mopdf.com

Spacers Next, add the red spacers (posts) to the bottom frame plate using the supplied M3x6.5mm hex screws.Add a small drop of threadlock to help secure the frame. It is recommended to only apply on thebottom screws for easy repairs/maintenance. There are three spacer positions in the battery compartment to make it easy to balance (CG) the frame.The middle spacer position is great for 4S 3300-3700mAh packs, while the most forward position isgreat for 4S 4000-4500mAh packs.Frame arms Install the frame arms on the four designated locations using the long-neck M2.5x5mm screws. Feedthe speed controller wires through the gap between the frame arm and bottom plate. Secure the ESCs below the frame arms with 3 zip-ties. One to secure the cables before the ESC, one tosecure the cables after the ESC, and one around the whole ESC unit. Feed the battery strap through the two slots in the battery compartment. Only one strap is reallynecessary to provide adequate friction.Optional: Use different colored frame arms for the front and back pair to make it easier to identify theorientation of the quadcopter in the air.10

Top plateR/C control signal headers To get a clean R/C receiver-to-flight controller wiring, it is recommended to use the traces routed onthe top plate. There are 8 traces to support up to equally many PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) channels.When using a PPM (Pulse Position Modulation) compatible receiver and flight controller, only one trace(Channel 1) is used. Solder the supplied pin headers to the 8x3-pads. Install the first header on the R/C receiver side (back)with the pins pointing up and the second header with the pins pointing down (towards the bottomplate/flight controller.) Use tape to keep the header in place while applying a reasonable amount ofsolder to all of the pins while applying heat. The flux in the solder will make the solder flow around thepins. When using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) signal from a compatible R/C receiver, useone of the eight channels pins to supply the signal (via a cable) to the designated RSSI header on thebottom plate (which is connected directly to the TBS CORE). Or connect the output directly to your OSDsystem of choice.11

Electronics installationThe electronics installation is split into two sections; one for the R/C equipment and the second for the FPV gear.We recommend finishing and dry-testing the R/C system before moving on to the FPV section to simplifytroubleshooting. A detailed overview diagram of the electronics installation is available as an appendix to thismanual.Before adding the equipment to the frame it is a good idea to become familiar with the recommendedpositioning of the equipment, as shown in the image below.R/C equipmentR/C receiver Plug in the short servo extensions on the header on the top plate and connect them to the R/C receiver.Use a self-adhesive foam pad to mount the unit to the back-end of the top plate. Mount the antenna(s)in a vertical and/or “V”-formation using nylon antenna tube(s). The table below shows the normal channel alignment for Futaba/Hitec radios, while JR/Spektrum hasthrottle on channel 1 and the remaining shifted down.R/C receiverCh. 1Ch. 2Ch. 3Ch. 4Ch. 5Ch. 6Ch. 7Ch. Unused/gainUnused/gainFlightmodeRSSIoutput When using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) signal from a compatible R/C receiver, usethe laster header pin to supply the signal to the CORE. Make sure to enable the proper RSSI type in theCORE menu (either analog or digital) and calibrate the max./min.12

GPSTop frameElectronics installation(Optional)S -by ivc.no/tbsdiscovery - 08.20138 7 6 5 4 3 2 1RC receiverS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8CH1CH2CH3CH4CH5CH6CH7CH8TBS DISCOVERYRSSI signal(For channel setup, refer tothe manufacurer’s manual)VideotransmitterBEC regulatorDJIFlight controller(For flight controller setup, referto the manufacurer’s manual)---- Motor - CWFPV camera RSSIGNDBottom frameSpeed controller-- NAZACAM PWRCAM GNDCAM VIDAUD INSpeed controller--Motor - CCWAudLAudRV GNDVideoOSD --EnableV GND12VTBS CORE5V --Battery --VTX PWRVTX GNDVTX VIDVTX AUDCurr. sensor -Motor - CWVideoAudLAudRVIN2Curr. sensVinGNDRSSI12VCoGVTX5VCoTGoPro cameraCAMCAMBatterySpeed controllerSpeed controllerESCs with 5V BEC, disconnect RED wireESCs without 5V BEC, leave RED wireMotor - CCW

