DroneCurriculumQuadcopter Build Manual GPS Kit with NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller and Turnigy 9X Transmitter/Receiver DISCLAIMER: Drone System Technologies, LLC is not responsible for

Drone Theory & Design: GPS Quadcopter Build v1.1 P a g e | 1

Curriculum Designed for the S.T.E.M. Classroom

DroneCurriculum.net

Quadcopter Build Manual v1.1

GPS Kit with NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller and Turnigy 9X Transmitter/Receiver



READ THIS FIRST – IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION!

• READ ALL WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS ON THIS PAGE BEFORE ASSEMBLY OR OPERATION!

• Serious injury can be caused by rotating propellers. Always remove the propellers when working on the quadcopter.

• Secure long hair and loose clothing/jewelry when building, testing, and operating your quadcopter to avoid entanglement with motors.

• Always wear eye protection when assembling, soldering, operating, or repairing your quadcopter.

• When soldering, realize that the soldering iron is very hot and could cause serious burns. Be mindful of the tip at all times. Unplug it when not in use.

• Remove and return the soldering iron safely to its stand, being mindful of the power cord’s potential to be accidentally pulled or tripped on.

• Realize that when the drone’s battery is connected, there is a possibility of injury from the motors and propellers even when not in flight.

• Perform initial electronic speed controller (ESC) programming before installing the propeller blades.

Remove propeller blades before reprogramming the ESCs.

• Bind the Transmitter and Receiver before installing the propeller blades.

• Follow the instructions carefully; incorrect assembly of your quadcopter could cause risk of catastrophic

equipment failure, personal injury to you or others, and property damage.

• This quadcopter assembled and used as directed in this manual is an RC hobby aircraft. If you choose to

modify your quadcopter to function as anything other than intended in this manual, you do so entirely at

your own responsibility and risk.

• Make sure all parts of the quadcopter are in good condition. Replace any broken parts before attempting a flight.

• Only use the recommended battery pack, and always disconnect the battery when not in use.

• Before flight, check that the propellers are installed correctly and firmly tightened.

• ALWAYS FLY WITH A FOCUSED CONCENTRATION.

• Do not fly near people, buildings, trees, power lines, or other objects and only operate your quadcopter in an area with no children, unsecured pets, or livestock, which can be harmed by contact with rotating blades.

• Only operate your quadcopter outdoors and away from crowded areas. All observers should stand a safe

distance behind the operator.

• Only operate your quadcopter in an environment where you can maintain unobstructed visual contact

with it. Do not operate at night, or where there is fog, smoke, or dust that could limit visibility.

• Do not fly in high winds as even a light breeze can make flying difficult for beginners.

• Do not submerge your quadcopter or operate it in rainy or damp conditions. Beware of sprinklers and of

landing in wet vegetation.

• Do not over load the quadcopter with payloads for which it wasn’t designed.

• Inform yourself of and follow all current federal, state, and local laws regarding the use of RC hobby aircraft in the area where you plan to operate your quadcopter.

• Please respect the FAA’s “Know Before You Fly” recommendations http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/ and the AMA’s National Model Aircraft Safety Code http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf.

• Store your quadcopter and its radio controller out of reach of children, pets, and those who do not know

how to use them safely.

http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf



DroneCurriculum.net Quadcopter Build Manual GPS Kit with NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller and Turnigy 9X Transmitter/Receiver

DISCLAIMER: Drone System Technologies, LLC is not responsible for any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages and personal injuries, including that to life, and health, resulting from the customer's application and use of any third-party products. You, the customer, assume full and unlimited responsibility for all DRONE KIT applications and uses. Your purchase of any DRONE KIT constitutes your agreement to hereafter assume full and total responsibility for your subsequent utilization of the DRONE KIT and you agree to defend, protect, save harmless, and indemnify Drone System Technologies, LLC, its officers, and employees relative to your potential use and misuse of any product, in whole or in part. Should you disagree, please do not complete any DRONE KIT purchase. By purchasing any DRONE KIT (third party product), you agree to the above terms.



Drone Kit Packing List – GPS Capable

Airframe Arms – Red (2 quantity)

Airframe Arms – White (2 quantity)

Airframe Top Board (1 quantity)

Airframe Bottom Board (1 quantity)

Motors – CW Spinner (2 quantity – DJI Brand)

Motors – CCW Spinner (2 quantity – DJI Brand)

9” Propellers (3 pairs = 6 total)

Electronic Speed Controllers (ESC) (4 quantity – DJI Brand)

Flight Controller (1 quantity – NAZA-m V2 w/GPS)

Landing Gear w/screws (4 quantity – Brand and colors may vary)

LiPo Batteries (2 quantity – Brand may vary)

XT60 Battery Cable (1 quantity)

LiPo Safety Charging Bag (1 quantity – Brand may vary)

Transmitter/Receiver w/Bind Wire (1 quantity - Brand may vary)

Round-head Screws – (for attaching motors)

Low-head Screws – (for attaching boards to frame)

Hex Tool – 2.0mm and 2.5mm (2 quantity)

Cable Ties (Assorted quantity)

Double-sided Foam Squares (Assorted quantity)

Velcro Strap (1 quantity)

Super Glue (1 quantity – Brand may vary)

LiPo Battery Balancing Charger (1 quantity – Brand may vary)

Soldering Iron w/solder (1 quantity – Brand may vary)

AA Batteries for the Transmitter (8 quantity – Brand may vary)

Prop Guards (4 quantity)



© Drone System Technologies, LLC – Licensing and Distribution Restrictions Apply

Charging the Batteries You can charge the batteries at any time during this build, but PLEASE FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES FOR CHARGING LITHIUM POLYMER BATTERIES: The batteries are shipped with only about a 30% charge. You will need a fully-charged battery to continue with the Flight Controller and ESC setup. Using the supplied LiPo Battery Balancing Charger carefully charge each battery. It will take about 90-120 minutes to charge each battery.

