Spirit System

Dear sirs
I'm the happy onwer of several units (2 original + 2 Pro) that i use in my copters. Recently I bought a Geolink to profit some of is features but until now i'm not able of use it because i can´t achive a confident (drifting free) Position Hold even after several GPS/Compass calibrations.
I'm using it at Protos 500 with the original red Spirit unit (version 3.3.3) and the Geolink (version 1.2.1) fixed with tape to the horizontal plastic tailboon fin (fixing steel bolts replaced by plastic ones), at 15 Cm distance from tail servo. In “normal” the heli continues to fly really well, but after turn on the Position Hold switch it begun to drift (not dangerously) but without lock, i´ve tried to raise the horizontal gain (present 130) it´s better but…. Meanwhile i’ve also tried in advanced menu enable both (stabi correction and signal processing) but my unit seens not accept it (at list both, and i´m uncertain if its accept even one of those commands..)
As you understand i’m a bit lost because i don’t know what else could i do to fix this problem, (For exemple is it better to switch the original unit to the Pro version ?? Retry to run the firmware again in Unit and Geolink ?) Please, please help me
Best Regards
C.P.

when you hit the rescue does heli stay stationary if not than your set up my need to be adjusted . when i use rescue the heli dosent drift at all and im running several units from 500 up to 800 size helis

morrchew

Excuse me, but there are something that i don't understand " When i hit the rescue the heli shouls remain stationary...?? '' is certain English is not my native language but i don't understand your sentence
I've the rescue function (acro) in a different channel with a
momentary switch and it works as expected (Correct helicopter attitude and gives positive or negative pitch according to the situation), the Hold Position Function it' s a tottaly different history, it's comanded by a diferent channel and activation is throught another switch, and as far as i know they don't work each other.
But i would be very thankfull if you explain you point with more details.
Best Regards
Birdmen

Meanwhile
If Thomas could help us and bring some light (solution hi hi hi ) i would be very gratefull
Thanks
birdmen

Hello,

with rescue or stabilisation modes model will not stay stationary. It will always move somewhere sooner or later.
With Position Hold enabled, the model should stay stationary.

It is good to find if for example Coaxial mode is working correctly first.

Here is page that is exactly about this problem:
http://manual.spirit-system.com/index.p ... tion_drift

Here we have Protos 500 for testing too and it is working very well, so I am certain your will work well too.

All these features are based on Coaxial mode, so it is important it is really working well.
Has your model ESC fan?

Hi Thomas
How are you? You are very kind answering so soon to my question, No, my Esc don´t have any fan the only thing he as is a capacitor to flat any spike and give a momentary boost in case of hight power demand. I decided to take your advice (to other question in forum) and make a new aproach taking small steps, so i gonna disable Geolink first and program Spirit main unit (original) to Stabi Correction and Coaxial Mode only, after that, if it’s Ok, i move to program (only) the Position Hold in Geolink make same test and so on..
I have a final question, there is any gain in precision by switching this unit (original) to the Pro version?
Thanks a lot
Birdmen

Yes, Pro unit is certainly better than old Spirit units in terms of precision - especially rescue and stabilisation. Same apply for any newer unit.
Spirit 2 is better than Spirit Pro. And Spirit GT is better than Spirit 2 in terms of precision and terms of how it can handle vibrations for example.
But even the first Spirit units have sensors good enough for all models.

Hi Thomas how are you?

Sorry to bother you, but I wanted to exchange a few words again about the drifting problem in Position Hold on my Geolink.
I went to the flight field (without cell phone, car keys, belt in my pants hi hi hi) with a normal compass and I noticed throught computer software that there was a deviation between the indicated Magnetic North and the value recognized by Geolink (I corrected it to -8) after that I re-calibrated the Geolink.
Then, i deactivate the remaining functions, and carried out a test in coaxial mode and also in normal stabilization with great success, after that I activate both Position Hold and Altittude Hold in separate buttons and began to experiment with changing the gains of horizontal stabilization of the Geolink, having found a value (65%) that appears to be the least drift allows, the tests with Altittude Hold gain are not conclusive but the present value is (100%)
I saw countless times your Protos 500 video in you tube (with a marvelous lock in to the wind) and my present result it's not even similar...
Them i remember that your heli was the same as mine, so i would be very grateful if you could send me the values ​​used in your device, through this route or by msg to my email "jcpombinho@gmail.com"

Yours faithfully
BIRDMEN

We are using default values for both Horizontal and Vertical Correction Gains.

I am afraid usually the problem is not in these gains. These will only reduce for example movements that are too visible.
Please try to enable both features separately at the beginning. It is much easier to tune it.

Drifting is usually caused by either basic setup - swashplate not leveled according leveler or by super high vibrations.
Sadly with Protos it is often problem that it can generate resonant vibrations - clearly visible at the vibration plot at Y axis - vibrations over whole plot. They are very big problem.
Then Rescue and Stabilisations will not work precisely, including Geolink functions.
These are coming always from the tail. Good belt tension, fixing tail housing can resolve the problem.
I can give you hints for checking. First I recommend to do vibration analysis at home for Y and Z axes, but with tail blades on.
It can be very helpful. We have Protos models from 2009.

Hi Thomas
Thanks again for your kind reply, I will follow your advice, I will let you know later
Birdmen