Build Instructions W. Motor Pods 8-23-16

VTOL Explorer Build Instructions
The VTOL Explorer (Vertical Take Off and Landing Explorer) is a “kit bash” project based on the Flite Test
Explorer. It is designed to be easy and fun to fly in all flight modes from hover to Fast Forward Flight
(FFF).
As an airplane, the VTOL Explorer is very normal. It does all the typical maneuvers you would expect of
a trainer including inside loops, rolls, and inverted flight (barely). It is a bit heavier and more complex
than a typical trainer, and is not very fast. The rate of climb is modest. Flight times are about 7 minutes
with a 3,300mAh battery and good safety margin.
As a quad-copter the VTOL Explorer is very easy to fly. It is mostly auto stabilized by the onboard
electronics. I would not recommend it as your first quad-copter only because there are excellent, cheap,
and extremely durable quad-copters that you can learn to fly in your living room. If you can comfortably
hover tail in, meaning the aircraft is facing away from you, then you will have no difficulty hovering the
VTOL Explorer.
Transitions from hover, to SFF (Slow Forward Flight), to FFF (Fast Forward Flight), and back again, are as
easy as flipping a switch and flying the plane. SFF is the easiest flight mode, ranging from gentle cruising
in airplane mode to a nose high hover.
Version: 8-22-16 Designed by: Ran D. St. Clair rd_s_c@pacbell.net Page 1

The VTOL Explorer handles a modest amount of wind with ease. It flies at any speed from slowly
backwards to full forward flight. You can point the nose into the wind, match your airspeed to the wind
speed, and hover for a takeoff or a landing.
The related files including a PDF of this build instruction can be found here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/njtenb8l0j5csb4/AAAj2RpwOic2kop3_YheUYuCa?dl=0
OpenAero-VTOL Support Thread. Get the latest firmware and ask your questions about the firmware
here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1972686
OpenAero-VTOL GUI Support Thread. Get the latest GUI (Graphical User Interface) and ask your
questions about the GUI here. The GUI is not absolutely necessary, you can always enter the user
parameters via the 4 button and LCD interface on the KK2 board. Recommended for users with more
advanced PC skills:
A video of the VTOL Explorer in flight is available here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72vj69Hluwk&feature=youtu.be
The build instructions are based heavily on the excellent Flite Test build video located here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6nOSeoaDOM&feature=youtu.be
The original build thread can be found here:


Specifications
Weight ready to fly: 3.47 pounds with battery.
Weight without battery: 2.9 pounds
Wingspan: 56”
Wing Area: 398 sq. in.
C.G.: 5.25” behind the wing Leading Edge
Typical Flight Time: 7 minutes
Lift Motors: Flite Test Power Pack D, (4) Emax 2213-935kv

Lift ESCs: (4) Emax BL Heli 20 amp XT-60
Lift Propellers: Emax 10x4.5, (2) CW, (2) CCW
Forward Thrust Motor: Flite test Power Pack C, Emax GT2215/09
Forward Thrust ESC: - Emax BL Heli 30 amp ESC
Forward Thrust Propeller: 9 x 6 EP, APC
Battery: 3.3Ah, 25-50C or better
Servos: (4) Emax ES08A II 8.5g
Flight Controller: KK2.1.5 or KK-mini
Flight Controller Firmware: OpenAero-VTOL
Measured Power/Lift:
3.8W - All motors off
204W, 11.48V, 17.8A – Hover Power
450W, 10.98V, 41A – Full throttle, hover motors only
6.5 lbs. – Maximum Hover Lift
101W, 11.64V, 8.7A – Minimum forward flight at cruise, forward thrust motor only
225W, 11.43V, 19.7A – Full throttle, forward thrust motor only

Radio Requirements
The VTOL Explorer requires a 5 channel Transmitter (TX) and Receiver (RX) as a minimum. The
prototype was based on the Spectrum DX9, which has a 3 position flap switch that can be used to select
Hover Mode, Slow Forward Flight (SFF), or Fast Forward Flight (FFF). This function can also be provided
with an analogue input like a pot or a slider.
Control System Block Diagram

S.bus Input (Preferred)
PWM Input (Optional)

Parts List
Most of these parts can be obtained from the Flite Test store, and equivalent parts are broadly available.
Some of the simplest and most common parts such as glue and tape are not listed. Obviously, you will
need to make substitutions to match your radio.
FT Explorer Speed Build Kit, $39

http://store.flitetest.com/ft-explorer-speed-build-kit/
Power Pack D (Standard Quadcopter), $120

http://store.flitetest.com/complete-power-pack-kits/
Power Pack c (Fixed Wing Large), $65

http://store.flitetest.com/power-pack-c-fixed-wing-large/
FT Elements Simple Firewall , 4 each, $5 ($20 total)

http://store.flitetest.com/ft-elements-simple-firewall/

Female XT60 Connectors, $4.50
http://store.flitetest.com/female-xt60-connectors-5pcs-bag/
Male and Female Bullet Connectors, 3.5mm, 12 pairs, $5.25

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__42536__3_5mm_3_wire_Bullet_connector_for_motor_
5pairs_bag_US_Warehouse_.html
Flite Test Water-Resistant Foam board by Adams (50 pack) , $80.00 (Need 1 sheet)
http://store.flitetest.com/flite-test-water-resistant-foam-board-by-adams-50-pck/
Turnigy nano-tech 3300mah 3S 25~50C Lipo Pack, $28.34

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__59159__Turnigy_nano_tech_3300mah_3S_25_50C_Lip
o_Pack_AR_Warehouse_.html?strSearch=Turnigy%20nano-tech%203300mah%203S%202
Hobbyking KK2.1.5 Multi-rotor LCD Flight Control Board With 6050MPU And Atmel 644PA. $19.99
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__54299__Hobbyking_KK2_1_5_Multi_rotor_LCD_Flight_
Control_Board_With_6050MPU_And_Atmel_644PA.html
ZYX-S S.BUS Connection Cable, $3.47

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__24523__ZYX_S_S_BUS_Connection_Cable.html
Orange Rx R620X V2 6Ch 2.4GHz DSM2/DSMX Comp Full Range Rx w/Sat, Div Ant, F/Safe & SBUS (Any
size RX with S.bus and satellite capability will work), $20.64
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__90605__OrangeRx_R620X_V2_6Ch_2_4GHz_DSM2_DS
MX_Comp_Full_Range_Rx_w_Sat_Div_Ant_F_Safe_SBUS.html
OrangeRx R110X DSMX/DSM2 Compatible Satellite Receiver (Any compatible satellite RX will work)
$12.79
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__46631__OrangeRx_R110X_DSMX_DSM2_Compatible_S
atellite_Receiver_.html
USBasp AVR Programming Device for ATMEL Processors, $3.99

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__27990__USBasp_AVR_Programming_Device_for_ATME
L_Processors.html?strSearch=USBASP
Colored Acrylic Packing Tape, 2” wide, $3.95 each

http://www.rcfoam.com/adhesive-foam-tape-for-crafting-remote-control-airplanes/2%22-color-
tape---yellow-p-1114.html
Amazing Goop, $8.00, Any hardware store

https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-All-P.../dp/B0000A605I
12 AWG Primary Wire, Any Color, $5.00, 1 foot, Any hardware store
18 AWG Primary Wire, Any Color, $5.00, 17 feet, Any hardware store
Amazing Goop,or E6000 glue, $5.00, Any hardware store

Motor Pods
Only one sheet of foam board is needed for the entire project if you use the Flite Test Explorer
speed build kit.
The motor pod template can be printed on a standard sheet of 8 1/2” x 11” paper. It only shows
the ends of the motor pods so you have to cut it in half and “stretch” it to the 21 1/2” length from
motor center line to center line. The motor pods are not symmetrical front to back but they are
interchangeable left to right.
Cut 2 strips from the long edge of a sheet of foam board that are 7 7/8” wide. Use a fine tip pen
to mark vertical lines at 1” and 22 1/2” from one edge. Print the template provided, cut it in half,
trim the edges, and tape it to the foam board as shown.
Use a straight pin to poke holes through the template at the various corners and fold lines.
Remove the template and the connect the dots with a fine tip pen. You can reuse the paper
template or print another for the 2nd motor pod.

A long straight edge and a sharp knife are helpful when you cut out the parts and strip the foam
from the folds.
Review the diagram on the template and test fold the motor pod to make sure you know how it
is done. I am not sure if it is an A fold or a B fold, but the edge of side 1 goes against the face of
side 2, then the edge of side 2 against the face of side 3, and so on. As Josh Bixler would say,
the table is your friend, so use it and a triangle to make sure the folds are square.

Punch out, and lightly sand the edges of 5 each FT Elements Simple Firewalls. I used a sanding
block for the outer edges and an emery board (fingernail sanders) for the fiddly bits.
Test fit the pieces and then wick some thin CA into the joints. Also smear some thin CA in and
around the motor mount holes so they will better stand up to the compression from the bolts.
Test fit the motor mounts into the motor pods. A little bit of carving is necessary for a good fit.
Mark the motor mounts for trimming using the motor pods as a guide. Remember, the front and
rear motor mounts are at different angles so they will be trimmed differently.
Mount the motor mounts into the motor pods with a generous bead of glue. Fill any cracks from
the outside with more glue. Put some glue on the sides of the motor mounts as well. Go over
the exposed surfaces with a sealing iron to smooth the glue and make a receptive bed for the
reinforcing clear packing tape. You can then wrap the tape around the bottom and sides, and
also add a small strip that wraps over the top of the firewall, and the bottom of the motor mount.
At this point the motor pods are essentially complete and weigh about 105g for both of them.

Poke a small phillips screwdriver down through the motor mount holes and into the foam board.
Use these marks to poke a sharp knife up through the bottom of the foam and drill the hole out
to about 1/8”. You can then insert the 2.5mm hex driver that FT (Flite Test) provides as part of
their Power Pack D (Standard QuadCopter) and gently open up the holes to about 3/16”.
That will provide enough room to insert the provided hex head screws to mount the motor. This
task is made easier by the aforementioned 2.5mm hex driver. Note that the motor wires stick out
straight forward and back for ease of installation.
I mounted the props just to see how they fit, but they will be removed for further construction
and testing. This completes the motor pods which are now ready to mount onto the wing.