CAUTION: LIPO BATTERIES MUST BE HANDLED WITH CARE TO AVOID FIRE OR EXPLOSION! DO NOT CHARGE ANY BATTERIES UNSUPERVISED. DO NOT LEAVE A BATTERY IN THE CHARGER OVERNIGHT. USE THE SUPPLIED SAFETY BAG WHEN CHARGING. DISCONNECT EACH BATTERY IMMEDIATELY FROM THE CHARGER WHEN A FULL CHARGE IS INDICATED!

Soldering

This first step in assembling your quadcopter involves soldering. Here are a few soldering guidelines.

• Safety goggles or glasses are recommended whenever working near your eyes.

• When soldering, realize that the soldering iron is very hot and could cause serious burns. Be mindful of the tip always. Unplug it when not in use.

• Make sure all parts are clean of dirt and grease.

• “Tin” or coat the tip of your soldering iron with a small amount of solder. This is especially important with new tips.

• Have a water-dampened sponge on hand and clean the tip of the hot soldering iron regularly. Then add a tiny amount of fresh solder to the cleansed tip.

• You might find it helpful to temporarily tape the wires that you are soldering in place. Use plastic electrical tape. Do not move parts until the solder has cooled.

• Remove and return the iron safely to its stand, being mindful of the power cord’s potential to be accidentally pulled or tripped on.




Assembly – Step 1

Soldering the XT60 Battery Cable and ESC Power Cables to the Airframe Bottom Board Review the soldering guidelines above. Make sure the Airframe Bottom Board is firmly secured from movement. Solder the main XT60 Battery Cable to the Airframe Bottom Board. Observe the correct polarity of each connection: the red wire is positive and the black wire is negative. (NOTE: Your bottom board may or may not contain a white arrow. If it doesn’t have an arrow, simply replicate the alignment as shown).

Next, you will solder each ESC to the power pads on the bottom board using the same care in observing wire polarity. The black wire on each ESC is way too long and needs to be shortened. BE SURE TO ONLY CUT THE BLACK ESC WIRE – NOT THE THIN BROWN/ORANGE SIGNAL WIRE!! Notice that the red center wire is positive and the shielding around the red center wire is the negative. Each ESC will be mounted on the arms near the end where the motor is, but that distance is only about 3.5 inches.

Once you cut the black wire shorter, you will need to “re-create” the end so that you again have a red positive wire and a shielding negative wire.




It’s often helpful to use plastic electrical tape to temporarily hold the wires in place while soldering. Make sure that the solder is firmly attached on the power pads and that there is no possibility for a short circuit. As you work on each connection, heat each power pad on the Board with the soldering iron for under a second or so and add a drop of solder. Bring the wire up to the terminal, and re-heat to form an adequate joint. It only takes two or three seconds at most to solder each connection. While soldering the wire, angle it toward the center, between the pads so that your wires don’t get in the way of the screw connections. Again, the shielding is negative, and the red wire is positive. It is very important that you solder the wires correctly!!




Soldering the Power Management Unit wires:

Retrieve the Power Management Unit from the NAZA-M V2 box.

Carefully solder the power wires to the bottom board using the same terminals as the XT60 wires. Make sure all wires are firmly connected to avoid any shorting. Observe the polarity (red is positive / black is negative).

Assembly - Step 2

Attaching the Bottom Board/Landing Gear to the Airframe Arms You have four Airframe Arms – two red and two white. The red arms will be used for the front of your quadcopter, and the white ones will be used for the back. This is intentional so that you can recognize the direction of the drone when flying.

Attach the Airframe Bottom Board to the Airframe Arms. The Bottom Board requires two screws for each Arm, however you should attach the landing gear at this time using the longer screws that came with it (it takes a little maneuvering to get them both attached). With the Hex Tool, install the screws using the appropriate force to tighten but prevent breaking the threads.




The soldered side goes on the inside of the frame body. Be sure to guide the ESC wires in the direction of the motors and through the Arm attachment poles before screwing down so that the ESCs can be properly attached later. Attach the RED Arms to the front as shown. The WHITE Arms are attached to the back of the Bottom Board.

