Tarot 3-Axis Gimbal with Navio2

Navio / Edge Hardware
1

I’d like to connect a Tarot T4-3D 3-Axis Gimbal to my Navio2, but I’m unclear on how to wire it up. Manual is linked here.

There is a PWM1(SBUS) connector with 3 wires, and a PWM2 connector with 1 wire.

In a post on DIY Drones a community describes the following setup on a Pixhawk:

  • set gimbal to pwm (not to sbus)
  • connect pwm1 from gimbal to rc9(pixhawk) AUX
  • connect pwm2 from gimbal to rc10(pixhawk) AUX
  • go to mission planner → intial setup → optional hardware → camera gimbal
  • set TILT to RC9 and do not check stabilization and then set what channel you want from radio RC6, RC7
  • set PAN to RC10 and do not check stabilization and then set what channel do you want.

How would I approach a similar setup on a Navio2?

2

Hi.
Just replace the word pixhawk with Navio in the diydrones post and you are good to go.
Why should the setup be different?

3

Any guidance on what I replace the words ‘rc9 AUX’ and ‘rc10 AUX’ with? Should I just treat these as Servo connectors?

4

Yes, just connect them to servo channels 9 and 10.

5

Thank you for the guidance, will test that out.

Can I suggest a section in the Navio Docs about different Gimbal hardware setups? There is the APM general documentation, but it is all pixhawk specific and does not cover 3-Axis Gimbals other than Storm32.

6

Take a look here @marstonstudio Strange motor reaction to using RC outputs 5-7 and other oddities

I ran into problems setting up my Feiyu 2axis gimbal also. And documented them here, It’s not very logical but i think you should be able to get it working if you read that post
You’ll have to use rc passthrough function on the RC_X channels you specify (RC_9, RC_8 etc) Pasthrough will mean RC_9 will passthrough your transmitters channel 9 signal.

Best of luck

7

Hey. Struggeling with the same gimbal.

Where in mission planner (1.3.48) with copter 3.4.6 can i find the “BRD_CAN_ENABLE” and “BRD_SBUS_OUT” assuming they excists for navio2? Atm i just see BRD_SERIAL_NUM in full parameter list.

what is the default output-signal for navio2 output 9-14 (pwm or sbus)? trying to use passthrough on channel 10.

8

There is no CANbus or SBUS output on the Navio. It basically just passes through what the Raspberry Pi offers with the exception of the RC coprocessor for sbus/ppm input and hardware PWM and also an ADC. Perhaps it will possible to add sbus output with a firmware update for the RC coprocessor. You will have to use PWM to control your gimbal.

9

ok, can’t get the gimbal moving with pwm (as i’ve read others also had problems with). I know the signal are passed through the navio since it activated some other servo i tested on it. The gimbal wont even work when i connect it directly into the FrSky X8R in mode 4.

I think there is a problem with the firmware version v1.1 on the tarot gimbal. I had tilt working before i updated, and now, with v1.1 nothing works in pwm mode^^

10

Excuse my noobness, but if I’m using my Reach as an aux GPS and it’s plugged into the UART port, where does the Gimbal plug into the Navio2?