Wing
We will be modifying and building the sport wing.
Do not punch out the holes for the servo or the clearance hole for the control horn.
The provided spar pieces are designed with a gap around the aileron servos, but we will be
moving the servos so the gap will be moved to a new location. Find the two C-fold spars that are
14 1/4” in length and cut a piece from one end that is 7 5/16” long. Save all the pieces as they
will all be used.
Lay the wing skins out flat so you are looking at the outside surface. Mark a line chordwise at
13” from the center on the bottom part of the wing skin. Make sure it is perpendicular to the
trailing edge. Mark 2 additional lines ¾” on either side to indicate the location of the motor pod.

Lay the wing skins out flat so you are looking at the inside surface. Mark a new location for the
servo hole, control horn slot, and control horn clearance hole that is 7 1/8” outboard of the
existing servo, horn slot and clearance hole.
Mark an additional hole that is the same size and shape as the servo hole but 1 1/4” closer to
the leading edge and 1 1/2" inboard of the previous hole. This will be used as an access hole to
connect the Y harness to the aileron servo.
Mark a new inboard edge of the aileron that is 14” from the center of the wing. Mark a new
outboard end of the aileron that is 3” beyond the tip of the existing aileron.
Mark a new spar gap location at 14” and 15 9/16” from the centerline.
Mark an additional score line 1” ahead of the existing forward score line.
Cut out the new servo opening, the new access hole, and the new clearance hole for the aileron
horn. Cut both new ends of the aileron free with a 1/16” gap. Cut the inside paper and foam, not
the outside paper for the new score line. Also score cut the 3” extension to the aileron hinge,
and the new aileron control horn slot.
Cut 2 additional spar pieces, 1 1/4” by 22 1/2” from any available scrap material.
Use your hot glue gun to inject glue into the cracks that are no longer intended to be removed or
become hinges. This includes the length of aileron hinge line inboard of the motor booms, the
end of the original aileron that has been extended 3”, The original control horn slot, the original
servo opening, and the original control horn clearance hole. Cover these areas with office tape
on both sides, or only on the exposed side in the case of the hinge line. If you want, you can go
over the tape with a sealing iron to smooth out any bumps in the glue under the tape.

The wing halves are now ready to begin the build per the excellent Flite Test build video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6nOSeoaDOM&feature=youtu.be
At 1:46:00 in the Sport wing video they tape the two wing halves together. After doing so cover
the top and bottom of the wing with packing tape out to the motor pods. Do not cover the area
where the motor pods will attach, and do not cover the trailing edge portion that folds.
At 1:48:35 when they are getting ready to install the wing spars, lay out the folded spars with the
gap at the new location you marked on the wing. Set them aside, and install the 2 additional
spar pieces, 1 1/4” by 22 1/2” that you made earlier. Glue them to the inside top surface of the
wing but leave a slight gap between them matching the gap between the top wing skins.

Install the original folded wing spars per the FT video, except with the gap moved out to the new
servo locations as marked. Make sure to use a generous bead of glue at the spar joint at the
inside edge of the original servo gap.
Use a barbeque skewer to open up all 3 score cuts as per the video. Test fold the wing and
distribute the bends evenly between the 3 score cuts.
Unlike the video, which shows the 2 score cuts being glued at the same time, Glue one score
cut at a time starting from the front and working back. There isn’t enough time to properly glue
all 3 score cuts before the glue hardens.
Per the video, glue the wing leading edge and glue the top skin to the spars. Focus on making
sure the wing is pushed down flat on top of the entire length of the spar. When you glue the top
wing skin to the raised trailing edge spar, take care to keep the glue out of the aileron hinge
area.
Put two pieces of tape over the top of the dihedral joint for extra strength. Also, put an
additional, 3rd, piece of tape over the bottom of the wing at the dihedral joint.
Bevel the ailerons, but only the portion outboard of the motor pods. The trailing edge from the
motor pods inward is fixed. Seal the aileron hinges from the bottom with a thin bead of hot glue.
Likewise seal all the exposed edges on the foam. I like to use my sealing iron to reheat and
smear the glue into the edges so I can be sure to connect the paper on both sides of the foam
with a thin film of glue. The sealing iron also helps to clean up gloppy glue joints and can round
the edges of the foam where needed.

Cut out the wing center section per the score lines, but only cut the outer notch, not the smaller
inner notch.
Cut the inner notch at a about a 40 degree angle so it matches the slope of the forward portion
of the motor pod. The top edge of the inner notch will be flush with the outer notch. The bottom
edge of the inner notch will be at a depth of ½”. Seal the exposed edges of the inner and outer
notch with glue and tape.
This modification will move the wing about ½” forward of the original design location which will
result in the proper CG (Center of Gravity) when using the recommended 3.3Ah battery.

Temporarily install the servos and fish the end of the servo wires up through the access holes.
Install the supplied Y harness by running it down through the wing and fishing it up through the
same hole. After making the connections and securing them with a piece of tape, put the
connectors back into the wing, tape over the access holes, and glue the servos in place.
Install the control horns and aileron linkages. Instead of the piano wire provided, I prefer to use
paperclips of a slightly larger diameter. They bend easier and are actually stiffer. I like to put a
kink in the linkages for adjustment. It is much easier to fine tune the linkage length by opening
or collapsing the kink, and in a linkage of this sort it is plenty strong. Wick some thin CA into the
control horn hole around the wire to eliminate any slop.
Mark the center of the motor pods and the CG point on the wing at 2 1/4" back from the leading
edge where the motor pods mount. Test fit the motor pods taking special care to make sure that
they are mounted with the 10 degree tilted motors in the front and the 5 degree tilted motors in
the back. Note that the motor pods stick out farther in front of the wing than they do to the rear.
Glue the motor pods to the wing with a generous amount of hot glue including a bead along the
wing trailing edge.
This completes the wing. Build the remainder of the Explorer as stock per the Flite Test Video.

Power Distribution Wiring
Cut a piece of 1/16 plywood to 5/16” x 2”. Attach 5 each XT60 female connectors as shown in
the photographs. Rough up the surface of the connectors with sandpaper and then glue them
with CA (Cyanoacrylate).
Interconnect the connectors with some inexpensive low strand count 12 AWG wire. The high
strand count flexible wire with silicon insulation as used for battery connectors is not necessary
or desirable in this application. We need something that can be easily bent, but will hold the
bend and not easily fray.
Cut two pieces of wire about 8” long and strip 6” of insulation from one end. Place the end of the
wire in the first corner connector and solder it. Bend the wire to the next connector and solder it,
and so on. Leave about 3/4” at the end to attach the main battery cable. Bend the free ends in a
small hook and wrap it around the battery wire as shown. Also install wires for any additional
power connectors that might be needed to power your FPV system.

After all the connections are soldered, go over all of the exposed wires with Goop. Try not to get
Goop on the mating surfaces, but if you do, don’t worry about it, you can always scrape it off
later. Set the assembly aside to dry for at least 4 hours.
https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-All-P.../dp/B0000A605I
The reason for using all of these connectors is to preserve the ESC’s in the form that they came
from Flite Test. I am assuming that all of this gear will be used again in other aircraft.

Mount the 4 ESCs as shown on the bottom of the wing. I mounted mine with sticky back Velcro
for ease of reuse.
Bend the ESC power and signal wires where they naturally cross the wing saddle at 90 degrees
and mark the locations. Cut a strip of scrap foamboard 3/4” wide and at least 12” long. Seal the
long edges with hot glue. Cut the strips to length and glue them onto the wing saddle as shown,
leaving gaps where the wires are to cross. Route the wires and use a dab of hot glue and some
tape to insure they remain in place.

The next step is to make extension cables for the motor wires. For ease of reuse, and also for
ease of soldering, they are made with a male 3.5mm bullet connector on one end, and a female
3.5mm bullet connector on the other. The wire used is 18 AWG multi strand wire, but it is not
necessary to use expensive silicone insulated fine strand flexible wire. Inexpensive wire will
work just as well. These cables will not be required to flex in use, and it is useful if they take a
set.
We will need 12 extension cables in 4 custom lengths. Route a single wire from one ESC to one
motor leaving it a few inches long. Cut 2 more wires to the same length and solder a male bullet
connector to one end of each. Plug the wires into the ESC, route them more carefully, and then
cut them to length. Solder a female bullet connector to the free ends and apply shrink tubing to
all connectors. The wires should be neatly routed but a small amount of excess is desirable.
Repeat the process for the other 3 ESCs and motors.
Route the wires in the wing groove and along the side of the motor pods per the pictures. The
wires can be secured via a dab of hot glue and tape. Almost invisible in the pictures is clear
packing tape over the wing groove. Bear in mind that some of the motor wires will probably have
to be swapped at the motor end for proper motor rotation later.

Install the power distribution connector-cable as shown. It should be a nice neat fit.

Test fit the wing onto the fuselage just so you can see how it all fits together. It is helpful to
make a small notch in the shelf below the power pod to allow the forward thrust ESC to sit
deeper in the fuselage.
Pull the power connector for the forward thrust motor up through the top fuselage opening and
plug it into the XT60 connector on the power distribution cable. Gently put all the wires back into
the fuselage as you lower the wing into place. Pull all the signal connectors and the battery
cable forward into the nose area for easy access.
Gently remove the wing from the fuselage and disconnect the power connector for the forward
thrust motor-ESC. Take care not to pull the ESC wires out of their slots on the bottom of the
wing. As you can see, the wing is removable for storage or transport, but it is not the easiest
thing to do. I usually leave my VTOL models fully assembled and hang them from the ceiling for
storage.
Label all of the signal connectors with numbers as follows:
1 – Left Front Motor

2 – Right Front Motor
3 – Right Rear Motor
4 – Left Rear Motor
5 – Forward Thrust Motor (Inside the fuselage)
6 – Rudder Servo (Inside the tail section)
7 – Elevator (Inside the tail section)
8 – Aileron
This completes the wing and the power wiring.

