Significant Motor Desync During Actuator Testing
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Hardware
- VOXL2 (MDK-M0154-1-01)
- VOXL ESC FPV 4-in-1 (MDK-M0138-11-00)
Software Version (voxl-version)
voxl2-test-fixture (TF-M0054):/$ voxl-version ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── system-image: 1.8.06-M0054-14.1a-perf kernel: #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Oct 22 04:13:18 UTC 2025 4.19.125 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── hw platform: M0054 mach.var: 1.0.1 SKU: TF-M0054-4-V1-C11 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── voxl-suite: 1.6.3 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Packages: Repo: http://voxl-packages.modalai.com/ ./dists/qrb5165/sdk-1.6/binary-arm64/ Last Updated: 2023-03-02 12:58:39 List: libfc-sensor 1.0.9 libmodal-cv 0.6.0 libmodal-exposure 0.1.4 libmodal-flow 1.0.3 libmodal-journal 0.2.7 libmodal-json 0.4.8 libmodal-pipe 2.14.11 libqrb5165-io 0.6.3 libvoxl-cci-direct 0.3.3 libvoxl-codec 0.0.2 libvoxl-cutils 0.1.6 modalai-slpi 1.2.2 mv-voxl 0.1-r0 qrb5165-bind 0.1-r0 qrb5165-dfs-server 0.2.0 qrb5165-mini-tof-server 0.2.2 qrb5165-rangefinder-server 0.1.6 qrb5165-slpi-test-sig 01-r0 qrb5165-tflite 2.17.2 voxl-bind-spektrum 0.1.1 voxl-camera-calibration 0.6.1 voxl-camera-server 2.2.19 voxl-ceres-solver 2:2.0.0-2 voxl-configurator 1.1.5 voxl-cpu-monitor 0.7.7 voxl-docker-support 1.3.1 voxl-elrs 1.1.0 voxl-esc 1.5.7 voxl-esptool 0.2.0 voxl-feature-tracker 0.5.2 voxl-flow-server 0.3.6 voxl-gphoto2-server 0.0.10 voxl-imu-server 2.0.1 voxl-io-server 0.0.8 voxl-jpeg-turbo 2.1.3-7 voxl-lepton-server 1.3.3 voxl-lepton-tracker 0.0.4 voxl-libgeographic 1.0.0 voxl-libgphoto2 0.0.4 voxl-libuvc 1.0.7 voxl-logger 0.6.1 voxl-mavcam-manager 0.6.0 voxl-mavlink 0.1.6 voxl-mavlink-server 1.4.14 voxl-modem 1.2.3 voxl-mongoose 7.19.0 voxl-mpa-to-ros 0.3.9 voxl-mpa-tools 1.5.6 voxl-nano-tracker 0.1.7 voxl-open-vins-server 0.6.0 voxl-opencv 4.5.5-3 voxl-osd 0.3.8 voxl-portal 0.8.7 voxl-px4 1.14.0-2.0.133 voxl-px4-params 0.9.0 voxl-qvio-server 1.2.3 voxl-remote-id 0.0.9 voxl-reset-slpi 0.0.1 voxl-state-estimator 0.0.6 voxl-streamer 0.8.0 voxl-suite 1.6.3 voxl-tag-detector 0.1.0 voxl-tflite-server 0.5.1 voxl-utils 2.0.2 voxl-uvc-server 0.1.7 voxl-vision-hub 1.9.21 voxl-vtx 2.0.2 voxl-wavemux 0.0.3 voxl2-io 0.0.3 voxl2-security-hardening-utls 1.0-r0 voxl2-system-image 1.8.06-r0 voxl2-wlan 1.0-r0 ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────Services/Config (voxl-inspect-services)
voxl2-test-fixture (TF-M0054):/$ voxl-inspect-services Scanning services... Service Name | Enabled | Running | CPU Usage ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── docker-autorun | Disabled | Not Running | modallink-relink | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-camera-server | Enabled | Not Running | voxl-cpu-monitor | Enabled | Running | 0.0% voxl-dfs-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-dma-latency | Enabled | Running | voxl-feature-tracker | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-flow-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-imu-server | Enabled | Running | 3.8% voxl-io-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-lepton-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-lepton-tracker | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-logger | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-mavcam-manager | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-mavlink-server | Enabled | Running | 0.0% voxl-mini-tof-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-modem-doodle | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-modem | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-nano-tracker | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-open-vins-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-osd | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-portal | Enabled | Running | 0.0% voxl-px4 | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-qvio-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-rangefinder-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-remote-id | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-softap | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-state-estimator | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-static-ip-watcher | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-static-ip | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-streamer | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-tag-detector | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-tflite-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-time-sync | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-uvc-server | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-vision-hub | Enabled | Running | 1.9% voxl-vrx | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-vtx | Disabled | Not Running | voxl-wait-for-fs | Enabled | Completed |I am doing some bench testing with my VOXL ESC FPV 4-in-1 and noticing significant motor desync. There is an audible 0.25 second delay between spinup of motor 1, then 2, etc. I have loaded the sentinel param XML file (I am using a custom aircraft, not the sentinel) to my ESC as a template and have only made one change; I set the motor KV to the value spec'd for my motors but I was getting this behavior prior to that change.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
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Hello @patkirkmartin,
If you are using our ESC with a new motor / prop, you need to perform a one-time ESC calibration and upload the new ESC params using the
voxl-esctools. Please see : https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-esc/-/blob/master/voxl-esc-tools/calibration.mdIf the motor kV is relatively low (less than 800), you may need to take a look at this as well : https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-esc/-/blob/master/voxl-esc-tools/doc/low_kv_motor_tuning.md
It sounds like your de-sync is right during spinup - make sure that you are using sinusoidal spin-up and that also needs to be tweaked for best performance (only a few parameters like spin-up power and time).
- https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-esc/-/blob/master/voxl-esc-tools/calibration.md#tune-the-motor-spin-up
- https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-sdk/utilities/voxl-esc/-/blob/master/voxl-esc-tools/doc/low_kv_motor_tuning.md?ref_type=heads#spin-up-parameters-for-low-kv-large-motors-it-is-better-to-use-sinusoidal-spinup
If you would like to provide more details about the motor / prop / voltage, we can try to provide more guidance.
Alex
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