Multi Rotor video/photography sources?

Ykick

Ykick

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Joined
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San Diego, California
The wife gave me permission to search around and buy a good quality MR for video/photography.

Mostly for personal entertainment and exploring the canyon behind our So Ca home. Between $1-$2k USD is a likely budget. Could do more for serious pro stuff if something catches our fancy?

Since ES has some of the brightest technical minds I know, figure it might be worth checking here?

Any links to good UAV forums, suppliers, etc? I’ve read some of the DIY threads here but I’m thinking more of a turn-key MR?
 
3dr solo.

I have 2 dozen different multirotors, all of the custom built.

If I could start over today, I would get a 3dr solo.
 
I can always count on this place, thank you!

3dr solo looks great - I’m not much of a “droid” user so I wonder how that might influence the experience? I certainly trust the endorsement.

As an alternative ‘found this one which appears to be a complete package. Any thoughts please?

Phantom 3 Professional:

http://store.dji.com/product/phantom-3-professional?clickpid=610944&clicksid=089852b1a2c9c13df55e266ba3268e57
 
Ykick said:
I can always count on this place, thank you!

3dr solo looks great - I’m not much of a “droid” user so I wonder how that might influence the experience? I certainly trust the endorsement.

As an alternative ‘found this one which appears to be a complete package. Any thoughts please?

Phantom 3 Professional:

http://store.dji.com/product/phantom-3-professional?clickpid=610944&clicksid=089852b1a2c9c13df55e266ba3268e57
Click to expand...


Ehh, the DJI stuff seems to work fine if you've got no interest in doing anything special or customizing things in a substantial way.

DJI is like the "Apple" of mulitorotors, it works OK out of the box, but all software and stuff is locked down close source BS. You can build something from scratch that crushes it's performance in most everywhere for cheaper, and the thing you build can be hacked and customized into whatever you want. That said, if you want to save time to get flying, the DJI is something you can order and go fly as soon as the box arrives.

The 3DR solo out of the box does more stuff than any DJI product offers, and unlike DJI stuff it's readily hackable to be customized and programmed for doing whatever you like.

Are you learning to fly RC on this toy? If so, do yourself a big favor and get something like this first to help you learn to fly before each crash costs real money.

Cheerson CX10:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-Cheerson-CX10-Mini-2-4G-Radio-Control-4CH-6-Axis-LED-RC-Quadcopter-RTF-Toy-/371323180275?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56749614f3


If you want to save some cash on your bigger copter:

Something like this $115 kit:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__66873__S500_FR4_Glass_Fiber_Quad_Copter_480mm_PNF_Combo.

with this electronics package:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pixhawk-PX4-2-4-6-32bit-Flight-Controller-Led-NEO-M8N-GPS-PPM-OSD-3DR-915Mhz-i-/281594820866?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41905bf902

Will get you a really nice full featured flying machine, that then you can add a nice gimbal and gimbal controller for another <$200.
 
+1 on all of LFP's recommendations (go figure).

If you are looking for a RTF (Ready To Fly), I agree with e-beach's recommendation for an online vendor. B & H photo - video is the world's largest Photo/Video vendor. They have always been reputable (in my experience) and price competitive. I have saved so much in sales tax when making large purchases (B&H is in NY).

BTW - My local camera shop was carrying "Video Drones" when I was in there last. Might be a thought if you are looking for a brick and mortar store.
 
Thank you wise man Luke!

Yes, learning RC flying so I just ordered a Cheerson.

I don’t mind a little handwork and thanks to you, I’ve got RC Lipo battery qualification so maybe a Hobby King - Pixhawk + Gimbal/GoPro is the way to go? I like to save cash… And much like eBikes, it’s probably best to have more than one.

Thanks again for your kind and valuable help!
 
What is the flight time of a multi rotor like, compared to a plane carring similar weight?

I thought to go off taking photo's a plane would be vastly superiour. That this project would likely involve some sort of auto-pilot. I looked on HK a bit back, and a plane with camera mounts and large dome front window for a birds eye view was really very cheap.

Of course you couldn't hover, you would circle. Hence the auto pilot function. So you can just look around, knowing your not going to fall out the sky.


