Blackbox Logging

Blackbox records flight data for post-flight analysis, tuning, and debugging. OrniFlight supports logging to onboard flash chip or external OpenLog device.

What Gets Logged

• Gyro — raw and filtered 3-axis angular velocity
• Accelerometer — 3-axis acceleration
• PID Output — P, I, D, F contributions per axis
• ONDAS — Cadence, Ferocity P/D, and other flapping-specific parameters
• RC Commands — stick positions after rates/expo
• Servo Output — final output to each servo channel
• Battery — voltage and current per iteration
• GPS — position, speed, altitude (when available)

Setup

Onboard Flash (OMNIBUSF4)

The OMNIBUSF4 includes 16MB onboard flash for Blackbox logging. Enable in Configurator:

1. Blackbox tab → Set Blackbox logging device to Onboard flash
2. Set logging rate (recommend: 1/N with N=2-4 for F4 targets)
3. Assign a switch to start/stop logging

External OpenLog

Connect OpenLog to a free UART TX pin:

1. Ports tab → Set the UART to Blackbox logging at 115200 baud
2. Connect OpenLog: FC TX → OpenLog RX, plus 5V/GND

Analysis Tools

• Blackbox Explorer — web-based log viewer
• blackbox_decode — convert to CSV for custom analysis

ONDAS-Specific

Blackbox is essential for tuning ONDAS parameters. Logged ONDAS data includes: - ondas_cadence_phase — modulation window timing - ondas_ferocity_p / ondas_ferocity_d — asymmetric thrust components - ondas_balance — left/right wing balance - Per-servo output at each iteration

This allows precise analysis of flapping mechanics and wing asymmetry corrections.