PANO360 – AUTOMATED PANORAMIC GIMBAL
USER'S MANUAL
Table of Contents
1. A brief overview of the device..........................................................................................................2
2. Getting started, step-by-step............................................................................................................3
2.1 Software installation..................................................................................................................3
2.2 Mechanical setup.......................................................................................................................3
2.3 Cable connection.......................................................................................................................5
2.3.1 Servo connection................................................................................................................5
2.3.2 Digital input connection.....................................................................................................5
2.3.3 Camera trigger connection................................................................................................7
2.3.4 Power connection..............................................................................................................7
2.3.5 Pano360/PC connection.....................................................................................................8
3. Pano360 GUI.....................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Quick example on how to set the parameters in Pano360 GUI.................................................9
3.2 Global settings.........................................................................................................................10
3.2.1 Servo Pulse.......................................................................................................................10
3.2.2. Overcurrent Protection...................................................................................................11
3.2.3. Stop Detection.................................................................................................................12
3.3 Making user presets............................................................................................................13
4. Character display information........................................................................................................15
5. Additional information...................................................................................................................16
1. A brief overview of the device
Pano360 is a multirotor add-on for making panoramic photos with a press of a button. If an
automatic device to make multiple aerial panoramas is needed – this is the way to go. Pano360 is
a panning gimbal with integrated electronics that control the rotation angle and camera trigger.
Bellow is a graphic showing the key elements of the device. This graphic will be used as
reference throughout this manual:
Fig. 1 Pano360 overview.
A – aluminium rings with rubber grommets, Pano360 to DJI S800/S1000 H-Frame mount
B – ¼ UNC thread plate that can be placed both on top and bottom, this is useful for mounting
Pano360 on a tripod or connecting it with a panorama head other than Nodal Ninja
C – custom servo motor
D – cable camera shutter and auto-focus output, 2.5 mm jack socket
E – Pano360/PC communication, micro USB socket
F – mounting hub for Nodal Ninja Ultimate R1/R10 or ¼ UNC thread plate
G – wireless camera shutter control, infra-red transmitter connector
H – servo motor output, 3-pin header male connector
I – panoramic sequence trigger, 1st RC input, 3-pin header male connector
J – manual servo control, 2nd RC input 2, 3- pin header male connector
K – remote preset selection, 3rd RC input 3, 3-pin header male connector
L – power connector, 3-6s batteries can be used
M – character display (segment display)
N – manual preset selection button, the device has the capacity to store 10 different presets
2. Getting started, step-by-step
To get your Pano360 up and running you will need:
• a PC with Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8,
• a micro USB cable (most modern mobile phones have this type of cable for charging),
• a camera that can be triggered by cable or by infra-red signals,
• a set of hex keys,
• a tilt head (preferably a Nodal Ninja Ultimate R1 or Nodal Ninja R10),
• a shutter cable with mini jack (2.5 mm) on one side and a camera matching connector on
the other side or an infra-red transmitter module (optional for purchase),
• a multirotor such as DJI S800/S1000 with a radio transmitter (for examples: HiTec Aurora9,
Futaba 8J, JR P00634 etc.) and a RC receiver (for example: HiTec Optima, Futaba R3008SB,
JR PR790 etc.),
• at least one cable with 3 pin female header on both sides (aka. servo cable),
• a soldering iron to solder the power cables.
There are 5 steps you go trough to run Pano360:
1. Install the software on your PC (refer to 2.1)
2. Mount the Pano360 you the H-frame of your multirotor (refer to 2.2)
3. Connect the cables (refer to 2.3)
4. Configure the device parameters and make a test run (refer to 3.)
5. Configure your RC radio transmitter (please refer to the manual of your transmitter).
2.1 Software installation
Let's start with software installation.
• The latest software can be found here:
www.invendyne.com
• Download InvendynePano360Setup.exe.
• Run InvendynePano360Setup.exe (double click the file).
• You may be asked if you want to install the software by an unknown publisher, click Run.
• You may also be asked if you want to install the program by an unknown published, click
Yes.
• The installation wizard will pop-up, click Next.
