Cheap, easy DIY Head Tracker Setup - connect to the radio wirelessly!

[@NATGEOANDSTUFFPaulbrannan]

Great as always Lee.hope you are well buddy.

[@frankintegrity7996]

Next months project sorted,thanks Lee.

[@pepper8048]

I would really like to see a little more information on how to connect the Bridged option. I'm using multiple servos on my build and it's a bit confusing how to wire the Arduino modules together. Im basically designing a Search and Rescue Quad with 2 independent head-tracking gimbals so we can have an additional observer onboard. Any thoughts you have on how best to accomplish this would be greatly appreciated. The links you provided were very informative, I'm just making sure I don't overlook something I should be taking into consideration that may not be in the documentation and video.

[@Painless360]

I'd contact the chap behind the project. I've only ever used one head-tracker per radio. Maybe have a separate radio for the other pilot with the headtracker?

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic, Lee! Thanks a lot! 😃 That can be really useful! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@grim-upnorth]

The price of these boards have increased a fair bit since you made these videos. The board alone costs £30 plus shipping now. I've got one for the head tracker, but the PARA wireless module for the radiomaster costs the same as the 2nd BLE board would, so I've ordered one of those to put in my radiomaster TX16S instead. Thanks for the videos 👍

[@Painless360]

The chip shortage has pushed up a lot of the prices. Sorry to hear you didn't see the video when you they were cheaper. Make sure you are subscribed and have the bell notification icon selected so you don't miss future content.. Happy flying

[@Dragon69FlyTeam]

just orderd 4x Arduino Nano 33 BLE bords gonne build in the radio so nothing is dangling around, nice clean setup (hopefully) i wonder if the dji air transmitter also has a trainer port in.. would be need to use the original remote... instead of carring 2 remotes around, one for my race drones and one for my planes's /heli's

[@sleepingbearffg5008]

Great info and big thanks! I'm just getting into planes..wings.. and main reason why was to head track! Great video 👊👊💪💪

[@sakarrc5001]

With tx16s you can do Bluetooth mod on the tx and get all this with just one Arduino on your head :)

[@ap5rcplanes147]

Thanks Lee. Always as informative as it gets for novice like us. I have Frsky Taranis X9D plus 2019 with Open Tx 2.3.15 Version and X types receivers. I do not have any external interface modules like Crossfire, ELRS or others. A bluetooth function in Model set up and Hardware is available. I tried bluetooth to set Head tracker but failed. Please let me know if external module is required to enable bluetooth to work. Please make a video for bluetooth function to use in details in regards to Internal/External RF Mode. please help. Thanks in advance.

[@Painless360]

There isn't any Bluetooth stuff inside that radio. What Bluetooth head tracker do you have?

[@ap5rcplanes147]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I don't have any Bluetooth HT but trying to make using Ardiuno Nano 33BLE R2 board wirelessly with my radio as shown in your couple of videos and others on KZbin.

[@Painless360]

Use a second BLE to connect to the 3.5MM DSC jack on the radio. I made a video on it... best of luck

[@ap5rcplanes147]

I have seen the video. Will do that. Thank you.

[@ZenderStuzer]

Great! I saw a slot on tx16s pcb for bluetooth module. I wonder if it could be used for this purpose. Just need to find out the module by the footprint.

[@jwc4520]

Neat project, fun for tinkers . Saw a video of a 3D printed eagle, prop on beak, mostly a glider , but what if it had a camera, flight controller, now that might be a project ...take care.

[@JIPPERR_1]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@michaelmichailidis5302]

Great info, many thanks for sharing this. For quite some time now I have been thinking making a head tracking sensor with an Arduino to serve both for my FPV as well my PC Flight simulator and this gives me so much details. Any particular reason not using the Arduino nano 33BLE sense version as it has everything in it? I was hoping to use this as it has a BT as well as a accelerometer and a few other build in sensors 😁

[@Painless360]

That is an option, see the Wiki for more information.. Best of luck

[@mattf4858]

I wonder if there is a way to connect this directly to a crossfire or other transmitter module with a battery to power it. Then, put a separate receiver on the pan-tilt only for it's purpose. This way it could be completely self contained and you wouldn't need to connect it to a radio. I'm thinking about this since I normally use the DJI FPV controller on my models, which doesn't seem to have trainer port capability. Maybe that is more complicated than it is worth, but interesting to think about.

[@mattraymond2935]

Nicely done

[@enzok6414]

You should work with Radiomaster to come up with a product like this.