Flight Controller Installation and Final Assembly
Cut two pieces of foamboard 2” x 3” and laminate them together. This will be used as a shelf to
mount the flight controller and the receiver.
In this case I am using a KK2.1.5 board. A KK-mini could also be used. I am also using a 6
channel orange RX (Receiver) with S.bus capability. I always recommend using S.bus input
when possible, but for this model PPM communication between the RX and the FC (Flight
Controller) is almost as good. I am also using a compatible satellite receiver on a 24” extension
cable. I always recommend using a satellite receiver on aircraft of this size and complexity.
Cover the shelf top and bottom with sticky back velcro using the hook side. Notch the back of
the shelf to a depth of 1” as shown in the pictures. Seal the edges of the shelf with hot glue.
Install the shelf to a depth of 1 1/2” at 1 1/8” down from the top of the opening using hot glue.

Place sticky back Velcro, the loop side, on the back of the KK2 board and the RX. Test mount
the KK2 by inserting it into the fuselage opening about 1/2” and setting it down on the Velcro.
The buttons should be facing forward for easy access. Install the S.bus adapter cable into the
bind port of the RX with the short end of the cable nearer the RX. Install the RX as shown.
Loop the S.bus adapter cable up and over the back of the KK2 board and install it in the 3rd
location from the top on the left hand side. This is the throttle input as marked on the KK2 which
is also used as the S.bus input.
I recommend removing the KK2 from the aircraft for ease of initial programing.
Route the RX antenna and the cable for the satellite receiver to a suitable location. I taped the
antenna to the outside of the fuselage, and mounted the satellite receiver on the tail. Make sure
everything is taped down so the propeller can’t get to it.

I glued a couple of pieces of scrap foamboard to the wing on either side of the fuselage to help
keep the wing straight. These are 2 layers thick with a C fold and a finished dimension of ½” by
1 ¼”.
At this point you can decorate the model however you like. I used colored packing tape
http://www.rcfoam.com/adhesive-foam-tape-for-crafting-remote-control-airplanes/2%22-color-
tape---yellow-p-1114.html
And of course, don’t forget the Flite Test Stickers.
http://store.flitetest.com/stickers-accessories/

Flight Controller Setup
Much of this is most easily done on the bench before you install the FC (Flight Controller) in the
plane.
Start by reading the OpenAero-VTOL User Manual. It can be found at the end of the first post in
this RCGroups thread.
While you are there, download and save a copy of the OpenAero-VTOL (OAV) Program
Template. The files look like this:
Set up your TX (Transmitter) as described in the manual on page 34. All you need is a basic 5
channel transmitter, Rudder, Elevator, Ailerons, Throttle, and some sort of Transition Control
like a switch, pot, or slider. I recommend a 3 positions switch, like a flap switch.
I do not recommend the use of dual rates in your TX with OAV. Dual rates can create confusion
when you are in low rates and therefore unable to arm the FC. It is a minor annoyance, but an
unnecessary complication since the VTOL-Explorer is tuned to fly nicely with full rates.
You can use Expo (Exponential) in your TX if you want, but I don’t think it is necessary.
Whatever Expo you use will apply equally in both hover and FFF (Fast Forward Flight).
When making an outbound transition the aircraft needs time to accelerate to flying speed. This
is accomplished by slowing down the transition from P1 (hover mode) to P2 (FFF, Fast Forward
Flight mode) over about 8 seconds. This can be done by using the slow function in your TX
(Transmitter) if it has one, however, I recommend you use the slow function built into OpenAero-
VTOL (OAV) instead. This means the output from your TX flap switch should not be slowed.
Bind your receiver to your transmitter as necessary for your radio gear.
You will need to flash your KK2.1.5 board or KK-mini board with the OpenAero-VTOL (OAV)
firmware. Detailed instructions start on page 16 of the user manual. You can also flash the
board using the GUI (Graphical User Interface on Page 27 of the manual) which is slightly more
challenging to set up, but ultimately easier to use. I recommend you follow the basic flashing
instructions and get that working first before trying to use the GUI.
Once the board is flashed, you will need to decide on your method of communication between
the RX (Receiver) and the FC. I recommend S.bus, but you may not have an S.bus capable
RX. The PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) output from a standard 5 channel RX is minimally
sufficient. You will need the appropriate cables as described in the manual starting on page 28.

Initialize the FC as described in the manual on page 34. Take your time and don’t skip any
steps. This is where you are establishing the communication from your TX to the FC via the
RX. If you don’t do this properly it will create confusion later.
Use the buttons and LCD screen to enter the provided program parameters. There are lots of
menus so this can take some time. You can also use the GUI interface to speed up the
process, but I recommend that you use the button interface first. The button interface is always
accessible, whereas the GUI requires a computer, programming cable, etc.
There are 2 options provided in the spreadsheet for the programming parameters, the “Very
Easy” mode and the “Easy Mode”. The Very Easy mode is suitable for beginners and precludes
aerobatics. The Easy mode allows aerobatics in FFF (Fast Forward Flight) to the extent that the
aircraft is capable. Either way, you are encouraged to understand how these parameters work
and tune them to your own liking.
It is important to have a clear understanding of how to properly power to the KK2 board for
reliable operation. Page 38 of the User Manual describes the two separate power busses and
how they are used. In this case the internal 5V power is provided by the BEC (Battery
Eliminator Circuit) that is internal to ESC#1 (Electronic Speed Controller #1) associated with the
front left motor). The internal 5V power will also power the RX via the cable or cables between
the RX and the FC. The BEC internal to ESC#5 (Associated with the forward thrust motor) will
provide separate 5V power to the external power bus which will power the servos.
The power wire will be removed from the connector and taped for ESCs #2, #3, and #4. We will
not be using the BEC internal to those ESCs.
Install the KK2 in the aircraft with the buttons facing forward.

The OUT1-8 connectors on the right side of the KK2 board should be connected to the cables
that you previously labeled 1-8. Make sure that the brown or black ground wire goes to the
outside edge of the board for all connectors. Organize the wires so they pass neatly over the
left or right edge of the board so as to avoid blocking the LCD screen or the buttons.
Double check all connections and remove all propellers before connecting the main power
battery.
Place the aircraft on a flat surface and redo the Gyro and Accelerometer initialization as
described on page 34 of the user manual. The short version is, push the right button when in
the calibration menu.
Now calibrate the ESCs by following the procedure described in the user manual on page 48. It
may be necessary to repeat the procedure if the calibration doesn’t “take” on all 5 ESCs the first
time.
The short version is, WITH THE PROPELLERS REMOVED, hold down the two outer buttons,
and plug in the battery. Once the ESCs acknowledge the full throttle input, release the buttons
and the Flight Controller will output full idle to all of the motors. Once the ESCs acknowledge the
full idle input, remove power.

Functional Testing
All servos should be moving in the correct directions. The elevator should be about 10 degrees
up, and the rudder about 3 degrees to the right. This assumes you properly centered the servos
and linkages with a servo tester.
Small trim adjustments can be made in the linkages for the ailerons, or in the 7 point offset
curves within the FC for the elevator and rudder. The offset curves are under menu #10.
Do NOT make any trim adjustments in your TX. All TX trims and sub-trims should remain
at neutral.
Normally, I do not recommend using TX trim with OAV in general. It will cause the integral
feedback loop to wind up rapidly. In this case none of the recommended programming
parameters use integral feedback except for elevator in hover mode. Technically you can use
TX trim for rudder and ailerons without causing any problems. I still recommend, however, that
you enter trim values in the 7 point offset curves within the FC and leave your TX trims and sub
trims at neutral.
The following only applies to the Emax ESCs in the FT Motor Packs when used
with OAV Version 1.4 or earlier.
The ON/OFF switch on the TX is your arming switch. Whenever the TX is off the
motors won’t run. The procedure is to install the battery with the TX off, put the plane
in a safe location, and then turn the TX on. You can then fly, land, and turn the TX off
to make the plane safe for unplugging the battery or whatever.
After you make adjustments to the FC parameters you must unplug the battery and go
through the process above to get the motors running again. For all this to work the
“Safety:” parameter in menu #1 must be set to Armed, not Armable, which is the
default.
This unusual procedure should no longer be necessary with OAV V1.5 or later.
For all other brands of ESCs (that I am aware of) you want to set “Safety:” to Armable
not Armed. This will allow you to arm and disarm the motors using the procedure
described in page 7 of the user manual. If you enter programming mode to adjust a
parameter, the FC will automatically be disarmed. After going back to regular flight
mode, it will not be necessary to unplug the battery. You can use the arming “gesture”
as described on page 7 to get the motors working again.
Set the aircraft on a level surface with the nose raised 2 to 3 degrees. If the aircraft is tilted the
AutoLevel (AL) will run the motors to try and bring it to level and confuse the test results.
Test the motors WITH THE PROPELLERS REMOVED!

Set your transition control switch to P1 (hover mode). That is usually the down position for a 3
position switch. As you raise the throttle all 4 lift motors should start and run evenly. If not re-do
the ESC calibration procedure. Check for the proper motor rotation direction. The left front
motor and the right rear motor should be turning CCW (Counter Clock Wise) as viewed from
above. The right front motor and the left rear motor should be turning CW (Clock Wise).
Reverse any two motor wires using the connectors near the motors for any motors that are
running backwards.
Raise the throttle slowly and listen to hear that all 4 motors run at about the same speed.
Set your transition control switch to P2 (Fast Forward Flight mode, FFF). That is usually the up
position for a 3 position switch. As you raise the throttle only the forward thrust motor should
run. It can run in either direction depending on what propeller rotation you are using. If you are
using a normal rotation prop it will be CW as viewed from the rear. If you are using a reverse
rotation or “pusher” prop it will be CCW. Motors often run slightly faster just as they reach full
throttle. As you advance the throttle the forward thrust motor should audibly reach full throttle
just before you reach full travel on the throttle stick.
Switch back to P1 and verify that the forward thrust motor stops and that the 4 lift motors all run.
Raise the throttle and run the lift motors very slowly. Apply full forward stick (down elevator)
and verify that the back motors speed up and the front motors stop. Apply full back stick (up
elevator) and verify that the front motors speed up and the back motors stop. Apply full left
aileron stick and verify that the right motors speed up and the left motors stop. Apply full right
aileron stick and verify that the left motors speed up and the right motors stop. Apply full left
rudder stick and verify that the right front and left rear motors speed up and the left front and
right rear motors stop. Apply full right rudder stick and verify that the left front and right rear
motors speed up, and the right front and left rear motors stop.
If the motors respond correctly to stick inputs then the polarity of any stability feedback should
also be correct. If the motors do not respond correctly then you have something connected
wrong, or you have the FC programmed wrong. This includes the orientation parameter in the
General #1 menu.
With the lift motors running very slowly, pick up the aircraft and tilt it. If you are using AL (Auto
Level) the high side motors should stop no matter which way you tilt it.
Set your transition control to a middle value like P1.2, 20% from P1 and 80% from P2. This is
usually the middle position on the transition control switch. When you raise the throttle all 5
motors should run. With the motors running, switch the transition control switch slowly from P1
to P1.2 to P2. Depending on what you have programmed, It should take 5 to 8 seconds for the
transition to complete. Verify that the lift and forward thrust motors spool up and down smoothly
in opposition to one another.
Carefully balance all 5 of your propellers before installing them. Excessive vibration will
confuse your flight controller.
Install the propellers on the aircraft taking care to insure that you are using the correct propellers
for the motor rotation. The left front and right rear propellers will be normal rotation (CCW), and
the right front and left rear will be reverse rotation (CW).