Assembly - Step 3 Mounting the Motors to the Airframe Arms You have four Motors – two that are designated as CLOCKWISE (CW) spinners in flight, and two that are

designated as COUNTER-CLOCKWISE (CCW) spinners in flight. Each motor has arrows indicating its intended direction. The threads of the motor caps are engineered so that the propeller torque resistance will help keep the props tightened while in flight. If the motors are wired to spin in the opposite direction of the one specified, the torque resistance may cause the prop nut to loosen and come off, resulting in loss of the propeller and subsequent flight failure. You want to securely mount the Motors. Use the round-head

screws to attach the motors to each arm. NOTE: It’s very important that you tighten the propellers using the proper tools prior to each flight but do not over-tighten. Attach the motors so that the CCW motor is on the right front red arm (M1) and the left rear white arm (M3). The

CW motors will be on the left front red arm (M2) and the right rear white arm (M4) (see illustration to the right). Note: The Red Arms 1 & 2 point to the front of quadcopter and White Arms 3 & 4 point to the rear of quadcopter. Seen from the top, motors on Arms 1 & 3 rotate CCW and motors on Arms 2 & 4 rotate CW. DO NOT ATTACH THE PROPS YET!




Assembly - Step 4

Attaching the ESCs to the Airframe Arms and Motors

Run the ESC cables toward the motors on each arm and plug the three black motor cables into each ESC. It doesn’t matter which cable plugs into which because you will be able to switch the position of any two cables that are connecting the motor to the ESC to change the rotation direction if needed. Secure the ESC to the arm with a cable tie. Run the 2-wire cable (orange, brown) back into the board assembly. You will eventually attach these wires to the Flight Controller. Do not secure the three motor wires with a cable tie yet because you might need to change the plugs for proper rotation.

Assembly - Step 5 Attaching the Flight Controller to the Airframe and Plugging in the ESC cables As shown, use Double-sided Foam Squares to attach the Flight Controller to the inside of the Airframe Bottom Board. Make sure the Flight Controller is squarely centered on the board with the tiny arrow facing forward (ignore the other attached wires in the photo for now).




Next, thread the four ESC cables (orange, brown) to the Flight Controller. Carefully trace each cable and plug them into the Flight Controller in the correct order – Motors 1, 2 ,3, and 4

starting from the left. SEE THE DIAGRAM BELOW TO CORRECTLY ATTACH THE MOTORS. They start at

the top front (M1) arm and proceed counter-clockwise.

The plugs should be inserted so that the brown or black wire is up, however the plugcan only be inserted one way because of a guide tab on the bottom of each plug.

Any extra signal wiring can be bundled up and secured to the frame with a zip tie.




Attach the remaining Power Management Unit cables: Connect the wide gray plug from the Power Management Unit to the EXP. plug in the NAZA-M Flight Controller. Connect the smaller plug from the Power Management Unit to the X3 plug in the NAZA-M Flight Controller.

Bundle and zip-tie any excess wire, then secure the Power Management Unit to the rear platform of the bottom board with Double-sided foam.

Attach the LED Module: Retrieve the LED Module and plug it into the wide LED plug in the NAZA-M Flight Controller.




Coil the excess wire and secure the LED Square to the right arm so that the light is facing out. You will need to be able to see the flashing LED when setting up and flying your drone. You can also attach it further down along the arm, but make sure it is attached so as not to interfere with a prop.

Assembly - Step 6 Attaching the Receiver to the Flight Controller

On the other end of the Flight Controller, attach five Connecting Cables to the Receiver.

Channel 1 on the Receiver should be plugged into the “A” channel on the Flight Controller. Continue connecting the channels in order from Channel 2-4 on the receiver. (i.e. Channel 2 from the receiver to the “E” channel on the Flight Controller; Channel 3 to “T”; Channel 4 to “R”). Skip Channel 5 on the receiver and plug Channel 6 to the “U” channel on the Flight Controller. Secure the Receiver to an arm using a cable tie. You will also need to secure the receiver’s antennas so that they don’t contact the propeller once installed.

NOTE: Some receivers being shipped have a different model than the one shown above. Simply follow the same directions being sure to plug into the correct channels.




Connecting the X1 and X2 channels for remotely controlling the Basic Gain and Attitude Gain settings (for Pitch & Roll using Control Knobs) You will make some preliminary settings in the flight controller software for Basic Gain and Attitude Gain. The following instructions will allow you to adjust these values while in flight to assure a smoother, more responsive experience using control knobs on the transmitter. Basic Gain: This adjusts the SMOOTHNESS of the general flight and hovering. You will be able to “settle down” the aircraft so that it doesn’t oscillate while in the air. Attitude Gain: This adjusts how the aircraft responds to movement of the joysticks. You will be able to adjust its quickness to your liking.

From your receiver, connect Channel 7 to the X1 plug on the NAZA-M V2 (will control Attitude Gain). From your receiver, connect Channel 8 to the X2 plug on the NAZA-M V2 (will control Basic Gain).

We will configure the knobs on the transmitter to be used to control the gains later in the build manual.

Assembly - Step 7

Charging the Batteries (if not already done) The batteries are shipped with only about a 30% charge. You will need a fully-charged battery to continue with the Flight Controller and ESC setup. Using the supplied LiPo Battery Balancing Charger carefully charge each battery. It will take about 90-120 minutes to charge each battery.

