He has made the construction of multicopters easily and available thanks to his design of the CONTROLL CARDS KK and not least KK2, the only flight controller who does not require access to a PC. Meet Rolf Bakke, the man called "The Grandfather of the KK Revolution"

Henning: Can you first say a little about yourself?

Rolf: I live in Bergen, a professional letter as a service electronics. Is 41 years young. I have just switched jobs to the lathes. Before, I have repaired mobiles and medical equipment in hospitals.

Henning: How did your Interress be started for hardware?

Rolf: Have always been interested in electronics and mechanics. Started as a child with picking iFraa's other toys to find out how they worked.

Henning: Recognize it!  What about circuit card design? Is there anything you taught yourself?

Rolf: Yes, all of the electronics design and circuit card design are self -taught.  Began by borrowing books at the library and the priest in elementary school copied forms to me

Henning: The priest? How was it?

Rolf: He was interested in electronics he and.

Henning: So what was the reason you wanted to make circuit cards? Any special things you had in mind at first?

Rolf: No, it was just to move on from "a wooden plank with nails at the" level.   

Henning: Any examples of what the first circuit cards did? Was it sound, motor control, or something else?

Rolf: The first proper circuit card design was a 12V charger for NICD/PB and Li-ion batteries. This was early in electric aircraft where such chargers were rare and very expensive.

Henning: Over to multirotor. When did this start, and how did you get the idea of ​​thinking engine control beyond a regular aircraft or helicopter?

Rolf: That was when I first heard about the German microcopter project in 2009 (microcopter.de). I wanted something like that, but it was very expensive!  So I decided to make something myself that I could fly.

Henning: And then the KK card was on sale, what was the first card and how did you get it into production and distribution?

Rolf: I had no name for it. I published the design at RCGroups (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1143569) So people could make their own. The name was eventually KK out of my username on RCGroups. From there, the hobby was designing and started production of it. When they were peached they promised me "50% royalties". I then made a new and better version KK2, which was and was produced by hobby.

Henning: Impressive. So you get royalties now?

Rolf: Haha, no, it's been a long time since I've got something from there!

Henning: Bad! Have you considered suing them?

Rolf: No, it was just a fun experience, hadn't counted on anything serious from there. Have other and better things to use my energy on

Henning: Yes, at least you have the credit for having the kick -started multirotor movement, if we can call it. If there has been a KK2 mini, is there anything you have designed or is it hobby yourself?

Rolf: No, all versions after KK2.0 is the hobby that has ruled. Is still the same design, but with new gyro and acceleration sensors.

Henning: Does that mean you have completed the Flight Controller project? Or is it a KK3 going on?

Rolf: No, it's ended for me. Minimum Specs currently is full GPS control and all other "bells and whistles" that people want. I am not particularly interested in that. After all, you can already buy it for a cheap money now. Soon it will probably get on Rema1000 as well

Henning: hehe. What about Naze32, some think it is better for racing because it is 32 bits and not 8 bits. Is there anything in it?

Rolf: No, the number of bits on the processor does not count, what counts is how many bits on the calculations are performed. An 8Bit Atmel can perform 32bit calculations without any problem. The quality of the program and the skill of the programmer counts most.

Henning: What about clock frequency and such things? Does it have anything to say or is it the ESC frequency that will be the limitation?

Rolf: As long as the processor is able to complete all the calculations before the next ESS update, the number of bits/clock frequency does not matter. If not then you must have a more powerful processor. The processor in KK2 has a utilization of about 60% if I do not remember wrong, that is, it spends 40% of the time waiting for something more to do. High ESC frequency is important, mostly to reduce the throttle change-low pass filter that most ESCs have.

Henning: And the sensors are still MPU6050, is there any possibility that Nazen32 read the data more accurately from the sensor?

Rolf: No, it's digital data, so they'll be the same no matter who reads it. What the program does with the data is another matter.

Henning: Great to know for a KK2 fan as myself. What kind of flying projects do you have for the time being?

Rolf: Has put mini fpv equipment on a blade 180 quad for indoor flying. Or isn't that much going on, waiting for spring!

Henning: I see you posted video from an indoor hall, do you have any organized flight in Bergen?

Rolf: Yes, is organized, but no club-based. Is no active R/C club in Bergen, unfortunately. We have the last indoor flight this season on March 22 at 11 at Sandsli, the same building as the bowling hall.

Henning: Sounds very fun. Do you have any fixed arrangement later?

No, nothing firm, people just show up at the bossing in Rådalen if the weather is nice.  Is very variable on whether there is anyone there at all or how many. Looks like the trend is that people buy a finished multicopter and fly for themselves. In the past, people needed help, especially when it came to fuel aircraft.

Henning: Nice to know for airmen in the Bergens area!

 Finally: What you think about the influence KK and KK2 have had around the world?

 Rolf: I don't think there would have been much difference. Had probably been someone else who had made a cheap alternative to the shameful solutions that they got at that time. Also, there were already several finished quads at that time as well (including Dragan Flyer and Alien Jump Jet)

Henning: OK. But KK2 is the only controller with display, and clearly most user -friendly for beginners?

Rolf: Yes, the display is a definitive advantage. Made it so that one did not depend on a PC to set it.

Henning: Then I say thank you for the interview, it was very interesting. Hope you get something out of our Facebook group, the rotor club.

Rolf: Okay, thank you and!