README.md

Welcome to etx-Presets for RotorFlight

Rapid setup for our ELRS RotorFlight electric and nitro R/C Helicopters
Thanks to Mike W. and Diego A. for the endless hours of testing and great ideas.
Thanks to etocii for the filter and profile knowledge.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

About etx-Presets

Goal is to get a new flight controller configured as quickly possible allowing the user to get to familiar FBL setup with all of the boilerplate stuff out of the way. The idea is...

• flash the FC with RotorFlight 2.0 or later
• from the RotorFlight configurator CLI load the preset files that match your hardware, model (e.g. 400 or 700 size), base profiles and rates (optional)
• get straight to the familiar - name the FBL, verify gyro orientation, servo center/travels/direction, mixer settings, tweak PIDs and governor
• verify that all controls are correct and setup is SAFE
• GO FLY

Designed for use with transmitter models created with etx-templates

Release notes

• 2024.09.02
  • added support for RotorFlight v2.1 telemetry
    • Use 0_receiver_elrs_RF-2.0.txt for RotorFlight v2.0
    • Use 0_receiver_elrs_RF-2.1.txt for RotorFlight v2.1 and above
• 2024.07.03
  • GOV status replaces FM (reuse), eThrottle widget version v0.6.5 or later required - very useful during auto bailout setup
  • brisk bailout w/ max auto timeout (can't be disabled). Auto entry time/delay disabled
• 2024.06.17
  • fdf722 - added presets to use RPM-S (5v port) for RPM sensor
  • nexus7 - added presets to use port B (serial 6, 5v) for RPM sensor
• 2024.05.25
  • fdf722 - added presets for mapping ch11/12 to servo 5/6 on f.port or sbus port
    • e.g. etc/3_ch11_servo_5 + etc/0_base_fdf722_v2/3_servo_5_fport.txt maps channel 11 to servo 5 and sends output to the f.port port
  • nexus7 - added presets for mapping ch11/12 to servo 5 on sbus port
    • e.g. etc/3_ch11_servo_5 + etc/0_base_nexus/3_servo_5_sbus.txt maps channel 11 to servo 5 and sends output to the sbus port
• 2024.05.15
  • added support for RadioMaster Nexus FBL
  • use BEC (vs BUS) ADC to report servo bus voltage

Requirements / supported controllers

• RotorFlight 2 or later
• FlyDragon F722 v1 or v2 flight controller
• others will follow when available

Features and some of the settings available with presets

• basic hardware settings for the chosen controller e.g. disable compass, barometer, set PID loop and black box frequency etc.
• ADC voltmeter config for BEC voltage (servo bus) telemetry if the ESC doesn't provide BEC telemetry
• halfduplex settings for ESCs with bi-directional telemetry for setup / programming
• basic RotorFlight settigs for modes, adjustments for a 4 bank setup (bank1, bank2, bank3, hold) battery/power settings, select ESC telemetry for battery voltage source etc, basic blackbox settings
• basic ELRS settings for RSSI channel (LQ) and ELRS telemetry sensor mappings compatible with models created with etx-templates
• default motor pole count to '10' (most common value for larger motors), enable governor feature etc if selected
• basic / conservative 400 or 700 filter settings including RPM filters and 4 dynamic notches
• basic servo settings for 1500us/333hz CCPM servos w/ geometry correction enabled (linear servo drives eg TDR2, TFF are rare) and a 760us/500hz or 1500us/333hz tail servo
• (optional) more locked in but still conservative 700 profile
• (optional) RACEFLIGHT rate which offers the more familiar rate / expo configuration

Start by flashing your flight controller with an up-to-date version of RotorFlight if needed, if not skip to the next step...

calibrate the accellerometer and go to the CLI

first the hardware settings, there will be a dedicated folder for each hardware platform - be SURE to select the correct one and load the following files as shown

e.g.

• If using a FlyDragon F722 v2 and an ESC with bidirectional telemetry connected to serial port 3
  load the following presets from subfolder '0_base_fdf722_v2' load...

  • 0_base_adc_bec.txt (workaround for FDF722 v1/v2 lack of internal ADCs)
  • 0_base_serial_3_halfduplex.txt [EXT] (for bidirectional telemetry)
  • 0_base.txt

• If using a RadioMaster Nexus and an ESC with bidirectional telemetry connected to port D (DSM)
  load the following presets from subfolder '0_base_nexus' load...

  • 0_base_serial_1_halfduplex.txt [DSM] (for bidirectional telemetry)
  • 0_base.txt

next the general settings, follow the numbers...

• load the '0_' presets (load all, these are settings for a 4 back setup with standardized ELRS telemetry mappings)
• load the '1_'s
• • 1_motor_esc_gov_on.txt or 1_motor_esc_gov_off.txt
  • 1_motor_esc_halfduplex.txt (skip if NOT using an ESC with bidirectional telemetry)
• load the '2_filters_400/700' that best suits your model size
• load the '3_servos_' that's closest to your hardware- save

Done.

Optional

• (optional) load '4_profile_' for conservative but lively profile that we use as our starting point - headspeeds 1600, 1850, 2100rpm
• (optional) load '5_rates_race_med.txt' for a medium rate feel. We prefer the familiar Rate/Expo RACEFLIGHT parameters. ACTUAL rates were confusing to most. Note - if using RACEFLIGHT rates always leave the Acro+ parameter set to 0.

From this point setup is more or less like any other FBL

• Configuration
• • set name and gyro sensor orientation/alignment
  • (optional) turn off the LED if it bothers you
  • (optional) the FDF722 v2's built in Rx is on serial port 1. We use serial port 3 [EXT] for telemetry, change to say port 5 if needed
• Power
• • set your battery capacity
• Motors
• • set ESC telemetry protocol
  • set main and tail gear ratios - accuracy here is vital for proper operation of gyro RMP filters
• Servos, mixer, profiles (same thing as bank/flight mode - focus on the PIDs) and rates should be familiar enough
• • don't forget to set governed headspeeds for each profile (bank)
• Verify that all controls are correct and setup is SAFE
• Done. Proceed with care as you would with any new system - have fun getting it dialed in.

Installation

• download etx-templates-main.zip from (from https://github.com/bob01/etx-presets-rotorflight) and unzip to a folder on your computer.

Enjoy.