XPROHELI Silk Gimbal User manual

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page i
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
TheAppTimes
[Silk Gimbal User Manual]
This user manual provides information on the specifications, installation and functions of
the XProHeli Silk Gimbal system.

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page ii
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Revision History
Version Date Revision Description
1.0 7/21/2014 Manual Creation

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 0
©2013 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Table of Contents
Revision History .......................................................................................................................................ii
1. Welcome..............................................................................................................................1
Warning & Disclaimer! ............................................................................................................2
2. Overview..............................................................................................................................4
FPV Video...............................................................................................................................................5
Opertating Modes................................................................................................................................5
Remote Operation................................................................................................................................6
Supported Cameras.............................................................................................................................7
Silk Specifications..................................................................................................................................8
Silk Setup Videos:...................................................................................................................................9
Unpacking your SILK ...........................................................................................................................10
3. Silk Setup............................................................................................................................11
Overview................................................................................................................................11
Landing Gear / Stand...........................................................................................................12
Assembly...............................................................................................................................................13
Mount Silk to Landing Gear/Stand...................................................................................................15
Mounting and Balancing Your Camera .............................................................................17
Overview..............................................................................................................................................17
Mounting Camera..............................................................................................................................17
Adjusting Balance...............................................................................................................................19
Mounting Battery ................................................................................................................................23
Powering On Silk..................................................................................................................................25
4. XPX/XP2 Installation..........................................................................................................26
Overview................................................................................................................................26
Mounting to your XPX:..........................................................................................................26
Single Operator:..................................................................................................................................27
Dual Operator: ....................................................................................................................................29
Mounting XPX Flight Pack:...................................................................................................31
5. SILK SOFTWARE...................................................................................................................32
Overview................................................................................................................................32
Connecting Silk to Your Computer ..................................................................................................32

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 1
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
1. Welcome
Message from CEO:
On behalf of XProHeli I would like to thank you for your support
and purchase of the new Silk 3 Axis gimbal system. Countless
hours of in shop R&D and flight testing have gone into the Silk.
With over 8 prototypes and countless iterations tested and
reviewed we finally feel we have created a light weight reliable
gimbal system that will give the end user the ability to capture
amazing, awesome footage that has never been seen before.
Our team at XProHeli respectfully requests that you take the time
to read this manual to the fullest extent before using your new
Silk for the first time.
We look forward to taking handheld and aerial video to the next
level in the future and hope that you will continue the journey with
us.
If you have any questions, concerns or need help please do not
hesitate to email or call us:
[email protected]
Phone: [phone]
Mailing Address:
XProHeli
20810 Sockeye Place
Suite #110
Bend, OR 97701
Thanks,
Hans Skjersaa

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 2
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Warning & Disclaimer!
The SILK gimbal is capable of capturing incredible footage, and as
exciting as it is we at XProHeli want to remind customers that
operating RC aircraft (multirotors, drones, quadcopters etc…) with
the SILK should be done with great care and precaution.
There have been several incidences of people throughout the
world seriously injured by RC Helicopters (even some deaths!)
Multi-rotors are not a toy. People under the age of 18 years old
should not operate any multi-rotor unless supervised by an
experienced adult. The props on the XP2 like other multi-rotors are
sharp and can cause serious damage to people and property.
Never fly around people who are unaware of the damage these
devices can cause. It is your responsibility to know the laws and
regulations in your area that you are flying and it is your
responsibility as a pilot to make sure you are not trespassing on
other people’s property. You as the owner/operator are responsibly
for all liability of your setup. Never fly around crowds and never fly
around livestock/animals. Use common sense.
Liability Disclaimer
XProHeli shall not be responsible for any special, incidental, or
consequential damages, including but not limited to personal
injuries, damage to property, injury to others, including that to life
and health, resulting from any application and use of any XProHeli
products, including but not limited to camera stabilization systems,
multi-rotors, quadcopters, hexcopers or octocopters. The Purchaser
and any Pilot in Command (PIC) assumes full and unlimited
responsibility for all applications and uses of any products sold by
XProHeli.

