User Manual for ARRIS 210 with SPRacing F3 Flight Controller

With Cleanflight 1.12.00

1. Main Features of SPRacing F3 Flight Controller.

 No-Compromise I/O: Customers can connect OSD, Smartport, SBUS, GPS, LED, Battery
Monitoring, Sonar and motors simultaneously.
 On-board high-capacity black box flight log recorder can effectively optimize your tuning and
see the results of your setup without guesswork.
 The SPRacingF3 has an ARM Cortex-M4 72Mhz CPU with Math co-processor (FPU) for
efficient flight calculations that gets more done in less time.
 Perfectly integrate the OSD and PDB.
 Full support for OneShot ESCs for easy PID tuning and a sharper response.
 Support SBUS, SumH, SUMD, spektrum1024 / 2048, XBus, PPM, PWM receiver.
 Dedicated output for programmable LEDs - great for orientation, racing and night flying.
 I2C port is always powered, perfect for external sensors or always-on OLED Screen.
 It has battery monitoring ports for voltage and current.
 Buzzer port for audible warnings and notifications.
 Developer friendly debugging port (SWD) and boot mode selection, unbrickable bootloader.
Support multiple aircrafts.

2. Important Notes: Make sure to read these notes carefully before use this F3 flight controller.
Any improper operation might burn the flight controller.
 Carefully check all wiring on device before power on (5Volts required. DO NOT connect
directly to a battery).
 Disconnect battery when doing any soldering or plugging in any components into the
SPRacing F3.
 The F3 board needs only one 5 volt power supply, so if using an ESC (with BEC output) to
power F3 board, please remove the other ESC’s red wire.
 Pay special attention that no VCC is connected to an output or GND
 Try to avoid using the flight controller where is dirty or sandy, this can get in to the Baro
sensor and cause Altitude problems display or hold. Please cover the barometer sensors
with sponge type material.
 Do not directly solder the buzzer on the controller board, because the frame vibrationmight
damage the F3 board.
 Make sure to balance the motor so as to decrease any vibration to a minimum. Balance
propeller and tighten screw.

3. How to Connect the F3 Flight Controller to the Computer.

3.1. Do not connect the F3 flight controller to the computer at the first step.
3.2. You will need to install the Google Chrome browser to install Cleanflight Software.
3.3. Open the Goggle Chrome browser, search and install the “Cleanflight” in chrome web store.
3.31 After installed the “Cleanflight”, there will be an icon appear.

3.32 Open Cleanflight, you can then download the relevant driver according to the following
indication.

In “Documentation & Support” column, there is detailed instruction file for F3 flight controller
and firmware download address for different versions. Customer can go there to understand
more about F3 flight controller before began to use it.
Firmware Flasher is used to upgrade the firmware.

3.4. Connect the F3 flight controller to computer by USB cable. (The USB cable will be included in
the package). Make sure the drone is on a flat level surface. Cleanflight will Automatically
connect to the F3 if it does not, select the Com Port the F3 board is on then click “Connect”.
3.41 This is the interface after it is connected.
Move the F3 flight controller by hand and check whether there is any change in the display. If the
craft is moving in the display then you are connected to the F3 board correctly.

3.42 Go to “Sensors” menu, if the flight controller is in static station, all the lines will be straight;
while if we move the flight controller by hand, those lines will fluctuate up and down. At this time
we can confirm that the flight controller has been successfully connected. (for 10DOF luxurious
version, since there is a built-in barometer, even in static station, fluctuation could also occur). If
the flight controller does not connect successfully, please check the Com Port and or the driver
has been installed correctly.
4. How to Adjust the Parameter in Software.
4.1. Return to “Setup” menu, put the flight controller in horizontal, then click “Calibrate
Accelerometer” button.

