One of the annoying problems while flying a quadcopter is its throttle problem. It is a common problem for a quadcopter.
So, we will be discussing the quadcopter throttle problem and their possible solutions.
While flying a quadcopter, the throttle may not work accurately. Sometimes, it can’t be controlled properly or it may make weird noises. Most of these problems happen because of software problems, motor or ESC issues. You can fix these problems by solving the issues of the software, motor, and ESC.
This article will give you detailed information regarding a quadcopter throttle problem.
So, let’s dig in!
Quadcopter Throttle Problems
The throttle gives the main power to the propeller which helps a quadcopter fly. That’s why, when the throttle faces issues, it creates some problems while flying the quadcopter. The most common problems we may face from throttle are-
- Unable to control the speed of the quadcopter with the throttle.
- Hearing weird noises.
- Desynch of motors.
- Low throttle instability.
These are the problems we may face regarding throttle. Most of these problems occur in Betaflight (one of the most popular firmware). There are some possible solutions that will work for Betaflight. These can be applied to the other firmware too.
Possible Solutions Regarding Throttle Problems of Quadcopter
To solve some of these problems we have to consider some factors. At first, we have to deal with equipment. Then we have to solve the software problem.
Choosing Good Body parts for The Quadcopter
Sometimes, problems occur because of bad motors or bad ESC. At times, there can also seen a poor connection between the motor and the ESC. So, we should deal with these problems first.
Choosing A Good ESC
The electronic speed controller(ESC) is the equipment by which a quadcopter can be controlled. ESC works as a connector between motors and a flight controller. If we choose a bad ESC for the quadcopter, it can’t be controlled properly.
To control the quadcopter smoothly, we must choose a good ESC. There are many ESCs of good quality in the market. They vary in quality according to their price. Some good quality ESCs are-
Products | Price |
Wraith32 – BLHeli_32. | $11.99 |
RacerStar 30A BLHeli_S | $12.49 |
Sunrise Cicada 30A BLHeli_S | $23.99 |
KISS 24A | $10.46 |
RacerStar 30A 4-in-1 BLHeli_S | $62.45 |
These can be good choices for selecting a good ESC. You can also choose ESCs that will function well with your quadcopter.
Choosing A Good Motor
Motor for a quadcopter is one of the most important elements. It helps the shaft to spin or rotate. The spinning of motors is controlled through the throttle. If the motors aren’t good, controlling these will be difficult.
There are some good motors available in the market. They are as below:
Products | Price |
Coolplay Syma x5c-1 x5c x5 | $21.83 |
Hobbymate quadcopter kit motor | $19.90 |
Parrot AR Drone 2.0 motor | $19.99 |
Hobbypower A2212 brushless motor | $15.69 |
Emax Mt2213 brushless motor | $19.98 |
These are some popular good quality motors available in the market.
Maintaining A Good Connection Between The Body Parts
Ensuring good body parts of a quadcopter won’t help if these are not connected properly. Motors, flight controllers, and ESCs work together to fly a quadcopter through the throttle.
That’s why we have to ensure proper connection between the body parts. Make sure your motor is properly connected to the ESC or controllers. After ensuring the proper body parts, the problems may occur only for the software issues.
Solutions For the Software Issues
We may face some throttle problems because of the software issues. To solve these issues, we have to just adjust some settings.
Turning Off D_min
D_min is related to d_term settings. D_min helps to reduce the d_term. Because sometimes, D-terms increase the heat of motors. It also makes a high vibration in the quadcopter. So, d_min is important as it controls the d_term but sometimes it has drawbacks.
By turning on the d_min, sometimes the quadcopter doesn’t respond to the throttle. It causes the instability of the lower throttle. That’s why it would be better if we turn off the d_min.
By turning off the d_min, the quadcopter can remain stable. We can control the quadcopter properly through the throttle. Though there is a risk of high vibration and heat as the d_mean always remains high.
Increase The D_gain
D_gain is related to d_min. When we enable d_min, d_gain reduces automatically which can be the reason for the instability. D_gain is important while the quadcopter is moving fast.
That’s why we should increase the d_gain a little bit. We can do that through PID tuning. The PD balance should be 1.2 where only the D_term changes.
After changing it, we should recheck the throttle and the quadcopter. If this doesn’t help then we should try to adjust according to our quadcopter model.
Increase Idle Speed
If a quadcopter has only instability at low rpm, this method will help us. For this, we have to stop our motor from ever reaching low rpm.
For this, we have to go to the configuration tab to change the motor idle setting. The default setting is 5.5. It can be changed to seven prevent. It could even be changed to 8% or 9%. That’s how we can gain stability at low rpm.
However, we might face other problems because of that.
Thrust Linear
It is one of the most consistent ways to solve the low throttle instability problem. For this, we have to go to the command line. We have to go to the thrust linear parameter where the default value is zero. We can set thrust linear equals to twenty or twenty-five.
It creates a linear thrust output from the motor. It is opposed to linear rpm. So, when we will command ten percent throttle, it will give us ten percent thrust. Look out if your throttle works when the steering is working.
So, by doing these things, we can solve the throttle problems of a quadcopter.
FAQs
What occurs when a quadcopter’s motor fails?
If an engine fails, an aircraft can still fly. But for quadrotor drones, those with four propellers, such a loss presents a significant challenge. Without an emergency control mechanism, drones lose stability. Especially when they have only three functional rotors and eventually crash.
Why a drone motor doesn’t spin?
Standard controllers cannot handle the high-speed rotational motion. Unless the drone has access to extremely precise location measurements. When the drone begins to spin, it loses the ability to determine its position in space. It eventually loses control and falls.
How frequently should a drone be calibrated?
This type of calibration is necessary only once every six months. After a rough handling, a hard landing, or if your DJI Drone needs an IMU calibration. No need to guess—the drone will let you know whether an IMU calibration is necessary before takeoff!
Conclusion
Now you know about the quadcopter throttle problems. We have also discussed the possible solutions for those problems.
These solutions can be taken easily. And hopefully, there will be no further throttle problems in a quadcopter.
Enjoy the quadcopter without any trouble. Good luck!