# APPENDIX P

# TBS DISCOVERY PRO Quadrotor Durable and crash resistant multirotor perfect for amateur and pro aerial videographers
Revision 2015-05-26 The TBS DISCOVERY PRO gimbal frame is the perfect tool for amat eur and pro aerial videographers. Sporting a fully stabilized, vibratio n isolated camera gimbal it is the most powerful, compact, robust and vers atile "take anywhere" quadrocopter for filming available to date. All the w iring is integrated into the frame, the copter is easy to build and outp erforms similar quads in terms of FPV range, flight time and video link quality.

By implementing the wiring into the frame, the copter is easy t o build and outperforms similar quads in terms of FPV range and video link quality. The DJI Flamewheel a rms 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 popul ar FPV quad!

● Integrated brushless gimbal controller (BaseCam)

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 videogra phers. It features the best design practices available on the market to date, providing great flying stabili ty 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 main tenance. 

## 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 t o use it reasonably and according to your experience level. Use common sense. Fly safe. You are on your o wn. 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

The following specifications are for the normal TBS DISCOVERY P RO. Long Range hardware will be different.
Type: Asymmetric spider quadrotor Airframe: Reinforced black fiberglass (rear top RF transparent, bottom PD B) 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 stabilizati on Gimbal controller: BaseCam 12V, tied to CORE to auto-switch profiles, GB2208-80 mo tors 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 cont rollers, 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-teste d to meet our standards for an excellent flight experience. But you can of course replace these with equ al 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 plu g & 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 scr een. Clutter-free, permanently visible, zero wires for installation, and nicely tucked away under a tin shie ld. 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 a nd 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 integrate d into the frame. It provides a rudimentary OSD and clean power distribution to the FPV camera (user instal led), 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 ano ther power source (supply pads +/- on bottom frame and/or additional voltage regulators)!
The frame includes a 50A current sensor which is connected dire ctly to the CORE. If you are planning to fly with UHF, we made sure to cover the CORE with a tin shield to i solate 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 s hut down due to overheat/ overcurrent protection! This might occur when powering a powerf ul video transmitter. When that happens, you will not damage your DCDC but be aware that the video link/ gimbal will experience drop-outs during this period. Test it on the ground for several minutes before y ou maiden your PRO with equipment other than TBS recommended gear.

6

### Frame layout

The TBS DISCOVER PRO frame is designed to reduce wiring and clu tter. With simplicity in mind, we put all the electronics for the CORE, brushless camera gimbal and camera sw itching 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 bet ween the plates. There are also two blue LEDs to indicate the state of the CORE and gimbal controller. T here 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 controll ers, setting up a multirotor was made really easy; just plug in a single cable into the flight controller. P PM 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 wit h additional controllers (e.g., gimbal.) By sharing the same PPM output, a controller can demux only the ne eded channels, for instance a flight controller can demux channel 1 to 4 for R/C control, while a g imbal controller can use channel 5 and 6 for tilt/roll. Compared to traditional PWM, this removes 5 servo-ca bles 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 sy stem. This eliminates vibrations from propagating to the gimbal frame and HD camera. We provide 5 rounds of damping balls (soft, medium, hard, harde r, 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 oscillat ing jolts from showing on the HD footage.

Think of the entire damping layout as accumulating hardness. Th e 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 setu p: 900kV motors, 9x5 Graupner propellers, TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs. All other layouts are subject to optimiza tion. Use the provided damping balls to experiment to find an optimal combination. With a bit it testin g, 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 clos ely 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 ou r support forum section at fpvlab.com

.

