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Prolog

The FailSafe-funktion is an additional safety feature for the Mikrokopter.
If there is a loss of the receiving signal the Kopter will not crash with the correct set up functions,
but flies back automatically into the direction of the Homeposition (Start position) and also into the range of receiving.

Important on this occasion: So that you can use this function the used receiver must display the loss of the received signal.
Wether the used receiver is indicating that you can determine easily as follows:
Receiver is connected to the FlightCtrl. Transmitter and FlightCtrl are switched ON (supplied with voltage).
If the transmitter will be switched OFF now the red LED on the FlightCtrl must light and the buzzer must give a warning signal.
If you switch the transmitter ON again the warning signal disappears and the red LED is OFF.

If this case you can use the FailSafe after some settings that are described below.

If you switch "OFF" the transmitter and you do not hear a warning signal from the copter and there is no red LED on the FlightCtrl, the receiver will not send a "warning signal".
In this case you please do this:

Receiver without an indicator for the loss of a received signal:
Since Softwareversion V0.88 (FlightCtrl) you can use also a receiver for the FailSafe (and Emergency-Gas/Throttle) which is not displaying the loss of a signal.
This requires, however, two conditions.

• First at all you need to have a free channel which will be set in the tab "Misc":

• 
  
  

  On the other side the receiver must have its own "Fail Safe" feature (It has nothing to do with the "FailSafe" of the Mikrokopter).
  This can be used for each channel of the receiver for the case of a signal failure and a value can be assigned here.
  The appropriate channel must be set up in that way that it is switched ON during operation and switched OFF during a signal failure.
  (The exact settings are described in the instruction manual of the appropriate receiver or information will be given by the manufacturer.)
  
  

The function

A loss of a signal can have different sources. You fly out of the range of the transmitter/receiver or the voltage of the battery has a low voltage and fails, etc.

If the MikroKopter detects a loosing signal the FailSafe-Function will be active for maximal 60 Seconds with the following functions (from version V0.88 FlightCtrl):
(This time you can enter under "Failsafe CH time": Link.)

• First at all the function "PositionHold" will be activated for 5 seconds and the Kopter climbs/falls to the already set "ComingHome Altitude".

• After the 5 seconds the function "ComingHome" will be automatically activated and the Kopter flies bach into the direction of the Homeposition (Start Point).
  (If the set altitude shouldn't have been reached within the first 5 seconds increases or decreases the Kopter its altitude during the flight back.)

• If the signal restores again a normal control is possible.

• If the signal is not restoring at that time the Kopter will fly back to the Homeposition and will switch there automatically into a fixed rate of descent and tries to land.

• For the flying back and the descent flight to the Homeposition the left over 55 seconds are available.

If throughout a too great distance or altitude/height the 60 Sec. is been depleted during the flight back to the Homeposition or during the descent flight the Kopter will turn and switch automatically to the already set "EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle".
The Kopter will go into a descent flight with the set up values for "EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle Time" and "EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle".

The settings

To use the "FailSafe"-Function you need to set this 3 Step's:

Step 1

Setup of the ComingHome Altitude.

Here you can enter the altitude in which the Kopter, in case of a lost signal, flies back.
This altitude will be used not to fly into i.e. houses, trees, bushed etc. during an automatical back flight.

The altitude can be either way entered in the settings under "EasySetup":

or under the tab "Navi-Ctrl 2":

Step 2

Setup of the Failsafe CH time.

In this setting you enter the time for the Kopter which is maximal available for the function "FailSafe".
As a maximal used time you can enter here "60" for 60 Seconds.
(You can enter also a higher number but only the maximal value of "60" will be stored.)

This "FailSafe"-Time will be entered in the tab "MISC":

Step 3

Setup of EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle Time and EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle.

For information: The whole Emergency-Gas/Throttle-regulation will be only active if a gas/throttle value of >40 and for at least 4 seconds has been exceeded, that means the Kopter probably flies!

If the "FailSafe"-Time has been elapsed and the Kopter is still in the air the EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle Time and the EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle will be active.
This setting works also immediatly if no "ComingHome Altitude/height" has been entered.

Point 1: EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle Time
The "EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle Time" determines the term of the EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle function. After that time the engines turn off automatically.
Here you can enter maximal "247" = 24,7 Seconds.

Point 2: EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle
Here you can set the speed for the descent flight of the Kopter.
(Only valid for the "EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle"-function, not for thze function "FailSafe". Here the speed for the descent flight will be determined automatically.)

You can enter here either way a fixed value which depends on the weight of the Kopter. That must be determined before.
Or you use the "Automatic" and activate the entry "Use vario controlfor failsafe altitude".
ATTENTION: If you activate this entry a percent-sign (%) appears before the entry "EMERGENCY-Gas/Throttle".

Now you can enter here a percent value of the needed hovering-gas/throttle. If you enter here a "100" for 100% the Kopter would hover instead of turning into a descent flight.
A little bit smaller value should be entered here.
ATTENTION: The smaller the value the faster descent the Kopter. With a value i.e. of 80% the Kopter comes down pretty quick.

Video of the FailSafe

ATTENTION: PLEASE DO NOT IMITATE! If you switch OFF the transmitter the Kopter is inevitably NOT UNDER CONTROL and can crash! To switch ON the transmitter can take a few seconds.

see also: Firmware-0.86