Safety is your responsibility. BE CAREFUL!!!
Place the aircraft in an open area. Indoors on the floor is fine, but clear of furniture and things
that could be blown around. Raise the throttle to a low level, not nearly enough to fly, and then
verify all of your stick input functions in P1 (hover mode). Check elevator, ailerons, and rudder,
while watching the motors speed up and slow down. You may also see the aircraft move
slightly in pitch and roll confirming the correct polarity of the response. This process takes just a
few seconds and is a good practice before every flight.
This step is potentially dangerous and can be bypassed if it makes you uncomfortable. It is
more important for new designs where you are unsure of the proper P, I, and AL parameters. It
is intended to avoid a gross out of balance condition, or oscillations that could cause an
immediate loss of control.
With the motors off, pick up the aircraft and hold it in one hand under the CG (Center of
Gravity). Taking care to remain clear of the propellers, slowly raise the throttle until it is lifting its
own weight. Rock the aircraft side to side and front to back. You should feel the aircraft
respond strongly to try to hold level. You should also not feel any tendency for the aircraft to
oscillate in pitch or roll. Slowly lower the throttle to full stop and put the aircraft back on the
ground.
This next step can be done indoors with several feet of clearance around the aircraft. Carpet or
a soft surface is best, but a hard floor will work. If it makes you uncomfortable to do this indoors
you can do it outdoors, preferably on grass, but you need little or no wind.
Slowly raise the throttle until the aircraft begins to get light, but is still not flying. Test roll, pitch,
and yaw control response. The aircraft may want to gently slide forward, which is normal.
When this happens cut the throttle and drag it back to the center of the test area. Gently
increase the throttle until you are hovering just slightly above the ground.
The plane will want to move forward so be ready with a little back stick (Up Elevator). Cut the
throttle immediately if the aircraft climbs more than a few inches or drifts out of the center of the
test area. It is normal to do this process many times as you gain confidence. Drag the model
back to the center of the test area after each attempt.
Do not expect a perfectly stable test hover when flying indoors. It is difficult to fly in a small area
and the down wash from the lift rotors will create a recirculation pattern in the room and push
the aircraft around a bit. It is possible to climb to a few feet and do a sustained hover indoors
but not really necessary. Once you have established that the aircraft is stable and that you
have control in all axis it is time to move outdoors.
Switch to P2 (FFF, Fast Forward Flight mode) and gently raise the throttle to a low level. Verify
that the forward thrust motor is working, the prop is mounted correctly, etc. You can pick up the
aircraft and feel the thrust all the way up to full throttle if you want, but as always, be careful.
You are now ready to fly outdoors.

Outdoor Testing
You will want little or no wind for your initial test flights. A small grassy area is adequate for
hover testing. A larger area is needed for FFF.
I will assume you are already comfortable flying a small quad-copter. If not, I recommend you
buy one and learn to fly it first. You should ideally be able to hover at all angles including nose-
in. You should also be able to fly in circles and do figure eights.
In most respects, the VTOL Explorer is easier to fly than a small quad-copter. It is larger, easier
to see, and very stable. If you are primarily an airplane pilot you will immediately feel more
comfortable looking at it as compared to a quad-copter. In practice, you rarely need to hover it
at any angle other than tail-in unless you want to. When moving forward, even slowly, your
airplane instincts will take over and serve you well.
The “Very Easy” control mode requires that you hold stick input to make the aircraft respond. If
you just bump the stick the aircraft will immediately return to level and the response will be
minimal. The controls in this mode are very gentle.
Make sure you are in P1, not P1.2 or P2, for your initial hover testing.
If there is any wind, place the aircraft about 10 feet in front of you facing into the wind. This
means you will be flying tail-in which is the easiest since there is no problem with control
reversal. Even a slight wind will push the aircraft backwards, so be prepared to push the aircraft
forward into the wind. Do not let it drift back and hit you.
After doing your controls test climb to about 1 foot. When you are sure you have control of all 3
axis, climb to about 4 feet to get out of ground effect. At this point the hover should become
very smooth and predictable. Fly around a bit, and get a feel for it.
Do not try to go very fast in hover mode, especially not backwards. Flying backwards, or tail
into the wind, which is another way of flying backwards, is aerodynamically unstable. Beyond a
certain speed the aircraft will tip over backwards. It is fun to do at altitude, but not at 4 feet.
Flying forward very fast in this mode is not advisable either. The faster you go the more you
have to tilt the nose down, and the more negative lift the wing will generate. It is an inefficient
and self limiting way to fly.
Flying fast sideways in a hover is also pointless although you should get comfortable doing at
reasonably slow speeds. You will need to “cross control” slightly meaning opposite ailerons and
rudder. This is because the aircraft will want to turn its nose into the wind and you have to fight
that with rudder. For most practical flying it is best to let it turn its nose into the wind, so flying
sideways is just for building pilot skills.
You may note that yaw control is adequate but not very fast. This is mostly intentional and
relates to the flight controller setup. You should not expect to do rapid flat spins (pirouettes) in a
hover at this point.

When you are ready to begin transition testing, climb to a reasonable altitude, like 20 feet, in a
hover, and then switch into P1.2 (SFF, Slow Forward Flight). Do not switch immediately into P2
(FFF, Fast Forward Flight) at this altitude, at least not yet.
The forward thrust motor should come on gently and it should begin flying like a very light
weight and slow airplane. Have some fun in this mode, fly around, do circles, figure eights,
climb, descend, even fly several full flights like this. You will need to use rudder in SFF (Slow
Forward Flight) or hover mode. Aileron turns alone are not as effective as using rudder. You
can take off and land in this mode. It is also useful for handling a little more wind. Get used to
going back and forth between hover mode (P1) and SFF (P1.2).
When you are ready to fly in P2 (FFF, Fast Forward Flight), climb to at least 1 mistake high in
P1.2 and flip the switch into P2. Ideally it should take 5 to 8 seconds to become a regular
airplane. There is no drama involved, just fly the plane in the normal manner. Once in FFF
explore the flight envelope as you would any other plane.
Inbound transitions, from FFF to Hover mode are easy and uneventful. As with outbound
transitions, just flip the switch and fly the plane.
If you have any trim issues, switch back into P1.1 and then P1 and land. You will want to adjust
trims using the offset curves. Remember, Rudder is OUT6, Elevator is OUT7, and Aileron is
OUT8. Do not use the trims on your transmitter because those will impact the hover trim as
well.
If you do need to make small trim adjustments in FFF, I suggest you keep all points on the 7
point offset curve as the same value. Control surface deflection won’t matter in P1 (hover
mode) but it will matter by degrees throughout the transition. There will also be times when you
have significant forward airspeed in hover mode, so it helps if the trim is consistent.
Trimming is an iterative process so take your time. If you find the Roll trim is off, make sure that
the wing is on straight, not warped, and that the ailerons are adjusted evenly. In most cases
you will want to adjust the rudder offset, not the ailerons.
Once trimmed, explore the FFF envelope, fast flight, slow flight, stalls, etc. Be careful about
doing spins though. The extra weight on the wings can make it difficult to exit a spin. I do not
recommend doing spins, but if you do try them, do them up very high, and be ready to flip into
hover mode and recover that way.
Over time you can explore doing transitions at different altitude and attitudes. It is fun to hover
to just a few feet and immediately transition into FFF. You can also do climbing transitions from
a hover to FFF where you use lots of throttle and point the nose up. The airplane does not have
enough power to hover on the forward thrust motor alone, so keep it reasonable.
Inbound transitions can be made in various ways. At altitude, you can cut the throttle and glide.
While gliding you can flip into hover mode and continue to glide to your landing spot. When you
get there, just raise throttle and you will be hovering. With practice you can do more extreme
versions of this where you dive to a landing, and power up in hover mode with the nose high to
throw on the breaks. Tight turns are also possible as you burn off airspeed in hover mode.

Flight Modes
I have provided the VTOL Explorer with 2 different flight modes or parameter sets. They are
“Easy”, and “Very Easy”. Each of these two modes is a combination of options for the two sub-
modes, Hover, and FFF (Fast Forward Flight).
The Very Easy mode in hover has full AutoLevel in Pitch and Roll, mild automatic turn
coordination in yaw and modest altitude damping. In FFF (Fast Forward Flight) it has full
AutoLevel in Pitch and Roll, and full automatic turn coordination in yaw.
In calm winds you could literally take off and transition to FFF and never touch the sticks other
than throttle. When hovering, and in FFF, the aircraft will only tilt when stick input is applied. It
is helpful to use rudder when turning in SFF or hover mode, but in FFF the rudder can be
ignored. The rudder still works, but turns are coordinated automatically.
Very Easy mode is suitable for a complete beginner but it is still fun for an expert. It doesn’t limit
you much, except for aerobatics like loops or rolls. The pitch angle is limited to about +-45
degrees, and the bank angle to about +-80 degrees, even with full stick deflection.
The Easy mode in hover has full AutoLevel for Pitch and Roll, no automatic turn coordination in
Yaw, and modest altitude damping. In FFF it has modest damping in Pitch, Roll, and Yaw, No
AutoLevel and no automatic turn coordination.
The main difference between Easy mode and Very Easy mode is that Easy mode allows full
control in FFF. The modest amount of damping only makes the plane fly smother. Aerobatics
are limited by the aircraft, not by the flight controller.
The other more subtle difference is that Easy mode turns off automatic turn coordination in both
hover and FFF. The plane is already well behaved in this respect, so you might not notice the
difference.
The OAV FC has many other options suitable for other aircraft types, but they don’t make sense
for the VTOL Explorer. For example, it could be used to make a 3D model stable in hover, or fly
with unnatural precision. Of course, OAV is also capable of a simple pass through mode. It is,
in effect, a universal FC and a useful tool for almost anything that can benefit from electronic
stabilization. This includes many aircraft with poor flight characteristics.
The two flight modes that OAV provides are not limited to hover and FFF. They can be used in
any way you like. If you use a pot or slider for your transition control, you can fly with any
combination of the two modes, and vary them dynamically in flight.

