Prolog

• Please read this instruction carefully BEFORE you start to assemble!
  This can help to avoid careless mistakes and misunderstandings in advance!
  Think about, this is an electronic flight instrument. For that reason that you must and have to solder, soldering knowledge and technical understanding is necessarely required!

Advantages

Compared to a quadrocopter with 4 rotors an MK-Hexa brings the following advantages:

• higher payload up to 0,8kg

• despite of an increased payload, no bigger (more dangerous) propellers or motors are necessary

Each motor of the MK-Hexa is individually controlled by the electronics.

Video of the MK-Hexa

Motorization

• 6 * Robbe Roxxy

• 6 * Propeller: 10" EPP1045
• Lipo 4S/3300mAh (flat)

Guide for the assembly

How to built an MK-Hexa? Here now some helpful Tipps for the assembly.

• For a bigger view you can click on all images.

Frame

The frame is essentially of:

• Alumnium booms/rigger
• milled centerplates

You start with the two identical centerplates. For your orientation: the arrow is engraved on the top of each centerplate and shows later to the front.

• The centerplates are called upper and lower plate.

Mounting the 10mm and 15mm bolts on the top centerplate

Six 10mm plastic bolts are been used later to attach the BL-regulators. The 10mm bolts are attached with short plastic scews to the upper side of the centerplate (tags H1-H6).

Four 15mm vibration damper are used to mount the FlightCtrl. Two dampers are now mounted with 5-mm steel bolts or short plastic screws. The remaining two damper please do not mount right now because they are later attached to the rigger with longer screws.

• The bolts are mounted to the upper plate and pointing upwards.

Centerplate for Hexa and Okto (Assembly for Hexa TOP-side)

Screwing the 15mm-Bolts

To these bolts the cam-mounting can be attached later. The bolts are attached with 8mm-plastic screws.

The bolts are attached to the lower plate and pointing downwards.

NOTES: When using the Lipo-holder (LiPo-Holder) the installation of the 15mm bolts are not necessary at this point.

Centerplate for Hexa and Okto (Assembly for Hexa BOTTOM-side)

Prepare rigger

If the cables should be installed into the rigger you possibly still have to drill holes into the rigger.

The drawing shows you the location and position if you need to drill the 6,5mm-holes.

Assembling and connecting the motors

The motors will be mounted with the supplied screws. Anyway you should use (economically!)Screw locking adhensive/thread-lock (Loctite middle-strength or other).

Feeding in the motor-, LED- and buzzer cables

In each rigger the associated motor-cables should be fed. In the front and in the three rear rigger an additional red and black 0.5mm² silicon-cable in a suitable length will be added.

The motor cables are led out from the currently delivered sets on the left side of the rigger (oval hole)!
(Seen from the center of the centerplate)

On the following images the cables could come out on the other side. This is the fact because these are older pictures. So, please don't get irritated! The actual set's need the cables in that way as shown in the picture above!

TIPPS:

• Stick or solder wires together before pulling them through the rigger (Attention: If you rotate the engine by hand with the cables soldered together you might notice that they are stiff. This is due to short-circuits and induced current !)

• If needed attach a string to the wires and pull it through first. Make a knot at the end, so the wire can't slip back out again.

Assemble and connect the buzzer

On the red and black 0.5 mm² silicon cable of the rear rigger you need to attach a short piece of shrink tube. After that you solder on the buzzer with the right polarity (Red is PLUS (+) and black is MINUS (-)). Now shrink the solder-joints. To finish it up shrink the buzzer with a short peace of transparent shrink tube.

Connect and assemble the LED-Stripes

N O T E S: The color of the LED-Stripes are various in the sets. Here we describe it with red and blue LED's!

On the red front-rigger stick/glue the stripe with the red LED's. One stripe has always 6 LEDs (eventually you need to cut it to an appropriate length). On the black rigger rear-left and rear-right stick/glue a stripe of blue LED's on the described rigger. After that you solder the LED-Stripes with the right polarity to the red and black 0.5mm² silicon cable of each rigger. To finish it cover and shrink the LED-Stripes with a peace of transparent shrink tube.

