[Requirement]: One click auto calibrate functionality. How it could be made.

[slagado]

Hello,

new requirement:
"Auto calibrate"

Background / reason:
For me as a drone Newbie, it is almost impossible to calibrate a drone so that it hovers over a point.
And in my opinion it takes way too much steps in the current LiftOff Version (1.0.6) to due so.
That frustrates me.

But I figured out that a throttle fine tuning from 0.04 to 0.05
(in the standard LiftOff calibration wizard)
makes a BIG change in the way how a drone behaves.
Value 0.04: For me(!!) not possible to fly the drone.
Value 0.05: Pure fun! Flying hour after hour and still having fun! ... until the calibration is again forgotten.

This "real life story" (better: "real life LiftOff experience") contains two main points:
a) PLEASE give us (Newbies) an auto drone calibration functionality!
b) PLEASE think about a more granular fine tuning. Two decimal places seem to be too little.
(BTW: Bug: Take a closer look to the throttle or any other fine tuning slider:
Moving the "dot" from 0.04 to 0.05 seem to have more positions (pixels) to lock.)

How should the auto calibration work?
It should only be available when you are in a level.
It should be a wizard.
The user should be advised to center both sticks and should not touch any switch on the remote controller nor on the keyboard nor any thing else.
After the already used "5 seconds to do so period", the level should be reset.
Means the drone should be DISarmed.
The auto calibration begins then.
Means the software mocks the remote controller inputs.
First it arms the drone and "centers" (virtually) both sticks.
The software should now analyses the drone behavior.
If the drone raises up, the software knows that the throttle must be lowered until the drone does not raises anymore.
I believe more than two decimal places are needed to do this perfectly.

Of course, this behavioral study should be made for all axes.

The software should store the resulting values for the combination of remote control <-> drone (and may by level).
Of course, the software should use them until a calibration is made again or a manually fine-tunig is made.

Hoping I was able to describe good enough what I require.
What does you think?
Typical Newbie request or a really good idea?
Please let me know!

Thank you very much in advance!

[Extevious]

it is almost impossible to calibrate a drone so that it hovers over a point.

Have you ran the calibration wizard? that should be the first thing you should do when connecting a new controller or after an update.

Try out some of the pre-made quads that are available for use. Second, make sure you're using a transmitter/controller to play Liftoff - mouse and keyboard are a NO-GO in sims like this. Third, did you try setting up your stick expos and throtle curve in your flight paramiters?

And in my opinion it takes way too much steps in the current LiftOff...

What settings are you changeing? PID settings? PID settings affect very little in Liftoff, the only instance I could find that would cause my quad to perform poorly is because of having a too powerful of a battery, OP motor/prop combo (assuming default PIDs.)

I have an FS-i6 (non S) and the settings on your transmitter DO effect the way your quad preforms in Liftoff. make sure to go through and check that everything is 'normal' for operating a quad, otherwise, make small changes or revert it to default. Also, I currently have my transmitter updated to flyplus ver 1.7.5 (mod) which opens up a lot of options that can be benificial.

[slagado]

Thanks for your reply! :-)

Yes, I know the calibration wizard and use it many times.
I use a Fly Sky-i6S.

Due the fact that any drone are not hovering in LiftOff "out of the box"
(what is NOT the issue)
you / I have to calibrate them
(and my remote controller)
when I fly them the first time.

Also in this case I use the calibration wizard.

The whole thing of my post is exactly about this situation
( = new drone, not hovering, I have to calibrate it.).

In this case (drone not hovering) I must leave the level to enter the calibration wizard.
But this takes too much steps/clicks and time to do.

So my requirement is a "auto calibration" functionality which is directly accesable in the level.
Means only ONE click/key stroke ... and the system (should) configures it.

Means, no I am not talking about PID settings.

Sorry, but I get the impression that you missed my point I am talking about.
Its NOT about "drone behaves terrible" ... its about ... read my post carefully. ;-)

But, as said, thank you very much for reply! :-)

[Extevious]

what isn't getting claibrated? yaw, pitch, roll, throttle? What is it that you're having to change to make it easier?

[slagado]

Extevious -V ... lol ... please read my post completly.

I do NOT say that something is not calibrated.
Everything works fine.
But it takes too much steps and too much time.

It (=the calibration) can be made easier - and autonomously.

Please read my post.

[Extevious]

I understand that, but what I'm asking for is what are you changing that "auto calibration" would change?

[slagado]

lol ...
drone not hovering
-> calibration needed
-> Requirement:
System (=LiftOff) analyses drone behavior
and sets all "fine tuning" values (like throttle, yaw, pitch... etc. etc.)


Extevious,
what part of my first, original post is so unclear that it could not be understand?

[Extevious]

That can be a lot of variables that would need to be computed into the 'auto calibration process.' What I still don't understand is why and what are you changing to make the quad hover.

[slagado]

Again:
For example:
Drone raises up. (As described in my orignal post.)
I would then call (in this example) the standard calibarion wizard.
But there I open the "fine tuning" dialog.
There I change in this example the throttle to for example the value "0.04".
I go back to the level. (mulitple ... too many steps needed!)
Arm there the drone.
I watch drone behavior.