I saw a glider travel 22 miles (iirc) then circle the runway till it touched down. All automated. It was a show James May did. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xw66wd_new-james-may-s-toy-stories-flight-club_shortfilms
Edit: They launch it from a great height.


The range of a plane would be great, and you can relay info via mobile phone networks if your really going for it. Though just half a watt on uhf can go many many miles. About 80 uninterupted at 500mhz.
 
74min flight time on this one I made.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=963443627006968

I use to fly 2.4Ghz. Just upgraded to 433Mhz at 1W on each end. Looking forward to seeing the range possible with a large RSS tracking high gain directional antenna.

The build in progress now is a chromoly cage for the big hex you saw crash into the street in the video. Then a large heavy battery, perhaps >1kWh. Then go win multirotor combat at makerfaire by using my propwash as a weapon.
 
Typical Luke - “Did you get that on film?” LOL…

How long do you suppose before people try riding these things?

Obviously, I’ve gotta lot of ground to make up but this has been exactly what the doctor ordered in regard to tapping expert knowledge base.
 
I got this one recently from hobbyking "Quanum Nova" also called Cheerson Cx-20 on other sites.
This is my first drone and I am happy with it, but I don't know a lot about them so I can't give verdicts.
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__55106__Quanum_Nova_FPV_GPS_Waypoint_QuadCopter_Mode_2_Ready_to_Fly_.html

Only thing that kind of bummed and surprised me is the Quanum Q-2D brushless GoPro gimbal I got with it, its surprisingly heavy and I got it with a Mobius conversion kit so my mobius is shaped like a gopro while still lighter. But being lighter is a problem the gimbal expects a certain weight and if it can't get it it shakes around mindlessly like a psycho.
I later found dedicated Mobius gimbals on the web but all the reviews are very negative/broken so I still consider it an emerging technology.

I originally got my Mobius for my ebike so I could slip it in my pocket after riding my bike/lock it up and forget about it. But I am surprised so much work has gone into making the about 4 times heavier gopro work on drones compared to the mobius, also double this fact when I discovered the reason why the gimbal motors etc are so chunky is so it can move around the Gopro.
I notice I get maybe twice as much flight time with out the gimbal/camera setup on my drone and I can't help but think about how much more flight time would be achieved with a well designed Mobius gimbal setup.
 
TheBeastie said:
I got this one recently from hobbyking "Quanum Nova" also called Cheerson Cx-20 on other sites.
This is my first drone and I am happy with it, but I don't know a lot about them so I can't give verdicts.
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__55106__Quanum_Nova_FPV_GPS_Waypoint_QuadCopter_Mode_2_Ready_to_Fly_.html

Only thing that kind of bummed and surprised me is the Quanum Q-2D brushless GoPro gimbal I got with it, its surprisingly heavy and I got it with a Mobius conversion kit so my mobius is shaped like a gopro while still lighter. But being lighter is a problem the gimbal expects a certain weight and if it can't get it it shakes around mindlessly like a psycho.
I later found dedicated Mobius gimbals on the web but all the reviews are very negative/broken so I still consider it an emerging technology.

I originally got my Mobius for my ebike so I could slip it in my pocket after riding my bike/lock it up and forget about it. But I am surprised so much work has gone into making the about 4 times heavier gopro work on drones compared to the mobius, also double this fact when I discovered the reason why the gimbal motors etc are so chunky is so it can move around the Gopro.
I notice I get maybe twice as much flight time with out the gimbal/camera setup on my drone and I can't help but think about how much more flight time would be achieved with a well designed Mobius gimbal setup.
Click to expand...


In bright sunny daylight, the mobius looks great and works great and takes nice video. The moment you try to film anything when it's not so bright out, the mobius gives you bloobs of black screen, where the go pro (I'm running a 3+ black) still gives you decent video until things get very dark.

The gimbal flipping out without it's balancing camera weight in it is normal. If they had the torque to just sustain that much extra torque, you wouldn't like the energy consumption of flying them for long periods of filming.


