Propulsion system and brain

Code:

I wrote the code bellow to interconnect one direction on the joystick or one potentiometer to one DC motor.

Yaw is connected to M1

Roll is connected to M2

Pitch is connected to M3

Thrust is connected to M4

The direction is going to change according to the reading of the potentiometer value.

Pot value >512 Direction 1 Pot value <511 Direction 2.

Direction 1 is the direction of the propeller step

Direction 2 is reversed

Due to propeller step,

Direction for M1 and M2 are reversed

Direction for M3 and M4 are reversed

/* Connections:

* BOARD -> ARDUINO

* 1A -> 2

* 1B -> 4

* E1 -> 3

* 2A -> 7

* 2B -> 8

* E2 -> 5

* 3A -> 6

* 3B -> 10

* 3E -> 11

* 4A -> 13

* 4B -> 12

* 4E -> 9

* Yaw -> A0

* Pitch -> A3

* Roll -> A2

* Thrust -> A1

##############################################################################*/ // Define constants and variablesconst int DirM1a = 2;const int DirM1b = 4;const int Motor1 = 3;const int DirM2a = 7;const int DirM2b = 8;const int Motor2 = 5;const int DirM3a = 6;const int DirM3b = 10;const int Motor3 = 11;const int DirM4a = 13;const int DirM4b = 12;const int Motor4 = 9;const int Yaw = A0; const int Roll = A2; const int Pitch= A3; const int Thrust = A1; int analogValueYaw = 0; int analogValueRoll = 0; int analogValuePitch = 0;int analogValueThrust = 0;byte pwmMotor1 = 0;byte pwmMotor2 = 0;byte pwmMotor3 = 0;byte pwmMotor4 = 0;// Initializationvoid setup() { pinMode(DirM1a, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM1b, OUTPUT); pinMode(Motor1, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM2a, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM2b, OUTPUT); pinMode(Motor2, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM3a, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM3b, OUTPUT); pinMode(Motor3, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM4a, OUTPUT); pinMode(DirM4b, OUTPUT); pinMode(Motor4, OUTPUT); }// main loopvoid loop() { // read potentiometers values analogValueYaw = analogRead(Yaw); analogValueRoll = analogRead(Roll); analogValuePitch = analogRead(Pitch); analogValueThrust = analogRead(Thrust); // apply direction adjustment for channel 1 if(analogValueYaw > 512) { digitalWrite(DirM1a, HIGH); digitalWrite(DirM1b, LOW); pwmMotor1 = (analogValueYaw - 512)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } else { digitalWrite(DirM1a, LOW); digitalWrite(DirM1b, HIGH); pwmMotor1 = (511 - analogValueYaw)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } // apply direction adjustment for channel 2 if(analogValueRoll > 512) { digitalWrite(DirM2a, HIGH); digitalWrite(DirM2b, LOW); pwmMotor2 = (analogValueRoll - 512)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } else { digitalWrite(DirM2a, LOW); digitalWrite(DirM2b, HIGH); pwmMotor2 = (511 - analogValueRoll)/2; // evaluate new pwm value }// apply direction adjustment for channel 3 if(analogValuePitch > 512) { digitalWrite(DirM3a, HIGH); digitalWrite(DirM3b, LOW); pwmMotor3 = (analogValuePitch - 512)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } else { digitalWrite(DirM3a, LOW); digitalWrite(DirM3b, HIGH); pwmMotor3 = (511 - analogValuePitch)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } // apply direction adjustment for channel 4 if(analogValueThrust > 512) { digitalWrite(DirM4a, HIGH); digitalWrite(DirM4b, LOW); pwmMotor4 = (analogValueThrust - 512)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } else { digitalWrite(DirM4a, LOW); digitalWrite(DirM4b, HIGH); pwmMotor4 = (511 - analogValueThrust)/2; // evaluate new pwm value } // apply speed adjustment analogWrite(Motor1,pwmMotor1); analogWrite(Motor2,pwmMotor2); analogWrite(Motor3,pwmMotor3); analogWrite(Motor4,pwmMotor4);}

Conclusion:

Success!!!!!

Nothing had burned when plugged in, the 4 DC motor react as planned.

Consumption was as expected.

The Code helped me to check and identify position and rotation of the motors and the corresponding cabling to the arduino.

There is a little vibration on each DC motor when they are stopped.

The command signal from the arduino to the DC motor driver is a constant "LOW" but when i plug an oscilloscope at the Driver output i have a square peak from +15V to -15V of 100 μs followed by a fading 6 v fading sinusoidal for 200μs

I don't know if i have to worried about that. I'll do further investigation about that.

Oups!!!! I got it. The command signal from the arduino to the DC motor driver is not that flat but produce a small peak. It's because of the neutral zone of my pot. i assume in my code that it's 512 but it is not and the arduino is sending a pulse signal correspoding to the pot reading. The pulse lenght is to short to turn the motor but enought to make it vibrate. I should chose a range of neutral value fort he 4 potentiometers.

Video transmission:

The video signal from the gopro to my black pearl screen via the 10m tether is crystal clear. That;s a pretty good news because i have absolutely no idea of the maximum distance i can reach through a twisted pair cable :)

Now it's time to work on the DC Motor Mixer.

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