Flex innovations Pirana, Instruction Manual

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Page 2: ...PLEASE VISIT OUR WIKI PAGE SUPPORT SITE FOR THE LASTEST PRODUCT UPDATES FEATURE CHANGES MANUAL ADDENDUMS AND FIRMWARE CHANGES FOR BOTH YOUR AIRCRAFT AND THE INSTALLED FT AURA 5 LITE ADVANCED FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM wiki flexinnovations com wiki Pirana wiki flexinnovations com wiki Aura ...

Page 3: ...26 Replacing Servos 26 2 INCLUDES Piraña assembled and painted airframe with decals applied FT Aura 5 Lite Advanced Flight Control System programmed and ready to use Potenza 20L 1200Kv Motor ZTW 50A ESC 2 Potenza DS17 Digital Servos 2 Potenza DS12 Digital Servos REQUIRES Connecting Binding your Receiver to Aura 8 Connecting your Receiver to Aura 9 Receiver Installation Mounting Locations 10 Connec...

Page 4: ...M417001A FPM417001B FPM417002A FPM417002B FPM417004A FPM417004B FPM417003A FPM417003B FPM417005A FPM417005B FPM417006A FPM417006B FPM417007A FPM417007B FPM417009 FPM417010 FPM417011 FPM417011A FPM417011B FPM417012A FPM417012B FPZDS12P FPZDS17 FPZM1020LA FPZM1020L1 FPMZ1020L2 ZTW50A Pirana LPO6565 Piraña Super PNP Orange Piraña Super PNP Yellow Piraña Fuselage Orange Piraña Fuselage Yellow Piraña W...

Page 5: ...and maintenance It is essential to read and follow all the instructions and warnings in the manual prior to assembly setup or use in order to operate correctly and avoid damage or serious injury 2 This model is not a toy rather it is a sophisticated hobby product and must be operated with caution and common sense This product requires some basic mechanical ability Failure to operate this product i...

Page 6: ...ugh the Aura Description of Pre Loaded Aura Light Modes The FT Aura 5 Lite AFCS Advanced Flight Control System comes programmed and installed in your Piraña making setup a breeze This highly refined 3 axis gyro makes the aircraft fly like it is a larger aircraft and in less wind Thanks to the Aura s advanced implementation it not only enhances the flying experience but it never interferes with the...

Page 7: ...Elevator 1 Rudder Ail Ele Rud 100 Verify at zero NOT ALLOWED Verify at zero Assign to a 3 position switch Jeti Ex Bus Not Allowed 100 1 Aileron 1 Elevator 1 Rudder Ail Ele Rud Set to 4 00 for initial flights The included FT Aura 5 Lite is designed to work seamlessly with all popular transmitter and receiver brands however transmitter setup is significantly different than when setting up a model wi...

Page 8: ...the ESC is now armed and the motor will spin in response to throttle stick movement Observe the following procedures to safely power up your model after it has been bound ONLY CONNECT THE BATTERY WHEN THE THROTTLE STICK AND THROTTLE TRIM IS IN THE IDLE CUT OFF POSITION Choosing a Receiver Aura will auto detect modern serial receiver connections For use in the Piraña only a serial receiver connecti...

Page 9: ...ou are using Futaba S Bus be sure to use the proper S BUS port in your receiver DO NOT use the S BUS2 port as it is not supported with the FT Aura 5 Lite Refer to your manufacturer s instructions for proper S Bus use Note When using Spektrum SRXL to connect to the Aura always connect the remote receivers to the Spektrum receiver NOT the Aura With your transmitter and receiver powered OFF press and...

Page 10: ... LED Aura NOT Receiving Receiver Data ESCTHROTTLECALIBRATION In order to map the full range of the ESC output to your throttle stick motion you will have to perform an ESC throttle calibration NOTE Execute ESC throttle calibration with the propeller removed 1 Power ON your transmitter DISABLE any throttle hold or throttle kill switches completely lower the throttle trim and set the stick to full t...

