Ocelleye, LLC 600 Kentucky Ave., Suite 100 Indianapolis, IN 46225 P 317.764.6400 www.ocelleye.com



### May 5, 2015 U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 120 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590

RE: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Re form Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

Dear Sir or Madam:
Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization a nd Reform Act of 2012 (the Reform Act) and 14 CFR Part 11, Ocelleye, LLC, an operator of small Unmanne d Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for aerial photography and video capture for the Architectural Engineering and Constr uction (AEC) industry, on behalf of itself and its related affiliates under common owners hip and control, hereby applies for an exemption from the listed Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) to allow commerc ial operation of its sUAS for aerial imaging of secured and controlled environment construction and survey sites, so long as such operations are conducted within and under conditions outlined here in or as maybe established by the FAA as required by Section 333. As described more fully below, th e requested exemption would permit the operation of small, unmanned and relatively inexpensive sUAS under controlled conditions in airspace that is 1) limited 2) predetermined 3) controlled to access and 4) would provide safety enhancements to the already safe operations in the AEC industry benefitting public interes t because it provides an equivalent or greater level of safety than approved manned aircraft operations or traditional surveying means. The name and address of the applicant is: Ocelleye, LLC Attn: Greg Sherwin PH: 317-491-4306 Email: gsherwin@ocelleye.com Address: 600 Kentucky Ave. Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46225 Regulations from which the exemption is requested: 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart H 14 CFR 45.23(b) 14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b) 14 CFR 91.7(a)U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 2


### 14 CFR 91.9 (b)(2) 14 CFR 91.103 14 CFR 91.119 14 CFR 91.121 14 CFR 91.151(a) 14 CFR 91.203(a)&(b) 14 CFR 91.405(a) 14 CFR 407(a)(1) 14 CFR 409(a)(2) 14 CFR 417(a)&(b)

This exemption application is expressly submitted to fulfill Congress’ goal in passing Section 333(a) through (c) of the Reform Act. Th is law directs the Secretary of Tran sportation to consider whether certain unmanned aircraft systems may operate safely in the national airspace system (NAS) before completion of the rulemaking required under Section 332 of the Reform Act. In making this determination, the Secretary is required to determine which types of sUAS do not create a hazard to users of the NAS or the public or pose a threat to national security in light of the following:

x The sUAS size, weight, speed, and operational capability;

x Operation of the sUAS in close proximity to airports and populated areas; and

x Operation of the sUAS within visual line of sight of the operator.
Reform Act 333(a). Lastly, if the Secretary determin es that such vehicles “may operate safely in the national airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft in the national airspace system.” Id . 333(c) Ocelleye’s sUAS is a multirotor vehicle, weighing 10 lbs. or less, including payload. It operates under normal conditions at speeds or no mo re than 50 knots and has the capability to hover, move in the vertical and horizontal planes simultaneously. The sUAS will oper ate in the pilot’s visual line of sight at all time and will operate only within a sterile area as defined by the construction site or survey area limits. Such operations will insure that the sUAS will “not create a hazard to users of the national airspace system or the public.” Reform Act Section 333 (a) Ocelleye LLC’s Operations
The sUAS
The sUAS will have the followin g specifications or equivalent: Airframe: TBS Discovery Pro (See Exhibit 1) Control System: APM 2.5 (See Exhibit 2) Pilot Controls: FrSKY Ta rnais (See Exhibit 3)U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 3


### Tx: EzUFH JR Module 433 Mhz (See Exhibit 4) Rx: ExUHF 8-channel 433 Mhz (See Exhibit 4) Motors: 900KV brushless w/ 30A ESC Propellers: 9x5 Data Link: 3DR Radio 915 Mhz (See Exhibit 5) Batteries: 4S 4.5Ah TBS LiPo Flight Conditions The sUAS will be flown in airspace under 400 feet AGL and under controlled conditions on restricted, rural, and private property. The sUAS will be used to monitor two different ty pes of sites, active construction sites and proposed construction sites. Flight Operations The purpose of every sUAS flight will be to safely, accu rately, and efficiently create logistical overlays for potential construction sites and to measure progres s of ongoing construction sites. The survey data will be 3D surface models and high resolution aerial photographs. The standard pre-flight and operati onal procedure will be as follows:
1. Meet at security gate and complete pre-flight secu rity appropriate to each site (described below) 2. Drive or walk the area to be surveyed. 3. The pilot in command begins to ready sUAS for flight.

a. Check over airframe, connections, and prope llers for damage during transport in the vehicle. b. Turn on and ready laptop computer.

c. Connect data link antenna to computer. d. Open ground station software and load pre-planned photogrammetry flight path.

e. Remove main Tx from case, power up, verify voltage and settings. f. Strap battery to sUAS frame (do not connect main power supply). g. Move sUAS to takeoff point, approximately 30 feet from vehicles and crew. h. Attach main power on sUAS. i. Listen to power up sequence of beeps on speed controls. j. Set up traffic cones around sUAS with approx imately a 20 foot radius. This is considered the “home” area and the operators are not a llowed inside this area while the sUAS is armed. k. Walk back to vehicle with Tx. l. Using laptop Ground Control Station co nnect the data link with the sUAS.

m. sUAS should appear on the map on the screen along with recorded “home” point, battery voltage, current altitude relative to gr ound, and current velocity and heading.

n. Upload the mission flight path data to sUAS.

o. Verify good upload and connection to data link.U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 4



### p. Record time and weather in Flight Log. q. sUAS is no fully prepped and ready to operate. 4. While pilot in command is readying the sUAS, s upport team members are preparing the ground control points and walking the site. 5. Pilot double checks takeoff area is clear. 6. Pilot arms the sUAS and increases the throttle to takeoff and rises to an altitude of approximately 10 feet AGL. 7. Pilot performs a short test of the controls to ensure the sUAS to responding properly to control inputs. 8. Pilot sets Tx flight mode switch to “Auto” an d the sUAS starts to execute its preprogrammed mission. 9. During the entire preprogrammed f light pilot always has visual lin e of sight and is prepared to take over flight operations. Pilot’s Tx has a coun tdown timer set to alarm at 30 minutes. The timer begins from the point the throttle is raised above minimum. 10. During the flight the Ground Control Station anno unces each waypoint upon arrival and voltage levels at one minute intervals. 11. Upon completion of the preprogrammed flight, the sUAS returns to the “home” point and automatically lands itself. During the landing sequ ence the pilot is observing the decent and is ready to take over flight operations. 12. Upon landing pilot disarms the sUAS using the Tx. 13. Pilot checks the battery voltage displayed on th e Ground Control Station and records flight battery and flight information in the Flight Log. 14. After disarming the sUAS the pilot enters the “h ome” area inside the cones and disconnects the main power. 15. Pilot turns off Tx. 16. Pilot review airframe of sUAS for and damage or wear during flight. 17. Pilot packs up equipment for safe transport.

Given the small size of the sUAS involved and the res tricted and sterile environment within which it will operate, our application falls squarely within the zone of safety (an equivalent level of safety) in which Congress envisioned that the FAA must, by exem ption, allow commercial operations of sUAS to commence immediately. Also due to the small size of the sUAS and the low altitudes and restricted areas in which the sUAS will operate, approval of the application presents no national security issue.
Given the clear direction in Section 333 of the Reform Act, the authority contained in the Federal Aviation Act, as amended; the strong equivalent level of safety surrounding the proposed operations, and the significant public benefit, including enhanced safety, th e grant of the requested exemptions is in the public interest. Accordingly, Ocelleye respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption without delay.U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 5


### The use of sUAS on a construction site can significantl y reduce the risk to workers of falls while inspecting, surveying, or monitoring site progress. sUAS can insp ect, photograph, and collect data on hard to get to areas that otherwise would require worker inspection. Falls are among a leading source of workplace fatality and injury on construction sites, and reducing falls through sUAS use for site imaging could save workers lives and or prevent injuries. Additionally, sUAS could replace the use of helicopters and small fixed wing aircraft to monitor sites. The sUAS we propose to fly in this application is und er five pounds, and carries no combustible material on board, as opposed to the much larger conventiona lly powered small aircraft. Shifting to sUAS from helicopters and small fixed wing aircraft presents a marked safety increase for our workers and the public. Lastly, sUAS reduce the environmental impact by dram atically decreasing the energy used for aerial imaging and data collection over a construction site. Our sUAS uses rechargeable lithium ion batteries, as opposed to fossil fuels burned in operation of helicop ters and small fixed wing aircraft that are many hundreds of times heavier. Ocelleye proposes that the exemption requested herein applies to sUAS that have the characteristics and that they operate with the limitations listed herein. Thes e limitations provide for at least an equivalent or even higher level of safety to operations under th e current regulatory structure because the proposed operations represent a safety enhancement to the alrea dy safe protocols followed on construction sites and imaging and surveying operations conducted with helicopters and other small conventional aircraft. Ocelleye will be bound by the following limitations wh en conducting its sUAS operations under and FAA issued exemption:
1. The sUAS will weigh less than 10 pounds including payload. 2. Flights will be operated within visual line of sight of the pilot 3. Maximum total flight time for each operational fl ight will be 30 minutes. The sUAS calculates battery reserve in real-time, and will return to its point of launch with at least 20% battery power reserve should that occur prior to the 30 minute limit. 4. Flights will be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet AGL. 5. Crew for each operation will consist of the sUAS pilot will keep the sUAS within his visual line of sight at all time. 6. The sUAS pilot will be trained in flight, operations, and safety procedures as detailed in the sUAS systems manuals. 7. The sUAS will only operate within a confined “Sterile Area” as defined by the survey or construction site limits. This area will be kept free of persons not involved in the activities being monitored on the site or not directly connected with the survey production. 8. A briefing will be conducted in re gard to planned sUAS operations prior to each day’s production activities. It will be mandatory that all pers onnel who will be performing duties within the boundaries of the safety perimeter be present for this briefing.U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 6



### 9. All onsite personnel will consent to the sUAS flyo ver on site by waiver, and the operator will obtain additional verbal or written connect of all person s who will be allowed within the 100 of the flight operation. 10. Pilot will have been trained in operation of sUAS generally and received up-to-date information in the particular sUAS to be operated as required by the sUAS systems manuals. 11. Written and/or oral permissions from the relevant property holders will be obtained. 12. All required permissions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state, county or city jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fi re, or other appropriate governmental agencies. 13. If the sUAS loses communications or loses its GPS si gnal, it will have the capability to enter “loiter mode” and hover, reestablish connection or retur n to a pre-determined location within the construction site or survey area and land. 14. The sUAS will not operate with 5 nautical miles of an airport reference poi nt (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted with ARP, the center of the airport symbol as denoted on a the current FAA-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s management is ob tained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption holder. The letter of Agreement with the airport mana gement will be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b): Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command Sections 61.113(a) & (b) limit private pilots to non- commercial operations. Because the sUAS will not carry a pilot or passengers, the proposed operations can achieve the equivalent level of safety of current operations by requiring the Pilot operating the aircraft to have completed a sUAS flight training course of 100 hours before flying a sUAS. Unlike a conventional aircraft that carries the pilot and passengers, the sUAS is remotely controlled with no living thing or ca rgo on board. The sUAS proposed in the application is also operated by an autopilot, which greatly reduc es the danger of human error. The area of operation is controlled and restricted to hard hat areas, and all flights are planned and coordinated in advance. The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 10 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a pilot nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuel s, and operated exclusively within a controlled area. Like other civil aircraft, operations under this exempt ion will be tightly controlled and monitored by the operator and under the requirements and in compliance with local public safety requirements, to provide security for the area of operations as is currently done on active construction sites. The risks associated with the operation of the sUAS are therefore diminished from the level of risk associated with commercial operations contemplated by Part 61 when drafted, and allowing operations of the sUAS as requested achieves the level of safety contemplated by 14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b). 14 CFR 91.103: Preflight action This regulation requires each pilot in command take certain actions before flight to ensure the safety of flight. An exemption is needed from this requireme nt as the pilot will take se parate preflight actions, including checking for weather conditions, checking flight battery requirements, checking takeoff andU.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 7


### landing areas, and all other actions in the Preflight Chec klist (See Exhibit 6) in the sUAS systems manuals. These actions will provide and equivalent level of safety.
14 CFR 91.119: Minimum safe altitudes Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Section 91.119(d) allows helicopters to be operated at less than the minimums prescrib ed, provided the person operating the helicopter complies with any route or altitudes prescribed fo r helicopters by the FAA. The exemption is for a multirotor craft that flies similarly to a helicopter, with vertical takeoff and vertical landing, which will operate at altitudes no more than 400 feet AGL, so an exemption may be needed to allow such operations. The sUAS will never operate at an altitude higher th an 400 feet AGL and will be operate in a controlled area with security perimeter, where buildings and pe ople will not be exposed to operations without their pre-obtained consent. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved give n the size, weight, speed of the sUAS as well as the location where it is operated. No flight will comme nce without the permission of the property owner or their agent or local officials. Because of the adva nce notice to the property owner and any onsite personnel, all affected individuals will be aware of the planned flight operations. Unlike flight operations with conventional small aircraft or helicopters we ighing far more that the maximum 10 lbs. proposed herein, our sUAS will not carry flammable fuel. In addi tion, the low-altitude operations of the sUAS will ensure separation between sUAS operati ons and the operations of conventional aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119. 14 CFR 91.121: Altimeter settings This regulation requires each person operating an aircraft to maintain cruising altitude by reference to an altimeter that is set “...to the elevation of the de parture airport or an appropriate altimeter setting available prior to departure.” As the sUAS may not have a barometric altimeter, but instead a GPS altitude readout, an exemption may be needed. An equivalent le vel of safety will be ac hieved by the operator, pursuant to the uUAS systems manuals and Preflight Chec klist (See Exhibit 6), confirming the altitude of the launch site shown on the GPS al titude indicator before flight. 14 CFR 91.151(a): Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions Section 91.151(a) outlines fuel requirements for beginni ng a flight in VFR conditions. Our sUAS is limited to operations in controlled environments, and has a limited range and flight time which require an exemption from 14 CFR 91.151(a). The battery powering the sUAS provides approximatel y 35 minutes of powered flight. To meet the 30 minute reserve requirement in 14 CRF 91.151, sUAS f lights would be limited to approximately 5 minutes in length. Given the limitations of the sUAS’s propos ed flight area and the location of its proposed operations within a predetermined area, a longer time fr ame for flight in daylight or night VFR conditions is reasonable.U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 8


### Ocelleye believes that an exemption from 14 CFR 91. 151(a) falls within the scope of prior exemptions. See Exemption 10673 (allowing Lockheed Martin Corporati on to operate without the compliance with FAR 91.151 (a)). Operating the sUAS, in a tightly controlle d area where only people and property owners or official representatives who have signed waivers will be allowed, with less than 30 minutes of reserve fuel, does not endanger the type of risks that Section 91.151 (a) was intended to alleviate given the size and speed of the sUAS. Additionally, limiting the sUAS flig hts to 5 minutes would greatly reduce the utility for which the exemption will be granted. An equivalent level of safety can be achieved by limiting flights to 30 minutes, or enough battery reserve to ensure that the sUAS land at th e point of launch with at least 20% of battery power (as determined by the onboard monitoring system and the pilot), whiche ver happens first. This restriction would be more than adequate to return the sUAS to its planned landin g zone from anywhere in its limited operating area. Similar exemptions have been granted to other op erations, including Exemptions 2689F, 5745, 10673, and 10808. 14 CFR 91.405(a); 407(a)(1); 409(a)(2); 417 (a) & (b): Maintenance inspections These regulations require that an aircraft operato r or owner “shall have the aircraft inspected as prescribed in Subpart E of this part and shall be tween required inspections, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repai red as prescribed in Part 43 of this chapter...,” and others shall inspect or maintain the aircraft in compliance with Part 43. Given that these sections and Part 43 apply only to airc raft with an airworthiness certificate, these sections would not apply to Ocelleye’s operations proposed by this application. Maintenance will be accomplished by the operator pursuant to the sUAS systems manuals. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because these sUAS are very limited in size and will carry a small payload and operate only in controlled areas for limited periods of time. If mechanical issu es arise the sUAS can land immediately and will be operating from no higher than 400 feet AGL. As prov ided in the uUAS systems manuals, the pilot will ensure that the sUAS is in working order prior to initiating flight, perform required maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer, and keep a log of any maintenance performed. Moreover, the pilot is the person most familiar with the craft and best su ited to maintain the craft in an airworthy condition to provide the equivalent level of safety. 14 CFR 45.23(b): Marking of the aircraft The regulation requires “When marks include only th e Roman capital “N” and the registration number is displayed on limited, restricted, or light-sport category aircraft or experimental or provisionally certified aircraft, the operator must also display on that aircraft near the entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station, in letters not less than 2 inches nor more th an 6 inches high, the words “limited,” “restricted,” “light-sport,” “experimental,” or “provisional,” as applicable.”U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 9


### Even though the sUAS will have no airworthiness c ertificate, an exemption may be needed as the sUAS will have no entrance to the cabin, cockpit or pilo t station on which the required words can be placed. Given the size of the sUAS, two in ch lettering would be impossible. 14 CFR Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 CFR 91.203(a)(1) Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, estab lishes the procedural requi rements for the issuance of the airworthiness certificates as required by FAR 91.203(a)(1). Given th e size and limited operating area associated with the aircraft to be utilized by Ocel leye, an exemption from Part 21 Subpart H meets the requirements of an equivalent level of safety under Pa rt 11 and Section 333 of th e Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act (49 USC 44701(f)) and Section 333 of th e Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for airworthiness certif icate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and popul ated areas of the particular sUAS. In all cases, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the sU AS operated without an airworthiness certificate, in the restricted environment and under the conditions prop osed will be at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional small aircraft or helicopter operating with an airworthiness certificate without the restrictions and conditions proposed. The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 10 lbs. including its payload, carries neither a pilot nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flamma ble liquid fuels, and operates exclusively within a controlled area. Unlike other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by both the operator and under the requirem ents and in compliance with local public safety requirements, to provide security for the area of oper ations as is now done with construction and survey sites. These safety enhancements, which already a pply to civil aircraft operated in connection with construction site monitoring and surveying, provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property owners than conventional operations conducted with airworthiness certificates issued under 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart H. Lastly, application of these same criter ia demonstrates that there is no credible threat to national security posed by the sUAS, due to its size , speed of operation, location of operation, lack of explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, an d inability to carry a substantial external load. 14CFR 91.7(a): Civil aircraft airworthiness This regulation requires that no person may operate a civ il aircraft unless it is in airworthy condition. As there will be no airworthiness certificate issued for the aircraft, should exemption be granted, no FAA regulatory standard will exist for determining airw orthiness. Given the size of the craft and the requirement contained in the uUAS systems manuals fo r maintenance and use of safety checklists prior to each flight, an equivalent le vel of safety will be provided. 14 CFR 91.9(b)(2): Civil aircraft flight manual in the aircraft This regulation requires the craft’s flight manual to be located onboard the craft. The sUAS, given it size and configuration, has no ability to carry such a manual on the craft, not only because there is no pilot onboard, but because there is no room or capa city to carry such on item on the craft.U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 10


### The equivalent level of safety w ill be maintained by keeping the sUAS systems manuals at the point of launch where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immedi ate access to it. The FAA has issued the following exemptions to this regulation: Exemption Nos. 8307, 8737, 8738, 9299, 9299A; 9565, 9565B, 10167, 10167A, 10602, 62827, and 10700. 14 CFR 91.203(a) & (b): Carrying civil ai rcraft certification and registration This regulation provide in pertinent part: (a) Except as provides in 91.715, no person may oper ate a civil aircraft unless is has within it the following: (1) An appropriate and current airworthiness certificate... (b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless th e airworthiness certificate required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorizati on issued under 91.715 is displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew. The sUAS fully loaded weighs no more than 10 lbs. and is operated with an onboard pilot. As such, there is no ability or place to carry certification and regis tration documents or to display them on the sUAS. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the point of launch where the pilot operating the sUAS will have immediate access to them, to the extent they are applicable to the sUAS. The FAA has issued numerous exemptions to this regulation. A representative sample of other exceptions includes Exemption Nos. 9656, 9665, 9789, 9789A, 9797, 9797A, 9816A, and 10700.
******** Pursuant to 14 CFR Part 11, the following summary s provided for publication in the Federal Register, should it be determined that publication is needed: Applicant seeks an exemption from the following rule s: 14 CFR Part 21, Subpart H; 14 CFR 45.23(b); 14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b); 14 CFR 91.7(a); 14 CFR 91.9 (b)( 2); 14 CFR 91.103; 14 CFR 91.119; 14 CFR 91.121; 14 CFR 91.151(a); 14 CFR 91.203(a) & (b); 14 CFR 91.405( a); 14 CFR 407(a)(1); 14 CFR 409(a)(2); and 14 CFR 417(a) & (b) to operate commercially a small unmanned ve hicle (55 lbs. or less) in construction and survey operations. Approval of exemptions allowing commercial operati ons of sUAS in the construction industry enhances safety while reducing risk. Manned aircraft monitoring and surveying creates a greater risk because the craft of much larger, have combustible fuel, and ca rry an onboard human pilot. In contrast, a sUAS weighing fewer than 10 lbs. and powered by batteries eliminates virtually all of that risk given the reduced mass and lack of combustible fuel carried onboard. The sUAS will carry no passengers or crew and, therefore, will not expose them to the risks associated with manned aircraft flights. The operation of small sUAS, weighing less than 10 lbs. , conducted in the strict conditions outlines above, will provide an equivalent level of safety support ing the grant of the exemptions requested herein,U.S. Department of Transportation May 5, 2015 Page 11


### including exempting the applicant from Part 21 a nd allowing commercial operations. These lightweight crafts operate at slow speeds, close to the ground, and in a sterile environment and, as a result, are far safer than conventional operations conducted with co nventional small aircraft and helicopters operating in close proximity to the ground and people. Privacy All flights will occur over private or controlled acce ss property with the property owner’s prior consent and knowledge. Images taken will be of the individuals who have al so consented to being filmed or otherwise have agreed to be in the area where aerial imaging will take place.
******** Satisfaction of the criteria provided in Section 333 of the Reform Act of 2012—size, weight, speed, operating capabilities, proximity to airports and popul ated areas and operation within visual line of sight and national security—provide more than adequate justification for the grant of the requested exemptions allowing commercial operations of Oce lleye’s sUAS in the Archit ectural Engineering and Construction industry pursuant to the Manual appended hereto.

