Santa Whoop turned NFE Silverware Beast.

Skip to the end for a summary.

02/01/19 - Trying this Silverware thing again using the Santa Whoop. I removed the stupid jingle bell speaker and that lightened the build by nearly 33%. Santa is not riding and neither is the Lego brick canopy. Let's see how this will work out. Visit my previous Silverware Nightmare here.

02/15/19 - The Silverware nightmare continues. I was able to flash the BWhoop firmware to this build successfully using my 2nd laptop. The quad arms and flies but the rates and flight behavior are something awful. I attempted to flash NFE Silverware again after reading through some posts in the MicroMotorWarehouse thread from Sept '18 I found this:

Ian444
Sep '18
Maybe try this - type in “#define RX_BAYANG_PROTOCOL” and comment out all the other protocols. The stock controller doesn’t have telemetry so maybe that’s the problem.

I attempted to add this definition but it still did not change how it behaves when NFE is flashed. I'm still not able to bind/arm with the usual throttle up/down stick throw. The LEDs respond but the props don't move.

I reached out to NFE himself to see what he would say:
@NotFastEnuf I come to you pleading for help. For the past 4 months I’ve been on a courageous effort to try and establish an inexpensive acro option for the masses and newbs of the hobby. When I heard about NFE Silverware being a magic button I was game to try it since the total cost for quad, ST Link, and radio would be under $100
You can read about my original ordeal here:https://rotorbuilds.com/build/14483 1
TLDR: 4 months ago I tried to flash NFE to a BetaLite board and it would never bind to the Bayang radio I had. A friend of mine who has worked with Silverware previously was able to flash a new board and send it to me. It flew but it was WEIRD. I went into Keil to try and change the rates and it would no longer bind after I reflashed. I sent the entire setup, radio, STLink, and quad to my friend but the USPS lost all my gear. :sob:
Fast forward to today and I now have a Santa Whoop and stock radio. I was able to successfully flash the Bwhoop firmware and it flies but as soon as I attempt to flash NFE it reacts the same way as the Betalite did. I researched this entire thread and several other outlets but no one seems to be using the Stock TX. Back in September '18 @monkeymagic and Ian444 were working on it (add #define BAYANG_PROTOCOL) but I see @monkeymagic had since given up and bought a multi-protocol module. I tried adding this definition to my config but it didn’t change anything. I feel like I’ve been spinning my wheels for 4 months. I just wanna spin some props!
I’m a big fan of Flysky and have the i6, Evolution, and Fatshark 101 radio with plenty of Flysky RX. I can easily buy a multi-module or buy an Alienwhoop Zero and use the new RX2A Pro v2 (white one) that runs Sbus. My main goal was how to make this thing fly NFE Silverware using the Stock TX.
Please let me know what I should do next. Thank you in advance for any and all help you can lend.

His response: Let’s start here… Encouraging anyone to fly with a stock toy tx is doing them a disservice. It will severely stunt the learning process … And never fly well no matter what you do. Even the most advanced and accomplished of pilots would struggle to turn one lap on this abomination of a transmitter - a beginner has close to no chance of success. The best thing to do for a newcommer is to point them in a direction that is proven to create a positive outcome. Not mislead them with rainbows and unicorns and the enticing opportunity to save 40 bucks. I will not assist you in encouraging others to use a toy tx as a viable option. Coupon clipping, thrift store shopping, shade tree auto repair, turning AC thermostats up 2 degrees, collecting and recycling soda cans ---- these are hobbies for the budget conscious… NOT FPV. Sorry to be blunt about this. Let me give you some perspective - consider the difference between one time expenses and disposable items. A flight controller or a radio is a one time expenses. Plenty of good radios exist in the 40$ price range. Even the Alienwhoop Zero is only 35$ and you bypass all … Let me emphasize ALL of the frustration, failure, and negative experience that you’ve had so far… AND … If you did run into trouble you purchased a product with actual support. What’s that worth to a newcomer??? Now let’s look at the disposable items - props, batteries, motors, and unfortunately cameras (they die in crashes). You will spend close to 1000 dollars in these items if you whoop every day for a year. Trying to save a few bucks on a FC or radio kind of seems silly when you realize this.

Ok so that said… If you still insist on making one of these boards fly on a stock tx … I’ll help you. But you’re wasting even more of your valuable time that would be better spent learning how to #sendit… And have yourself some real fun. Had you qualified your mission with “I am kid from a small village in a 3rd world country and I have no means or access to improving my gear but to use the toy tx”… My response would be totally different.

I say all of this from a tough love perspective - I hope I have not offended you in any way but I don’t want to be an enabler of misdirection. So I’ll give you a chance to consider my words and clarify your request for help. Would you like to move forward with a good radio??? Or would you like to continue towards making the toy tx work?

I am happy to help you no matter what you choose … But if I’m going to take a break from adding even more horsepower to your NFE Ferrari so that you can retrofit some junkyard brakes pulled off of a Geo Storm cause theyre cheaper than the right brakes- I’ll do it but it comes with the above lecture.

My reply: I appreciate your candid and thoughtful response. I respect your stance against endorsing the stock TX.
I understand that the stock controller is hot garbage and it is not a even a stepping stone for people who want to further enjoy the hobby. As you mentioned I’m not in any type of financial difficulty or lack of equipment. My short term goal is to SEE NFE Silverware fly. Right now, it will not take off or spin props using the controller that the quad came with. That’s massively disappointing and frustrating regardless how crappy the little jelly bean might be.
I want to know what will make it fly with the Toy_TX and see NFE Silverware do acro. If you’re not able to assist because it will somehow hinder the hobby please disregard my plea. That is not my intent.

02/19/19
@NotFastEnuf great success! So I did the following to get the stock controller to work. The leftmost switch on the jelly bean below the throttle stick is ARM and it starts in angle.

