Input configuration - Intrusive Robotics

Once the motor is detected and tuned, the Delta still needs to know where its throttle commands come from. That is what the input configuration sets.

Run the FOC setup wizard first. Configuring an input before the motor is detected means your first throttle input drives an untuned motor. See the quickstart and motor tuning.

Running the Setup Input wizard

On the Welcome & Wizards page, click Setup Input.

Keep the motor unloaded and clear during input setup. Calibration involves moving the throttle through its full range, and a miscalibrated input can command full throttle unexpectedly.

Choose the control source

PPM, ADC, UART, CAN, or ADC+UART. See the comparison below.

Calibrate

Follow the wizard’s calibration steps for the source you picked.For PPM, you move the stick through its full range so the tool can capture minimum, maximum, and centre.

Write and verify

Confirm the write succeeded, then verify behaviour in Realtime Data before loading the motor.

Choosing a control source

Source	Use it for	Notes
PPM	RC receivers	Standard hobby RC pulse signal. Requires the min / max / centre calibration described above.
ADC	Analogue throttles	Hall-effect or potentiometer throttles, wired to an analogue input.
UART	Serial control from a host	For a companion computer or microcontroller driving the ESC directly.
CAN	Multi-controller setups, flight controllers	How multiple Delta controllers coordinate on a shared bus. For flight-controller control over CAN, see UAVCAN / DroneCAN.
ADC+UART	Analogue throttle with serial supervision	Combines a physical throttle with a serial link.

Pin assignments for these inputs are hardware-specific. See the hardware pinouts page for which physical pins carry PPM, ADC, UART, and CAN on the Delta.

After calibration

Verify before you trust it:

Confirm the input range

Open Realtime Data and move the throttle through its full travel. The commanded value should track smoothly from zero to full with no jumps or dead spots.

Confirm neutral is actually neutral

At rest, the commanded current or duty should be zero. A non-zero neutral means the calibration centre is wrong — re-run it.

Confirm direction

Forward on the throttle should turn the motor the way you expect. If not, flip the direction toggle in Motor Settings rather than swapping phase wires.

Test the failure case

Disconnect or power down the transmitter or host and confirm the controller returns to a safe state. Do this with the motor unloaded, before it matters.

Check the loss-of-signal behaviour before first real use. What the controller does when the input disappears — receiver out of range, host crash, cable pulled — is the difference between coasting to a stop and continuing at the last commanded throttle.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check
No response to throttle	Correct control source selected and written? Calibration completed? Signal wire and ground both connected?
Motor creeps at neutral	Calibration centre is off — re-run calibration.
Throttle range feels compressed	Min/max captured over less than the stick’s full travel. Re-run and move through the complete range.
Direction is reversed	Flip the direction toggle in Motor Settings; do not swap phase wires.
Input drops intermittently	Wiring and connector quality; on shared DC bus setups, check for ground loops.

Motor tuning and parameters

Current limits, cutoffs, and sensorless tuning.

UAVCAN / DroneCAN

Running the Delta as a UAVCAN ESC node.

​Running the Setup Input wizard

​Choosing a control source

​After calibration

​Troubleshooting

​Related

Motor tuning and parameters

UAVCAN / DroneCAN

Running the Setup Input wizard

Choosing a control source

After calibration

Troubleshooting

Related