Sincerely,

Gregory A. Sherwin President Ocelleye, LLC

# TBS DISCOVERY PRO Quadrotor Durable and crash resistant multirotor perfect for amateur and pro aerial videographers

Revision 2014-07-24 The TBS DISCOVERY PRO gimbal frame is the perfect tool for amateur and pro aerial videographers. Sporting a fully stabilized, vibration isolated camera gimbal it is the most powerful, compact, robust and versatile "take anywhere" quadrocopter for filming available to date. All the wiring is integrated into the frame, the copter is easy to build and outperforms similar quads in terms of FPV range, flight time and video link quality.

By implementing the wiring into the frame, the copter is easy to build and outperforms similar quads in terms of FPV range and video link quality. The DJI Flamewheel arms as predetermined breaking point protect your electronics and are easily replaceable in the field.

Features



### ● Integrated brushless gimbal & control board (plug & play!)



### ● Built-in camera switch (GoPro live-out and pilot's camera)



### ● Frame acts as power distribution board



### ● Ready for long range FPV



### ● TBS CORE (On Screen Display) with digital current sensor



### ● Lightweight anodized CNC aluminum gimbal



### ● Custom Gimbal IMU board



### ● Tried and proven frame design - based on the world's most popular FPV quad!

● Integrated brushless gimbal controller (BaseCam)

1 

### EXHIBIT 1

## Before we begin Thank you for buying a TBS product! The TBS DISCOVERY PRO is a new multirotor aircraft from Team BlackSheep (TBS) for hobbyist, semi-pro and pro aerial videographers. It features the best design practices available on the market to date, providing great flying stability and incredible FPV characteristics.
Please read this manual carefully before assembling and flying your new TBS DISCOVERY PRO quadrotor. Keep this manual for future reference regarding tuning and maintenance.


### Disclaimer Our request to you; the aircraft may not be used to infringe on people's right to privacy. We have designed a toy with mind blowing capabilities. It is your responsibility to use it reasonably and according to your experience level. Use common sense. Fly safe. You are on your own. TBS has no liability for use of this aircraft.

● Locate an appropriate flying location

● Obtain the assistance of an experienced pilot

● Practice safe and responsible operation

● Always be aware of the rotating blades

● Prevent moisture

● Keep away from heat or excessive amounts of sunlight

2

## Specifications

Type: Asymmetric spider quadrotor
Airframe: Reinforced black fiberglass (rear top RF transparent, bottom PDB) Battery: 4S (14.8V) 3300 to 4500mAh LiPo pack, max. 31 x 47 x 157mm Propellers: 9x5-inch or 10x5-inch (2xCW, 2xCCW)
Motor: 2216 class, ~900kV, 180-220W, 16x19mm mount pattern Speed controllers: 18 to 30A 400Hz Multirotor ESCs
Receiver: 6 channels or more, 8 channels recommended Flight controller: Standard quadcopter controller with optional GPS module
Current sensor: 50A on-board Camera gimbal: GoPro HD Hero1/2/3 supported, 2-axis, roll and tilt stabilization
Gimbal controller: BaseCam 12V, tied to CORE to auto-switch profiles, GB2208-80 motors Center of Gravity: 15mm in front of Center of Thrust mark
Duration: 8 to 13min (dependent on drive train and battery system)
Distance: up to 4km range (and return)
Altitude: up to 1.5km / 5000ft All-up-weight: 1500 to 2000g 

## Required tools

● Hex (Allen) screwdrivers (0.9mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm)

● Soldering iron (50 to 100W recommended)

● Solder (Sn 60 Pb 40 or Sn 62 Pb 36 Ag 2 , multicore flux)

● Propeller balancer (recommended)
There will be some soldering required to connect the speed controllers, battery lead, R/C header and CORE voltage configuration for the video transmitter and camera. We offer most of the following items on our website individually or as part of an Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF) kit.
The equipment and parts we offer has been truly tried-and-tested to meet our standards for an excellent flight experience. But you can of course replace these with equal components or of similar type.

3

## Parts list
Before building your TBS DISCOVERY PRO, make sure the following items are included in your kit.

1x Top frame plate 1x Bottom frame plate 1x Gimbal IMU board

1x GoPro link card 1x Pilot camera mount plate 7x Red aluminum spacers

1x Battery pigtail 14AWG with XT60 connector 2x VTx and camera Molex Picoblade cables 4x Black Molex 1.25 Picoblade cables

3x Pin headers for R/C and RSSI connections 4x Hex screws bags (M2.5x5, M3x6.5, M2.5x6, M3x4+M2x6+M2x12) 10x Black anodized aluminium gimbal parts

1x Gimbal bearing 2x Gimbal motors 25x Orange/Red/Green gimbal dampeners

4

## Required parts To get in the air the following equipment and parts are needed for assembly.

4x DJI Flame Wheel arms 4x 400Hz Multirotor Speed Controller 18-30A 4x 900kV brushless motors (incl. prop adaptor and mounting screws)

4x 9x5 or 10x5-inch propellers (2xCW, 2xCCW) 1x 4S 3300 to 4500mAh LiPo battery 1x Multicopter flight controller

1x R/C receiver (6-channels or more, 8-channels preferred) 1x R/C transmitter (6-channels or more, 8-channels preferred) 1x LiPo battery charger

1x Pilot camera (32x32mm) 1x HD recording camera (GoPro HD Hero 1/2/3) 1x Video transmitter

1x Equipped ground station 3x Velcro straps - now included! Other essential parts: 1x Threadlock (purple/blue) low strength 20x Zip-ties 2x Self-adhesive foam pads

5

## Build guide The TBS DISCOVERY PRO comes in the usual quality finish and plug & play style the TBS DISCOVERY line is famous for. The essentials are fully integrated on the plates, to make the final assembly as easy as humanly possible. No separate boards, wire spaghetti, purchasing stuff from multiple sources or components that don't match. It is all in the box, just take it out, mount the ESCs, motors and props, a flight control and you are ready to shoot videos.


### TBS CORE The CORE has won over the FPV enthusiasts worldwide and as the easiest to use OSD module. Clean data layout and only the most important information presented on screen. Clutter-free, permanently visible, zero wires for installation, and nicely tucked away under a tin shield. The most robust and secure solution for on screen telemetry. Features:



### ● Accurate flight pack voltage and mAh consumption display



### ● Reliable power supply for FPV camera and transmitter



### ● Flight time shown once a minute



### ● Display RSSI (R/C signal strength) from all major UHF systems and some regular R/C systems



### ● Single battery FPV system - less chance of failure!
At the heart of the TBS DISCOVERY PRO sits a new CORE integrated into the frame. It provides a rudimentary OSD and clean power distribution to the FPV camera (user installed), video transmitter (user installed), gimbal electronics, IMU board and gimbal motors, regardless of input voltage (2S-10S). It delivers up to 2A at 5V and 0.65A at 12V, though the 12V rail is powered from the 5V part to support a wide input voltage range, so make sure to leave enough headroom when picking gear. If you need more power than that you have to power your equipment (e.g. VTx, camera, LEDs) separate from another power source (supply pads +/- on bottom frame and/or additional voltage regulators)!
The frame includes a 50A current sensor which is connected directly to the CORE. If you are planning to fly with UHF, we made sure to cover the CORE with a tin shield to isolate the CORE nicely from the rest of the electronics on frame. Configuring the CORE is made easy via the readily available buttons on the top plate. This means that CORE is neatly tucked away and protected under the tin shield, while making changes can be done with a few button presses.

Note: If you draw more current than provided, the DC-DC board will shut down due to overheat/ overcurrent protection! This might occur when powering a powerful video transmitter. When that happens, you will not damage your DCDC but be aware that the video link/gimbal will experience drop-outs during thi s period. Test it on the ground for several minutes before you maiden your PRO with equipment other than TBS recommended gear.

6

### Frame layout The TBS DISCOVER PRO frame is designed to reduce wiring and clutter. With simplicity in mind, we put all the electronics for the CORE, brushless camera gimbal and camera switching nicely integrated onto the top and bottom plates. All connections for the brushless gimbal motors, gimbal IMU and GoPro feed is plug&play. Calibrating the gimbal and configuring the CORE is made easily accessible via 4 push-buttons. A plate-to-plate bottom link connector shares the required power and signals between the plates. There are also two blue LEDs to indicate the state of the CORE and gimbal controller. There is even a special EzUHF “OSD Link” connector for extended R/C uplink stats on the video display.

With the advent of PPM compatible receivers and flight controllers, setting up a multirotor was made really easy; just plug in a single cable into the flight controller. PPM essentially stacks all the channels after another in a sequentially stream requiring only one hardware pin, while the traditional PWM channels all require its own dedicated hardware pin.
The advantage of PPM really becomes apparent when paired up with additional controllers (e.g., gimbal.) By sharing the same PPM output, a controller can demux only the needed channels, for instance a flight controller can demux channel 1 to 4 for R/C control, while a gimbal controller can use channel 5 and 6 for tilt/roll. Compared to traditional PWM, this removes 5 servo-cables from the system and really simplifies the build process.

7

### Vibration free recordings The TBS DISCOVERY PRO is designed with a new vibration damping system where the gimbal rests on an array of 8+2 silicone mounts to form a push-pull compression system. This eliminates vibrations from propagating to the gimbal frame and HD camera.
We provide 5 rounds of damping balls (soft, medium, hard, harder, extra hard)) which are interchangeable and mixable to support a wide range of setups and scenarios. A late addition to the damping system was a lever arm on the back of the roll motor to reduce slow oscillating jolts from showing on the HD footage.

Think of the entire damping layout as accumulating hardness. The green damping balls are the softest, red the medium and orange the hardest. Vary between the colors and layouts, keeping the left and right half of the gimbal symmetrical to find the system that works for you. Top and bottom do not need to remain identical.
TBS can only ensure proper operation with the TBS-approved setup: 900kV motors, 9x5 Graupner propellers, TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs. All other layouts are subject to optimization. Use the provided damping balls to experiment to find an optimal combination. With a bit it testing, you will be able to get the “jello”-effect out of any setup. The drivetrain should be balanced and tracking before trying to reconfigure the damping balls. The primary culprit for vibrations are unbalanced propellers, followed closely by unbalanced motors/shafts and bad bearings. Fortunately, balancing them is a relatively easy task. TBS is offering a Prop Balancer for this purpose and more details on how to perform the procedure, please see our support forum section at fpvlab.com

.

8

### Long range photography Team BlackSheep are the undisputed kings of long range FPV. With the TBS DISCOVERY PRO you can make camera shots that rival those of real helicopters. You can chase BMX drivers down an entire slope. You can film boats and yachts from the shore. You can shoot breathtaking action scenes from the director's seat! Since you're piloting from the camera view, your skill is the limit.
We offer 2 basic setups, each with their different flavors of ranges. The TBS 5.8GHz FPV system gives you ranges between 500m (25mW) to 3km (600mW). Please make sure your 2.4GHz R/C can match this distance!
To fly further, we offer the EzUHF Tx & Rx long range control system and the Lawmate 2.4GHz long range video system. Compatible with all remote controls! With the 11dBi Yagi ranges of 10km or more are easily achieved. The battery life now is your limit. 

### Frequency choice Frequency choice depends on the ranges you want to fly. Using 5.8GHz video is an ideal frequency if you do not plan on flying far away from yourself or behind objects. It is compatible with 2.4GHz remote controls.
Using 2.4GHz video (TBS video frequency of choice) will give you nearly unlimited range and far superior link quality, but you can not use your 2.4GHz remote control on the same quad because of limited separation (it is no problem for our R/C buddies to fly with 2.4GHz remote controls next to you though!). You will need an EzUHF or any other UHF control system available on the market.
1.2GHz works very well in urban environments where the 2.4GHz band is completely polluted.
By using the same connector type across all transmission frequencies, the TBS eco-system allows quick and effortless switching between the frequencies.
Typical ranges (based on customer feedback) with omnidirectional antennas:

● Lawmate 2.4GHz 500mW - 4km

● TBS 5.8GHz 25mW - 400m

● TBS 5.8GHz 200mW - 1.4km

● Boscam/Foxtech/HobbyKing 5.8GHz 500mW - do NOT buy, bad design!

● Boscam/Foxtech/HobbyKing 5.8GHz 400mW - 2.5km

● ImmersionRC 5.8GHz 600mW - 2.5km
More range can be achieved by using higher gain (directional) antennas. With the 11dBi TBS Yagi on 500mW Lawmate 2.4GHz gear, 10km of range is no problem at all. The battery normally only lasts for 8km of flight (4km and return.)

9

### Video switching Another great feature of the TBS DISCOVERY PRO is the ability to switch the video feed between the live FPV pilot camera and the gimbal camera. Fly through the FPV camera to line yourself up for a shot and then switch to the GoPro footage to position the camera (2-axis). Depending on if it is a close flying area or wide open field, switch back to the FPV feed to maneuver the quadcopter. Pay attention when flying through the GoPro feed because the gimbal will make it hard to judge the quad’s attitude and flying direction.
Switching the video feed is done through a dedicated R/C channel on the receiver. Similarly, one or two slider switches on your R/C transmitter allows control over the 2-axis gimbal. Connect a servo-cable from the R/C receiver to the designated connectors on the top plate of the frame.


### Electronics installation The electronics installation is split into two sections; one for the R/C equipment and the second for the FPV gear. We recommend finishing and dry-testing the R/C system before moving on to the FPV section to simplify troubleshooting. A detailed overview diagram of the electronics installation is available as an appendix to this document.

Before adding the equipment to the frame it is a good idea to become familiar with the recommended positioning of the equipment, as shown in the image above.

108 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 - + S

PPM GimbalBottom link IMU/GoPro Roll Pitch VTX

CAM5V 12V

5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwrPwrGndAudioVideo
GP Out Sel VTX2 SwitchVbatGndVideo VTX2 Gnd Vcc Rx TxUART Gimbal

EzUHF RSSI Link Gimal Roll Gimbal Pitch Gimbal PPM

Camera switch Analog RSSI Flight controller PPM

+ -- --

+ --
+

-- PPM

+
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X3

## Choosing the right setup If you are just getting into the hobby and you have absolutely nothing, consider the following components to buy. Use these suggested setups as a “shopping list” if you are just getting started. Any existing gear you already own (e.g. remote controls, chargers, batteries) can be used with the TBS DISCOVERY PRO.
These setups, with the exception of the Camera Tripod and the Remote Control, are available from Team BlackSheep. Remote controls can be purchased at your local hobby shop, camera tripods are available from big electronics wholesalers or Ebay. 

### TBS DISCOVERY PRO setup for short range flights

● Expected flight time: 10-12 min

● Approximate cost: US$ 2’350 - US$ 2’750

● Experience level: Beginner to Expert

● Ideal for: Parks, R/C clubs, front lawns

R/C transmitter/receiver: Graupner MX-12 2.4GHz radio with bundled receiver (GR-6) or Futaba 8FG / 7C 2.4GHz radio with included receiver (R6208SB / R617FS ) Quadrotor equipment: 4x DJI Flame Wheel F450 arms 4x TBS BULLETPROOF 30A 5V SBEC speed controllers 4x TBS 900kV2 brushless motors 4x Graupner E-Prop 9x5-inch propellers 1x DJI NAZA-M flight controller (optional GPS add-on) Battery: TBS 4S (14.8V) 3300mAh - 4500mAh 35C Lipo pack Battery charger: Graupner Ultramat 14S (premium) or TBS B6AC 80W (budget)
FPV transmitter: TBS ROOKIE BOSCAM 5.8GHz 200mW video transmitter
FPV receiver: TBS RC508 5.8GHz video receiver or Dominator 5.8GHz module FPV pilot camera: TBS 59 or TBS 69 FPV camera FPV goggles: FatShark Dominator video glasses

HD camera: GoPro HD Hero 3 Black edition
Ground station accessories: TBS 3S 5000mAh Ground Station Lipo Camera Tripod to mount your gear (e.g. Cullmann Primax 150)

11

### TBS DISCOVERY PRO setup for long range flights

● Expected flight time: 10-12 min

● Cost range: US$ 2’500 - US$ 3’000

● Experience level: Expert

● Ideal for: Long, wide open fields, plains, coastlines and valleys or urban flying

R/C transmitter/receiver: Futaba 8FG / 7C or Graupner MX-12 radio + EzUHF 433MHz transmitter module and SRH-771 UHF antenna + EzUHF Lite 8-channel 433MHz receiver Quadrotor electronics: 4x TBS BULLETPROOF 30A 5V SBEC speed controllers 4x TBS 900kV2 brushless motors 4x Graupner E-Prop 9x5-inch propellers 1x DJI NAZA-M flight controller (optional GPS add-on) Battery: TBS 4S (14.8V) 3300mAh - 4500mAh 35C Lipo pack Battery charger: Graupner Ultramat 14S (premium) or TBS B6AC 80W (budget)
FPV transmitter: Lawmate 2.4GHz 500mW Video Tx (stock or tuned)
FPV receiver: Lawmate 2.4GHz Video Rx (stock or tuned) with 11dBi Yagi FPV pilot camera: TBS 59 or TBS 69 FPV camera FPV goggles: FatShark Dominator video glasses

HD camera: GoPro HD Hero 3 Black edition
Ground station accessories: TBS 3S 5000mAh Ground Station Lipo Camera Tripod to mount your gear (e.g. Cullmann Primax 150)

12

### Camera gimbal assembly Start by assembling the brushless gimbal. There are a few steps which requires extra attention to detail in order to get the desired silky smooth operation of the gimbal. These are outlined in the following sections.



### Vibration damping system Start by inserting the damping balls on the mounting plate and frame brackets. This makes it easier to install the main mounting plate later on.

● The kit includes 35 damping balls of varying elasticity. Play around with different combinations to find an optimal match which opposes/absorbs the vibrations from the frame. In general it is recommended to go as hard as possible up to the stage where vibrations/“jello” begin to propagate.

● The harder you go on the front mounting brackets, the softer you can go on the back lever plate.

● A list of suggested combinations are available below.

○ Green - soft silicone (5)

○ Red - medium silicone (10)

○ Orange - hard silicone (10)

○ Yellow - harder silicone (5)

○ Black - extra hard silicone (5)

13● On the main mounting plate, the cable for the motor will exit on the top notch and the plate needs to be oriented accordingly. Four of the top damping balls will face forward (toward the gimbal) holding the mounting bracket to the top frame, while the bottom four damping balls will point the opposite direction (backward) and hold the bottom end of the mounting bracket. This creates the ideal push-pull compression state where the gimbal rests nicely on the damping balls and allows them to operate under ideal conditions.

● Start out by using the recommended damping layouts shown below and experiment.

GoPro HD Hero1 and GoPro HD Hero2

Alternative #1 Alternative #2

GoPro HD Hero3 and GoPro HD Hero3+

Alternative #1 Alternative #2

14● Use a short length of a servo-wire or a piece of string to more easily feed the damping balls through the 16 holes on the base mounting plate and frame mounting brackets. Wrap the wire or string inside the groove of the balls, one or two turns, feed both ends into the hole, and pull through using a plier.

● The same applies for the lever arm, only this time it is best to start with lever then work on the plate.

15

### Gimbal assembly The gimbal screws use 1.5mm (M2), 2.0mm (M2.5) and 2.5mm (M3) hex screwdrivers. Keep the screws loose at the start and fully tighten them at the end of the assembly, this makes it easier to align all the parts. For a good secure fit, use a very small amount of light/medium strength threadlock on all metal-to-metal-screws.

● Begin by putting on the gimbal motors on the gimbal arm and black plate. For the tilt/right motor, make sure to align the motor cable so it protrudes hidden behind the inner side of the mount. Mount it with 4x M3x4mm hex screws. For the roll/rear motor, orient the motor so that shaft/cable is pointing away from the back mounting plate. Here, use 4x M2.5x6mm screws. Take note of the four adjustable mounting holes on the roll/rear motor, use these to balance the GoPro at the end of the build.

● Connect the 5-pin Molex connector to the TBS IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) board and feed the cable through the hole on the top gimbal cage plate. Align it with the two holes and use 2x M2.5x6mm screws to secure it.

● Attach the left side cage wall, bottom cage floor, and right side cage wall to the top cage plate using 8x M2.5x6mm screws. The axis shaft flange on both walls should face outwards and the notches for the cable zip-tie should be positioned up. This completes the central gimbal cage assembly.

● Next, put the bearing into the housing the left gimbal arm and use the long M2x12mm screw to compress the gap until the bearing stays in place - do not overtighten, just clamp the bearing.

16rev. 01. 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs Gimbal assembly diagram

(1) M3x4mm motor mount screws

(2) M2.5x6mm gimbal screws

(3) M2x12mm bearing clamp screw (4) M2x6mm grub screws

(2) (2)

(2)

(2) (2) (1) (2) (2)

(2) Note: Parts with the same number belong to the same group.

(5) M3x6mm lever-to-motor mount screws (4) M2.5x5mm frame
screws (4)● To minimize cable tension and friction, feed the 5-pin Molex connector through the bearing and slide the bearing over the flange on the left side of the gimbal cage (completed previously).

● Align the shrink tube pieces in such a fashion that there is no shrink tube on the inside corner of the cage or in the bearing channel. Feed the remainder of the 5-pin cable length through the hole on the left gimbal arm.

● Align and attach the roll/rear motor mounting plate to the left gimbal arm. Pass the 5-pin cable through the inner “U”-gap. Do the same for the right gimbal arm.

● Use the small 2x M2x6mm grub screws to secure the tilt/right motor shaft to the gimbal cage. This requires a 0.9mm hex (Allen) key. Align the two notches on the motor shaft with the grub screw holes. Ensure that both screws are properly tightened, but do not overtighten as the screws could strip.

● Strap down the cables using 4 zip-ties, use the designated holes around the inner bends of the gimbal arms and cage. The zip-tie on the cage for the IMU cable needs to be positioned with the zip-tie head facing backwards to avoid binding/hitting the left gimbal arm.

17● Continue by attaching the main damping mounting plate (completed previously) and back lever arm to the rear/roll motor. Align the cable with the notch in the mounting plate and secure it using 4x M3x6mm screws. Feed the remaining cables through the two oval holes on either side of the plate. Make sure the cables does not obstruct free movement or is under tension. Also check that the cage can move freely and there is no binding (rubbing) on either side.

● Mount lever arm with the flat surface with the holes pointing down. The lever plate should have the protruding thread holes also pointing down. This completes the gimbal arm and cage assembly!

18

### Post frame assembly

● Continue assembling the rest of the DISCOVERY PRO frame and at the end of the build, slide in the gimbal assembly, plug in the 3 cables for pitch, roll and IMU to the designated location and secure the gimbal using 6x M2.5x5mm frame (arm) screws. Double check that the right/tilt motor is connected to the “PITCH” connector and the back/roll motor to “ROLL”. The cables should move freely.

● Adjust the gimbal so that it is parallel and true to the frame. The arms and motors should not be tilting at an angle, looking from the side. Use the sliding position holes on the bottom plate to make the final adjustment.

