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Freefly Alta 8 Pro, Manual

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Saving Parameters

Saving parameters can be done in the Parameters tab of the Vehicle Setup menu. Navigate 
to the ‘Tools’ menu in the top right hand corner of the window and select ‘Save to file…’ from 
the dropdown. Then select a file name and folder to save to.

Loading Parameters

Loading parameters is also done from the Parameters tab of the Vehicle Setup menu. 
Navigate to the ‘Tools’ menu in the top right hand corner of the window and select ‘Load 
from file…’ from the dropdown. Then select the desired .params file to load.

Resetting Parameters

To reset all ALTA Pro’s parameters to the ALTA Pro defaults follow the Loading Parameters 
instructions and load the ALTA Pro Default Parameters file. This can be found on the ALTA 
Pro support page.

Summary of Contents for Alta 8 Pro

Page 1: ...industrial applications In under five minutes ALTA Pro can unfold from its carrying case to flying some of the most capable cinema cameras and industrial payloads on either the top or bottom of the a...

Page 2: ...TA Pro In areas where there are no flight training requirements it is the sole determination of the pilot in command as to whether he or she has the appropriate level of training or experience for a g...

Page 3: ...Notes are used to highlight specific operating conditions usability tips and tricks or steps of a procedure Specifications Included Items 1 Case 2...

Page 4: ...Isolator Cartridges a 6 Teal Installed b 6 Black c 6 Red 5 Inverted Landing Gear 6 Quick Release Battery Tray 7 ALTA Product Spares 8 USB Futaba Power Cable 9 FPV Cables a Skyzone BOSCAM b BOSCAM sma...

Page 5: ...recommended to make use of Return to Land RTH and ALTA Pro s other functions It is recommended to use a radio controller with a three way switch for Mode selection and a two way switch for the Return...

Page 6: ...l 250a continuous discharge and 500a peak discharge can cause damage to the ALTA and the batteries Dimensions Item Dimension Unfolded Diameter does not include Props 1325 mm ALTA Pro Folded Diameter d...

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Page 10: ...tronic Speed Controller Freefly Silent Drive Sine Wave ESC Propellers Item Spec Make and Model Freefly ALTA Propeller Material Carbon fiber with balsa core Propeller Orientation 4 CW and 4 CCW Props A...

Page 11: ...y Weight 6 2 kg 13 6 lbs ALTA Pro 8 Specific Loadings Item Spec Typical Specific Power 145 W kg Thrust Ratio at MTOW1 1 85 1 Flight Controller Item Spec Autopilot Name PX4 Flight Modes Manual Height M...

Page 12: ...ade RC RMRC 700XVN Recommended Runcam Eagle 2 Pro or similar First Person View OSD Telemetry User Configurable Installed Transceivers RFD900 868X Long Range Telemetry System Wi Fi 2 4 GHz b g n Defaul...

Page 13: ...External Systems Mounting Item Spec Mounting Locations FPV Transmitter Mount GPS Mount Telemetry Radio Mount Mounting System Freefly Toad In The Hole TITH Quick Release Dimensions Drawing FPV Camera M...

Page 14: ...RT Port Pin Signal Voltage V 1 VCC 5V 2 TX Out 3 3V 3 RX In 3 3V 4 CTS In 3 3V 5 RTS Out 3 3V 6 GND GND GPS2 Port Pin Signal Voltage V 1 VCC 5V 2 TX Out 3 3V 3 RX In 3 3V 4 I2C1 SCL 3 3V 5 I2C1 SDA 3...

Page 15: ...Port Pin Signal Voltage V 1 VCC 5V 2 I2C1 SCL 3 3V 1 5K pull up 3 I2C1 SDA 3 3V 1 5K pull up 4 GND GND Limitations Limitations These limitations are advisory in nature and do not extend or restrict li...

Page 16: ...Do not fly ALTA Pro in temperatures exceeding 45 C 113 F or below 20 C 4 F Flight Controller Limits Item Spec Maximum Pitch Roll Angle 45 Maximum Yaw Rate 150 second Weight Limits Item Spec Maximum Pa...

