3D Robotics Aero User manual

1
AERO
Congratulations on your purchase of an Aero!
Please read the following sections of this manual to get
started with your new autonomous aircraft.
1Meet the Aero 7Fly-by-wire mode
2Safety 8Command modes
3Charge battery 9Missions
4Setup 10 Preflight steps
5Manual mode 11 Takeo & landing
6Stabilize mode 12 Postflight steps
body
tail boom
tail
left wing
motor
Meet the Aero
nose
right wing

2
If you did not order an RC transmitter with your
Aero, visit 3dr.com/learn for instructions.
RC transmitter
Spektrum FlySky
battery compartment
airspeed sensor
electronics compartment
(under wings)
rudder
elevator
left aileron right aileron
If the terms above are unfamiliar to you, visit 3dr.com/learn,
and dive into the exciting world of planes with our
Introduction to Flying Fixed-Wing Aircraft.

3
Safety
!
Before you fly, always determine the boundaries of your safe flying area. If
the Aero moves outside the designated area or exhibits instability in flight,
switch to fly-by-wire mode and land the plane manually.
The Aero will not avoid obstacles on its own, including during missions. As
the operator, it’s your job to recognize and avoid obstructions while flying.
Always be ready to regain manual control of the plane in the event of an
unsafe situation.
Spinning propellers can cause serious injury. The safety button
indicates the status of the motor to help you prevent hazardous
contact with the Aero’s high-speed propeller. When the Aero is
powered on, the safety button will blink red; the motor is inactive
and the propeller is safe to handle. When you’re ready to fly, press
and hold the safety button until it shows solid red. This indicates
that the motor is active and the propeller can spin if armed. To
make the propeller safe to handle again, press and hold the safety
button until it blinks red.
visual line
of sight 400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m) 5 miles (8 km)
visual line
of sight 400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m)
5 miles (8 km)
Always fly at least 100 feet (30 m) away from
people, vehicles, and buildings. Make the safety
of people and property your first priority!
Always fly below 400 ft (120 m) and within your
visual line of sight. Don’t let the Aero get too far
away from you; make sure you can always see its
orientation. Don’t fly in low light, heavy wind, rain,
or other conditions that might impede visibility.
Always fly at least five miles (8 km) away from
airports and other areas where pilots operate
manned aircraft.
visual line
of sight 400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m)
5 miles (8 km)
visual line
of sight
400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m) 5 miles (8 km)
visual line
of sight
400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m) 5 miles (8 km)
If the Aero looses contact with the RC transmitter, it will
return to the launch point automatically and enter into a
circle pattern above the launch point, indicated by a
blinking yellow status LED.
visual line
of sight 400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m) 5 miles (8 km)
visual line
of sight 400 ft
(120 m)
100 ft (30 m) 5 miles (8 km)
If the battery reaches 33% of its remaining charge, the
Aero will return automatically to circle above the launch
point, indicated by a blinking yellow status LED and a
quick repeating tone.

4
+
–
Charge battery
LiPo 3A
Connect the charger to the power adapter cable and a
wall outlet. Connect the red cable to the + port and the
black cable to the - port.
Set the charger to LiPo and 3A.
The Aero is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer
(LiPo) battery. Store the battery at half charge, then charge
fully before flying. Batteries must ship at half charge, so
please charge before your first flight. Each full battery
provides approximately 40 minutes of flight time.
battery charger

5
guard bag
4S
Charging Complete
Connect the white connector to the 4S port. Join the two yellow
connectors together. Secure the battery inside the guard bag while
charging, and charge until the status indicator displays green.
Protect the battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing,
and flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store
the battery in the guard bag.
Charge the battery using a designated LiPo balance charger only.
Always monitor the battery while charging.
Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the battery
permanently unusable. Always fly with a fully charged battery.
Inspect the battery for damage before takeo and after landing.
If you observe any swelling of the package or the battery ceases
to function, locate your local battery recycling center to dispose
of the battery. In the US and Canada, visit call2recycle.org to
find a location. Do not dispose of the battery in the trash.
!Battery safety

6
horizontal stabilizer
Slide the horizontal stabilizer into the vertical stabilizer
along the orange groove. Make sure not to stress any
of the components on the tail.
Follow these instructions to take the Aero from
travel configuration to flight configuration.
1
On the top of the horizontal stabilizer, open the
blue clasp at the end of the servo rod.
Setup
vertical stabilizer
complete tail assembly

7
tail screw
Slide the blue rubber ring over the clasp to secure it in place.
Locate the wing spar (long rod) and the two wings.
Slide a wing onto the spar.
2
Turn the plane over and insert the provided tail screw
into the horizontal and vertical stabilizers.
Insert the pegs on the clasp into the open space in
the servo horn, and close the clasp.
servo horn

8
Slide the other wing onto the spar.
Do not twist the wing or the spar so as not to stress the foam.
Locate the two cables inside the electronics compartment marked
AILE. Connect these cables to the two cables on the wings marked
AILE. (Either of the wing cables can connect to either of the plane
cables; the order doesn’t matter.)
plane AILE cables wing AILE cables
Place the wings over the body of the Aero with the foam squares
fitted into the matching space in the electronics compartment.
Make sure not to pinch the AILE cables.
wings placed onto the body of the Aero
complete wing assembly

9
add third band add fourth band
Repeat on the other short side with the remaining two rubber
bands, resulting in two pairs of opposing right triangles.
complete band assembly
Locate the four large rubber bands. Use the bands to secure
the wings to the body of the Aero by the four orange knobs
on the body around the wings.
Attach two of the bands to the two knobs on one of the short
sides and opposite knobs on the opposing side.
orange knobs
add first band add second band

10
Locate the rings inside the propeller package. Remove
the ring with the second-largest internal diameter, and
insert it into the back of the propeller hub.
3
Remove the nut and the washer from the motor, add the
propeller with the writing on the propeller facing towards
the nose of the plane, add the washer and the nut over the
propeller, and tighten the nut.