Flight controller Decide whether you want to use traditional PWM or PPM mode. As of writing, TBS suggests the DJINAZA-M flight controller in PPM mode (together with a compatible receiver) and an optional GPSadd-on (for return-to-home capability) for a clean wiring layout and great out-of-the-box experience. Plug in all the R/C and ESC cables to the flight controller according to the flight controller instructions,and mount the unit on the bottom plate in the centre of the four holes and two parallel lines. Use aself-adhesive foam pads to dampen the controller slightly. Be sure to double check the orientation ofthe flight controller for proper operation. For setup and tuning parameters of the flight controller, refer to the manufacturer manual or guides onfpvlab.com. (DJI NAZA only) Open NAZA Assistant and disable the Voltage Monitor Protection. This prevents theDISCOVERY PRO from prematurely descending on low battery. Use the CORE OSD to watch the batterycondition instead. Never let the voltage go past 3.5V x cell count (3S 10.5V, 4S 14.0V) or currentconsumption over 80% of a full pack (e.g. max. 3600mA discharged of a 4500mAh battery.)Start out using the following suggested NAZA-M Autopilot gains and tune according to your preferences.SetupGainPitchRollYawVerticalTBS 750KV 10x5 4S3300mAh al150%140%120%110%Attitude140%140%TBS 900KV 9x5 4S3300mAh 30AOther drivetrain setups (generally)Note: The pitch axis gain will in most cases be greater than the roll axis gain because of the inherentasymmetric design and weight distribution on the frame.Motors Mount the brushless motors to the frame arms using standard M3x6.5mm hex screws supplied withmost brushless motors. Apply a small drop of medium threadlock to a secure the motors. Feed themotor wires through the frame arm comb-pattern to minimize clutter. Plug in the bullet-connectors to the speed controllers. Swap any two wires to change the direction ofrotation if they do not rotate as shown below. See the image below for the most commonly used setup(e.g. NAZA-M, OpenPilot controllers are vertically mirrored).13

Speed controllers With the frame arms mounted, use the zip-ties to mount the speed controllers to the underside of thearms. Avoid putting tension or stress on the motor- or speed controller-cables. Use a self-adhesivepad to mount any BEC or control unit (e.g. NAZA PMU/VU-unit.) to the underside of the back-left speedcontroller. Calibrate the throttle range for each ESC individually (except for DJI and TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs) byconnecting the ESC directly to the throttle channel on the receiver and setting the throttle stick high(WOT) on power-on and then low until a confirmation beep is heard (motors attached). The ESC has tobe connected directly to the R/C receiver for this procedure to work. TBS is offering a handycalibration cable for this purpose. If you are using EzUHF, set WOT as failsafe to avoid start-up timingissues. The TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs come pre-calibrated and do not need to be re-configured. One important note for ESCs that do not carry the “OPTO” label or are not TBS BULLETPROOF designs,is that only one of the four ESCs should provide BEC 5V power to the flight controller. The middle redwire on the end connector should be disconnected on three of the ESCs. If the flight controller isproviding power (e.g. NAZA-M VU-unit), all ESC BECs should be disconnected. The reason for this is toavoid voltage oscillations caused by erroneous voltage-regulator feedback.Propellers Before adding the propellers it is a good idea to be sure they are balanced, as mentioned later on. Toavert any chance of injury, leave the propellers off until the flight controller configuration has beencompleted.14