● If the mounting brackets are slipping, add a washer to the screws to keep them in place.

● If the lever arm touches the flight controller when installed, either move the controller slightly or

19remove the spacer and two screws (these are not absolutely necessary).

● Finally, feed the GoPro gimbal velcro strap through the slots on the bottom cage mounting plate. Properly strapped down the GoPro before flying to reduce vibrations/jello on the footage. Adjust the balance on both the tilt and roll axis by moving the GoPro back/forth and adjusting the mounting screws on the motor behind the GoPro, respectively. With no power applied, the gimbal should stay perfectly still and not lean in either particular direction.

Important: Avoid rotating the gimbal multiple full turns on the tilt-axis. This puts tension on the IMU cable which in turn introduces counter-forces and interferes with the normal operation of the gimbal.

20

## Frame assembly The following sections will show you the essential steps to assembling the base of the frame and connect the electronics to the frame. In addition to the following assembly instructions, we have produced a both a summarized “ How To ” video and a full length “How to” build video showing the assembly and electronics installation. A full resolution image of the frame assembly is available as an appendix to this manual.



### Bottom plate Power distribution

● Start by pre-tinning (add solder to) the battery pads, speed controller pads, auxiliary power pads (for flight controller power), speed controller power leads and the battery pigtail. If needed, desolder and change the XT60 connector to your preferred connector of choice (e.g. Deans, EC5.)

● Cut the the battery pigtail to 14cm and pre-tin the ends. Solder the wires to the positive (red) and negative (black) pads located on the back-right side on the frame.

● Pick one of the available auxiliary power pads (smaller squares) and solder the flight controller power unit and/or voltage regulator(s) to the frame. We recommend the pads on the middle-left side.

211

1 2

2 3

3 4

4 5

5 6

6 7

7 8

8 A A B B C C D D E E F F

SHEET 1 OF 1 DRAWN

CHECKED

QA

MFG

APPROVED TBS Associates Inc 31.07.2013

DWG NO tbs_disc_pro_frame_assy TITLE

SIZE A2
SCALE REV (2) M2.5x5mm frame arm and gimbal screws (1) M3x6.5mm spacer screws

(7) Aluminium spacers (3) Pin header

(6) Fr ame arm (4) Top plate

(5) Bottom plate

(6) (6) (6)

(1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
(1)

(1) (1)
(2) (2) (1) (2)

(3)

Parts with the same number belong to the same type.

### Spacers

● Next, add the red spacers (posts) to the bottom frame plate using the supplied M3x6.5mm hex screws. Add a small drop of threadlock to help secure the frame. It is recommended to only apply on the bottom screws for easy repairs/maintenance.

● There are three spacer positions in the battery compartment to make it easy to balance (CG) the frame. The rear spacer position is great for 4S 3300-3700mAh packs, while the most forward position is great for larger 4S 4000-4500mAh packs (shown in the image below.) 

### Speed controllers

● Position the ESC with the label facing up. Solder the positive and negative leads on the speed controllers to the corresponding square pads on the bottom frame. The pads are located next to the two frame arm screw holes. Heat the solder pad, hold the cable in a slight angle (so both cables will form a “V”), remove the solder iron and keep still until the solder has had time to cool down and settle nicely.

● Calibrate the throttle range for each ESC individually (except for DJI and TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs) by connecting the ESC directly to the throttle channel on the receiver and setting the throttle stick high (Wide Open Throttle - WOT) on power-on and then low until a confirmation beep is heard (motors attached). The ESC has to be connected directly to the R/C receiver for this procedure to work. TBS is offering a handy calibration cable for this purpose. If you are using EzUHF, set WOT as failsafe to avoid start-up timing issues.

22● One important note for ESCs that do not carry the “OPTO” label or are not TBS BULLETPROOF designs, is that only one of the four ESCs should provide 5V BEC power to the flight controller. The middle red wire on the end connector should be disconnected on three of the ESCs. If the flight controller is providing power (e.g. NAZA-M PMU/V-SEN-unit), all ESC BECs should be disconnected. The reason for this is to avoid voltage oscillations caused by erroneous voltage-regulator feedback.

23

### Flight controller

● Decide whether you want to use traditional PWM or PPM/S.BUS control signal mode. The frame is laid out to work with both types of setups. As of writing, TBS suggests the DJI NAZA-M flight controller in PPM/S.BUS mode (together with a compatible receiver) and an optional GPS add-on (for return-to-home capability) for a clean wiring layout and great out-of-the-box experience.

● Plug in all the R/C and ESC servo-cables to the flight controller according to the flight controller instructions. Mount the unit on the bottom plate in the centre of the white rectangle. Use a self-adhesive foam pad (normally included) to mount the controller. Be sure to double check the orientation of the flight controller for proper operation.

● When using PPM/S.BUS, there is a handy easy-to-reach PPM header output located on the bottom frame. Also be sure the radio and receiver is properly mapping the channels in the PPM stream.

● For setup and tuning parameters of the flight controller, refer to the manufacturer manual or guides on fpvlab.com . See the table below for initial TBS recommended NAZA-M gains.

● (DJI NAZA only) Open NAZA Assistant and disable the “Voltage Monitor Protection”. This prevents the DISCOVERY PRO from prematurely descending on low battery. Use the CORE OSD to watch the battery condition instead. Never let the voltage go past 3.5V x cell count (i.e. 3S 10.5V, 4S 14.0V) or deplete the battery past 20% (e.g. max. 3600mA discharged on a 4500mAh battery pack.)

24● (DJI NAZA only) To save weight and space, the PMU (V2) can be disconnected and removed after the final configuration has been made. Although, 5V power still has to be provided from at least one of the ESCs. Start out using the following suggested gains for NAZA-M Autopilot and tune accordingly

. Setup Gain Pitch Roll Yaw Vertical
TBS 900kV2 9x5 4S4500mAh 30A Basic/manual 135% 129% 133% 176%
NAZA-M Lite Attitude 130% 130%
TBS 900kV2 9x5 4S4500mAh 30A Basic/manual 130% 100% 120% 120%
NAZA-M V2 Attitude 150% 150% Other drivetrains (general starting point) Basic/manual 130% 120% 110% 130%
NAZA-M V1/V2/Lite Attitude 130% 130%

Note: The pitch axis gain will in most cases be greater than the roll axis gain because of the inherent asymmetric design and weight distribution on the frame.



### Frame arms

● Install the frame arms on the four designated locations using the long-neck M2.5x5mm screws. Feed the speed controller wires through the gap between the frame arm and bottom plate.

● With the speed controllers soldered (completed previously) and frame arms mounted, use the zip-ties to mount the speed controllers to the underside of the arms. Avoid putting tension or stress on the motor- or speed controller-cables. Use a self-adhesive pad to mount any BEC or control unit (e.g. NAZA PMU/LED/V-SEN-unit.) to the underside of the back-left speed controller.

25● Feed the battery straps through the two slots in the battery compartment. Only one strap is really necessary to provide adequate friction to keep the battery fastened.

Optional: Use different colored frame arms for the front and back pair to make it easier to identify the orientation of the quadcopter in the air.



### Motors

● Mount the brushless motors to the frame arms using the supplied M3x6.5mm hex screws. There is no need to add an X-mount to the motors. Apply a small drop of medium threadlock to a secure the base. Feed the motor wires through the frame arm comb-pattern to minimize clutter.

26● Plug in the bullet-connectors to the speed controllers. Swap any two wires to change the direction of rotation if they do not rotate as shown below. See the image above for the most commonly used motor setup (e.g. NAZA-M.)

27

### Top plate R/C control signal headers

● To get a clean R/C receiver-to-flight controller wiring, it is recommended to use the header on the top plate. There are 8 traces to support up to equally many PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) channels. When using a PPM (Pulse Position Modulation) compatible receiver and flight controller, only one trace (Channel 1) is used.

● Solder the supplied pin header to the 8x3-pads and the single 1x3-header to the separate RSSI pad. Install the first header on the R/C receiver side (back-end) with the pins pointing up and, if you are using PWM control signals, solder the second header with the pins pointing down (towards the bottom plate/flight controller.) Use tape to keep the header in place while applying a reasonable amount of solder to all of the pins while applying heat. The flux in the solder will make the solder flow around the pins.

● The layout of the header is as follows:

○ channel 1 for PPM stream or channel 1 to 4 for PWM aileron/elevator/throttle/yaw control

○ channel 5 for PWM gimbal horizontal roll control (rarely needing adjustments)

○ channel 6 for PWM gimbal tilt pitch control

○ channel 7 for PWM flight mode selection (i.e. attitude, manual, GPS assisted)

○ channel 8 for PWM camera switch (i.e. fpv camera or GoPro feed)

○ a dedicated RSSI_ANALOG header for CORE OSD signal strength read-out

28● The channels with a text label, i.e. PPM, GIMBAL_ROLL, GIMBAL_PITCH, CAM_SWITCH and RSSI_ANALOG, has the signal pin ( ∏ ) hardwired directly to their respective electronics section on the top frame (i.e. flight controller PPM break-out, gimbal controller roll/tilt, camera switcher, and CORE RSSI signal). No further wiring is needed to enable those systems.

● Either gimbal channels and/or camera switch channel can be omitted if desired to free up channels (e.g. to use a 6/7 channel PWM receiver.) But you will of course lose direct control over those systems.

● See the “FPV gear and gimbal” in the electronics installation section for further details. 

### R/C receiver

● Plug in the short servo extensions on the header on the top plate and connect them to the R/C receiver. Use a self-adhesive foam pad to mount the unit to the back-end of the top plate. Mount the antenna(s) in a vertical and/or “V”-formation using nylon antenna tube(s).

● Channel 5, 6 and 8 pin headers can be used for other purposes (e.g., NAZA X1, X2) by disabling the gimbal R/C mapping via SimpleBGC (BaseCam) and/or camera switcher via CORE Menu.

R/C receiver Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4 Ch. 5 Ch. 6 Ch. 7 Ch. 8 Flight controller Aileron/P PM Elevator Throttle Rudder Gimbal Roll Gimbal Pitch Flight mode Camera switch

● When using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) signal from a compatible R/C receiver, use the header labeled RSSI_ANALOG to supply the signal directly to the CORE. Or, leave the header unused and connect the output to your OSD system of choice.

29CORE (Camera switcher) - Enable “SWITCH” in the menu CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” in the menu CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” in the “CAM” menu Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” source in SimpleBGC - CORE profile switching

only supports PWM

CORE (Camera switcher) - Enable “SWITCH” in the “CAM” menu

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” in the “CAM” menu

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” in the “CAM” menu RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link - Enable “LINK” in the “RSSI” CORE menu Flight controller - Enable “PPM” in NAZA Assistant R/C pin header R/C receiver - Configure “Muxed PPM” on CH1 and the camera switch (PPM 8) on CH8 in ImmersionRC Tools

PPM CH8 CH7 CH6 CH5 CH4 CH3 CH2 CH1 EzUHF

RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Flight mode Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron/PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link - Enable “LINK” in the “RSSI” CORE menu Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” source in SimpleBGC Flight controller - Enable “Traditional” in NAZA Assist. R/C pin header R/C receiver - Reset the servo mapping to default in ImmersionRC Tools

CH8 CH7 CH6 CH5 CH4 CH3 CH2 CH1 EzUHF

RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Flight mode Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron/PPM RSSI not officially supported by Futaba/Hitec/Graupner - Enable “ANALOG” in the “RSSI” CORE menu

Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” in SimpleBGC Flight controller - Enable “Traditional” in NAZA Assist. R/C pin header

R/C receiver 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Futaba/

Hitec

RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Flight mode Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron/PPM RSSI not officially supported by Spektrum/JR - Enable “ANALOG” in the “RSSI” CORE menu

Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” in SimpleBGC Flight controller - Enable “Traditional” in NAZA Assist. R/C pin header

R/C receiver (Tx set up as airplane) AUX3 AUX2 AUX1 GEAR RUD ELE AIL THR Spektrum /JR NAZA X3 X2 X1 U R T E A

NAZA X3 X2 X1 U R T E A

NAZA X3 X2 X1 U R T E A

NAZA X3 X2 X1 U R T E A RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link - Enable “LINK” in the “RSSI” CORE menu Flight controller - PPM: Use a jumper over the elevator and aileron channels R/C pin header R/C receiver - Configure “Muxed PPM” on CH1 and the camera switch channel to output CH8 in IMRC Tools

PPM CH8 CH7 CH6 CH5 CH4 CH3 CH2 CH1 EzUHF APM2 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Aux4 Aux3 Aux2 Aux1 F. mode Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron

RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Flight mode Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron/PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link - Enable “LINK” in the “RSSI” CORE menu R/C pin header R/C receiver - Reset the servo mapping to default in ImmersionRC Tools

CH8 CH7 CH6 CH5 CH4 CH3 CH2 CH1 EzUHF Flight controller - Secret trinket n/t

APM2 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Aux4 Aux3 Aux2 Aux1 F. mode Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron

RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

PPM R/C pin header R/C receiver - Ealier models use CH9 for PPM Configure CORE to use analog RSSI

PPM CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5 CH6 CH7 CH8 DragonLink RSSI CH12 CH11 CH10 CH9 Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” in SimpleBGC CORE (Camera switcher) - Enable “SWITCH” in the menu

RSSI analog
Camera switcher

Flight mode Gimbal pitch Gimbal roll

Rudder Throttle Elevator Aileron/PPM

CORE (Camera switcher) - Enable “SWITCH” in the menu Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” in SimpleBGC Flight controller - Secret trinket n/t R/C pin header

CH8 CH7 CH6 CH5 CH4 CH3 CH2 CH1 DragonLink CH9 CH10 CH11 CH12 RSSI R/C receiver - Configure CORE to use analog RSSI EzUHF - NAZA - PPM - RSSI Link

EzUHF - NAZA - PWM - RSSI Link

Futaba/Hitec - NAZA - PWM - Analog RSSI

Spektrum/JR - NAZA - PWM - Analog RSSI EzUHF - APM2 - PPM - RSSI Link

EzUHF - APM2 - PWM - RSSI Link

DragonLink - OpenPilot - PPM - Analog RSSI

DragonLink - OpenPilot - PWM - Analog RSSI TBS DISCOVERY PRO - Common receiver and flight controller setups

OpenPilotReceiverPort Flight controller - Secret trinket n/t

OpenPilotReceiverPort Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” source in SimpleBGC - CORE profile switching

only supports PWM

Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” source in SimpleBGC - CORE profile switching

only supports PWM● (EzUHF Rx 8ch only) The CORE can decode the digital RSSI signal from the receiver via the separate “OSD Link” port and display RSSI on each of the two antennas and overall signal quality (including packet loss) of the R/C uplink. A 5-pin Molex cable is included which plugs into the EZUHF_RSSI_LINK connector on the top plate. For this feature to work the CORE’s RSSI setting needs to be set to “LINK”. There is no need to calibrate the RSSI in this scenario. 

### Propellers

● Before adding the propellers it is a good idea to be sure they are balanced, as mentioned later on. To avert any chance of injury, leave the propellers off until the flight controller configuration has been completed.

● The only recommended propeller installation method is to use a precisely manufacturer prop adaptors (never prop-saver with o-ring.) The layering should be as follows; prop adaptor , optional reduction ring, propeller , washer and ( lock) nut . You can skip any bell screw as it may add unnecessary vibrations.

● The TBS 900kV motors have a 5mm prop shaft. This is compatible with Graupner 9x5-inch propellers. For Graupner 10x5-inch propellers you will need aluminium 8mm-to-5mm reduction spacers available separately.

● Try to match the motor and propeller to suit your particular need. For extended flight time try to achieve optimal efficiency. For agile-flight look at a responsive combination. Our general recommendations are listed in the table below.

● A thumb of rule would be that smaller props equals less flight time, and higher kV motors equals smaller props or lower battery cells count (than the reference below.) Note that 10-inch is the maximum propeller size that can fit on the DISCOVERY PRO.

Motor type Propeller Flight characteristic TBS 900kV brushless motor 9x5-inch Graupner type responsive, locked in 10x5-inch Graupner type long flight time



### Bottom link

30● Attach the the 9-pin plate-to-plate bottom link cable to the designated connector on the bottom plate. It carries carries current sensor signal, Vbatt, ground, +V5, +V12 up and PPM down. When closing the frame, plug in the cable to the corresponding connector on the top plate.

31

### FPV and gimbal gear The FPV gear is designed to be installed on the front section of the frame to achieve as much separation between the R/C- and FPV-radio environment as possible. Keep in mind that the former is listening while the latter is broadcasting. The quieter the receiving conditions are, the better range and system reliability will be. 

### CORE power supply

● To eliminate noise from causing problems on the FPV-side of the system, a properly filtered TBS CORE is integrated right into the frame. It is made to provide selectable 12V (0.65A max.) or 5V (2A max.) to the video transmitter and FPV camera via on-board solder pads. The CORE and R/C power rails are completely separated and is by design not dependent on either system in order to function properly. Interference and noise from the driver train is isolated nicely from the rest of the electronics on the frame.

● Configure the required voltage for your FPV gear by soldering a dab to the pads labeled VTX and CAM on the top plate (as shown in the pictures above.) The frame already comes pre-configured for 5V video transmitters and 12V FPV cameras. Adjust the output voltage by soldering the middle pad and either side pad for 12V or 5V. Do not solder all three pads (short-circuit.)

● When you first power up the CORE, it will ask you to cycle through the buttons “DWN”, “ENTR” and “UP” accordingly to verify that they work properly. This is also a good time to get familiar with the CORE menu layout.

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# CORE menu layout

Button Enter

use upXT60 

### TBS CORE PNP PRO installation diagram for TBS DISCOVERY PRO

VTXBottom link IMU/GoPro Roll Pitch VTX

CAM5V 12V 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwrPwrGndAudioVideo
GP Out Sel VTX2 SwitchVbatGndVideo VTX2

Pilot camera TBS CORE PNP PRO CAM BST

RSSI BST VTX LINK

B-PWR

USB UP ENTER DN

Current sensor1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

S + - RSSI_ANALOG CAM_SWITCH
GIMBAL_PITCH GIMBAL_ROLL

PPM 

# DISCOVERYXT60XT60 PWR IN

BST PWR OUT VAudioVideoGndPwrVbatGnd V TX 2 

# R YBottom plateTop plate

From battery TBS CORE PNP PRO unit

Note: no power or audio lead (available separately)

Caution: do not use the normal CAM-cable to connect the CORE PRO to the DISCOVERY PRO (two voltage sources conflict)XT60 Note: mount unit in center of the bottom plate, on top of the flight controller (NAZA), or on the left side on the bottom plate June 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs

Note 1: disable the on-board DISCOVERY PRO OSD in the CORE menu using the buttons on the top plate - else the OSDs will overlap. CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5 CH6 CH7 CH8 EzUHF receiver (if used) GPS module (optional)

Note 2: the pilot camera and GoPro HD camera switching is still performed by the on-board TBS DISCOVERY PRO CORE.

Note 3: since there are now essentially two COREs, you can solder the jumper on the GoPro adapter board to enable charging at 1A rate.
Note 4: to save weight and bulk, consider removing the plastic case for the current sensor and connectors on one or both sides. Left side● The solder pads next to the sockets can be used to connect your gear, but try to connect your FPV camera and video transmitter via the Molex connectors on the board. With that, you will not risk ripping off the pads from the frame when pulling too heavy on a cable. Modify our cable harness when using other than TBS suggested gear.

● A pre-installed tin shield makes the DC-to-DC switching voltage conversion part of the CORE isolated from the rest of the electronics on frame.

● A full menu layout of the CORE menu system is available as an appendix to this manual.


### Pilot camera

● Use the supplied camera plate to mount the pilot camera. The mounting pattern is designed to be compatible with most standard 32x32 mm board cameras. You might need to break-away excessive board support. Either use two small zip-ties, rubber bands or four M2x15mm screws and nuts (not supplied) to mount the camera (use threadlock.)

● Plug in the cable connector for the camera and insert the tabs on the top and bottom of the camera frame in the corresponding routed gaps on the frame. For a secure mount, you can add solder to the three exposed solder spots, or leave it for easy hot swapping in the field.

33● Decide whether you can use the supplied wires and connector socket on the top frame or connect the camera and video transmitter via the round solder pads. The supplied picoblade Molex cable “5V VTx” are designed to work with the TBS GREENHORN, TBS ROOKIE, Lawmate video transmitters, and the supplied “12V CAM” cable with the TBS59/TBS69 cameras respectively. You can of course modify and solder the wires to suit your specific need. The connector wire color and signal arrangement is shown in the picture previously, where yellow is video, white is audio, red is power and black is ground.

34

### Video transmitter

● Put the video transmitter close to the front on the top plate. Use zip-ties and/or self-adhesive foam pads to fit the transmitter. TBS offers a custom made mounting bracket for easy vertical install over the front-right frame arm. To avoid possible video interference, be sure to use a foam or gel pad between the frame and VTx unit to reduce exposure to vibration.

● The kit includes a small JST cable which is compatible with Lawmate 500mW VTx as well as our TBS GREENHORN and TBS ROOKIE. For FatShark VTx you need to cut the cable and solder your FatShark cable onto it. The connector wire color and signal arrangement is shown in the picture above.

● Powerful video transmitters, such as the ImmersionRC 5.8GHz 600mW or more powerful VTx, must be powered directly from the bottom frame (small +/- pads) to avoid overdriving the CORE. Test this a few minutes on the ground and verify that the CORE does not reboot which indicates a thermal protection shutdown/overcurrent.

35Note: Connecting a video transmitter directly to a shared battery source may induce interference on the video image. Consider adding a filter between the solder pad and video transmitter. 

### TBS DISCOVERY / DISCOVERY PRO - Video transmitter (VTx) setups

+
-- Boscam VTx

FatShark/ImmersionRC VTx TBS/Lawmate VTx

Racewood VTx · 2.4G 500mW · 5.8G 200mW, 400mW, 500mW

· 5.8G 25mW, 250mW · 5.8G 600mWGND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - GreyVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red · 1.2G 500mW · 2.4G 100mW, 200mW, 500mW · 5.8G 25mW (TBS Greenhorn), 200mW (TBS Rookie), 500mW (TBS Boss)

· 1.2G 1000mW · 2.4G 1000mW · 1.3G 500mW

5.8GHz 600mW A/V Tx

VTX 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwrGND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - GreyVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red FatShark 5.8GHz 250mWBATT - RedGND - BlackAUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - Black FatShark 5.8GHz 250mW

+
-- VTX 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwr 5V - Red GND - Black AUD - White VID - Yellow

GND - Black AUD - White 12V - Red VID - Yellow VID - Yellow AUD - White GND - Black 5V - Red

GND - Black AUD - White 12V - Red VID - Yellow Supply voltage: 12-14V (3S)

Supply voltage: 7-17V (2S-4S) Supply voltage: 6-25V (2S-6S) Supply voltage: 5.0-5.5V (all)

Supply voltage: 12V Supply voltage: 9.5-12.5V (3S)

+
-- VTX 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwr +
-- VTX 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwr

+
-- VTX 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwr +
-- VTX 5V 12VAudioVideoGndPwrGND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - GreyVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red Supply voltage: 6-16V (2S-4S) 5.8GHz 25mW A/V Tx VID - Yellow AUD - White GND - Black 5V - Red TBS 5G VTXBATT - RedGND - BlackAUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - Black Supply voltage: 12-14V (3S)

! !

