Getting Started
Setting up the Pilot RC
Once you receive your Pilot RC, it is time to set everything up. The Pilot RC boards work like any other Arduino when you plug it into a computer and code it. The NRF module and LCD screen plug right into the headers on the board.
Note: The NRF header should be plugged in facing away from the USB port and toward the end of the Pilot RC as shown below.
The Pilot RC also comes with a potentiometer that allows you to change the contrast of the LCD screen. The potentiometer is already turned so that the LCD Screen should be visible when you get your Pilot RC. To change the contrast, take a Phillips head screw driver and carefully change the contrast until it is at a desired level. The potentiometer is located near the bottom right of joystick T1.
CONNECTING THE NRF TO ANOTHER ARDUINO
To connect your other NRF module to another Arduino please follow the hook up guide below.
IMPORTANT: The NRF module is a 3.3V module. Make sure to not power the module with 5V power! The pins on the NRF module are 5V tolerant however, and can talk safely with a 5V powered Arudino.
The CE and CSN pins can be connected to whatever pins you want on the Arduino, just make sure to find the line that declares those pins in the top of your code.
The NRF modules are also quite power hungry, so only set them to full power when the Arduino is running on battery power, and not USB power. The NRF modules are also very sensitive to voltage noise. To make sure this doesn’t effect the Pilot RC, we have added a 100uF capacitor to the power pins of the Pilot RC. Make sure that the Arduino you are plugging the other module into has smooth 3.3V power. Some cheaply made Arduinos will not have smooth power delivery.
If you are hooking up the NRF module to an Aruidno Uno or Arduino Nano, then make sure to following pin hook up guide.
VCC -> 3.3V
GND -> Ground
SCK -> Pin 13
MISO -> Pin 12
MOSI -> Pin 11
CE -> Pin 7
CSN -> Pin 8
We recommend that you use the One Way Communication example code provided in the Downloads page. This code will transmit information continuously, while the self check code only checks for 5 seconds before moving on to the next task.