Related
Recommended
Engagement
  • Author Author: tariq.ahmad
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Last Updated Last Updated:
  • Views 34962 views
  • Likes 15 likes
  • Comments 139 comments

DIY Arduino Helicopter Collective Joystick Control -- Episode 440

 

I love to fly in simulators, especially helicopters. But, there is just not an affordable collective control that I have found, so I decided to make one for myself! I am going to build a joystick using an Arduino Micro, with a bunch of buttons for assignable controls and a high quality encoder for the collective axis.

Supplemental Content:

 

Also you can watch the live Twitch recording about this build: element14 Presents Live Twitch Stream: DIY Arduino Helicopter Collective Joystick Control

Bill of Material:

Product Name Manufacturer Quantity Buy Kit
BOURNS Absolute Rotary Encoder, 120 rpm, 128 PPR, EAW Series BOURNS 1 Buy Now
ARDUINO Development Board, Arduino Micro, ATmega32U4 MCU, 20 3.3V I/O, 12 Analogue Inputs, ISCP Header ARDUINO 1 Buy Now
ITW SWITCHES Pushbutton Switch, Industrial, 59 Series, 13.6 mm, SPST-NO-DB, Momentary, Square ITW SWITCHES 1 Buy Now
ITW SWITCHES Pushbutton Switch, Industrial, 59 Series, 13.6 mm, SPST-NO-DB, Momentary, Square ITW SWITCHES 1 Buy Now
ITW SWITCHES Pushbutton Switch, Industrial, 59 Series, 13.6 mm, SPST-NO-DB, Momentary, Round ITW SWITCHES 1 Buy Now
ITW SWITCHES Pushbutton Switch, Industrial, 59 Series, 13.6 mm, SPST-NO-DB, Momentary, Round ITW SWITCHES 1 Buy Now
C & K COMPONENTS SWITCH, SPDT, 5A, 120VAC C & K COMPONENTS 3 Buy Now
BOURNS Incremental Rotary Encoder, Pro Audio, Continuous. 24 Detents, 24 Pulses, Quadrature Output BOURNS 1 Buy Now

 

Additional Parts:

 

Product Name

5 Way Momentary Square SMD Tactitle Switch

M3x5x2 Square Nuts

8mm Bore Diameter ball mounted pillow blocks

T6 Seamless Aluminum Round Straight Tubing 16 Gauge 1-3/8" OD
Attachments:
HelicopterCollective_Resources.zip
image
DIY Arduino Helicopter Collective Joystick Control

element14 presents  |  About Kaleb |  Project Videos

Actions

  • good morning how are you, I hope well, my name is Francisco and I am from Gran Canaria, Spain, first of all thank you for putting this magnificent project in everyone's hands since it is not easy to achieve something like this .. I have been watching the video and I have seen that you have made the STL files available to everyone, but what I cannot find is the electronics, the connection diagram of the arduino and the MCP 23017i GPIO with its components. Where could I get the electronic connection scheme? And my other question is, do you have plans to improve the project?

     

    Thank you.

  • Wow...thank you so much! Is there an electrical schematic listed somewhere? I have already begun printing the parts.

  • in reply to benaim

    It's just the route I took, Initial idea was to go with a timing belt for more precision, but... space.

     

    What hall effect sensor did you go with?

     

    -Kaleb

  • Very nice I just ordered all that I need, but for elevation I will try another thing... image

     

    Why not use the Hall effect sensor for elevation instead of a big gear ? image

    I think is more precise, and less mechanical...

  • in reply to atx51

    Thank you Alex. It was a blast to build!

     

    And absolutely, hit me up! Would be great to exchange some info on this, I have never spoken to a helicopter pilot on the topic (as you could probably tell),

     

    -Kaleb

  • in reply to KalebTheMaker

    Excellent project Kaleb,

     

    If you need help with gearing calculations I might be able to help as I have been mastering doing gearing and gearbox designs in Fusion 360, as I do a lot of gearbox design work for my friend who needs them for his rope winders.  So gotten pretty good at it, as I found when used correctly planetary gearing can be used to get compact gearing in a compact space. 9 to 1 ratio easy to do!

     

    Regards

    Paul

  • Kaleb,

     

    Thank you so much for posting this, I have been on a quest to do this for a couple years, and I am excited to see a well build model that's fairly in-expensive and this is a brilliant video covering all elements.

     

    I am a military helicopter pilot and avid sim flier, but am a total DIY newbie.  would it be okay to shoot you a PM to during this build to help make this?   it would mean a lot!  thank you!

     

    -Alex.

  • in reply to weiwei2

    Thanks Cheah! I am working on a blog post tutorial on the "Arduino as joystick" part of this build. Its pretty useful once you get the library figured out.

     

    I'll make sure and post a link to it back here once I am done with it.

     

    Good luck on your build, and please show us what you come up with!

     

    -Kaleb

  • in reply to jrsphoto

    Awesome, glad you got it!

     

    You know, for a cyclic I have been using a saitek X-55 and it works pretty well, so I don't think I am going to work on that step. But... Pedals are a different story. I do not have any and have thought about building some. They may be on the table after a few other projects in the queue!

     

    I think the problem with the pot is going to extend to the encoder as well. Since they have x steps per rotation, we either have to have the throttle rotate 360 degrees to get full steps, or like you said, some clever gearing to change that 90 degree turn into 360. Same thing I had to do with the gearing on the collective, except my math was wrong and I am only getting about 300 degrees out of it. haha. Whoops! It seems to be just fine since the bourns encoder has 128 steps per turn.

     

    Good luck and keep me posted, would really like to see what you come up with!

     

    -Kaleb Clark