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 3
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
INDEMNITY
XPROHELI AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES AND EMPLOYEES ARE TO BE
HELD HARMLESS FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES,
AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES ACTUALLY INCURRED)
ON ACCOUNT OF DEATH OR INJURY TO ANY PERSON OR DAMAGE
TO ANY PROPERTY ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY
PRODUCTS SOLD OR SUPPLIED BY XPROHELI.
THIS INDEMNITY SHALL APPLY WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER THE
CLAIM, DAMAGE, LIABILITY OR EXPENSE IS BASED ON BREACH OF
CONTRACT, BREACH OF WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY,
OR OTHER TORT.

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 4
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
2. Overview
The SILK 3 axis camera stabilization system is designed specifically
for lightweight - mirrorless DSLR cameras such as the Sony NEX,
Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera and the Panasonic Lumix
GH4. The SILK frame is built from light yet strong-vibration resistant
CNC aluminum. The Silk’s lightweight design allows for relatively
comfortable handheld use and is less load demanding on multi-
rotor platforms resulting in longer flight times and extremely
smooth/stable video performance.
The SILK is a handheld or aerial ‘plug and play’ gimbal requiring
very little setup to operate. For almost all mirrorless DSLR cameras in
the 350g-850g weight range the Silk requires no changes to the
settings to operate incredibly well.
The SILK’s controller utilizes the latest stabilization algorithms from
Basecam Electronics (Alexmos) in conjunction with the latest 32 bit
ARM processor. Each Silk includes a licensed bootloader which will
allow you to upgrade the controller’s firmware at a later date
when any software improvements are made. The Silk’s electronics
are mounted to the back of the frame allowing users to detach the
SILK from their multi-rotor for handheld use.
The SILK typically comes in two primary configurations:
Silk Basic Pack Silk Pro Pack
Powering the Silk is a 3S Lipo 4200mAh battery pack – providing
enough power for 2-2.5 hours of continuous run time. The Silk is
powered on by a LED rocker switch mounted on the top rear frame
tube:
IMPORTANT!
Be sure to take the time to
read this manual and watch
the setup videos! There is lots
of great information in this
manual and in our videos
that will help make you
successful in capturing
amazingly smooth footage.
POWER

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 5
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
FPV Video
The Silk’s control box has a built in HDMI to AV composite converter
for down converting the video signal of the camera to be
transmitted over a standard 5.8ghz (or lower) FPV transmission
system. The AV output wire of the converter located on the back of
the box comes through a standard 3 pin Molex connector
compatible with almost all FPV transmitters.
Opertating Modes
The Silk has a mode function button on the bottom of the controller
that allows you to access multiple handheld operating features on
the fly. Each Silk is setup by us with the following functions:
Mode 1 - Follow Pan only
Mode 2 - Follow Pan + Pitch
Mode 3 - Set Camera angles by hand (motors turn OFF for 2
seconds, hold camera at desired angle - gimbal now holds
this angle)
Mode 4 - Lock Mode (camera remains pointed forward at
all times - does not follow hands)
Mode 5 - Customized by user in Software package
RC Control
Inputs
(
Si
g
, +5v, Gnd
)
Operation
Modes
Mode Button
HDMI
INPUT
FPV
OUTPUT

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 6
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Remote Operation
When filming aerials on a multirotor it is recommended to operate
the Silk in Mode 1 for single operator use. For dual operator use (2
nd
radio) Mode 1 or Mode 4 is recommended.
To set the Silk up for a 2
nd
operator an additional radio is required. It
is typical to mount the radio receiver to the back of the control
box. The Silk’s RC control input pins (picture above) have the
center +5v rail activated, which provides power to your receiver of
choice.
Multirotor Requirements for Silk:
XPX Heavy Lift Quadcopter (Reccomended), or
Any multirotor with a suitable payload capacity:
oGross Multirotor Payload = Silk (967g) + Camera/Lens
weight (< 900g) + Landing Gear Weight (Silk Stand
330g)
If you are flying a custom multirotor system or other non-XProHeli
platform, make sure that your multirotor is cable of lifting the
payload of the Silk. The Silk is not compatible with DJI Phantoms!
Be confident in the capabilities of your machine and understand
the expected draw and current of your electrical system given the
estimated payload before flying the Silk. While the Silk is one of the
lightest 3 Axis gimbals available, failure to understand your
equipments capabilities can result in a crashed multirotor, a
damaged gimbal, damaged camera and a not so happy pilot. Be
a happy pilot and do your research 
Separate
Reciever
For Dual operator
use or remote
operation of Silk