CAUTION: LIPO BATTERIES MUST BE HANDLED WITH CARE TO AVOID FIRE OR EXPLOSION! DO NOT CHARGE ANY BATTERIES UNSUPERVISED. DO NOT LEAVE A BATTERY IN THE CHARGER OVERNIGHT. USE THE SUPPLIED SAFETY BAG WHEN CHARGING. DISCONNECT EACH BATTERY FROM THE CHARGER WHEN A FULL CHARGE IS INDICATED!

In the meantime, you can program the Turnigy 9X Transmitter so that it will recognize your quadcopter.

Attaching the Drone’s Battery

You can either attach the battery on the top or on the bottom. If on top, it can easily be attached using the Velcro band. The drone will tend to fly a little top-heavy. If you choose to attach it to the bottom, you are probably best to tape it to the drone using a clear packing tape. This will make battery replacement a bit more difficult.




Assembly - Step 8 Transmitter Basics CHANNELS, MODES, and TRIM These terms apply specifically to the drone’s transmitter.

CHANNELS The term Channels refers to the number of directional controls that the Transmitter has. Quadcopters need four channels of control – Pitch, Roll, Throttle, and Yaw. These movements are controlled by your left and right hand using two joysticks.

1. Roll (Aileron) controls the tilting movement to the left or right. 2. Pitch (Elevator) controls the tilting movement of forward or backward. 3. Throttle controls ascending or descending movement. 4. Yaw (Rudder) controls the rotating clockwise or counter clockwise movement.

MODES The biggest variation between different controllers is how the joysticks are configured to control the movements. These changes can be up to 4 combinations that are known as Modes. The two most commonly used modes for quadcopter transmitters are Mode 1 and Mode 2. The difference between joystick control for Modes 1 and 2 are shown below. Mode 1 has the throttle located on the right transmitter stick while Mode 2 has the throttle stock on the left. Australian and European pilots predominantly fly Mode 1 while in the U.S., it is predominantly Mode 2.




TRIM When you are flying your quadcopter, you will notice that it has a tendency to constantly drift in a particular direction. This can happen due to two reasons.

1. The wind – If it is a slightly windy day, the quadcopter will be pushed in the direction that the wind is blowing. You will have to counteract the wind’s effect by flying the drone slightly slanted into the wind.

2. The gyro sensor – if the gyroscope on the flight controller is not calibrated properly to a true level position, the drone will drift. This can be solved by using the Trim buttons on the quadcopter’s transmitter. There are usually 4 buttons, one each for Throttle, Yaw, Pitch, and Roll. Make sure that the surface you are using for calibrating the sensors is a true level.

Assembly - Step 9 Programming the Turnigy 9X Transmitter You will need eight AA batteries for the transmitter. Carefully open the back of the transmitter and insert them into the battery holder. Follow the steps below to program your transmitter. Have patience … it’s a bit confusing at first but if you follow the steps exactly you will have success!

1. Make sure all switches are in the “off” position (either switched “up” or “back”) and put the left joystick in the down position. If you hear error beeps, check the switches and try again.

2. Turn on the Transmitter. When successful, you will see the TURNIGY Power Systems LED screen appear.

3. Surrounding the startup screen, you have a 4-sectioned round button on the left side and two main buttons on the right side.

The “+” and “-” buttons are for changing values while the “UP” and “DN” buttons are used for scrolling.

The “MENU” button on the right is used to select values and the “EXIT” button is used to go back to the previous screen.




Technique When configuring the Transmitter, you will use two types of button presses: A Long-press (about 2 seconds) and a Quick-press (a simple click). Also, due to screen limitations, the transmitter uses the word “MODE” in many situations when it really means “MODEL” so don’t get confused about that.

PROGRAMMING THE TRANSMITTER

1. When you first Long-press the MENU button, you will see two options: SYSTEM and SETTING. You can toggle between the two choices using the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons.

2. Highlight the SYSTEM icon and Quick-press the MENU button. It takes you to the main system menu which contains 6 pages, each page having a specific set of options:




3. Quick-press the MENU button on MODE SELE (MODEL SELECT). A model is a file you create on your transmitter that has all the settings for your aircraft.

4. You can scroll up or down the list of models using the “UP” or “DOWN” buttons. Choose the top model, and Quick-press the MENU button to select it. This takes you back one page to the main system menu.

5. Scroll down and Quick-press the MENU button when MODE NAME (MODEL NAME) is highlighted. This takes you to the keyboard screen. This screen is a little tricky to use at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.

6. The NAME window is at the top between the brackets [ ] (I named this example QUADCPTR).

Use the “+” and “-” buttons to move through the alphabet/numeric keyboard. Once a letter or

number has been selected, Long-press the MENU button to apply it to that space in the name. Use the “UP” or “DOWN” buttons to move to the next space in the name, and then repeat the above process to rename your aircraft. You might want to name this control setup as “NAZA GPS” or something similar.

7. Once you are done with the name, Quick-press the MENU button to go back one page to the main system menu.

8. Scroll down to TYPE SELE (TYPE SELECT) and Quick-press the MENU button. 9. Quick-press the MENU button to select HELI. It will then take you to the next screen:




10. Quick-press the MENU button on HELI1 which takes you back to the previous screen. Quick-

press the EXIT button to go back one page to the main system menu.