Programming Parameter Differences By Flight Mode
Most of the FC parameters are the same for Easy Mode and Very Easy Mode. I will focus on
the parameters that are different. The provided spreadsheet shows the differences highlighted
in yellow:
Within the Receiver setup menu #2, the outbound transition speed is set to 8 seconds in Very
Easy mode and 5 seconds in Easy mode. The extra 3 seconds in Very Easy mode gives the
plane more time to accelerate and requires less pilot input for a smooth transition.
Within the Profile2 menu #8, the Roll AutoLvl: is set to 25 for Very Easy mode and 0 for Easy
mode. Likewise the Pitch AutoLvl: is set to 20 for Very Easy mode and 0 for Easy mode. The
VTOL Explorer is easy to fly in FFF (Fast Forward Flight) even without AL (AutoLevel).
Within the Output offsets, menu #10, the 7 point offset curve for OUT 7 (elevator) is set to -24
for all values in Very Easy mode and -14 for all values in Easy mode. A little more up trim is
required to balance against the AutoLevel used in Very Easy mode.
Within the OUT1-4 Mixer menus #11 through #14, The P1 and P2 source A: are set to Acc X,
which is the lateral accelerometer input. The corresponding volumes are set to either 20 or -20
depending on the motor. This provides a weak form of automatic turn coordination in hover
mode. When the aircraft is leaning to one side, the motors speed up or slow down to turn the
nose of the aircraft in the direction of travel. This has no effect in P2 when the lift motors are
turned off, but it remains fully effective throughout the transition.
Within the OUT6 Mixer menu #16, the P1 and P2 source A: is set to Acc X, and the
corresponding volumes are set to -10. This provides automatic turn coordination via the rudder.
The rudder has no effect without forward airspeed but the turn coordination is applied to both P1
and P2 to make it fully effective throughout the transition. It is also possible to have significant
forward airspeed even when in hover mode, so this function remains active. Finally, it is useful
to have visual confirmation that the function is active even when on the ground. When the
aircraft it held at an angle, the rudder will move towards the low wing.
Within the OUT7 Mixer menu #17, the P2 Pitch AL: (AutoLevel) is set to ON in Very Easy mode
and OFF in Easy mode. This makes the Pitch Autolevel that was programmed in the Profile2
menu #8 active for that particular output (Elevator).
Within the OUT8 Mixer menu #18, the P2 Roll AL: (AutoLevel) is set to ON in Very Easy mode
and OFF in Easy mode. This makes the Roll Autolevel that was programmed in the Profile2
menu #8 active for that particular output (Aileron).

Programming Parameter Differences by PWM Input
Different methods of communication between the RX (Receiver) and the FC (Flight Controller)
are more or less efficient in terms of the processing power and time required for the KK2 to
understand the RX output. The more efficient means of communication allow the KK2 to spend
more time sending information to the ESC’s and servos, which reduces the average latency of
stability feedback. This in turn makes the aircraft less prone to oscillate when the stability
feedback volume is increased to the limiting value.
The important latency is the latency of stability feedback, not the latency of pilot input. Humans
are very slow compared to electronics and will not notice a much longer latency of pilot input.
S.bus is an efficient and fully digital means of communication, and is therefore preferred. PWM
(Pulse Width Modulation) and CPPM (Pulse Position Modulation) are much less efficient.
Ultimately, the use of PWM or CPPM input requires smaller stability feedback values in order to
avoid oscillations. This results in a slightly less “locked in” feel for the pilot, but for the VTOL
Explorer the difference is only modest. For smaller more agile aircraft with a heavier disk
loading it can be the difference between acceptable and unacceptable.
Within the Profile1 menu #7, the Roll P: and Pitch P: are reduced from 80 to 70 when PWM or
CPPM input is used.
Within the Profile1 menu #7, the Roll and Pitch AutoLvl: are reduced from 20 to 15 when PWM
or CPPM input is used.
Other Programming Comments

I (Integral) feedback is not used for the VTOL Explorer. The one exception is Pitch in Hover
mode (P1), where a small amount is used with a very small I limit. This acts as an “auto trim”
function over a narrow range of pitch angles around level. It is convenient because it allows the
pilot to penetrate into a small amount of wind without having to constantly hold forward stick
(down elevator).
In general, it would be possible to substitute I feedback tor the AutoLevel feedback that is used
in hover. Some pilots might prefer this mode of flight, and I have flown that way, but I decided
that AutoLevel was both easier and safer. When the aircraft is far away and hard to see, it is
difficult to maintain level by visual feedback alone. Also, AutoLevel does not have the windup
issues that I feedback can have.
The high thrust line of the VTOL Explorer tends to push the nose down with increased throttle in
FFF (Fast Forward Flight). To compensate for this I have included throttle as a mix input into
OUT7 (Elevator). This can be found in the P1 and P2 Source A inputs within the OUT7, menu
#17. The volume of -10 corresponds to up elevator with increased throttle. The signs of the
values within OAV are often arbitrary as it depends on how the linkages are arranged.

Flight Controller Menu Structure Overview
Refer to the OAV User Manual for more detailed information.
#1 General Menu
Orientation: - “Top-Front” for the VTOL Explorer. The LCD is facing up, hence “top” and
the buttons are facing the “front” of the model.
Tail Sitter: No - The VTOL Explorer is not a tail sitter.
Contrast: 36 - LCD Screen contrast, 36 is the default.
Safety: Armed or Armable - Armable allows manual arm/disarm. Arm by moving both sticks
down and in for 1 second. Disarm by moving both sticks down and out for 3 seconds. The
sticks must be calibrated correctly for this to work properly.
Disarm Time: 30 - Disarms with no significant stick input and throttle below 2.5% after the
specified time in seconds.
Low V. Alarm: Off - Battery Low Voltage Alarm Threshold. OFF disables the alarm,
otherwise voltage per cell. Auto-ranging from 2S to 6S. Requires separate battery voltage
input to the KK2.
MPU6050 LPF: 44Hz -Low pass filter for both Gyro and Accelerometer output from sensor
chip. 44Hz is the default.
Acc LPF: 21Hz - Accelerometer Software Low Pass Filter (LPF) in addition to the MPU6060
hardware LPF which also applies to the accelerometer outputs. 21 Hz is the default.
Gyro LPF: None - Gyro Software Low Pass Filter (LPF) in addition to the MPU6060
hardware LPF which also applies to the gyro outputs. None is the default.
AL Correct: 6 - Sets the rate at which the accelerometers trim or "correct" the IMU level
estimate. Smaller numbers allow the accelerometers to trim the gyro drift more
aggressively. 6 is the default.
Preset: -Initializes the FC with values for standard aircraft types. None of the presets apply
except possibly for the “Blank” preset which can be used to zero out the various parameters
before entering VTOL Explorer related values.
Buzzer: On -Turns the buzzer ON/OFF. On is the default but users rarely use the buzzer
because it is annoying.
#2 Receiver Setup Menu
RX type: S.bus – Should be set to match the method of communication between the RX
(Receiver) and the FC (Flight Controller). See the OAV user manual for options.
PWM Rate: High – Appropriate for use with S.bus or other digital communication schemes.
Should be set to SyncRC or Low when using PWM or SPPM to communicate between the
RX and FC.
PWM Sync: Gear – Does not matter unless you are using PWM to communicate between
the RX and FC. When PWM is used it is set to minimize jitter. See the OAV user manual.
CH. Order: Futaba – Use whatever works for your specific TX (Transmitter) and RX.
Profile Chan.: - Defines the input channel that controls the flight control mode, AKA P1 or
hover mode, P1.2, or SFF (Slow forward Flight), or P2, FFF (Fast Forward Flight).
Outbound tran: 8 – Defines the number of seconds for an outbound transition. 8 seconds
(or 5 seconds) is used to give the aircraft time to accelerate from a hover into FFF.
Inbound trans: 2 – Defines the number of seconds for the inbound transition change of
control modes.

Transition low: 0 – Defines the low switch position as P1 or Hover mode, AKA 0% of
transition.
Transition mid: 20 – Defines the mid switch position as P1.2 or SFF, AKA 20% of
transition.
Transition high: 100 – Defines the high switch position as P2, or FFF, AKA 100% of
transition.
AccVert Vilter: Larger values wash out the vertical velocity damping more quickly.
#3 Receiver Inputs Menu – Display values only. (Very useful) Button #4 is used to zero the
stick and switch input.
#4 Stick Polarity – Follow the instructions to properly set the stick polarity for your TX.
#5 Sensor Calibration – Display of gyro and accelerometer output. Button #4 for upright
calibration. Button #3 for inverted calibration.
#6 Level Meter – 2D bubble level. Display only.
#7 and #8 – Flight Profile Menus, Profile1 (P1) Hover mode and Profile2 (P2) FFF (Fast
Forward Flight). Stability feedback related values like P, I, and AL (AutoLevel).
Roll/Pitch/Yaw P: - Rate gyro damping in each respective axis

Roll/Pitch/Yaw I: - Attitude hold gyro AKA Integral feedback in each respective Axis
Roll/Pitch/Yaw I Limit: - Limits the maximum integral “windup” corresponding to some
maximum angular displacement.
Roll/Pitch/Yaw I Rate: - Sets the rate of integral “windup” per stick input.
Roll/Pitch AutoLvl: - AutoLevel stability feedback “stiffness”.
Roll/Pitch Trim: - Trim for AutoLevel only.
Yaw Trim: Trim for Gyro feedback in Yaw.
Z-Axis P: Damping based on vertical acceleration
Z-Axis I: Damping based on Vertical velocity
Z-Axis I Limit: Maximum damping based on vertical Velocity
#9 Curves Menu – All default values. Curves are not needed for the VTOL Explorer.
#10 Output Offsets Menu, OUT1 through OUT8 – 7 point curves ranging from P1 to P2. Offset
is another word for trim.
#11 through #18, OUT1 through 8 Mixer Menus
Function – A header description that is not part of the menu in the KK2, but is used in the
provided spreadsheet for clarity.
Device: Designates which outputs are for motors or analog or digital servos for safety and
pulse rate reasons.
P1/P2 Thr. Volume: - 2 point curve defines throttle response from P1 (Hover) to P2 (FFF).
Throttle curve – Defines the overlap between the lift and forward thrust motors during
transition.
P1/P2 Ail./Ele./Rud. Volume – 2 point curve defines the stick input volume.
P1/P2 Roll/Pitch/Yaw Gyro – Turns the rate gyro feedback ON or OFF for the defined axis
in P1 or P2.