Page 11: ...nal mounting locations in the vertical fins Follow your receiver manufacturer s instructions for details on how to mount your receiver s Lift the forward hatch off of the fuselage by lifting at the front and pulling the hatch forward away from the fuselage Remove the 4 rear hatch screws using a 2 Phillips screwdriver and lift the rear hatch off the fuselage Required Tools and Fasteners 2 Phillips ...

Page 12: ...ng tube is installed at the rear Slide a wing panel onto the wing tube until only a small gap is left Connect the elevon servo wire as well as the LED JST wire and fully seat the wing to the fuselage being careful to avoid pinching the elevon and LED wires Secure each panel with 1 M3x15 self tapping Phillips head screw at the front and 1 M3 5x10 Phillips head self tapping screw at the rear Repeat ...

Page 13: ...eft and right vertical fins Insert the vertical fin into the pocket in the main wing noting that the decals face the wing tips and the servos orient toward the middle of the aircraft Be careful not to pinch the servo wire 12 VERTICAL FIN INSTALLATION Required Tools and Fasteners QTY 4 2 Phillips Screwdriver 4 M3x15 Phillips head self tapping screws 1 2 ...

Page 14: ...ote Receiver wire if applicable into the slot in the wing and fuselage Connect each wire to their corresponding ports on Aura 3 Left Rudder S4 Right Rudder S5 Remote Receiver Mini Port B Left Rudder Right Rudder Remote Receiver NOSE INSTALLATION Image of standard Nose installation using tape We recommend using clear tape in addition to the magnets too hold the removable nose to fuselage ...

Page 15: ...llips screwdriver and 2 M2 x 10 self tapping screws that are provided with the mount We used some hook and loop tape with a cable tie to secure the video transmitter in place 14 1 QTY 2 2 M2x10 Phillips head self tapping screws Required Tools and Fasteners 1 Phillips Screwdriver Hot Glue Gun for mounting camera NOTE The video transmitter mount is an optional accessory FPM417010 and can be purchase...

Page 16: ...our video camera is to simply use a couple small dots of hot glue on the front and rear of the camera to secure it in place Be sure to avoid getting glue on important lenses or electrical components FPV Video Gear continued 2 3 Route the camera wire through the slot in the front of the fuselage regular clear tape to secure the FPV nose in place as the magnets may not be strong enough to support th...

Page 17: ...hesive backed hook and loop tape to the plywood battery tray in the fuselage and the loop side to your battery 16 BATTERY INSTALLATION 1 2 Place the battery on the tray and secure it in place with the provided hook and loop strap ...

Page 18: ...fy the lights switch on and off when the assigned switch moves positions and the LEDs are powered If you want the switch to work in the opposite direction simply reverse the channel in your transmitter WARNING THE LEDs DRAW CURRENT FROM ONLY 3 CELLS OF THE BATTERY POWERING THEM IF USING A HIGHER CELL COUNT BATTERY FOR POWER 3 OF THE CELLS WILL HAVE LOWER VOLTAGE THAN THE OTHERS AT THE END OF EACH ...

Page 19: ... image above 174mm 6 27 32 inches is the optimum location for all types of flying Do not fly the Pirana with a CG further aft than 170mm 6 11 16 inches as the aircraft can become unstable Required Tools and Fasteners NOTE The propeller nut is left hand threaded Turn the nut counter clockwise to tighten and clockwise to loosen 1 Locate the propeller and propeller nut Install the propeller on to the...

Page 20: ... Email us at support flexinnovations com for corrective action Note that BOTH the Transmitter Control Direction Test AND the Flight Controller Sensor Direction Test MUST BOTH BE PASSED IF ONE DOES NOT PASS DO NOT FLY AILERON RUDDER ELEVATOR Transmitter Command Proper Control Stick Left Stick Right Stick Forward Stick Aft Stick Left Stick Right CONTROL DIRECTION TEST ...