8

### Long range photography

Team BlackSheep are the undisputed kings of long range FPV. Wit h the TBS DISCOVERY PRO you can make camera shots that rival those of real helicopters. You can chas e BMX drivers down an entire slope. You can film boats and yachts from the shore. You can shoot breathtakin g action scenes from the director's seat! Since you're piloting from the camera view, your skill is the l imit. We offer 2 basic setups, each with their different flavors of r anges. The TBS 5.8GHz FPV system gives you ranges between 500m (25mW) to 3km (600mW). Please make sure you r 2.4GHz R/C can match this distance! To fly further, we offer the EzUHF Tx & Rx long range control s ystem and the Lawmate 2.4GHz long range video system. Compatible with all remote controls! With the 11d Bi 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 yo u 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 con trols 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 b and is completely polluted. By using the same connector type across all transmission freque ncies, the TBS eco-system allows quick and effortless switching between the frequencies. Typical ranges (based on customer feedback) with omnidirectiona l 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) a ntennas. With the 11dBi TBS Yagi on 500mW Lawmate 2.4GHz gear, 10km of range is no problem at all. The ba ttery normally only lasts for 8km of flight (4km and return.)

9

### Video switching

Another great feature of the TBS DISCOVERY PRO is the ability t o 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). De pending on if it is a close flying area or wide open field, switch back to the FPV feed to maneuver the quadcop ter. Pay attention when flying through the GoPro feed because the gimbal will make it hard to judge the qu ad’s attitude and flying direction. Switching the video feed is done through a dedicated R/C channe l 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 f rame. 

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

Before adding the equipment to the frame it is a good idea to b ecome 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

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A BatteryGeneric videotransmitter

FPV camera CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5 CH6 CH7 CH8 RC receiver

Speed controller Speed controller

GoPro camera Motor - CW

Motor - CCW Motor - CW Speed controller Motor - CCW Speed controller Flight controller (Optional) 

### GPS 

## Top frame

Bottom frame BEC regulator rev. 10.2013 - by ivc.no/tbs

ESCs with 5V BEC, disconnect all RED wires except one CoT CoG 

### Electronics installation

(For channel setup, refer to the manufacurer’s manual)

(For flight controller setup, refer to the manufacurer’s manual)TBS IMU500mA/1A GoPro link (EzUHF only) Pitch motor

Roll motor IMU

LED unitLED 

### PMU

NAZA

M1 M4 M3 M2 X2 or A/E/T/R/U

LED EXP 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 R emote Control, are available from Team BlackSheep. Remote controls can be purchased at your local hobb y 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 valle ys 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)

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## 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 a round 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 vib rations/“jello” begin to propagate.

● The harder you go on the front mounting brackets, the softer y ou 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 o n the top notch and the plate needs to

be oriented accordingly. Four of the top damping balls will fac e forward (toward the gimbal) holding the mounting bracket to the top frame, while the bottom four da mping balls will point the opposite direction (backward) and hold the bottom end of the mounting br acket. This creates the ideal push-pull compression state where the gimbal rests nicely on th e 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 brac kets. Wrap the wire or string inside the groove of the balls, one or two turns, feed both end s into the hole, and pull through using a plier.

● The same applies for the lever arm, only this time it is best t o 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) h ex 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 streng th threadlock on all metal-to-metal-screws.

● Begin by putting on the gimbal motors on the gimbal arm and bla ck plate. For the tilt/right motor, make sure to align the motor cable so it protrudes hidden behin d the inner side of the mount. Mount it with 4x M3x4mm hex screws. For the roll/rear motor, orient t he motor so that shaft/cable is pointing away from the back mounting plate. Here, use 4x M2.5x6 mm 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 Meas urement Unit) board and feed the cable through the hole on the top gimbal cage plate. Align it w ith the two holes and use 2x M2.5x6mm screws to secure it.

● Attach the left side cage wall, bottom cage floor, and right si de 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 c entral 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 over tighten, 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 co nnector 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 mo tor 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 n ot overtighten as the screws could strip.

● Strap down the cables using 4 zip-ties, use the designated hole s 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 (complete d previously) and back lever arm

to the rear/roll motor. Align the cable with the notch in the m ounting plate and secure it using 4x M3x6mm screws. Feed the remaining cables through the two oval h oles on either side of the plate. Make sure the cables does not obstruct free movement or is unde r tension. Also check that the cage can move freely and there is no binding (rubbing) on either sid e.