Battery voltage Battery voltage

Battery voltage Battery voltage

Battery voltage

Battery voltage 12V 5V

Connect directly ŽŶůLJŽŶϯ^ďĂƩĞƌLJΎ !

* On 4S+ setups where 12V is not available, consider using a dedicated TBS CORE PNP to supply power to the video transmitter. Connect directly ŽŶůLJŽŶϯ^ďĂƩĞƌLJΎ ! Connect directly ŽŶůLJŽŶϯ^ďĂƩĞƌLJΎ ! rev. Feb 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs

### Brushless gimbal controller

● Plug in the 3 Molex cables for the pitch- and roll-motors, as well as the IMU board, into the connectors labeled “PITCH”, “ROLL”, and “IMU” located near the front on the top plate.

● The controller comes pre-configured with PID gains which are fine-tuned for use with a GoPro HD Hero3 and no additional accessories (lens protection or housing.) Tuning may be necessary (PID, power) when using an older GoPro model or different add-ons. Also make sure to balance both axis by moving the GoPro back or forth until it stays still independent of how you rotate/leave it.

● Additional configuration can be done using the SimpleBGC software package via the micro USB connector on the right-side of the top frame. The CORE uses dual profile switching (described later in the manual) which means that all essential flight tuning should be done in both profiles.

● The gimbal controller has two dedicated channels (RC_PITCH, RC_ROLL) brought out on the top plate R/C header (channel 5 and 6) which can be used to position the GoPro image. This means that you can assign a knob or slider on the radio to control pitch and roll of the gimbal.

36● If the camera gimbal is not level at start-up , move the gimbal and quad to a perfectly level position (use a bubble leveler) and press the “GIMBAL CAL.” button on the top plate for 3-5 seconds until the gimbal motors release. Wait for the blue LED to stop blinking and motors to lock again. Ensure that the gimbal is perfectly still and straight during this calibration process.

● If the gimbal still drifts, recalibrate the sensors by turning any UHF or video transmitters, plugging in power, connecting the frame to SimpleBGC, then propping up the gimbal so it stays level and still. Then click “CALIB. ACC”, wait for it to finish, click “WRITE”, and then click “CALIB. GYRO” and “WRITE”.

● To further fine-tune the accelerometer, perform the 4 position calibration by setting both POWER to 0 and clicking “CALIB. ACC” after each time you position the gimbal face forward , face down , face up and face backwards . And only at the very end re-enable the POWER settings and commit the calibration data by clicking “WRITE”. See the SimpleBGC manual for further details.

● Gyro calibration is very sensitive. If you are in a skyscraper, considering going to the ground floor for this calibration. Do not use unstable surfaces, such as lightweight tables or wooden floors for calibration. You only need to do this once in a while or when moving to an entirely new geographical location. The calibration directly influences how well the gimbal performs.

● The gimbal controller is PPM compatible (no S.BUS support) and the channel 1 trace on the top plate is integrated directly to the controller chip. To enable PPM gimbal, you need to close the solder pads labeled “PPM GIMBAL” on the top plate, enable “PPM-Sum” and assign the right channels via the SimpleBCG software. Remember to remove any servo-cables between the receiver and the header channel 5 and 6, as any PWM signal would cause conflict.

● Note that in PPM mode, the CORE can not switch profiles because it relies on the gimbal controller to be PWM configured. We suggest that you use a channel on your radio to switch profiles.


### Camera switcher

● Switching video downlink feed is now possible via a dedicated R/C channel on the radio, e.g., a 2-position toggle switch. Connect a servo-cable from the receiver to the R/C header (channel 8). The video switcher will change input when the PWM-period passes the 1520 μ s center point (50%). No further sub-trim should be necessary. The failsafe setting depends on your receiver configuration.

● To enable the camera switcher functionality (off by default), press the “ENTR” button on the top plate for 4-5 seconds and toggle to the “CAMERA TYPE" menu and select "SWITCH".

● When using PPM for R/C and/or gimbal control, the camera switching still has to be hooked up to PWM. Fortunately, most receivers still output PWM on the remaining receiver pins when in PPM mode. It only requires one additional servo-cable to CAM_SWITCH (ch8) to enable switching.

● Set the GoPro recording mode to match your FPV camera; 25p/50p equals PAL, 30p/60p equals NTSC. This allows for faster transitions and no garbled screen because the viewing device (display, goggles) does not need to switch video format.

● The GoPro jumper selector called “GP OUT SEL” is by default set to camera switcher and no further soldering is necessary. For more information, refer to dual-pilot support later (advanced.)

37

### GoPro link

● With video switching now possible on the DISCOVERY PRO, the kit includes a small adaptor which plugs into the GoPro 30-pin bus connector to provide video output and the possibility to charge the GoPro while in flight. The charging is disabled by default and it is only recommended to enable the “500mA/1A” solder bridge if you are certain the CORE will not be overloaded.

● After assembling the camera gimbal frame, plug in the 3-pin molex connector from the GoPro adaptor to the gimbal IMU board. The IMU board just passes the video signal straight through to the CORE/video switcher input, in an uncluttered fashion.

● (Advanced users only) There is even a component you can add on the board to be able to change the charging rate from 1A to 0.5A continuous. To reduce the charging rate, order the IC part NCP380HSN05AAT1G from Mouser or Digi-Key and solder the IC to the unoccupied pads on the adaptor board (adequate soldering skills needed.) 

### OSD (On Screen Display)

● You can use the integrated OSD to get live readout on screen about the battery voltage (V), current draw (A), total current consumption (mAh), receiver signal strength (%) and flight time (minutes:seconds). This gives an essential overview of the system vitals while in flight.

38● The OSD is enabled by default, to disable it completely hook up video and press the “ENTR” button on the top plate for 4-5 seconds, toggle to the “OSD" menu and select "OSD OFF".

● In the picture above the video feed is switched to the GoPro camera. Notice how the OSD adapts to the GoPro margins. The EzUHF RSSI Link was used here, allowing additional details to be displayed (diversity signal strength, link quality, packet loss.)

● As a side note, as soon as the RSSI figures get towards -90 or the link quality drops below 80%, it is a good time to turn around (whichever comes first.)

● To read the R/C receiver signal strength (RSSI), connect a servo-cable between the receiver and the designated RSSI_ANALOG header on the top plate. All major FPV R/C system vendors support either analog or digital (PWM) RSSI output. For EzUHF owners, the CORE also supports “OSD Link”. Enter the CORE menu to select the right RSSI type for your receiver and calibrate the max. (radio on) and min. (radio off) value.

● The bottom plate includes an on-board current sensor in-line with the battery supply. Configure the CORE to use the 50A current sensor. The sensor can also be tuned (in % increments) to more accurately display current consumption (mAh), i.e. at the end of a flight if it was 1% too high, adjust it down 1%. The same kind of adjustments can be made for the battery voltage (in 0.1V increments.) The current sensor output is compatible with similar OSD systems. (Advanced users only) Limited instructions on how to install the TBS EzOSD on the PRO can be found later in this manual.

● Coupling current sensor and RSSI input directly on-board makes for a clutter-free OSD setup and clean build. A full menu layout of the CORE is available as an appendix to the manual.

● Lastly, when all the R/C and FPV gear is installed connect the 9-pin top-bottom link cable and close the frame. Use the remaining spacer and frame arm screws to secure the frame.

Note: Digital RSSI and Camera switch share the source pin with each other. If you use the Camera switch yo u can only use analog RSSI or the link input from EzUHF receiver.

39

## Brushless gimbal stabilization Integrated gimbal controller Setting up a gimbal the right way can be a daunting task, fortunately we licensed the SimpleBGC firmware (AlexMos) and the SimpleBGC hardware layout from Viacopter. The controller has all the parameters pre-set and gains tuned by TBS for a great out-of-the-box experience.
The gimbal controller is fully embedded into the frame ( a world's first), no soldering or software configuration required. Just plug in the motors and IMU, and you are good to go. The on-board USB port connects to your PC for future firmware upgrades and custom configuration.
If you want to apply updates and make adjustments to the gimbal, download the SimpleBGC and SiLabs CP210x driver package ( www.simplebgc.com ), plug in battery power, and connect the DISCOVERY PRO to a Windows computer via a micro USB cable (e.g., from the NAZA-M or a mobile phone.) Extensive details of the brushless controller is available in the SimpleBGC manual.
DISCOVERY PRO utilizes two profiles, one silent profile (Profile 1), to keep the gimbal quiet while on ground and one noisy profile (Profile 2). The CORE MCU will detect when main motor starts (current consumption >3A) and switch from the silent to noisy profile automatically. If you change something in SimpleBGC you have to do the change on both profiles . If you want to change your in-flight values you have to do this on Profile 2.
The following table shows the suggested PID and power controller gains for a GoPro HD Hero3&3+ mounted on the gimbal. Download the factory settings from bit.ly/tbsprosettings

.

Axis P I D Power Poles Inverted FC Gain
Roll 12 0.1 9 175 14 Yes 0
Pitch 14 0.1 9 173 14 No 0
Other essential settings: Axis TOP to -Z, RIGHT to Y, skip gyro calibration at startup CHECK, gyro trust 100, and PWM frequency to HIGH (silent) for Profile 1 and LOW for Profile 2, ROLL to RC_ROLL, PITCH to RC_PITCH, CMD to EXT_ROLL, RC control ROLL to -30/30/CHECK/3/UNCHECK/10/0% and PITCH to -90/90/CHECK/3/UNCHECK/10/0%.

40

### HD camera The GoPro HD Hero camera is the most commonly used HD recording camera (as of writing) for sport purposes, thanks to its wonderful high-quality picture and compact size. The TBS DISCOVERY PRO was designed around the GoPro to take advantage of its great features.
Consider using the GoPro settings in the tables below for “no-prop-in-view” footage. Adding a ND filter to the front of the GoPro will also help slowing down the shutter speed and reduce “jello”.

GoPro HD Hero1:

Video format: NTSC (or PAL to match pilot camera) to get 30fps
Video resolution: 1080p 30fps (medium angle) for 10x5-inch props 720p 30fps (wide angle) for 9x5-inch props

GoPro HD Hero2:

Video format: NTSC (or PAL to match pilot camera) to get 30fps
Video resolution: 1080p 30fps high quality video Video angle: Medium (127 degrees) for 10x5-inch props Wide (170 degrees) for 9x5-inch props

GoPro HD Hero3/3+:

Video format: NTSC (or PAL to match pilot camera) to get 30/60fps
Video resolution: 1080p 60fps (or 30fps) less chance of “jello” Video angle: Medium (127 degrees) for 10x5-inch props Wide (170 degrees) for 9x5-inch props

41

## Center of Gravity optimization

● A properly balanced multirotor will distributing the weight (mass) equally over the four motors. The mark on the bottom plate is the Center of Thrust (CT, CoT) mark and the Center of Gravity (CG, CoG) spot is 15mm forward of this mark. When holding the frame in the air at the CG spot it should ideally be level and not dip to either side.

● After completing the build and loading up the frame, adjust the CG over the lateral (pitch) axis by primarily moving the battery pack forward or backward. You might need to move the middle two frame spacers to accommodate the battery. The CG over the longitudinal (roll) axis should be in the center of the frame front-to-back and should only need slight adjustments.

● When the frame is out of balance some motors are going to have to work harder than others and you will have less authority in a given axis due to the fact that one or more motors are already working more than normally required. Small balance variations are countered very well by the flight controller and should not cause any problems.

● If the quadcopter is too nose heavy it will bob up and down in forward flight and if it is too tail heavy it will get very twitchy and hard to fly.

● As a side note, the flight controller does not need to be over the CG spot. It should be mounted in the center of the white rectangular lines on bottom plate.

42Median

MedianCenter of Gravity Center of Thrust rev. 08. 2013 - by ivc.no/tbs 

### Center of Gravity diagram

### Dual-pilot support (ADVANCED USERS ONLY!) Split dual-pilot support is possible in situations where a separate operator for piloting the quad and camera is preferred. Extra equipment is needed for the extra video link and R/C control uplink (2-axis gimbal and yaw adjustments.) Installation of the video transmitter and R/C receiver follows the same basic setup principles described previously.

Connect the second video transmitter to location labeled VTX2 (GND, VBatt!!, Video.) The GoPro output selector jumper works like this; the middle and right pads are connected by default from the factory, transferring the Gopro image to the camera switcher. To use a second transmitter, cut the trace in between the two pads. This can be done with a sharp knife. Use a multimeter to verify that the two pads are entirely separated. Now connect the left and middle pad with a dab of solder, this diverts the GoPro image to the Video pad.

● Single operator - For reference, the following diagram shows the normal “all-in-one” setup where one operator maneuvers quad and controls video positioning.

43● Dual operator - Introducing a separate video operator for the gimbal roll and tilt control requires one additional video transmitter and R/C receiver. Disable the video switcher, cut the trace between the two “GP OUT SEL” jumper pads and solder the left pad to the middle.

● Dual operator with yaw authority - To give the video operator the ultimate freedom over framing and picture positioning, swap the responsibility for yaw control over to the the video operator. This requires good piloting skills and continuous communications back and forth to practice safe maneuvering and flight.

44

## TBS EzOSD installation (ADVANCED USERS ONLY!) The TBS EzOSD/IMRC EzOSD is not officially supported, but it can be installed by users understanding who understand the risks and void of warranty.

● Following these instructions will give you EzOSD on-screen while viewing the FPV camera and a clear uncluttered picture when switching to the GoPro camera.

● First, enter the CORE menu via the buttons and set CAM TYPE to SWITCH and OSD to OSD OFF.

● Connect the GoPro as normal to the top plate. Connect the FPV camera to the IN port of the EzOSD (PWR, GND, VID, AUDR - if you want audio ) and connect the OUT port to the CAM connector (PWR, GND, VID, AUDR) on the DISCO PRO frame.

● Then, you need to connect the video transmitter (VTx) to DISCO PRO VTX port (PWR, GND VID, AUD) as you normally would. If the VTx is high power and has an on-board regulator, power it from the unregulated points on the bottom plate (+/- pads), otherwise use the regulated CORE 5V/12V directly from the VTX frame connector.

● For the EzOSD current sensor you need to add an extension from the current sensor's "BAT" input to the battery. You will not be able to use the standard pigtail as that will be too short. From the “ESC” (+) output you will need to solder to the “BATTERY” (+) input on the PRO. From the “ESC” (-) output you can go to the “BATTERY” (-) input (bottom side of the frame) or solder directly to one of the ESC's (-) pads on the PRO. This essentially keeps the battery pigtail nicely in place, puts the current sensor (positive lead) in-line with the battery and the powers the 5V regulator (negative lead) for the EzOSD and unregulated TX power out of the current sensor.

● Install the OSD Link 4-pin EzBUS5 cable between the EzOSD and EzOSD Current Sensor, and optionally to the EzUHF OSD Link port via a split Y-cable (no ground connected.)

● Removing the shunt practically disables the CORE automatic gimbal profile switching (no CORE current sensing available) and all gimbal tuning should be done on Profile 1 from now on.

45

## Flight First flight Check that the flight battery and transmitter battery is fully charged. Make sure all the screws on the frame and the propellers are spinning the correct direction and secured, and that the battery strapped down. Balance the quadcopter around the Center of Gravity (CG) spot by repositioning the battery. Make sure the gimbal is positioned perfectly level and flat against the frame. It has to be calibrated at least once to get good level reference.
Find an wide open location free from obstacles, dust and distractions (e.g., garden or park.) The flight conditions should be calm with only a light breeze. Flip the flight mode switch to “Attitude” mode and execute the stick combination to arm the flight controller (e.g., for NAZA left stick to bottom-left and right stick to bottom-right.) Slowly raise the throttle stick and when the propellers start to spin, make sure they rotate in the right direction and the propeller type is correct (right-hand or left-hand turn.)


### Takeoff With all the essentials checked, stand behind the quadcopter with the gimbal facing away from you. Raise the throttle to about 50% where the quadcopter should start to lift-off and hover. Control the hover by primarily using the aileron and elevator sticks. Remember, only small stick movements. If the stick works in the opposite direction than expected, invert the channel and watch the flight controller monitor to confirm.
Let go of the sticks and observe if it drifts in either direction. Compensate by adding 2 or 3 clicks of trim on the radio in the opposite direction (only in Attitude mode). If the quadcopter still drifts, land, put the frame on a level surface, balance the frame and cycle the power to the flight controller to re-initialize the gyro calibration. Perform at least 5 flights in low altitude and easy pace to allow any hardware defects to manifest itself.


### FPV After the quadcopter has been tweaked to stay still in a hover and fly true, turn on the FPV equipment and do a range test to verify that the video link is reliable. Visual inspect the area to pick out noteworthy landmarks and use these to orient yourself once your are in the air. Get a friend or assistant to be your spotter during the entire session. While still flying line of sight (LOS), takeoff and hover the quadcopter as normal, attain reasonable altitude, and with the video goggles ready on your head, put them on (or turn to the display) to engage in FPV flight. If the picture gradually weakens (noise blends in) or video suddenly drops, increase altitude and return to home, as this normally indicates that you fly at the edge of the video range or behind obstacles, respectively.

46

## Good practices We have compiled a list of all of the things that have been tried and tested in countless environments and situations by TBS crew and other experienced FPV pilots.
Follow these simple rules, even if rumors on the internet suggest otherwise, and you will have success in FPV.

● Start with the bare essentials and add equipment one step at a time, after each new equipment was added to proper range- and stress tests.

● Do not fly with a video system that is capable of outperforming your R/C system in terms of range.

● Do not fly with a R/C frequency higher than the video frequency (e.g. 2.4GHz R/C, 900MHz video).

● Monitor the vitals of your plane (R/C link and battery). Flying with a digital R/C link without RSSI is dangerous.

● Do not use 2.4GHz R/C unless you fly well within its range limits, in noise-free environments and always within LOS. Since this is most likely never the case, it is recommended to not use 2.4GHz R/C systems for longer range FPV.

● Do not fly at the limits of video, if you see noise in your picture, turn around and buy a higher-gain receiver antenna before going out further.

● Shielded wires or twisted cables only, anything else picks up RF noise and can cause problems.

● When using powerful R/C transmitters, make sure your ground station equipment is properly shielded.

● Adding Return-To-Home (RTH) to an unreliable system does not increase the chances of getting your plane back. Work on making your system reliable without RTH first, then add RTH as an additional safety measure if you must.

● Avoid powering the VTx directly from battery, step-up or step-down the voltage and provide a constant level of power to your VTx. Make sure your VTx runs until your battery dies.

● Do not power your camera directly unless it works along the complete voltage range of your battery. Step-up or step-down the voltage and provide a constant level of power to your camera. Make sure your camera runs until your battery dies.

● A single battery system is safer than using two dedicated batteries for R/C and FPV. Two batteries in parallel even further mitigate sources of failure.

● For maximum video range and “law compatibility”, use 2.4GHz video with high-gain antennas.

● When flying with R/C buddies that fly on 2.4GHz, or when flying in cities, it is perfectly possible to use 2.4GHz video provided you stick to the channels that do not lie in their band (CH5 to CH8 for Lawmate systems, available from TBS).

● Do not use diversity video receivers as a replacement for pointing your antennas, diversity should be used to mitigate polarization issues.

● Improving the antenna gain on the receiver end is better than increasing the output power (except in RF-noisy areas). More tx power causes more issues with RF on your plane. 500mW is plenty of power!

47● Try to achieve as much separation of the VTx and R/C receiver as possible to lower the RF noise floor and EMI interference.

● Do not buy the cheapest equipment unless it is proven to work reliably (e.g. parts falling off, multitudes of bug fix firmware updates, community hacks and mods are a good indicator of poor quality and something you do NOT want to buy for a safe system). Do due diligence and some research before sending your aircraft skyward.

48

## Troubleshooting

● Issue: Horizontal lines in pilot video downlink Solution: If there are lines in the video during flight that disappear as soon as you land, your video transmitter is exposed to too much vibrations. Memory foam in conjunction with the Flame Wheel VTx mount will take out the vibrations in an instant and give you crystal-clear video.

● Issue: Motor(s) doesn’t start Solution: It is probably a lazy start syndrome, some information on that is available here: bit.ly/15wNLk4 . You should calibrate your ESC throttle endpoints, details on how to perform this: bit.ly/110deyX . We have a calibration cable available which speeds up the process. Please remember to remove the props before doing that.

● Issue: Can the TBS EzOSD be installed on the DISCOVERY PRO? Solution: It requires taking the VTx output and feeding it to the EzOSD and removing the shunt resistor. For instructions, look at this post: bit.ly/1a2r6xg

.

● Issue: Can the GoPro camera be charged from the frame? Solution: If you don't use the internal power supply from the TBS CORE for your VTx (e.g. a VTx with an included power supply) there is enough 5V power available to charge the GoPro. In this case TBS has conveniently located a soldering pad to activate the charging feature.

● Issue: After switching video from GoPro to pilot camera, video is rolling and desynced Solution: Set the GoPro recording mode to match your FPV camera. 25p if you are using PAL, 30p if you are using NTSC. This allows faster transitions between the two cameras because the viewing device does not need to switch between PAL and NTSC.

● Issue: I can't connect to the Gimbal using the SimpleBGC software Solution: Ensure that the SiLabs CP210x drivers are installed, download them from bit.ly/bi3or4

.

● Issue: The gimbal motor does not feel securely tightened or spins freely without any movement on the gimbal (tilt axis) Solution: Pull off the bell and roughen the motor shaft with a low grit sand paper or a file to cause a rough surface. Add a drop of Loctite or CA glue to the shaft and slide the motor bell back on. Let the glue dry.