• Click Next again (you may optionally enter a different folder for the installation).
• Click Install.
• Click Finish.
• Pano360 GUI and USB drivers are now installed.
2.2 Mechanical setup
Pano360 has a hub (Fig.1-F) which has a set of holes that can be used to mount a tilt head, a ¼''
UNC thread adapter or any other device that has a set of matching holes. M5 holes with a spacing
of 22 mm are typically used to mount Nodal Ninja tilt heads. A common use for M3 holes with a
spacing of 19.55 mm is attaching a ¼'' UNC thread adapter (Fig. 1-B).
Fig.2 Hole types and spacing of the mounting hub.
When mounting the ¼'' UNC thread adapter to the hub we recommend using the provided
M3 screws. Nodal Ninja comes with a set of M5 screws – it is best to use this screws to mount the
tilt head to the hub.
Fig. 3 Pano360 with Nodal Ninja
To mount Pano360 to DJI H-frame it is best to remove the carbon pipes and slide them once
again through all DJI elements and Pano360 rubber grommets (Fig. 1-A).
Fig. 4 Pano360 mounting to DJI H-frame.
Nodal Ninja
¼'' UNC adapter
2.3 Cable connection
Before making any connections there are 3 rules you should always
apply:
1. When wiring Pano360 make sure all the connections are correct – if
the cables are not connected correctly the on-board electronics may
be damaged. Always double check that you have proper connections.
2. Make sure the cables are long enough and there is nothing in the
way of the camera (for example retractable legs) so the whole 360°
turn can be made.
3. Before connecting any signal cables, make sure the multirotor battery is disconnected.
Connecting / disconnecting signal cables while the multicopter is powered can damage the
pano360 and/or the radio receiver.
2.3.1 Servo connection
Start by making sure the servo motor (Fig. 1-C ) cable is properly connected to the servo
output (Fig. 1-H
). The white cable should be facing inward and all the pins should be connected.
Fig. 4 Servo cable connection
2.3.2 Digital input connection
There are two modes of operation automatic and manual. For each mode you will be
required to connect the RC inputs (Fig. 1-I-J-K
) with your radio receiver using a 3 pin female header
cable. The automatic mode enables making panoramas with a press of one button whereas the
manual mode allows to control the rotation by hand with a joystick.
Fig. 5 – A cable with 3 pin female header on both sides / cable connection with a RC transmitter
Make sure the signal cable
(white) is facing inward
If you want to run Pano360 in automatic mode, connect the 1st digital input (Fig.1-I/Fig. 6)
with your RC receiver. You can optionally connect the 3rd digital input (Fig.1-K/Fig.6) for remote
preset selection. Make sure the yellow (or white) cables for each connector are on the right side
for each connector (Fig. 6).
Fig. 6 Automatic mode connection example
If you want to control Pano360 manually then you need to connect the 1st digital input
(Fig.1-I/Fig.7) and the 2nd digital input (Fig.1-J/Fig.7).
Fig. 7 Manual mode connection example
At this point you may want to bind your RC receiver with the RC transmitter if you haven't
already done so. Do configure your RC transmitter to trigger the channels that correspond to
Pano360 inputs. Please refer to your transmitter manual for more information on how to setup the
channels for your RC transmitter.
1St
2nd 3rd
Digital input
Make sure the signal cable (yellow or white)
is on the right side of each connector
Make sure the signal cable (yellow or white)
is on the right side of each connector
1St
2nd 3rd
Digital input
2.3.3 Camera trigger connection
For infra-red camera triggering connect the IR transmitter to the micro-match connector
(Fig. 1-G/Fig.8). Alternatively, for wire triggering use a cable that matches you camera type and has
a 2.5 mm jack on the other end. This cable should be connected to the input on the side
(Fig. 1-H/Fig.8). Please make sure the appropriate camera triggering option (cable/infra-red) is
enabled in your camera – refer to your camera manual. Later you will need to enable the
triggering option in the GUI (Tab.3).
Fig. 8 Camera triggering outputs
2.3.4 Power connection
A soldering job is needed to connect the female side of the mini-T power connector
(Fig 1.- L) with the supply of your helicopter. Make sure to disconnect the battery while soldering.