Page 17: ...Abbreviations and Terminology Meteorological Terminology Term Definition...

Page 18: ...ight of the aircraft above the ground OAT Outside Air Temperature is the free air static temperature surrounding the aircraft Pressure Altitude Altitude measured from standard sea level pressure 1013...

Page 19: ...e 2 controllers this is the vertical movement of the right stick For Mode 1 controllers this is the vertical movement of the left stick Roll Stick The radio controller stick responsible for roll contr...

Page 20: ...erm Definition LOS Loss of Signal RTH Return to Land sUAS Small Unmanned Aircraft System includes all components of the system required for the flight of an unmanned aircraft including the radio contr...

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Page 22: ...Flight Control...

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Page 24: ...Power System...

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Page 26: ...FPV Equipment...

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Page 28: ...Pro 3 Connect your vehicle to the ground station device 1 WiFi 1 To connect to ALTA Pro via WiFi find the ALTA Pro s WiFi connection by searching for it in your device s WiFi menu and then connect to...

Page 29: ...New Features QGroundControl...

Page 30: ...nts missions with ease 4 The use of Mavlink and Dronecode protocol makes drone software integration possible and creates straightforward path to custom sUAS solutions for both cinema and business 5 AL...

Page 31: ...p functionality When flying multiple aircraft at the same time take extreme caution to ensure that the aircraft connected to the laptop mobile device is the desired craft Failing to connect to the cor...

Page 32: ...ength settings can be updated with the RFDTools program Users will have to use the USB supplied with the radio modules to connect to their computer and update signal strength parameters This should be...

Page 33: ...the vehicle This will change to a Yield sign if there are critical messages Yield sign shown in image above GPS Status Shows you satellite count and current hdop RC RSSI RC signal strength informatio...

Page 34: ...s to the most important ALTA Pro parameters These parameters are accessible through the Tuning tab in the Vehicle Setup Menu ALTA Pro Parameters Access to boom LEDs and OSD parameters are also located...

Page 35: ...ry depending on the type of radio Refer to the Flight Controller Modes section of this manual for additional details Additionally ALTA Pro supports radio receiver diversity using S Bus S Bus2 DSM2 and...

Page 36: ...a 2 0mm hex driver 3 Plug signal wire into receiver 4 If using telemetry plug the telemetry wire located in the closeout between booms 2 3 into the primary receiver refer to the Voltage Telemetry sect...

Page 37: ...6 Secure receiver using the provided double sided tape to inside of receiver housing 7 Reattach closeout panel...

Page 38: ...o antenna tubes below ALTA Pro chassis 9 Repeat installation process for dual receivers if applicable Spektrum Radio for ALTA Pro 8 1 Locate the noted closeout panels used for Spektrum receiver instal...

Page 39: ...2 Remove side closeout panel using a 2 0mm hex driver 3 Feed signal cable through panel grommet 4 Reattach closeout panel...

Page 40: ...5 Plug in receiver satellite into signal cable 6 Attach receiver satellite to exterior using double sided tape 7 Repeat steps 1 6 for dual receivers if applicable...

Page 41: ...siest when initially installing the receiver To set up ALTA Pro with voltage telemetry for Futaba radios Installing Voltage Telemetry for ALTA Pro 8 1 Remove the closeout panel between booms 2 and 3 w...

Page 42: ...already connected to an in line fuse Soldering a fuse into this wire is not required 3 Connect the cable to the voltage sense port on the primary Futaba receiver 4 Reattach the closeout panel First Pe...

Page 43: ...s to run Immersion RC Fatshark BOSCAM or BOSCAM compact FPV transmitters For cable identification refer to the FPV Transmitter installation instructions A single camera cable is provided and is confi...

Page 44: ...ansmitter cables then take voltage readings from the transmitter cable FPV System Installation FPV Camera ALTA Pro 8 1 FPV Camera ALTA Pro 8 Remove the front closeout panel with a 2 0mm hex driver 2 L...