Page 21: ...tact us via email at support flexinnovations com FLIGHT CONTROL SENSING DIRECTION TEST The flight control system activates with RF broadcast Perform these tests in Mode 3 higher gain for better visibility and then in Mode 2 and in any other modes that have gyro gains assigned By default Mode 1 has no gain assigned Control surface deflections are exaggerated in the drawings below for clarity Please...

Page 22: ...a safe direction Hold the airframe firmly smoothly advance the throttle to full and back to idle Listen and watch for any odd or unusual behavior for the motor or speed controller 21 Launch Assist makes hand launching your model a breeze Launch Assist establishes a brisk climb rate while keeping the wings level and instantly returns control to the pilot once elevator or aileron inputs are made on ...

Page 23: ...ist trim setting by using Aura Quick Trim NOTE It is important to first have the proper CG setting before finalizing your trim position as CG can have a large impact on how the aircraft trims For proper CG information please take a look at the Center of Gravity section of this manual The FT Aura 5 Lite features a Quick Trim Mode that eliminates the need for mechanical linkage adjust ments during t...

Page 24: ...Mode you can 1 Check Sensor Directions Roll the aircraft right to confirm the elevons move in a manner to counter the direction of movement Pitch the nose up to confirm the elevons move in a manner to counter the direction of movement Yaw the aircraft nose right to confirm the rudder moves in a manner to counter the direction of movement 2 Change Flight Mode 1 between Standard 3 Axis and Level Ass...

Page 25: ... perfect your setup At a safe altitude try other flight modes as desired Note If at any time such as after gain adjustments you experience unexpected control system inputs or oscillations switch to Mode 1 gyro off land and troubleshoot the issue Be mindful of your flight time and allow adequate battery reserve for a couple of go arounds if necessary on the first few flights Select a landing site f...

Page 26: ...orrect Refer to control surface direction chart and transmitter setup adjust appropriate settings as required Check Piraña and Aura wiki web pages for additional information Contact customer support at Control surface oscillation Reduce airspeed Propeller spinner not balanced Balance or replace propeller Motor vibration Inspect motor mounting bolts and re tighten as necessary Loose FT Aura 5 Lite ...

Page 27: ...rame parts NOTE Avoid the use of CA accelerant in repairs It can damage paint and will weaken the bond of the glue If CA accelerant is used be mindful of the locations of CA to prevent premature bonding of parts or bonding a hand or clamp to the airframe Required Tools 1 Unplug the servo from the receiver 3 Unscrew the servo arm from the servo and remove the servo arm 2 Unscrew the mounting screw ...

Page 28: ...lding the motor to the firewall using a 1 Phillips screwdriver Disconnect the motor from the ESC 27 4 To remove ESC simply unplug it s lead from the receiver or Aura and the output leads from the motor 5 If you discover the motor shaft is rotating in the incorrect direction after replacing the motor simply swap one of the three wires going to the motor and it will reverse the shaft rotation ...

Page 29: ...mend following the guidelines set by the Academy of Model Aeronautics AMA You can find their safety handbooks as well as more information on the AMA at their website located at the address below AMA SAFETY CODE www modelaircraft org 28 ...

Page 30: ...ITY OF SUCH DAMAGES Further in no event shall the liability of Flex exceed the individual price of the Product on which liability is asserted As Flex has no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any resulting damage or injury By the act of use setup or assembly the user accepts all resulting liability If you as the purchaser or user are not prepared to accept the liability associated with th...

Page 31: ...marks of Horizon Hobby Inc Futaba is a registered trademark of Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation of Japan Jeti UDI and Jeti Model are trademarks or registered trademarks of Jelen Ing Stanislav of Czech Republic HoTT is a registered trademark of SJ Inc Rev A Created 02 2020 www f lexinnovations com ...