LHI APM2.6 APM Flight Controller Board w / Top - Connector Connector for ARDUPILOT MEGA 2.6

After some flight experience, I have revised this review and changed my rating from 3 to 5 stars. This unit is on my Tarot FY680 Pro hexcopter (see photo), and it is working very well. I have flown two waypoint missions and both flights have been flawless. Here is a YouTube link to one of those flights: [...]I ordered this as a replacement for a possibly damaged flight controller for my Tarot hexcopter. Unfortunately, I read the heading of the advertisement: "LHI APM2.6 APM Flight Controller Board w/ Side-Pin Connector for ARDUPILOT MEGA 2.6" - I expected that the connectors were on the side of the unit, not on top. I had looked at several ads and settled on this was as it was the cheapest - I neglected to examine the picture which clearly showed the pins on top... my bad. Note the picture - the new unit I bought is the smaller one.I have downloaded the firmware okay, but have not as yet done the other calibrations as I need to lengthen the ESC wires so they can plug into the controller; the receiver leads are okay.A late update. I had been unable to perform a compass calibration as I was waiting over a month for a new GPS /compass module. I finally decided to use an existing known good GPS from another quadcopter, but was unable to perform a successful compass calibration. I tried reloading Mission Planner, installed the latest beta updates, reloaded the firmware - all to no avail. I remember one other time I had a persistent compass calibration issue and it turned out to be the flight controller. So I swapped out flight controllers and I was able to successfully perform the calibration.I tried once again to load the firmware, perform the Accel and Compass calibrations - no joy. I am convinced that my flight controller is faulty. Unfortunately, I've had this unit since December and cannot return it. So I'll lbuy a new unit from another vendor.I found it really difficult to pull the USB connector out of the unit after loading the firmware; it plugs in okay but is really hard to remove. I fear damaging the unit removing the USB plug.

Excellent price on a great flight controller. I know APM's are outdated, but they are great flight controllers. I have 7 of them in various quad builds and love them. This particular one was put into a F450 frame with 920kv motors utilizing 30amp ESC. It flies like a dream and set up quick. Great price and product, packaged well and delivered quick. I buy from LHI all the time and have never been dissapointed. Great seller.

Excellent for the $$$$. To access the FC via USB and use Mission Planner you have to go to the Arduino sight and upload their editor with the appropriate drivers. The card is outdated but works excellently with the right drivers.

Works perfectly. Buy this APM...not expensive ones. Better performance and much better price

Looks like an authentic 3DR APM. This model of the board has no GPS or compass so you need to mount your GPS with compass and connect to it. Gyro works good.This is a nice lightweight autopilot at a decent price. Especially if you want to mount an external GPS.This unit is not supported by the newer firmware versions but will work as expected with the proper firmware. It came with 3.2.1. I confirmed that it works with copter, plane, and antenna tracker firmware.

its ok but needed to buy another, programmed what it felt like and connected to the pc or laptop aboiut once in 5 trys,. im sure this is a good unit but for me, pile of junk

Excellent product, I received it with everything as advertised. unlike other APM clones that other sellers peddle at a much higher price, this board is an official 3DR APM 2.6. It is very easy to set up, you wont have to download any new drivers. Just download Mission Planner 2 and then plug in the board. You can find many tutorials that will assist you step by step in programming the board. Also, remember that APM 2.6 does not have an on-board compass. When you plug in an external compass, make sure it is connected to the I2C port on the board.

not an apm 2.6. looked nothing like the picture. Cam with a bent pins. Has an internal compass though apm 2.6 is not supposed to have an internal compass. If you are looking for quality do not buy