Page 45: ...e FPV mount on the front ALTA Pro using the provided hardware FPV Transmitter ALTA Pro 8 1 Mount FPV transmitter on the provided carbon fiber accessory mount plate 2 Attach accessory mount to boom 2 w...

Page 46: ...re included a ImmersionRC Fat Shark cable with two connectors b BOSCAM SkyZone cable with one large connector c Compact BOSCAM cable with one small connector 4 Use a pair of dykes to cut the zip tie h...

Page 47: ...e and the FPV Transmitter mount for strain relief The boom should be fully folded when the transmitter lead is zip tied to cable bundle FPV On Screen Display Setup A number of properties and component...

Page 48: ...ntrols the margin underneath the OSD OSD_RIGHT_OS Min 1 Controls the margin to the right of the OSD OSD_UPPER_OS Min 1 Controls the margin above the OSD OSD_BAT_ALARM 3 000 4 200 Sets battery cell lev...

Page 49: ...ALTA Pro from its starting point in meters or feet OSD_SHOW_VARIO Displays the vertical speed of ALTA Pro in meters per second or feet per minute OSD_SHOW_HEADING Displays the magnetic heading of ALT...

Page 50: ...Name Options Description OSD_ROLL_MARKER Off Small Large Turns off all artificial horizon components OSD_PITCH_SCALE 1 200 Allows for scaling of the artificial horizon markings to compensate for FPV c...

Page 51: ...The bar will extend up to indicate forward velocity or down to indicate a rearward velocity OSD_SIDESLIPGFX Displays a bar on the bottom of the screen that scales with the side to side velocity compon...

Page 52: ...Pro booms ALTA Pro can become unbalanced and tip over while unfolding booms individually so unfold opposite boom pairs simultaneously to keep balance 4 Snap shut all eight boom latches until they clic...

Page 53: ...5 Visually confirm all latches are seated properly 6 Remove prop protectors...

Page 54: ...Fold ALTA Pro Secure props with prop protectors 2 Unlatch all eight booms...

Page 55: ...3 Close ALTA Pro booms in opposing pairs to keep balance 4 Fold up all eight boom retention clips to secure booms...

Page 56: ...rol program or app If you are uncertain about your radio channel mapping obtain assistance from an experienced pilot or from Freefly Customer Support Calibrating Radios Using ALTA Pro QGroundControl A...

Page 57: ...Control App Radio channel mapping is accomplished with the Alta Pro Qgroundcontrol App Prior to mapping channels ensure your radio controller and receivers are properly installed and calibrated Refer...

Page 58: ...S is typically used by Futaba controllers Pitch Roll Yaw Throttle The Pitch Roll Yaw and Throttle controls are the basic flight controls and are mapped to the two radio controller sticks Mode The requ...

Page 59: ...l Depending on exact radio models these may help as an initial configuration However it is up to the pilot setting up ALTA Pro for flight to determine if these settings are appropriate Futaba 14SG 8FG...

Page 60: ...Spektrum DX18 Function Channel Number Direction Pitch 3 Reverse Roll 2 Reverse Yaw 4 Reverse Throttle 1 Normal Mode Switch 6 Reverse Home Switch 7 Normal...

Page 61: ...top or bottom of ALTA Pro via the Freefly Toad In The Hole TITH quick release ALTA Pro comes pre configured for GroundView mounting of M VI Groundview Prepare your M VI for GroundView flight see M VI...

Page 62: ...nstall TITH receiver on M VI see M VI manual Connect and secure the supplied inverted landing gear to the bottom Toad Top mounting is not supported by the M VI M10 without the keyed pan tube upgrade k...

Page 63: ...Remove Battery Mount Quick Release Connect M VI to top Toad...

Page 64: ...bient temperatures Three isolation cartridge styles are provided with ALTA Pro The cartridges have colored o rings red for light payloads or cold ambient temperature teal for medium payloads or typica...

