AttitudeControl

What is AttitudeControl and how to use it

AttitudeControl can level your helicopter by the flip of a switch or by pressing a button on the radio. There are different options on how the helicopter will be leveled which can be selected in PARAMETER MENU.

Please note that AttitudeControl is an optional feature. It is only available on devices with MICROBEAST ULTRA ProEdition firmware installed. You can buy this optional update from the freakware Webshop and flash the ProEdition firmware to your device with the StudioX app.

Leveling modes

• Angular Mode
  

In this mode the helicopter flies like a quad copter. You have full control over pitch, but pushing aileron or elevator will only cause the helicopter to tilt by a given angle instead of rotating it around the roll or pitch axis. This makes flying much easier as you can't flip over the helicopter. Instead the maximum tilt is limited by your stick input. (Note: If you want to train inverted hovering using the angular mode, you will have to bring the helicopter into inverted position with AttitudeControl disabled first and then activate it).

• Bailout rescue
  

The rescue mode can be used to bring the helicopter into a safe and well known position in case you loose orientation. No matter in which position the helicopter is at the moment, upright or inverted, once you activate the bailout rescue the system will bring your helicopter into an upright hovering position. In addition you set the Attitude Mode to "Bailout rescue with Pitch", here the system also will add some collective pitch input, so the helicopter hovers even when you have the thrust stick set at negative pitch position by accident. Or you could add even more pitch so the helicopter gains height quickly (for this pupose you can also use the "rescue boost" which can be set using the StudioXm App or StudioX Software).

• 3D - Mode
  

This basically does the same as the rescue mode but difference is that it will also level the helicopter in inverted position. Here the system detects which position is closer to reach and directly levels the helicopter without making a turn around. This can be used when you want to train and learn aerobatic maneuvers, like inverted hovering, flips or ticotcs. As you can override the AttitudeControl by adding some cyclic stick input even you could let AttitudeControl activated for a longer time, so the system guides you like a helping hand. I.e. when you make a front flip you only have to concentrate on giving correct collective pitch input. The elevator does not have to be as precise, as the exact leveling when reaching inverted hovering position is done by attitude control, even the system will pull the helicopter into level position, once it is tilted more than 90 degrees to the front. Please note the system will not level the heli into on or the other direction when it is in vertical position. This makes it more comfortable to fly around and perform loopings or knife edge flying while 3D Mode is active!

Besides the general choice from theses 5 Modes (Angular Mode, Bailout rescue, Bailout rescue with Pitch, 3D - Mode, 3D - Mode with Pitch) you can adjust more options with the StudioX Software or StudioXm App. For example you can add some boost pitch for a short amount of time so the helicopter gains height quickly, or you can lock the thrust stick input. These options are described later in detail. Also note that when using Bankswitching (Flight mode switching) you can set different Attitude modes and options for each flight mode and tweak the system to your likings even more.

Adjustment at the device

If not already done, enter PARAMETER MENU by pushing the button briefly when the device is operational, so that the Menu LED next to point A starts to flash. Then repeatedly press the button to skip to Menu LED (menu point) L. At PARAMETER MENU point L you can choose between five different AttitudeControl operation modes. This is done by selection with the rudder stick. Tap the rudder stick repeatedly until the Status-LED lights in the desired color. If one of the AttitudeControl operation modes is selected, the AttitudeControl function is enabled and it can be activated/deactivated in operation by using the previously assigned transmitter channel for AttitudeControl. The "AttitudeControl disabled" option specifies the AttitudeControl is completely disabled and actuating the AttitudeControl channel has no effect (in terms of the AttitudeControl). The assignment to the colors of the Status-LED is as follows:

Status-LED	AttitudeControl operation mode
off	AttitudeControl disabled
purple	Angular Mode
red flashing	Bail out rescue mode
red	Bail out rescue mode with pitch
blue flashing	3D - Mode
blue	3D - Mode with pitch

Briefly press the button store the setting. In case you've chosen a mode with collective pitch control, pressing the button at point L will lead to menu point M. Otherwise menu point M will be skipped und the system will exit PARAMETER MENU.

Only enable AttitudeControl when all initial settings in SETUP MENU and RECEIVER MENU have been performed. Otherwise the servos may drive to the mechanical full stop, start binding and may get damaged, e.g. when AttitudeControl gets activated when leaving the menu and the system starts to try moving the heli.

Hovering pitch

At PARAMETER MENU point M the collective pitch will move to the set hovering position. As described above this will be used to keep the heli in hovering position (when using an AttitudeControl mode with pitch). Ideally the pitch angle is exactly as large as it is necessary to maintain a stationary hovering flight without ascending or descending. Typically this is somewhere in the range between 5 and 6 degrees.

By moving the rudder stick left or right you can descrease or increase the hovering pitch. The color of the Status-LED indicates the range where the pitch is in between at the moment. This range is specified as percentage of maximum positive/negative pitch.