49● Issue: Gimbal controller displays a blue light and motors not engaging Solution: Try to connect your PRO to the SimpleBGC UI software and check what message you get there. There is possibly a bad connection between the top plate and the gimbal IMU. Check the connection by verifying the voltage at the IMU when everything is plugged in:

● Issue: The gimbal drifts or doesn't center properly Solution: Install the SimpleBGC Software ( www.simplebgc.com ), level the gimbal on a heavy and sturdy table and fix it using a thin book or similar. Turn off any UHF transmitters and disconnect any video transmission devices. Ensure there are no vibrations on the table. Remove the camera and strap from the Gimbal, as it simplifies levelling the gimbal. Connect the battery. The gimbal will try to "fight" - do not worry about this it will not overheat the motors unless being kept running for extended periods of time. Connect the micro USB to the top plate, and select "Connect" in the software. Now select "Acc. Calibration" and wait for the motors to regain power. Then select "Gyro calibration". If these steps have been done correctly, the gimbal will now lock dead center. You can remove whatever you used to support the Gimbal and it will hold its position.

● Issue: The gimbal stutters or moves in jerky motion Solution 1: Has the USB port been plugged in while the battery was disconnected? Unplug the USB, then plug in the battery, and subsequently connect the USB plug again. Solution 2: The IMU may be under tension, which prevents the gimbal from rotating freely. Loosen the zip-ties of the IMU cable and give them some “play”, especially around the ball-bearing area.

● Issue: Video signal resets every few seconds Solution: Too much current is being drawn from the CORE causing it to go into shutdown mode. The video transmitter should be powered from a separate power source. Use a 5V or 12V BEC and connect it to the + and - pads on the bottom plate.

50

## Recommended parts Below is a list of compatible R/C and FPV gear for the TBS DISCOVERY PRO quadrotor. This will hopefully make it easier to pick up spare parts and upgrades. 

### Power sets

TBS 900kV2 Motor / ESC Combo For the more sophisticated, agile-flight loving pilot or for those requiring super-vibration-resistant and high quality
motors.

● 4x TBS BULLETPROOF 30A ESC (flashed with SimonK Firmware)

● 4x TBS 900kV2 Motor with M5 prop mount hubs


### Individual parts Motors

● TBS 900KV2 or Tiger Motors MT2216-10/11 900KV brushless motor (5mm shaft)

● DJI 2212 920KV brushless motor (8mm shaft)

● Sunnysky 2216-12 800KV brushless motor 

### Speed controllers

● TBS 30A Multicopter SimonK firmware speed controller

● DJI OPTO 30A no-BEC speed controller

● Tiger Motors 18A BEC speed controller

● HobbyKing F-20A or F-30A BEC programmable ESC with SimonK firmware 

### Flight controller

● DJI NAZA-M V1/V2/Lite with optional GPS

● OpenPilot CopterControl 3D

● APM2 Arduino-based autopilot controller 

### R/C Transmitter/Receiver

● Futaba 8FG / 7C with included receiver R6208SB / R617FS

● Graupner MX-12 radio with included GR-6 receiver

● ImmersionRC EzUHF 8ch Diversity receiver

● ImmersionRC EzUHF 8ch Lite receiver

51

### Propellers

● Graupner E-Prop 9x5-inch propellers

● Graupner E-Prop 10x5-inch propellers

● GemFan E-Propeller 10x5 Carbon Fiber propellers

● RCTimer Carbon Fiber 9x5-inch propellers

● RCTimer Carbon Fiber 10x5-inch propellers 

### Battery

● TBS 4S 3300mAh 30C or KyPOM KT4500/35-4S Lipo pack

● TBS 4S 4500mAh 30C or KyPOM KT3300/35-4S Lipo pack

● Gens Ace 4S 3300mAh 25C Lipo pack

● Zippy Compact 4S 4000mAh 25C Lipo pack

● Zippy Compact 4S 5000mAh 25C Lipo Pack

● Turnigy nano-tech 4S 3300mAh 35C Lipo pack


### FPV transmitter

● Lawmate TM-240500-LM 2.4GHz 500mW transmitter

● TBS ROOKIE 5.8GHz 200mW transmitter

● TBS GREENHORN 5.8GHz 25mW transmitter

● BosCam TS-353 5.8GHz 400mW transmitter


### FPV camera

● TBS69 or TBS59 FPV camera

● TBS ChipChip FPV camera

● Security Camera 2000 PZ0420 or CMQ1993X (IR blocked) 600TVL camera

52

## Spare parts You can either get spare parts directly from us ( team-blacksheep.com ) or from one of our distributors and retailers near you.
Our ever-growing list of retailers is published on the left at team-blacksheep.com/shop

.

53

## Appendix

● Frame assembly diagram

● Gimbal assembly diagram

● Electronics installation diagram

● Common R/C receiver setups

● Video transmitter installation diagram

● CORE menu layout

● Center of Gravity diagram

Manual written and designed by ivc.no in cooperation with TBS.

54

### 1 

# Install and Setup the ArduPilot Mega 2 in a Quadcopter Guide to Installation and Setup of the ArduPilot Mega 2 (APM2) controller in a Quadcopter.

A. For an assembled Quad with motors and ESC’s but no control or power board begin here. 1. You need: Quad power distribution board, appropriate battery for your Quad, battery retention strap, 12 gauge wire, battery connector, four 1⁄2” nylon standoffs and necessary hardware. 2. Solder The ESC power leads to the Power distribution board. 3. Solder 12 gauge positive and negative battery wire leads to the power distribution board. 4. Solder a battery connector correctly to the leads from the power distribution board. 5. Mount the power distribution board on standoffs over the top center of the Quad. 6. Attach the battery retention strap to t he bottom of the Quad and install the battery. B. For an assembled Quad with control and power distribution boards begin here 1. You need: APM2 flight control board and USB c able, 5+ channel receiver to use with your 2.4GHz transmitter, Five 3 wire servo leads with female connectors to connect your receiver to your APM2, an oversize plastic or fiberglass APM2 mounting plate with aluminum tape on the bottom, four 1.5” nylon standoffs and Velcro or double sided foam tape. 2. Disconnect and remove any existing flight control board. 3. Drill and mount the plastic mounting plate for t he APM2 board in the center of the Quad over the power distribution board on 4 standoffs and aligned with the front of the Quad in your choice of X or + configuration. (X configuration has the fr ont between 2 motors and + has a motor in front.) 4. Using double sided shock absorbing tape or Velcro mount the APM2 board on to the fiberglass mounting plate aligned in the direction of travel (GPS to the back, SDI card toward the front). 5. Retention can be improved by attachi ng a rubber band over the APM2 board. 6. A clear (not black) plastic bowl cover over the APM2 board can reduce damage in a crash. 7. Install your receiver onto the Quad with Velcro tape and with the antenna exposed externally. 8. Install channels 1 – 5 servo leads to the receiver. EXHIBIT 2

### 2 9. Install channels 1 – 5 servo leads to the front connector on the APM2 board, Channel 1 is next to the white GPS connector. The white or yellow signal wire goes towards the center of the board. (Red and black wires on all but one connector can be clipped but this is generally not necessary since power and ground are common bussed at both the receiver and APM2 board.) 10. Install The 4 ESC control leads on the connector at the back of the APM2 board with the white or yellow signal lead towards the center of the board. 11. For X Quad frame configuration: a. The Front Right motor goes to the right most (first) connector position next to the LEDs. b. The Left Rear motor goes to the second connector position. c. The Front Left motor goes to the third connector position. d. The Rear Right motor goes to the fourth connector position. 12. For + Quad frame configuration: a. The Right motor goes to the right most (f irst) connector position next to the LEDs. b. The Left motor goes to the second connector position. c. The Front motor goes to the third connector position. d. The Rear motor goes to the fourth connector position. 13. The BEC plus (red) and ground (black) wires can be cut on all but one of the ESC control leads. C. Install the Mission Planner program and Arducopter firmware and Set initial parameters. 1. Your RC transmitter should initially be set up for a Quad as follows: a. Four primary channels are Aileron (roll), Elevator (pitch), Rudder (yaw) and Throttle. b. Channel 5 is set to a 3 position switch for in flight mode changing. c. All channels are set to plus and minus 100 percent servo travel range. d. Set the throttle, roll, pitch and yaw trims to zero. (May need to trim throttle down to arm). e. Some minus expo (-40%) is a good idea on the pitch and roll channels to start. 2. Go to the ArduPilot website at http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/downloads/list and download the most recent “Mission Planner” and install it on your computer. 3. Ensuring that the battery is NOT connected, start the “Mission Planner” and hook up your USB cable between your PC and the APM2 board. 4. If you get a message indicating “New hardware found” select install driver when asked. If you are told “No driver found” you will need to load the driver from the Arducopter web site. Go to the Arducopter web site and in the search projects page search for “apm2code”. At the top of the list select the “APM2Code” item and then load the U SB driver as instructed. You should get a confirming message indicating that the USB driver is installed. 5. In the Mission Planner, ensure that on the top right of the screen that 115200 is selected for baud rate and the new driver Com? (But not Com1 , TCP or UDP) is select ed. Fix if necessary. 6. In the Mission Planner click on the Firmware tab then click on the Connect Icon at the top right of the Mission Planner screen to open the MavLink connection. 7. It is possible you may still get an error indicating that your serial rate is too low. If you do you will need to open your PC’s Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager -> Hardware and set the 2650 Com device to 115200 baud. (Windows 7 has a different method for setting up the port.) 8. Once connected; select the Firmware tab and Click on the bottom center “APM Setup” button. 9. Turn on your transmitter with your Quad set up selected. (Mode 2 is shown, adapt for Mode 1). 10. In the “Radio Calibration” menu, select “Calibrate Radio” and move the control sticks to all limits. a. Right stick Left (Roll Left) should equal lo w PWM. If not reverse the transmitter channel. b. Right stick Up (Pitch Forward) should equal low PWM. If not reverse transmitter channel. c. Left stick Down (Throttle Low) should equal low PWM. If not reverse transmitter channel. d. Left stick Left (Yaw Left) should equal lo w PWM. If not reverse the transmitter channel.

### 3 11. Move the three position mode select switch to all 3 positions to calibrate it too. 12. When you are done calibrating, select the “Finished” button at the bottom right of the screen. 13. Select “Flight Modes” on the left side of the Mission Planner screen and set all 6 of the Flight Modes to “Stabilize”, uncheck all the “simple” mode boxes and click the “Save Modes” box. 14. Now select “Hardware Options” and click on “Enable Compass”

. 15. Select the “Go to the Declination Web Site” box and retrieve your locations magnetic declination. 16. Enter your home declination in the Declination window as described and hit the tab key to exit. 17. Select “Arducopter Level” on the Mission planner left edge. With your Quad sitting very level, click on the “Level Arducopter” item then select t he X or + Quad to set your frame orientation. D. ESC calibration sets the ESC endpoints to be equal and is essential for correct operation. 1. There are 2 modes for adjusting ESC endpoints. Automatic adjusts ESCs all at once and is easiest. Manual individually adjusts each ESC. Try Automatic mode first then Manual if that fails. 2. Automatic Setup (all ESCs at once) (Rem ove the Props and disconnect the USB cable). a. Turn on your transmitter and put the throttle full on then connect the Quads battery. b. When the APM2 boots the LEDs will cycle continuously. c. Disconnect the battery and then reconnect it initiating ESC calibration. d. Drop the throttle stick to the lowest position. There should be 1 or 2 confirming beeps and when you move the throttle up the motors should start and turn in sync. e. Disconnect the battery. The ESCs should now be calibrated. 3. Manual ESC Calibrate (Each ESC calibrated individually). (Remove props and disconnect USB). a. With the battery not connected, plug the 3 wi re plug of the ESC you wish to calibrate into the throttle channel of your RC receiver. b. Turn on your transmitter and put the throttle full on. c. Connect the battery and after you hear 2 beeps drop the throttle to full down, you should now hear 3 beeps and then a longer beep indicating the ESC is calibrated. d. Disconnect the battery then repeat the above for each ESC. 4. Even after Manual calibration occasionally the ESCs will not initialize (continuous loud beeping). If this is the case try one additional automatic calibration. 5. Normally if the ESCs are properly calibrated, when you power up the Quad and APM2 by plugging in the battery, there should be a slow ticking and the motors may “twitch” just a bit. 6. Once you have the slow twitch / motor tick on battery connection, arm the motors by holding all the way down and to the right on the throttle for at least 4 seconds. The red LED should come on solid and the motors should respond to throttle and turn on at the same time in sync. 7. Disarm by holding the throttle down and to the left for 4 seconds. 8. If the APM2 board failed to arm set the throttle trim a few clicks lower and try again. The bottom throttle setting must be below zero to permit arming. 9. Once armed, the motors should start at the sa me time and run at the same speed with only the throttle being moved. If not, you need to go through ESC calibration again. E. Setting Prop Direction and checking the sensors for correct operation. 1. A Quadcopter has two props turning clockwise and two turning counter clockwise which keeps it from inadvertently turning on its own axis, but permits it to turn (Yaw) when it is commanded to. 2. You need 2 matched clockwise propellers usually marked R or P and 2 counter clockwise ones. 3. The 2 clockwise propellers are opposite each other as are the 2 counter clockwise propellers. 4. Without propellers installed, turn on your transmitter, plug in the battery and verify and correct each motor so it is turning in the direction as indicated below then install the propellers. Reverse any 2 of the ESCs 3 motor lead connections to reverse the direction of the motor.

### 4 5. Disconnect the battery before installing propellers. The clockwise (usually marked R or P) or counter clockwise propeller should be installed on eac h motor with the printing on the front (top). 6. For X configuration: (Check and correct motor directions before installing propellers) a. On Front Right and Back Left motors install counter clockwise propellers. b. On Front Left and Back Right motors inst all clockwise (R or P mark) propellers. 7. For + configuration: (Check and correct motor directions before installing propellers) a. On Right and Left motors install coun ter clockwise (R or P mark) propellers. b. On Front and Back motors install clockwise propellers. 8. With battery unplugged, connect a USB cable, start Mission Planner and select “Connect”. a. The heads up the flight display on the left will show the current attitude of your Quad. b. The compass display at the top will show the direction your Quad is facing. (If it is near metal objects or electronic devices it may cause a significant deviation). c. Unless you are outside with GPS lock it will NOT show your current GPS position. d. Tilt your Quad to various positions to see if the Heads up display follows your expectations also rotate about the center axis to make sure the compass display follows. e. When the Quad is tilted forward the green horizon should rise f. When the Quad is tilted to the left the green horizon should angle down to the left. g. This only verifies that the sensors are functioning properly, if the motors and propellors are hooked up properly, the Quad should be capable of flight, if they are not it will crash. 9. Make sure that transmitter control directions match expected results. There are various methods that can be used to do this, but the one I have found to be most reasonable and successful is: a. On a calm day set the Quad outside facing away from you on a flat level spot with at least 20 feet of flat clear space in every direction. b. Turn on the transmitter and then plug in the Quad’s battery. c. Stand at least 10 feet behind the Quad and arm the APM2 by holding the throttle down and to the right for at least 4 seconds. (GPS lock is not important at this time). d. Slowly turn the throttle up until the motors just turn on (should all start simultaneously). e. Now advance the throttle till the Quad is not quite taking off or moving. f. Use the rudder (Yaw) stick to yaw left and right in place. If working correctly proceed. g. Now move the Elevator (Pitch) stick to pitch slightly forward and back. When the stick is moved forward (up) the Quad should try and ti lt forward and try and move away from you. When the stick is moved down it should try and tilt and move towards you. h. Move the Aileron (Roll) stick to roll slightly right and left. When the stick is moved to the right the Quad should try and tilt and move to the right. When the stick is moved to the left it should try and tilt and move to the left. Fix any problems before proceeding. F. First Flights. (Stabilize is the basic and startup mode and is necessary for arming). 1. Try a short flight in Stabilize mode. Arm the APM2 by holding the throttle down and to the right for at least 4 seconds (Red LED solid). (GPS lock is not needed at this time). 2. Advance the throttle till the Quad takes off. Hold altitude to 4 to 8 feet above the ground with the Throttle. Compensate for drift with the Pitch stick. Reduce throttle and land. 3. If the Quad is very twitchy or has too mu ch power: Disconnect the battery and connect the USB cable between the APM2 and your computer then start the Mission Planner and select Connect then select the Configuration tab and then the PID List item in the left column. Reduce the Pitch Angle "P" value. 4. Repeat several times adding rotation correction with the Yaw stick and making short excursions. 5. Gain considerable flight experience in “Sta bilize” before undertaking the more advanced modes.2.68$9 7(&+12/2*<MULTIPLATFORM AUTOPILOTARDUPILOT.COMAPM 

### 2.6PLANETo set up your APM 2.6 board using the$303ODQHͤUPZDUHSOHDVHYLVLWЊ;ͱ΁ͷͱϜͶϭЊͻ;΂Ϭ͵΂ͿCOPTERTo set up your APM 2.6 board using the$30&RSWHUͤUPZDUHSOHDVHYLVLW͵΂ЊϬͷϜͱϜͶϭЊͻ;΂Ϭ͵΂ͿROVERTo set up your APM 2.6 board using the$305RYHUͤUPZDUHSOHDVHYLVLWϜ΂ϮͷϜͱϜͶϭЊͻ;΂Ϭ͵΂Ϳ-3SRUWIRUDOWHUQDWLYHSRZHUGLVWULEXWLRQZLWKRXWSRZHUPRGXOHWirelessWHOHPHWU\SRUWUSB port([WHUQDOFRPSDVVSRUWIRU*36ZLWKFRPSDVVRURWKHUH[WHUQDOFRPSDVVAPM 2.6 requires an external compass.GPS port3RZHUPRGXOHport for PM6-position cableDeans connectors or......XT60 connectorsAPM 2.6͸΂ϜͷκϬͷϜ΁ͱ;Ϳͱ͹΁ͷϬ΂ͿͷϬͷϜ͵΂΁Ϭͷ΁Ϭϫ3URYLGLQJWKHVDPHDGYDQFHGPXOWLSODWIRUPFDSDELOLWLHVDV$30WKHUHYLVLRQRIWKHDZDUGZLQQLQJ$30DXWRSLORWLVGHVLJQHGIRUDQH[WHUQDOPDJQHWRPHWHU7KLVLPSURYHVIOLJKWSHUIRUPDQFHE\DOORZLQJWKHFRPSDVVPRGXOHRUFRPELQHG*36ZLWKFRPSDVVWREHSODFHGIXUWKHUDZD\IURPVRXUFHVRISRWHQWLDOPDJQHWLFLQWHUIHUHQFH$30ERDUGZLWKFDVH$30SRZHUPRGXOH30PM 6-position cableMicro USB cable7HOHPHWU\DGDSWHUFDEOH-3MXPSHUFRQQHFWRUPP330MXPSHUFRQQHFWRUPP

2.6:HUHFRPPHQG3DR GPS uBloxwith CompassAvailable fromStore.3DRobotics.com)HDWXULQJDFWLYHFLUFXLWU\IRUFHUDPLFSDWFKDQWHQQDUHFKDUJHDEOHEDFNXSEDWWHU\IRUZDUPVWDUWV,2CEEPROM for configurationVWRUDJHDQGDGLJLWDOFRPSDVV6-position cableOptional PPMMXPSHUWRVXSSRUW330VXPDOOFKDQQHOVRYHURQHZLUH5&UHFHLYHUV©2013 Taranis World Publications and Digital Media Products, a not for profit entity. FrSKY TARANIS is a trademark of FrSky Electronics Co., Ltd and www.frsky-rc.com . FrSKY logo used with permission of FrSKY Electronics Co., Ltd. 

# Quick Start Guide Dec. 8, 2013 

# Understanding the Controls, Display Screens and Setup Menus

“Welcome to Taranis.” You’ve likely already powered up yo ur Taranis and probably are a little bit overwhelmed by all the screens and programming features. This quick start guide is meant to provide new users of the Taranis, like yourself, with an intr oduction to the display screen views and methods for navigating them using the menu buttons. For each display screen graphic presented, this guide provides a brief description of the view’s features and function. Also associated with each graphic is a menu button key which describes the button presses required to access the screens and to chan ge parameter settings for radio and model setups. To supplement the brief screen descriptions, a glossa ry of terms, functions, and parameter labels is provided. There’s also a flow chart that maps ou t how to navigate between the various screens. Finally, as a foundation for model programming, a few flowcharts are provide to show programmatically how inputs like gimbal sticks, switches, weights and limits are applied to functions and mixes, and in which order, to compute the receiver channel outputs. Let’s get started! 

### EXIBIT 3©2013 Taranis World Publications and Digital Media Products, a not for profit entity. FrSKY TARANIS is a trademark of FrSky Electronics Co., Ltd and www.frsky-rc.com . FrSKY logo used with permission of FrSKY Electronics Co., Ltd. 

# Credits:

I want to offer profound appreciation to all that volunteered to bring this project to fruition

Despite the best efforts the people that have re viewed the document there are certainly errors and ambiguities,. Please send corrections to Pages.Flying.Circus@gmail.com for incorporati on in future editions.



### Appreciation to Alofthobbies.com for hosting this document on their server.

### 3 

# Introduction

This document provides a broad overview of Ta ranis’s control hardware and firmware features. Background information on the transmitters cont rols, battery charging, and receiver binding is discussed. More detailed information may be provid ed in the Taranis X9D Manual by FrSKY or by the openTx web page for Taranis. One especially nice feature of Taranis is its USB po rt and the ability to connect to a PC for firmware updates, transferring data files, and model programmin g. A mini-B USB cable and the openTx open source software Companion9x provide this capability. However, Companion9x is not necessary for model setup and programming. For some, model programming will be easier when done directly on the Taranis, while for others not. Regardless, in the field, it may not be practical make adjustments by a PC, so learning the screens and menus directly from Taranis is essential. This document does not discuss setting up or using Companion9x on a PC.
This document is based on the latest firmware at th e time of the writing, so screens presented may be slightly different on your radio due to the firmware vers ion installed. The intent is to update this guide periodically or when reasonable. The user should also update th eir own firmware as the releases become available to take advantage of the new features and firmware fixes.


# Familiarity with the Transmitter Layout and Controls

There are eight programmable toggle switches and four potentiometers. Toggle switches are either three-position, two-position, or momentary. The momentary switch feature is either two-way or just one-way. The H switch is a one way momentary switch ; however the gimbal sticks each have a pair of two-way momentary switches used as centering trims. Two of the potentiometers are called sliders and have limited degree of movement, while the other two knobs rotate almost full circle.
Switches, Sliders, & Potentiometers Identifier/Label Type Number of Positions Input Value by Position S1, S2, RS, LS Knob/Slider (potentiometer) Proportional -100% thru +100%
SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SG Toggle 3 -100%, 0%, +100%

SF Toggle 2 -100%, +100% SH Toggle(momentary) 2 -100%, +100%(momentary) TrmR, TrmE, TrmT, TrmA Trimmer (momentary) 3 Incremental between -100% and +100% Power Switch Slider (ON-OFF) 2 None

### 4 The power switch is also a slider switch, but not pr ogrammable. All other sw itches, sliders and knobs are fully programmable and can be used for a variety of tasks. A typical use of switches is for changing flight modes which alter the model’s control surfaces for a variety of performance characteristics, such as for taking off, cruising, or landing. Switches can also be used to start and stop timers, trigger playback of audio recordings, and to announce tele metry values sent back as data from the model’s
sensors. Each switch is labeled at its base with a unique id entifier that’s used in programming. These identifiers must be used when setting up an y functionality in the radio setup and model programming menus. The photo below shows the typical labeling of iden tifiers for each switch, knob, and slider.