Page 65: ...s and battery plate Push inwards fully until they click indicating the cartridges are locked in place Pull outwards on the cartridge to ensure it is locked Always ensure isolator cartridges are locked...

Page 66: ...art while pulling the cartridge outward Battery Installation Battery Installation Batteries may be installed on either the top or bottom of an ALTA Pro and are always mounted opposite of the payload l...

Page 67: ...ar condition Using a pack with another that is larger or has many more charge discharge cycles can damage the battery packs Always refer to and follow the battery manufacturer s instructions recommend...

Page 68: ...3 Attach the single hole end of the battery retention straps to the studs 4 Place battery packs on the battery tray...

Page 69: ...Quick Release Battery Tray 5 Tension and secure battery retention straps Skyview Always completely secure the inverted landing gear by closing the TITH quick release lever Inverted landing gear that...

Page 70: ...he battery retention straps to the studs on the battery tray 3 Place battery packs onto battery tray 4 Tension and secure battery retention straps 5 Slide tray with battery packs back into landing gea...

Page 71: ...to infer heading and maintain stability Occasionally the sensors will require recalibration ALTA Pro s compass should be regularly calibrated especially when traveling between different geographic loc...

Page 72: ...power up the aircraft 3 Open the ALTA Pro QGroundControl and connect to ALTA Pro 4 Navigate to the Sensors tab under Vehicle Setup 5 Available sensors are displayed as a list of buttons beside the sid...

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Page 74: ...pass sensor button 2 Click OK to start the calibration 3 Place the vehicle in any of the orientations shown in red incomplete and hold it still Once prompted the orientation image turns yellow rotate...

Page 75: ...bration on ALTA Pro Accelerometer calibrations should only be done when prompted by ALTA Pro QGroundControl 1 Click the Accelerometer sensor button 2 Click OK to start the calibration 3 Position the v...

Page 76: ...ALTA Pro Horizon calibrations should only be done if the horizon as shown in the HUD is not level after completing Accelerometer calibration 1 Click the Level Horizon sensor button 2 Place the vehicle...

Page 77: ...For information on propeller installation and maintenance refer to the Maintenance section of this manual Only use propellers supplied by Freefly on ALTA Pro Use of third party propellers can cause mo...

Page 78: ...Checking Propeller Bolt Tightness...

Page 79: ...propeller blade just enough to remove the play Do not overtighten or the propeller may fail to unfold completely during motor start up leading to excessive vibration Tuning ALTA Pro s Flight Controll...

Page 80: ...nsuring Rate parameters are set first then moving to Attitude parameters and finally Position parameters Before tuning users should read and become familiar with the PX4 Tuning Guide To tune ALTA Pro...

Page 81: ...ALTA Pro QGroundControl make sure to save each parameter as you change them Additional Parameters Additional Parameters ALTA Pro QGroundControl allows users to alter many additional parameters that do...

Page 82: ...performance The Hover Throttle settings can be found under the ALTA Configuration Setup tab or in the Parameters tab If you are unsure of what characteristics a parameter effects please reach out to...

Page 83: ...adjusts the descent rate of the ALTA Pro during Autoland in meters per second This value is applied to the Autoland descent profile for the final 15 meters above the ground until landing This option a...

Page 84: ...ameters Loading parameters is also done from the Parameters tab of the Vehicle Setup menu Navigate to the Tools menu in the top right hand corner of the window and select Load from file from the dropd...

Page 85: ...SYS_COMPANION parameter 3 Change the SYS_COMPANION parameter to ESP8266 921600 baud 8N1 and restart ALTA Pro to enable the WiFi connection To enable WiFi connectivity follow the steps below Please re...

Page 86: ...ssword altaalta 2 Open your prefered web browser and go to 192 168 4 1 3 Select setup then update the SSID and password Make sure to make the password is eight characters long secure and noted down so...

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Page 88: ...ht Controller Modes Flight Controller Modes Overview ALTA Pro has three primary flight control modes which are selected using the Mode Switch Manual Mode Altitude Mode and Position Mode ALTA Pro also...