11. Scroll down to MODEUAT and Quick-press the MENU button. From there select PPM and Quick-press the MENU button to go back one page to the main system menu.

12. Scroll down to STICK SET and Quick-press the MENU button. Scroll to MODE2 and Quick-press the MENU button. You will then see “THRO REVERSE” Simply Quick-press the EXIT button to go back one page to the main system menu.

13. Quick-press the EXIT button to go back to the starting options of SYSTEM and SETTING. 14. Use the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons to change icons. Quick-press the MENU button when

SETTING is highlighted.




15. Use the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons to scroll to AUX-CH.

16. Quick-press the MENU button to see the AUXILIARY CHANNEL assignments. Scroll to Channel 6.

Use the “+” and “-” buttons to select NULL as the option. Quick-press the MENU button which

takes you back to the SETTING screen.

17. Locate the AUX.3 switch at the top right of your transmitter. It is a 3-way switch with choices of N, 1, and 2. For your configuration: N = GPS mode 1 = ATTI mode 2 = FAILSAFE mode Set the switch so that it is in the “N” position and return to the transmitter’s menu.




18. Use the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons on the transmitter’s menu to scroll to PIT/CV and Quick-press the MENU button.

Change the values in POINT <NOR> to 94% all the way down: (this is for GPS operation).

Next, change the AUX.3 switch to the “1” position, and change the values in POINT <ID1> to 54% all the way down: (this is for ATTI operation).

Finally, change the AUX.3 switch to the “2” position, and change the values in POINT <ID2> to 78% all the way down: (This is for FAILSAFE operation).




19. Verify all settings by moving the AUX.3 switch to each position while watching the screen. Quick-press the MENU button which takes you back to the SETTING screen.

20. Next, use the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons to scroll to REVO/CV and Quick-press the MENU button.

Make sure the throttle (left joystick) is in the down position. Change the values for each position (N,1,2) of the AUX.3 switch as follows:

Position N: L,1,2,3,H = 50.00% Position 1: L,1,2,3,H = 50.00% Position 2: L,1,2,3,H = 50.00%

Quick-press the MENU button which takes you back to the FUNC SETTING screen.

21. Go to AUX-CH




Navigate to CH7 and use the transmitter buttons to select HOV PIT. Navigate to CH8 and use the transmitter buttons to select HOV THRO. Hit MENU to save your selections.

22. Use the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons to scroll to REVERSE and Quick-press the MENU button. Use

the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons to scroll through the different channels on the right. Use the “+”

and “-” buttons to change between NOR (NORMAL) and REV (REVERSE). Scroll through the list

and make any directional changes. Quick-press the MENU button as you accept each channel direction. Your completed screen should look like the one below.

AIL = NOR (Roll / Left and Right) ELE = NOR (Pitch / Forward and Back) THR = NOR (Throttle / Altitude) RUD = NOR (Yaw) GEA = NOR (Will enable self-level)

NOTE: If any of the joysticks on your controller do not seem to react correctly, you can reverse any of the channels in the NAZA-M V2 software setup as discussed later. Simply Quick-press the EXIT button TWICE to go back to the transmitter’s startup screen.

You are done setting up the transmitter, so you can turn it off. NOTE: If you ever need to RESET the Transmitter: Turn the power off, press and hold the EXIT button, and turn the power back on.




Assembly - Step 10 Binding the Transmitter to the Receiver

1. Plug the BIND WIRE into the Receiver’s BIND plug. Depending on the Receiver, it’s at the top or the bottom (marked with a “BIND” or “B”).

or

2. Make sure the propellers are NOT ATTACHED. Plug the battery into the yellow XT60 plug from the quadcopter. You will see a blinking RED LIGHT in the Receiver indicating that it is not bound to the Transmitter.

3. Next, hold the button in on the back module of the Transmitter and turn the front Transmitter power button on.

4. The RED LIGHT on the Receiver will turn SOLID, confirming that the Transmitter and Receiver have been successfully BOUND.

5. Unplug the battery from the drone, turn the Transmitter off, and remove the BIND WIRE from the Receiver.

Assembly - Step 11 Calibrating the ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers)

WARNING!! Before calibrating ESCs, make sure that your multicopter has NO PROPS on it and the LiPo battery is disconnected. This is VERY IMPORTANT because your motors may begin spinning, often unexpectedly, at a certain point in the process.

Below is a common procedure for calibrating your ESCs using the “Manual ESC-by-ESC” method. With this method, you are bypassing the flight controller and connecting directly to the receiver. REMOVE THE PROPS!!

1. Disconnect the battery. 2. Determine which channel on your receiver is your throttle channel (usually Channel 3). 3. Remove the throttle control cable (Channel 3) from your receiver. Remove one of the ESC cables

from the flight controller, and plug it directly into the throttle channel (Channel 3) on your receiver. 4. Turn on your transmitter, and move the throttle stick to 100% (full throttle). 5. Connect the battery. 6. As soon as the battery is connected, a light on your receiver should turn on. If the light doesn't turn

on, or starts blinking, you need to ensure that your receiver is being powered and that it's “bound” to your transmitter.




