Remote controlled flying things-Quads, Hex, Octo or anything

[Mandrake]

Phantom is good - Its the only one I use for Videos... Stable and reasonably reliable as long as you keep well away from cyclone fencing !!! 

[yogi]

I had been waiting for the Tali H500 with ground station to get all the bugs ironed out but this new Phantom 3 Pro with the modified Inspire 1 ground station software and inbuilt Lightbridge had me sold. Never thought I would buy DJI .... lol

yogi

[Marschy]

I had been waiting for the Tali H500 with ground station to get all the bugs ironed out but this new Phantom 3 Pro with the modified Inspire 1 ground station software and inbuilt Lightbridge had me sold. Never thought I would buy DJI .... lol

yogi

So does it have all of the automation that you were looking for yogi? I'm being lazy and haven't had a look at it yet

[Mandrake]

There were issues with some P2 batteries.. hopefully been resolved in P3..

[yogi]

Hi Marschy,

yeah it's got 2K range with full 720 HD downlink video, 4K video, manual camera controls, uses both American and Soviet GPS systems, full OSD, 23min flight time and eventually full ground station capabilities (way points and follow me not available yet but lots of interest and a full developers kit available) you can even live stream to the web if you want.

yogi

[yogi]

This is a bit more informative ... lol

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/feature

yogi

[CBRK]

Been a bit busy with the bad weather and then family catch up, no flying at all :-(  Was brilliant weather on the weekend but my wife had Uni so I was looking after the daughter so no flying, this weekend is looking average but hoping I'll sneak a flight in somewhere...  Whats annoying is the working days are beautiful sunshine... Grrrr.

Chris, Hobbyking don't give a crap if they stuff up your order. If they lose you or I, another dozen customers step up to the plate on a daily basis.

I agree they seem to forget it's much easier to keep a customer than it is to pick up a new one.  For the sake of $15 they have already lost nearly $150 of orders and that is about a month, I have got a big project where we are building two craft, we would have spent around $1000-$1500 with them, we need a gas motor or two, ESC's, BEC's, batteries, fuel tanks, transmitters, CF reinforcing, Tx modules, receivers, etc.....  Now they will get exactly $0 dollars worth of that.  I would rather buy from another vendor and wait an extra 1 to 2 weeks, after the time I spent on chat trying to get them to understand the issue.

OCD has got the better of me of late. I've been helping my brother with his van and also sorting out the solar panels on mine. One of my panels looks like it took a hard knock where it was permanently mounted on the roof and it smashed the tempered glass and when it shorted out, the other panel connected in parallel also shorted out. It looks as though the bus wire has melted when it shorted on the panel that isn't smashed, so I've ordered some bus wire from Aliexpress for 10 bucks that comes with 40 B grade 0.5 volt cells. I'm going to have a go at repairing the panel that shorted out, and if it works it will go on the shed roof to trickle charge the vans batteries. If it doesn't work, eh, 10 bucks, worth a shot.

But the APM Arduino software has opened my eye's to other projects. I am currently designing a solar panel mount that will fit on the rear of my van the will be raised using a linear ball screw and high torque stepper motor using an Arduino to control everything.

I know I have so many thoughts as to what I could do!  However I'm looking at it from an embedded linux machine instead.  For $30 bucks I can get something that is fairly powerful and so many options as you can generally plug in the arduino modules.  Arduino is way cool.

Chris

[yogi]

Hi All,

With so many toys out there can we get a quick list of everyone's quads / flying machines with a run down on features, technology ie flight systems, controller, frequencies ect and what you guys are using them for ? I will start working on a list of mine .... Might help some others and also good for a perv and drool .... Oh and I won't tell the wife either I know most of them are spread through the other 76 previous pages but having them all listened in one post might be more helpful. What's everyone's thoughts ?

Thanks
yogi

[Spartan]

Hi All,

With so many toys out there can we get quick list of everyone's quads / flying machines with a run down on features, technology ie flight systems, controller, frequencies ect and what you guys are using them for ?

