps Return To Home and Arm Enable functions is recommended to use a radio controller with a three way switch for the Made Home and Arm Enable functions and knab or slider input for both the Velocity and limb Rate Clamp functions FLIGHT BATTERY ALTA can accommodate a variety of Lithium Polymer LiPo ight battery packs Battery packs must be 5 having nominal voltage of 22 2 V When running two packs each pack must have a continuous discharge rating of 200 amps or greater And peak discharge rating of 400 amps or greater When running a single pack the pack must have continuous discharge rating of 300 amps or greater and peak discharge rating o 400 amps or greater For additional information on expected durations refer to the Performance Section of the manual UNFOLDING ALTA ALTA features swan neck booms that fold into a compact size for travel They are secured in an open position for flight using over center latches TO UNFOLD ALTA 1 Remove ALTA rom case 2 Fold down all six boom retention clips 4 Snap shutall six boom latches hey eck amp Visually confirm all latches are seated properly TO FOLD ALTA 1 Secure props with prop protectors A Fold up all six boom retention clips to secure booms RADIO INSTALLATION RA
49. resent 2000ps and the bottom and left positions represent 10005 and the middle position represents 150s Nose UF Piten Nose Down Ha Roll Left Roll Right Nose Left m Nose Right meme High Throttle Bottom Low Throttle Top Poston Mode Middle Height Bottom Manual Top Set New Home Pasion Home Middle Bottom initiate RTH Top Fast Velocity Clamp el Bottom Slow Fast Camp Bottom Slow mente Arm Enable Disarm Disable amenable wade Arm Enable Disarm Enable Bottom Arm Disable Disarm Enable TYPICAL CHANNEL MAPPINGS The following are channel mapping configurations as set in the ALTA App These recommendations only Depending on exact radio models these may help as an initial configuration However itis up to the pilot setting up ALTA for fight to determine if these settings are appropriate ma isn Terms nun Tann 1 a Mere m ee oe B cm m E S CONFIGURING OR BOTTOM MOUNT can be attached to either the top or bottom af ALTA via the Freefly Toad In The Hole TITHI quick release ALTA comes pre configured for bottom mounting a BOTTOM MOUNT 1 Prepare your MOV for bottom mount Night see MOVI manual a Attach landing gear Install TITH receiver on MOV 2 Connect MAVI to bottom Toad ADDING A TITH TOP MOUN
50. switches to enable Return To Home so ALTA will continue to approach the starting point and have higher likelihood of regaining Signal reception NoTE M etorte to regain contol signal are ALTA WALL begin Te Home and Autoland sequence LOSS OF FPV SIGNAL 1 Control inputs REQUIRED 2 Visual Contact ESTABLISH a POSITION for optimal signal reception M sua contact or FPV signalis not reestablished 1 Made Switch POSITION 2 Mame Switch RETURN TO HOME 2 AS REQUIRED AMPLIFICATION An FPV Loss of Signal LOS can occur if the aircraft fies out of range or fies behind an object that interrupts the signal ne of sight Regaining visual contact is the preferred method to reestablish control of the aircraft either with the pilot seeing the aircraft or by the use of a second visual observer Yaning the aircraft can help signal reception the bady of the blocking the line of sight between the transmitter and receiver antennas I FPV signal or visual contact cannot be reestablished enabling Return To Home can be used to bring the aircraft back to signal reception range WARNING isthe responsibly ol the piet te see a avoid other aera people or obstacles maintain direct a win ALTA irn igh use eres a operations require and fellow local regulations regarding seme requirements DATA LOGGING ALTA automatically logs flight and control data whe
51. t ALTA will first check its current altitude against Safe Height If tis lower il climb to Safe Height and if ALTA is above Safe Height it will remain atts current altitude Next ALTA wil fy back to the home postion at the RTH Speed setin the ALTA App Finally upon reaching the home position ALTA wil begin 2 3 AUTOLAND The Autoland function wil command ALTA to hover for 10 seconds and wil then land in place This only occurs if Autoland is selected as the Loss of Signal LOS eventin he ALTA App or at the end of an LOS Return to Home RTH event If ALTA is above app configurable Safe Height setting ALTA wil first descend to the Safe Height atthe Maximum Descent Rate After reaching this height ALTAS descent wil slaw to the Autoland Descent Rate uni landing HOME SWITCH The home switch has three settings Set Home RTH Off and RTH On SET HOME Set Home sets a new home point at ALTAS current position This could be useful for setting point away from the initialization point such as ifthe ALTA were started underneath an overhang or a tree Anew home point can only be set within 20 meters of starting point Momentarily moving the Home Switch to he Set Home position sets new home point When a new home poit is set the Status Light wil turn white to indicate the new home point was successful set RTH OFF This is the normal switch positon and does not initiate an RTH command RTH ON T
52. t tightening the bolts excessively and damaging the bolts or parts it ls suggested to hold the wrench in your hand and twist the wrench fram the smaller dia knurled section of the tool between your thumb and index finger for small fasteners under size M3 or with your thumb and two forefingers for larger fasteners size M3 and larger MAINTENANCE ITEMS PROPELLERS Propeller blades shouldbe removed when making a change to the configuration of the ALTA to prevent propeller strikes in the event of unintentional mator starts Propeller blades should be replaced on an as needed basis if they become damaged Generally a nick on the leading edge that is large enough to catch a fingernail indicates that the prop should be replaced I the blade composite structure becomes delaminated the propeller blade should be replaced Freely makes folding propeller assemblies available that include the ades and prop hub fully assembled They are available in clockwise and counterclockwise The folding props are installed on the motors with four M3 8 socket head bolts CAUTION Anaya use compound an the boll eats that attach the propeller hub to the motor Odd numbered booms 1 3 and 5 use clockwise rotating props when looking fom the top down and even numbered booms and 6 use counterciocimis rotating props A WARNING Naya check Lo enaura creel prop elio direction ardore propeller priar fig Preps that spin Tn he inc