● Mount lever arm with the flat surface with the holes pointing d own. 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 t o the designated location and secure the gimbal using 6x M2.5x5mm frame (arm) screws. Double check t hat 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 pos ition holes on the bottom plate to make the final adjustment.

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

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

remove the spacer and two screws (these are not absolutely nece ssary).

● Finally, feed the GoPro gimbal velcro strap through the slots o n the bottom cage mounting plate. Properly strapped down the GoPro before flying to reduce vibrat ions/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 pow er 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 ass embling 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 asse mbly 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 co ntroller 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. Solde r the wires to the positive (red) and negative (black) pads located on the back-right side on the fra me.

● 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.

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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) A luminium spacers (3) P in header

(6) F rame arm (4) T op plate

(5) B ottom 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 usi ng 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 pa cks, while the most forward position is great for larger 4S 4000-4500mAh packs (shown in the image b elow.) 

### 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 fram e. 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 so lder 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 rece iver and setting the throttle stick high (Wide Open Throttle - WOT) on power-on and then low until a con firmation beep is heard (motors attached). The ESC has to be connected directly to the R/C rece iver 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. After calibration, re-program yo ur correct failsafe throttle position.

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 BE C 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 con trol 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 controll er 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 control ler. 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 Mo nitor Protection”. This prevents the DISCOVERY PRO from prematurely descending on low battery. Use t he 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 d isconnected 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 Autopi lot 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 rol l 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 t he long-neck M2.5x5mm screws. Feed the speed controller wires through the gap between the frame ar m 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 p ad to mount any BEC or control unit (e.g. NAZA PMU/LED/V-SEN-unit.) to the underside of the back-le ft speed controller.

25● Feed the battery straps through the two slots in the battery co mpartment. Only one strap is really

necessary to provide adequate friction to keep the battery fast ened.
Optional:

​ Use different colored frame arms for the front and back pair t o 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 t o minimize clutter.

26● Plug in the bullet-connectors to the speed controllers. Swap an y two wires to change the direction of

rotation if they do not rotate as shown below. See the image ab ove 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 (Pu lse Width Modulation) channels. When using a PPM (Pulse Position Modulation) compatible receive r and flight controller, only one trace (Channel 1) is used.

● Solder the supplied pin header to the 8x3-pads and the single 1 x3-header to the separate RSSI pad. Install the first header on the R/C receiver side (back-end) wi th the pins pointing up and, if you are using PWM control signals, solder the second header with the pi ns 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 fl ux 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 adjustm ents) ○ channel 6

​

for PWM gimbal tilt pitch control ○ channel 7

​

for PWM flight mode selection (i.e. attitude, manual, GPS assi sted) ○ 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_P ITCH, 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 control ler roll/tilt, camera switcher, and CORE RSSI signal). No further wiring is needed to enable those syste ms.

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

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

### R/C receiver

● Plug in the short servo extensions on the header on the top pla te 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 anten na 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 switch er 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/

PPM Elevator Throttle Rudder Gimbal Roll Gimbal Pitch Flight mode Camera switch

● When using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) signa l 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 prole 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 - Congure “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 ocially 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 ocially 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 - Congure “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 Congure 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 - Congure 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 ight controller setups

OpenPilotReceiverPort Flight controller

- Secret trinket n/t

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

only supports PWM

Gimbal controller - Enable “PWM” source in SimpleBGC - CORE prole 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 an d overall signal quality (including packet loss) of the R/C uplink. A 5-pin Molex cable is include d 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-t o-5mm reduction spacers available separately.

● Try to match the motor and propeller to suit your particular ne ed. For extended flight time try to achieve optimal efficiency. For agile-flight look at a responsi ve 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

30

### Bottom link

● Attach the the 9-pin plate-to-plate bottom link cable to the de signated 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 conne ctor on the top plate.

31

## FPV and gimbal gear

The FPV gear is designed to be installed on the front section o f 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 ar e, 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 sold er pads. The CORE and R/C power rails are completely separated and is by design not dependent o n either system in order to function properly. Interference and noise from the driver train is isola ted 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 al ready comes pre-configured for 5V video transmitters and 12V FPV cameras. Adjust the output volta ge by soldering the middle pad and either side pad for 12V or 5V. Do not solder all three pads (sh ort-circuit.)