P1/P2 Roll/Pitch AL: - Turns the AutoLevel feedback ON or OFF for the defined axis in P1
or P2.
P1/P2 Source A/B: Defines optional mixer inputs. These are less commonly used but
provide additional flexibility.
P1/P2 Source A/B Volume: Defines the amplitude of the optional mixer inputs.
#19 Servo Direction for OUT1-8 – Used to reverse the direction of servo travel. Not needed for
the VTOL Explorer. I prefer not to use it in general. Instead I reverse the polarity of the inputs in
the mixer menus.
#20 and #21, Negative and Positive Servo Travel Limits for OUT1-8 - Not needed for the
VTOL Explorer. Used to prevent servo jamming.
#22 Custom Channel Order Menu – Defines the order of input channels when serial
communication is used between the RX and the FC. Only applies when Ch. Order: is set to
“Custom” in the #2 Receiver Setup menu.
#23 In/Out Display – Compact monitor screen (Display only) of FC input and output values.

Understanding the Flight Controller (Short Version)
“P” feedback is like a shock absorber that resists rotation. The larger the number, the stiffer the
shock. P feedback applies to Roll, Pitch, and Yaw.
“I” feedback is like a spring that tries to hold the aircraft in the commanded attitude. The larger
the number, the stiffer the spring. I feedback applies to Roll, Pitch, and Yaw.
“I Limit” only allows the spring to stretch or compress so far before dragging the anchor point of
the spring to a new position. The larger the number the more the spring is allowed to stretch or
compress.
“I Rate” determines how rapidly the springs anchor point moves in proportion to stick deflection.
Larger numbers move the anchor point more quickly for a given amount of stick deflection.
AutoLevel (AL) is like a spring that tries to hold the aircraft in a level attitude. The larger the
number the stiffer the spring. AL only applies to Roll and Pitch.

OUT1-8 Mixer menus
Mixing is nothing more than the addition of multiple inputs to create an output. The possible
inputs include not only pilot stick inputs but various forms of stability feedback.
Volume is nothing more than a multiplication factor applied to an input. More volume means that
input has more effect on the output.
Changing the parameters for a given output will never effect any other output.
P1 and P2 are two end points on a mixing curve. P1 corresponds to Hover Mode and P2
Corresponds to Fast Forward Flight Mode. Flight operation is possible at any point along this
curve.
There are 3 axis of rotation for stability feedback, Roll, Pitch, and Yaw, as well as the Z axis
(vertical acceleration) for Altitude Damping.
Gyro feedback includes P, and I feedback. The mixer menu only turns gyro feedback ON/OFF.
The volumes for gyro feedback are in the Profile1 and Profile2 menus.
The mixer menu only turns AutoLevel feedback ON/OFF. The volumes for AutoLevel feedback
are in the Profile1 and Profile2 menus.
The universal inputs, Source A and B, for both P1 and P2, provide additional less commonly
used inputs along with volume control.
The following applies to Altitude damping:
“Z-Axis P:” feedback resists vertical acceleration. Larger numbers provide more resistance.
“Z-Axis I:” feedback resists vertical velocity. Larger numbers provide more resistance.
“Z-Axis I limit:” defines the maximum resistance to vertical velocity. Larger numbers allow more
resistance.
“AccVert Filter:” reduces the resistance to vertical velocity over time. Larger numbers reduce the
resistance more rapidly.

Understanding the Flight Controller (Longer Version)
Hover stability is built on a base of “P” feedback. P feedback or “Proportional” feedback is also
sometimes called a “rate gyro” where the term rate refers to the rate of rotation. P feedback acts
to resist rotation. This slowing effect is sometimes called rate damping or just damping. P
feedback alone is enough to make a multi-copter flyable, although it does not technically make it
stable. It just slows the rate of rotation enough so the pilot can control it. P feedback is typically
used for all 3 axes, Roll, Pitch, and Yaw.
“I” feedback (pronounced “eye”) is based on the “Integral” of the angular rate of rotation, which
is to say the angular position. I feedback cannot be used alone, but must be combined with P
feedback or it will oscillate. I feedback has no concept of level, but only attempts to hold
whatever angular position the pilot has commanded. I feedback “remembers” a certain angular
position and will always fight to hold it, or return to it.
I feedback is subject to “windup” which is the cumulative difference between the commanded
angular position and the actual angular position. In flight this difference is typically very small,
as the aircraft is able to achieve the commanded angular position. In some cases, such as
when the aircraft is on the ground, it is unable to move as commanded and the windup can be
quite large. If the aircraft later has the ability to move, this windup can unwind unexpectedly
leaving the pilot to wonder why the aircraft seemed to move on its own. In fact the movement
was commanded, but previously and cumulatively, without the pilots understanding. This leads
to the use of an “I Limit” which limits the maximum allowable windup. The I Limit sets a
maximum angle that the aircraft will remember and attempt to return to.
Windup comes from 2 sources. One is un-commanded movement of the aircraft, typically due to
some external force. The other is pilot stick input which cumulatively commands a movement
even if the aircraft is unable to comply.
Pilot stick input causes the motors to speed up or slow down in proportion to the assigned
volume. The same concept applies to the motion of servos. In flight, the physics of the aircraft
and the P feedback, which resists the resulting angular rate of rotation, all combine to produce a
certain angular rate of rotation in proportion to stick input. Ideally, this stick input causes an
integral windup which is dynamically balanced or “unwound” by the physical movement of the
aircraft. If the stick windup is too small for the aircraft movement then the aircraft will “kick-back”
meaning the movement will partially reverse when the stick is neutralized. If the stick windup is
too large for the aircraft movement, then the aircraft will continue to move after the stick is
neutralized. The resulting “kick-forward” can be hard to see because it happens quickly, but it
makes it difficult to fly precisely. The “I Rate” adjusts the rate of stick input windup. Kick-back
suggests the need for a higher I Rate, while kick-forward suggests the need for a lower I Rate.
I feedback is imperfect due to cumulative errors in the angular position calculation. In other
words, the gyros drift slowly over time. In flight, this generally happens so slowly that it is
unnoticeable. Excessive drift can occur while the aircraft is sitting on the ground, which is why
the integral windup is held at zero whenever the throttle is off. The gyros are calibrated for drift
after power up and when arming, which is why it is important that the aircraft be held very still at
these times.

When using I feedback it is important to never use the TX trims or sub trims as this will cause
rapid gyro drift or windup. Likewise, holding stick input when the aircraft cannot respond will
cause rapid windup unless the throttle is off.
AutoLevel or AL is similar to I feedback in many ways. Like I feedback it should not be used
without P feedback or it will oscillate. Like I feedback it remembers the desired angular position
and will keep fighting to achieve it. Unlike I feedback there is no stick input involved, and no
stick windup. AL remembers level, not some arbitrary angular position that the pilot has
commanded. AL requires a bunch of complex calculations which are based on input primarily
from the gyros, and secondarily from the accelerometers. The gyros slowly drift so the
accelerometers are used to gently remind them what level is.
I feedback and AL are somewhat interchangeable depending on the desired response. One
common technique is to use mostly AL with a small amount of I feedback and a very small I
limit. In this case the I feedback acts as an “auto-trim” function over a narrow range of angles
around level. The same concept can compensate for an out of balance CG (Center of Gravity)
but only to a point.
The simplified strategy for stability feedback tuning is to increase the P feedback until the
aircraft begins to oscillate, and then back off a bit.
The strategy for I feedback is similar, however I feedback is not absolutely necessary. It is often
desirable to fly initially without I feedback to insure that the I feedback is not masking an out of
trim condition. Thereafter I feedback can be used to make the aircraft fly “better” depending on
what the pilot considers better.
AL can be added up to a point of oscillation the same as I feedback, but is usually limited by the
desired “stiffness” of the spring that pulls the aircraft back to level. Excessive stability can limit
the pilots ability to make the aircraft do what he wants. AL and I feedback can be traded against
one another in roughly equal proportions up to the oscillation limit.
Ultimately words cannot fully express the feel of an aircraft. Users are encouraged to play with
all the values and develop their own visceral understanding of what they do. The physics of
different aircraft will obviously have an impact on all of this so users should not expect that there
would be one ideal set of values for all aircraft. The different axes will often require different
values for the best results. Aircraft are rarely symmetrical in all respects, and yaw is frequently
very different than pitch or roll.
Different pilots can have very different ideas about what they like and different applications
suggest different values as well. An aircraft tuned for FPV (First Person View) is likely to be
more gentle than one intended to be flown “line of sight”. The use of stability feedback does not
necessarily imply stable, boring, or something only suitable for a beginner. The proper tuning of
stability feedback can enhance aircraft performance allowing for extreme aerobatics.

