Cheerson cx20 clone

[bigMouse]

Mate just turned up at the door with one of these!

Anyone point me to a manual?

[Dusty]

Cheerson CX-20 Auto-Pathfinder Operating Instructions / Features

lots of info here, just scroll down the page: http://www.banggood.com/Cheerson-CX20-Opensource-Version-AutoPathfinder-Quadcopter-RTF-p-932145.html

RCGroups thread: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2103102

blog on it here: http://droneflyers.wordpress.com/aerial-photography/cheerson-cx-20-cx20/

[bigMouse]

Thanks Chris!  First time I seen one!

[bigMouse]

This quad came with the gps sandwiched between the PDB and FC, ha!

Looks fragile! But for the price I don't think you can argue much!

These things are being sent out with no setup instructions, This is really poor especially in the case of the version where you need to set up your own rc! good job I'm familiar with the apm cause that's what it appears to be based on!

Started reading rc groups thread on this but fell asleep on page 7 of 350. lol

[Dusty]

here you go mate https://fpv-forum.com/index.php?topic=3671.msg23970#msg23970

and https://fpv-forum.com/index.php?topic=3747.msg24524#msg24524

they're the same thing, and yes it's running APM 2.5 as the FC, so waypoint ready

[Tecnic]

Seriously guys, you missed my thread on it here and my 173 page thread on RCG with lots of tutorials

First thing you need to do is open up the FC to see if it's the APM model or the Red unkown flight controller
Also make sure the FC i sstuck down properly and if it has a seperate compass that it too is stuck down
Check all solder joints visually
Check Youtube for lots of videos and my tutorials on how to get telemetry out by soldering onto the tracks

[Tecnic]

here you go mate https://fpv-forum.com/index.php?topic=3671.msg23970#msg23970

and https://fpv-forum.com/index.php?topic=3747.msg24524#msg24524

they're the same thing, and yes it's running APM 2.5 as the FC, so waypoint ready

Not all of the CX-20's have an APM onboard, loads were produced with an unkown STM32 chip, these will not connect via USB (as yet)
Banggood at least now sell them as two different version rather than people having to take pot luck with what arrived, the "Zero" version which is NOT an APM and the Open Source version which is
All of the HK Quanum Novas are APM

[bigMouse]

Thanks for your help guys! Tecnic, sorry missed your thread on here!
Will probably get landed with setting this one up as the owner is not multi savy...

[Tecnic]

Thanks for your help guys! Tecnic, sorry missed your thread on here!
Will probably get landed with setting this one up as the owner is not multi savy...

Well no one better to help him bM, as it's an APM (hopefully) you'll have it sorted in no time
The standard tuning out of the box is pretty damned good, spot on in fact, the mid air tuning in the manual is actually the APM autotrim function, not tuning at all
Check the FC is stuck down, check the compass and the solder joints, the standard tx is limited range of around 400m max, if it loses signal it will not regain signal until the power is cycled on both TX and RX
Oh and you have to turn the quad on first then the transmitter as it needs to bind every time

[bigMouse]

This one is without the RC tx/rx, and no (obvious) markings on the FC indicating rx input lead positions!
A scrap of paper that came with it suggested 7 channels are needed, I could only imagine that the four primary ones for control, one for mode switching and the rest optional camera guidance or Led switching.

Ok now I know it's apm can soon find what should be connected to where! Will attempt to connect it to apmPlanner! Will probably limit any hacking until he is either bitten by the bug, or destroyed it lol!

Ok weird about the binding! I assume this is a quirk of the supplied tx/rx? This guy has Futaba FF9 with a 2.4 rf module, so I guess standard procedure ie tx on then Quad on ~ wait for gps lock etc...

Thanks for the help!

[Tecnic]

Ok yeah, PnF version will bind as normal then
If it works with Mission Planner then it is the APM obviously if the FC board is red then it's the unkown FC

Here's a pic of the controller with input/output labels

4ch + mode all as usual, ch6 and 7 would be for gimbal control direct from the receiver to the gimbal



On the FC No1 is mode

[Tecnic]

Here you go, the world's first ever CX-20/Nova waypoint mission and with telemetry too (hopefully your friends is an APM, he'll love it, so easy to use

CX-20 Cheerson Hobbyking Nova Auto Pathfinder UAV Waypoint Mission via Telemetry

[Ant]

Got the Nova with APM but it's so easy to fly my kids have robbed it already !! Good bit of kit but won't take a hard landing !!

[timcortesi]

Anybody know what the heck this thing is? (See attached images)

Just arrived today from China (aliexpress). 

Looks like GPS in the mast and some odd red flight controller which is nothing like any pictures I've seen. 

If you can identify it, can you point me in the direction of where I might be able to find some information about it?  Everything I can find points to a very different looking model. 

[Tecnic]

Ahhh you got the "Zero" version
You have to be carefull where you buy the CX-20 from there are three different flavours....

APM (open source)
Zero
Big Shark

The Hobbyking version (Quanum Nova) is always an APM
Banggood list the different version seperately
Other Chinese suppliers it's a "lucky dip"

My thread on it is here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112759

If it's any consolation what few owners there are of the Zero version say it flies well but of course there's no waypoint planning or open source functionality like the APM
Some have gone out and bought an APM unit with GPS/Compass to replace the controller, that's what I'd recommend doing if you want the full functions
The parameter files for it are posted in the thread linked to above