Correct Blimpduino LED/motor/servo behavior

[Chris Anderson]

The correct Blimpduino behavior modes are as follows.

First power-up of board, straight from the factory:

Red Power LED:	On
Four green LEDs	Flashing in sequence, then altogether, then in sequence again:

Blimpduino code loaded, RC receiver plugged in. Power on/calibration sequence:

Red Power LED:	On
Four green LEDs	1st: flashing in sequence. Then: North LED only while reading RC. Then: alternate N&S, E&W to signal RC control
Vectoring servo:	Responds to RC stick control
Motors:	Speed up when channel 2 stick is pushed up, slow down when pushed down. Channel 1 stick controls which motor spins faster

Autonomous mode (RC not connected) startup:

Red Power LED:	On
Four green LEDs	Flashing in sequence
Vectoring servo:	Moves up, level and then down while calibrating US sensor. Then tilting up or down for altitude hold depending on whether the board is above or below initial height
Motors:	Should spin. Direction/speed depends on what the sensors are seeing

Autonomous mode (RC not connected); beacon present and visible to board:

Red Power LED:	On
Four green LEDs	Light up in direction of beacon
Vectoring servo:	Then tilting up or down for altitude hold depending on whether the board is above or below initial height
Motors:	Should spin. Direction/speed depends on what the sensors are seeing

Autonomous mode (RC not connected); beacon not present and or not seen by board:

Red Power LED:	On
Four green LEDs	Off
Vectoring servo:	Stationary, usually titled down
Motors:	Should spin. Direction/speed depends on altitude

Battery low:

Red Power LED:	On
Four green LEDs	All flashing
Vectoring servo:	Stationary
Motors:	Off

[Mitch Patenaude]

Just to clarify, until the blimpduino code is loaded using the FTDI cable, the RC mode will not work with the code that is loaded at the "factory". Is that correct?

[Chris Anderson]

Correct

[david williamson]

because most domestic environments are very cluttered, wouldn't the ultrasonic eye be better employed using the ceiling as a height datum? What about unsoldering the ultrasound transducer & putting it on top of the blimp facing upwards then removing the altitude moter & sticking it back on upside-down?