Two cases:
Case a)
Drone now hovering (in this example). Everything fine. I can enjoy LiftOff with a perfectly balanced / hovering drone.

Case b)
Drone STILL not hovering ...
Do the same as before described but change value from "0.04" to "0,05" ...

And so on.

Too many steps, takes too much time.
My requirement: ...

[Extevious]

Wait, you want a calibration process that literally makes your quad fly at a fixed level with zero input? Like GPS/altitude hold?

[slagado]

I would like to have a calibration that just takes care that a drone are perfectly hovering while both sticks are centered.

When this is called a "GPS/altitude hold" then YES.

"hovering" is NOT only raising up! its about all axes.

The first thing I would do in real life is exactly this.
Calibrating the drone that it does NOT shift to the left, to the right, up , down, forwards and/or backwards - or any combination of that.

[Extevious]

Ah ok, I see. Well, that seems to be of a situational throttle adjustment (just like IRL) depending on what quad your using.

The settings (I believe) you're adjusting are for the controller, not to make it so every drone flies at exactly 50% throttle.

What you want to do is make adjustments per-drone blueprint, however there is infact a way you can do this.

Just adjust the EXPO (next to Throttle Mid) setting under the "Flight Controller Settings" in the pause menu. Adjust it untill 50% throttle stick input is hovering. Make sure to hit Save and reset (pressing R when flying) your drone for the changes to take effect

[Extevious]

Also, just noticed you made changes to your comment. The game isnt going to do this for you for many reasons (regarding the drifting.) Best you can do is adjust trim settings on your controller and make sure deadbands are adjusted correctly in the calibration wizard.

[LuGus Studios]

Hi slagado,

Thanks for the suggestion!

I'm going to be completely honest here and say we're a bit confused about this suggestion. We are not really sure why or for what reason this is being suggested. I'm wondering if there's a misunderstanding of the purpose of the input calibration feature.

The calibration steps in theory should be a one time affair, something you only do once per input device and never touch again. The calibration steps are done in 20 seconds and should be super easy to follow (simply follow the animation). The calibration menu is not used to tune/change the flight behaviour of your drone. You don't calibrate a drone, you calibrate the game software to recognise your input device.

[slagado]

Hi LuGus Studios,

Thank you very much for discussing it in the developer team.
For sure, I appreciate this!

I am pretty sure I fully understand the LiftOff calibration wizard and the related fine tuning dialog.
I know the purpose of both.
I am also pretty sure I use both in the correct manner.
I feel also comfortable with my FS-i6S remote controller and its functionality
(and the also there possible stick calibration, stick reverting functionality, etc.)
I know and understand fully and also that I do not "calibrate a drone".
And I am pretty sure you understand what is meant when I say this. ;-)

Sorry this is NOT arrogant and/or meant as
"I know everything (better)."
If so, I would not post here.

Ok, to be said this, back to my "requirement".



Your reply has two main parts:

Your part A)
" ...
The calibration steps in theory should be a one time affair,
something you only do once per input device and never touch again.
...
"

Assuming your statement is true, would this mean that ALL drones behave equally in the case
- we are talking about one and the same remote controller (while we are comparing drone behavior)
and
- both remote controller sticks are centered.

In other words:
Assume a drone moves to the right in case both remote controller sticks a centered.
Now you "fine tune" your remote controller ONCE
and
until the drone does not move anymore when both sticks are centered.
The drone hovers. Perfect.
But:
Now you select another drone (same level, no other changes were made, etc.)
Taking your statement literally should also the other drone hover.
Even better: ALL drones should now hover, because
"... The calibration steps in theory should be a one time affair, ..."

My LiftOff experience is different:
The calibration must be made for each drone.

lol ...
Do I have overseen your "... in theory ... "? ;-)



Your part B)
Assume you have to fine tune your remote controller.
For example:
You see in a level that the drone raises continuously up when the controller sticks are centered.

So its clear that you have to call the fine tune dialog.
Takes 20 seconds. Ok accepted.
But what value are you now set for the throttle?
0.04 or 0.17 or 0.03 or 0.38 or 0.47?
You have to guess it.
A guess can, no, will fail in most cases.
Means you have to set a guessed value,
go back to the level
and analyze visually the changed drone behavior.

Assume the set value was too high.
Second round:
You have to go back to the fine tuning dialog.
Again 20 seconds. mmmh ...
You have to guess again and set,
to stay in our example, a lower value.

You noticed it already.
You have to do this again and again.
Means you need "x-times multiplied with 20" seconds.

A software can make this extremely fast and precise.
(see my "mocking values part" in my above, original posting)

That's why I require "auto calibrate/fine tune".

Conclusion:
Calibrating/fine-tuning the drones is a per drone multi time made fine-tuning dialog call.
(BTW: This is the reason for your confusion.)

Hope this helps to understand what I am talking about - and requiring. ;-)

Brgds.

[slagado]

Extevious-V,

Thank you very much for your last two comments!

I am sure you are describing exactly what I am looking for / require.
"...
Just adjust the EXPO
..."
As said I am a drone Newbie. ;-)

I am going to test this and will report soon ... sorry currently too busy with other stuff ...

BTW:
You say also
"...
The game isnt going to do this for you for many reasons (regarding the drifting.)
...
"
What are these reasons? ;-)

Thanks a lot!!