7. Shortly after the battery is connected, some ESCs may make a start-up tone. NOTE: If you hear a series of short beeps, make adjustments to the throttle’s trim buttons until they stop … then proceed. You may hear a beep, then return the throttle stick on your transmitter to zero.

8. Some ESCs then make another confirmation beep. Your ESC is now calibrated. You can test the motor by slowly increasing the throttle WITH NO PROPS ATTACHED!! If the motor responds, unplug the battery, and plug the ESC’s control wire back into its previous location on the flight controller.

9. Repeat steps 3-8 for each ESC until all are calibrated. 10. Plug your receiver’s throttle control wire (Channel 3) back in from the flight controller.

Assembly - Step 12 Attach the Top Board: Using the proper screws, attach the top board of the airframe to the arms. Make them tight but do not over-tighten.

Attach the GPS Antenna: Retrieve the GPS Module from the NAZA-M box. You will need some super glue to attach the pole to the top and bottom stands of the GPS unit. Using foam, attach the assembled GPS pole to the top airframe. You can attach it “dead center” (if you plan to carry your battery below the airframe) or off to a back corner (if you plan to carry your battery on top of the airframe). Attaching the battery below the airframe will give you a more stable CENTER OF GRAVITY. If you choose to attach it off-center, you will need to make the proper location adjustments in the software setup (more later).

or




Next, attach the top GPS disk to the pole’s top platform with double-sided foam. MAKE SURE THE ARROW ON THE DISK IS POINTING TO THE FORWARD DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. Wrap some of the cable around the pole and coil the remaining excess under the left rear arm. Then plug the LED module into the Power Management Unit. Secure with zip ties if needed.

Assembly - Step 13 Installing the NAZA-M V2 Assistant Software v2.40

You will need to use a computer to setup the Flight Controller. At some point in the process, you will be asked to sign-in to your “DJI Account.” If you or your teacher doesn’t already have one, simply create one to proceed. Go to the official DJI website to download the “NAZA-M V2 Assistant Software v2.40” software and other files:

https://www.dji.com/naza-m-v2/download_v1-doc

https://www.dji.com/naza-m-v2/download_v1-doc




Apple OS: If you are installing on an Apple OS system, your task is relatively easy. Simply download the DMG file and follow the instructions below:




Windows OS: If you are using a Windows operating system, you will need to install the USB driver, the software file, and possibly the update to use the software. You can choose either the ZIP file or the EXE choice. If you choose the ZIP file, it means you will save the ZIP file to your computer (probably in downloads) and then will have to un-ZIP the file on your computer and install it manually. If you choose EXE, the file will be automatically installed.




Download the driver first (DJI WIN Driver Installer), and install it if you choose the ZIP file.

Next, download the “Naza-M v2 Assistant Software v2.40”. You can choose either the ZIP file or the EXE choice. If you choose the ZIP file, it means you will save the ZIP file to your computer (probably in downloads) and then will have to un-ZIP the file on your computer and install it manually. If you choose EXE, the file will be automatically installed.

You can ignore the link for the update (NAZA-M Firmware* v4.02). Once you open the software on the computer, it may prompt you to update the firmware. If you get the prompt, you can update it in the actual “Assistant Software v2.40” itself.

NOTE: Some recent updates to Windows10 might prevent you from installing the Assistant 2 and/or the USB installer. If you geta similar message below, follow the instructions to fix this issue:

Bob New XPS

Typewritten Text

Bob New XPS

Typewritten Text

On the right side, double-click on EnableLUA.




Plug the Micro-USB cable into the LED module on your drone and plug-in the battery. Once installed, double-click the DJI NAZA-M Assistant 2 icon found on the desktop: You will then see the opening screen: Here’s one more tricky part when installing the Assistant on a Windows OS machine. Click on the “SKIP ” link. If the program opens, then you are GOLD!! You can skip to Step 14. But … if it doesn’t let you go any further, you are not properly connected, and it probably means you are using Windows 10 or higher. There is a problem with Windows 10 because it doesn’t automatically recognize the USB driver (it’s “unsigned”). But we have a work-around!!

There is a link for instructions on the DroneCurriculum.net support page for Enabling “unsigned” drivers in Windows 10 OS. You should print out the instructions because your computer will need to restart during this process:

Enabling USB driver in Win10

http://dronecurriculum.net/support/Enabling_USB_driver_in_Win10.pdf

http://dronecurriculum.net/support/Enabling_USB_driver_in_Win10.pdf




Assembly - Step 14 Setting Up the NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller (these are preliminary settings that can be changed as needed).

IMPORTANT: DO THE FOLLOWING SETUP WITH NO PROPS ON THE AIRCRAFT!!!

1. Plug the Micro-USB cable into the LED module on your drone and plug-in the battery. Double-click the screen icon. When you first open the Assistant 2 software, you may be prompted to sign-in to your “DJI Account”. If you or your teacher doesn’t already have one, simply create one (Register) to proceed. If your drone is properly connected, you will see a flashing blue light in the lower left of the screen next to the green light.

2. The first screen you will see is the basic interface “View” page. It gives you a lot of general

information about your aircraft and how it is configured. You will come back to it later to view your configuration.




3. For a first-time use, it’s recommended to Restore to factory settings. Go to the Tools menu up top and click the Restore default settings tab.