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

32****

****

****

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** ** 

****

****

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** ** 

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****

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****

****

**  ** 

****

****

****

** ** 

** ** 

****

****

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****

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****

** **  ** **  ****

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****

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****

**** 

# CORE menu layout

Button Enter

use upXT60 

# TBS CORE PNP PRO installation diagram for TBS DISCOVERY PRO

VTX8 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

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 

# DISCOVE RY PROENTRDWNUPGimbalcal.XT60XT60 PWR IN

BST PWR OUTBottom 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 conict)XT60 Note: mount unit in center of the bottom plate, on top of the ight controller (NAZA), or on the left side on the bottom plate 

### Dec. 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) TBS GPS/COMPASS 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

Existing battery leadGPSCOMPASS● 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 bo ard. 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 a ppendix to this manual. 

### Pilot camera

● Use the supplied camera plate to mount the pilot camera. The mo unting 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 f our 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 secu re mount, you can add solder to the three exposed solder spots, or leave it for easy hot swapping i n the field.

33● Decide whether you can use the supplied wires and connector soc ket 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, L awmate video transmitters, and the supplied “12V CAM” cable with the TBS59/TBS69 cameras respe ctively. 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 i s 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 Law mate 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 600 mW or more powerful VTx, must be powered directly from the bottom frame (small +/- pads) to a void overdriving the CORE. Test this a few minutes on the ground and verify that the CORE does not reb oot 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 lter between the solder pad and video transmitter. 

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

+ -- --

+ -- +


### -- PPM

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A 

### 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 Tx8 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 PPMGND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - GreyVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red FatShark 5.8GHz 250mWBATT - RedGND - BlackAUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - Black FatShark 5.8GHz 250mW + -- --

+ -- +


### -- PPM

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A8 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 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)

+ -- --

+ -- +


### -- PPM

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A8 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

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A8 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

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A8 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

+ -- +
--

S + -DISCOVERY PROTop Link +

+Battery 50A8 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 PPMGND - 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 only on 3S battery* 

### !

* On 4S+ setups where 12V is not available, consider using a dedicated TBS CORE PNP to supply power to the video transmitter. Connect directly only on 3S battery* 

### ! Connect directly only on 3S battery* 

### ! rev. Feb 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs

### Brushless gimbal controller

● Plug in the 3 Molex cables for the pitch- and roll-motors, as w ell 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 fi ne-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. Al so make sure to balance both axis by moving the GoPro back or forth until it stays still independ ent of how you rotate/leave it.

● Additional configuration can be done using the SimpleBGC softwa re package via the micro USB connector on the right-side of the top frame. The CORE uses dua l 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 r oll 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 th e top plate for 3-5 seconds until the gimbal motors release. Wait for the blue LED to stop blinking a nd motors to lock again. Ensure that the gimbal is perfectly still and straight during this calibrat ion 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 gi mbal face forward , face down , face up and face backwards

. And only at the very end re-enable the POWER settings and com mit 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 lightwe ight tables or wooden floors for calibration. You only need to do this once in a while or when m oving to an entirely new geographical location. The calibration directly influences how well the gimb al 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 gi mbal, you need to close the solder pads labeled “PPM GIMBAL” on the top plate, enable “PPM-Sum” and ass ign 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 ra dio 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 receiv er to the R/C header (channel 8). The video switcher will change input when the PWM-period passes the 1520μs center point (50%). No further sub-trim should be necessary. The failsafe setting depe nds on your receiver configuration.

● To enable the camera switcher functionality (off by default), p ress 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 switch ing still has to be hooked up to PWM. Fortunately, most receivers still output PWM on the remain ing 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 becaus e 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-pil ot 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 outp ut 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 b e overloaded.