It will remind you whether the calibration has finished in upper left corner (displayed in the grey
bar).
4.2. Then choose “Ports” interface. If the receiver of your drone is PWM or PPM, then use the
default setup. Click “ Save and Reboot ” Here we recommend pilots use the PPM and SBUS
connection, because the wiring connection is relatively easy. (R6D supports PPM; Walkera
supports PWM and Futaba supports SBUS).

4.3. If SBUS is selected, please open the“Serial RX”of UART3, after setting, click “Save and Reboot”
according to the following picture:
Do not change any of the settings on URAT1 column, If you change any of the settings this will
disable the com port connection to the computer and Cleanflight software.
The attached connection diagrams of the 3 modes to help you understand.
5. Enter “Configuration” menu.
5.1. First, we need to set the direction of F3 flight controller. F3 can be installed in any direction,
since the F3 is rotated -90 degrees(notice the arrow on the F3 board), then we need to set the
“YAW” axis. For example, we set the “YAW” to “- 90”, click "Save". Return to "Setup" menu, move
the flight controller by hand to check whether the movement direction of the aircraft in the
software is the same as the movement of the real craft. You must click “Save” for any changes
made. If the movement of the aircraft is different with the model in the software, then you need
to readjust the yaw from 0, 90, 180 or 270 and retry.

5.2. Choose the receive mode. Take R9D as an example. It supports PPM mode.

5.3. Set the ”ESC/Motor Features” in "Configuration" menu according to the following picture.
Click the “MOTOR_STOP” icon to be green like picture showed. This means when the craft is
‘Armed”, motors will not spin till you raise the throttle up a little, if the option is turned off the
motors will spin immediately to the set minimum throttle setting.
For“ONESHOT125” icon, if your ESC supports the oneshort125 firmware, then this option needs
to be turned on(green), the flight controller will be more responsive.
The ARRIS Swift ESC supports ONESHOT125.
For “Min Throttle”, here we randomly set a number (1100 for example), this value will be
changed later.
Third option. We can disarm motors no matter where the throttle is, by using the Arm/Disarm
function in the Modes tab.

5.4. Set the “Battery Voltage” in "Configuration" menu.

Please Note:Only if the voltage detection cable is connected to the battery detection input.
The Warning Cell Voltage is adjustable, usually set to 3.5 or 3.6. If the voltage reaches this value,
the buzzer will activate to warn you of low voltage.
5.5. Set the PID. Click "PID Turning" button.

5.6. The "proportional" parameter can be known as sensitivity, the higher this parameter is, much
more stable the drone will be, if too high there will be oscillations. Usually we set the parameter
begin from 0, then increase the number continuously through increasing the same value, till
there is slight oscillation, then reduce the setting. Set the “Integral” and “Derivative” by default,
then set the “RATE”. The “RATE” is how fast and hard the craft responds to stick movement.
Usually we set it this at “0.4”. Following is the PID setting for ARRIS 180 and 210. If you are
professional enough, you can set your own parameter according to the real situation of your
drone, this is just for reference. For beginner, we suggest to set the P value according to the
following picture and then adjust step by step.

Please note: This PID is suitable for professional pilots, which will be a little bit sensitive and agile.
Customers can change this setting according to your own situation.
6. Set the Channel of the Transmitter.
Before doing this, we need to make sure the receiver has been bound with transmitter and the
receiver mode is correctly selected. Connect battery, Please remove ALL PROPS. Move the sticks
on the transmitter randomly, if the strips on the "channel map" change in the software, then it
shows the receiver has been successfully bound.

6.1. Set the direct of “Roll”“Pitch”“Yaw” and “Throttle”

For example:
ROLL channel: move the roll stick to the left, the red line in “Roll” column should move to the left;
PITCH channel: move the pitch stick down, the purple line in “Pitch” column should move to the
left;
YAW channel: move the YAW to the left, the dark blue line in “Yaw” column should move to the
left;
THROTTLE channel: put the throttle down, the light blue line in “Throttle” column should move
to the left. If any of the lines are not moving in the correct direction, you need to change the
direction in the radio by doing a “REVERSE” of the channels that are not going in the correct
direction.
Please note: If this has not been done, it might result in very dangerous flying!!!!
Following is the “REVERSE” menu of the AT9

6.2. Define the channel. Here the channel switch toggle is mainly used to mode flight switching
and buzzer alarming.
6.21 Open the transmitter menu, take Radiolink AT9 as an example.
Select the "AUX-CH", and select the channels you need.

