Author Topic: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything  (Read 780086 times)

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Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1500 on: February 08, 2015, 06:25:34 PM »
Just keeping the idea on peoples minds of the quadcopter/camping trip you were talking about Steve. I'm ready to go. After Easter is good for me.

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1501 on: February 08, 2015, 06:36:14 PM »
weekend of 10th or 17th April ( they're fridays ) - Somewhere around Little Desert N P - Maybe Broughtons Waterhole ???

Should be just about empty at that time of year ... Just us and the birds !!
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1502 on: February 08, 2015, 07:23:15 PM »
weekend of 10th or 17th April ( they're fridays ) - Somewhere around Little Desert N P - Maybe Broughtons Waterhole ???

Should be just about empty at that time of year ... Just us and the birds !!
April is a write off for me. I will be in Europe for most of it. :'(

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Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1503 on: February 08, 2015, 07:42:38 PM »
May will be better for me as well. My wife and I will be broke after our S/E Pacific cruise in late March. Both of us celebrate our 50th birthdays this year.

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1504 on: February 08, 2015, 09:47:14 PM »
Hmmmm - Its getting tricky now as May won't be all that pleasant in the Desert .... LOL ..

OK how about Friday 15th May to Sunday 17th May .... And pray to the god of weather Livinia to have a fine weekend ...
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1505 on: February 09, 2015, 10:21:24 AM »
Hmmmm - Its getting tricky now as May won't be all that pleasant in the Desert .... LOL ..

OK how about Friday 15th May to Sunday 17th May .... And pray to the god of weather Livinia to have a fine weekend ...

May is a bad month for me, I have a Regional Rescue Comp (which I am on the organising committee - its on the 16th May) and I have a cave rescue weekend that I normally attend (normally the last weekend in May).

Dont hold off on my account, I can always catch the next one.  My vote would have been for March or April :-)

Chris

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Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1506 on: February 09, 2015, 12:46:27 PM »
If I go by myself, I can probably make it in April

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1507 on: February 09, 2015, 12:50:20 PM »
Spring is looking good !!!
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1508 on: February 09, 2015, 02:39:05 PM »
Hi all,

I started on the new frame today.  This is my progress so far:





I've used 1.5mm carbon fiber weave sheets for the top and bottom plates.  I've used 10mmx10mm square CF tubes for the arms (they are 37.5cm long and have a hollowed section to feed my wires through).  I've cut a battery tray out of 1mm CF, i've also got various bits of 1.5mm and 1mm small bits to fix the tray to the frame.

On a plus the temp was only in the mid 20's so a good day to be donned up in a P2 mask.

I'm a bit annoyed at myself, I have some play in the tail boom due to a maths stuff up.....  I added .5mm to each side, when I should have added half of that to each side......  Oh well I'll put in a CF brace to fix it up tomorrow.

It's feeling much lighter than my plywood frame, overall I'm pretty happy with it.  I've got a hole for the Pixhawk safety switch and holes for the GPS mount.

Tomorrow I will do my last couple of dremel cuts, and do the required bits in FR4 (mount for FPV Tx and Telemetry Radio).  I'm thinking of still using my wooden posts for the landing gear, they just seem to work and they are easy to replace if I break any.  I'll paint them black though.  I'd like to also get all the electronics and motors, etc mounted tomorrow.  That way I can hopefully do a maiden flight on the new frame and pixhawk on Wednesday or Thursday.

Its not that much harder to work with when you use tungsten carbide bits.  Most of the cutting was done with the jigsaw and my drill press did a great job with the drilling.

Chris
« Last Edit: February 09, 2015, 02:41:01 PM by CBRK »
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1509 on: February 09, 2015, 03:16:35 PM »
Spring is looking good !!!

Spring works for me too, plenty of time to plan :-)

Eeeks, 12+ hours of a drive.  I've wanted to see the Little Desert NP so I guess I'll be able to tick that off the list too.

Next one after that will have to be somewhere in the middle of all Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.

Chris
« Last Edit: February 09, 2015, 03:57:39 PM by CBRK »
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1510 on: February 09, 2015, 04:32:00 PM »


Eeeks, 12+ hours of a drive.


Where the bloody hell r u ?? I picked a spot halfway between Adel and Mel ... U in Sydney area ??
Going back to basics - sort of ...

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1511 on: February 09, 2015, 04:58:30 PM »
Where the bloody hell r u ?? I picked a spot halfway between Adel and Mel ... U in Sydney area ??

Yep, sure am :-)

I thought my city was on my profile, just noticed it's not showing up....  Will have a look later to fix that.

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1512 on: February 10, 2015, 09:21:09 AM »
FINALLY SOME SUCCESS !!!!!!

Took both quads out today for a fly and test ---

Got the Alien ( re-balanced version ) off the ground and hovering for a while before it decided to wander a little bit ( NO GPS installed at the moment ) - very happy about getting off the deck -- seems to fly quite well so can't wait for the GPS and prong to arrive ...

Phantom tested F/Safe successfully although I had a problem setting homepoint - the OSD was showing it as 40 metres from me and that's where the Phantom returned to - I did a compass calib and reset the homepoint but it still was 40m away ??? However it flew well and f/s works as it should ...
The only problem was the FPV signal was very scratchy after 50 metres or so which could be aerial position ?? ..

Anyway it was a good mornings fun with no crash and burn ...

Going back to basics - sort of ...

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1513 on: February 10, 2015, 09:23:41 AM »
I may have missed it Steve but did you get your Phantom back which took off to the never never?

GG

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1514 on: February 10, 2015, 09:43:47 AM »
No mate had to buy a new one and have just finished fixing a few upgrades to it ... So its ready for filming now ...
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Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1515 on: February 10, 2015, 10:24:21 AM »
FINALLY SOME SUCCESS !!!!!!