On the sides of the LCD screen are six display cont rol buttons which are used to navigate information screens, menu settings, and to adjust radio and model setup parameters. The MENU and EXIT buttons are used to access or return from radio and model setup menus, while the PAGE button is used to switch between various menus and informat ion screens. The other three buttons ( ENT , + , - ) are for editing parameter settings or resetting timers. ENT is an abbreviation for Enter. Once the radio and model are setup, these buttons are rarely used, except for making model selections, pre-flight, or postflight fine adjustments.

### 5 

# Charging the Battery for the First Time

Taranis is supplied with an external wall adapter for 6-cell NiMH battery charging. The adapter only supplies DC power, so a charging circuit internal to the transmitter regulates the battery charging profile and automatic cutoff to prevent overcharging. Wh en the adapter is first plugged in, the green LED charge status light will blink for a few seconds (o r longer depending on the state of charge) and then turn steady green to indicate fast charging is initiated. Depending on the batteries state of charge, chargi ng may take up to 2 1⁄2 hours for the 6-cell NiMH 800mAh capacity battery (6 hours for the 6-cell Ni MH 2000mAh). Upon fast charge completion, the green LED will turn off and the charge r circuit switches to pulsed trickle charging. Pulse trickle charging simply maintains the full charge level inde finitely without any risk of overcharging.
The RADIO SETUP menu provides for setting a low battery alarm warning. For the 6-cell NiMH battery, the alarm level should not be set lower than 7.0v, as at that level, the battery charge is almost fully depleted. Continuous run times on a full charge are typically up to 3 hours for the 800mAh battery (7 hours with the 2000mAH battery).


# Basic Setup and Receiver Binding

Before binding the transmitter with the model’s receiv er, the transmitter’s Internal RF mode must be set in accordance with the receiver’s protocol specificatio n (modes D8, D16, or LR12). The RF mode is set for the preselected model, using the transmitter’s MODEL SETUP menu.

### 6 RF Mode Compatible Receiver Series Channel Range Telemetry D8 D, V8-II, X 1-8 9 D16 X 1-8 or 9-16 9 1-16 LR12 L 1-12

After setting the transmitter for the receiver’s RF mo de, binding is accomplished by placing both the transmitter and receiver in binding mode. Consult with the receiver’s manual to learn how to place it in binding mode. Usually, this requires (1) pressing an d holding the receiver’s F/S button while it is being powered up, then (2) releasing the F/ S button when the LED status light flashes to indicate bind mode. As long as receiver power is maintained, the receiver’s LED status light will flash indicating it’s ready for binding. The transmitter is placed in binding mode using the MODEL SETUP menu where you’ll find the [Bind] function parameter shown next to the Receiver No. identifier. With th e cursor moved to the [Bind] function so it becomes highlighted, pressing the ENT (enter) button causes the [Bind] selection to flash, indicating the transmitter is in bind mode. Binding should be almost immediate and will typicall y be confirmed with the receiver’s status LED, but the receiver’s servos will not track with the transmitt er in bind mode. After the successful bind, disable the transmitter from bind mode and repower the rec eiver to test servo action from the transmitter controls.



# Display Screen Views and Menus Mapping Structure

Navigating the menus is easy once you learn how th ey’ve been laid out and wh ich buttons are used to access them. When powering up the transmitter, the first screen to be displayed is the splash screen. You’ll also hear the welcome greeting. This scree n is followed by any warning screens for throttle or switch position that requires user action to correct be fore the main view screen is displayed. After this, it’s necessary to use the display control butto ns to navigate and access all other screens. The following illustration shows the screen mapping arrangement.

### 7 The most basic button presses are listed here. More detailed button functions are listed later for specific screens.
Basic Button functions:

x [Short-Press (+) or (-) - to move up or down between editable fields or lines ]

x [Long-Press (+) or (-) - to scroll up or down between editable fields or lines ]

x [Short-Press PAGE - to flip down to next page or view ]

x [Long-Press PAGE - to flip up to previous page or view ]

x [Long-Press MENU - from any main views to flip to RADIO SETUP menu ]

x [Long-Press MENU - from any MODEL SELECTION & SETUP menu view to flip to CHANNEL MONITOR view ]

x [Short-Press EXIT - from CHANNEL MONITOR view to jump back to previous MODEL SELECTION & SETUP menu page ]

### 8 Two-key combination Shortcuts:

x [ (+) + (-) - to invert value (from 30 to -30) ]

x [ (-) + ENT - to set value to 100 ]

x [ PAGE + EXIT - to set a value to -100 ]

x [ PAGE + MENU - to set a value to 0 ]

Toggle Switch/Knob/Slider Parameter Selection Shortcut:

x Physically move the desired toggle switch, knob , or slider instead of selecting it from any menu switch pick list.



# Display Screens Overview

The following table provides brief descriptions of the various information screens and setup menus by topic. The description for each screen tries to expl ain the most cryptic parts, but not every parameter is discussed. Immediately following this table, you’ll find a glossary of terms, functions and parameters that may explain details not mentioned.



## Startup Screens
When turning on the power switch, Taranis only takes a few seconds to start up. While starting up, the radio system displays a brief splash screen and checks the throttle and toggle switch positions. I f no out-of-position warnings are needed, the transmitter will then be ready to use.
Splash Screen –this is the first screen displayed when Taranis is powered
on. The screen can be disabled from the RADIO SETUP menu or even replace d with a user’s preferred substitute graphic image file ( 2 12x64 pixel, 4 bit, bmp f ormat); replacement must be done using the Companion9x PC software.

### 9 

### Startup Warnings – when enabled and triggered, warning screens successively appear immediately prompting user action and must be cleared by taking action or skipped by the press of any menu function key.

THROTTLE WARNING - this is a safety warning of high throttle condition on power up. Warning can skipped by taking appropriate action or pressing any button. These warnings can be disabled in the MODEL SETUP menu.

SWITCH WARNING - this warning is for one or more toggle switches not in an assigned position. The default assigned position is ↑ but may be changed in Companion9x

. Warning only c oncerns toggle switches labeled A through G . Warning can be globally disabled in the MODEL SETUP menu, but not individually.


## Main Views
After the startup complete s, the screen displays the sele cted model name and FrSKY logo graphic or model’s graphic (if configured) . This screen is the first of four main view screen pages used when operating the radio with a RC model.

The four main view screens consist of three basic information screen pages, and one receiver channel monitor ing screen page. In common with the first three views are the selected model’s
names , the title bar along the top, and the current slider, knob and stick trimmer relative positions

. Title bar display s vital data which may include: transmitter battery vo ltage (w/graphic), graphic receiver signal strength and operating voltage, SD -card present icon, USB connected icon, audio volume icon (w/graphic tick marks indicating volume level), and time of day.

### 10 Main View #1, Physical States and Timers – this
screen shows the physical states for toggle switches. Stick trims are show graphically along the sides and bottom. Knob and slider positions are depicted graphically along both side outer edges. When enabled by MODEL SETUP menu, clock timer(s) and associated value(s) are also displayed. x [Short-Press PAGE button - to page forward through the 4 Main Views ]

x [Long-Press PAGE button - to page back through the 4 Main Views ] Main View #2, Gimbal and Switch Positions – these screens both show physical position of gimbal sticks and t oggle
s witches.

Main View #3, Physical and Custom Switches - these screens show physical positions of Toggle Switches (left center ) and Custom Switches (right center). Custom Switches are logic switches , and if evaluated logically as TRUE, are shown highlighted here.
Main View #4, Channel Monitor - shows r eceiver
c hannel ou tputs for all 32 channels and reflects any signal modifiers, including mixes, expos, and limits. The Monitor is useful for testing programmed functionality and for diagnostic purposes. If x [Short-Press MINUS ( -) or PLUS (+) buttons - to page down or up between CH1-CH16 and CH17-CH32 channel lineups ]

### 11 channel numbers are named (e.g., Thr, Ail, Ele) in the model’s SERVOS menu, those names will be shown here. Virtual channels assigned in mixes will appear as well.
Main Views, Popup Menu – shows a popup menu to reset values or display information timer statistics or OpenTx developer information.

x [Long-Press ENT button – from any main view page, to bring up a popup menu of reset options or to display information ] 

## Telemetry Views

When selected from the main views screens, th e telemetry screens show the most recent receiver telemetry data with up to three configurable screens. Configuration is setup in the model’s TELEMETRY menu and 

### may include value display of po wer, variometer altitude, GPS data, motor RPM, or temperature.

x [Long-Press PAGE button - to display Telemetry Views from any Main View screen ]



### x [Short-Press PAGE button - within any Telemetry View screen, to cycle through other Telemetry View screens ]

x Short-Press EXIT button - to leave Telemetry Views and return to Main View screen ] Telemetry Views, Page #1 - shows GPS position coordinates and minimum RSSI value

.

Telemetry Views, Page #2 - shows A1 and A2 values and alarm criteria settings.

### 12 Telemetry Views, Page s #3 through 5 - shows three possible customized telemetry data screens table and graphical bar formats. Customized Pages are optional, so only appear on screen if configured for the selected model.

x [Long-Press ENT button – from any Telemetry Views page, to bring up a popup menu of useful Telemetry reset options ]

### 13 

## Radio Settings
The radio setup menu allows config uring the radio system’s hardware , regardless of which model is selected. T he RADIO SETUP menu is accessed using the Menu button.

x [Long-Press MENU button – from any Main View screen, to display RADIO SETUP 1/7 screen ] RADIO SETUP 1/7 - this page shows a long list of the transmitter’s radio configuration settings.
Screen shows only the first seven rows of configuration settings, so viewing the complete list requires scrolling the down the page. x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) buttons - to scroll up or down the list of transmitter configuration settings ]

x [Short-Press PAGE button - to page down view screens from any of RADIO SETUP 1/7 screens ]

x [Long-Press PAGE button - to page up view screens from any of the RADIO SETUP 1/7 screens ] RADIO SETUP 1/7 – shows configuratio n settings, rows 8 through 14. Bg refers to background music playback.

RADIO SETUP 1/7 – shows configuration settings, rows 15 through 21.

### 14 RADIO SETUP 1/7 – shows configuration settings, rows 22 through 28.

RADIO SETUP 1/7 – shows configuration settings, rows 26 through 32. Enabling FAI Mode d isables all telemetry displays other than RSSI and voltage to comply with FAI regulations. 

### SD CARD 2/7 View #1 – shows the SD CARD file/folder browser.

x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) buttons - to scroll highlighted selection item up or down the list of file/folders ]

x [Short-Press ENT button - to select highlighted Folder/File ]

x [Long-Press ENT button - to display DELETE function popup ]

x [Long-Press MENU button - to display SD-Card FORMAT function popup ] SD CARD 2/7 View #2 – shows a Delete popup menu for MODELS folder.

x [Long-Press ENT – brings up a popup menu to Delete models from the MODELS folder ]

x [Short-Press ENT – after bringing up popup menu, to Delete and receive brief confirmation dialog ]

### 15 SD CARD 2/7 View #3 – shows folder listing bi t mapped i mage fi les ( BMP ). Image of any highlighted file name is shown on right side of
screen.

SD CARD 2/7 View #4 – shows popup menu functions to Assign Bitmap or Delete bitmap assignment from the current selected model.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting bmp file, to bring up popup menu function to Assign Bitmap to, or Delete from, the current selected model ] SD CARD 2/7 View #5 – shows contents of the LOGS folder where telemetry data logs are stored in csv file forma t, with file naming using model name and date. Telemetry data logging feature is enabled with CUSTOM FUNCTIONS menu, using the Start Logs function. SD CARD 2/7 View #6 – shows LOGS folder Delete file function popup menu.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting selected file name, to Delete log file from SD-card and receive brief confirmation dialog ]

### 16 SD CARD 2/7 View #7 – shows MODELS folder binary model backup files that have been archived with the MODEL SELECTION menu, using its Backup Mode l function. SD CARD 2/7 View #8 – shows Delete popup menu in MODELS folder.

x [Short-Press ENT - after highlighting file name, to bring up Delete popup menu ]

x [Short-Press ENT – after Delete popup menu presented, to Delete model binary file and receive brief confirmation dialog ] SD CARD 2/7 View #9 – shows SOUNDS ’ folder contents, which is the English ( en )language recordings subfolder. Language options :

x English – en

x French - fr

x Italian - it

x German - de

x Swedish - se

x Czech - cz

x Slovak - sk



### x Portuguese - pt

x Spanish -es SD CARD 2/7 View #10 – shows \ SOUNDS\en folder Waveform Audio File Format ( wav ) file contents.

### 17 SD CARD 2/7 View #11 – shows \ SOUNDS\en folder popup menu to playback ( Play ) or Delete a wav file sound recording.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting a named wav file, to present popup menu to Play or Delete the file ] TRAINER 3/7 – shows Trainer mode settings for Master. Trainer Mode is only active when in MODEL SETUP menu, Trainer Mode is set to Master

.

VERSION 4/7 – shows source code Subversion N umber, release date and time, and the firmware version number stored in the transmitter’s EEPROM memory. This information should be included with any Open Source (OpenTx) firmware bug reporting and feature requests. SWITCH TEST 5/7 – shows a m enu button and stick trimmer interactive testing feature. After button names, a ‘ 1’ is displayed for each switch when pressed down (closed circuit), and ‘ 0’ when not being pressed (open circuit ). Similar with
s tick t rimmers, which are momentary two -way switches.

### 18 ANALOG INPUTS 6/7 - shows raw data from pots in gimbals, knobs, and sliders. Current battery voltage is displayed as a parameter and parameter may be set (calibrated) here using multi-meter (VoltOhm Meter). x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) buttons - to increase or decrease Battery Calib voltage parameter ] CALIBRATION 7/7, Views #1 - shows the gimbal sticks calibration procedure START prompt.

x [Short-Press ENT button – to start gimbal sticks calibration procedure ] CALIBRATION 7/7 Views #2 - shows transmitter gimbal stick positions and prompts to center sticks and sliders.

x [Short-Press ENT button – after centering both transmitter gimbal sticks, to proceed with calibration procedure ] CALIBRATION 7/7 Views #3 – show s prompt to move transmitter gimbal sticks and knob potentiometers.

x [Short-Press ENT button – after moving transmitter gimbal sticks and knobs fully in both x and y axis ]

### 19 

## Model Selection and Setup

The Model Selection menu shows a pick list of up to 60 user created models available in the EEPROM memory. In the MODEL SETUP menu the user can load or save models from the SD- card memory, thus allowing virtually infinite models . View allows changing the active model. New models are also be created and named in this view.

x [Short-Press MENU button – from any Mains View, to see MODEL SELECTION menu ] MODEL SELECTION 1/13 Views #1 – shows pick list of up to 60 available user defined models. The selected model will be marked with an asterisk ( * ). This is also where new models are created.

x [Long-Press ENT button – with highlight on listing number , brings up popup menu with options as appropriate, to Select Model , Backup Model , Copy Model , Move Model , Create Model , Restore Model , or Delete Model ]

x [Short-Press ENT button – to Select a highlighted model number for a move to another model number position ]

x [Double-Short-Press ENT button – a selected model to Copy model, to another model number position ]

x [Long-Press ENT button – to bring up popup menu to Backup , Copy , or Move selected model ] MODEL SELECTION 1/13 Views #2 – shows popup function to Select , Backup , Copy , Move , or D elete a model. Backup Model function can be used to archive models for possible restoration at a later date. x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) Buttons - to scroll highlighted selection item up or down the list ]

x [Short-Press ENT button – after highlighting selected model number, to bring up a popup menu for Select Model , Backup Model , Copy Model , Move Model , and Delete Model functions ]

### 20 MODEL SETUP 2/13

–

shows configuration settings, rows 1 -6.

MODEL SETUP 2/13

–

shows configuration settings, rows 7 -13.

MODEL SETUP 2/13

–

shows configuration settings, rows 14 -20.

MODEL SETUP 2/13

–

shows configuration settings, rows 21 -27. Failsafe assigns predetermined channel settings in the event of signal loss. Failsafe mode allows choosing between simple holding last received positions ( Hold ), turning off pulses ( No pulses ) , or moving servos to predefined positions ( Custom ).

### 21 MODEL SETUP 2/13 Failsafe Settings – shows the FAILSAFE SETTINGS screen used for setting individual channels in Custom Failsafe Mode (RF Modes D16/ LR12 only). Not all receivers support this custom failsafe setup. Consult the receiver’s manual to see which failsafe modes are supported.

x [Long-Press ENT button – from the custom FAILSAFE SETTINGS screen, to save channel values ] HELI SETUP 3/13

– shows helicopter CCPM head mixer page. Normal inputs are Ail and Ele sticks, plus virtual channel selected in Collective source and added to the MIXER menu page. Outputs of this head mixer page are CYC1 , CYC2 , and CYC3 which need to be assigned to receiver servo channels on the MIXER menu page. Note: Setting up this screen page is not to be used for multirotor or flybarless heli models with onboard computers/mixers.

### 22 FLIGHT MODES 4/13

–

shows Flight Modes FM 0-FM6. Must scroll down to see FM7 setup. Each flight mode can be named, assigned an activation switch (except FM0 ), track stick trim positions unique to each flight mode ( RETA ), and assign up and down speed parameters for smooth transitions between flight modes. RETA stick trims can also be individually assigned to other flight modes. STICKS 5/13 Sticks View represents the input from the gimbals . The order is fixed and independent of the output channel order. View #1 – shows a preconfigurati on profile settings for both gimbal stick X and Y axes. STICKS 5/13 View #2 – shows a configur ed sticks weighting profile s. C onfiguration options includes weighting/gains in %, curve option (exponential weighting in %, Custom Curve, or Curve Pattern C riteria), Switch Assignments, Flight Mode options, and profile name.
Note: These settings are usually referred to as Dual Rates/Exponential programmable radios; Taranis however, provides enhanced capability. x [Long-Press ENT – after scrolling to appropriate stick name or Weight, select edit from popup to view weighting profile configuration menu ]

### 23 STICKS 5/13 View #3

–

shows Rud weighting profile configuration settings. Modes refers to flight modes 0

- 8, where profile is only enabled for highlighted numbers. Side refers to which side of the x-axis, the modified curve profile is enabled. MIXER 6/13 Mixer represents the channel order output to the receiver. Each
c hannels can be set to any control function.

–

shows MIXER configuration settings with configured sticks weighting profile. Not shown are optional multiline channel mixes. MIXER 6/13

–

shows MIXER function popup menu.

x [Long-Press ENT – after scrolling to appropriate stick Weight or Channel, select edit from popup to view EDIT MIX menu ] MIXER 6/13

–

shows channel 01 EDIT M IX configuration settings. Modes refers to which flight modes for which the mix is activated. Multpx refers to mu ltiline channel mix multiplexing, or how the lines interact from top to bottom

. Multpx options: Add , Multiply , Replace

.

### 24 SERVOS 7/13 View #1 – shows servo absolute limits configuration settings for Channels 1 -7. Shows highlighted channel’s current pulse width in micro

- seconds. For each channel, setting s are available for Subtrim or neutral offset, Min Max channel limits ( -100 to 100) in per centages, normal or inverse travel Direction , servo pulse width center position in micro -seconds, and Subtrim mode symmetry with zero point. Servo mode options: ^ - symmetrical, = - asymmetrical (no clipping). SERVOS 7/13 View #2 – shows servo limit s configuration settings for Channels 27- 32.

CURVES 8/13 View #1 – shows CURVES configuration settings for
curves CV1 through CV7

. Curves can be used in gimbal stick profiles in the STICKS menu and for channel mixing with the MIXER menu.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting curve to edit, to bring up curve editing menu ]

### 25 CURVES 8/13 View #2 – shows CURVE1 configuration settings for CV1 only.

GLOBAL VARIABLES 9/13

–

shows GLOBAL VARIABLES configuration settings for initializing variables GV1

- GV5 values by flight mode . Global variable values can be set as constant integer values . Their flight mode initial values can be modified with CUSTOM FUNCTIONS

. GLOBAL VARIABLES can be used as replacements for constant values in
w eights, offsets, differentials, and exponential settings in STICKS , MIXER , and CUSTOM SWITCHES
menus. CUSTOM SWITCHES 10/13 View #1

–

shows preconfiguration setup for custom switches CS1 through CS7 (Scroll down to see custom switches CS8 through CSW)

. Custom Switches evaluate to TRUE or FALSE by comparing two values, and can optionally combine conditions with the AND Boolean logic operator. They are used as logic inputs in STICKS , MIXER , and CUSTOM FUNCTIONS menus. x [Long-Press ENT – after highlighting Cust om Switch label, for popup menu, to Copy or Delete configuration settings ]

### 26 Duration and Delay parameters are provided to add time dependent logic results. A timer function ( TIM ) can be used to provide timed cycling pulse logic. More complex logic function can be configured by linking one or more custom switches.

CUSTOM SWITCHES 10/13 View #2

- shows a configured screen with several custom switches.

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 11/13 View #1

–

shows preconfiguration setup of custom functions CF1 through CF7 (scroll down to see custom functions CF8 through CF32 ). Custom Functions are used to assign global variables, toggle switches, sliders, knobs, and custom switches to transmitter hardware features (like starting or stopping a t imer, a sound track, or adjust speaker volume). Custom Functions can also be used to adjust global variables. x [Long-Press ENT – when editing switch selection column, to enable/disable toggle mode ]

x [Long-Press ENT – on a highlighted label for a configured custom function, brings up a popup menu to Copy /

Paste /

Delete ]

### 27 CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 11/13 View #2

–

shows a configured screen of custom functions.