When the soldering is done, connect the mini connectors. Now you can plug the main battery
connector to power your multirotor and Pano360.
Fig. 9 Mini-T connector used to power Pano360
Micro-match connector
for IR camera trigger
2.5 mm Jack connector for
cable camera trigger
Mini power connector
2.3.5 Pano360/PC connection
Lastly plug the micro USB connector on the side of the device (Fig 1-E/Fig. 10) and the other end of
the cable to your computer. All the connections for Pano360 are done. The device is ready for
configuration and a test run.
Fig. 10 Micro USB connector – Pano360/PC communication
3. Pano360 GUI
Pano360 GUI (Graphic User Interface) is a window application that lets you enter different
parameters of the device. Below is a quick overview of the program.
Fig. 11 Pano360 GUI overview.
Micro USB connector
A
Parameters which are used to
protect the motor and controller
from damage.
B
Parameters which are used to
determine when the motor has
came to a stop.
C
These parameters determine the
rotation angle and the shaft position.
D
Preset list,preset order setting
E
Parameters that tell how
many photos should be taken
during the entire rotation
F
Kinematics determine the speed,
acceleration and deceleration of
the rotation
G
These parameters define how and
when the camera is triggered
3.1 Quick example on how to set the parameters in Pano360 GUI
To follow this example please make sure you have installed the software and everything is properly
connected (refer to: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 should something be missing). If the micro USB cable or the
power supply (mini-T connector) are not connected the GUI will not be active. For this example we
will be triggering the camera by cable – make sure you have a matching cable and the cable
triggering is enable for your camera.
• Load the GUI – Start → All Programs → Invendyne Pano360 → Configuration
• Do not change Overcurrent Protection and Stop Detection parameters.
• Leave Servo Pulse parameters (Home Location and Turn offset) for now, the default values
might not be ideal but they should be pretty close.
• Select Default 1 in the Preset list (Fig. 11- D).
Fig. 12 Choosing presets for editing from the preset list in Pano360 GUI
• Set the values of General, Kinematics and Camera Release for the Selected Preset as
shown below
Fig. 13 A quick example on how to setup the Pano360 parameters.
• Click the bottom Apply button in the Selected Preset Section, all the parameters are
instantly applied onto Pano360.
• Now click Test and notice the results.
In this example we have configured Pano360 to trigger an automatic panorama
sequence that makes 1 photo per each turn (Photos per step:1). There are 3 turns with a roughly
120° angle (Number of steps:3). The rotation is made in a moderate speed (Acceleration: 500,
Deceleration: 500, Max Speed: 500). Stop detection is active to enable the driver to determine
when the rotation has come to a fulls stop. The camera is triggered by wire (Camera Release Type:
Wired). When the camera stops at each turn there is a 200 ms delay and the autofocus signal is
active for 800 ms (Autofocus Delay 200, Autofocus Time 800). Also when the camera is stopped
there is a 400 ms delay before the shutter signal becomes active for 600 ms ( Shutter Delay: 400,
Shutter Time: 600). When the autofocus and shutter signals are no longer active there is a 500 ms
delay before the next step is made (Wait Time:500). The camera is stopped at each step for about
1500 ms.
You may notice that the whole angle of rotation is not exactly a 360°. To fine-tune the
sequence angle please refer to (3.2.1).
3.2 Global settings
Global setting are a group of parameters that are applied to all the presets. The two most
commonly used parameters are the ones located in the Servo Pulse group: Home Location and
Turn Offset. Do not bother changing Overcurrent Protection and Stop Detection values unless the
default values do not work for you.