Page 89: ...he faster ALTA Pro will descend When the throttle stick is centered ALTA Pro will enter Altitude Hold In Altitude Hold ALTA Pro will maintain a target altitude and try to correct for drift If a distur...

Page 90: ...ould be proficient in Manual Mode flight in order to react to emergency situations as required Flight using Position Mode in areas of degraded GPS signal such as near buildings or under dense tree cov...

Page 91: ...M2 DSMX receiver When initiated manually using the Home Switch ALTA Pro will fly back to the Home Point ALTA Pro will hover above the home point and wait for a set amount of time and then land The pil...

Page 92: ...At the end of a LOS Return to Land event when using S Bus S Bus2 or DSM2 DSMX radio systems Battery exhaustion failsafe is tripped and the failsafe is set to return to land in ALTA Pro QGroundControl...

Page 93: ...ff Bottom Middle Toggle Position This is the normal switch position and does not initiate an RTL command RTL On Top Toggle Position This manually initiates the RTL function In RTL PX4 will command ALT...

Page 94: ...ht phases Flight Phase Light Color Meaning Booting Flashing Red White Flight controller is booting Standby Flashing White Flight controller is running and disarmed Flashing Red Flight controller is ru...

Page 95: ...ed Battery land voltage land immediately Flight Height Hold Off Nominal flight status Height hold inactive Slow Flashing White Height hold active Solid or Flashing Red Flight critical alarm land immed...

Page 96: ...ontrollers ESCs during other operational phases The following table shows the different meanings of the light colors in the various operational phases Flight Phase Light Color Meaning Standby Flashing...

Page 97: ...es that prevented a normal boot are indicated here Battery Displays the voltage of the battery packs Status Displays the state of the PX4 flight controller Radio Displays if the PX4 detects a radio co...

Page 98: ...s may require recalibration see the Compass Calibration section in this manual Speed Displays ground speed Flight Time Displays the amount to time the aircraft has been flying Data Logging ALTA Pro au...

Page 99: ...Flight Review Full details about the review process can be found in the Flight Reporting section of the Pixhawk User Manual A native data analyzer is being developed and will be available on the ALTA...

Page 100: ...e boom pairs completely ALTA Pro can become unbalanced while unfolding booms individually so unfolding opposite pairs reduces the possibility of tipping Once unfolded push on the boom latches until th...

Page 101: ...r is pushed in and that the payload does not slip Check that all isolator cartridges are locked in place especially if they have been recently replaced The blades should be checked for damage includin...

Page 102: ...ation Lights will also begin flashing green Verify that all motors are flashing green indicating all ESCs initialized successfully Verify that there are no flight warnings by connecting to ALTA Pro vi...

Page 103: ...le and full right yaw Ensure that all the motors are spinning Raise RPMs slightly and move the pitch roll and yaw controls slightly ALTA Pro should pitch roll and yaw as commanded due to isolator cart...

Page 104: ...order to react to emergency situations as required After Every Flight Item Action 1 Mode Switch MANUAL 2 Home Switch OFF 3 ALTA Pro LAND 4 Motors DISARM and STOP 5 Orientation Lights VERIFY FLASHING G...

Page 105: ...ALTA Pro Only approach ALTA Pro after confirming that it is disarmed by verifying the Status Light and Orientation Light colors The downwash from the propellers can disturb debris This debris can be i...

Page 106: ...radio and optional accessories if installed FPV camera and Tx when putting the ALTA Pro back into its case Emergency Procedures Emergency Guidance The emergency procedures listed in this section are...

Page 107: ...emergency Alarm Indication Alarm Indication Flashing or Solid Red Light Item Action 1 Mode Switch MANUAL 2 ALTA Pro LAND as soon as possible 3 ALTA Pro QGroundControl CHECK IN APP WARNINGS Alarms are...

Page 108: ...ion Lock has not been achieved It is best practice to wait for Position Lock prior to takeoff even if Position Mode is not planned to be used during the flight Unexpected Flight Controller Behavior It...

