Changing settings (eg. expo) while flying?

Tried a rough search but didn't come up with any results, is there any way to set up so you can adjust, say, expo or scale, without looking at the TX, while up in the air? ie., from the normal flying screen, not in a curves editor, say for example using the trim buttons for each stick? A sort of "setup" method, not for normal flying but for basic taming?

I'm trying out some new planes, some of which are semi-scratch-built, so it's hard to know beforehand just how much input is required, but you might find yourself in a bad situation with no way to dampen down control surfaces? For example, yesterday I maidened my diy FT Duster (aka. Dusty Crophopper), and found once airborne that the ailerons were extremely responsive; if I could very quickly either add/reduce expo, or reduce/increase throws, using trims, then maybe I could tame it enough to get a ballpark setting and get it down in one piece? Sometimes you can't tell how much throw you need on a surface until it's in the air, and then it's too late to make any changes until it's back on the ground, which usually isn't elegant.

Hello !

For the use case you describe, I usually prepare 3 sets of expo and dual-rate configuration, as described here:
deviationtx.com/manuals/html-devo8/ch_mo...o-dual-rate-template

Using the Devo 8 3 way switch (top right) on the 3 channels, I can switch between the 3 configurations in flight, without looking at the TX.

Before a maiden flight, I usually prepare those configuration:
- a very tamed configuration, almost over tamed, in case of unexpected behavior, in order to calm the beast
- a "normal" configuration, the one that I expect it to work properly
- an aggressive configuration, that allows to push a little bit the limit if the "normal" one is too boring

You can also use the D/R switch for each of the channel (aileron, elevator), so you can control the configuration of only one channel. In your situation, that would allow to tame the ailerons without touching the other channel.

On a Devo 10 with 2-way AIL D/R + 2-way ELEV D/R you can also have three D/R mixes.
Just select AIL for mid-rate, and ELEV for low-rate.
So in the D/R and expo mixer you actually select two switches, instead of one 3-way switch.
Just use the same concept for all ELEV, AIL and RUD channels.

You can then assign different ELEV + AIL + RUD (channel / mixer) controls by all the same two D/R switches.

Thomas

You can arrange things to use either a knob (if you have a 10 or 12) or a pair of buttons (say throttle trim) to adjust scale. At least, you ought to be able to - I haven't actually done it yet. Unfortunately, this won't work for expo.

Using a complex mix type, set the first mixer to your input with the curve you want, and a scale of 100. Then set a second mixer to use the knob (or virtual channel if you're using buttons) and set the mux type to "multiply" with no switch. So the value of that channel then becomes your scale. When it's at 100%, you get full scale. Dial it back to 80, and you get an 80% scale. Dial over to -100%, and you've just reversed the channel. Because of that, you might want to adjust the scale & offset of the multiply mixer to something like 50%, offsett 50 so it goes from 0 to 100, or maybe 40%, offset 80, so it goes from 40 to 120.

If you do this and it works, please let us know!

Thanks guys, yeah I probably should have used a 3-way (devo6s) for another safer layer of dual-rate, I did have dual-rate set up (70 / 100, 40% expo) but obviously even my dulled-down rate and expo was way too aggressive. Using fmod or mix for three vastly different expo settings sounds like a good idea for initial flights, at the very least you should be able to use an aggressive expo to really tame down a wild ride. I was probably getting ahead of myself and planning how I was going to use these switches for other purposes, such as flaperons and switching stabilisation modes on a multiwii (not even installed yet!)

mwm, that method sounds like it could work, and once you get your rough scale sorted out (check figures at end of flight? maybe on main screen?) then you can just delete the muxed channel and revert to normal trim behaviour. As long as you can keep it stable in the air long enough to whack the trims down

Couple of ways to check the value. The easy way is to put whatever you're using for the source in a box on the main page. That way, you can adjust it for one setting, note the value, then go on to the next. Works great for setting up gimbal limits on the bench, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it while flying.

Alternatively, you can check either the input or channel monitor for the value. However, which to use and what's there will change depending on the deviation version and Tx, so check it before you fly to make sure it's there. If not, go back to putting it in a box on the main page.

If you've got a 7E, you won't be able to add a box for this, so change one of the ones already there to that channel while you set things up.