3.2.1 Servo Pulse
Servo Pulse (Fig. 11-C) consists of 2 parameters. The first is Home location – this variable
determines the initial shaft position and will be frequently adjusted – every time you decide to
detach the collet from the shaft or the belt skips. Servo pulse can be changed within 750-2250 µs
range. It is best to start with home location set to 1400µs. Enter 1400µs value as Home Location
and click Apply in the Global Settings section to confirm. Depending on your needs, the shaft
(camera front) angle can be adjusted. For example, if you want the shaft to rotate clockwise (CW),
lower the value of Home Location in 10 µs increments (1390µs, 1380µs, 1370µs etc.) and notice
how the shaft is rotating CW. By increasing Home Location in 10µs increments (1410µs, 1420µs,
1430µs etc.) the shaft will be rotating counter clockwise (CCW).
We advise you to change the home location in small increments (4-30µs) until you get the
desired position of your camera. 60µs is about 90° turn.
Fig. 14 Home location adjustment example
The second parameter is Turn Offset – this parameter defines the angular rotation for the
whole panoramic sequence. Turn Offset value is added to Home Location and as a result the servo
turns the shaft by a desired angle. Home Location is the reference position for Turn Offset.
To make a 360° turn we recommend you set Turn Offset to 220µs. Enter this value and click
Apply in the Global Settings section. You may use Test turn preset to see how the shaft rotates.
1480 µs
1520 µs
1500 µs
Increasing Home Location
– camera turns CCW
Decreasing Home Location
– camera turns CW
Select this preset from the list, click Apply in the Selected Preset group and then click Test. If the
shaft does not make a 360° turn you will have to adjust this parameter manually. Do experiment.
The 360° turn should be within the 205-235µs range.
Should you require a different angle, here are some Turn Offset values for reference:
- a Turn Offset of ~120 µs will result in a 180° turn,
- a Turn Offset of ~435 µs will result in two whole turns (720°).
3.2.2. Overcurrent Protection
Note: do NOT change this parameter if you have no prior experience. Before changing this
parameter make sure you read and understand this chapter.
Fig. 15 Default overcurrent protection settings
The aim of overcurrent protection (Fig. 11-A) is to protect the drive and electronics from damage.
The motor draws high currents when:
a) the drive gets blocked – this usually happens when the camera hits the landing gear
during operation or something gets stuck between the pulleys and the belt,
b) the load is high and the driving parameters are too aggressive – a heavy camera is used
and the Acceleration and Max. Speed parameters (Tab.2) are too high for the load.
Pano360 electronics has the ability to detect high currents that are drawn by the servo in
the above scenarios. If, during operation, the current value exceeds the Threshold and does not
drop below Threshold minus Hysteresis within the Time Limit then the motor will be turned off
and that should hopeful protect Pano360 from damage.
You can view the current waveforms by clinking Current Waveform at the GUI bottom.
Current waveform show how much current is drawn over time by the servo motor during
operation.
Fig. 16 Waveform example, Number of steps=4, Acc.:500, Dec:500, Max Speed:500, Load: 1.6 kg
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
Below are 3 examples of how the overcurrent protection works.
Fig.17 Overcurrent protection examples
3.2.3. Stop Detection
Note: do NOT change this parameter if you have no prior experience. Before changing this
parameter make sure you read and understand this chapter.
Fig. 18 – Default stop detection settings
Stop detection (Fig. 11-B) is a function that tells the driver when the rotation comes to a
stop. Stop detection allows the driver to tell when to make a stop at each step. If, during
operation, the current drops below the Threshold value and remains below Threshold plus
Hysteresis within Time, then the controller assumes that the motor has stopped.
Fig. 19 Stop detection example
time [s]
current [A]
Threshold [mA]
Time limit[ms]
Time Limit[ms]
1. Current is below the
threshold value, the motor
will NOT be turned off,
2. Current is above the threshold
value, but the current value minus
hysteresis is not within the time limit,
the motor will NOT be turned off
3. Current is above the threshold
value and the current value minus
hysteresis is within the time limit,
the motor will be turned off
Threshold - Hysteresis [mA]
Hysteresis [mA]
time [s]
current [A]
Time [ms]
Threshold + Hysteresis [mA]
Hysteresis [mA]
Threshold [mA]
3.3 Making user presets
Presets are user settings that help make great photos every time you launch the panoramic
sequence. The parameters ensure a consistent result for all the photos that are captured during
flight. Let's go quickly through all the parameters:
Name Preset name, any set of 16 characters to name the preset. The name is displayed in
the panel, which allows an easier identification.