TELEMETRY 12/13 View #1

–

shows telemetry configuration settings, lines 1 through 7. Critical Alarm ’s trigger audible warnings when measured value drops below setting value. RSSI refers to telemetry receiver’s measured transmitter signal strength. Blades count parameter is used to scale RPM sensor count. TELEMETRY 12/13 View #2

–

shows telemetry configuration settings, lines 8 through 14. A1 channel and A2 channel refers to telemet ry receivers which provide analog inputs. TELEMETRY 12/13 View #3

–

shows telemetry configuration settings, lines 15 through 21. Screen 1 Nums refers to customiz ation parameters for Telemetry Views, Page 1

. Scroll down to see Screen 2 and Screen 3 customization parameters for

### 28 Telemetry Views Page #3 thru Telemetry Views page #5

. Variometer Source refers to sensor type installed at the receiver. TEMPLATES 13/13

– shows available model templates pick list.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting a listed template, a up popup menu allows replacing the current model’s mixer settings ]

### 29 

# Glossary of Acronyms, Functions, and Parameter Labels

RADIO SETUP

Sound Mode specifies which sounds are activated. Choice of: All , NoKey (all except button press beeps), Alarm (alarm only), and Quiet (no sound). Bg Volume Background music Volume. Backlight Mode specifies LCD display backlighting wakeup activity. Choice of: OFF , Keys (detect button press), Controls (gimbal stick/slider/knob/switch), Both ( Keys or Controls ), or ON (always on).

Vario Volume Variometer beep volume used to judge changes in altitude.

GPS Global Positioning System a satellite naviga tion system used to provide location and time information anywhere on earth.

GPS Timezone specifies Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) Of fset for local longitudinal time zone (-12 through +12).

GPS coordinate format specifies HMS or NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association).

FAI disables all telemetry displays, other than RSSI and voltage, to comply with Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) regulation s for contests, championships, and record setting activities.


### SD Card

SD Card flash memory card, SD micr o format, typically 2GB capacity is included with Taranis.

BMP Bitmap (BMP) image files in raster image file format (64x32 pixels, 4-bit grayscale) used to store bitmap digital images

LOGS telemetry data log file(s) stored in comma separated values (csv) file format.

MODELS binary model backup files that have been archived in MODEL SELECTION menu.

SOUNDS mono sound track recordings sampled at up to 32kHz and saved as Waveform Audio File Format (wav) file format.



### TRAINER
Multiplier a value used to align gimbal stick movement s of the student’s transmitter (Slave) with that of the training instructor’s transmitter (Master).

### 30 VERSION

SVN Subversion Number, a record keeping proc ess for source code used in software development, to keep track of mu ltiple code revisions over time.

EEPR specifies the firmware version number stored in transmitter’s EEPROM non-volatile memory.


### MODEL SETUP

Timer 1 , 2

THs , TH% , THt timer functions with Throttle Source as trigger. s - timer runs when off idle, % - same as s except count rate is based on % throttle, t - starts timer with first throttle advance.

Persistent allows timer count to be sa ved when power is switched OFF and resumed when powered back ON

. Extended Limits increases servo absolute limits to 125% from the default of 100%. Actual limits will depend on servo internal mechanical design , servo linkage setup and control surface throws.

Extended Trim increases gimbal stick trims to 100% of range instead of default of 25%.

Throttle Trim restricts trim to idle portion of stick throw (Combustion Engine Mode).

Minute call a timed voice enunciation of the timer count, broadcast over loud speaker or audio jack.

RF Radio Frequency transmission circuit us ed to send signals over the air between transmitter and receiver.

Failsafe mode allows options for setting servo positions should receiver lose transmitter’s transmission signal.

PPM frame when RF module is PPM, allows setting the frame and pulse le ngths and polarity in order to match the settings of the module.


### HELI SETUP
Swash Type specifies the model’s swash-plate design co nfiguration in degrees. Choice of: 90, 120, 120X (same as 120, but w/swash pl ate turned 90 degrees), and 140.
Collective source specifies the virtual channel to be us ed on MIXER page for pitch curve(s). Swash Ring specifies limits to swash ring travel. Long cyc. direction specifies the direction, Normal (

--- ) or Inverse ( INV ). Lateral cyc. direction specifies the direction, Normal (

--- ) or Inverse ( INV ).
Coll. Pitch direction specifies the direction, Normal (

--- ) or Inverse ( INV ).

### 31 FLIGHT MODES

FM0 default flight mode can be named. Sp eed parameters are provided for smooth transitions to other flight modes.

FM1-FM7 seven flight modes can be named and assi gned to unique switch positions. Speed parameters are provided for smooth transitions.


### STICKS

Rud , Ele , Thr , Ail the four gimbal stick axes which can inde pendently be assigned: Weighting (gain/rate), Exponential (or Custom Curves), and flight modes. Ultimately, these are assigned to output channels in the Mixer menu. Weight assigns % gain weighting or rates us ed to compute amount of servo throw. Exponential assigns a mathematical exponential function to both sides of stick center position. A positive value lessens the of the stick sensitivity near its neutral position.

Phases option to specify which flight modes stick assignment is active.

Side option to specify restricting stick assign ments to one side of stick center position.


### MIXES

Source an input to be used in the mix line calculatio n. A pick list of possible inputs is provided. Weight the Source value multiplier, in %, that’s applied before calc ulating the mix line output value.

Offset a value added to the Source value before calculating the mix line output value.

Trim option to apply stick Trim values in line mix. Always OFF when Source is not assigned to stick.

MAX a constant value equal to +100. Multpx Multiplexing specifies, if active by Flight Mode and/or switch position, a mathematical relationship with line above. Options are Add (e.g., 10% + 50% = 60%), Multiply (e.g., 10% * 50% = 5%), or Replace

.

+= , *= , := shown on MIXES screen to denote Multpx parameter of Add , Multiply , or Replace with line above.

Curve option to apply conditional logic or a custom curve ( CURVE ) with the Source in computing the mix line output value.

Modes option to disable mix line in specific flight modes. Delay time in seconds the mix line output should be delayed.

### 32 Slow specifies a transition speed, using a time parameter in seconds the mix line output takes to cover range -100 to +100. Not a duration se tting, so transitioning of values is at speed set, regardless of how far traveled.

CYC1 , CYC2 , CYC3 Heli mixer outputs

PPM1 , PPM2 , ..... , PPM7 , PPM8 trainer port input channels



### SERVOS

Subtrim specifies how far off the gimbal stick neutral position to move the servo travel center point.
Min, Max specifies the Low and High absolute travel limits in % to avoid overdriving servos.

Direction choice of servo travel dire ction. Options: Normal (

--- ) or Inverse ( INV ).

PPM Center servo’s Neutral or Center position set by servo manufacturer, expressed as a Pulse Position Modulation ( PPM ) signal or Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, rate measured in units of microseconds.

Subtrim mode specifies whether curve is symmetrical or asymmetrical about the servo travel neutral point. Options: ^ - symmetrical, = - asymmetrical (no clipping).


### CURVES
Type sixteen multi-point plot curve type options available. Select from: 3pt , 5pt , 9pt , 17pt (fixed X , user defined Y points) or 3pt’ , 5pt’ , 9pt’ , 17pt’ (user defined both X and Y points).


### GLOBAL VARIABLES

GV1 , GV2 , GV3 , GV4 , GV5 flight mode specific variable values optionally assigned to any weight, offset, differential, or ex ponential setting used in STICKS , CUSTOM FUNCTIONS , CUSTOM SWITCHES , and MIXES menus.


### CUSTOM SWITCHES

CS1 – CSW 32 logic switches, programmable to compare valu es as true or false, active when true, inactive when false.

TIM a timed pulse trigger function which takes tw o time parameters (active, inactive) in seconds.
Comparison Functions:

a~x , a>x , a<x , |a|>x , |a|<x , AND , OR , XOR , a=b , a!=b , a>b , a<b , a>=b , a<=b , d>=x , |d|>=x , TIM

.

### 33 Function Variables: a , b , and d use: assignable to control hardware.

Function Constants: x use: decimal or integer parameter values.
Comparison Operators:
Arithmetic

~ approximately equal to (means value is within plus or minus 1)

> greater than

< less than

>= greater than or equal to

<= less than or equal to | | absolute value of

= equal to
!= not equal to Boolean Logic

AND both true

OR either one is true
XOR either one is true, but not both Assignable as Variables: Stick Inputs: Rud , Ele , Thr , Ail
Knobs: S1 , S2
Sliders: LS , RS
Stick Trimmers: TrmR , TrmE , TrmT , TrmA

MAX special case variable, always has value +100 Toggle switches: SA – SH
Custom Switches: CS1 – CSW

Timers: Timer 1, Timer 2 Telemetry: Batt , SWR , RSSI , A1 , A2 , Alt , Rpm Fuel , T1 , Speed , Dist , GPS Alt , Cell , Cells , Vfas , Curr , Cnsp , Powr , AccX , AccY , AccZ
Global Variables: GV1 – GV5

### 34 CUSTOM FUNCTIONS

CFN1 – CFN32 32 functions that may be programmed to trigger by toggle switches or CUSTOM SWITCHES

. Triggers:

One trigger one-time with power-on startup or with selecting new model

ON triggering always active

OFF triggering always inactive Toggle Switches:

SA ↓ , SA- , SA ↑ , SB ↓ , SB- , SB ↑ , .... SG ↓ , SG- , SG ↑ , SH ↓ , SH ↑ denotes switch in up( ↑ ), down( ↓ ), or middle( - )

SH ↓ s momentary Short-Press

SH ↓ l momentary Long-Press

CUSTOM SWITCHES :
CS1 , CS2 , CS3 , ...., CS8 , CS9 , CSA , CSB , CSC ,.... , CSV , CSW

Inverse Triggers: ( “ !” prefix denotes “not”, e.g. , triggered when not the case)

!One not triggered initially with power-on startu p or with selecting new model, but triggers subsequently. Toggle Switches:

!SA ↓ , !SA- , !SA ↑ , !SB ↓ , !SB- , !SB ↑ , .... !SG ↓ , ! SG- , !SG ↑ , !SH ↓ , !SH ↑

CUSTOM SWITCHES :
!CS1 , !CS2 , !CS3 , ...., !CS8 , !CS9 , !CSA , !CSB , !CSC ,.... !CSV , !CSW , Toggle mode Triggers: ( t Suffix, stays triggered un til re-trigger, cycles with every other trigger)
Toggle Switches:

SA ↓ t , SA-t , SA ↑ t , SB ↓ t , SB-t , SB ↑ t , .... SG ↓ t , SG-t , SG ↑ t , SH ↓ t , SH ↑ t
!SA ↓ t , !SA-t , !SA ↑ t , !SB ↓ t , !SB-t , !SB ↑ t , .... !SG ↓ t , ! SG-t , !SG ↑ t , !SH ↓ t , !SH ↑ t

CUSTOM SWITCHES :
!CS1t , !CS2t , !CS3t , ...., !CS8t , !CS9t , !CSAt , !CSBt , !CSCt ,.... !CSVt , !CSWt ,

### 35 Functions Channel Safety: (forces specific channel output to a specified value) Safety CH01 , Safety CH02 ,... Safety CH15 , Safety CH16

Trainer enables Trainer Mode for RUD, ELE, THR, and AIL globally.

Trainer RUD , Trainer ELE , Trainer THR , Trainer AIL enables Trainer Mode individually.

Instant Trim adds current stick positions to respective stick trims. Play Sound plays a tone from available list.

Reset resets the selected item. Options: Time r 1, Timer 2, Telemetry, All (Both Timers & Telemetry).

Vario turns on variometer sounds to speaker or audio jack. Play Track plays a sound recording file lo cated on the micro SD card. Play Value speaks the current selected value over the speaker or audio jack.
Start Logs starts recording Telemetry data to micro SD card.

Volume adjusts audio volume using selected source parameter. Backlight enables LCD backlight lighting.
BgMusic , BgMusic || enables and pauses background music playback. Adjust GV1 , Adjust GV2 , ....., Adjust GV5 sets value of specified global variable to a fixed value, source value, incremen ts value, or to that of another global variable.



### TELEMETRY

Tmr1 , Tmr2 two timers with functions set in MODEL SETUP menu.

A1 , A2 analog input channels on compatible telemetry receivers.

Batt displays the transmitter’s operating voltage.

SWR measure of transmitter antenna quality. Reading below 51 is normal.

RSSI Received Signal Strength Indication ( RSSI ) value used to monitor acceptable signal strength or distance.

Alt variometer altitude reading above ground level.
Rpm RPM reading.

Fuel fuel level.

### 36 T1 , T2 temperature sensor readings. Spd , Dist GPS ground velocity, GPS distance from starting point.

GPS Alt , HDG GPS altitude above sea level and GPS heading.

Cell , Cells lowest cell reading, sum of all cell readings.

Vfas , Curr , Cnsp , Powr pack voltage, current, mAh, and watts measurements.

AccX , AccY , AccZ acceleration values in G’s for axis X,Y, and Z

### 37 

# Screen Mapping Diagram

This chart shows a detailed layout of th e various information screens and menus.

Splash Screen
Throttle Warning
Switch Warning

Switch & Gimbal Positions Physical & Custom Switch Positions

Telemetry GPS Position and Min RSSI Telemetry A1 A2 Alarms Telemetry Values Bars/Nums Custom Screens (3)

RADIO SETUP 1/7

SD CARD 2/7

TRAINER 3/7

VERSION 4/7

SWITCH TEST 5/7

ANALOG INPUTS 6/7

CALIBRATION 7/7 MODEL SELECTION 1/13

MODEL SETUP 2/13

HELI SETUP 3/13

FLIGHT MODES 4/13

STICKS 5/13 EDIT STICK PROFILE

MIXER 6/13 EDIT MIX

SERVOS 7/13

CURVES 8/13 EDIT CURVE PROFILE

GLOBAL VARIABLES 9/13

CUSTOM SWITCHES 10/13

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 11/13

TELEMETRY 12/13

TEMPLATES 13/13 Channel Monitor

Model Selection & Setup General Radio Settings

Main Views

Telemetry Views Power On Startup 

### Display Screens Navigation Mapping

CUSTOM FAILSAFE SETUP

### 38 

# Programmatic Flowcharts

The following flowcharts show the path of the various inputs, functions, and outputs.

Stick Calibration

Mixer & Channel Assignments 

### FrSKY Taranis X9D Programmatic Flowchart

Calibrated

Sliders Calibrated Knobs Trimmers

Servo Limits/ Invert

Safety Switches Custom Functions Custom Switches

Heli Mixer

Channel Outputs Flight Modes

Curves Timers 1, 2

Audio Processor SD Card

Audio Amplifier/Speaker Telemetry Recorder

FailSafe Override Setup Sticks Weighting Profiles Timer Throttle Assignment

LCD Controller LCD Display & Backlighting Thr Rud Ele Ail Stick Assignments Trimmer Settings

PPM Trainer Output/Input Port Trainer Mode/ PPM Decoder Telemetry Data Global Variables Current Value

PPM1-PPM8 Sticks

Slider Calibration Knob Calibration Sliders Knobs

Calibrated

Sticks

Startup Throttle & Switch Warnings Switches

### 39 This is a simplified version of the previous chart. Advanced functions are removed to reduce complexity.

Stick Calibration

Mixer & Channel Assignments 

### FrSKY Taranis X9D Programmatic Flowchart

Calibrated

Sliders Calibrated Knobs Trimmers

Servo Limits/ Invert

Safety Switches Custom Functions Custom Switches

Channel Outputs Flight Modes

Curves

FailSafe Override Setup Sticks Weighting Profiles Thr Rud Ele Ail Stick Assignments Trimmer Settings

PPM Trainer Output/Input Port Trainer Mode/ PPM Decoder Global Variables Current Value

PPM1-PPM8 Sticks

Slider Calibration Knob Calibration Sliders Knobs

Calibrated

Sticks Switches 

### Basic – Less Heli Mixer, Timers, Warnings, Telemetry, Audio, LCD Display, & SD Card

### 40 The following chart is a flow path for the multi-line mixer. Upper lines are calculated first using the input sources, then mixed with line immediately below according to the Multpx parameter ( Add , Multiply , or Replace ) from the lower line. Finall y, the mix result is assigned to a channel delivered as channel output.
The Mixer Line 1 Multpx parameter has no computational valu e but should be left at default ( Add ). Care should be taken when using the Multiply parameter and then moving the line to a position where lines above are inactive, in order to avoid multiplyin g with a null value ( e.g., 0% * mix value % = 0%).
Individual mixer lines are Flight Mode and switch position dependent, so depending on if those conditions exist, individual lines may be bypassed in stead of being combined with the line per the user specified Multpx function.

Channel Assignment Mixer Line 2 Add, Multiply, Replace, or Bypass 

### Programmatic Flowchart of Single Channel Multi-Line Mixer (Three Line Example, Active Line Beep Warning Option not shown)

Add, Multiply, Replace, or Bypass Input Source

Input Source Input Source

Weighting /Offset Delay/ Speed Curve/ Differential Flight Modes Switch Trim Mixer Line 1 Weighting /Offset Delay/ Speed Curve/ Differential Flight Modes Switch Trim

Mixer Line 3 Weighting /Offset Delay/ Speed Curve/ Differential Flight Modes Switch Trim

Channel Output Add,Multiply, Replace, or Bypass

Null Value = 0%

Multipx Multipx

Multipx

### 41 

# Receiver Compatibility Chart

This chart shows compatibility, features, and re quirements of current and planned FrSky receivers.SeriesBind ModeModel# ofChannelsServo(PWM)outputsTelemetryCPPMS.BusRSSIRSSI forOSDHub DataPortSmart PortNotes

V8 V8 V8R7-SP 8 7 X 1 V8-II D8 VD5M 5 5 2 V8R4-II 4 4 3 V8R7-II 8 8 V8FR-II 8 8 Delta-8 8 8 X X 4 D D8 D4R-II 8 4 X X X X X 5 D6FR 6 6 X X 6 D8R-II plus 8 8 X X X

D8R-XP 8 8 X X X X X X D8 or D16 X8R 16 8 X X X X X 7 X6R 16 6 X X X X X 8 X4R 16 4 X X X X X 8 LR LR12 LR12 12 8 X X 8



### Notes

1. Requires the use of a DJT module in V8 mode plugged into the external port of the Taranis. Consult DJT manual for details. 2. Micro receiver with micro conn ectors. Intended for indoor us e. Lacks failsafe functions. 3. The FrSky park flyer receiver is best suited for small foamy planes. Small and affordable. 4. The Delta-8 also supports Hitec A-FHSS, Futaba S-FHSS & Futaba FHSS protocols. Note, binding may take over a minute as the Delta attempts all to bind to the different protocols it supports. 5. You will need to use CPPM if you require more than 4 ch annels. CPPM carries all 8 channels in a single servo output on channel 1. 6. Telemetry is limited to RSSI feedback and A1 and A2 vo ltages. Do not connect anything but the FBVS external voltage sensor to the A2 port. No other sensors are supp orted. This is the park flyer of telemetry receivers, compact and affordable. 7. X series receivers can be bound in D8 or D16 mode. You will have better performance when bound in D16 mode and full Smart Port support. Smar t Port is FrSky's new hub less sensor serial port. An older style hub can be added with the use of the FrSky vario, this will allow the use of many of the older sensors. See vario instructions for more details. To use all 16 channels you will need to use S.Bus. S.Bus is similar to CPPM, but it carries all 16 channels in a digital format. S.Bus to C PPM converters and S.Bus decoders are available from FrSky. FrSky will also have S.Bus servos very soon. Anot her option is to bind 2 X8R receivers to the Taranis at the same time. One will support channe ls 1-8, and the other will support 9- 16. Consult instructions on how to do this properly as the telemetry must be turned off on one of the receivers. 8. The LR12 is a long range receiver capable of operating at extended range. It’s not released at time of publication, however specifications listed should be correct once in production.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 1 

# EzUHF R/C Control System

Overview & Operating Instructions Nov 2010, for Firmware v1.18 EXHIBIT 4

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 2 

## Table of Contents
Overview ...................................................................................................................... ................................. 3 Features/Specifications ....................................................................................................... ...................... 3 Security ...................................................................................................................... ............................... 4 Radio Licensing ............................................................................................................... ........................... 4 EzUHF Transmitter ............................................................................................................. ........................... 4 Powering the transmitter....................................................................................................... ................... 4 Binding ....................................................................................................................... ............................... 5 Failsafe ...................................................................................................................... ................................ 6 Power Level control ........................................................................................................... ....................... 6 Range Testing ................................................................................................................. ........................... 6 Transmitter Compatibility ..................................................................................................... .................... 7 S-Video pin-out: .............................................................................................................. ...................... 7 PPM Input & Head-Tracker input pin-out: ....................................................................................... ..... 7 Futaba (square) to EzUHF cable: ............................................................................................... ................ 8 Multiplex (DIN) to EzUHF (Mini-DIN) cable: .................................................................................... .......... 9 Cabling the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter: ................................................................................. .... 10 EzUHF Receivers ............................................................................................................... ........................... 11 EzUHF Receiver, 8 channel v ersion, Connections ................................................................................ ... 12 Powering the Rx when using high-powered servos ............................................................................ 12 Receiver antenna configuration ................................................................................................ .............. 13 Driver/Software Install ation on a PC .......................................................................................... ................ 13 EzUHF -> EzOSD link ........................................................................................................... ..................... 13 Antenna Selection ............................................................................................................. .......................... 15 Diamond SRH771 ................................................................................................................ .................... 15 Active Robots 433MHz Straight ................................................................................................. ............. 16 Active Robots 433MHz R/A ...................................................................................................... ............... 16 Antenna extension cables ...................................................................................................... ................. 16
IMPORTANT: Known Source s of Interf erence ...................................................................................... .. 18 Appendix A: Binding multiple transm itters to a sing le receiver ................................................................ . 19 Appendix B: Diagnostics ....................................................................................................... ....................... 20

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 3 

## Overview The EzUHF R/C control system is a reliable R/C contro l uplink for FPV and UAV pilots who desire a robust control system for safe control at longer distances. It was designed with the FPV/UAV pilot in mind, th e only such system with a dedicated head-tracker port, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of radios. An ‘Aux Ctrl’ port is available to connect to a ‘control board’, for in -flight UAV configuration without sacrificing valuable control channels. 

## Features/Specifications

x Reliable FHSS Link (Frequency Hopping, Spread Spectrum)

x 433MHz/70cm Ham band operation

x Options for 431-433MHz, 433-435MHz, 435-437MHz.

x Spectrally clean GFSK modulation

x 600mW (~28dBm) output power, with 200mW low-power mode

x Direct head-tracker input, adding head-tracker compatibility to most radios

x Power switch, boost power when at long range (opt ionally drive from unused control on the R/C Tx)

x Standard SMA antenna connector, compatibility with 433MHz/70cm Ham-band antennas

x Flexible buffered, AC-coupled, PPM input, ensures compatibility with 3.3v thru 9.6v PPM levels

x Standard USB port (Mini-A) for firmware upgrades, and system configuration

x Single pushbutton learning of failsafe positions

x Binding function, which allows binding Single Tx->Rx, Multi Tx->Rx, and Single Tx->Multi Rx

x Mates with 8 channel, and 4 channel EzUHF receivers

x Spectrum analyzer built into EzUHF receivers, to aid in debugging RF interference

x Power sourced directly from the R/C Tx (Futaba), or optional DC power jack

x Built in receiver, for future expansion

x Custom extruded brushed aluminum enclosure

x Dimensions 85 x 74 x 23mm 118g

x Power Requirements: 9-12v DC 250 mA @ 12v, in 600mW mode, 85mA @ 12v, in 200mW mode

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 4 

## Security The ImmersionRC team does not promote reckless long -range flight, where property and/or lives are put at risk. This R/C control system was brought to the market for use by responsible end-users, who are aware of, and comply with, local legislation regarding FPV/UAV flight. ImmersionRC accepts no responsibility for property damage, parts damage, model damage, or personal injury due to the misuse of the EzUHF, or any other ImmersionRC product. 

