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+title: Blog
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+post: Flying again after five years
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+description: Returning to the FPV hobby after a long hiatus
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+date: 2023-05-14
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+comments: true
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+git: https://git.xythobuz.de/thomas/copter-configs
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+show_in_quadcopters: true
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+---
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+
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+<!--% backToParent() %-->
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+Due to a combination of various reasons I haven't actually been doing any [FPV flying](quadcopters.html) for the past five years or so.
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+
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+This had to change!
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+
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+## Taranis Firmware
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+
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+My [Taranis X9D+](https://www.frsky-rc.com/product/taranis-x9d-plus-2/) has been running [OpenTX 2.2](https://www.open-tx.org/) up to now.
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+But there's a new fork around, called [EdgeTX](http://edgetx.org/).
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+From a user perspective it's basically the same.
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+It is useful for potential future use of [ExpressLRS](https://www.expresslrs.org/).
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+
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+So I upgraded my transmitter.
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+This brought some headaches, as it turned out because I was trying to flash with a faulty USB port on my PC.
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+Fortunately even with a completely erased flash the STM32 bootloader is still available via USB, so you can always revive a bricked Taranis without special hardware.
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+
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+<!--%
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+lightgallery([
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_1.jpg", "Taranis X9D+ opened" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_2.jpg", "Closer look at Taranis X9D+ RTC battery" ],
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+])
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+%-->
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+
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+They also added a check for the voltage of the RTC battery, which promptly informed me that it is empty after upgrading the firmware.
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+Luckily I still had a spare CR1220 watch battery in a drawer, so I just replaced it.
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+
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+The MicroSD card was also broken, so I had to prepare a fresh one with the usual [LUA scripts](https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight-tx-lua-scripts) and the [Mia Winter voice pack](https://miawinther.bandcamp.com/album/mia-taranis-voicepack).
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+
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+## New Copter Batteries
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+
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+The one thing that was really totally unsalvagable after the five year break was the batteries.
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+Most had at least one cell completely dead.
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+I actually tried flying with one of the remaining batteries.
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+The copter did take off but the voltage immediately sagged to unhealthy levels.
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+
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+So I got three [Bonka U2 Series 4S 1400mAh 130C](https://www.mylipo.de/Bonka-Lipo-Akku1400mAh-148V-130C-260C-FPV-XT60) LiPos.
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+Quite pricey but they work fine.
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+
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+With these I could take my [LX5](lx5.html) out to fly properly again.
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+
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+<!--%
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+lightgallery([
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_11.jpg", "New set of batteries" ],
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+ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRrjPk51ng0", "Flying below a bridge, over a creek" ],
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+])
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+%-->
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+
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+The copter still pretty much worked fine.
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+It had some configuration issues, so Smartaudio and the Telemetry UART did not work, but this was already the case when I built it in 2017.
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+
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+## Upgrading Betaflight
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+
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+Of course I also had to upgrade Betaflight.
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+I was still running version 3.5.0 from 2018.
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+The current version is 4.4.1 which comes with a whole bunch of improvements.
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+
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+I also took this opportunity to finally put all my old and current [Betaflight config dumps in a Git repo](https://git.xythobuz.de/thomas/copter-configs).
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+
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+Some slight fixes to the hardware were also needed.
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+One of the metal stand offs has already sheared, I had to cut a slot into the small remaining thread to get it out.
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+
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+<!--%
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+lightgallery([
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_5.jpg", "Copter with electronics stack half-way disassembled" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_3.jpg", "Sheared metal stand-off" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_4.jpg", "Metal stand-off with slot cut into thread" ],
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+])
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+%-->
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+
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+I also noticed that the UARTs for Smartaudio and Telemetry were simply swapped in the config.
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+After fixing this they both seem to work fine.
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+
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+## Spectator Monitor
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+
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+One recurring problem was the power switch of my spectator monitor accidentally getting switched on when putting it back into my backpack.
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+So I replaced the switch and added an improvised "roll bar" to avoid this issue.
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+
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+<!--%
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+lightgallery([
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_12.jpg", "Power switch on spectator monitor" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_7.jpg", "Look inside the spectator monitor (flash)" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_6.jpg", "Look inside the spectator monitor (no flash)" ],
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+])
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+%-->
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+
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+While doing this I also noticed that there is also an Arduino in there.
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+It is used to automatically switch the FPV Receiver on after powering on the whole device.
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+Unfortunately I can't find the source code, but it is simply toggling a GPIO after some time, so nothing too difficult.
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+
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+## More Flying
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+
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+So with the tweaks to my transmitter and copter done I headed off to try it out again.
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+
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+<!--%
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+lightgallery([
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+ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh9_t0R_MWw", "First flights after BF 4.4.1 upgrade" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_8.jpg", "Setting up for a flight outdoors" ],
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+])
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+%-->
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+
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+This flight was cut short a little by a local resident.
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+They informed me that I shouldn't fly there to not interfere with local wildlife.
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+I was not up to arguing, so I left after only two out of three batteries, or in other words eight instead of twelve minutes of flight time.
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+I also didn't want to stress the point that this was next to a local small-scale airport, where propeller airplanes like Cessnas regularly take off and land (but not in use on this day).
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+So I don't think my twelve minutes would have done much harm, relatively speaking.
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+
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+What can you do?
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+At least they were nice about it.
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+🤷
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+
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+## Cat Content
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+
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+Also I kinda lost possession of [my FPV backpack](https://www.lowepro.com/global/quadguard-bp-x3-lp37090-pww/).
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+The cats just have to occupy any available surface.
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+There seems to be no way around it.
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+
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+<!--%
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+lightgallery([
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_9.jpg", "Ares on my copter backpack" ],
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+ [ "img/2023_05_13_fpv_10.jpg", "Ares sleeping on my feet" ],
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+])
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+%-->
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+
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+But that's ok.
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+It's just all the hair that's a bit annoying...
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+😒
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