 What's everyone's thoughts ?

Thanks
yogi

Sounds good to me... if someone else goes first! 

[D4D]

GoPro meets quad...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vGcH0Bk3hg

[Bigsteve]

That's techno porn. I want one

S

[Crisp Image]

That's techno porn. I want one

S

Me too. Only $499 usd pre ordered to be delivered in 2016.
Crispy


Sent using fat fingers on the iPad thingy

[CBRK]

Hi All,

With so many toys out there can we get a quick list of everyone's quads / flying machines with a run down on features, technology ie flight systems, controller, frequencies ect and what you guys are using them for ? I will start working on a list of mine .... Might help some others and also good for a perv and drool .... Oh and I won't tell the wife either I know most of them are spread through the other 76 previous pages but having them all listened in one post might be more helpful. What's everyone's thoughts ?

Thanks
yogi

I'll start then.... I'm okay with it, as long as the wife doesn't find out :-)

I have the following:

 - CF Tricopter with 3 axis gimbal
 - Wooden Framed Tricopter (not in flying condition - removed ESC's and motors for competition)
 - GF 250 Mini Quad
 - Bixler 2
 - Flying wing (about 900mm wingspan) - to help train up my team mates for an autonomous flight competition

In the progress of building:
 - Large UAV style airplane (target weight is upto 8kg's - 2-3m wingspan, will be gas motor powered - has to be capable of 60km autonomous flight) - Currently designing in CAD.
 - Tiltrotor (target weight 2-3kgs, also has to fly upto 60km autonomously - will be electric powered) - Currently designing in CAD - pending test results of the prototypes.
 - Tiltrotor prototypes (have one partly built out of foam board) - started building it last night

I also have 3 250/300 sized CF / GF frames.

For the meetup in Sept, I plan to bring the Tricopter, the Miniquad, the Large UAV (if it will fit) and the flying wing.

Regards,

Chris

[prodigyrf]

"I'll start then.... I'm okay with it, as long as the wife doesn't find out :-)"

#officeofstatusofwimmins@WTF*%%!your metadata are ours eunuch!!!!

[Marschy]

Ok here's mine.

Alien 560 560mm wheelbase quadcopter, w/Naza M V2 flight controller, FPV and aerial videography platform
Alien X-mode 500mm wheel base quadcopter w/APM 2.6 flight controller FPV and aerial videography platform
Reptile Aphid 450mm wheel base quadcopter w/APM 2.6 flight controller, FPV platform
ZMR250 250mm quadcopter w/mini APM v3.1 flight controller, FPV platform (work in progress)
Quanum Trifecta Tricopter w/mini APM v3.1 flight controller, FPV platform (work in progress)

My ground station is like Steve's, only mine doesn't have the flash looking box, plus I have Fatshark Teleporter googles that make me feel as sick as a dog when I use them, so my preference is to use the 7 inch ground station video screen.

Plus I have enough bits and pieces to put a KK2.1 flight controller quadcopter together. I plan on bringing whatever I have that is working by the time of the September get together, so I'm hoping to finish off the ZMR250 and Trifecta by then.

Edit: Almost forgot my Tek Suma flying wing

[CBRK]

Oops forgot to put the all important stuff....

I have the following:

 - CF Tricopter, Pixhawk FC, 3 axis gimbal, look down camera for photogrammetry, sometimes has a ODROID companion PC for processing image data on the fly, 915Mhz telemetry data, 2 GPS's (M8N and Neo 7).  2.4 Ghz for control, 5.8 Ghz for FPV camera
 - Wooden Framed Tricopter (not in flying condition - removed ESC's and motors for competition), uses an APM2.5 FC, 915Mhz telemetry data, Neo 7 GPS, 2.4 Ghz for control
 - GF 250 Mini Quad, uses an APM3.1, 915Mhz telemetry data, Neo 7 GPS, 2.4 Ghz for control, 5.8 Ghz for FPV camera
 - Bixler 2, shares a Pixhawk FC (with flying wing), 915Mhz telemetry data, Neo 7 GPS, 2.4 Ghz for control, 5.8 Ghz for FPV camera
 - Flying wing (about 900mm wingspan) - to help train up my team mates for an autonomous flight competition, shares the Pixhawk FC with the Bixler, 915Mhz  telemetry data, Neo 7Q (small GPS), 2.4 Ghz for control