## Radio Licensing The EzUHF R/C control system transmits on radio frequencies which may require a license for use. The specific band of frequencies is firmware-depen dent, and in some cases may be tailored to meet a retailer/distributor’s requirements. The default band used is 433-435MHz, which falls in the 70cm Amateur Radio band. Because of this, this product requires an Amateur radio (or similar) license to use in most parts of the world.

Please check your local legislation before using this product!



## EzUHF Transmitter Powering the transmitter The EzUHF transmitter has two flexible power option s. Both of which may be used for additional redundancy: 1) Power supplied via the 4-pin mini-din connector. In the case where the transmitter is connected to a futaba radio, with 9.6v, or 3s Lipo power source, this is the preferred method of powering the transmitter. 2) Power supplied via the DC power jack. In cases where the R/C transmitter either doesn’t provide power via its trainer connector, or when a lower voltage is available (2s radios for example), it is preferred to power the EzUHF via the DC power jack. The power jack is center-pin positive, 2mm internal pin, 5.5mm outer diameter. A suitable plug is Mouser # 502-S760BK 

### NOTE: The EzUHF transmitter may safely be powered via both connectors simultaneously, even if two different voltages are presented.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 5 As an example: Take the case of a R/C transmitter whic h uses a 2s LiPo pack. The EzUHF will emit slightly less power than specified (approx. 25dBm on 8v, vs . around 29dBm on 11.1v) when powered this way. In most cases this power difference is insignificant, for buzzing around the local flying field, this is a very reasonable power level. If full power is desired in this case, a 3s LiPo pack (or equivalent) can safely be connected to the DC Power jack, providing both higher power, and re dundancy (no power will be consumed from the R/C transmitter’s battery until the external pack is either drained, or removed). 

## Binding Each EzUHF Transmitter and receiver must be ‘bound’ together, before they may be used , as is the case with just about all of the 2.4GHz systems on the market today. The binding process teaches the receiver several pieces of information: 1) The transmitter’s unique ID, and therefor e its pseudo random hopping sequence 2) The precise frequency difference between the transmitter and receiver (caused by crystal tolerance) 3) The precise frame-rate emitted by the R/C Tx Note that point 3 does mean that rebinding is requir ed if the EzUHF transmitter is switched between different R/C transmitters, especially those with different frame rates. For more advanced binding, see Appendix A: Binding multiple transmitters to a single receiver. The binding procedure is as follows: 1) Connect suitable antennas to both the EzUHF Tx , and Rx and place them within 1m of each other 2) Connect the EzUHF Tx to the R/C Transmitter, switch to low power mode, hold down the pushbutton, and turn on the radio. 3) As soon as a periodic beeping starts, let go of the button. 4) Apply power to the receiver, and within 10 seconds, hold down the binding button on the receiver. After < 1 second the LED should extingui sh, and shortly after, it should flash 3 times, indicating binding success. If instead, the LED flashes 6, or 10 times, qu ite quickly, then binding failed, and must be reattempted. NOTE!: The Bind switch on the 8 chan nel ‘dual board’ receiver is accessed between the two boards, from the hole beside the servo connectors (it is not hidden under the ‘BIND’ text on the label). 5) Power down the Tx, and Rx. Binding is complete.
NOTE: The 10 second limit on the receiver ensure s that the receiver can never enter binding mode accidentally during flight, if its button is accidentally pressed.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 6 See the advanced section, on how to bind multiple transmitters to a single receiver. 

## Failsafe If, for any reason, the UHF link is broken, the receiver will wait for approximately 1 second for the link to be restored, and then will enter failsafe mode. The failsafe servo positions are programmed using the button on the transmitter. To set this up, two phases are recommended. 1) With the plane on the ground, and servo posi tions neutral, throttle cut, hold down the transmitter’s bind/failsafe button until the transmit ter beeps. This will set a reasonable default failsafe ready for the first flight 2) With the plane in flight, set the controls in a su itable position for the failsafe, and re-program the failsafe. In most cases, ‘suitable position’ means thro ttle cut, and a gentle turn radius, to let the plane circle gently until it lands, but of course every application is a little different. 

## Power Level control The toggle-switch on the top of the EzUHF Tx is us ed to switch between high and low power modes. Even if full feedback of uplink status is available on the EzOSD display, it is highly recommended to fly in low-power mode most of the time, switch ing to high-power mode if required. The difference in power levels between the two mode s is approximately 6dB, which corresponds to a factor of 2 in range, ensu ring plenty of margin. 

## Range Testing Before any flight it is highly recommended to p erform a range test on the ground. For this, use at minimum the low-power mode, or more ideally, attenuate the transmitter output using an SMA attenuator for the range test (NOTE: Do not forget to remove the attenuators before the flight!!!!). A 20dB SMA attenuator, easily sourced on Ebay, is a good choice for this. The transmitter does include a range-test feature, which drops power to ap prox. 13dBm (20mW). To access this mode, switch from High to Low power mode with the bind pushbutton pressed. WARNING: Do not forget to cycle Tx power before flying to leave range-testing mode.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 7 

## Transmitter Compatibility The PPM input circuit of the EzUHF Tx is designed to support a large range of transmitters, with PPM input voltages ranging from 3.3v, all the way to 9.6v or more. Most of the in-flight testing was performed using Futaba systems, which is used by the system's designers. This is therefore the preferred radio for use with the EzUHF link. Support for other radios will be added as further testing is done. The EzUHF uses standard 4-pin Mini-DIN connectors, for the R/C transmitter link (PPM-In), and the link to the Headtracker (see below: Cabling the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter).
These connectors are the same as those used on th e TrackR2 headtracker, with the same pinout. These connectors are also the same as those used by the popular S-Video standard, which makes finding pre-molded connectors and cables quite easy. The S-Video cables have Chroma/Gnd, and Y-Luma/Gnd as two twisted pairs, these correspond to Pwr/Gnd, and PPM In/N/C, which won't cause any problems. Note that the S-Video extension cables (Male -> Fema le) may be used as extension cables, but cannot be used to connect the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter (see below) S-Video pin-out:

PPM Input & Head-Tracker input pin-out:

As viewed looking at the female connector on the UHF Tx.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 8 To remove any confusion, the pin-out is marked directly on a photo of the transmitter below:



## Futaba (square) to EzUHF cable: A Futaba to EzUHF cable is supplied with the EzUHF. The wiri ng diagram of this cable is shown below for reference. Not Used

Gnd

VBatt PPM In

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 9 

## Multiplex (DIN) to EzUHF (Mini-DIN) cable: Multiplex radios, with the standard DIN co nnector may be used with the EzUHF. A 5-pin, 180 degree DIN connector is required (even th ough more recent radios have a few extra pins).

Pin MPX Function EzUHF pin 1 +V battery 2 +V battery, Switched VBatt 3 Ground Gnd 4 Out/In PPM In 5 Disable HF

NOTES: - Bridge pins 3 + 5 to disable the HF module in all MPX radios. - Do not enable the trainer port as input, or the ou tput will be disabled. Multiplex only has one pin for PPM input, and output, un like Futaba, who have a dedicated pin for each. - In the first published version of the UHF firmware very short PPM frames, such as those produced by the Multiplex radios in 6, or 7 channel modes, ar e not supported. 9 channel PPM is the preferred mode for EzUHF compatibility.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 10 

## Cabling the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter: To cable the TrackR2 to the EzUHF transmitter a 4-pi n Mini-DIN to 4-pin Mini-DIN cable is required.
This cable will be available late November 2010 fr om ImmersionRC resellers. A standard S-Video cable cannot be used due to the necessity to cross over the PPM In/out connections.
Note that both connectors are viewed from the back of the male connector, where the solder connections are to be made.

Note that the switch on the TrackR2 must be in the ‘Normal’ position, and not ‘Low

- End’ when connecting it to the EzUHF.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 11 

## EzUHF Receivers The EzUHF receiver should be treated much like its 35/40/72MHz cousins. It requires 4.8->6v power to be applied through one of the servo connections, ge nerally supplied from the ESC, or BEC in most models used for FPV. The two receivers currently shipping include: 1) 8 channel, bi-directional, with Antenna Diversity This is our high-end receiver, which has the hardware support for a bi-directional link ( NOTE: Firmware support for this will be added during the Summer of 2010) A diversity switch ensures that antenna input with the highest signal strength is used at all times. The OSD Link allows link quality metr ics to be queried by the EzOSD.
2) 4 channel, uni-directional, with single antenna connector. This is a featherweight receiver, ideal for sm aller models who only require a maximum of 4 servo outputs, and don’t ne ed the antenna diversity/ OSDLink/Bi-directional features of the 8 channel version. Note that the range of this receiver is as good as, or even slightly better than the 8 channel version, don’t let its size fool you!

Note that both of these receivers include a 7-pole c eramic filter on all antenna inputs, providing a good degree of immunity from nearby A/V transmitter source s. Even with this, it is highly recommended to separate the A/V Tx, and UHF Rx antenna s physically as much as possible.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 12 

## EzUHF Receiver, 8 channel version, Connections
Servo connectors on the 8 channel receiv er have the pin-out shown below.

Note that the binding button is not hidden und er the padded label, it is located between the two stacked PCBs, and needs to be pressed us ing a non-conductive stylus, or similar. Powering the Rx when using high-powered servos It is very important to take care with powering the Rx, especially when high torque digital servos are used. If a BEC is used, ensure that it ca n deliver the current required by the servos. Digital servos can create huge current pulses on the power lin e, and if the impedance of the su pply is too high, these will cause the receiver to malfunction. The use of a high-performance BEC, such as the Turnigy 5-7.5A UBEC (HobbyKing) is recommended instead of the BEC built into the ESC. Alternatively, for installations on la rger planes, with many servos, a PowerBox should be considered. Gnd +5/6v Signal

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 13 

## Receiver antenna configuration The 8 channel diversity receiver has, as it s name might suggest, two antenna inputs. The receiver does expect antennas to be connected to both of these antenna connectors, unless configured otherwise. It is not advisable to leave the receiver configured in diversity mode, and connect just one antenna. The ImmersionRCTools application, available from th e ImmersionRC website, can be used to configure the receiver antenna configuration for cases where only a single antenna is used.


## Driver/Software Installation on a PC The Windows software to support the EzUHF may be downloaded from the EzUHF website here: http://www.immersionrc.com/EzUHF.htm



## EzUHF -> EzOSD link Linking the EzUHF receiver to the EzOSD ca n create a very powerful combination. The EzUHF receiver (8 channel version) will p eriodically inform the EzOSD of the following measurements: 1. The RSSI (received signal stre ngth) on each of the two antennas 2. The overall signal quality (which includes packet loss information) 3. Frequency error measurement (differe nce between Tx and Rx frequencies) 4. Error rates per frequency bin
These measurements are in turn downlinked via the telemetry stream, and may be shown on the antenna tracker LCD display, displayed in the Imme rsionPlayer, or shown live using the iPad/iPhone iTelemetryFPV application.
The on-screen data provides direct feedback to the pi lot of any problems with the uplink in real time. The recorded telemetry stream may be used to diagno se problems after a flight, and can be a powerful tool for comparing antenna perfor mance, antenna position, etc.
The connector used for this link is the Mole x connector named ‘OSD Link’, shown below:

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 14 For DIY cables, the following Farnell parts may be used:

5- POS Molex ‘PicoBlade’ Housing 615109 Flying lead, 300mm 1125274 The EzUHF Rx end of the cable uses a 5-pin Molex connector, as used for the GPS connection to the EzOSD PCB (the OSD end, not the GPS end).

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 15 On the EzOSD end, the wires should be connected as follows: Note: These can be simply spliced into the cable which connects the EzOSD to the current sensor.

Red: +5v Black: Gnd Yellow: i2c SCL White: i2c SDA Note that when using the direct link between the Ez OSD and the EzUHF, the RSSI calibration in the EzOSD is not required. This calibration feature applies on ly to the connection of an analog RSSI signal to the EzOSD.



## Antenna Selection In the FPV hobby today, far too little attention is paid to antennas. A good choice of Tx and Rx antennas, for the video link, can make a huge difference in range. For the uplink side, using a UHF link, this is also critical. Retailers and distributors of the EzUHF system are aske d to carry a selection of suitable antennas which may be used for various types of model, and flight style. The following commonly-available antennas have been use successfully by the ImmersionRC design and test teams during many months of testing.



## Diamond SRH771 This is a higher-gain whip, semi-flexible, which has been shown to give excellent. This antenna is easy to find on E-Ba y, and costs around $20. It is most suitable at the Tx end, on the ground , but when placed on a model also, vertically, it has been shown to provide an extr emely solid, long range link. Note that this antenna does have some ga in, and therefore has ‘flattened doughnut’ r adiation pattern. If the antenna, used on the Tx side, is pointed directly at the model, there will be a

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 16 significant amount of at tenuation (something that should be ve ry familiar to users of standard R/C radios). Turn 90 degrees to the model to avoid this.

The antenna manufacturer Nagoya also sells a version of this (possibly made in the same factory), called the NA-771. This is generally a bit cheaper, and appear s to perform as well.


## Active Robots 433MHz Straight http://www.active-robots.co.uk/433 mhz-antenna-straight-p-544.html Model #: ANT-433MS This antenna works well when antennas are placed remotely from the receiver using extension cables (see below), terminated in bulkhea d SMA connectors. These connectors can be embedded in a wing, or fuselage, po inting straight up (or down).



## Active Robots 433MHz R/A http://www.active-robots.co.uk/433mh z-antenna-rightangled-p-545.html Model #: ANT-433MR Two of these antennas, angled at approx. 45 degr ees from each other, connected directly to the two 8 channel Rx antenna inputs, work very ni cely, and protect against huge losses due to cross-polarization.



## Antenna extension cables
Since the EzUHF uses standard SMA connectors for all antenna connections, it is very easy to find, or construct, extension cables.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 17 Even though the ImmersionRC receivers contain ceramic filters on the input stages, which attenuate higher-frequency RF emissions, it is highly recommended to separate the A/V Tx from the UHF Rx, and UHF antenna. Two configurations have been shown to work ve ry well during hundreds of hours of flight testing. 1) A/V Tx out on a wingtip, with the EzUHF Rx antenna on the opposite wingtip 2) A/V Tx out on a wingtip, with the EzUHF Rx in the nose, and EzUHF antenna just in front of the vertical tail fin.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 18 

## IMPORTANT: Known Sources of Interference
There are several cameras which have been show n to emit broadband noise which can greatly limit the range of any UHF R/C system (FHSS or not). The use of these cameras should be avoided on any plane cont rolled by a UHF link.
This list will be extended as more cameras are tested.
KT&C ‘VSN505’ a.k.a KX550 Emits broadband noise in the ~310MHz to ~610MHz band Ground test range reduced to 30% of range without it. Up to date information on other cameras can also be found by googling the name of the camera along with the keyword ‘UHF’. Note that the popular GoPro came ras do have a relatively powerful noise emission at around 432MHz. These don’t seem to affect the EzUHF mu ch in practice, but it is a good idea to separate the GoPro from the UHF Rx/Antenna as much as possible. As a rule of thumb, if the RSSIs for an EzUHF system look good (-60, -80dBm range), and the link quality indicator is often dipping below 100%, suspect an interfering source on the plane. Cameras (SD and HD), and poorly designed switch ing power supplies (especially 5v->12v stepups) should be the first thing to look at. To assist in debugging RF interference proble ms, the ImmersionRC tools, v1.12 or greater, along with a version of the EzUHF Rx firmwar e v1.14 or greater, can replace a spectrum analyzer worth thousands of dollars. The plot below shows a GoPro HD camera radiating around 432MHz (the EzUHF, in its standard conf iguration, occupies the 433 -> 435MHz band, so the GoPro in this case doesn’t affect range much).

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 19 

## Appendix A: Binding multiple transmitters to a single receiver This mode is useful in a couple of scenarios: 1) When redundancy is required, for safety reasons. One transmitter may be switched off, and another on, to recover the model. 2) To increase security during long range flights, or when a plane, once leaving line-of-sight for a first pilot, is passed to a second. This appendix will be completed once the fe ature is fully supported in the firmware.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 20 

## Appendix B: Diagnostics

Problem : Rx LED doesn’t light Check BEC voltage and polarity. Power the Rx via USB temporarily, if this caus es the LED to light, and ‘beat’ when the Tx is powered on, th en the BEC/Rx pack should be tested.
Problem : No response from the Transmitter The transmitter should beep three times when the R/C transmitter is powered on. If it doesn’t, try powering the transmitter via USB, if the beeps are heard when powering this way, the cable between the R/C Tx, and the Ez UHF Tx, should be investigated.

Problem : Tx and Rx are correctly powered, but servos don’t move.

1. Ensure that the R/C transmitter is not in PCM mo de, this is a common mistake. The transmitter must be in PPM mode in order for the EzUHF Tx to successfully decode the servo positions. 2. Ensure that the UHF Tx and Rx have been correctly bound together. See th e section ‘Binding’ earlier in this document.
Problem : Tx beeps continuously, even when not in Bind mode Beep codes can identify the source of the problem. Combinations of long, and short beeps will be emitted, and can be identified using the following table.



## _ . Transmitter internal error, return for service (Xtal)



## _ . . Transmitter internal error, return for service (TxOvfl)



## _ . . . Detected PCM as opposed to PPM, change R/C Tx Mode to PPM



## _ . . . . PPM not detected at power-up (Tx connected to HT input?)



## . . . PPM Timeout, connection problem between R/C Tx and EzUHF
Common problems are 

## _ . . . which indicates that the R/C Tx is in PCM mode, instead of PPM. The EzUHF (and all other equivalent systems) require PPM as input, and not PCM.
Anoter common problem is 

## _ . . . . which indicates that a PPM signal was not sensed, generally indicating that the R/C Tx is connected to the wrong connector.

### ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 21 Problem : RSSI values are good, bu t the link quality indicator is often below 100%. This is (in almost all cases) an interfering RF source located on the plane. Look for cameras which radiate unintentionally in the UHF band, or noisy switching regulators, especially those used to switch up from 5v to 12v to run a 12v camera.

# 3DR RADIO V2 QUICK START GUIDE

PARTS GETTING STARTED
3DR Radios provide an air-to-ground data link between the autopilot and your ground station laptop or tablet. Follow this guide to install the radios on your plane, copter, or rover. 3DR Radios arrive ready to use. Just mount and connect to view real-time data from your drone.

Android adapter cable

6-wire Pixhawk connector cable Micro-USB cable Two 3DR Radios in 915 or 433 mHz Attach the antennas, and use either radio as an air or ground module.

6-to-5-position APM and PX4 connector cable T w o 3DR Radios

A ttac h t h e anten

A 

### EXHIBIT 5

## MOUNT CONNECT TO AUTOPILOT

Connect to the APM 2.5 or 2.6 telemetry port using the 6-to-5-position cable. 2.6

Connect to the PX4 I/O telemetry port using the 6-to-5-position cable. Connect to the Pixhawk telemetry port using the 6-wire cable.

Mount the air module securely to your vehicle keeping the antenna clear of any propellers or moving components. Ensure that the antenna is oriented vertically for maximum range.



## CONNECT TO MISSION PLANNER

Use the micro-USB cable to connect the ground module to your laptop. In Mission Planner and APM Planner ground station applications, select the communication option that shows COM , set the rate to 57600 , and select Connect . The radio will not connect unless the vehicle is powered. Use the Flight Data screen to view your vehicle’s status and control missions in flight.

LEARN MORE about installing a mission planner application for your laptop or tablet and interacting with the autopilot using 3DR Radios (including retrieving flight data logs) at planner.ardupilot.com

. Mission Planner

### TIPS Orient the ground radio antenna vertically for maximum range.


## CONNECT TO TABLET
Connect the ground module to your tablet using the Android adapter cable. Connect the colored end to the tablet and the black end to the radio. In DroidPlanneror Andropilot , select Connect

.

DroidPlanner Flight Data screen View the strength of the radio signal in the mission planner’s flight data screen.



## SETTINGS
To change the radio settings in the mission planner, connect the radio to your computer, but do not select Connect. Radios can only be configured while unconnected to MAVLink. Select Initial Setup , 3DR Radio , and Load Settings to configure the radios.

All settings should be the same for both modules. Ensure that the Net ID setting is identical on each radio to enable pairing. Select Save Settings to apply settings. For flying with friends, make sure your Net IDs do not conflict. Use the configuration options on this screen to apply the correct airspace regulation requirements for your area. You are responsible for complying with all airspace regulations in your area, including frequency restrictions, power levels, and licenses. For more information on configuring 3DR Radios to comply with local regulations, visit the online documentation at goo.gl/Tsrksf

.

## SPECIFICATIONS

3DR Radio Guide V1 © 3D Robotics, Inc. 28 October 2013 

## SUPPORT
For more information about mission planner applications and APM firmware, visit ardupilot.com . For online documentation of 3DR Radios, visit goo.gl/Tsrksf

. For customer support, contact us at help@3drobotics.com or call our support line at +1 (858) 225-1414

. Processing 100 mW maximum output power (adjustable) -117 dBm receive sensitivity Based on HopeRF’s HM-TRP module RP-SMA connector 2-way full-duplex communication through adaptive TDM UART interface Transparent serial link MAVLink protocol framing Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) Configurable duty cycle Error correction corrects up to 25% of bit errors Open-source SIK firmware Configurable through Mission Planner & APM Planner Features Interchangeable air and ground modules 915 or 433 mHz Micro-USB port 6-position DF13 connector

Power Supply voltage: 3.7-6 VDC (from USB or DF13) Transmit current: 100 mA at 30 dBm Receive current: 25 mA Serial interface: 3.3 V UART Dimensions 26.7 cm x 55.5 cm x 13.3 cm (without antenna) 3

4

5 1 Micro-USB port 2 6-wire cable connector 3 Antenna 4 Frequency 5 LED indicator 1 2 

## RADIO DESCRIPTION LED MEANINGS

Solid green Link established with paired radio Blinking green Searching for paired radio Blinking red Transmitting data
Solid red Firmware update mode

### EXHIBIT 6