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Post by svart on Jul 16, 2015 9:12:11 GMT -6
I have a little one that I play with in the office sometimes, but I feel it's time to upgrade to the real deal.
I've been looking around and certainly want to go with a kit or something more professional, since I might do some aerial photography/videos as well.
So would you go with the 250mm racer type, with it's slim profile, or more like a wider square shaped quadcopter that would be more stable possibly?
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Post by acegunn on Jul 16, 2015 18:57:59 GMT -6
What kind of camera are you planning on using?
Usually for aerial photography (AP), you would use a brushless gimbal. A 250 size frame would be too small to carry a gimbal and a camera, I think a 500 size frame and larger are typically used.
250 size racers usually have a fixed camera for recording, a mobius or a gopro.
The flight controller really handles most of the stability, so the frame style is really more about the application: H frame for FPV racing, X frame for carrying a gimbal underneath
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Post by svart on Jul 16, 2015 21:43:51 GMT -6
Cool. I kinda plan on using a gopro or other small hd chip camera.
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Post by formatcyes on Jul 17, 2015 5:26:31 GMT -6
Drone's are so 2014 www.lily.camera/ just hold off for a few months.. The other problem is chasing the perfect shot unless you spend 10,000 bucks everything else just falls short. The stability comes from the mount which means a bigger heavier drone. |
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Post by svart on Jul 17, 2015 7:54:14 GMT -6
Drone's are so 2014 www.lily.camera/ just hold off for a few months.. The other problem is chasing the perfect shot unless you spend 10,000 bucks everything else just falls short. The stability comes from the mount which means a bigger heavier drone. Interesting, but it's about 3x the price I'm able to build a regular drone at though, and it didn't seem like it has anything more than simply a "follow" mode. I need 100% ability to change shots on the fly, preferably GPS programmable too.. We've had good luck with a gopro on cables, and stuff like that for effects shots, so I understand the limitations of using a drone for filming. luckily I can always upgrade the motors/ESCs and batteries for heavier lift, or just move up to a hex/octo drone for larger cameras. |
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Post by formatcyes on Jul 17, 2015 15:23:42 GMT -6
I am going to get a lily it looks perfect for being able to track working dogs (herding live stock) will try putting one off the trackers on their collars, very hard to get good shoots even with conventional drones. It is an exciting time for low budget filming.
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Post by acegunn on Jul 17, 2015 15:35:03 GMT -6
We've had good luck with a gopro on cables, and stuff like that for effects shots, so I understand the limitations of using a drone for filming. luckily I can always upgrade the motors/ESCs and batteries for heavier lift, or just move up to a hex/octo drone for larger cameras. If you're looking for programmable missions w/ GPS, look at 3drobotics APM and Pixhawk flight controllers. Probably the lowest cost controllers w/ a mature GPS/waypoint system. |
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Post by tonycamphd on Jul 18, 2015 6:51:48 GMT -6
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Post by mobeach on Jul 18, 2015 16:15:45 GMT -6
I remember the camera built into the nose of Estes rockets as being totally cool.
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Post by svart on Jul 20, 2015 13:09:24 GMT -6
We've had good luck with a gopro on cables, and stuff like that for effects shots, so I understand the limitations of using a drone for filming. luckily I can always upgrade the motors/ESCs and batteries for heavier lift, or just move up to a hex/octo drone for larger cameras. If you're looking for programmable missions w/ GPS, look at 3drobotics APM and Pixhawk flight controllers. Probably the lowest cost controllers w/ a mature GPS/waypoint system. I'm looking into the APM2.6 with the separate GPS/Compass. Looks like I can get them for like 50$ a set on Fleabay. I'm still searching around for other deals, debating going RTF or doing a kit, or piecing one together. Looks like piecing is best if I can watch the shipping costs. I've found a few kits for fairly decent prices too though. now I just need to decide if I want a larger frame, or a smaller one and if I want a quad or hexacopter.. I imaging the larger ones is more stable, but the smaller ones more agile. |
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Post by acegunn on Jul 20, 2015 16:37:22 GMT -6
I'm looking into the APM2.6 with the separate GPS/Compass. Looks like I can get them for like 50$ a set on Fleabay. I'm still searching around for other deals, debating going RTF or doing a kit, or piecing one together. Looks like piecing is best if I can watch the shipping costs. I've found a few kits for fairly decent prices too though. now I just need to decide if I want a larger frame, or a smaller one and if I want a quad or hexacopter.. I imaging the larger ones is more stable, but the smaller ones more agile. You have the skills (HW & SW), so building shouldn't be a problem, just a matter of how much time you want to spend sourcing components and building. If you are debating what size to build, maybe run some numbers in ecalc to estimate weight vs flight times, etc. Efficiency (and flight time) goes up with the square of the propeller diameter, all other things being equal. ecalc.ch/xcoptercalc.php?ecalc&lang=en |
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druu
Full Member
Posts: 23 
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Post by druu on Jul 21, 2015 7:42:24 GMT -6
Hobbyking has some decent kits available, good support too.
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Post by keymod on Jul 23, 2015 3:42:27 GMT -6
There's an engineering student here in Connecticut who is now in trouble with the Feds for posting a video of a quadcopter he designed/built that carries a firearm. The video shows the mounted handgun being fired several times.
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Post by svart on Aug 6, 2015 12:06:59 GMT -6
So i got everything, put it together no problem..
Except for the APM. I hooked it up, calibrated it, used the program to check the motors, etc.
All was well until I tried the first takeoff.. It promptly flipped over.
I tried it again, flipped over.
I checked all the wiring, ran through the compass, GPS and radio calibrations once again, everything showed green. I then ran the motor tests again, all motors spinning the right directions, etc.
Tried takeoff once again, the motors spun up the correct directions but the thing just flipped right over again.
It seems there are tons upon tons of forum threads all over the place about folks building quads with the APM controllers and they just flip right over.
Most of the replies are the unhelpful "dude, I know you checked it and the program says the motors are turning correctly, but it's your wiring" bullshit until the OP's get fed up and don't come back..
Anyway, I spent two nights unwiring and rewiring the quad, checking everything, re-calibrating everything over and over. The quad still just flipped right over and promptly broke the GPS stalk and some wiring. I even loaded really old firmware, recalibrated, etc. No go, just flipped right over.
I switched the APM out for a KK2 that came with the airframe, and it flew right away, perfectly level and controllable.
I will eventually require programmable navigation for filming, so I need to get the APM working.
Any thoughts?
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Post by acegunn on Aug 6, 2015 16:21:44 GMT -6
Sounds like you've eliminated the motor/prop direction and wiring by flying with the KK2. I'm guessing you are flying in Stabilize mode? You could try flying in Acro mode, which only uses gyros and doesn't auto-level (using accelerometers). I recently had an issue where level mode would cause a flip shortly after takeoff. This wouldn't be a long term solution, but could help debug. Acro mode is much more difficult to fly in, so maybe only do a few short hops just to see if it flips immediately. Also, just to clarify, you calibrated the ESC's, the gyros and accels? Those are usually 3 disctinct processes (gyros usually get calibrated automatically soon after the flight controller boots up). Also saw this, you may have tried these already: copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-appendix/troubleshooting/#copter_tiltsflips_over_or_wobbles_crazily_when_i_try_to_take_off |
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Post by svart on Aug 7, 2015 12:50:34 GMT -6
Sounds like you've eliminated the motor/prop direction and wiring by flying with the KK2. I'm guessing you are flying in Stabilize mode? You could try flying in Acro mode, which only uses gyros and doesn't auto-level (using accelerometers). I recently had an issue where level mode would cause a flip shortly after takeoff. This wouldn't be a long term solution, but could help debug. Acro mode is much more difficult to fly in, so maybe only do a few short hops just to see if it flips immediately. Also, just to clarify, you calibrated the ESC's, the gyros and accels? Those are usually 3 disctinct processes (gyros usually get calibrated automatically soon after the flight controller boots up). Also saw this, you may have tried these already: copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common-appendix/troubleshooting/#copter_tiltsflips_over_or_wobbles_crazily_when_i_try_to_take_offYeah, i started in stabilize, switched to acro and it still does it. I mean I can't even really lift off at all, it starts to tilt as soon as any of the corners start to lift. I went through that checklist, and others I found. I even went as far as reloading the firmware with a plane setup, then reloading a quadcopter firmware again, because someone mentioned that there was a possibility that the firmware wasn't actually being re-written. I watched the verbose boot sequence and it had the right firmware versions and everything when I downgraded then upgraded. One thing I did notice was that doing the "hand test" where you hold the copter, push the throttle up and then tilt the copter to see if it tries to balance itself, it does not try at all. The motors do not seem to change speeds at all no matter what direction I tilt the copter, so it's clearly not trying to self-level at all. In fact, it doesn't seem to be actively trying to flip either. I'm starting to think I just have a bad APM board or something. There seem to be a lot of people who have had the same problem, found no joy in the various forums, and then bought another board only for it to work fine after that. I hate to throw 60$ away on a new board though. And yes, each time I redid the whole wizard setup, then went back and did the optional setups too. Everything checked out with greens on the checklist, but the copter would still just flip immediately. Some said that the APM needs to sense some height change, and that some people need to get the copter in the air before it'll self-level. I gave that a try and the copter did an arc and smashed into the ground upside down and broke my GPS mast and cracked the upper plate. That's where I left it before going to the KK2. I still need GPS and all that, and now I'm determined to make the APM system work.. |
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Post by jeromemason on Aug 7, 2015 22:11:16 GMT -6
I'd really like to try one of these. Is there a decent one for starters with the FPV? I'd like to be able to see while it's flying. I have a feeling these will get banned or something so I want to pick one up sooner than later, just not more than I can handle.
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Post by acegunn on Aug 8, 2015 15:55:51 GMT -6
I'm starting to think I just have a bad APM board or something. There seem to be a lot of people who have had the same problem, found no joy in the various forums, and then bought another board only for it to work fine after that. I hate to throw 60$ away on a new board though. And yes, each time I redid the whole wizard setup, then went back and did the optional setups too. Everything checked out with greens on the checklist, but the copter would still just flip immediately. Some said that the APM needs to sense some height change, and that some people need to get the copter in the air before it'll self-level. I gave that a try and the copter did an arc and smashed into the ground upside down and broke my GPS mast and cracked the upper plate. That's where I left it before going to the KK2. I still need GPS and all that, and now I'm determined to make the APM system work.. Some debugging ideas: Some people have had trouble with the APM's PWM output timing to the ESC's. Apparently there's a parameter in the ground control SW that can modify the timing. One thing you could do is take the props off, arm and throttle up the motors in acro mode. All 4 motors should be at the same speed if the quad is stationary. If you move it by hand in any axis, the motors should change speeds to try to compensate for the change in angular rate. Also, are you able to see the real time gyro data in the ground control software? All 3 gyro axis should be 0. If you arm and throttle up (props off for safety), they might get a little noisy, but should be zero mean. |
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Post by acegunn on Aug 8, 2015 16:00:30 GMT -6
I'd really like to try one of these. Is there a decent one for starters with the FPV? I'd like to be able to see while it's flying. I have a feeling these will get banned or something so I want to pick one up sooner than later, just not more than I can handle. What kind of FPV do you want to do? Some flying around the back yard just to check it out? Do you want to build it yourself or buy ready to fly? Assuming ready to fly, maybe one of those Parrot drones. Blade and WL toys are other brands that come to mind. I flew a WLtoys 929 for about 3 months to learn to fly. Frankly, I haven't really kept up with the starter ready to fly market. It seems like the entire market changes every 3 months, so it's really hard to keep up with all of the different specialized aspects of the hobby. I'm really getting into the 250 size FPV racers now. This guy is really good (not me, I still need lot's of practice  ): |
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