4. Next, using the Basic menu (up top) and the Aircraft tab, choose your configuration type. We will

use Quad-rotor X. Also at this time, you can do a Motor Test to verify each motor’s spinning direction.




When you select the Motor Test button, you will get a Warning pop-up:

Warnings

1. Ensure successful power for Main Controller and motors before test. 2. Test in proper place to avoid any damages as motors will rotate aptly.

Propellers off is recommended. 3. 3. You must agree the notes above to start Motor Test.

Then this screen:

As you can see from the screen:

• MOTOR 1 (top right arm) should spin CCW.

• MOTOR 2 (top left arm) should spin CW.

• MOTOR 3 (bottom left arm) should spin CCW.

• MOTOR 4 (bottom right arm) should spin CW. Tap the various motor tabs. If a motor isn’t turning the direction it’s supposed to, simply switch any two wires plugged into the ESC and recheck the motor rotation. CLOSE the window when finished. At this time, you can zip-tie any of the motor wires that may interfere with a propeller.




5. Next choose Mounting tab. You installed the NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller (called Main Controller/MC) in the exact center of the bottom board of the airframe. You need to measure the distance of your mounted GPS disk relative to the Flight Controller and enter the values on this screen. Front and back direction is the X axis. Left and right direction is the Y axis. Vertical direction is the Z axis. The red lines indicate positive values while the green lines indicate negative values.

If you mounted the GPS pole directly in the center of the airframe, then your settings would be X = 0 cm, Y = 0 cm, Z = -12cm (that’s a negative 12). If you mounted the pole to a rear corner, then you need to enter the appropriate values (i.e. if mounted rear-left or rear-right, use negative values because of the green lines). If it was mounted in the front, use positive values because of the red lines. If mounted in a rear-

right corner as shown then X = 4cm (red line/positive value), Y = 4cm (red line/positive value), Z = - 12cm (green line/negative value).

Press ENTER to save these values.




6. Next choose the RC tab. (RX = receiver, TX = Transmitter). Turn your transmitter on. Select Tradition as the Receiver Type in the top radio buttons.

Next is the transmitter Calibration: Click START. Move both joysticks in all directions of full travel range (basically in circles a few times). Click FINISH. Pay attention to the moving sliders in the Assistant software as you then move the joysticks. Use the screen as a guide. If the slider movement is in the wrong direction, click the NORMAL/REV button to reverse the direction.

Check the motion on the X1 (HOV. PIT) and X2 (HOV. THR) sliders. If the X1 slider doesn’t move, hit START for Calibration, then turn the HOV. PIT knob from lowest to highest values. Hit FINISH and check

the slider again. Verify the flight modes you programmed into the transmitter by changing the AUX. 3 switch on the transmitter. Watch the GPS, ATTI, FAILSAFE changes on the screen slider. GPS mode is most stable flight function. We recommend using it until more skills have been acquired.




7. Enter the GAIN tab. Use the default percentages when beginning. To allow for remote adjustments that we set up in the transmitter (using the control knobs):

1. For Basic Gain/Remote Adjust, change from INH under Pitch to X2. Also change from INH under Roll to X2.

2. For Attitude Gain/Remote Adjust, change from INH under Pitch to X1. Also change from INH under Roll to X1.

With everything connected, you will see the values change as you turn the respective knobs. WRITE the settings to save them.




Although we suggest using the default settings to start, below is DJI’s recommended settings:

Recommendation is 150% for Pitch & Roll. (In most cases you want Pitch & Roll to be the same). But we will start with the default and adjust in real-time using the knobs. 8. Advanced Setting top menu:

This is the basic setting for when the motors start up. If you want to fly with a higher performance, you can adjust it here. Keep it at the Recommended setting or go down one bullet below Recommended.

Under Cutoff Type: Immediately means the aircraft would immediately stall when you pull the throttle stick all the way down. Intelligent means the aircraft would be idling when you pull the throttle stick all the way down. Leave it on Intelligent.




9. Next is FAILSAFE mode (F/S). When the TX signal is lost, the aircraft will enter FAILSAFE mode. Choices: Landing and Go-Home and Landing.

It’s recommend using “Go-Home and Landing.” How it works: If the signal is lost, it waits 30 secs for a signal. If none is received, it will initiate the FAILSAFE routine. This means it will go to 20 meters altitude, return to where it took off from and land itself. Warning – it cannot tell if there is a tree or building in the return path. If in “Landing”, the aircraft will simply land at its location (it could be over trees or a parking lot or a playground, etc.) 10. Ignore IOC tab for now.

11. Gimbal tab. Ignore this for now. If you are planning to use a gimbal, there are separate instructions

explaining how to set this up. The instructions are located at the DroneCurriculum.net support page. 12. H3/4-3D tab: Skip for now. Also used for gimbal setup.




13. Voltage tab: This screen allows you to set values to trigger a notification when your battery gets low. When the power voltage is lower than the value you set, the alarm will be activated (the LED will flash red). The first choice is the protection switch = ON/OFF. Turn it ON. Next is the Battery type setting. Set it to 3S Lipo for the batteries sent with this kit. With First Level Protection: When triggered the LED will flash red. No Load and Loaded can be set to 10.60 V. With Second Level Protection: The aircraft descends and lands. No Load and Loaded can be set to 10.30 V.




