P3D v4 Blender Elevon Animation

[TangoGolf]

Please can someone provide me with some guidance of how to animate elevons in Blender.

I have tried animating the ailerons and then animating the elevator function through a parent pivot, but it just adds to the aileron movement with too much rotation and is also out of line on the x axis as the ailerons have custom transforms in the x axis due to the elevons not being on the global x axis..

I have also tried parent pivots for the aileron function and then a further parent elevator pivot of the aileron pivots for the elevator function, but this resulted in the same.

Do I need to change the keyframe number to greater than my aileron range of 0 to 100?

 

[tgibson]

The first choice is to limit the aileron and elevator animations to 1/2 of the total movement. I would assume that some real elevons work this way. The only time you would get full deflection would be if the elevator was full up AND the aileron was full up.

If you want your approach, you'd probably need to create a custom XML animation (if possible using Blender) that limits total travel to 100 keyframes: aileron keyframes + elevator keyframes cannot be > 100. The parent animation could be default, while the child would use the custom animation and only deflect the number of keyframes that the parent animation had not already deflected. The math could be a little tricky converting the typical -100/0/100 used for the part XML code to the typical 0-50-100 keyframes, but it's not impossible.

 

[TangoGolf]

Thanks Tom.
This is my first attempt with Blender and I have not used XML code before. If I'm understanding correctly I should try keyframes for ailerons 0 to 50 and then elevators 51 to 100?

 

[tgibson]

No, I would keep the approach you are using now, two linked objects with 100 keyframes each. If you use too few keyframes the movement will be jerky.

 

[TangoGolf]

Thanks. I will retry using the first option with half movement.

 

[kalong]

I have also tried parent pivots for the aileron function and then a further parent elevator pivot of the aileron pivots for the elevator function, but this resulted in the same.

Do I need to change the keyframe number to greater than my aileron range of 0 to 100?

I use parent-child for elevon or other similar animation to all my project. using stock XML code, and it work fine. I use 3DSMax
in max, elevon use 2 model, real shape(aileron) and dummy shape (small box as elevator), animate them individually (0-50-100), attach animation tag and last: link them as parent-child.
when in max the animation would be weird (one would be offset, the other one would be no movement), it fine cause max still work on keyframe and no XML code running.
once try in Sim, when xml code working, all would working as it should be.

note:
1. consider with model axis and rotation.
2. before make parent-child link, make sure it at zeroed position: mean aileron and elevator zeroed position is at 50 keyframe (0 degree angle).

 

[TangoGolf]

Thank you. I will try your suggestions and report back with my results.

 

[TangoGolf]

It looked fine in Blender animation, but not in P3Dv4. I will need to go back and see why the rotation is off.

I was aiming for 13 degrees up and 13 degrees down.

Neutral controls:

Pitch Down:

Pitch Up:

Bank Port:

Bank Starboard:

 

[kalong]

I think I see there an issue with rotation axis. consider with axis
make sure you have identical similar "axis rotation base" in parent-child. I always "reset axis" ( term in 3DSmax) before doing animation. otherwise it happen like on your animation, each animation have different starting point and go on it own rotation.
i.e. 1st model have X axis pointing forward, 2nd model should have same pointing.

 

[TangoGolf]

After a bit more experimenting, I finally resolved the elevons animation.
For the aileron movement, I used two Custom Transforms along the left and right elevon rotation x-axis and then the l_aileron_key and r_aileron_key animation assignments through the 0, 50 and 100% key stages instead of the left or right aileron_percent_keys animation tag .

For the elevator animation, I used 'blank' cubes as elevator pivot points along the same custom transform left aileron and right aileron x-axis and then set the key stages at the 0,50 and 100 % key stage points using the elevator_percent_key. assignments. I then parented the ailerons to the left or right elevator pivot points.

Left aileron using custom Transform along the elevon pivot X-axis and l_aileron_key tag.

Left elevator using a 'blank' elevator pivot point and elevator_percent_key animation tag.

Left and Right aileron parented to the Left and Right elevator pivot point.