In the progress of building:
 - Large UAV style airplane (target weight is upto 8kg's - 2-3m wingspan, will be gas motor powered - has to be capable of 60km autonomous flight) - Currently designing in CAD.  Will have Pixhawk FC, 2 GPS's (M8N and Neo 7), RFD 915 Mhz Telemetry radios (upto 50km range) x 2, 5.8 Ghz radio for high bandwidth data, ODROID as companion PC, likely to have 2.4 Ghz for control or maybe 433MHz - still in discussion
 - Tiltrotor (target weight 2-3kgs, also has to fly upto 60km autonomously - will be electric powered) - Currently designing in CAD - pending test results of the prototypes.  Pixhawk FC, 1 GPS (M8N or Neo 7), RFD 915Mhz Telemetry radio (up to 50 km range), 2.4 Ghz for control
 - Tiltrotor prototypes (have one partly built out of foam board) - started building it last night.  Likely to be pixhawk FC, 3DR 915 Mhz telemetry, 1 GPS.

I also have 3 250/300 sized CF / GF frames.  Lots of other bits, I could most likely build another 1 or 2 copters from spares and another plane or two.  I have a new CF Tricopter frame that I'll switch to that was CNC cut, instead of my dodgy attempts.

Chris

[CBRK]

During some testing of the 15 inch props I found the limitation of a servo.  It was tethered so it can't go higher than 1.5m.  I was wondering why the servo was turning to one side as I throttled up - no amount of input would affect it, turns out the servo was struggling to fight forces of the motor, the servo was trying but just couldn't keep up.  My second hint was that the external BEC was warm and I mean much warmer than it has been before.  Then I noticed I had melted a hole in the servo case and of course  I did what all of us guys would do, I touched it.  So now I have a dead servo and a small burn on my finger......

It was a blessing it happened when it did, if it had happened when I was flying it at the park it would have resulted in a total failure (uncontrolled spin and loss of attitude control).  So I've swapped it out to the newer bluebird servo's I ordered a few months back.

I have switched back to the 12" props till I work on a mount for my 7kg servo (18g), current one is 4kg.  Once I have i'll put the 15" props back on.  I'm sure the newer servo would handle it but I think after that experience I'll wait.

Chris

[Mandrake]

Here's my list -

Phantom FC40 , Naza M , GPS , OSD , FPV camera and Gimbal with videocam ... New FPV Videocam on its way .

Phantom P1 , Naza M , GPS , OSD , Gimbal with Videocam

Alien 560 - ( nearly complete ) - naza M ( converted from Lite ) GPS OSD FPV and gimbal with videocam .

F350 Quadcopter with Naza M ( converted from Lite ) - GPS does not function due to a burnout on an OSD board one day .. This is the flight tester !!

Hexacopter frame is coming and I have all the other bits to complete it ...

Mandrake

[CBRK]

Not happy at present, I finally switched over to my 30A blue esc's for the Tricopter.  I have a very bouncy experience, currently reviewing what is different.  I'm thinking I may need to modify my PID rates right on down and possibly change the refresh rate to be higher.  I will also check the RC feel options as I tinkered with them the night before.  I thought I set them to be more calmer, thinking I may have gone the wrong direction!

Kept it under control (no crashes) took it for a 10 mins spin but dont like the current feel of it.

[CBRK]

Not happy at present, I finally switched over to my 30A blue esc's for the Tricopter.  I have a very bouncy experience, currently reviewing what is different.  I'm thinking I may need to modify my PID rates right on down and possibly change the refresh rate to be higher.  I will also check the RC feel options as I tinkered with them the night before.  I thought I set them to be more calmer, thinking I may have gone the wrong direction!