14. Limits tab: Here you will set the Max. Height and Max. Radius values.

The default of 2000 meters is WAY ABOVE the legal limits in the U.S. You would be in violation of FFA regulations and possibly danger other aircraft, etc. You need to set Max Height to 30m (about 100 feet) and set Max. Radius to 46m (about 150 feet). Hit ENTER to set the values.

DON’T LEAVE THEM AT DEFAULT OF 2000m. Do not set over the FAA limit of 120m (400 feet). 15. Tools menu:




The left side of the screen allows you to Import/Export Parameters and Restore default settings. In the middle part of the screen, select “Check IMU Status” (IMU is the flight computer). You may see a popup like this: If you need to or want to, you can do a Basic IMU calibration or an Advanced IMU calibration. Make sure the drone is on a flat, straight surface with no movement or vibration happening before doing the calibration. You will get a confirming green check when completed. An Advanced calibration takes longer than a Basic because it calibrates more components. After a calibration, if you move the aircraft around you will see the values in Gyroscope, Acceleration, Compass change. 16. You can now return to the View page to see all your settings.

Assembly - Step 15 Install the Propellers

1. Install the propellers. The props with the silver top are for the CCW motors. The props with the black top are for the CW motors. For the CCW motors, the propellers twist on normally (in a clockwise direction), and the CW motors have the threads opposite (so the props will twist on in a counter-clockwise direction).

2. You want the leading edge of the propeller’s pitch (the higher edge) to “grab” the air. Make sure the leading edge is up and in the direction of the propeller spin. When looking down on the drone with propellers mounted above the motors, use the diagram to attach props.

Assembly - Step 15 Secure the Battery to the Airframe. Using cable ties or Velcro™ strips, secure the battery to the airframe. If you have the high landing gear, it’s best to attach the battery to the bottom of the airframe for best balance. You can also attach the battery on top if the GPS module is not in the way.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESSFUL BUILD! HAVE FUN WITH YOUR DRONE!!

BASIC QUICK-START GUIDE TO FLYING YOUR DRONE

FLIGHT AREA SAFETY

This is a very powerful drone and must ONLY BE FLOWN OUTDOORS!

1. Make sure you choose an open space without obstructions, tall buildings, and crowds. 2. All spectators must be at least 30 feet behind the pilot and drone. 3. Check the AUX.3 switch. Make sure it is all the way up in the N position.

For your configuration: N = GPS mode 1 = ATTI mode 2 = FAILSAFE mode

4. Make sure all switches on the transmitter are either up or back. Otherwise, you will get an error message after turning it on.

5. Always turn your transmitter on first, then plug in your drone’s battery while on the ground.

6. Make sure the drone is stationary during the system startup and self-check. This will only take about 10 seconds.

COMPASS CALIBRATION NOTE: Before each flight at a new location, be sure to CALIBRATE your drone’s compass using the following instructions:

7. Compass calibration is very important, otherwise the system will work abnormally. 8. Make sure there is NOT any magnetic interference nearby, such as a vehicle, or steel

reinforcement in the ground. 9. DO NOT carry ferromagnetic materials with you during calibration, such as keys,

watches, or cell phones. 10. With the transmitter and drone powered on, hold the drone horizontal and rotate it

around 360 degrees. 11. Next, hold the drone vertically and rotate it (its nose is downward) around 360 degrees.

12. Place the drone on the ground to prepare for take-off.

FLIGHT PROCEDURE

13. In GPS Mode, you may take off after 6 or more GPS satellites have been found (RED light blinks once or no blinking).

14. Make sure everyone is clear and well behind the drone. 15. Review the Transmitter basics shown below:

16. Keep the drone stationary, and then push both sticks to the left bottom or right bottom as shown:

17. To quickly stop the motors, you may repeat the action of both sticks. 18. Slowly raise the left throttle until all rotors are working, then slowly raise the throttle to

give it lift. 19. Adjust the trim buttons if the drone seems to be flying on its own out of a stable

position. 20. To land, slowly pull the throttle stick to the bottom, and then turn the motors off. 21. Unplug the drone’s battery first, then switch the transmitter off.

See accompanying pages below for more detailed information about flying the drone.

Also, you can review the links on the SUPPORT page on the

DroneCurriculum.net website under

“450mm GPS Quadcopter w/NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller.”

http://dronecurriculum.net/support/

http://dronecurriculum.net/support/




FLYING TIPS: The following information was taken from the DJI Quick Start Manual. You

can download a full copy from the DroneCurriculum.net support page using this link:

NAZA-M_Quick_Start_Guide_v1.26_en

http://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/nazam-v2/en/NAZA-M_Quick_Start_Guide_v1.26_en.pdf










NOTE: Before each flight at a new location, be sure to CALIBRATE your drone’s compass using the instructions below:

























Documents

DroneCurriculumQuadcopter Build Manual GPS Kit with NAZA-M V2 Flight Controller and Turnigy 9X Transmitter/Receiver DISCLAIMER: Drone System Technologies, LLC is not responsible for