Setup Guide | How to Setup the ALTA X Tether System

This section provides an overview for the setting up the EON800 Tether System on an Alta X.

Prerequisites

Before continuing the Setup Procedure guide:

Step A: Select a Location to Setup & Fly the Drone

  1. Select an appropriate location to set-up the Tethered Drone System, away from ground debris, divots and general obstructions. An appropriate set-up location is one which includes a 30x30 meter zone of clear terrain. This unobstructed Drone Zone will become the area between the Tether Ground Station, the Drone and the un-spooled Tether FIber Cable. The 30x30 meter space required is measured as a radial distance around the drone. We recommend setting up the ground station on the border of this zone.

  2. To ensure the safety of you and your comrades, the 30x30 meter Drone Zone must be kept clear of personnel at all times during flight. This is because in the case of an emergency, the Drone will automatically land. The only exception to entering the 30x30 meter Drone Zone is when all power is switched-off and the drone is grounded.

  3. Remove any objects or obstructions within the 30x30 meter Drone Zone surface. This includes any constraint which could hinder the Tethered Drone System during take-off, flight or landing.

Step B: Setup Tether Ground Station

  1. The Red Missile Switch on the Tether Ground Station (TGS) Front Panel needs to be switched OFF and in the DOWN position.

  2. DO NOT feed power to the Tether Ground Station (TGS).

  3. The Power Button on the top-right of the Tether Ground Station (TGS) should be in the OFF position. The Power Button is in the OFF position when it is flush with the Tether Ground Station (TGS).

  4. Optional: Connect a laptop running Alta QGroundcontrol to the Tether Ground station using an Ethernet cable.

Step B: Unspool Tether Cable

  • Unspool the tether cable in long loops between the TGS and the Drone

Step C: Attach Tether Cable to the Alta X

  • The Fiber Connector assigned to the Alta X is a blue LC Connection. This connection allows you to control the aircraft.

  • Power is delivered to the Aircraft and APU via the Tether Cable LEMO power connector.

  1. Plug the FIBER Connector labeled Drone into the APU's Fiber Input.

  2. Plug the LEMO Power Connector to the APU's Power Input.

  3. Clip the strain relief cord to a hard-point on the drone, we recommend the lower side of the ALTA X Damper Ring.

3. The strain relief cord is clipped onto the lower side of the ALTA X Damper Ring

  1. Securely adjust the cable to hold spare fiber cables in place. During flight, the strain relief bears the tether cable's weight, preventing stress on connectors

  2. Use velcro or zip ties to secure all cables, including payload cables. The goal is to prevent the cables from making contact with the propellers.

Step D: Connect the Tether Cable to the Tether Ground Station

  1. Plug the HV Power+Data Patch Lead (GREY) between the Tether Spool port labelled POWER and the Tether Ground Station port labelled TETHER HV OUTPUT.

  2. Connect the HV Power+Data Patch Lead between the Tether Spool port labelled DRONE and the Tether Ground Station port labelled FIBER FLY-BY-WIRE.

EON800 Tether Ground Station.

Step E: Connect Generator to Tether Ground Station

  1. Plug the Generator Input Lead between the Tether Ground Station port labelled AC INPUT (240V | 30A) and the 240 VOLT generator output.

Step F: Install Drone Batteries to the ALTA X

The Drone Battery Strap Brackets on the APU are adjustable. If the batteries are too large or too small for the battery strap configuration, adjust the brackets accordingly to fit.

Adjustable Drone Battery Strap Brackets on the APU.

  1. Install and strap the Drone Batteries into the APU on the ALTA X.

  2. DO NOT PLUG the Drone Batteries into the APU XT90 inputs.

Install and strap the Drone Batteries into the APU on the ALTA X

  1. Move onto the Start-Up Procedure.

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