The only recommended propeller installation method is to use a precisely manufacturer prop adaptors(never prop-saver with o-ring). The layering should be as follows; prop adaptor, propeller, washer and(lock) nut. You can skip any bell screw as it may add unnecessary vibrations. The TBS 750kV and 900kV motors have a 5mm prop shaft. This is compatible with Graupner 9x5-inchpropellers. For Graupner 10x5-inch propellers you will need aluminium 8mm-to-5mm reductionspacers available separately. Try to match the motor and propeller to suit your particular need. For extended flight time try toachieve optimal efficiency. For agile-flight get a responsive combination. Our generalrecommendations are listed in the table below. A thumb of rule would be that smaller props equals less flight time and higher kV motors equalssmaller props or lower battery cells count (than the reference below.) Note that 10-inch is the maximumpropeller size that can fit on the DISCOVERY.Motor typePropellerFlight characteristicTBS 750kV brushless motor9x5-inch Graupner typelocked in10x5-inch Graupner typelong flight time9x5-inch Graupner typesuper responsive, locked in10x5-inch Graupner typelong flight time10x5-inch Graupner typelong flight timeTBS 900kV brushless motorDJI 920kV brushless motor15

FPV gearThe FPV gear is designed to be installed on the front section of the frame to achieve as much separationbetween the R/C- and FPV-radio environment as possible. Keep in mind that the former is listening while thelatter is broadcasting. The quieter the receiving conditions are, the better range and reliability will be.At the heart of this system sits the (optional) TBS CORE which provides a rudimentary OSD and clean powerdistribution to the camera and video transmitter, regardless of input voltage. The frame already includes acurrent sensor (50A) that works together with the TBS CORE to show current consumption during flight.Power supply To eliminate noise from causing problems on the FPV-side of the system, use a properly filtered powersupply. Any type will work but the TBS CORE is made to provide selectable 5V and/or 12V to the videotransmitter and camera regardless of input voltage (2S to 10S). It can supply video transmitters with upto 1W (with minor airflow at 1W) of emitted power (EIRP) and a standard FPV camera. If you are planning to fly with UHF, we highly recommend the Tin Shield to isolate the CORE nicely fromthe rest of the electronics on board. Configure the CORE according to the required voltage for the FPV gear; pads marked VTX and CAM canbe configured to either 12V (0.65A max.) or 5V (2A max.). Solder a bridge between the middle pad toeither side for 12V or 5V. Do not solder all three pads.Pilot camera Use the supplied camera plate to mount the pilot camera. The mounting pattern is designed to becompatible with most standard 32x32 mm board cameras. You might need to break-away excessiveboard support. Either use two small zip-ties, rubber bands or four M2x15mm screws and nuts (notsupplied) to mount the camera (use threadlock.) Plug in the cable connector for the camera and insert the tabs on the top and bottom of the cameraframe in the corresponding routed gaps on the frame. For a secure mount, you can add solder to thethree exposed solder spots (v1.3 boards or later), or leave it for easy hot swapping in the field. Decide whether you can use the supplied wires and connector socket on the top frame or connect thecamera and video transmitter via the round solder pads. The supplied picoblade Molex cable “5V VTx”are designed to work with the TBS GREENHORN, TBS ROOKIE, Lawmate video transmitters, and thesupplied “12V CAM” cable with the TBS59/TBS69 cameras respectively. You can of course modify andsolder the wires to suit your specific need.16

Video transmitter Put the video transmitter close to the front on the top plate. Use zip-ties and/or self-adhesive foampads to fit the transmitter. TBS offers a custom made mounting bracket for easy vertical install over thefront-right frame arm. To avoid possible video interference, be sure to use a foam or gel pad between the frame and VTx unitto reduce vibrations. The kit includes a small JST cable which is compatible with Lawmate 500mW VTx as well as our TBSGREENHORN and TBS ROOKIE. For FatShark VTx you need to cut the cable and solder your FatSharkcable onto it.OSD (On Screen Display) You can use an optional (but recommended) OSD add-on to get live readout on screen about thebattery voltage (V), current draw (A), total current consumption (mAh), receiver signal strength (%) andflight time (minutes:seconds), position (coordinates) and home location, to name a few. For a basicfeature set we recommend the TBS CORE which provide all but the latter two data points. A full featureset will require an OSD with a GPS module (e.g. TBS CORE PNP PRO with GPS).17

