Hey everyone,
I’m troubleshooting a persistent issue with my Cube Orange running ArduPilot, and I could use some help. One arm’s motor consistently spins slower than the others, even after swapping both the ESC and the motor. The problem remains on that specific arm, which suggests something beyond just faulty hardware.
What I’ve Tried So Far:
Swapped ESCs→ Issue remains on the same arm, so not an ESC issue.
Swapped Motors → The problem persists with a different motor, so not a motor issue.
Checked Wiring → No loose or damaged connections between the flight controller, ESC, or motor.
Motor Test in Mission Planner → All motors spin evenly to 2000 RPM during this test.
ESC Calibration → Performed a full ESC calibration, but no change.
Power Distribution Check → Verified that the ESC is getting power from the PDB.
Flight Controller Settings → No unusual motor mappings or mix settings in Mission Planner.
Symptoms:
- Only one arm has the issue, even after swapping components.
- The motor behaves normally in the Motor Test (all reach 2000 RPM evenly).
- However, during manual motor control, the affected motor spins noticeably slower than the others.
- It doesn’t seem to be a mechanical issue (motor spins freely by hand).
- No visible damage to wiring or connectors.
- Logs show the flight controller is outputting commands, but the motor isn’t responding like the others.
Attached Files for Analysis:
I’ve uploaded the following to a Google Drive folder (link below) for reference:
Parameter file – My current configuration settings.
.BIN log file – A recorded log capturing the issue.
Video – Showing the motor behavior during a throttle test.
[Google Drive Link: Ardupilot help - Google Drive]
Questions I Need Help With:
- Why does this motor behave normally in the Motor Test but act strangely during manual control?
- Could this be a flight controller output issue (PWM signal problem)?
- Are there any parameters that could be limiting power to just this motor during normal operation?
- Does the log show anything unusual in the motor outputs?
Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help.
– David
5 posts - 3 participants