Hi, I've looked around the web to get an understanding the setup of the Ardupilot flight modes with a Spektrum DX6 2nd generation and there was none. So I decided to write this blog. The few things to consider when doing this: Please follow the instruction given on the ardupilot webpage . Have the Pixhawk hardware connected to Mission Planner (I have 1.3.50 - Copter V3.5.3)  Use the display bar in the Radio Calibration page as a guide while changing the rate pulse widths on your transmitter. I've used switch D to change the pulse width ranges on channel 5.

So I've been battling to establish a simple method in mimicking rc control inputs during a sustained or coordinated turn of the aircraft. This is quite important as it's not the same as stabilizing controller which reacts to dynamic events while having a static reference. A coordinated turn has a dynamic reference which is coupled to the turn rate experienced which directly related to the speed and the roll command inputs. But since the turn rate of the aircraft can be extracted from the gyroscope measurements, it can be stated that post processing of these signals (using a low pass filter) should give an indication of whether such method can be used alongside a stabilizing controller. This is such that once a coordinated turn can be achieved even in adverse weather, waypoint tracking is closer to being realised. Amendment 15/1/2015: It was found after careful analysis of the flight dynamics of a simple aircraft that gyroscope measurements was not a fool-proof way of ...

So I had a brainwave the past two days in how to test various aspects of the autopilot modes without having to land and flash new software. It became very frustrating that for each morning, I had to land the aircraft 5-6 times and increase the risks crashing and even worse loosing the instrumentation on board the glider. This approach could potentially allow me to analyze various options of flight modes and optimize which one best suited for that function. The ultimate goal is of course, the speed at which each flight modes can tested. So I manage to devise a method that allows me to use a switching mechanism such that I can switch between each programmed flight modes by using transmitter only. The code was tested and seems to work just fine. Now it's just a matter of testing in flight.

Depicts a traditional PID controller. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) I'm such an exciting right now. It's been over a year of putting this UAV glider with custom autopilot and electronics together and now we're at the pivotal stage. In-flight testing of autopilot and GPS waypoint tracking!! Decided to go for a flight test on Sunday morning before church (around 7am) eventhough I was performing the church band that morning (crazy I know). It was bitter cold but decided to push through. I must say that I realised that I need a small collapse table/stool to setup the instruments instead of the wet/moist ground. I was great to see that the transmitter code works as expected. There was no lag in the transmission of signals from transmitter -> autopilot -> servos. The turning of aircraft with rudder and elevator control was smooth and consistent. It was refreshing to see that the filtering algorithm worked well. Decided to test the roll autopilot first, this...