TBS DISCOVERY / DISCOVERY PRO - Video transmitter (VTx) setupsrev. Feb 2014 - by ivc.no/tbsTBS/Lawmate VTxBoscam VTx· 1.2G 500mW· 2.4G 100mW, 200mW, 500mW· 5.8G 25mW (TBS Greenhorn), 200mW (TBS Rookie), 500mW (TBS Boss)· 2.4G 500mW· 5.8G 200mW, 400mW, 500mWSupply voltage: 5.0-5.5V (all)BATT - RedGND - BlackAUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - BlackFatShark5.8GHz250mWS -AUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - Black--BATT - RedGND - Black-- --VID - YellowAUD - WhiteGND - Black5V - Red---- 5V - RedGND - BlackAUD - WhiteVID - YellowPPMPPMDISCOVERY PRODISCOVERY PROAudioVideoGndPwrIMU/GoProGndVccRxTxFlight controller PPM5V 12V5V 12V8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1S PPMVideoGndVbatGP Out SelDISCOVERY PRODISCOVERY PROAGimal RollGimbal PitchGimbal PPMAudioVideoGndPwrryIMU/GoPro--* On 4S setups where 12V is not available, consider using a dedicatedTBS CORE PNP to supply power to the video transmitter.PitchRollIMU/GoProFlight controller PPMCamera switchAnalog RSSI12V- S1GndVccRxTx1GimbalteRollCamera switchAnalog RSSI- S --atPitch BteatAudioVideoGndPwr--Note: Connecting a video transmitter directly to a shared battery sourcemay induce interference on the video image. Consider adding a filterFlight controller PPMbetweenthe solder pad and video transmitter.VTXUARTUARTGimal RollGimbal PitchGimbal PPM-- Gimbal5V 12V Battery voltageGndVccRxTx505V 12V50--A!VTX --VTX2 SwitchV 12V---- S PPMAUDR - GreenAUDL - GreyVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - RedGND - BlackBATT - Red GndPwrGndVideoAudio VTX25.8GHz600mWA/V Tx AUDR - GreenVbatAUDL - GreyVideoVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red--GP Out Sel--Top LinkVTX2 SwitchTop LinkGND - BlackBATT - RedCAMSupply voltage: 6-25V (2S-6S)-- 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1CAM FatShark5.8GHz250mWBottom linkSupply voltage: 7-17V (2S-4S)VTX2- SPPM GimbalBottom link5.8GHz25mWA/V TxEzUHF RSSI Link12VryRollAnalog RSSI- S BPitch· Camera5.8Gswitch600mWPPM Gimbal Battery voltageVideoGndA50ryte BAudioVideoGndPwratUARTUART----ryteatGimbalGimal RollGimbal PitchGimbal PPMIMU/GoProAnalog RSSIAUDR - GreenAUDL - GreyVID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red --RollFlight controller PPM· 5.8G25mW, 250mWCamera switchSupply voltage: 6-16V (2S-4S)5V 12VVTXGndVccRxTx- BPitchFatShark/ImmersionRC VTxGP Out Sel! Battery voltage 50A----VbatPwrGndVideoAudioVideoGndVbat---- Gimbal8 7 6 5 4 3 2 15V 12V 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1--5V 12VVTX --VTX2VTX2 SwitchConnect directlyonly on 3S battery*Gimal RollGimbal PitchGimbal PPMGND - BlackBATT - Red-S -CAMGND - BlackAUD - White12V - RedVID - YellowPPM! Battery voltageSupply voltage: 9.5-12.5V (3S)DISCOVERY PRODISCOVERY PROGP Out Sel - S-- VTX2 SwitchConnect directlyonly on 3S battery*PPM GimbalBottom linkBottom linkVTX2IMU/GTop LinkTop LinkS PPMCAMGND - BlackAUD - White12V - RedVID - ndVccRxTxFlight controller PPMCamera switchAnalog RSSIEzUHF RSSI LinkRoll· 1.3G 500mWFlight controller PPMSupply voltage: 12VPitchGimal RollGimbal PitchGimbal PPMCamera switchAnalog RSSI- S-- teRacewood VTxIMU/GoPro· 1.2G 1000mW· 2.4G 1000mWGimbalat BRollGimal RollGimbal PitchGimbal PPM -- atPitchUARTUART--VTX-- Gimbal5V 12V Battery voltageGndVccRxTx-- B5V 12VVTX --!--5V Battery voltage!AConnect directlyonly on 3S battery*PPM Gimbal--VID - YellowAUD - WhiteGND - Black5V - RedS -Supply voltage: 12-14V (3S)Top Link Top LinkTBS 5GVTXSupply voltage: 12-14V (3S)