Status-LED	AttitudeControl collective pitch
off	> 20% of maximum collective pitch
purple	> 30% of maximum collective pitch
red	> 50% of maximum collective pitch
blue	> 70% of maximum collective pitch

• Please note that during operation you can always add more pitch by giving thrust stick input. The pitch you adjust here is only the minimum amount of pitch. So practically in case this is not enough pitch to keep the heli in the air you will always have the option to override the pitch input for safety reason.
• When using the "3D - Mode with pitch" make sure that the maximum pitch range is symmetrical, i.e. the maximum positive and negative pitch are of same size. Otherwise the hovering pitch will differ in normal and inverted flight as the AttitudeControl pitch is calculated from each maximum pitch setting! The setting affects both directions, separate adjustment of the hovering pitch angles is not provided.
• If the maximum positive/negative pitch is changed at SETUP MENU point K in consequence also the hovering pitch will change! So after adjusting the maximum pitch also check and readjust the hovering pitch here at menu point M.
• When tilting the helicopter the amount of pitch will change and you may not see the set amount of hovering pitch. This is because the system uses an internal algorithm that controls the pitch during rotation, trying to roll the helicopter with as less horizontal and vertical movement as possible. Anyhow, this algorithm bases on the assumption that you've set the hovering pitch as good as possible. But, for examply, when you've set more pitch in order to achieve the helicopter gaining height when AttitudeControl is active, this may not cause the helicopter to turn on spot properly.

Setup with StudioX app

When StudioX/StudioXm has connected to your MICROBEAST ULTRA, in the device overview main screen click the "Parameter setup" button. Then click the "Next" button repeatedly until you reach the screen "Bank 1 - AttitudeControl" or directly go to this options screen using the box on top. Here you can choose between five different AttitudeControl operation modes. If one of the AttitudeControl operation modes is selected, the AttitudeControl function is enabled and it can be activated/deactivated in operation by using the previously assigned transmitter channel for AttitudeControl. The "AttitudeControl disabled" option specifies the AttitudeControl is completely disabled and actuating the AttitudeControl channel has no effect (in terms of the AttitudeControl).


Hovering pitch

When an AttitudeControl mode with pitch is used, you can set the minimum amount of pitch deflection that is used to keep the heli in hovering position. Ideally the pitch angle is exactly as large as it is necessary to maintain a stationary hovering flight without ascending or descending. Typically this is somewhere in the range between 5 and 6 degrees. The value you see here is the percentage of the maximum amount of pitch. So if you've set up your helicopter with 12 degrees of pitch, you will roughly see 6 degrees of hovering pitch at a value of 50. If you like to measure the exact pitch click the "Measure" button. This will move the swashplate into hovering position temporarily.

• Please note that during operation you can always add more pitch by giving thrust stick input. The pitch you adjust here is only the minimum amount of pitch. So practically in case this is not enough pitch to keep the heli in the air you will always have the option to override the pitch input for safety reason.
• When using the "3D - Mode with pitch" make sure that the maximum pitch range is symmetrical, i.e. the maximum positive and negative pitch are of same size. Otherwise the hovering pitch will differ in normal and inverted flight as the AttitudeControl pitch is calculated from each maximum pitch setting! The setting affects both directions, separate adjustment of the hovering pitch angles is not provided.
• If the maximum positive/negative pitch is changed at SETUP MENU point L in consequence also the hovering pitch will change! So after adjusting the maximum pitch check and readjust the hovering pitch here at menu point M.
• When tilting the helicopter the amount of pitch will change and you may not see the set amount of hovering pitch. This is because the system uses an internal algorithm that controls the pitch during rotation, trying to roll the helicopter with as less horizontal and vertical movement as possible. Anyhow, this algorithm bases on the assumption that you've set the hovering pitch as good as possible. But, for examply, when you've set more pitch in order to achieve the helicopter gaining height when AttitudeControl is active, this may not cause the helicopter to turn on spot properly.

Pitch boost

The option "Pitch boost" allows to set an additional pitch input which can be added for a restricted amount of time. For example when you set the "Pitch boost" to 80 and the "Boost time" to 1000, the system will give 80% pitch input for 1 seconds (=1000 milliseconds) as soon as the helicopter reaches horizontal position when activating the AttitudeControl. So you can use this to gain height instantly and get away from the ground, i.e. when rescuing the helicopter.

• You can use the "Pitch boost" feature in any of the five AttitudeControl modes, not only in the modes with pitch! On the other hand, when using "Pitch boost" in combination with Rescue with pitch or 3D-Mode with Pitch, first the system will use the "Pitch boost" for the given amount of time and then move the pitch to the given amount of hovering pitch.
• When the "Boost time" is set to 0 the "Pitch boost" is disabled resp. will not have any effect.