Reversing up and down inputs on the controller.

[SkyHi69]

I have an air 3s with the standard controller. I find it odd (as a actual pilot) that it seems that unlike other control options that can be changed I am unable to switch the up and down controls to match what they would be in a actual airplane (pull back to ascend and forward to descend).

I have a terrible time becoming proficient with my drone as I keep going the wrong way (and quite frankly it is dangerous for me to learn the other way in case it transfers over to real flying).

Does anyone know why this is not a option, or am I missing something?

 

[Cafguy]

Its not up and down its actually your throttle and while kind of not intuitive while flying in a "mode" I promise if you keep flying and decide to fly manually you will be glad you left it the way it is.

 

[MS Coast]

I had a similar concern when I started flying drones. (I remember thinking "Push up." as a reminder when I wanted the drone to climb.) But it soon dissipated.

I don't think there's much chance of the drone control action transferring into the cockpit.

 

[SkyHi69]

Why is it not a option to change it unlike the other stick options? Seems like a easy fix, just give us the option.

 

[DoomMeister]

Think like a helicopter pilot. Up on the collective to gain altitude, down on the collective to lose altitude.

 

[PINEBARON]

I had no issues with my drone controller left stick despite being an active Mode 2 RC planes pilot for over fifty years where left stick is throttle and rudder and the right is elevator/ailerons plus of course so many other buttons and switches on my Futaba 18MZ radio ; it was just a case of switching off my plane flying brain and learning the new drone controller even though I'm not super great at it yet with my A3S and MP4 drones and their controllers.

 

[BossBob]

Think like a helicopter pilot. Up on the collective to gain altitude, down on the collective to lose altitude.

Which is exactly like the remote for an RC helicopter.

 

[FLDave]

I have an air 3s with the standard controller. I find it odd (as a actual pilot) that it seems that unlike other control options that can be changed I am unable to switch the up and down controls to match what they would be in a actual airplane (pull back to ascend and forward to descend).

I have a terrible time becoming proficient with my drone as I keep going the wrong way (and quite frankly it is dangerous for me to learn the other way in case it transfers over to real flying).

Does anyone know why this is not a option, or am I missing something?

Actually, flying fixed wing single engine planes is not that simple as you have control of multiple parameters. If you pull back the stick/yoke you change the angle of attack and slow the airplane and descent, as in the flare when you land or the stall when the angle of attack is too great. If you increase the power by pushing the power lever forward you increase speed and ascend if you don't change other parameters. So, for the drone, pushing the stick forward increases thrust and the result is ascent.

 

[Fun Flyer]

I’ve been flying single engine aircraft since 1993 and have been flying drones & RC aircraft for approximately 10 years. All three have different control methods. I’ve never had an issue with mixing up controls. My brain just shifts to whichever I am controlling at the moment. I wouldn’t worry too much about control crossover. Safe flying.

 

[dart106]

I’ve been flying single engine aircraft since 1993 and have been flying drones & RC aircraft for approximately 10 years. All three have different control methods. I’ve never had an issue with mixing up controls. My brain just shifts to whichever I am controlling at the moment. I wouldn’t worry too much about control crossover. Safe flying.

Since 1968 here and still doing so. I also, switch into drone mode. My first task after lift off with my drone off is to test all the stick axis’ to ensure proper operation (and reset my brain pan), I agree there should be the option to reverse , if desired.

 

[Gizmov]

I too am frustrated at the lack of being not being able to reverse the stick. I have a smart controller and have opened it up to try and change it. I did not have enough time to completely explore my options. Hopefully someone has done this. Please help.

 

[Dogpilot]

Everybody’s different. Personally, I’ve been flying helicopters and aircraft since 1974. At this point I have time in over 80 different platforms (I was a test pilot in the Navy). I frequently will fly drones and aircraft on the very same day. I use my aircraft to commute out to the site where I’m gonna be working fly the drone and then come back. I personally have never found it to be a problem I will say I did have the most un-commonly bad time trying to learn how to fly the early RC helicopters. Even though I have a lot of helicopter time it absolutely did not transfer over to the RC machine.

You kinda need to compartmentalize different control systems. When I was a NOAA Corps Officer, I would fly down in the helicopter (UH-1M) to Key Largo. I would then get in one of the Nnational Marine Sanctuary boats and drive the boat out to the reef. We’d go pull up our sensors. Drive the boat back to the marina, then take a short drive back over where we park the helicopter. And fly the helicopter back up to Miami. So I actually used three different kinds of transportation in that operation. I suppose I could’ve added a horse in there, but it never caused me any confusion and I’m a simpleton. Maybe that is the secret.

Really, if it totally bugged you, I think you can reverse the wires on the potentiometer. I read that someplace where somebody needed to reverse one of them and it worked. Do a quickle web search and you (or the AI) will find it.

 

[SkyHi69]

Or dji could just offer a software option... They already allow changing of other stick movement parameters.

 

[anotherlab]

Or dji could just offer a software option... They already allow changing of other stick movement parameters.

It's more than just changing movement parameters. You are changing the actual function.

I understand what you are saying about it behaving differently to you than the controls on an airplane. They are not the same controls. When you pull back on a yoke to raise the nose of the aircraft, you are changing the angle of the elevators.
Going up and down with a quadrotor drone involves raising or lowering the speed of the motors. Throttle control on a plane is a separate control.

 

[BossBob]

Drone controllers use the same logic as R/C helicopters which are largely based on the real thing rather than on fixed wing aircraft. With left stick dealing with combined collective and throttle controlling downward thrust, so adjusting up and down and the right stick dealing with cyclic, which determines which way the helicopter moves, BUT NOT which way it points. That is dealt with by the left/right of foot pedals similar to the rudder pedals of an airplane. This control input is replicated in models by the left/right movement of the left control stick.
My old helicopter R/C controller has reversible axis’s but this needs 4 physical switches, 2 for each stick. It takes quite a bit of real estate on the controller to mount them as they physically reverse which wires connect between logic boards and stick.