Cameras Radio master R81 troubles

[Saspens]

Hello guys!
I'm a newbie
So I've bought some drones on sale from Darwin FPV.
With the smallest one (Darvin baby ape pro 2), everything is okay.
I've bonded the R81 receiver to T8 lite radio, it works fine, and flight perfect.
Now, I feel more confident and ready to try bigger ones (Darwin240 Johnny 5 Quadcopter or Darwin129 7" ).
So I have TX12 MK2 to try with one of them.
Problem: trying to put the receiver (R81 on both) to the binding mode, pushing the bind button, and powering drones, but the micro diode on the receiver stays off, not blinking.
The receiver has been preinstalled in the store, so there are not likely some issues with wiring, not with the two drones at once.
I have a feeling that something is off in the betaflight, but can't figure it out.
Any help is appreciated!
P.S. My brain boiling already

 

[RandyDSok]

If you are connecting with a USB cable attached... remove it and just try to bind the radio and receiver... leave Betaflight out of it for now as a test.

As to the wiring, never assume someone else's work is above reproach. Double check the wiring by looking at the model that everything is working on. Make sure it is wired the same and that the solder joints are all good as well. Last bit on this, you also don't know whomever it was that put it together tested the receiver to ensure it was actually working OR that something didn't happen afterwords that caused a failure and the receiver needs to be replaced.

Unrelated to the binding issue but may be a problem as well... Also note there are two versions of the TX12 MK2 one is compatible with the R81 receiver and the other is not. You must have the one with the CC2500 option otherwise it uses the ELRS and from what I've read, it is unclear if it's a multi-protocol one and if it isn't, then it will not bind anyway. This doesn't explain the receiver not going into bind mode... it just means you may have an additional problem and should look into this also. If your radio is the CC2500 version, it is multi-protocol and you just have to make sure that you use the same protocol on the both the receiver and transmitter when trying to bind... of course your receiver has to get to the bind stage first...

 

[RandyDSok]

Oh... btw... I'm not questioning if the person that worked on your setup is qualified or not. I've worked professionally on computers for over 36 years, I occasionally still make mistakes even with all of that experience. I've also had good parts when they left my shop end up being bad some time later. Even the highest quality part can fail and it's more likely when it's new than after a bit of time has passed.

Simply put... never assume something was done right unless you have double checked it yourself... and never assume something hasn't failed either. It's certainly possible it's something you are also missing, doing out of step or whatever ... just never rule any possibility out until you have double checked it is all I'm reminding you of. Being a bit of a pessimist myself... sometimes I'll even check it a 3rd or 4th time...

 

[Saspens]

If you are connecting with a USB cable attached... remove it and just try to bind the radio and receiver... leave Betaflight out of it for now as a test.

As to the wiring, never assume someone else's work is above reproach. Double check the wiring by looking at the model that everything is working on. Make sure it is wired the same and that the solder joints are all good as well. Last bit on this, you also don't know whomever it was that put it together tested the receiver to ensure it was actually working OR that something didn't happen afterwords that caused a failure and the receiver needs to be replaced.

Unrelated to the binding issue but may be a problem as well... Also note there are two versions of the TX12 MK2 one is compatible with the R81 receiver and the other is not. You must have the one with the CC2500 option otherwise it uses the ELRS and from what I've read, it is unclear if it's a multi-protocol one and if it isn't, then it will not bind anyway. This doesn't explain the receiver not going into bind mode... it just means you may have an additional problem and should look into this also. If your radio is the CC2500 version, it is multi-protocol and you just have to make sure that you use the same protocol on the both the receiver and transmitter when trying to bind... of course your receiver has to get to the bind stage first...

Thanks!
You were right. So turn out that USB won't power the receiver. Only the battery will do the job
So I tried with the battery, and everything worked just perfectly!
It took me some time to set up TX 12 Open tx -multi, but it looks like I've managed Thanks a lot. Tomorrow maybe I'll try my 5 inches first time.
Thanks again!

 

[Saspens]

Oh... btw... I'm not questioning if the person that worked on your setup is qualified or not. I've worked professionally on computers for over 36 years, I occasionally still make mistakes even with all of that experience. I've also had good parts when they left my shop end up being bad some time later. Even the highest quality part can fail and it's more likely when it's new than after a bit of time has passed.

Simply put... never assume something was done right unless you have double checked it yourself... and never assume something hasn't failed either. It's certainly possible it's something you are also missing, doing out of step or whatever ... just never rule any possibility out until you have double checked it is all I'm reminding you of. Being a bit of a pessimist myself... sometimes I'll even check it a 3rd or 4th time...

Now I have trouble with another drone
I've bought Darwin tiny ape freestyle for my son.
It came with a built-in ELRS receiver. I took off the antenna and sodered in the R81 receiver.
I bounded it to the TX12 Mk2 radio. They are connected.
But in the betaflightI don't see any response when I'm moving sticks or doing switches.
Everything stays like that.

I've tried it with my second radio, T8 light, absolutely the same. Binds no issues, but the drone is not reacting to any input.

 

[Saspens]

I thought maybe it was still listening for ELRS?