Assemble the rigger

The six rigger will be attached between the upper and the lower centerplate. The red outrigger shows to the front.

To fix the rigger at the inner and middle rings of the centerplate you need the twelve 15mm-Metal-screws respectively the two leftover vibration damper which you srew down pretty well. They are responsible for the stability. On top of the 15mm vibration damper the Flight-Ctrl will be later mounted.

The two left and the two right outrigger will be centered to the outer rings of the centerplate and fixed with two 15mm-plastic screws each and tightened with two plastic nuts. The front and the rear rigger will be centered later on through the screws of the landing gear. Right now screws for that are not necessary.

Assembling the four cover-holder

At these four plastic parts the transparent cover will be attached. They also work as spacer between the centerplates.

The spacer will be attached with 15mm plastic-screws and plastic-nuts.

Assign the cables

The cables out of the outrigger should be sorted: the motor-cables of the rigger No. 2,4,6 as well as all LED- and the buzzer-cable are been brought through the appropriate opening to the middle of the upper centerplate. The motor cables of the rigger 1,3,5 are been brought through the appropriate opening to the edge of the upper centerplate.

Hook and Loop Fastener

With the hook and loop fastener the battery will be attached later on.

The hook and loop fastener is fed through the designated slashes. The small hooks should point inwards so that they can hook up to the attached hook and loop fastener attached onb the battery.

N O T E S: If using a Lipo-Holder (LiPo-Holder) hook and loop fastener is not necessary at this time.

Electronic

The electronics and algorithms running inside the microcontrollers are the central components of a MikroKopter. Only through their sensors and fast adaptive control functions flights are possible.

It consists out of:

• FlightCtrl -> "Main-controller with sensors" to calculate the Kopter's state

• BL-Ctrl -> fast control of the brushless motors

• Receiver -> Interface between transmitter (pilot) and FlightCtrl

• LiPo-Battery -> Power supply

Flight Ctrl

Assignment FC ME v2.1

TOP-Side

01 - Molex-Socket

• Assignment from top to bottom:
  1 - GND (FC and Buzzer)
  2 - + Buzzer
  3 - I2C-Bus (D)
  4 - I2C-Bus (C)
  5 - +12V (Lipo voltage)
  
  

BOTTOM-Side

01 - 10pole pin-header (MK-USB or to NaviCtrl)
02 - Height regulator (marked lead points to the Gyros on the right)
03 - 6pole pin-header (Servo2 / Servo3)
04 - 6pole pin-header (Servo4 / Servo5)
05 - DC/DC Converter 5V Recom (Power Supply FC ME)
06 - DC/DC Converter 5V Recom (Power Supply Servos)
07 - 6pole pin-header (SPI or to NaviCtrl)
08 - 6pole pin-header (Servo1 / switching outputs J6/J7)
09 - I2C-Connector (D/C) for BL-Ctrl.
10 - JETI (using a Jeti/Graupner HoTT Receiver with data-channel; solder a bridge)
11 - Terminal block (5V, G, 3V, RX, TX)

• Connecting a Jeti/Graupner HoTT Receiver (Telemetric Line):

  • "JETI" provided with a solder-bridge and in addition solder the data-channel to "RX". (The PPM cable solder to "Point 13")
    

  Connecting a Spectrum Receiver:

  • Spectrum Receiver cable colorwise on Orange-3V, Black-G, Gray-RX.
    

12 - Connector Buzzer (BUZ-/BUZ+)
13 - Connector PPM Receiver (GN-Brown, +5-Red, PPM-Orange)
14 - Minus-Connector Power Supply
15 - Plus Connector Power Supply (using a switch)
16 - Plus Connector Power Supply (direct connector without switch)

Receiver connector

You can connect all receiver to the FlightCtrl as long as they provide a PPM sum-signal.