Understanding the Flight Controller (Hands On Lab)
The best way to really understand the FC is with a few simple hands on lab experiments.
Seeing how it works with your own eyes is better than 20 pages of explanation.
I will assume you have a functional VTOL Explorer. We will focus on just one FC output, OUT6,
Rudder. You can do these same sorts of tests using a motor or motors but it is easier to see the
response with a servo.
For safety sake, go into the General Menu #1 and set the Safety: to Armable. This will prevent
the motors from running unless you specifically arm them.
Set your TX to hover mode. These instructions will not work properly if you are not in hover
mode. The Profile1, Menu #7 is already set to Yaw P: 60. All of the Yaw I related parameters
are set to zero.
The Rudder, OUT6 Mixer Menu, #16 already has the P1 rudder volume set to 60. The P1 Yaw
Gyro is already ON.
The OUT6 Mixer Menu, #16, P1 Source A: is set to Acc X with a volume of -10. Temporarily set
the P1 Volume: to zero.
Make sure the FC is in the regular flight mode, not programming mode, and wait 10 seconds
after exiting programming mode for the status screen to disappear. Hold the aircraft in a fixed
position relative to your eye, so you are sighting down the nose, looking over the top of the wing
at the vertical stabilizer. Now spin your entire body, while holding the aircraft in a fixed position
so your view of the aircraft remains unchanged. The world around you should appear to move,
but not the aircraft. It is not necessary to spin fast, nor do you need to spin around far enough
to get dizzy. Just spin a half turn in both directions and watch what happens to the rudder.
You should see the rudder act to resist your rotation. The faster you spin, the more it deflects.
When you stop spinning it goes back to neutral. That is classic P (Proportional) feedback.
Now apply a fixed amount of rudder stick input and note that if you spin at just the right speed
you can bring the rudder back to neutral. This is an example of how stability fights control.
Go into the Rudder, OUT6 Mixer Menu, #16 and set the P1 Rud. Volume: to 0.
Go into the Profile1, Menu #7 and set the Yaw P: to 0. Set the Yaw I: to 100, the Yaw I Limit: to
100, and the Yaw I Rate: to 1. Place the aircraft on a level surface and grab the TX.
Raise the throttle slightly (the motors should not be armed) and apply a small amount of rudder
stick. You should see the rudder slowly move in one direction. Apply larger stick inputs and
note that you can make the rudder move faster. Drive the rudder back and forth with stick
inputs and see how it reacts. This is an example of “Integral windup” or just windup.
Drive the rudder to one side and then lower the throttle to full stop. Notice how the rudder
snaps back to neutral and is held there until you raise the throttle again.

Go into the Profile1, Menu #7 and set the Yaw I Rate: to 3. Repeat the experiment and note
that the rudder responds more quickly. Try it again with a Yaw I Rate: of 5. Don’t forget to raise
the throttle. If the rudder movement isn’t smooth it is because you are still in the status display
screen. Give it 10 seconds to go to the normal default flying screen and it will smooth out.
Go into the Profile1, Menu #7 and set the Yaw I Rate: to 1, and the Yaw I Limit: to 50 instead of
100. Repeat the experiment and note that the rudder reaches a travel limit at ½ travel. Don’t
forget to raise the throttle.
Pick up the aircraft and do your spin testing as before. Don’t forget to neutralize the rudder by
lowering the throttle, and then allow it to move again by raising the throttle. This time, you
should see the rudder cumulatively deflect the farther you spin. Once it hits the limit you can
spin as far as you want and it will move no farther. You can, however, spin a fixed amount in
the reverse direction and bring the rudder back to neutral.
Drive the rudder to one side using the rudder stick and then spin the aircraft to bring the rudder
back to neutral. This is an example of how I feedback gives you control even without rudder
stick input volume.
Lower the throttle to neutralize the rudder then raise the throttle slightly without applying any
rudder input. Now just sit and wait. You should see the rudder very slowly drift to one side. If it
drifts rapidly to one side then you need to re-center your trims and redo the Sensor Calibration
in Menu #5. This is why you should not use your TX trims when using I feedback. It causes
rapid gyro drift. Go ahead and apply a few clicks of trim and watch what happens.
You may note that you can almost eliminate gyro drift by carefully using your TX trims. As a
practical matter, this is not necessary or worth the effort. In flight you will be actively flying the
aircraft, so any compensation you make for a very slow drift will be unnoticeable amongst all the
other things you are doing.
With the P1 Rud. Volume still set to zero in the OUT6 Mixer Menu, #16, set all the P1 P and I
related values to zero in the Profile1, Menu #7. Within the OUT6 Mixer menu #16 the P1 Source
A: should still be set to Acc X. Set the associated volume for P1 Source A to -100. . Pick up the
aircraft and tilt it so the left wing is low. You should see the rudder move to the left. Lowering
the right wing should produce the opposite effect. This is the lateral accelerometer driving the
rudder for automatic turn coordination. Set the P1 Volume associated with the P1 Source A:
back to the original value, either -10 or 0, when you are done.
Set all the rudder related parameters back to their nominal values. This includes setting the
Profile1, Menu #7, Yaw P: to 60, and all the Yaw I related values to 0. Set the OUT6 Mixer
menu #16, P1 Rudder volume back to 60.
We can’t demonstrate AutoLevel (AL) using rudder, so we will need to use elevator, OUT7.
Go into the Profile1, Menu #7 and set the Pitch P: to 0,and all of the Pitch I related parameters
to 0 as well. Set the Pitch AutoLvl: to 100.
Pick up the aircraft and raise and lower the nose. Notice how the AL applies up elevator when
the nose is low and down elevator when the nose is high.

You can watch the elevator for hours but the AL will not drift. The firmware is using the
accelerometers to gently eliminate the gyro drift.
Hold the aircraft level and shove the aircraft backwards. Notice that the elevator mostly doesn’t
move. If the AL was based directly on the accelerometer input the elevator would have
bounced all over the place, but being based on the gyros, there is no response except for
whatever pitch rotation you accidentally applied when shoving the aircraft backwards.
Apply full up elevator stick input, and then raise the nose of the aircraft until the elevator comes
back down to neutral. This demonstrates how the balance of stick input and AL feedback
creates the stick to bank angle, or in this case stick to pitch angle, mode of flight. You can
change the ratio of stick angle to pitch angle by varying the ratio of elevator stick input volume
and Pitch AL feedback.
You can play with the Pitch Trim: in the Profile1, Menu #7. This trim only relates to AL and is
only effective when used for hovering.
Set the Elevator related values back to nominal. This includes the Pitch P, and I related values
in the Profile1 Menu #7. Set the Safety: related value in the General Menu #1 back to its
nominal value, probably Armed if you are using OAV V1.4 and EMAX ESCs. Be sure to test
your aircraft responses before flight.

Design Philosophy
Why a 2 pod quad SLT (Separate Lift Thrust) design? Why not a tri-copter, or a twin
boom like the Bronco? Why not a tilt rotor?
The simple answer is that the 2 pod quad SLT design is simpler, easier to build, and will fly
better.
I don't mean to say that those other design choices can't be made to fly, or fly well, but for
various good physical reasons it is more difficult to do so. Some people may prefer the
aesthetics of these other design options, and people are allowed to like what they like, but that
doesn't make them easier to build or fly better.
So what are these good physical reasons?
Let's start with a tilt rotor. Tilt rotors require tilt mechanisms which are complicated and hard to
make. You could argue that they save weight by using the same motors to provide both lift in
hover and thrust in forward flight. There is some truth to that, but the weight savings is
somewhat offset by the weight of the tilt mechanism and tilt servos. Also, assuming fixed pitch
props for model use, the low pitch props that are required to hover are inefficient in forward
flight, so any weight savings comes at a price.
What about a tri-copter? A tri-copter SLT could be made, but at least one motor would be
required to tilt for yaw control so once again there is a cost in complexity and weight.
A tri-copter can be made where 2 motors tilt to provide thrust for forward flight as in a tilt rotor. If
properly arranged the tilt mechanism for these 2 motors can also provide yaw control in a hover.
The 3rd motor can also tilt for yaw control but it is unnecessary.
Basically a tri-copter has all the problems of a tilt rotor and the additional challenge of stopping
the non-tilting tail rotor for forward flight. Shutting off a motor is simple enough, but it has to be
done in the proper proportion to maintain trim during the transition. That is something that OAV
can do but it is a more advanced technique.
Many tri-copter configurations put the single central rotor in the back, in front of the horizontal
stabilizer. This results in a down wash on the horizontal stabilizer and a strong pitch up
tendency during the transition. All of these problems can be mitigated, but it just makes things
more difficult.
Bi-copters can be made to work, but they are typically marginally stable in pitch, and not the sort
of thing that a beginner would want to fly.
I can't cover every possible configuration but they all have problems of one sort or another,
including the 2 pod quad configuration. The pods, lift motors, and lift props are all dead weight
and drag in forward flight. This is not as bad as it sounds though. The drag can be mitigated
with reasonable streamlining. The weight is carried by the wing, which is a reasonably efficient
way to do so, much more so than a rotor.

Assuming that the weight of the aircraft is approximately doubled by the addition of the wing
pods, lift motors, and larger battery, the airspeed will need to increase by 1.414 (the square root
of 2). This is because lift and drag both increase as the square of velocity. For an increase in
weight alone, both lift and drag increase in proportion so the L/D (Lift over Drag ratio) remains
the same. This means that the glide angle remains the same, but at a higher speed.
The higher speed might be a problem for a conventional airplane and require a larger wing or
possibly flaps to land, but we are talking about a VTOL. It can land at zero airspeed with no
wing at all.
There are also structural issues with different configurations. The 2 pod quad configuration
balances the loads about the wing spar which is fundamentally good. There are additional
torsional loads on the wing which can cause oscillations at high speed if it is not stiff enough.
Stiffness requires at least a small penalty in weight though it can be minimized with proper
design.
There is a heavy price to be paid for VTOL capability regardless of the configuration, but the 2
pod quad configuration is about the easiest way to pay it. It is also most likely to be successful
in the hands of a beginner.
Why are the motors in the motor pods tilted?
Mostly to improve yaw control in hover, but also to reduce drag in FFF (Fast Forward Flight).
The differential torque method of yaw control used in a standard quad-copter works fine, but
only for small quad copters, or multi-copters for that matter. For a 2 pod quad configuration such
as the VTOL Explorer, the yaw control would be quite weak if it relied on differential torque
alone.
By contrast tri-copters have relatively good yaw control due to the tilting tail rotor.
You often see quads with a large amount of tilt on the two back motors. This method works but
is not the most efficient or logical. It mostly comes from an attempt to make a quad more like a
tricopter. It introduces all sorts of asymmetry that the flight controller has to handle, but usually
the flight controller does this so well that it is not a problem. The more logical approach is to tilt
all motors evenly. It may not look as cool or radical but it is the most straight forward way to get
the job done. The resulting tilt angles tend to be quite small, like 5 to 10 degrees. There is a loss
of lift when using this technique, but it is fairly minor. The cosine of 10 degrees is .984, so the
loss of lift is less than 2%.
The ideal direction of tilt is in line with a circle around the CG. Put another way, if you could put
your eye at the CG, and you were to look outward towards the lift motors, you would see them
tilted to the right or to the left. If tilted to the left they obviously cause a left yaw, etc.
Which motors tilt right and which motors tilt left depends on the direction of rotation. There is no
logical requirement or standard for which way the motors have to turn. For a simple quad they
can work equally well either way. There might be some subtle differences, but mostly it doesn’t
matter. What does matter is that motors that turn CW (ClockWise) when viewed from above
should be tilted left when viewed from the CG, and motors that turn CCW (Counter ClockWise)
should be tilted right.