[@Painless360]

The margins would not be enough to produce them commercially when they are so easy to make using the project. Thanks for the comment though, it's an idea!

[@leonremidy493]

Hiya! Is this for use for radios without bluetooth? I have an older x9d (from the tv show we were on) it hasn't got bluetooth but I want a wireless headtracker.. is this the best route to go down ? Many thanks

[@Painless360]

You can setup two of these with one plugged into the trainer port on the radio and connected wirelessly to the Goggle HT unit. Check out the project link for full details... Happy flying

[@donkurtz6557]

The instructions now show ability to use SBUS on the Radiomaster bottom UART instead of the audio cable. However it makes reference to the sense board version, which is confusing and contradicts the earlier warning NOT to use the sense version. Editing mistake?

[@Painless360]

It wasn't like that when I made the video - this is a project that is evolving all the time.. Happy flying!

[@testtest7191]

Thank you very much for your share. so there are 3 options. 1- wireless, 2- with wire direct connection, 3- double ble33 bridge method. as far as I understand I need extra ble33 card for third method. I prefer first option (direct wireless) due to expensive other options and I don’t need to buy extra ble33 card. But , How can I do it? if I add bluetooth module for my radiomaster tx16s, can I connect directly ble33 with radiomaster bluetooth module for wireless headtracker? thanks

[@Painless360]

If that is an option, it'll be on the projects documentation. Best of luck

[@jerrynormandin2892]

Do you have any kopilot lite gyro gain recommendations for the ar wing pro ? I had to remove my PX4 from my AR Pro wing. The z axis accelerometer failed leading to a crash. I tried to drop to manual mode but it was too late I could not break out of the stall. The flight.logs verified the failure.

[@paulmason6847]

Great video, I was thinking of asking you to create a video of this after your first head tracker video, can you power either board from the USB port on the dji goggles and the USB port on the tx16 ?

[@Painless360]

Not sure, this only pulls about 20mA so maybe. If you get it working, let me know.. Happy flying!

[@paulmason6847]

@@Painless360 I have ordered a 30cm usb c to micro usb lead , I will let you know as this will simplify the build for people.

[@paulmason6847]

@@Painless360 hi, tried it and the usb C does not supply 5vdc out, what a shame it would have made it so easy.

[@nickboul3328]

One more great video. Is there a way to add bt to a Trinity ht?

[@Painless360]

Not that I've come across. If you figure it out, please let me know..

[@dauntlessfpv]

Can you use a flight controller to output ppm out of a pad? I have a dead aio and I wonder if I could use it

[@Painless360]

I have never tried. Best of luck

[@flyinghigh2646]

Thanks, Lee, I bought the module, loaded and connected, I setup pan and tilt it to TR1 and TR2 channel 6 and 7 but don't see anything happening on my transmitter, via the GUI it shows connected, also via BLE app my Taranis 2019 SE para functions well, any idea what's happening? Taranis is Master mode and BLE in head mode, shows connected

[@Painless360]

Not sure, I'd check what is on the other TR channels (TR3 etc.) in case there is a signal on there.. Best of luck

[@flyinghigh2646]

​@@Painless360 when I connect now I see noisy signals on the transmitter from channels 16 to 32, something is wrong, can I get any help from developers? Do you know if they have an email or some support?

[@Painless360]

I'd reflash it. I had one here that needed two flashes to get working. Best of luck

[@flyinghigh2646]

@@Painless360 Thank you it worked, it worked, it worked :) I didnt enable the channel output in the GUI and didnt save to eNVM now I am good ....thank you ...you have helped me since 6 years into this hobby ...please take care

[@stevanardilaacero4785]

También funciona con servos 360 grados, de 9 gramos ? Cual es el mejor servo de 9gramos ?

[@Painless360]

I reuse any old servos I have in the spares bin here... Happy flying

[@octapc]

Does it work with Flysky models?

[@Painless360]

If it has a trainer port..

[@octapc]

@@Painless360 It does, thanks

[@Duraltia]

Ya know... At this point I'm _kinda_ disappointed of DJI for them not to include a HT ( wired or wireless ) in their new goggles... Costs probably like 5.- for the 3-Axis Chip to be included and parasiting off what Gates knows is already soldered to the Goggles PCBs and like another 2.- to add an external port for people to tap into it. Nope... People will have to add an _UGLY_ external module to their Goggles in order to get that functionality 😤