Number of steps This parameter defines the number of camera stops to be made for each panoramic
sequence. The whole sequence is evenly divided by the number of steps. Think of
this parameter as a number of grooves in a detent ring of a panoramic rotor.
Angle of the whole panoramic sequence [°]
Number of steps
= Angle of rotationbetween stops[ ° ]
For example: if the panoramic sequence has a 360°degree turn, the number of
steps set to 4 will result in stop at each 90°(360°/4=90°).
Photos per step The number of photos to be made at each step. Each photo will be using the same
Camera Release parameters (Autofocus Delay/Autofocus Time, Shutter Delay,
Shutter Time).
Manual control If the box is checked then the manual control is active, this means the rotation is
controlled by hand with a joystick.
Make sure you connect Pano360 properly for this mode (Fig. 7)
Tab. 1 General option for presets (Fig. 11-E)
Acceleration [°/s ²] The rate of increase in speed from 0 to Max Speed. Lower values will result in a
more smooth, sluggish operation – recommended for higher payloads. Higher value
will result in a more speedy/aggressive operation – recommended if the payload is
small and fast operation does not make the multirotor swing in the air.
Value range: 0-9999,
Acceleration = 1 - minimum acceleration
Acceleration = 9999 - second highest acceleration
Acceleration = 0 - maximum acceleration
Deceleration [°/s ²] The rate of decrease in speed from Max. Speed to 0. Lower values will result in a
more slower operation. Higher value will result in a more faster operation.
Value range: 1-9999
Deceleration = 1 - minimum deceleration
Deceleration = 9999 - second highest deceleration
Deceleration = 0 - maximum deceleration
Max Speed [°/s ] The maximal angular speed of the movement. Lower values will result in a more
slower operation. Higher value will result in a more faster operation.
Value range: 1-9999
Deceleration = 1 - minimum value of Max Speed
Deceleration = 9999 - second highest value of Max Speed
Deceleration = 0 - maximum value of Max Speed
Stop time [ms]
/
Use stop detection
Stop time defines the time the motor needs to make a full stop between the steps.
If “Use stop detection” is activated this setting is inactive and the full stop is
determined based on Stop Detection settings (3.2.3).
Tab. 2 Kinematics options for presets (Fig. 11-F)
Type Camera can be triggered by cable or by infra-red signals. Use Wired option to
trigger the camera by cable or choose among a variety of infra-red protocols: Sony
IR, Canon RC-1, Nikon IR, Pentax IR, Olympus IR, Minolta RC-3. Make sure to use the
appropriate infra-red protocol for your camera.
Autofocus Delay
[ms]
Delay time before Autofocus becomes active. Autofocus Delay is preceded by Stop
Time. 1000 ms = 1 second. Value within the range of 0-9999 ms (Fig. 20). Value = 0
disables Autofocus Delay.
Autofocus Time [ms] Time during Autofocus is active. Autofocus Time is preceded by Autofocus Delay.
Value within the range of 0-9999 ms (Fig. 20). Value = 0 disables Autofocus Time.
Shutter Delay [ms] Delay before Shutter becomes active. Shutter Delay is preceded by Stop Time. Value
within the range of 0-9999 ms (Fig. 20). Value = 0 disables Shutter Delay.
Shutter Time [ms] Time during Shutter is active. Shutter Time is preceded by Shutter Delay. Value
within the range of 0-9999 ms (Fig. 20). Value = 0 disables Shutter Time.
Wait Time [ms] An amount of time before the next step or next photo after Shutter Time and
Autofocus Time have ended. This parameter is useful when you want to allow extra
time for your SD card to save a photo (Fig. 20).
Tab.3 Camera release options for presets (Fig. 11-G)
The total step time consists of Stop Time, Autofocus Delay, Autofocus Time, Shutter Delay,
Shutter Time and Wait time. Below is an example on how this parameters affect the total step
time. The segment display shows when autofocus and shutter are active, by lighting up the bottom
left corner and the top right corner (Tab. 4).