Page 109: ...NG popup in ALTA Pro QGroundControl 3 Pitch and Roll MANEUVER away from people or objects If the battery cell voltage drops below the Alarm Voltage the Status Light will turn solid red in Manual Mode...

Page 110: ...an S Bus S Bus2 or DSM2 DSMX radio type While ALTA Pro includes these emergency control modes it is always recommended to attempt to regain signal link with ALTA Pro to keep the pilot in control of t...

Page 111: ...POSITION for optimal signal reception If visual contact or FPV signal is not maintained Item Action 1 Mode Switch POSITION 2 Home Switch RETURN TO HOME 3 Throttle AS REQUIRED An FPV Loss of Signal LO...

Page 112: ...on range It is the responsibility of the pilot to see and avoid other aircraft people or obstacles Always maintain direct line of sight with ALTA Pro during flight use visual observers as operations r...

Page 113: ...ight As altitude and temperature increase the density of the air decreases Consequently ALTA Pro s thrust will decrease The following table describes maximum gross weight limits with respect to altitu...

Page 114: ...om the factory with motors precisely aligned to minimize the difference in motor speed between clockwise turning and counterclockwise turning motors while in flight Opening the chassis by removing the...

Page 115: ...sis screws lower male Toad In The Hole adapter motor attachment fasteners and the four M3 x 8 socket head bolts that attach the folding propeller to the motor Typically a low strength threadlocker suc...

Page 116: ...er should be replaced If the blade composite structure becomes delaminated the propeller should be replaced Freefly makes folding propeller assemblies available that include the blades and propeller h...

Page 117: ...ht Propellers that spin in the incorrect direction will cause ALTA Pro to be uncontrollable Replacing Propeller Bumpers Under normal use propeller bumpers see exploded view figure on the next page may...

Page 118: ...the two prop adapters The PTFE washer is wider and thinner and is installed between the prop blades and prop adapters Propeller blades are balanced and paired individually Do not mix and match individ...

Page 119: ...come loose Every 15 Flight Hours The following items should be checked after every 15 hours of flight Fastener Tightness Check the tightness of the following fasteners Motor mount bolts Prop hub bolts...

Page 120: ...ve the other end unplugged from ALTA Pro for now 3 Remove the chassis closeout between Booms 1 and 2 to reveal the expansion board 4 Hold down the USB MSC Button on the expansion board while plugging...

Page 121: ...t speeds during stable hover However this alignment can be lost when opening the ALTA Pro chassis or if a boom needs to be replaced If the motors need to be realigned follow the realignment procedure...

Page 122: ...ith the gauge facing outwards 4 If the gauge reads a value outside the range 2 5 0 1 loosen the motor mount clamping bolts While placing slight inward pressure on the motor rotate the motor until the...

Page 123: ...ore Starting and Before Takeoff checklists 2 Enter a hover for at least 10 seconds Do not yaw during the hover 3 Perform the After Every Flight checklist 4 Retrieve the microSD card from the GPS modul...

Page 124: ...ort freeflysystems com or by phone at 1 425 485 5500 ALTA Pro is a precisely tuned flying machine with sensitive electronics and may become damaged or adversely affected by crashes tip overs propeller...

Page 125: ...away from ferrous objects Recalibration of the compass Compass Warning Invalid compass calibration Calibrate the compass GPS Warning GPS Compass Unit has become disconnected Check the GPS Compass uni...

Page 126: ...ttery replacement Flight Behavior Symptom Potential Cause Potential Solution Unexpected flight behavior Tuning too high or too low Revert tuning to the last known working configuration Set tuning back...

Page 127: ...this manual Remove weight ALTA Pro ascends or descends when switching between flight modes Hover Throttle set incorrectly Follow the instructions listed in the ALTA Pro Flight Parameters section of t...

Page 128: ...large ferrous objects ALTA Pro does not Return to Land when commanded Position Lock not achieved Monitor the ALTA Pro QGroundControl to ensure position lock has been achieved with strong GPS signal I...

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