Define the CH5 as SWG, then "AUX1" channel can be controlled by SWG switch
Define the CH6 as SWD, then "AUX2" channel can be controlled by SWD switch.
After you set this, toggle the SWG and SWD switch, there will be movement for AUX1 and AUX2
in the CF software.

6.22 Set trims. Put all the transmitter sticksin center position. At this time, the value should be
1500 in the CF software, if not, you need to set it to be in center (1500) in “SUB-TRIM” menu.
Take the Radiolink AT9 as an example, we need to adjust the parameter in CF software, till the
value reaches 1500.
6.23 Set the highest and lowest position.
Move each stick of “Roll”“Pitch”“Yaw”“Throttle” channel to the highest and lowest position
respectively, then set the value accordingly.

For F3 flight controller, the minimum required input travel is 1100, the max required input travel
is 1900. Put the throttle stick to the lowest position, then enter "END-POINT" menu, adjust the
data there so that the value changes to 1050 in the CF software, for "Throttle".

After setting, recheck whether the neutral point is 1500, the lowest point is 1100 (1050for the
throttle) and the highest point is 1900. Cleanflight will not Arm unless throttle channel is below
1100, 1050 is a good point.
6.3. Set the Modes. Make sure to click “Save” for each step.
Click ARM “ADD Range”, set the “AUX1”in “ARM” and “ANGLE” column.
SWG switch on ARRIS Radiolink AT9 transmitter can be used to control Arm/Disarm and switching
the 2 flight modes. Position 1 will be Disarm, 2 will be Arm and Acro, 3 will be Arm and Angle
Mode.

6.31. Click BEEPER“ADD Range”, set the “AUX2” in “Beeper” for secondPosition SWD
Click “Save” button!!
6.32. With SWG in 3rd position it will be in Angle Mode, which is great for beginners, it is
self-leveling flight with a maximum of 45 degrees of forward flight and banked turns. Position 2
on SWG will be ACRO Mode(Manual) Expert flight mode.

6.33 “SWD” switch, turning this on willactivate Beeper for finding craft in bushes, tall grass or
trees, “BEEPER” icon turns green
7. Motor Test and To Calibrate ESC’s. Make sure to remove all propellers.
7.1. Click on button “I, Understand the risks” button, disconnect battery, the SPRcaing F3 will stay
powered up from your computer through the USB cable,Move MASTER fader UP to MAX,
connect battery, ESC’s will make a start up tones when it stops, move MASTER Fader down, the
ESC’s will make another several tone beeps, disconnect battery, reconnect battery! ESC’s are
calibrated!
7.2. Slowly move the fader in “Master” position, the value in the motor columns will change
accordingly, when it reaches a certain number, motors will start to spin, raise the slider what you
think is a great IDLE speed note that number(say 1066) then we need to set that IDLE number in
the minimum throttle settings in the Configuration Tab. Move Master fader down click on “I
understand the risks” button to turn off Motor Test.
Then Select Configuration Tab scroll down to ESC/Motor Features. Change the Minimum Throttle
to the number you noted in Motor Test/ESC calibration
7.3. Click “Save” after changing any of the settings, disconnect the computer, then do a test
flight!
Note this screen shot has the OneShpt125 off, it should be on with the ARRIS Swift ESC.

This manual is only for basic instruction of using the Cleanflight SPRacing F3 flight controller, want
to get better acquainted with the F3 flight controller, Please Visithttp://cleanflight.com

If there is still problem in using this product, please feel free to contact us at
[email protected]
or
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