53. tick by moving tta the bottom left corner with mode 2 controllers Disarming can only be while in Manual Mode if Configured set the Arm Enable Switch to ENABLE DISARM Once the motors are disarmed the Orientations Lights will flash green and the Status Light wil slow Rash white indicating tis safe to approach ALTA WARNING ny approach ae confirming that arma by veros the Status Light and Orientation Light colors The downuach from the props can disturb debris This debris can be ingested by the props ar motors and cause damage After the flight ensure there no damage tothe props and that the motors still spin freely and quietly Take extra care when operating in areas with large amounts of debris such as in sand dirt or gravel After light is also a good time to check a battery packs condition Always refer o the battery manufacturer s recommendations for inspection and replacement Intervals or requirements AFTER LAST FLIGHT Props Prop Protectors Boom Latches Booms Boom Retention Clips Payload ATA SISSE E i AMPLIFICATION FOLD and PLACE inline with booms INSTALL UNLOCK Foto REMOVE INSERT into case Packing ALTA similar to the unpacking process Keeping ALTA on the payload or landing gear facilitates the process as ALTA may be turned on the Toad In The Hole adapter while folding the props and booms Make sure that the handle is aligned rontto back when putting A
54. w Rate Vertical Stiffness E Hold Strength Hover Throttle uw Height Celing 118 meters Cimb Rate 3meters sec GPS Height Correction on Horizontal Stiffness 20 Hola Strength T Ma mumG Range 500 meters GPS Angle GPS Speed Smeters sec Alarm Voltage as Land Voltage Safety Safe Height 15 meters Autoland Descent Rate 05 meters sec RTH Speed 3meters sec APPENDIX DATA LOGGING FIELDS An indexed denter pede di ps The tuber of seconds Toran sa The Unies Cordis Time determined by received GPS signals OS determined nido wilde Sein a er OF determined ade Serine is lee Heit aoe th OSE a reference ellipsoid The grand ck degrees from true north The inc AA rare rai e rom tne saring pont Tanter dane ALTA aide PS Postion Est mes Tom the ring pont ester une ALTA aid ate ie metes under ina omar ES Lees su Tre PS ed oad pe Wii componen The GPS derived ua IN GPE Aceon aus Jero The GPS dre rrr acon GPS cc aus Jero The PS dred casa clean I TOPS dere rd clon Up meters second without gravitational acceleration IMU Postion The IMU derived desd reckoned North distance ALTA has traveled northward The
55. wever a two posion switch may be used but wil only allow for Selecting between Manual Mode and depending on radio controller mies either Postion Made or Height Mode Home SWITCH Te optional Home Switch selects between the different Retum To Home functions A three position switch is required for the Home Switch functions to Select between the Home Set RTH Off and RTH Enable functions VELOCITY AND CLIMB RATE CLAMP Velocity and Climb Rate Clamps set the maximum ground speed or vertical speed satt in Height Mode and Position Mode The clamps can be adjusted might An analog dial or slider is recommended for the Velocity and Climb Rate Clamp Functions ARM ENABLE Jem Enable is an optional safety feature that inhibits arming while on the ground disarming while in the air based on the position of the switch When not mapped ALTA may be armed or disarmed at any time following normal arming and disarming procedures See the Arm Enable Switch section of tis manual under Operating ALTA tor more information on switch behavior minimum two position switch is required to make use af Arm Enable A three position switch may be used to temporary turn off the feature as both arm and arm are allowed in the switch s center postion ALL FUNCTIONS The meaning of the direction or position of the indicator is described in the folowing table for all mappable parameters The top and right positions on the radio mapping indicators rep
56. wn when the underside nd m Lan referenced to take off location z eps contral Toep et gt m paint in an Easterly direction NNNM referenced to take off location lo pi Grice ead DIN tothe take off location The velocity control loop set paint Velocity Command North inan Northwards direction Velocity E The velocity control loops set Command East point in an Eastward direction Velocity E The velocity control loop set Command Up point an Upwards direction Deceleration The acceleration control loop set Command East point in a Easterly direction Deceleration up The acceleration control loop set Command North point in a Northerly direction Acceleration gg The acceleration control loop set Command Up point in an Upwards direction The roll control loop set point where rn increasing values are roli right right The pitch control loop set point where The yaw control loop set point where YawCammand positive vales are for an Easterly heading and negative for Westerly The ral rate contro lop set Rate point where positive values ul ar for rolling rightwards hate Command are or pitching upwards The yaw rate control oop setpoint ur dels where positive values are rotating Cerca clockwise Looking from the machine top si RE pulse width 1000 2000us
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