11
Pull out the tail boom to remove. To reattach, reverse these steps.
The tail boom arrives attached to the Aero. Follow these
instructions to remove the tail boom for travel.
Disconnect the RUDD and ELEV cables inside the
electronics compartment.
body
tail
Remove the screws on the body and the tail indicated below.

12
Stabalize
Altitude Hold
Loiter
Full Autonomy
Return to Launch
three-position mode switch
forward
(away from you) back (towards you)
center
Stabalize
Altitude Hold
Loiter
Full Autonomy
Return to Launch
Stabalize
Altitude Hold
Loiter
Full Autonomy
Return to Launch
two-position mode switch
Spektrum mode switches
forward
(away from you) back (towards you)
Stabalize
Altitude Hold
Loiter
Full Autonomy
Return to Launch
Stabalize
Altitude Hold
Loiter
Full Autonomy
Return to Launch
two-position switch
marked GEAR/MIX
three-position switch
marked FLAP/GYRO
available positions 0, 1, 2
Setting flight modes
On 3DR transmitters, use the two-position switch and the
three-position switch shown below to select a flight mode.
FlySky mode switches
two-position switch
marked AIL D/R
available positions 0, 1
three-position switch
marked F MODE
available positions N, 1, 2
The two-position switch activates one of the two groups of modes
then the three-position switch selects the specific mode within the
group. The three-position switch can be set forward (away from you),
center, and back (towards you). The two-position switch can be set
forward and back.

13
Flight modes on Spektrum
With GEAR/MIX set to MIX,
set FLAP/GYRO to: 0for AUTONOMOUS
1for FLY BY WIRE
2for RETURN TO LAUNCH
With GEAR/MIX set to GEAR,
set FLAP/GYRO to: 0for MANUAL
1for STABILIZE
2for LOITER
Flight modes on FlySky
With AIL D/R set to 0,
set F MODE to: Nfor RETURN TO LAUNCH
1for FLY BY WIRE
2for AUTONOMOUS
With AIL D/R set to 1,
set F MODE to: Nfor LOITER
1for STABILIZE
2for MANUAL
The Aero includes six flight modes. Manual mode, two assisted flight
modes (stabilize and fly by wire), autonomous mission mode, and two
command modes (loiter and return to launch). The following sections
of this manual describe the behavior of each mode. The Aero’s six
modes are assigned to your transmitter’s mode switches according to
model.

14
no GPS lock required
GPS
X
roll
pitch
yaw
throttle
Manual mode
Fly with fine-tuned manual control without autopilot assistance.
Manual mode gives you the most direct input to the control
surfaces, resulting in precise in-flight adjustment. Try manual
mode if you’re an experienced RC plane operator.
Manual mode RC controls
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Throttle up
Increase motor
speed.
Throttle down Decrease motor
speed.
Left Stick
Left Stick
Throttle fully down
Stop motor.

15
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Yaw left
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Pitch up
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Roll left
Pitch down
Yaw right
Turn left.
Turn right.
Pitch up.
Pitch down.
Roll right
Roll left.
Roll right.

16
no GPS lock required
GPS
X
Stabilize mode
Stabilize mode provides manual control with an added autopilot
safeguard: Release the right stick and the Aero will automatically
return to a level flying orientation. Use stabilize mode for the
freedom of manual control with return-to-level stabilization.
Stabilize mode RC controls
roll
pitch
yaw
throttle
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Throttle up
Increase motor
speed.
Throttle down Decrease motor
speed.
Left Stick
Left Stick
Throttle fully down
Stop motor.

17
Left Stick
Roll and pitch center
Automatically level.
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Yaw left
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Pitch up
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Roll left
Pitch down
Yaw right
Turn left.
Turn right.
Pitch up.
Pitch down.
Roll right
Roll left.
Roll right.

18
no GPS lock required
GPS
X
*APM:Plane mode FBWA
Fly-by-wire mode
Let the autopilot manage the control surfaces, and navigate based
on where you want the Aero to fly. Fly-by-wire mode* (FBW) is the
easiest way to fly and is the recommended mode for new fliers.
FBW mode RC controls
stabilized roll
stabilized pitch
yaw
throttle
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Throttle up
Increase motor
speed.
Throttle down Decrease motor
speed.
Left Stick
Left Stick
Throttle fully down
Stop motor.

19
Left Stick
Roll and pitch center
Automatically level.
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Yaw left
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Pitch up
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Left Stick
Roll left
Pitch down
Yaw right
Turn left.
Turn right.
Pitch up.
Pitch down.
Roll right
Fly to the left.
Fly to the right.

20
GPS
Command modes
Use command modes to enter into an automatic flight pattern.
Once set to a command mode, the Aero will continue to follow
the specified pattern until otherwise directed. Command modes
require GPS lock prior to takeoff.
GPS lock required
Loiter mode: GPS-positioned circling
»The Aero will enter into a circle pattern with a radius of
60 meters at the current altitude.
»Move the right stick to adjust the position of the circle.
Return-to-launch mode: circling over launch point
»The Aero will return to the position where it acquired GPS lock
and enter into a circle pattern at an altitude of 100 meters.
GPS GPS lock required