● After assembling the camera gimbal frame, plug in the 3-pin mol ex 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 chargin g rate, order the IC part NCP380HSN05AAT1G from Mouser or Digi-Key and solder the IC to t he 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 ab out the battery voltage (V), current draw (A), total current consumption (mAh), receiver signal stre ngth (%) and flight time (minutes:seconds). This gives an essential overview of the syst em 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 sel ect "OSD OFF".

● In the picture above the video feed is switched to the GoPro ca mera. 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 serv o-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 c alibrate the max. (radio on) and min. (radio off) value.

● The bottom plate includes an on-board current sensor in-line wi th the battery supply. Configure the CORE to use the 50A current sensor. The sensor can also be tune d (in % increments) to more accurately display current consumption (mAh), i.e. at the end o f a flight if it was 1% too high, adjust it down 1%. The same kind of adjustments can be made for the batte ry voltage (in 0.1V increments.) The current sensor output is compatible with similar OSD system s. (Advanced users only) Limited instructions on how to install the TBS CORE PRO 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 sec ure the frame.

Note:

​ Digital RSSI and Camera switch share the source pin with each other. If you use the Camera switch you can only use analog RSSI or the link input from EzUHF recei ver.

39

# Brushless gimbal stabilization Integrated gimbal controller Setting up a gimbal the right way can be a daunting task, fortu nately 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.basecamelectronics.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 (Profil e 1), to keep the gimbal quiet while on ground and one noisy profile (Profile 2). The CORE MCU will detect whe n 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 th is on Profile 2. The following table shows the suggested PID and power controlle r 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 C HECK, gyro trust 100, and PWM frequency to HIGH (silent) for Profile 1 and LOW for Pr ofile 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 comp act size. The TBS DISCOVERY PRO was designed around the GoPro to take advantage of its great featur es. Consider using the GoPro settings in the tables below for “no-p rop-in-view” footage. Adding a ND filter to the front of the GoPro will also help slowing down the shutter spee d 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 (ma ss) 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 th e 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 migh t need to move the middle two frame spacers to accommodate the battery. The CG over the longi tudinal (roll) axis should be in the center of the frame front-to-back and should only need slight a djustments.

● 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 o ne or more motors are already working more than normally required. Small balance variations are count ered 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 sepa rate operator for piloting the quad and camera is preferred. Extra equipment is needed for the extra video lin k and R/C control uplink (2-axis gimbal and yaw adjustments.) Installation of the video transmitter and R/C rec eiver 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 s econd transmitter, cut the trace in between the two pads. This can be done with a sharp knife. Use a multim eter to verify that the two pads are entirely separated. Now connect the left and middle pad with a dab of so lder, this diverts the GoPro image to the Video pad.

● Single operator

​ - For reference, the following diagram shows the normal “all-i n-one” setup where one operator maneuvers quad and controls video positioning.

43● Dual operator

​ - Introducing a separate video operator for the gimbal roll an d 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 contr ol over to the the video operator. This requires good piloting skills and continuous communications bac k and forth to practice safe maneuvering and flight.

44

# TBS CORE PNP PRO installation

The TBS CORE PNP PRO upgrade will make the DISCO PRO a full-fea tured quadcopter. You will be able to see current power index, home direction, speed, altitude, distance to home, exact GPS coordinates and notifications to assist you while flying. See the official CORE PRO manual for further details and setup, available at team-blacksheep.com/tbs-core-pro-manual.pdf

. A full resolution diagram of the following procedure is availab le on the next page.

● By following these instructions you will end up with a dual COR E & CORE PRO setup where the video out from the on-board CORE (with video switching) will feed int o the CORE PRO, where the OSD overlay will be applied. The on-board CORE can now be used to c harge the GoPro HD camera at 1A, if desired.

● The on-board CORE automatic gimbal profile switching (at >3A) w ill function as normal and no change is necessary.

● First, enter the CORE menu via the buttons on the top plate and set CAM TYPE to SWITCH and OSD to OSD OFF - to enable pilot<->GoPro camera switching and avoiding overlapping OSDs.

● Connect the GoPro and pilot camera as normal to the top plate ( IMU/GoPro and CAM). Disconnect the video transmitter (VTX) from the VTX port on the top plate.