 

[RandyDSok]

Beyond basic stuff that will be somewhat radio or computer related... I'm of little use with the use of Betaflight or anything using it.

One thing to look at ( computer connection wise )... is check that the USB cable you are using is a data/power cable and not just a power only one. It's a pretty common error to hear may have been the cause of similar troubles.

 

[D.O.G.]

Hey there Saspens I'm a Spektrum guy and might not be any help but I'll give it a try. You mention the RX is bound to your Tx. Now do you know what uart is the RX soldered to 1-3 6? That must match the port section of Betaflight when programming your FC. Also, I would update the FC to the newest version better yet go into Betaflight and into Search and type in version and update the firmware to the version it gave you in Betaflight. One more thing I would set my low end to 1000 center 1500 and high 2000 just my and I hope this helps some and does not confuse you .

 

[Saspens]

Thanks guys!
I found it
So I've compared my tiny ape drone settings in Betaflight to baby ape pro, and I saw some differences.
After I changed how there and everything worked
I have no idea what it is, why it was not working, or why those two changes made it work.
But now I can see all the input in real-time.

P.S. I've tried to update firmware but could not: stack with the "Failed to open USB device" error.
Glad that I didn't have to, but I guess it might be a problem in the future

 

[Saspens]

Hey there Saspens I'm a Spektrum guy and might not be any help but I'll give it a try. You mention the RX is bound to your Tx. Now do you know what uart is the RX soldered to 1-3 6? That must match the port section of Betaflight when programming your FC. Also, I would update the FC to the newest version better yet go into Betaflight and into Search and type in version and update the firmware to the version it gave you in Betaflight. One more thing I would set my low end to 1000 center 1500 and high 2000 just my and I hope this helps some and does not confuse you .

I believe what I've found has something to do with what you said

 

[D.O.G.]

P.S. I've tried to update firmware but could not: stack with the "Failed to open USB device" error.

In order for you to update firmware you must make sure that the FC is in DFU. If Betaflight can't find DFU then you must install a program called Impulse RC driver fixer. This program will find your FC and put it into DFU and then you can install the new firmware update. Since it works I would leave well enough alone and enjoy flying. Just happy to hear you're up and flying and now both you and your son can enjoy a Father-son flying secession .

 

[Saspens]

In order for you to update firmware you must make sure that the FC is in DFU. If Betaflight can't find DFU then you must install a program called Impulse RC driver fixer. This program will find your FC and put it into DFU and then you can install the new firmware update. Since it works I would leave well enough alone and enjoy flying. Just happy to hear you're up and flying and now both you and your son can enjoy a Father-son flying secession .

I am enjoying it, and he will be, but first I need to figure out how to connect two radios to the same drone, so I can help him with the control.
I heard that tx12 mk2 can do it, don't know how to do it yet.

 

[Saspens]

Found it

 

[RandyDSok]

I am enjoying it, and he will be, but first I need to figure out how to connect two radios to the same drone, so I can help him with the control.
I heard that tx12 mk2 can do it, don't know how to do it yet.

Just a minor technical correction... You are not connecting two radios to the same model. You are connecting the Instructors radio to the model and then the students radio to the Instructors radio in order to control the model when the Instructor allows it. So the students radio is getting passed through to the instructors.

Typically we usually call this a buddy box setup... master/slave or instructor/student are also correct terms for the same thing. The cable method is probably the one used the most since it is inexpensive to setup just requiring the proper cable for each radio used. The wireless setup methods also vary by radio models. I'd refer you to each radio's manuals for the proper plugs or wireless components needed and the specific setups for the radios... the example video you gave was a good one for the RadioMaster radios it seems.

Some terminology stuff... I'm covering this so when you talk to others, they know exactly what you are talking about and are less likely to make assumptions.

The term "drone" refers to any vehicle that can use some automatic controls for it's navigation. This applies to air, ground, or water vehicles. The type of craft you have is referred to a multi-copter, specifically a quad-copter. So in addition to quad-copters, airplanes, helicopters, cars, trucks, boats and other underwater vehicles can also be called a drone if there is some amount of automatic controls used on them.

Some drones only come with some basic automation that helps you steer them around... some with more advanced features like defining a flight path from the start to the end using waypoints and the like... and even may include some avoidance instructions in the fancier models to avoid accidentally crashing into other things in general.

So the most basic quad-copter is a drone by design since trying to actually control exactly what the 4 motors are doing, is beyond what most people can do and therefore requires a flight controller ( FC ) to achieve it. In essence, you don't "fly" a quad so much as point it in the direction you want it to go in and the FC does the actual flying. You are still the pilot and the one responsible for where it goes, it's just the actual "flying" part is automated a bit for you since controlling 4 motors is a big ask.

Just so my description doesn't get in the way here. Take an airplane without a flight controller of some type in it... With this the pilot actually fully controls all of the flight surfaces. This is possible because the pilot isn't having to control the speed of 4 separate motors to control the direction... just the 3 flight surfaces ( in the most basic setup ) and the throttle. The result is the same though... the pilot is just pointing the vehicle in the direction they want their craft to go in. Both the airplane and quad pilots are still responsible for where their craft are going with the main difference being there is some automation needed for the quad.