Aosenma CG035 User guide

(Not so) Basic guide for the Aosenma CG035

Introduction and Foreword:
So, you have or are considering a CG035 and found the chinglish manual....lacking.
You have questions and need answers.
Welcome to a world of trials and tribulations called CG035 ownership.
Congratulations.
First off, a word of caution, if you have not done so already I would NOT advise you to buy
this as your first ever quadcopter, it has too many issues that can severely dampen your
enthusiasm for the hobby if inexperienced. As a classification this could be regarded as a
high end toy grade quadcopter verging onto the hobby grade in some regards. A smaller
quadcopter should be used as a practice platform first.
I feel the need to issue my version of a disclaimer:
This, my rendition of a reworked manual and everything contained herein, is my work (with
the help and advice of others), based on my experience in the electronics and electrical
engineering field, as well as my previous experience with RC vehicles, (though quad copters
specifically are a relatively new field for me having only flown for a year or so at this time so
I in no way consider myself an expert in the field), and is in no way affiliated with Ao Sen
Ma. As such it should be taken as my opinion only and is in no way an official guide to the
CG035 Quadcopter. Please be aware there may be errors contained in this document and it
is constantly being updated as a ‘live’ document, constantly added to and revised to reflect
new and changing issues and it should never be taken to be a finished product at any time.
All advice contained in this document is just that, advice.
Any modifications or procedures based on my advice which are carried out by you are done
at your own risk!
I am providing this document in an attempt to help the community of CG035 owners and it
is no way funded or produced in an attempt for renumeration.
Feel free to steal portions of this document and re work it if you like.
Think that would satisfy a lawyer?
Probably not, but is my way of absolving myself from the eventual backlash of someone
doing something I have not foreseen based on this document, and also to say that it is freely
available to everyone to use, copy and distribute.
If you have something to contribute and would like it added to this document please let me
know via the Facebook cg035 page, linked below.
Thanks to all who have contributed so far (knowingly or otherwise �) especially for some of
the internal pictures taken from the group’s Facebook page! (Closed group, acceptance
from admin required).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Aosenmacg035/
I have included a link to a current (as of 20th February 2017) version of the ‘VAST’ software
for changing the parameters of the CG035.
CAUTION: I personally do not advocate it's use as it can brick your quad. However several
people have had no issue any can happily use it. Not for Beginners. You have been warned.
http://www.drone-maniac.com/news-aosenma-cg035-fpv-ground-station-sofware-
available/aosenma_vast_gcs/.
Elio. (aka Alex Arcano, it's my old gamer tag from YouTube and it kinda stuck. �)

Initial setup:
Before use charge all batteries and use 4 fresh, good quality AA type Alkaline batteries in
the controller.
On the main charger for the cg035 battery there are 3 lights, they refer to each cell of the
battery, the first 2 will initially be red and will change to green when the battery is fully
charged. This may take some time. As much as 5 hours with the stock battery charger!
If you have the FPV model, then there is a USB charger which is used for both the monitor
and camera. Conversely this starts as having no light on it and changes to red once fully
charged. This usually takes about an hour for each, depending on your usb power supply.
NOTE: before plugging the battery into the quad (which will switch the new model of CG035
on as there is no on/off switch) remove the foam pad covering the deans T connector on the
battery and clean the area around it.
Before even thinking about flight of the CG035 check and double check all screws, most
especially on the motors. Several have come with loose or even missing screws which hold
the motors on, try to get into the habit of performing this before every flight.
Only do the first test of the motors and initial start up with the props taken OFF. Mine tried
to take off for the moon when I first tried to idle the motors in manual mode. Fortunately I
was holding it down at the time. I had to calibrate everything twice in order for it to work
correctly.
Make sure when you are refitting the props that they are on in the correct position for the
motors direction of rotation, the motors with the
silver caps turn anti clockwise, the black clockwise
and on the props the leading edge (highest edge
when you hold it flat, highlighted in red) points in
the direction of rotation. The factory props have a
slight circular indent underneath around the hole
to indicate the downward face and the blades are
domed on top. Apparently someone got one a
while ago with 3 Clockwise props fitted from
factory and it did not go well at all.

Controller setup:
There are 4 LED’s across the bottom of the controller, these indicate (from left to right) GPS
lock on the drone, GPS lock on the controller, drone out of range, and low battery warning.
Once all lights are off this means the internal checks confirm ready to fly status.
Changing mode 1/2
If you want to change from mode two (the default left stick throttle) to mode one (right
stick throttle):
Push both sticks to upper right corners and switch on the controller.
Release sticks.
Led above auto land/take off button should flash.
Move right stick to the right to have right hand throttle (mode 1), or to the left for left hand
throttle (mode 2) Led should now be solid on.
Switch controller off.
To calibrate the controller:
Push both sticks to upper left corners and switch controller on.
The red LED above the auto take off/land button will now flash.
Release both sticks and then press the auto take off/land button once.
Move both sticks to full throw in all directions and allow them to return to centre position.
Press the auto take off/land button once again.

The led will now be solid red.
Switch controller off.
As simple as that.
To calibrate the drone:
Switch controller and drone on.
Flick SWB from position 1 to position 2 four times.
The rear white LED’s on the drone will come on.
On a flat level surface rotate the drone 6 times clockwise (mine seems to only need 3
rotations but the original manual says 6). The white led should now flash intermittently.
I then point the drone nose down and rotate it again, but the manual does not call for this.
Place again on a flat level surface
The white LED's should now not be on and it will be only the red, green and blue eye lights
once more.
Switch everything off. Calibration now complete.
GPS Lock:
DO NOT try to fly at all for the first few minutes of the first flight, find a nice open space,
switch the controller and drone on and put them both down, take a few steps away and
don't touch them. The red lights on the controller should all go off on their own, especially if
you are a few paces away, your body can partly block the gps signal and slow down a gps
lock, have patience.
Note: Be gentle with it on the first flight, get used to the controls by doing simple
manoeuvres such as short point to point take off and landings, slow banked turns etc. and
try to resist the urge to go full throttle.