Took both quads out today for a fly and test ---

Got the Alien ( re-balanced version ) off the ground and hovering for a while before it decided to wander a little bit ( NO GPS installed at the moment ) - very happy about getting off the deck -- seems to fly quite well so can't wait for the GPS and prong to arrive ...

Phantom tested F/Safe successfully although I had a problem setting homepoint - the OSD was showing it as 40 metres from me and that's where the Phantom returned to - I did a compass calib and reset the homepoint but it still was 40m away ??? However it flew well and f/s works as it should ...
The only problem was the FPV signal was very scratchy after 50 metres or so which could be aerial position ?? ..

Anyway it was a good mornings fun with no crash and burn ...
Great news Steve, I will find out the site for reflashing the Naza Lite for you because apparently the drifting is an issue with the Naza Lite that DJI have not resolved satisfactorily yet, even after you put the GPS on. You can apparently reflash the FC to Naza V2.

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1516 on: February 10, 2015, 10:56:11 AM »
Good news steve.
Are you using circular polarized antenna on the vtx and the vrx?
That colud make the difference.
Regards
Crispy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1517 on: February 10, 2015, 12:06:47 PM »
Reflashing sounds like a good idea - I'll wait until I've tested with GPS first though...

I'm running the standard aerials at the moment -
I did have a pair of circular polarisers but one is on the missing phantom ... I think they were 2.4Ghz too  - I need a 5.8 pair now ...

I'll see what I can find with a rightangled connector ...

Cheers

Steve
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Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1518 on: February 10, 2015, 12:08:23 PM »
Reflashing sounds like a good idea - I'll wait until I've tested with GPS first though...

I'm running the standard aerials at the moment -
I did have a pair of circular polarisers but one is on the missing phantom ... I think they were 2.4Ghz too  - I need a 5.8 pair now ...

I'll see what I can find with a rightangled connector ...

Cheers

Steve
Steve, the link to the support forum I PM'd you is incorrect, use the link in the naza upgrade web site. That one works.

Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1519 on: February 10, 2015, 12:15:37 PM »
Interesting reading on the naza upgrade support web site. Apparently the hardware for the flight controller is identical, just the firmware is different. So if you do the firmware upgrade, suddenly your Naza Lite supports the new power module, canbus, iOSD mini, datalink, the works.

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1520 on: February 10, 2015, 05:32:56 PM »
Good news steve.
Are you using circular polarized antenna on the vtx and the vrx?
That colud make the difference.
Regards
Crispy

Hi Steve,

Is the 50m range with both antennas (assuming the standard dipole antennas) on the same plane (both vertical or both horizontal) with no obstructions between the two points?  If so then I think you have an issue, 5.8Ghz should do well in excess of that.  If they are on a different plane - one horizontal and one vertical then yes switching antennas to a CP will help.

If it's on the same plane then start looking for things getting in the way, is it high enough over the model, is the position such that the body of the model gets between you and the Tx, also is there any CF close by.

Are all connections done up?  Did you do any soldering / crimping work on the VTx or between it and the antenna, etc....

Chris
« Last Edit: February 10, 2015, 05:36:41 PM by CBRK »
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1521 on: February 10, 2015, 06:00:50 PM »
Its really good and clear for 50-100 m then it gets a lot of breaking up interference ... I'll try it with circ pols and see how that goes as I don't really want to have to move the tx again
I just drilled a hole in the leg to mount it ..... I'm not after huge distances so clear upto say 300m will be good enough for what I will be doing ...
Going back to basics - sort of ...

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1522 on: February 10, 2015, 06:40:13 PM »
Well another productive day, I've got more of the frame done today, I now have a battery tray mounted on the new CF frame.

I've noticed a number of items I'm not happy with the new frame, I think I'll chalk that up to my first time cutting CF......  So I logged onto HK last night and discovered they are selling the 1.5mm sheets for $14.55, so I picked up 3 more of them.  So I'll run with this frame and I'll build up an even better one later on.  I think I need to make a jig to hold the dremel and try to use it like a table saw, also need to do the same but mount it upside down like a router table too.  Guess I'll be doing some reading / watching youtube tonight to get some ideas :-)

My main beef is the holes I drilled to hold the tail piece in, the plans have them as a 2.5mm hole and I up sized them to 3mm (as I dont have any 2.5mm nylon bolts), I have added 2mm in the space between them for some stupid reason, there was 1mm of play - plus one hole wasnt as accurate as the others, so now I have a spacer added but then the angle seemed wrong, finally after some filing I've got something straight.....  I don't want the same problem I've got on the plywood frame.

So tonight and tomorrow I'll be working on the electronics.  Once that's done I'll post up some pics.  Looks like a maiden flight will be Thursday at the earliest, looking more like Friday depending on the weather.

Chris
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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1523 on: February 10, 2015, 06:50:15 PM »
Its really good and clear for 50-100 m then it gets a lot of breaking up interference ... I'll try it with circ pols and see how that goes as I don't really want to have to move the tx again
I just drilled a hole in the leg to mount it ..... I'm not after huge distances so clear upto say 300m will be good enough for what I will be doing ...

I switched to CP antennas almost right of the bat, it sounds like there is something getting in the way, if it's mounted on the leg it is likely the body getting in the way, it needs clear LOS to work.  On my miniquad I use an extension cable so the VTx is tucked away and the extension cable then puts the antenna in an optimal location.

You can try mounting it upside down to get a clearer line.

Chris
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Marschy

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Re: Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything
« Reply #1524 on: February 10, 2015, 07:10:17 PM »
You can try mounting it upside down to get a clearer line.
That's the way to go. All my Vtx antennas hang upsidedown underneath the body.