Airship Navagation/programming problems

[Flying Rhino]

In an effort to learn how to make a passable airship, I opted to start with an DWG Atlas Remodel, and starting making some light modifications.

And almost instantly (like, the moment I changed a single block) started having problems. It would not follow waypoints, respond to requests to change its Alt, or even just STOP and hover in place.

What the heck is going on? Its an AI built unit and the onboard AI just cant cope?

Just when I thought I was starting to get a hold of this game...

[Flying Rhino]

Wow. Ill defintly report back progress as I go.

And here I was being all impressed that I built a pretty decent hydrofoil out of a marauder hull.

[Flying Rhino]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1393229519

So I took your advice, and built a test platform. And it flys! I mean, badly, but considering how off cented the load is, the fact that I got it flying level at all feels like a bit of an acomplishment. Ended up using a pitch and roll PID to keep it from doing flips. Im sure the settings are all wrong, but it just wobbles now insted of backflipping.

[Flying Rhino]

It does seem like the Aerial AI is prone to problems when asked to do anything but fly thruster craft/ aircraft. I swapped it for a naval card earlier today(didnt even consider a land one!) and it solved most of the problem, along with making the PID not act stupid. Going to stay away from PIDs in the near future, they seem to cause more confusion then they solve.

I have since grabbed the Emerald and Ruby engines packages. Yep, literally twice as good as anything I have tried to make. Also grabbed a collection of stock weapon and hull parts.

Seriously, you gotta change your icon. Black mage dosnt do you justice. Bahamut must have given you his blessing to be a wizard...

[Flying Rhino]

I was trying out different guidence for the bombs by the way. With a torpedo prop, the laser point defences dont recognize it as a threat, and ignore it. Since the prop dosnt work in the air, no need for fuel (freeing up space for more fins and/or more warheads). The laser designator 'shouldent' strictly be required, but currently its the only way I can get any degree of pin point accuracy out of them. A thumper head with frag charges is moderatly fun way of cutting a marauder in half.

[FourGreenFields]

Originally posted by Flying Rhino:

I was trying out different guidence for the bombs by the way. With a torpedo prop, the laser point defences dont recognize it as a threat, and ignore it. Since the prop dosnt work in the air, no need for fuel (freeing up space for more fins and/or more warheads)

Ejectors may be a better way to get ejection-force though (the only thing props do without fuel). But that depends on the design (volume of blocks to spare, vs ammo-usage, reload time, mostly).