Connecting a PPM Receiver

On the bottom-side of the FlightCtrl you can find the PPM-Connectors "GND" (brown), +5 (red) and "PPM" (orange).
There you solder the receiver-cable and connect it to the receiver.

Connecting the Telemetric for Jeti/HoTT Receiver

Here you need to make an additional solder-bridge on JETI and solder the data-cable on RX.

Connecting a Spektrum-Receiver

Instructions to connect and to "bind" the Spektrum receiver

The connection cable between Receiver AR6200 and Satellite receiver will be appropriate shortened after "binding" and soldered down on the three solder spots of the FC.

Additional connection cable are available in our Shop!

The Spektrum-Receiver will be hooked up as shown and placed in a position between the centerplates. Tie it with a cable tie.

BL-Regulator / BL-Ctrl's

The BL-Ctrl's are especially developed for the MikroKopter.

Other than normal and conventional BL-regulators our BL's have a fast data-bus to the FlightCtrl (I2C) to implement spontaneously the nominal values of the motors.

Conventional BL-Regulator can't be used!

Addresses like 1-4 respectively 5-6 will be assigned over solder-jumper on each BL-regulator.

Choosing the address on BL-Ctrl 1.2

Each motor requires a unique address. That's why adresses from 1-6 are assigned.

With a BL-Ctrl V1.2 the motor adresses can be set by a jumper (soldered) directly on the board.

Addresses 1-4

It is here:

Addresses 5-6

For that reason that on a HexaKopter motor-addresses from 1 to 6 are used the BL-Controller 5-6 need extra software.

These brushless controllers are addressed as follows:

In the complete sets the BL-regulators with the extra software are marked (white dot).

BL-Ctrl 2.0

Each motor needs a unique address. For that reason addresses from 1-6 are assigned to the BL-regulators.

With a BL-Ctrl V2.0 the motor adresses can be set by a jumper (soldered) directly on the board.

It is here:

Power distribution board

The BL-Hexa distribution board supplies the controller with power and connects the I2C bus for communication.
Over the Molex-cable the connections for the supply, the I2C-bus and the buzzer will be passed on to the FlightCtrl. Soldering other cables to the FlightCtrl is not necessary.

Connections of the distribution boards

Arrangement of the BL-Ctrl's

The BL-Ctrl's are placed in the designated spots on the distribution-board and connected via wire jumper.

The TOP-side of the distribution-board is marked with a +.

This arrangement applies to the Hexa-outrigger where the holes for the motor-cables are on the left side of the rigger (oval hole). This arrangement makes sure that later on the Molex-socket and the 10pole socket of the FlightCtrl are not getting in their ways.

(ALL actual sets are in that way!)

The BL-Ctrl's are arranged into the distribution board as shown.

The processors and also the solder connections for the motor-cables on the FET's must show UP on all controllers.

In this graphic the cable colors are already set up (Black = Schwarz; Blue = blau; Gray = grau).

At the older outriggers the drill holes for the cables were on the right side. And there is the following assignment:

old assignment

Molex-Socket

The Molex connector is listed as an SMD component and need to be soldered down carefully to the distribution-board. This requires a little bit of sensitive feeling while soldering. Work economically with the solder and check afterwards your solder joints with magnifying glasses for shorts.

Placing wire bridges

On the distribution board you need to place six wire bridges. They are made out of silver wire. Also here use the solder economically otherwise you'll get solderbridges between PLUS (+) and the I2C-Bus.

Checking for shortages

The bridges may not have contact against each other or against PLUS(+) or MINUS(-).

To measure with a multimeter: All points must have a high impedance to each other --> higher than 100kOhm respectively the multimeter doesn't show anything. (The BL-Ctrl's are not soldered in at this point)

Soldering the Elkos on BL-Ctrl 2,4,6

N O T E S : The following pictures show the old version of the distribution-board where the BL-Ctrl #6 is on the left next to the arrow!
In the new distribution-board is the BL-Ctrl #1 on the left next to the arrow (as shown in the drawing above)! For that reason that the Elkos for 1,3,5 are placed outside you should start with 2,4,6 as described.