For those of you who are proficient at DIY, I would recommend you take a look at the rotorbits parts. I actually helped a friend do the early structural design for them (when it was only 3d printed), who then setup hobbyking to make them injection molded from tough plastics.

The reason I like them is the flexibility is only limited by your own creativity. If you want some robust antenna/GPS mast, or a large brackets to mount a payload, or if you want to do something with 18 arms or 24 arms or whatever, you can just slide together the right parts as easy as legos and have a tough robust light frame. When you crash with rotor bits, if you have a few spare brackets and lengths of carbon tube with you, then you can repair it like new in just a few minutes and fly again. The downside is, they take slightly more DIY skill than other kits, because the unrestricted freedom of design comes at the price of needing to choose your own layout and cut your carbon tubes to length and all that (which is easy).

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__1247__501__Multi_Rotors_Parts-RotorBits.html


As far as human carrying goes, I've already got some that can carry ~50lbs, and I'm building a new quad setup with 26in props. If the data looks as good as predicted on it's payload and efficiency, I will make it a hex-12 with 26" props, clip myself into a climbing harness tied to the frame and enjoy flying FPV, needing goggles to deflect bugs rather than see the world through a video screen. :)
 
[youtube]L75ESD9PBOw[/youtube]
 
liveforphysics said:
74min flight time on this one I made.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=963443627006968

I use to fly 2.4Ghz. Just upgraded to 433Mhz at 1W on each end. Looking forward to seeing the range possible with a large RSS tracking high gain directional antenna.

The build in progress now is a chromoly cage for the big hex you saw crash into the street in the video. Then a large heavy battery, perhaps >1kWh. Then go win multirotor combat at makerfaire by using my propwash as a weapon.
Click to expand...


I didn't realise you were so involved with this. I'm pleased to see it too.
74 mins was a lot longer than I imagined. It brings my own ideas into focus. Flying like a bird over greater distances. 1w on 433 is over the horizon though I couldn't say for sure what data rate. It certainly won't be shy. Much of europe as 0.5w licence free walkie's on 446 and they will do 10 miles every time. Line of site though. If you need the signal to defract over a rooftop, you may still get a mile. So a single obsticle shouldn't be an issue. 80 miles is the theoretical limit using omnidirectional radio gear, and over 300 has been seen with freak weather conditions that cause ducting. With 1w and some sort of wide beam antenna on the ground, and a little wire hanging from your copter, I bet you will get great range. Though I imagine you have some idea already.

It might be worth running two lots of radio gear. A second set that over-rides the first. 433 is popular with many remote items. Up there, it will be prone to a lot of interfereance.


So how do I auto pilot a plane over 300 miles to make a coffee shop pick-up ? lol
 
friendly1uk said:
So how do I auto pilot a plane over 300 miles to make a coffee shop pick-up ? lol
Click to expand...

Solar cells on the wings of a plane that also has propellers for vertical take-off and landing. The Pixhawk controller and a good GPS (like M8N) are plenty capable of flying you 300 miles and landing where you tell it, waiting however long you told it, and then taking off again and flying back home. :)
 
SOB - that’s frocking amazing! Thanks again for all the amazing pointers and multi rotor knowledge.

I’m hooked - found a couple year old Phantom locally with several decent batteries, iso cam mount, extra props, works good for $300. Good beginner step, me thinks.

Baby flying is a trip but I love it! Getting the hang of yaw and stuff. My dog doesn't quite know what to make of it, LOL....

Will definitely be looking into DIY setup - that S500 and pixhawk combo looks really sweet.
 
Good thinking that man!
They are getting solar planes to collect the energy needed to get through the night, and it would only need to be half as capable as that.
I had thought a petrol engine would be needed, but it makes much better sense to go solar, and get a whole days flying out of my toy.
I wouldn't really need to stop off at the shop lol so launching from a hill and just crashing somewhere later would be fine. So the vertical landing and take-off power requirements wouldn't have to be met. Lowering the weight, so keeping things legal. We are rather limited with respect to model weight.
 
The vertical takeoff and landing thing is really nice if you want your multirotors to do stuff on there own.

Glad you're loving the phantom! Great deal on it, and a good learner copter being factory tuned so stable.
 
