QuadCopter - Build and Fly

[IceWind]

Hi,

I'll share here my latest project.
For sometime I wanted to build one of these and this summer I got the time to finish it.
I started by going to Quaduino, but quickly gave up as the electronic base of the project is a Arduino board that is quite cheap but the rest of the sensors and stuff is quite expensive.
So I found the following that combines simple gear and good results.
Link: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1143569

This one on the other hand requires a lot of soldering and testing but that
is not a bother if you like.

All the board layouts are available if you want to make one or you can get one already made one.
As here I don't quite have the space and tools to make them myself I got a already made.



Starting to solder the parts:




Finished board:


Gear:

EMAX FC-2822

These are the cheapest you can get but also the worse motors ever... but we can't ask much for $6 each.

Props:
2x 8x3.6 CW
2x 8x36 CCW

The choice of propellers is hard has not many brands make them CW and they are also hard to get.

ESC - 25A
I could have used much less Amp rated ones but I decided to go to something more stable and better in software.

LiPo 2200mah 30C
A bit short, but for now I can go shorter flight times.



Frame:
The frame was designed in partnership with a friend.
All designed in CAD it was later laser cut with strong ply, the total weight
of the wood parts is around 108g what is not too much.
Later it will have 4 square tube arms of 10x10x1mm.







Final look of all assembled:



Primeiro voo:


Video from the first flight:
[youtube]http://youtube.com/v/qQ5eN8Ee03k[/youtube]


On this one it wasn't properly setup, I'll post a more recent video were it it is was more stable and easy to fly.

[Ron]

Hi Nando,

This is really interesting.
It's something that has been smouldering away at the back of my mind for quite a while.

But one silly question...
How do you know which is the front and which is the back? :?

Ron

[IceWind]

Hi Ron,

Not silly at all.
In the photo and video that I posted before I wasn't using anything as reference for the front arm.
It was the first tests and I didn't intended to fly high or away so I saw no need for it.

Check this photo, I've been trying now with a bright orange ball in the back arm.


Still not perfect so I might paint the arms with bright colors as well.
finnally I'll be installing some bright colored leds that will make it look something like this and allow to fly it at night.

[Ron]

Hey that's really cool.

I've been looking at a quad-copter for local aerial photography.
How stable do you think it will be, when you've got it set up, in winds?
Well breezes anyway  :lol:
I guess the giros should give it some decent stability.

Ron

[IceWind]

That's my plan as well, if you check the last photos you'll see i attached a cheap gum cam to it to try.

I think it's pretty stable for such a cheap build.
The gyro sensors give some counter action to unexpected movements but not having extra sensors there is no position and altitude hold or auto level feature. But that may change in a near future.

I've have several new videos, one is on board using a GoPro HD and you'll see how stable it is. I just need to edit and post them.

[Ron]

Thought that was a GoPro in the last pic.
I'd be very interested to see that video, not just for the Q-copter, but what the quality of the GoPro is like under those circumstances.

You've obviously had thoughts about position and altitude correction.
I don't know a lot about the internal workings of those giros, can you use them for altitude?
Guess it's all down to the control box being able to change the speed of all the motors at the same time (collective).

Ron

[IceWind]

Here goes a short video.
Shorter arms on the quad, changed software and trimmed.

Need to put a LiPo warning in it, few minutes before shooting this video I crashed the quad while banking when the motors stopped responding as expected due to low power. So here I was flying a bit slower.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/B-XDOC8Week[/youtube]

Result of the crash, 3 legs off. But I realized that this is not the optimal solution and a alternative is already designed that I should implement soon.

[IceWind]

It's was about time for me to post something new here.
Here goes the latest video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/0ycylSTIUHw[/youtube]

(That's what you get for letting the LiPo's go all the way down)

[thanasis]

Although its an old post i would like to add my first quadcopter.
The frame is the Q450 from hobbyking with KK2 flight controller. Is it anybody else flying quadcopters in Dublin?

[Fred]

Hi Thanasis,

Welcome to the forum

I'm not flying it yet, but this is a project I have. Have to try that thing.
I have the frame, electronics (I went for the kk2 too, seems to be one of the best choice, but I have to say that I am a complete newbie in that thing (all I know comes from the Interweb, who should not be trusted  :lol:  :lol: )

My frame is about the same size. All I need, are the motors... I was thinking about the 2830 - 1000 Kv with 10x4.5 props.
What are you using on yours?  :?:

[thanasis]

Hi Fred,

The motors i am using are the turnigy sk3 2826 1240kv with 8045 props.
The ESCs are the simple blue hobbykings 20A with simonK firmware.

I am flying it with 3s 2200 mAh giving really more than enough speed and flying times of 11mins.

[Fred]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

After doing a lot of reading, I was going to go for 28mm motors, but with a lower Kv (seems that 1000 is the norm) with 10x4.7 props.

I'll have a look at your setup

For the esc, I went for the ESC Board (4x 20A, all in one stuff), but not sure if that's a good move, but I hoped to keep the wires clean!  :wink:

Oh, and talking about drones and all that, looks like more and more idiots are trying to get rid of this hobby for good!

http://wtvr.com/2013/08/24/watch-drone-crashes-into-crowd-at-great-bull-run/

[thanasis]

If you leave in Dublin we can meet some day to fly.

[IceWind]

Nice to see more flying quads in IE.

I'd usually go for separated ESC's. One of the common changes over time is to reprogram the ESC's FW to have a smoother throttle curve and faster response.
Depending on your flying style it can make quite a change.


PS: Gee... my account has probably cobwebs by now.

[Fred]

The beginning of the end...

http://www.suasnews.com/2013/10/25471/the-faas-complaint-against-trappy/

That's for the Team Blacksheep...

And the reply...

http://www.kramerlevin.com/files/upload/FAA-v-Pirker.pdf

Oh boy...