The voltage supply of the BL-Ctrl is connected through the wires of the capacitors. The capacitors are mounted horizontally on the top of the distribution board.

The leads of the Elkos are bended 90° and been installed right in polarity through the solder holes PLUS(+) and MINUS(-) on the distribution board. From the bottom-side you attach the BL-Ctrl's to the leads of the Elkos and bend it. Squeeze it with your pliers and solder it down.

MINUS (marked on the Elkos) is for the inner Elkos inside and for the outer Elkos outside.

You need to solder all Elkos carefully and with alot of heat otherwise you'll get pretty quick a cold solder-joint. The distribution-board is covered with 70µm copper so that more heat can be discharged to the sides.

Over this solder-joints goes a bunch of current and for that reason you need to solder those connections from both sides of the distribution board.

Connecting the I2C-Bus to the BL-Ctrl's 2,4,6

The I2C-Bus (C and D) will be connected over two small peaces of silver wire (i.e. the cutted leads from the Elkos).

The silver wire will be stuck in the holes of the distribution-board and bent over. After that the ends of the wires will be soldered to the "C" and "D" connection pads of the BL-Ctrls.

Soldering the Elkos for BL-Ctrl's 1,3,5

For the BL-Ctrl 1,3,5 the leads of the capacitors are bended 90° as shown. From the capacitor body to the kink the MINUS lead has a length of 4mm and the PLUS lead a length of 1mm. The capacitors should be stuck right in polarity through the solder holes PLUS(+) and MINUS(-) on the distribution board. From the bottom-side you attach the BL-Ctrl's to the leads of the Elkos and bend it. Squeeze it with your pliers and solder it down.

Connecting I2C-Bus to the BL-Ctrl's 1,3,5

The I2C-Bus (C and D) will be connected over two small peaces of silver wire (i.e. the cutted leads from the Elkos).

The distribution-board should look in that way:

Connection cable of the distribution-board

First at all connect following cables to the distribution-board:

• Battery Plus and Minus (2,5mm² + = Red and - = black)
• Power supply FC (0,5mm² + = Red and - = black)

N O T E S : In that way the solder work for the FlightCtrl, the connection for the I2C and the buzzer can be reduced throughout the Molex-plug.
Before mounting the BL-Electronic to the frame you need to solder the cables for the buzzer (right in polarity) to the bottom-side of the distribution-board before, because if it is mounted, it's almost impossible.

Battery cable / Supply of the FlightCtrl

Battery cable: Silicon wire ca. 15cm / 2,5mm²

The supply for the FC is taken from the small + and - pads of the distribution-board. Supply cable of the FC: Silicon wire ca. 5cm / 0,5mm²

ATTENTION: Tin the ends pretty well so that no fine parts of the wires can get loose.

Mounting the BL-Electronic onto the frame

Place the BL-Electronic on the 10mm bolts.
ATTENTION: Motor 1 to the front!

ATTENTION: The 10mm spacers on which the BL-Ctrl's are screwed tightly must be rotated so that the standoffs fully rest on the board of the respective BL-Ctrl. Please do not pinch the SMD capacitor C7!

Connecting the LED-cable to the distribution-board

To those +/- pads of the distribution-board for the power supply of the FC the cable for the LED-stripe of the front rigger will be soldered down there and of course right in polarity.

To those +/- pads of the distribution-board for the power supply of the FC the cable for the LED-stripe of the front rigger will be soldered down there and of course right in polarity.

Connecting the motor-cables to the BL-Ctrl's

Now the motor-cables will be soldered down to the solder pads of the BL-Ctrl's.