// *****start in level mode for toy tx. #define_Aux1_start_on

// *****invert yaw pid for “PROPS OUT” configuration - This feature is switchable to “PROPS IN” when active with stick gesture DOWN-UP-DOWN, Save selection with DOWN-DOWN-DOWN
//#define INVERT_YAW_PID

// SPECIAL TEST MODE TO CHECK TRANSMITTER STICK THROWS
// This define will allow you to check if your radio is reaching 100% throws entering gesture
// will disable throttle and will rapid blink the led when sticks are moved to 100% throws
// entering will return the quad to normal operation.
//#define STICK_TRAVEL_CHECK

A stick command of Left-Left-Down puts me in full acro mode. Thus far I have only used LOS. The stock TX is truly crap but I can use it for my purpose of seeing acro in a silverware whoop. I think my next step will be a multi-module unless some magical Ibus code rolls out. (I have a surplus of RX2A receivers if anyone needs one to further research.)

02/20/19 - I attached an FPV camera and the quad takes off in Horizon mode. I'm not sure how this happened. I didn't know that Horizon was even an option.

Match this:
"#define ARMING CHAN_5
"#define IDLE_UP CHAN_5
"#define IDLE_THR 0.05f //This designates an idle throttle of 5%
"#define LEVELMODE CHAN_6
"#define RACEMODE CHAN_7
"#define HORIZON CHAN_8
"#define PIDPROFILE CHAN_9 //For switching stickAccelerator & stickTransition profiles on pid.c page
"#define RATES CHAN_ON
"#define LEDS_ON CHAN_10

To this:

03/28/19 - The Legend continues. A good friend gave me a Multi-Protocol Module for my Flysky i6 radio. The module plugs in to the S-Video port in the rear of the radio and has to be powered externally by a 1S lipo and JSTblade connector. I have some extra batteries from some older toy quads so I mounted it to the rear of the radio with some velcro. The instructions for binding did not work as listed in the instructions. I found a great view on Youtube that described how to bind to both the e010 and the e011. I happen to have an e010 sitting around so I bound to that first just to check that the module was working. Flying that little quad with my i6 felt so great! I immediately went to bind this Silverware whoop.

Binding process: Plug lipo on the whoop, plug lipo on the module at the rear of the radio, keep throttle at 0, pitch/roll stick held to the top right while powering on.

The quad will stop flashing and you'll get action when you lift the throttle.

I was not be able to disarm or control it because I was so hasty and didn't reflash the firmware from the Toy_TX. I went back into Keil and changed the following:

// *Transmitter Type Selection
//#define USE_STOCK_TX
//#define USE_DEVO
#define USE_MULTI**

*// start in level mode for toy tx. #define_Aux1_start_on**

THIS NEXT PART IS CONFUSING. STAY WITH ME.

I tried to fly and it armed using my left switch which I had setup to be channel 6 in my radio despite the NFE comment defining Channel 5 as arm.

My right switch (Channel 5 in my radio) seemed to turn off the FC LEDs. In NFE this was defined as Chan_10_LED_ON

I changed channel 6 in my radio to be my right switch for arming. My left switch in my radio was now Channel 5. In Keil I changed the following:

"#define ARMING CHAN_5 $$$ This is Channel 6 in my radio $$$
"#define IDLE_UP CHAN_5
"#define IDLE_THR 0.05f //This designates an idle throttle of 5%
"#define LEVELMODE CHAN_10 $$$ This is channel 5 in my radio $$$
"#define RACEMODE CHAN_7
"#define HORIZON CHAN_8
"#define PIDPROFILE CHAN_9 //For switching stickAccelerator & stickTransition profiles on pid.c page
"#define RATES CHAN_ON
"#define LEDS_ON CHAN_5 $$$ This doesn't exist AFAIK $$$

I flashed and this forced the quad to think that my left switch now activated level mode.I flew and DAMN this thing is fast. The Yaw is very robotic still. I'm not sure if that's a rates thing? Each time you plug a new battery in you have to do the binding process. That's pretty annoying. Also, the angle mode switch has to be flipped back up each time and it's hard to remember to do that after landing.

To Summarize: Setting up acro in a Santa Whoop or BetaFPV Lite is a tremendously frustrating process unless you ask the right people for help. I do not recommend going this route unless you are looking for a challenge like I was or if you lack funds to buy something else. First, you need the right board. An E011, Bwhoop, BeecoreLite, or Betalite will do. If you can find this in an already built quadcopter, that's even better. You will have to solder 4 servo connectors to corresponding pads on the board of your choice: 3.3v, Ground, DAT, and CLK. Please note that they may not be in the same order from board to board. The servo connectors must match up to the STLink USB tool. This tool is a pain and does not work effectively unless all drivers are updated and you get magically lucky. Seriously lucky. If the tool works, you will be able to use the Keil program and load the Silverware file. To do so, you have to download the NFE zip file from Github, extract it, and have the folder available on your computer (Desktop). Use the Build Target option in the Keil program to load the NFE information. You will have to adjust the file in the config.h section with the details described above and in my previous Silverware attempt.https://rotorbuilds.com/build/14483 (Stick Travel Check seems to be the biggest offender) If all of your settings are complete you will have to flash the board with all changes. Once you determine which button is your arm switch you will be able to take off. Keep in mind that it starts in Horizon Mode and another button reverts you to angle. If you need to adjust your rates or angle limit you can do so by reconnecting to the Keil program and reflashing the board. Acro mode can be accessed with a right stick movement "left-left-down." Again, if you can afford a better radio like a FrSky or even Flysky please go for that option and a multi-module. It will be a better overall flying experience. You will need to do some adjustments in the software for this to work but the control is well worth it. Thanks for reading and good luck!