Fig. 20 Total step time example.
Most cameras do not require the external autofocus signal. In this you must set the
atuofocus time to 0. Always make sure to set autofocus to 0 when your camera does not support
an external autofocus signal.
PWM signals [V]
time [ms]
time [ms]
time [ms]
Autofocus
Shutter
Stop/Wait time
Total step time
Autofocus Delay
Autofocus Time
Shutter Delay
Shutter Time
Wait Time
Stop
time
4. Character display information
Pano360 is equipped with character, segment display (Fig 1.- M) that feeds back useful
information regarding the device. Bellow is a complete list of all the characters and the
functions/malfunctions they indicate.
Symbol Description
Numbers from 0 to 9 indicate the preset which is currently chosen. You can move
through different presets by pressing the button on the side of Pano360
(Fig 1.- N) or by triggering a digital channel on your receiver (make sure the 3
rd
digital input is connected with the RC receiver (Fig. 6).
Letter C (Current) – the current value has exceeded the Threshold and did not
drop below the Threshold minus Hysteresis within the Time Limit (3.2.2 / Fig.17)
– as a result the motor has been turned off. This usually happens when the drive
is blocked. Please make sure there is nothing in the way of the camera, check if
the drive (pulleys, belt) is not blocked. This message can be also displayed if a
heavy camera is used with aggressive acceleration, max. speed and deceleration
parameters. If you are using a high payload make sure to adjust the overcurrent
protection or lower the Acceleration, Deceleration and Max Speed Values (Fig.
11-E) to enable slower camera movement.
Letter L (bootLoader) – the bootloader is active. The device is updating the
firmware.
Letter A – stop detection is in progress, the controller is waiting until the current
value drops below the threshold and will remain below threshold + hysteresis for
the specified time (3.2.3 / Fig. 19) .
Letter H or U letter – internal error, should you see this symbols make sure to
write down what has happened before this message occurred. Contact us and
provide a short description of the occurrence:
contact @invendyne.com
Letter P (Power) – there is a problem with the motor power supply, the voltage is
not within the desired range. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, for
example: the battery voltage is too low, there is a short circuit, the power
converter is damaged etc.
Left, bottom corner – autofocus is active (Fig. 20).
Right, top corner – shutter is active (Fig. 20).
Tab. 4 A complete list of the character display messages.
5. Additional information
Website
www.invendyne.com
Trademarks
Copyright © Invendyne.
Contents subject to revision without prior notice.
Disclamer
The information in this manual is subject to change without notice. All other trademarks belong to their
respective owners.
Invendyne does not warrant that the hardware and software will work properly in all environments and
applications and makes no warranty and representation, either implied or expressed, with respect to the
quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose.
Invendyne has made every effort to ensure that this User’s Manual is accurate. Invendyne disclaims liability
for any inaccuracies or omissions that may have occurred. Information in this User’s Manual is subject to
change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Invendyne. Invendyne assumes
no responsibility for any inaccuracies that may be contained in this User’s Manual. Invendyne makes no
commitment to update or keep current the information in this User’s Manual, and reserves the right to
make improvements to this User’s Manual and the product described in this User’s Manual, at any time
without notice.
If you find information in this manual that is incorrect, misleading, or incomplete, we would appreciate your
send us comments and suggestions to contact@invendyne.com.
Acknowledgement
This product was developed using:
• ChibiOS 2.6.5 real time operating system, the source code can be found
at:http://www.chibios.org
ChibiOS/RT - Copyright © 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 Giovanni Di Sirio.
• Qt aplication framework, the source code can be found at:http://www.qt.io/
Qt is available under LGPL licence.
The Qt Toolkit is Copyright © 2014 Digia Plc and/or its subsidiary(-ies) and other contributors
WEEE Warning
To avoid the potential effects on the environment and human health as a result of
the presence of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, end
users of electrical and electronic equipment should understand the meaning of the
crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Do not dispose of WEEE as unsorted municipal
waste and have to collect such WEEE separately.
Revision
User’s manual for Pano360 – automated panoramic gimbal revision 1.0 (September 2014).
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