Hello guys!
I am new to robotics and quadrocopters, but I am trying to build a quadrocopter which I will control through arduino. I know it's hard to control a drone with an arduino, but I want to do the code by myself.
The parts I am using are:
Brushless Motor x 4
4-In-1 ESC from speedybee (Also I have 4 separate ESC)
Arduino Uno
LIPo Battery
IMU
The problems I am facing :
I can't seem to do the connections right and cannot find information on how to connect the 4 in 1 esc to the arduino uno
where to connect the battery? should i connect it to the arduino uno and from there to power the 4-in1 esc, or should i connect it to do 4-in-1 esc and power the uno with external source?
I saw somewhere that i have to flash the 4in1 esc, is this true?
Does anyone have a schematic for that kind of connections?
Please mention which type of LIpo battery you are using(voltage and current) and make sure it can power the esc, also mention the model of the esc and amperage
There are four signal inputs to the ESC, each would need an output pin on the Arduino.
where to connect the battery?
The battery directly powers the ESC board, and I would recommend a boost or buck regulator to develop 5 volts to power the Arduino.
If the battery is 2s 7.4 volt nominal, you could use Vin and waste a bit of flight time as heat when the Arduino linear regulator is doing that.
I would not recommend using any 5 volts that the ESC may have, called a BEC.
i have to flash the 4in1 esc, is this true?
Unlikely. You probably wouldn't even need to configure it. The most common use of the configuration tool is to fix motors that are spinning in the wrong direction; this can also be done by swapping any two of the three wires to the moto.
Does anyone have a schematic for that kind of connections?
Google is your friend. You will find that most quadcopters follow a very similar wiring setup.
Good luck with that. Obvsly it's been done before, so not impossible.
My advice would be, however, to find a successful project that is well documented and slavishly follow it to make an exact duplicate.
Then you could have fun flying while you decide if doing anything differently is so important. Quadcopters are a delicate balance of mass and thrust, and the control software is no one's first or second Arduino project.
Leave the propellers off until you are actually trying to fly.
Depending on where you live there are Federal/State laws that apply to the use of drones, typically once you are over 249g total take off weight, you are supposed to register your drone or get a certificate, or both (take off weight = drone, battery, camera etc - nothing excluded even prop guards).
Having said that, you don't want to fly through your living room window, either, or into traffic or even crash since that breaks stuff, so best to look at what others have done. One platform I have used (and I think is still active although I've been out for quite a while) is the Ardupilot/Arducopter community. Not to encourage you to go elsewhere or anything, just you might find more comprehensive help there.
Typically, you'll be using everything here (or equivalent) for legal and satisfactory control:
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