VStabi Pioneer of Flybarless

Start

In the Start menu select Create new setup. After you receive confirmation you are automatically led to the next step, Receiver.

Receiver

Here you select the receiver type for use with VBar. Connect bus receivers to AUX1, Spektrum satellites to Tele 1 and 2. Select VBar Control to use an external VLink receiver (special adapter wire required).

Tail Rotor Gain

Note that with VBar NEO, the tail gain adjustment is done exclusively in the PC software in the flight menu, for each bank separately. Gain with Express firmware can only be adjusted in flight using VBar Control, while for other transmitters (assign a transmitter channel), it can only be adjusted after a Pro or Pro+Rescue update.

ESC

The ESC will be connected to the ESC connector on the VBar.

Adjusting the Transmitter

It is necessary to set the TX signals to the correct directions, center, and end positions. This is done by using the transmitter’s sub trim menu and the ATV menu. It is mandatory to assign a free channel to the motor function in a way so you can safely switch between Stop, Idle (bailout for autorotation) and Run. It is also mandatory to assign a channel (e.g. the gyro channel) to bank switch in a way so you can switch safely between banks (= flight modes) 1 to 3. With the gyro channel, you can switch banks together with the flight modes in your radio (like Dual Rate, Expo etc.). Once this is done, you need power cycle your VBar so it will perform a cold start and reinitialize.

Sensor Mounting

Choose the mounting orientation of the sensor in your model. Use the doctor‘s hat to set up the optional external sensor.

Direction of Main Rotor

Select whether the main rotor turns clockwise or anti-clockwise.

Swash Plate Type

Click on the type of swash plate used. Other types require Pro firmware (free swash plate configuration).

Collective Direction

VBar needs to know the direction which way the swash plate moves for positive collective. Please check this on your heli and set it accordingly. Helis where levers between the swash plate and the blade grips reverse the output might require an opposite setup.

Servo Directions

Now install the VBar into your helicopter and connect the swash plate servos. It is very important that the servos are connected to the proper slots of your VBar (CH 1/2/3). VBar will not work if you have misconnected the servos.

Swash plate adjustment

In this menu, the swash plate is set to center position of its collective travel (zero pitch), and also leveled at 90° to the main shaft in both aileron and elevator axis using the ­controls per servo or per function. For this, it is necessary that the helicopter has been built with correct geometry (servos, swash plate, and linkages). A Pitch Gauge (swash plate leveling tool) is best to accomplish this task.

Adjust collective travel

Please set the desired collective travel here. The range for this is optimal between 80 and 100. You may reduce (but not increase) the pitch values later in your transmitter using the pitch curve function, e. g. if you measure different angles for maximum positive and maximum negativ collective. Check that your transmitter output doesn‘t exceed 115 % of travel in any case.

Adjust cyclic throw

Adjust cyclic throw here to the indicated value. The range between 80 and 110 is optimal.

Tail

The last step in the programming assistant is for the tail settings. Please first choose the tail servo type used in your model, then connect the tail servo to the VBar by plugging the servo into the slot in the VBar labeled “Tail”, to avoid servo damage.

Finally you should check if stick travel and tail rotor travel correspond properly. If they do not, it is necessary to reverse the function in the software. The servo limits are set separately for each direction. For top performance, the values should be approximately equal for both directions. If that is not possible, move the servo arm by one notch around the center postion and try again.

Governor/ESC

On the tab Gov. I, select the preferred type of Governor/ESC you want to use. External Governor means, the ESC itself does the governing of the head speed. VBar Governor means, you want to use the internal Governor of VBar. Press Reset after the selection, to load appropriate default values into VBar.

With an External Governor, enter the throttle values for each bank (= flight mode) into the box External Governor in the flight menu. The value bailout represents the throttle value that will be output to the ESC when you switch back from Run position to Idle position.

With the VBar Governor, you can use the Throttle Servo Adjustment feature on Gov. II tab to program the ESC using the collective stick, according to the ESC‘s manual. Enter the values required for a proper head speed calculation here, too: gear ratio of your model and half the pole count of your motor (e.g. with a 10 pole motor, enter 5).

Set the requested head speeds in the box Governor in the flight menu, for each bank (= flight mode) separately.

Governor gain is OK with the default setting. If the head speed drops too much on load changes of the system, or if it is not constant in normal flight conditions (e.g. pumping), make adjustments here.

Now programming is done, with the button Finished you get back to the flight menu.