Add Inexpensive Auto-Leveling to your Plane

by mmerry2 | October 8, 2012 | (20) Posted in Projects

In this video, I show you how to add auto-leveling and stabilization to your RC plane using the HobbyKing KK2.0 Multi-rotor LCD Flight Control Board.  What makes this so cool is that the board currently only costs USD$30.  I demonstrate how the auto-leveling and stabilization works, and then go step-by-step through the setup process.  I finish off by testing the setup.  Also, check out the flight review here.

 

 

 

 Here are the parts you need:

 

  1. Hobbyking KK2.0 Multi-rotor LCD Flight Control Board
  2. USBasp AVR Programming Device for ATMEL proccessors
  3. Male-to-Male Servo Leads
  4. 3 Amp BEC*
  5. Y power connector

 

*a BEC is required to help power the KK2 board.  You can't use the one from your ESC!  HappySundays, the author of OpenAero2 has this explanation "You have to understand that it's not just voltage droop but current flowing through the board that upsets the KK2. They share ground paths if you connect them together. It's not the updated BEC that helps, but the separation of 5V rails. This way, servo current does not influence the KK2 board itself."

 

 

Video Outline

  1. Intro - 0:00
  2. What is Stabilization and Auto-leveling? (including demonstration) - 0:45
  3. What does the KK2.0 board offer? - 3:57
  4. Parts Needed - 6:32
  5. Setup - 7:31
    • Step 1. Firmware Flashing - 7:32
    • Step 2. Left Side Connections - 9:10
    • Step 3. Right Side Connections - 10:59
    • Step 4. Pre-power Steps - 11:45
    • Step 5. KK2 Board Configuration - 13:33
  6. Testing - 18:18
    • Step 1. Testing servo direction - 18:25
    • Step 2. Testing gyro direction from stability control - 19:40
    • Step 3. Calibration & auto-leveling testing - 21:57
  7. Final Thoughts - 24:42

 

Other useful links:

 

  1. USBasp Driver install (FliteTest)
  2. Firmware flashing video (dhdsracer)
  3. Firmware flashing tool (LazyZero)
  4. OpenAero2 Firmware thread (HappySundays)
  5. OpenAero2 manual (HappySundays)
  6. Voltage Alarm for KK2 board Video (dhdsracer)

 




- Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -

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COMMENTS

Benn Gunn on October 10, 2012
another great and very informative vid.. like the style
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tramsgar on October 9, 2012
Thanks, very thorough video! (Maybe I should get my board out of the box already? =) Now, you connect both the ESCs BEC and a separate BEC to the electronics. For all I've read, that's not recommended, rather the ESCs BEC (apparently it has one as the board lighted up before the separate BEC was connected) should be disconnected. Would you agree?
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mmerry2 on October 9, 2012
In the video, I connect the ESC into the receiver (watch step 2b at 9:38). The receiver then sends power to the LEFT side of the board. The BEC is needed to power the RIGHT side of the board and needs to be plugged into an empty position in rows 2 - 8 (M2 - M8). I use the 2nd row. While the LCD will light up without the BEC plugged in, servo movement causes the board to reset. HappySundays, the author of OpenAero2 says "You have to understand that it's not just voltage droop but current flowing through the board that upsets the KK2. They share ground paths if you connect them together. It's not the updated BEC that helps, but the separation of 5V rails. This way, servo current does not influence the KK2 board itself."

This is a good question. It seems like it was asked a lot on the RCGroups thread. Bottom line is you'll need a separate BEC or an extra ESC to power the right side of the board. I'm going to add a comment about this to the article, just to stress the point.
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tramsgar on October 10, 2012
Ok, thanks again, that's very valuable to know that the board is designed for split power! You were so thorough in all the details that I didn't realize that something could be missing =). I knew that spare BEC lying around would come to use...
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tramsgar on October 10, 2012
What the manual says is somewhere inbetween: "The M1 connector must always have a ESC connected, because this ESC will be the only one that
supplies the FC with 5V power. This ensures stable power to the FC /.../ There is not necessary to cut the 5V (red) lead on any ESC unless it has a Switching
BEC. With many servos, for example airplane stabilization, there may be necessary with an extra BEC. Do not use multiple switched BEC's". So for linear BECs, do like you did, for switched BECs, I guess the manual implicitly says to only power the servo side of the board?
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Pav on October 23, 2012
Thank you!

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ycopter on October 11, 2012
Great article and links. Thanks for sharing this.
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flightdeck2 on July 8, 2013
Great video.I'm about to do this. The powering of the board is not clear to me in the manual though.So I can power the left side with an esc.., disconnect the red wire if a switched bec.Then power the right side with a separate bec or ubec. Then "Y" off my LIPO pack. Is that the correct prosidure ?
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mmerry2 on July 8, 2013
Yes, that will work.
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mmerry2 on July 8, 2013
To power the left side of the KK2, I suggest you plug the ESC servo wire into the throttle channel on the receiver and if using a separate BEC, connect the BEC into a free channel on the receiver (disconnecting the middle/red wire like you said). The other servo leads going from the receiver to the left side of the KK2 will carry power to the left side of KK2. You are correct about the Y, but if you use an ESC for left, a BEC for the left and BEC for the right, you will need a 3-way connector.
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flightdeck2 on July 14, 2013
So I use a separate battery for each and not "y" off one battery?
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mmerry2 on July 16, 2013
You could use a separate battery for each, but I think its simpler to just Y off of one battery.
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flightdeck2 on July 23, 2013
Thanks for the help. "Y" the battery.Esc to receiver , bec to M2.No need to disconnect red wire on esc, Should be all set thanks to your help.
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flightdeck2 on July 22, 2013
Thanks for the help.
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adolphjanssen on September 29, 2013
Thanks a million the video really helped
I recently started with scratchbuild and cant fly properly hope this wil help me to grow confidence.
Have a nice day.
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meatay on February 23, 2015
Thank you for this. Just completed everything on my new T-28 (as a test-bed) and am looking forward to taking it for a test flight once it warms up.
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lefty on February 28, 2015
could you please tell us the PID settings and acc settings that you are using. either it is too sensitive or not effective in both stabilization and or autolevel.
thank you
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Add Inexpensive Auto-Leveling to your Plane