Using an EDTracker as a Cyclic

I've been waiting for some aluminum parts to come from eBay to make a collective I saw over on the 1stCavDiv Huey fansite.

In the meantime I've been monkeying around with a cyclic I was making with PVC conduit, the stick from a TM T.Flight HOTAS, and an Arduino Pro Micro.

Since I already have an EDTracker built, it popped into my head that it might be possible to build another one and attach it to the bargain DIY cyclic.

So as a test I put on the headset with the EDTracker and decided to try and fly the Huey with head movements.

My head only controlled the cyclic. I did the collective and rudder with the keyboard (which is really awkward and imprecise compared to analog! How do you keyboard guys do it? :D )

Anyway, I flew terribly but the EDTracker itself performed beautifully as a stick. I'm definitely going to try and mount it on the cyclic this week, throw up a box around them and do a test.

I can't promise I'll fly much better. I have almost no practice in. I wanted smoother cyclic control than the regular joystick gave me. But it feels nice and smooth just controlling it with head movements, compared to the inputs on the T.Flight.

I'll attach the .trk file for the curious. When I started going into pilot induced oscillations it was because I'd have to turn my head some to fake X axis movement so it was a battle between flying and looking out of the corner of my eye, while keeping a smooth input setting in the EDTracker. I ended up with Yaw and Pitch left at 1.00 and smoothing set to 15

flyingbyheadtracking.trk

Interesting idea. What is the resolution of the edtracker? The T.Flight stick is 256 per axis. That is very rough to fly a heli.

It's 16 bit resolution, so 32,768.

Despite my flight in the recording being wonky (I was flying by moving my head after all) it was a much smoother experience for sure.

I decided not to use the gimbal from the old joystick, and instead build a new, sturdy one from some spare parts.

This heavy duty PVC pipe will make a nicely weighted frame to work from.

Going to be working from this design.

I don't have a drill press to ensure a clean 180 degree line, but the Makerspace opens this evening, and maybe they'll have one there. :)

Stick on gimbal :) Now I just need to put it on the big blue base, add the EDTracker, and give it a go :)

Interestng project. It really opens up the possibility of cheap home made hardware that is very accurate!

It works!

It's way more responsive and natural feeling than the T-flight.

I think it would also be perfect for the R44 training helis with the overhand cyclics, in FSX.

I don't have the stick mounted on a base yet, but just ran it through a quick trial. The X and Z axes have to be swapped due to how the EDTracker handles them, but a trivial matter :)

Next I will have to add another Arduino Pro Micro to handle the buttons from the stick. All the wires are mapped and were set up prior to this, so I just have to do it again.

Quite happy with the progress :)

With the way this works, I think I'll just buy two more EDTracker DIY kits and use them to modify my collective stick, and build a new rudder.

It will minimize moving parts and add resolution to all axes.

Wow, really good progress. I wish I had more crafting skills to achieve something like this, too. :D Cant wait to see a video of the finished product.

Oh, trust me. I'm not really all that handy.

Making an EDTracker is simple because they've done a fantastic job of making it a beginner level soldering job.

The arduino work to read the joystick buttons is also beginner level. You can do it with a Pro Micro or one of PJRC's awesome Teensy boards.

Making the gimbal has been a bit of a challenge because all I have it a hand drill, but I didn't screw up too badly. Only had to toss a couple of pieces :) Using the guide for the $14 steadicam is perfect for that.

So even though it might seem like advanced skills might be needed when you think about the final unit it's all just entry level stuff on different parts. :) And using basic tools.

Screwdrivers, drill, wirecutters, dremel, and a saw.

How much noise do you get on the axis?

Just gave it a real test and it's a dream. Totally clean.

Only issue you'll see in my TRK file is a lack of experience with the Huey.

I'm definitely going to convert the collective and rudder to EDTracker now. :D

DIYcyclic.trk

Latest test flight in action:

Some hovering and then cruising around.

I need a better mounting solution for the EDTracker at the moment, since wires are in the way to run to the second arduino. But structurally I'm happy with the stick.

[ame]

nice! That's some very smooth flying :)

Now you just need to add some remote control car shock absorbers (with the springs removed) to give you some "feel". If you fill them with the right thickness oil you'll be able have the stick remain where you left it, so you won't need to trim and will be able to take your hands off.

This guy has added them to the shaft, but you might have an easier time attaching one shock damper to each axis ring instead.

Sle-xYRj2wo

That's a really good idea. Or some arduino controlled servos with a manual trim. :)

This project can only get more fun :)

Just finished designing a new box for the EDTracker that will make it sit firmly in place on the end of the shaft. :)

Printed version of the box. The EDTracker fits perfectly.

The cover warped a little during printing so it didn't fit the shaft exactly.

I might go into town later and print off a new one at the makerspace :)

So there haven't been updates on the cyclic because the 3D printer was out of commission. I'm going to pick up one of those inexpensive Monoprice models next month though, so the cyclic project will continue.

In the meantime I threw together a quick and dirty rudder using an EDTracker as the input. You still have to detach it and do the EDtracker Shuffle to get the magnetometer readings calibrated, but after that the rudder should work nicely.

I turned pitch scaling down to zero on the EDTracker since there's no need for pitch at all, only Yaw.

[ame]

:thumbup:

Just took it for a flight on the harbour tour :) Worked great!

Oh my interest is definitely piqued :)

I'm going to make better pedals now that I know it works. Was pretty sure it would considering the cyclic test went well before.

A bit of PVC conduit and some doweling reinforce it and I should have a good set of pedals for a total cost of under 40 dollars, including the EDTracker.

Hi Inredeo, have been following this thread with interest, or let me rather say reading, as its been a while since you posted on it here.

You have inspired me to buy more EdTrackers. the one for my head tracking works so well so i bought 2 more. one for a collective and one for a cyclic based on your gimbal design.

I have home made pedals which connect to an old twist T-Hotas, but this may be well be easily modified to the EdTracker setup too. Have you got picture of yours?

I really like the edtracker approach as its clean, simple and uses very little wires or coding. however, how easy is it to manage multiple ed trackers, especially in game, are they each recognised as a unique controller? is there a way to name them?

cheers!

Hi Inredeo, have been following this thread with interest, or let me rather say reading, as its been a while since you posted on it here.

You have inspired me to buy more EdTrackers. the one for my head tracking works so well so i bought 2 more. one for a collective and one for a cyclic based on your gimbal design.

I have home made pedals which connect to an old twist T-Hotas, but this may be well be easily modified to the EdTracker setup too. Have you got picture of yours?

I really like the edtracker approach as its clean, simple and uses very little wires or coding. however, how easy is it to manage multiple ed trackers, especially in game, are they each recognised as a unique controller? is there a way to name them?

 

cheers!

Edtracker is good. I used one for my cyclic for about a month. However, I did not discover until too late that the mini-usb connector on the pcb is very weakly connected and needs to be really beefed up. Mine snapped clean off after a inking move of the stick.

I was going to replace it, but decided on Hall sensors instead.

If you are using Edtrackers, they are great technologically, but weak structurally. You need to add a dollop of epoxy over that connector, without getting any in the connector itself.

For use Arduino PRO Micro (MMjoy2) - same board in EDTracker - I fit the USB cable in this way:

This is great more ideas for input controls, awesome. :thumbup: