Multirotor Spec - your thoughts please

On the up

Hi folks I am in the process of buying a multirotor and as I have no experience with these was hoping for your expert opinion.

I have a basic understanding of whats good/bad on these things but when it comes to transmtters etc I'm not so tuned in pardon the pun.

These are the specs of what I'm thinking of buying,

Technical data;

Diameter; 0.58m Weight; 1550g (only model)

Camera mount - 250g

Battery 400g - 500g

Materials; - Fiberglass - Carbon fiber - Plastic

Time of flying; 8-10min ( 11.1v/5000 mAh 3s lipo battery pack ) could be extended up to 15min with Nano-Tech Batteries.

The auction includes:

1 x HEXACOPTER based on Xaircraft Hexa frame with landing gear and battery holder 1x 2 axis camera mount Xaircraft with two digital high quality HD servos controled from your transmiter .The camera mount is suitable to carry the compact cameras or GoPro cameras.

6 x out-runner brushless motor 6X 20A Skywalker (hobbywing) high speed pwm brushless motor ESC controller.

3x 10 x 4.5 clockwise propellers 3x 10 x 4.5 counter-clockwise propellers

4x extra spare propellers

1x Transmitter Turnigy 9x or Flysky with changed to ER9x firmware, all parameters already set

1x Receiver (Turnigy 8ch or Flysky)

1 x 11.1v/5000 mAh 3s lipo battery pack 1 x battery charger-balancer

Plz note that the frame cover could be slightly diffrent shape then on the picture

1x DJI NAZA + GPS Flight Controller which features;

- Three flight modes: manual, attitude hold and GPS hold position (very usefull for aerial photography) -Fail safe used as RETURN TO HOME

Fail safe AUTO LANDING - Direction hold

- Low voltage protection


So what do you think? and what price would you put on this setup??

TIA

On the up

Nobody ????

Would have thought there were surely ppl here with experience with drones/hexacopters/multicopters

eirlink

get yourself a dji phantom..

it comes with the following included
gopro mount
naza flight controller + gps
return to home failsafe
Intelligent orientation
transmitter included
10 mins flight time
2 spare props
11.1v 2200maH lipo
attitlude hold
and low batt protection

Pretty much most of what you want, but a Quad, not a hex.

syl77

"The auction includes:"
I would be careful buying from ebay, can you get parts easily... you WILL crash.
Its alot of money (£1600aprox on ebay) for someone just starting out.
If its worth it, hard to say... brands like Turnigy are middle of the road...some I havn't heard off....In fact there is no brand associated to the lipos....
havn't heard of the DJI NAZA + GPS Flight Controller

On the up

syl77 wrote: »

"The auction includes:"
I would be careful buying from ebay, can you get parts easily... you WILL crash.
Its alot of money (£1600aprox on ebay) for someone just starting out.
If its worth it, hard to say... brands like Turnigy are middle of the road...some I havn't heard off....In fact there is no brand associated to the lipos....
havn't heard of the DJI NAZA + GPS Flight Controller

Thanks for the reply.
I have no experiece assembling these or never had one before.
I have done alot of reading up into them and DJI seem to be the prefered supplier of base components and the GPS controller offers a help to beginners like me in that it will maintain a fixed hover and also has a return to home function and auto landing if battery power runs low or it loses signal from the transmitter.

Its things like you pointed out like Turnigy being middle of the road that I dont know so good to get a heads up.

Agreed its alot of money to spend but I'd rather buy once and buy right especially if the vendor seems legit and has good feedback

cellosid

On the up wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
I have no experiece assembling these or never had one before.
I have done alot of reading up into them and DJI seem to be the prefered supplier of base components and the GPS controller offers a help to beginners like me in that it will maintain a fixed hover and also has a return to home function and auto landing if battery power runs low or it loses signal from the transmitter.

Its things like you pointed out like Turnigy being middle of the road that I dont know so good to get a heads up.

Agreed its alot of money to spend but I'd rather buy once and buy right especially if the vendor seems legit and has good feedback

Don't know if you've pulled the trigger by now............ have a look at this thread !

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056903527

On the up

cellosid wrote: »

Don't know if you've pulled the trigger by now............ have a look at this thread !

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056903527

That would be a much lower spec machine than the one I hope to buy.
The transmitter and gps would rule that problem out hopefully :eek:

cellosid

On the up wrote: »

That would be a much lower spec machine than the one I hope to buy.
The transmitter and gps would rule that problem out hopefully :eek:

I don't get where you're coming from.............. you state you have no experience with those components. You will have to build this Hexa and Program the ESC's. Tune the Naza Controller. and then configure the Turnigy Radio.

Another poster suggested a RTF DJI Phantom. Granted it's a Quadcopter but it will perform equally if not better than the Hexacopter without the build headache ?

My post was to point you to the QC issue of DJI motors resulting in the well documented 'Flyaway' problem with some DJI Phantoms, should you consider buying a Phantom ?

On the up

cellosid wrote: »

I don't get where you're coming from.............. you state you have no experience with those components. You will have to build this Hexa and Program the ESC's. Tune the Naza Controller. and then configure the Turnigy Radio.

Another poster suggested a RTF DJI Phantom. Granted it's a Quadcopter but it will perform equally if not better than the Hexacopter without the build headache ?

My post was to point you to the QC issue of DJI motors resulting in the well documented 'Flyaway' problem with some DJI Phantoms, should you consider buying a Phantom ?

The hexacopter will arrive assembled and tuned ready to fly.
These problems appear to happen when people upgrade their equipment or attempt to program them themselves at least this is what I am finding from online info.

I have not previously mentioned that I am wanting this drone for aerial photography so from a payload lift capacity point of view the quad is a non runner.Stability is also a concern

cellosid

On the up wrote: »

The hexacopter will arrive assembled and tuned ready to fly.
These problems appear to happen when people upgrade their equipment or attempt to program them themselves at least this is what I am finding from online info.

I have not previously mentioned that I am wanting this drone for aerial photography so from a payload lift capacity point of view the quad is a non runner.Stability is also a concern

OK ! Dont be fooled into thinking that a Hexacopter is a better solution for your needs. If you have no experience with Multicopters, choosing a Hexa over a Quad is adding 50% more likelihood of component issues which will occur regardless of the build quality and these will have to be addressed.

What camera do you intend to lift ?

civdef

Have you seen rctimer.com?

http://www.rctimer.com/index.php?gOo=goods_search_list.dwt&gcat=215&gtype=&p=1


Not exactly same packages, but they have most of what you describe and it may provide a good comparison. I've bought stuff from them and found them to be good.

I's strongly urge anyone starting out with multirotors to get one of these
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-WLtoys-V929-Beetle-4-Axis-Quadcopter-UFO-RTF(Mode-2)-+-2-Extra-Batteries-+-Extra-Blade-Set-p-50090.html
or a Hubsan X4 (both less than €50) before shelling out a lot on a big machine, the inevitable crashes while starting out will be a lot more bearable and you'll develop the basic skills much quicker when you're less afraid of experimenting.

GPS / RTL is no guarantee you won't have accidents, in some ways starting out it nearly makes it more likely.

cellosid

civdef wrote: »

Have you seen rctimer.com?

http://www.rctimer.com/index.php?gOo=goods_search_list.dwt&gcat=215&gtype=&p=1


Not exactly same packages, but they have most of what you describe and it may provide a good comparison. I've bought stuff from them and found them to be good.

I's strongly urge anyone starting out with multirotors to get one of these
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-WLtoys-V929-Beetle-4-Axis-Quadcopter-UFO-RTF(Mode-2)-+-2-Extra-Batteries-+-Extra-Blade-Set-p-50090.html
or a Hubsan X4 (both less than €50) before shelling out a lot on a big machine, the inevitable crashes while starting out will be a lot more bearable and you'll develop the basic skills much quicker when you're less afraid of experimenting.

GPS / RTL is no guarantee you won't have accidents, in some ways starting out it nearly makes it more likely.

+1

On the up

cellosid wrote: »

OK ! Dont be fooled into thinking that a Hexacopter is a better solution for your needs. If you have no experience with Multicopters, choosing a Hexa over a Quad is adding 50% more likelihood of component issues which will occur regardless of the build quality and these will have to be addressed.

What camera do you intend to lift ?

Ideally a canon HFS20 but weight may be an issue or as a last resort a GoPro 2 or 3 depending on the gimble/landing gear I opt for

On the up

civdef wrote: »

Have you seen rctimer.com?

http://www.rctimer.com/index.php?gOo=goods_search_list.dwt&gcat=215&gtype=&p=1


Not exactly same packages, but they have most of what you describe and it may provide a good comparison. I've bought stuff from them and found them to be good.

I's strongly urge anyone starting out with multirotors to get one of these
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-WLtoys-V929-Beetle-4-Axis-Quadcopter-UFO-RTF(Mode-2)-+-2-Extra-Batteries-+-Extra-Blade-Set-p-50090.html
or a Hubsan X4 (both less than €50) before shelling out a lot on a big machine, the inevitable crashes while starting out will be a lot more bearable and you'll develop the basic skills much quicker when you're less afraid of experimenting.

GPS / RTL is no guarantee you won't have accidents, in some ways starting out it nearly makes it more likely.

Cheers for that,a useful comparison even if I don't buy from them.
Have flown a multirotor before with camera and gimble but only for 5 mins but was impressed with the ease of control even on a windy day.
Still very cautious as you pointed out about the inevitable crashes especially due to the nature of the intended work

cellosid

On the up wrote: »

Ideally a canon HFS20 but weight may be an issue or as a last resort a GoPro 2 or 3 depending on the gimble/landing gear I opt for

The HFS20 at 510g will certainly ground the Hexacopter with that power train.

I wouldn't recommend a novice flyer to lift any Camera until you are confident in your flying.......... why risk the extra expense ? Use a ballast weight on the gimbal to get a feel for the different handling characteristics and ensure that that ESC's and Motors are not running too hot. If one or more are running hot, this should be investigated for a possible cause?

Michaelpdoyle

I got a DJI Phantom and I found it great to fly. I bought it online from a company in Meath. For starting off I was advised to use the Phantom as its all preprogrammed and very easy to fly. I hope to go bigger after a while.

cellosid

Michaelpdoyle wrote: »

I got a DJI Phantom and I found it great to fly. I bought it online from a company in Meath. For starting off I was advised to use the Phantom as its all preprogrammed and very easy to fly. I hope to go bigger after a while.

The DJI Phantom is a great introduction to Multicopters for novice flyers.

However, the sales pitch and slick promo videos will make you think that even your Granny can fly it ....... ? The problem is that the user becomes too reliant on the features for 'Autonomous' flight, so good flying skills are slow to develop.

Another factor is the loss of build experience and routine maintenance. If one wants to progress to a bigger and a more suitable platform, then building one from a kit is the best way of knowing how to repair/replace parts or troubleshoot when the inevitable mishaps occur.

99c7076

I started with a Dji f450 kit to learn to fly then there's a great upgrade kit called the discovery from team black sheep. It's designed for fpv and aerial photography with the gopro from the ground up:D
Let know if you want a demo I'm in the south east.

cellosid

FPV is a whole different ball game. TBS have done their best to promote their platforms through this type of flying, even if it means being arrested ?

http://youtu.be/ESYr2y-WOeE

99c7076

So ?

cellosid

99c7076 wrote: »

So ?

My informative post contributes to the thread.......... I'll treat your childish reply with the contempt it deserves !

99c7076

cellosid wrote: »

My informative post contributes to the thread.......... I'll treat your childish reply with the contempt it deserves !

On the contrary. I think your "information" is off topic for this thread, sensationalist and childish.

cellosid

99c7076 wrote: »

On the contrary. I think your "information" is off topic for this thread, sensationalist and childish.

You introduced TBS and FPV to the thread and inferred that your TBS Discovery is an ''upgrade''. This platform and its primary use is not an upgrade of a DJI 450.

I stated the facts about TBS............. nothing sensationalist and childish about that.

99c7076

By replacing only the frame of the DJI f450 kit with the TBS Discovery frame you can fit much more of the electronics required.:cool: How is it not an upgrade? In my opinion it is a good upgrade path for a beginner.

On the up Quote:
post9
"I am wanting this drone for aerial photography"
post13
"Ideally a canon HFS20 but weight may be an issue or as a last resort a GoPro 2 or 3"
Quote from me:
post18
"It's designed for fpv and aerial photography with the gopro"

If you have strong personal opinions about TBS i suggest you wright a strongly worded letter too them or at the very least start a new thread on the matter.

99c7076

Now back to the thread topic. Here's a picture of my multirotor aerial photography platform.
The great thing about the Discovery is that there are no props in view on the Gopro camera.

Michaelpdoyle

cellosid wrote: »

FPV is a whole different ball game. TBS have done their best to promote their platforms through this type of flying, even if it means being arrested ?

http://youtu.be/ESYr2y-WOeE

Not impressed with the video, there is some jello in the picture which is not good in any video. In this day and age there is no need to have jello on any picture due to all the information provided about balancing props and vibration dampeners and gimbals on the market.
Anyway I find the Phantom a great copter and I cant wait for the new Zenmuse to be released on the market. I got in contact with Copter Shop Ireland for a release date and they told me by the end of this month the Zenmuse should be released for the Phantom. Based on some forum pages about DJI I wouldn't be surprised if all these dealers are being lied to by DJI as DJI seem to talk a lot of ****.

99c7076

I suppose it depends on how much you want to pay.
The Zenmuse looks like its going to be very expensive ($700-1000) way more than the Phantom kit with gopro.

Check your monitor refresh rate is 50Hz and YouTube quality set to highest.
Id be happy with the quality in that video above from a GoPro.

Have a look at this, one of my favorite TBS Discovery clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZKJU5U8514

platinums

civdef wrote: »

Have you seen rctimer.com?

http://www.rctimer.com/index.php?gOo=goods_search_list.dwt&gcat=215&gtype=&p=1


Not exactly same packages, but they have most of what you describe and it may provide a good comparison. I've bought stuff from them and found them to be good....

Thanks for the RCTimer link, I have been scouring the likes of Goodluckbuy, Aliexpress, Banggood looking for a kit,, Hobbyking never seem to have everything i want in the same Warehouse and I'm loathe to make 2-3 delivery payments.
I might just go for one of them.

.... and a Taranis, when stock finally comes back in.:D

droidus

Ive been looking into this as well. Aiming for a Mikrokopter Hexacopter XL eventually for payload and flight time, but having done a ton of research, the most sensible thing to do seems to be to buy a cheap quadcopter first, get some experience and learn how to fly it safely before investing in anything bigger. There are a huge amount of potential pitfalls, and I figure its better to blow up €400 worth of kit due to a catastrophic Lipo failure rather than bring down €6000 worth.

Starscream25

Hi lads, is there any one particular model you'd recomend specifically for the to pro camera? Was thinking of the phantom dji but not sure.

eirlink

Dji Phantom or Blade 350QX are ideal for Gopro cameras.

ive a 350 for sale ( pm if interested )