If the motors are MK2832/35 or Roxxy 2827/35 the connection sequence can be choosen fix.
Motor connection A = gray cable, B = blue cable, C = black cable on the odd motor addresses (rotating clockwise).
Motor connection A = blue cable, B = gray cable, C = black cable on the even motor addresses (rotating anticlockwise).
If the motors are Typ AXI with long cables the connection sequence can be choosen fix, too.
Motor connection A = yellow cable, B = red cable, C = black cable on the odd motor addresses (rotating clockwise) (Pad C = near/close to the Elko).
Motor connection A = red cable, B = yellow cable, C = black cable on the even motor addresses (rotating anticlockwise).

If they are different motors the connection sequence doesn't matter. If testing the motors maybe two colored cables need to be changed.

The cables of the engines for the BL-Ctrl 2,4,6 will be shortened accordingly, stripped, tinned well and soldered down from the "inside " to the respective BL-Ctrl. The connecting sequence doesn't matter right now. Maybe the sequence need to be switched for the start-up.

Opportunities to switch the LEDs

The Hexa distribution-board has an integrated circuit to drive and switch the LEDs.

It can also be subsequently connected and is not really essentially necessary to fly.

Describtion here

Connecting the FlightCtrl

The FlightCtr2.1 will be connected over the Molex-cable to the power distributor.

Direct connection

If you like to connect the FlightCtrl directly feel free to do so. Get information out of the following pictures:

Supply

PLUS(+) must be connected behind the switch because the switch is not assembled on the Hexa (is not included in the delivery).

The Hexa will be switched on/off later through connecting/disconnecting the battery.

The wires should be twisted slightly so that the compass gets njo interference later on.

Connecting the buzzer

==== Montage der FC ===== You can screw plastic nuts on the threads of the vibration damper so that the FC comes higher approx. 3mm. The FlightCtrl will be mounted in the way that the small arrow points to the front. The FC will be tightened with four 15mm distance bolts.

Connecting I2C to the distribution-board

The two pre-assembled cables of the FC for the I2C bus will be now soldered to the corresponding connection pads of the distribution board (C = Red and D = black).

Battery cable

Now the battery cable will be pulled through the spot on the centerplate.

In our actual sets the battery cable is already pre-assembled. If it's not in that way please go ahead as follows:

First at all attach a 2cm long shrink tube to each battery cable. Then the battery connector will be soldered (Deans/male) and after that shrink the tube to protect the wires against shortages. (PLUS is marked on the connector)

Maybe to the battery the Deans-plug (female) need to be soldered.

Here again - tin well for protection against short circuits.

The battry plugs are tightened with zip-ties.

DO NOT shorten the battery contacts!

Final assembly

Assembling the FlexLanders (XL)

The landing gear will be assembled with M3x20mm-Steel-Screws.

Lipo-Holder

If a Lipo-Holder is used: LiPo-Holder

Assembling the plate for the camera-mount

The external threads of the lower 15mm plastic spacers will be cut down with a cutter. After that srew 8mm vibration damper to the lower spacer.

The plate for the camera-mount will be tightened with 4 plastic nuts and can be attached later on to that spot.
(Not included in the the delivery. The camera-plate will be not used because all camera brackets have already their own mounting plate.)

Assembling the battery

The battery will be pushed under the camera-plate and secured with hook and loop fastener.

Assembling the cover

From the lower ring of the cover you need to cut out six peaces for the rigger. The cover can be spray-painted inside as desired. Normally a black spray-paint is used. After that drill holes through the cover and equal through the cover-holder.

The cover will be now screwed tightly with metal-screws. Alternatively you can get for some money a thread-drill in a construction market and make your own M3-threads. But here you need to drill a hole before with a M2-drill and after that drill with the M3-thread drill. Actually you can use the leftover M3x8 plastic-screws out of the built to tightened the cover. The plastic screws can be opposed to other metal screws tighten or loosen by hand.

Ventilation hole in the cover

With a payload > ca. 700g the cover need to have a ventilation hole of approx. 2cm to avoid that the heat is been kept under the cover.

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