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 7
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Supported Cameras
The Silk gimbal is capable of supporting any small DSLR camera in
the 300g to 850g weight range with a wide variety of lens
combinations.
When making a choice in lens size XProHeli recommends a wider
size lens to use with the Silk. Lens sizes from 12-14mm (pancake
style) up to a 20mm work very good with the Silk.
If you plan on running a camera with an adjustable zoom lens
make sure that you keep the zoom settings static while you
balance the camera and while you operate it on the Silk. The
movement of an auto zoom lens will alter the center of gravity of
the camera – so make sure you have it locked in place or set to
where you want it before setup. Making the proper adjustments to
the Silk to balance the camera is vital to good video capture
performance.
The preset power settings for the Silk work extremely well out of the
box for cameras in the 450-750 gram range. The software settings
for the Silk can be fine-tuned later, increasing the performance
even further. It is recommended to start with the provided settings
and work from there. The most common settings that people tend
to adjust is the follow mode speed values to either speed up or slow
down the reaction of the operating mode.
If desired, the Silk can even be setup to run lighter cameras such as
the GoPro Hero3 or Garmin Virb Elite. Note that these sub 100g
cameras require some counter weights (we typically use peel &
stick rim weights) to balance the roll and pitch axis.
Popular cameras compatible with Silk:
Sony NEX 5/7
Panasonic/Lumix GH4
Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera
Sony A7

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 8
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Silk Specifications
Supported Cameras: 300-850g (with lens)
Max Camera Body Dim: 5.5” x 4” x 3.5” (WxHxD)
Silk Weight: 967g (gimbal only, landing gear + 330g)
Working Rotation Range: Yaw Axis: +- 360
o
Tilt Axis: +-90
o
Roll Axis: +- 45
o
Input Power: 3 S (11.1V)*
System Requirements: GUI (Mac OS, Windows, Linux)
Motors: Brushless, rewound 14/22 poles
Battery: 4200mAh Li-Po 11.1V (used handheld)
Battery Weight: 333g
Run-Time: 2-2.5hrs (4200mAh)
Materials: Aluminum & 3K Carbon Fiber
100% Designed and Assembled in Bend, OR USA
*compatible up to 5S input power, not recommended

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 9
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Silk Setup Videos:
In addition to this manual several SILK setup videos are available
(below). The videos include information on installation, setup,
balancing and how to program the remote control functions of
your radio or 2
nd
operator radio with the SILK.
Intro to Silk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5aqBqFnDB4
Silk Care:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_dfyVp0p3M
Battery Charging:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10sI2esiEjk
In the Box:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S048rT5TTrg
Balancing your Silk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSfPxMQeWxA
Mounting Handles & Rods:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxPSZ31L_hI
Mounting to Multirotor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS71Bh3DtIA
Software Configuration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjdlhiBAxFc
6-Point IMU Calibration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb64-QisyvE&feature=youtu.be

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 10
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Unpacking your SILK
Silk Base Package (no case):
Silk – Assembled Ready to Film
(1) Set Multi-Function Landing Gear Stand
(2) Basic Handles 15mm
(2) 10" Rods 15mm w/coupler
(2) Adapter Clamps 15mm w/ Mount Screws
(1) D-Ring Screw for Camera Mount
(2) 4200mah 3S LiPo Batteries
(1) Basic E4 LiPo Charger
Silk Pro-Pack (with Case):
Silk – Assembled Ready to Film
Custom water jet foam transport case
(1) Set Multi-Function Landing Gear Stand
(2) Basic Handles 15mm
(2) 10" Rods 15mm w/coupler
(2) Adapter Clamps 15mm w/ Mount Screws
(1) D-Ring Screw for Camera Mount
(2) 4200mah 3S LiPo Batteries
(1) Basic E4 LiPo Charger

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 11
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
3. Silk Setup
Overview
This section outlines the setup of the Silk and mounting of your
camera. In general the first time you set up your Silk for your
camera you should anticipate about 15-20 minutes of time to
properly balance and complete the setup. After this is done the first
time any subsequent adjustments needed for alternative camera
setups should be able to be done in a shorter amount of time (5-10
mins max).
If you are planning to run several different camera configurations
we recommend balancing and testing each setup before you film.
Once you find your adjustment points for your each of your setups
you can make index markings on the adjustment points using a fine
tip marker, this will allow for much quicker adjustments later when
you are switching gear.
Setup Steps in order:
1. Unboxing
2. Landing Gear / Stand Setup
3. Mount gimbal to landing gear stand
4. Mount Camera
5. Adjust Pitch Balance
6. Adjust Roll Balance
7. Adjust Yaw Balance
8. Mount Handles
9. Power up
Quick Tip!
For best
performance always
make sure your
gimbal is properly
balanced for your
camera setup!
Important!
Never power up
your SILK gimbal
without your
camera mounted!
Doing so can
cause damage to
the motors or the
IMU sensor cable!