● Then, you need to connect the video out from the VTX port on th e DISCO PRO to the CAM port on the CORE PRO. Connect the video transmitter (VTx) to the VTX port o n the CORE PRO.

● Note: If the VTx is high power and has an on-board regulator, connec t the power leads (normally red and black) to the unregulated power pads on the bottom plate (+ /- pads) on the DISCO PRO. The video signal (normally yellow wire) should be connected separat ely to the VTX port on the CORE PRO.

● For the CORE PRO current sensor, you need to connect the PWR OU T to the battery lead on the DISCO PRO. Connect the current sensor to the CORE PRO unit with one of the short BST-cables. The battery now connects to the PWR IN on the current sensor.

● (Optional) To establish a connection between the EzUHF (availab le separately) and CORE PRO, use one of the longer BST-cables and connect it between the OSD Lin k port on the EzUHF and LINK port on the CORE PRO. This replaces the short black EzUHF OSD Link c able which normally connects to the rear connector on the top plate.

● Lastly, connect the GPS module (available separately) to one of the BST ports on the CORE PRO. Mount the GPS module on the rear section on the DISCO PRO.

● Now, with the rewiring done, power up the DISCO PRO and your go ggles. Enter the CORE PRO menu and make sure the current sensor is set to 100A, RSSI set to LI NK (EzUHF) or ANALOG/DIGITAL and calibrate the compass (if used).

● The setup is now complete. See CORE PRO manual for further conf iguration options.

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 secur ed, and that the battery strapped down. Balance the quadcopter around the Center of Gravity (CG) spot b y 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 distr actions (e.g., garden or park.) The flight conditions should be calm with only a light breeze. Flip the fl ight mode switch to “Attitude” mode and execute the stick combination to arm the flight controller (e.g., for N AZA left stick to bottom-left and right stick to bottom-right.) Slowly raise the throttle stick and when the pro pellers start to spin, make sure they rotate in the right direction and the propeller type is correct (right-ha nd or left-hand turn.) 

## Takeoff With all the essentials checked, stand behind the quadcopter wi th 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 sti ck 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 directi on. 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 th e flight controller to re-initialize the gyro calibration. Perform at least 5 flights in low altitude and eas y 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 q uadcopter 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 sudden ly drops, increase altitude and return to home, as this normally indicates that you fly at the edge of th e video range or behind obstacles, respectively.

46

# Good practices

We have compiled a list of all of the things that have been tri ed 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 sugge st 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 limi ts, 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 pic ture, turn around and buy a higher-gain receiver antenna before going out further.

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

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

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

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

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

● A single battery system is safer than using two dedicated batte ries 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 vid eo 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 point ing your antennas, diversity should be used to mitigate polarization issues.

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

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

and EMI interference.

● Do not buy the cheapest equipment unless it is proven to work r eliably (e.g. parts falling off, multitudes of bug fix firmware updates, community hacks and mod s 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 di sappear as soon as you land, your video transmitter is exposed to too much vibrations. Memory foam in c onjunction with the Flame Wheel VTx mount will take out the vibrations in an instant and give y ou crystal-clear video.

● Issue: Motor(s) doesn’t start Solution: It is probably a lazy start syndrome, some informatio n 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 pro cess. 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 t he 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 T BS 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 chargi ng 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 softwa re 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 spi ns 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 an d slide the motor bell back on. Let the glue dry.

49● Issue: Gimbal controller displays a blue light and motors not e ngaging

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.basecamelectronics.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. C onnect the battery. The gimbal will try to "fight" - do not worry about this it will not overheat the moto rs unless being kept running for extended periods of time. Connect the micro USB to the top plat e, 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 gimb al 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 gi mbal from rotating freely. Loosen the zip-ties of the IMU cable and give them some “play”, especi ally 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 sour ce. Use a 5V or 12V BEC and connect it to the + and - pads on the bottom plate.

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# Recommended parts

Below is a list of compatible R/C and FPV gear for the TBS DISC OVERY 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 firmw are 

### 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

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### 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 cam era

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# 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

.

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# 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.

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