What are some opinions on this sale?:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/tag/4989850711.html

Store Return Cheerson CX-20 Auto-Pathfinder FPV RC Quadcopter With GPS RTF
I have store return toys. These products MAY be missing parts, defective, damaged (play/shipping), or have damaged boxes -- or they may be perfectly fine.

There is a minimum purchase of five pieces. You can mix/match with other items that are also in our Store Return postings, but you may not open and/or test the products.
Click to expand...

Do you think it would be worth it to buy one (I know you have to buy 5 so I'd find someone else to GB it) at this price and attempt a fix?
 
I guess vertical landing and take-off is not a great problem, if the motors then swivel so you switch from a chopper to a plane. It can't take a lot of power just for thoes moments, and as you say, automated landing and takeoff would be fairly easy, while automated landing of a plane is a whole different ball game.

I have seen some solar model planes. I did a search expecting very little, and got lots of results. I'm away for a bit now, but will revisit this again I'm sure. I keep coming back to the idea. It's a lot safer and quieter than a microlight.
 
Too much fun! Getting the hang of my used Phantom and discovering it can be flown a couple different ways.

Keep my fingers away from the yaw stick using only pitch & roll it works forward-to-back, side-to-side. The aircraft basically flies in any direction - no front/rear, left/right. Is that 2-axis movement?

Once I got more comfortable with everything I started working the yaw stick which seems to behave more like fixed wing AC. Heading one direction, left/right yaw basically steers the AC along it’s current heading. Able to circle, do figure 8’s, track along a path, etc.

Took the wife out for basic orientation and now she’s hooked.

Very interesting stuff - left us both with the impression it moves like a flying saucer!
 
Ykick said:
Too much fun! Getting the hang of my used Phantom and discovering it can be flown a couple different ways.
Click to expand...
You got your used Phantom already? wow that was fast.
cal3thousand said:
What are some opinions on this sale?:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/tag/4989850711.html

Do you think it would be worth it to buy one (I know you have to buy 5 so I'd find someone else to GB it) at this price and attempt a fix?
Click to expand...
Thats a deal I am sure, you can reorder any part of the Cheerson CX-20 as far as I know.
Its a pretty dubious rule that you can't even see whats inside the box? You might just be buying an empty box, lol.
The only little issue you can have with the Cheerson CX-20 purchase is there are apparently several different versions of the firmware inside the most sought after one is the open source version which I believe has the most configurable way point GPS system or something like that.
But if your getting a complete working unit for $143 it doesn't really matter.
 
cal3thousand said:
What are some opinions on this sale?:
Store Return Cheerson CX-20 Auto-Pathfinder FPV RC Quadcopter With GPS RTF
These products MAY be missing parts, defective, damaged (play/shipping), or have damaged boxes -- or
Click to expand...
Just a heads up.
I got emailed via youtube this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQEd7lVGseo ) of some one flying what I thought was a ridiculous distance on his CX-20, when I looked at the notes of the video it said there had been a price crash of the CX20, this looks true. $225 at Gearbest and Banggood.com
http://www.gearbest.com/rc-quadcopters/pp_113550.html?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=UCVQWy-DTLpRqnuA17WZkjRQ&utm_campaign=cx-20
http://www.banggood.com/Cheerson-CX20-Opensource-Version-AutoPathfinder-Quadcopter-RTF-p-932145.html
I have bought a fair bit of stuff from banggood overtime now and they have come through every time.

So now getting a store return doesn't look like such a good idea, and the price hasn't changed much at hobbyking so hobbyking now a ripoff compared to these other guys.
 
I've been having a blast with my recently purchased used Phantom 1. Get a bird, any bird - you'll be glad you did...

FYI - B&H has been selling P 1.1.1's for $350 w/gopro mount. Pretty damn good deal considering I paid $300 for used but I was flying later the same day and it came with a couple extra batteries, extra props and baby charging equipment.

One thing an RC Lipo eBiker's got going for this hobby - we know way more about battery packs/bricks than majority of Phantom Pilots, LOL...
 
4 people to lift this bird for compass calibration, followed by test flight:
[youtube]d_Req1yo3UM[/youtube]
 
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