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 12
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Landing Gear / Stand
The Silk stand is designed to be used as both a stand and as a
functioning landing gear for your multirotor. The upper stand slot
allows you to park your gimbal and temporarily set it on the stand.
This is really useful for balancing your camera and is also a nice
feature to use when the Silk is in handheld operation as you can
use the stand to set the gimbal on while it is not in use.
Silk set on stand
The two upper plates of the Silk allow two different landing gear
configurations when mounting to a multirotor:
#1 Locked to Airframe #2 Locked to Stand
Landing gear
fixed to Airframe Landing gear rotates With gimbal

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 13
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Assembly
The landing gear stand for the Silk ships in 3 main parts:
Upper Silk Stand
Left/Right Legs
Rear cross brace (optional, but recommended)
On flat surface begin assembling Upper Silk Stand vertical tubes to
left and right leg tube clamps:
Right
Leg
Left
Leg
U
pp
er stand
Rear cross brace

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 14
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
With clamps loose, adjust angle of legs so top plate of Silk stand is
level and left and right legs are even distance apart. Line up the
rear of the legs with the cross brace to help align.
Insert ends of cross brace clamps onto left/right legs. Make sure
legs and stand symmetry are even and then tighten end cross
brace clamp in place (2.5mm hex).
You can now tighten the left/right leg tube clamps to the upper silk
stand (7/64” hex). The stand is now assembled and ready to use.
Yours should look like this:

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 15
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Mount Silk to Landing Gear/Stand
Remove the Silk from the case and cut any zip ties holding the
frame in place from shipment.
Rest the top plate of the Silk on top of the stand so the two center
holes align.
Fasten the top plate with (2) ¼-20 x ½” long stainless fasteners
provided (5/32” hex tool) through the top plate of the Silk and
screw into the pressed in pem nuts of the Silk stand.
Depending on your mounting preference or mode of operation
with the Silk (i.e. 2
nd
operator) you also have the option of mounting
the gimbal to the stand using the lower plate as shown below. This
plate is also used to ‘rest’ the gimbal on the stand when used for
handheld operation.
Built in
¼
-
20 Pem Nuts
Mount Gimbal
with provided ¼-
20 5/32” Hex Note Forward
direction of Plate

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 16
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Use lower plate
for 2nd operator
use or handheld
stand

User Manual
XProHeli Silk Gimbal
Silk Gimbal Page 17
©2014 XPROHELI. All Rights Reserved.
Mounting and Balancing Your Camera
Overview
The main goal for properly mounting your camera to the Silk is to
achieve good center of gravity alignment (balance) on the Pitch,
Roll and Yaw axis of the gimbal. This is vital to the Silk’s
performance!
A gimbal that is out of balance on one axis will lean to the heavy
side of the axis putting unnecessary strain on the brushless motors
and cause them to oscillate. The better balanced your setup the
better your video stabilization will be.
Mounting Camera
The SILK comes with (1) wide base CNC D-Ring (standard 1/4-20
thread) to mount your camera. The Camera is mounted through
the camera tray slot. The front to back position of the camera can
be adjusted to help balance the camera’s center of gravity front
to back.
To account for the true center of gravity of the camera, make sure
all the necessary batteries and flash cards are loaded in the
camera. Also make sure that you have the lens cap removed. If
you choose to run a filter/sunshade hood make sure you have that
installed too. Basically you need to make sure your camera is in the
same configuration as it would be when you film.
IMPORTANT TIP!
As a supplement to
this guide it is HIGHLY
recommended to
watch the Silk
balancing setup
video on our XProHeli
youtube channel!
IMPORTANT TIP!
Before balancing your
camera, make sure you
have the lens cap
removed and all
needed accessories
mounted to your
camera – don’t forget
the batteries!