Flight controls:
For those new to the CG035 and the world of drone flight in particular there are listed below
the instructions on the use of the controller as well as details of all the buttons and
switches.
Mode 1 and Mode 2
It has been described earlier during the controller setup as having two modes and is by
default in mode 2, the differences are outlined below (importantly!) with the CG035 facing
in the same direction you are:
In both modes 1 and 2:
Left stick:
Left = rotate anticlockwise.
Right = rotate clockwise.
Right stick:
Left = slide left
Right = slide right.
In mode 1:
Right stick:
Forward = climb (throttle up).
Backwards = descend (throttle
down).
Left stick:
Forward = away from you.
Backwards = closer to you.
In mode 2 (the most common and default for the cg035):
Right stick:
Forward = away from you.
Backwards = closer to you.
Left stick:
Forward = climb (throttle up).
Backwards = descend (throttle down).
Note: If you have the quad facing towards you then sliding and forward/reverse controls are
inverted in relation to you, sliding to the left is accomplished by pushing right on the right
stick, sliding right is moving the stick left. Moving forward is backwards and backwards is
forwards!
To eliminate this you can use Headless Mode as outlined below.

Ready to fly:
This term will refer to the CG035 and controller being switched on with a full gps lock on
both as outlined previously.
Starting and stopping the motors:
Note: Occasionally this can initiate a partial auto take off, (in either fully manual mode or
GPS mode on mine anyway) so if the props are on make sure to only do this outdoors!
To do this you can, from ready to fly, pull both sticks down and in or down and out. This
places the drone in an idle state with all motors rotating gently ready to take off manually
by throttling up.
Once the drone is manually landed the motors can be stopped by simply holding the throttle
down fully for a few seconds.
Alternately an emergency shut down of the motors can be accomplished by holding down
and in/out on both sticks from ANY altitude. Note: do not use this unless it is a genuine
emergency as doing it from any altitude causes the drone to drop like a rock. Smashing,
swearing and tears will ensue.
Auto take off and landing button:
Self explanatory really, this is the big oval button in the centre
of the controller below the power switch.
From ready to fly in GPS mode 3 presses of the button in rapid
succession starts the motors spinning and launches it into the
air to hover at a height of approximately 1.5 meters.
From any height during flight another 3 presses initiates auto
land where it descends straight down from wherever it is
hovering, lands and then shuts the motors off.
SWB:
SWB Position 1
Normal mode.
In this mode the quad will roughly maintain height if calibrated correctly and with no wind
but nothing else, it will drift with the wind and be less stable in flight but will fly faster.
SWB position 2
GPS hold mode.

Using this mode it will hover in place and actively fight wind to maintain a static position.
Used in combination with other functions outlined later.
SWB position 3
Return To Home.
In addition to landing if the RTH is used it flies back to the initial point of takeoff (slowly)
then lands.
SWA:
SWA Position 1
Used for all normal flight modes, effectively this does nothing.
SWA Position 2
Point of interest aka ‘circle mode’.
Used in combination with the gps hold to circle a point of interest (POI).
A somewhat variable experience for most owners, this is usually used in combination with a
camera, it is supposed to find a centre point to circle around until switched to another
mode, with the radius of circle determined by moving the stick assigned to forwards and
backwards to tighten or widen the circle.
SWA Position 3
Headless mode.
Used to ensure that forwards is always forwards, left is always left etc. in relation to the
take off point. Useful if you are new to piloting and wish to get into the air without
performing any manoeuvres like banked turns, whirlpools etc. or if using some camera
techniques, for instance to maintain a moving subject in frame (without a 3d/4d camera
gimbal with full controls, and no you're not going to be getting that on the CG035), while
the quad moves sideways.

SWC:
The outer button (furthest right).
Binding. (Aka ‘Internal fequency’)
Normally only used in the factory as this involves
disassembling the quadcopter to access the binding
button inside the chassis on the receiver/transmitter
board there.
I have never personally had to do this but from reports it
is accomplished by holding down the bind button inside
the quadcopter then inserting the battery and then
pressing the Binding button on the controller while
switching it on. Procedure in troubleshooting later.
The inner button.
Follow me mode.
The drone is supposed to point towards and follow the controller with no guidance from
you, however you can still alter its height and distance from you using the controls while in
this mode. Again, you may experience 'variable' results with this such as it pointing in the
wrong direction.
SWD:
These are both camera controls for use with the factory
First Person View camera and alleged 'gimbal'.
Inner button
Starts and stops on board video recording, one press to
start, a further press to stop.
Outer button (furthest left)
Takes a photo. You cannot take a photo while continuing
to record video. If you press the photo button it
immediately stops video recording.
Gimbal control:
This button is to the left of the Auto takeoff button, and is used
to control the pitch and roll of the camera. Slowly, unreliably
and overall, Badly.

Camera Switch:
This is to the right of the auto take off button. And thats about
all I can tell you about it without completely reverse
engineering the whole quad. Ok? Yes. Well..... Anyway your
guess is as good as mine, no-one seems to know what this
does and it appears to perform no discernible function.