To enable the CORE OSD, solder a dab between the two pads labeled “OSD Enable” on the TBS COREboard. The bottom plate has a RSSI trace leading directly to TBS CORE. The RSSI input header is located on themiddle-left side, right beneath the top pin header for easy connection directly from a supported R/Creceiver. All major FPV R/C system vendors support either analog or digital (PWM) RSSI output. The TBSCORE documentation shows how to configure and calibrate the RSSI. The next feature is a market first and it is a on-board current sensor on the back-right side, next to thebattery connection. Coupling this with the RSSI input makes a clutter-free and clean build. To take advantage of the current sensor you only need to have a TBS CORE installed at the designatedarea. The TBS CORE has to be configured to 100A for v1.1 frames and 50A for v1.2 and later frames.Instructions on how to install the TBS CORE PNP PRO upgrade can be found atteam-blacksheep.com/tbs-core-pro-manual.pdf. After installing the CORE PRO the redundant on-boardCORE can be used to charge the GoPro HD camera. Lastly, when all the R/C and FPV gear is installed, connect any the remaining R/C or RSSI cables to thetop plate and close the frame. Use the remaining spacer and frame arm screws to secure the frame.Caution: When testing for shorts on the TBS CORE, you may notice that VIN2 pins are shorted. This iscompletely normal and per design. Other neighboring pins should not be shorted!18

Mounting HD cameraGoPro HD Hero The GoPro HD Hero cameras is the most commonly used HD recording camera (as of writing) and wasthe camera of choice during the design process of the TBS DISCOVERY. A little background how modern HD video cameras function; the GoPro uses a method called rollingshutter to capture video frames, as the name suggests, it is scanning across the image sensorhorizontally to record a single image (opposite to a single snapshot of a point in time of the entireimage sensor). This can cause issues when coupled with high frequency vibrations produced by thedrivetrain on a multirotor. If the frequency is close or matches the scanning frequency, the imagesensor will capture the minute movement (resonate with the vibrations). This will cause the video tohave clearly visible wavy wobbly lines, or more commonly known as “jello”-effect.Vibration free footage To get rid of most of the “jello”-effect, it is (always) good practice to begin with eliminating the rootcause of the vibrations rather than trying to applying various dampening methods. The primary culprit is unbalanced propellers, followed closely by unbalanced motors. Fortunately,balancing them is a relatively easy task. TBS is offering a Prop Balancer for this purpose. More detailson how to perform the balancing, see our support forum at fpvlab.com. To reduce vibrations from propagating to the GoPro, use memory foam to add a separation layerwhich absorbs the energy. Use the specially designed TBS Loveseat or cut two large pieces which willcover the bottom and back of the GoPro. Secure the camera to the frame using two thin rubber bands.Consider using the GoPro settings in the tables below for “no-prop-in-view” and stable footage.19 p

4x 9x5 or 10x5-inch propellers (2xCW, 2xCCW) 1x 3S 5000 to 6000mAh or 4S 2800 to 4500mAh LiPo battery 1x Multicopter flight controller 1x R/C receiver (5-channels or