Kept it under control (no crashes) took it for a 10 mins spin but dont like the current feel of it.

Hmmmm, I've done some more playing.  I reviewed my log files and I can see that there is some pulsing on the pitch and roll axis, this is compared to the desired pitch or roll.  I really like being able to look at this stuff.  Fault finding is much easier.

Seems this is an issue for some ESC's.  So I've not had good luck with ESC's lately, the EMAX BLHeli's enter boot loader mode and stay there and my Blue series seem to pulse instead of being steady.  I've got yet another tool on the way to update the blue series ESC's, so I can flash them with SimonK, this seems to fix the issue according to some.

Still more testing to do, I'll test them on both my 2nd pixhawk and the APM 2.7 to be sure it's a pixhawk issue.  I also ordered 3 Turnigy Plush 30A, I know yet another HK order (I was trying to avoid it), but unfortunately I have the 18A Plush that work with the Pixhawk, so I figured I'd get them to give me something to work with till I have this resolved.

I'll also redo the ESC calibration on the off chance that my earlier calibration didn't work, some have reported similar behavior. Why did I read that at midnight when it was too late to test it out....

Doesn't appear to be the sync issue that some people complain about either.

I've also turned down the RC_Feel parameter to 4 (was at 20, on my APM before I flying with it at about 50), same with the sensitivity, its right down.  I've left my PID's at current levels as it is definitely the ESC's causing the motors to pulse.

So now I have 2 different types of ESC's with issue with the Pixhawk to resolve.  I have only Wednesday and Thursday night at home to work on this as I'm away on a cave rescue training weekend and busy on Mon and Tues night....  Just as well as it's forecast to rain most of the week and next weekend :-)  Fingers crossed the following week will be better.

[yogi]

Ok so here is my list

350QX - 2.4Gh setup with eBay gimbal and SJCAM4000 using a Bosscam 200mw 5.8Gh transmitter for video, though the compass doesn't seem to like the gimbal (working on that)

200QX - 2.4Gh has 3D modes just good fun to fly may set it up with fpv one day.

Phantom 3 Pro - 2.4Gh probably just keep this one standard.

I have a Spectrum DX6i with 7 inch monitor and Bosscam 5.8Gh receiver setup to use with the 350QX

Also have a Taranis Plus with Spectrum receiver, it  has a few other mods  to - working on moving all my models over to this transmitter.

I may also have a few other rc heli's, planes and cars but that's only a rumour

yogi

[Crisp Image]

I only have the DJI F450 with gimbal gopro and vtx to goggles and a 7 inch ground station. FC is a NAZA 2 and ezosd
The other one is a scratch built quad at about 400mm that has a apm FC minim OSD vtx and just the camera that has no recording ability.
Would like to build a bigger folding Alien  type of craft and a 250 class quad too. Other things on my plate at the moment.

Regards
Crispy


Sent using fat fingers on the iPad thingy

[Spartan]

Just the one for me...... so far  .

Davids V3 tricopter with the KK2.1.5 flight controller- basic LOS setup so far.

I'm pretty sure that this week I'll be ordering Davids upgraded frame with built in Naze32 board, power distribution and 5v BEC (plus some spare parts). Plus I'm leaping head first into FPV! So I'll also be ordering ImmersionRC 600mW 5.8 transmitter, IBCrazy blue beam ultra antenna set, Headplay goggles and either a Skylark Tiny OSDIII or ImmersionRC EZOSD. I'll probably also go with a Mobius for both recording and flying with but also considering the Runcam and Xiaomi.

Credit card is going to be running hot and very empty by the end of this week!

[ScottT]

Have you all seen this ?

https://www.lily.camera/

Cheers, Scott

[Marschy]

Have you all seen this ?

https://www.lily.camera/

Cheers, Scott

I think someone posted a link a page or two earlier. Pretty cool