A 2 pod quad VTOL airplane is not just a quad. It does have a specific direction of forward flight
which influences the decision about which way the lift motors should turn and tilt. In general I
tend to like to tilt the front motors forward and the rear motors back. Now tilting forward and
back is not the same as tilting left and right as viewed from the CG, but it is generally close
enough. The reasons for this direction of tilt are mostly related to packaging. If the motor pods
are mounted below the wings, and the props mounted above the motor pods, then tilting the
front motor back would cause the prop to hit, or at least come closer to hitting the motor pod.
Tilting the front motor forward and the rear motor backwards increases the clearance between
the props and the motor pods, reducing the chance of a “boom strike”, or in this case I should
call it a “pod strike”.
So how much yaw authority do we really need?
That is a valid and fairly complicated question to answer. It partly relates to the feel of the
aircraft and pilot expectations but it also has practical functional considerations. For a model
VTOL aircraft, it is usually best just to point the nose into the wind. They are not limited by the
direction of a runway, so why not? Also, most VTOL aircraft have fairly strong weathervane
stability. That is to say that they naturally want to point their nose into the wind. Fighting that
tendency takes yaw control power and is usually pointless. Never the less, pilots want to have
positive control of their aircraft. They don’t want it spinning uncontrollably whenever the wind
shifts or a thermal passes through. This usually results in some sort of a requirement that the
aircraft be able to fly sideways or backwards at some minimum speed, like say 5 MPH for a
small model, or 40 MPH for a full scale aircraft.
In my personal experience, for a small RC model whose only mission is to be fun to fly, you
almost don’t need yaw control in a hover at all. You need some just to keep the pilot from
getting disoriented, but it is almost always best to let the aircraft naturally face nose into the
wind. The VTOL Explorer has plenty of yaw authority by that measure, but it also avoids the use
of I feedback in yaw so it is gently compliant to the natural wind direction. This actually makes it
easier for the pilot as they don’t have to constantly fly the rudder to keep it pointed in the right
direction.
Why are the front motors tilted 10 degrees and the back motors only 5 degrees?
This means that the plane will hover at a 2.5 degree nose up angle. It also means that in a
hover, it will be possible to tilt the nose down until the fuselage is level or even a couple of
degrees nose down before the wing starts to develop negative lift. At that angle it should be able
to fly forward at 5 to 10 MPH which means it will be able to takeoff and immediately handle a
small amount of wind even in hover mode. Beyond that wind speed it will be necessary to fly at
a higher percentage of transition, or in other words, use the forward thrust motor to push it into
the wind.
Another consequence is that when the plane is sitting on a flat surface, and you power it up
gently in hover mode, it will try to creep forward. Once it is off the ground, the autolevel will
establish the 2.5 degree nose up attitude and it will hover in place.
The rotors are also angled in an effort to reduce drag when in FFF (Fast Forward Flight). You
may notice that the lift rotors do not windmill when the VTOL Explorer is in forward flight. This is
because the relative wind is meeting the rotors edge on, neither from above or below. The
airflow ahead of the wing is angled upward due to the wings natural angle of attack. The airflow
behind the wing is pushed downward by the wing itself.

What is the logic behind the size and location of the motor pods?
The wing chord on the FT Explorer is 7.5” and the recommended CG is 2.25” back from the
leading edge. That puts the CG at 2.25” / 7.5” = 30% which is slightly conservative, meaning a
little nose heavy, but very reasonable.
7.5” – 2.25” = 5.25” of wing chord behind the CG.
The lift props are 10” diameter or 5” radius. If we mount the rear lift props behind the wing with
an extra ½” of clearance then that puts the motor shaft 5.5” behind the TE (Trailing Edge).
5.5” + 5.25” = 10.75” so the rear motor is 10.75” behind the CG. That means the front motor has
to be 10.75” ahead of the CG, so the motor pods have to be 10.75” + 10.75” = 21.5” from motor
shaft to motor shaft.
The horizontal stabilizer is 16” from tip to tip, or 8” for the half span. Since the lift props are 10”
diameter they are 5” radius. If the down wash field from the lift props is to clear the horizontal
stabilizer, just barely, then the motors have to be 8” + 5” = 13” from the center line of the aircraft.
13” + 13” = 26” from motor shaft side to side.
So the quad is 21.5” front to back, and 26” side to side. It’s not square and it doesn’t have to be.
The P, I, and AL values may be different for pitch and roll in hover, but that was probably the
case anyway. The rotational inertia was never going to be the same for pitch and roll. It’s good
to have a little extra leverage for the quad to control roll since the wings will stick out past the
motors and will at times catch gusts of wind that the motors will need to fight off.
Why is the wing thicker than stock?
The stock wing is designed to be 4 layers of foam board thick, or 3/16” x 4 = ¾” (0.75”). Mostly
to add rigidity as well as some strength I added 1 additional layer of foam board to the internal
spar. That makes the wing 3/16” x 5 = 15/16” (0.9375”).
The extra load on the wings will mostly be distributed across the span so the flight loads should
not be that big a deal. I am more interested in the additional torsional stiffness. I also think the
thicker wing will better withstand a hard landing that might otherwise crack the dihedral joint.
The original wing had a thickness of 0.75” / 7.5” = 10% which is very reasonable for a lightly
loaded slow flying airplane. The new airfoil will be 0.9375” / 7.5” = 12.5% which will generate
more lift but is still reasonable especially considering that the aircraft will be flying about 1.4
times faster with all the extra weight.
Why are the motor wires routed on the outside of the motor pods?
The motor wires could be routed internally within the motor pods, but that would make the
connectors on the motor end more difficult to access. These connectors could be eliminated
and extension wires soldered directly to the motor wires, but the overall installation would be
more difficult. Routing the wires internally would look nicer, but it would not make the plane fly
any better. In this case, the emphasis is on making the aircraft simple and functional.

How can the VTOL Explorer be improved?
The answer depends on what you want the aircraft to do, but in general the answer is drag
reduction. The 2 pod quad lends itself to a kit bash of any number of existing designs. Pusher
designs work better for FPV, but classic puller designs are fine for line of sight. A typical motor
glider would make an excellent VTOL. Flying wings can also be converted to SLT (Separate Lift
Thrust) VTOLs although the extra rotational inertia in pitch can mess with their dynamic stability.
Many existing FPV designs have more internal volume which would provide room for the FC,
power distribution and ESCs.
The motor pods as designed interact poorly with the lift propellers. They make an unnecessary
amount of noise and reduce the total lift slightly. A narrower motor pod with a more streamlined
shape relative to the downwash from the lift props would help. A little more clearance between
the lift props and the motor pods would also help.
Streamlining the motor pods would not be difficult. They could easily be made from carbon fiber
tubes with some added foam to streamline the area around the motors.
If you want to take it to the professional level, stop the lift propellers in line with the airflow for
reduced drag.
Terms of Use
The unique aspects of the VTOL Explorer design are offered freely for use by anyone,
commercial or private. If Flite Test wants to offer a speed build kit for the motor pods, etc. they
are welcome to do so.
The base Explorer design is the property of Flite Test.
The KK2.1.5 and KK-Mini design are the property of HobbyKing.
The OpenAero-VTOL (OAV) Firmware is open source and subject to the terms and limitations in
the OpenAero-VTOL User manual.
If FliteTest wanted to offer the KK2 pre flashed with OAV, and possibly even loaded with the
specific user parameters for the VTOL-Explorer then I would be happy to work with them to
make that happen. Flashing the firmware is a significant entry barrier for many new users.

Build Instructions W. Motor Pods 8-23-16

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VTOL Explorer Build Instructions

Version: 8-22-16 Designed by: Ran D. St. Clair rd_s_c@pacbell.net Page 1

A video of the VTOL Explorer in flight is available here:

The original build thread can be found here:

Version: 8-22-16 Designed by: Ran D. St. Clair rd_s_c@pacbell.net Page 2

Lift Motors: Flite Test Power Pack D, (4) Emax 2213-935kv

Version: 8-22-16 Designed by: Ran D. St. Clair rd_s_c@pacbell.net Page 3

Control System Block Diagram

PWM Input (Optional)

Version: 8-22-16 Designed by: Ran D. St. Clair rd_s_c@pacbell.net Page 4

FT Explorer Speed Build Kit, $39

Power Pack D (Standard Quadcopter), $120

Power Pack c (Fixed Wing Large), $65

FT Elements Simple Firewall , 4 each, $5 ($20 total)

Version: 8-22-16 Designed by: Ran D. St. Clair rd_s_c@pacbell.net Page 5

Male and Female Bullet Connectors, 3.5mm, 12 pairs, $5.25

Turnigy nano-tech 3300mah 3S 25~50C Lipo Pack, $28.34

ZYX-S S.BUS Connection Cable, $3.47

USBasp AVR Programming Device for ATMEL Processors, $3.99

Colored Acrylic Packing Tape, 2” wide, $3.95 each

Amazing Goop, $8.00, Any hardware store

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Label all of the signal connectors with numbers as follows:

1 – Left Front Motor

This completes the wing and the power wiring.

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And of course, don’t forget the Flite Test Stickers.

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Test the motors WITH THE PROPELLERS REMOVED!

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You are now ready to fly outdoors.

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Other Programming Comments

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#2 Receiver Setup Menu

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#6 Level Meter – 2D bubble level. Display only.

Roll/Pitch/Yaw P: - Rate gyro damping in each respective axis