Flight-time timer and automatic reset

I wanted to make the timer more automatic. It annoyed me when I had to stop the timer after flights and also wanted to leave the flight-time visible until i removed power from heli and reset automatically.

I’m using used mAh to limit my flight-time so timer is just a flight-time log for me.

Functions:
– Automatic start of timer upon take-off
– Stopping the timer when flight is over
– Resetting the timer when un-powering heli
– Works with all flight-modes (In example Normal, Idle 1, Idle 2, Autorotation, Hold)

Requirements
– FW 3.02 in TX
– Telemetry fo flight-pack voltage

Operation

Start, heli unpowered. Timer won’t start regardless off flight-mode.

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Heli powered, we’re in hold-mode before flight

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Flight, here in autorotation.

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Un-powered, timer resetted to STOP-mode.

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How-to

Because of flight-modes we need five logical switches. (L6 is extra, I have hold-mode with two switches with OR-rule)

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L1 is throttle-stick active AND L6 active (HOLD-off). L6 is reversed.

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L2 is flight-modes Idle 1 OR Idle 2 active.

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L3 is L1 OR L2, So L3 is active if L1 or L2 is active.

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L4 is L6 AND L3, so L4 is active when hold is off and we’re in Idle 1 or Idle 2. L6 is again reversed.

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L5 is again L4 AND MX1, this is active when L4 is active and heli is powered (MX1)

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L6 is hold-mode, active when either left or right hold-switch is active.

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MX1 is a simple switch to recognize powered heli. Using a rule “when flight-pack voltage is over 5V”.

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MX3 is to recognize un-powering of heli. Define a telemetry-control to activate when flight-pack voltage have been less than 2.0 volt’s for more than one second. (Time-rule to eliminate unnecessary reset’s if we have a short glitch in telemetry) Note Default-setting 100%

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Timer itself is simple, starts from zero and stops when flight ends, hopefully without a crash. Time remains stopped in display until I power off the heli.

Start with L5 and reset with MX3 and short reset-type.

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Now, go out and fly!

4 thoughts on “Flight-time timer and automatic reset

  1. Hi,
    I am using the retract switch to start my timer, the problem is that when i lower the gear the timer stops. Is there a way around this?
    Regards,

    Glen

  2. Thanks Guys,
    Sorted, it needed to be set up as a free running timer. Steve Collins on the Facebook jeti page helped.

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