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FPV Quads


creative

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OK, after much name calling and upgrading of firmware i have the 250 paired with the Taranis. This took forever but i guess its a learning curve, so much for flying straight out of the box. Took it out for a flight but its listing badly so will have to play with the trim as it just doesnt want to hover without surging towards the neighbours wall.

 

It should just hover without too much movement if set correctly, right?

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Have you connected to cleanflight yet? You may need to calibrate the quad as it may not know where level is, this can cause the symptoms you describe.

 

I also recommend updating the Taranis firmware to OpenTX 2.1.8

 

Have you also set your endpoints to match what the Fc is expecting to see? 1000min, 1500mid, 2000max?

 

Did you use the x8r receiver that came with the Taranis?

 

I have yet to find a quad that will fly straight out of the box. There are way to many variables to ensure consistency so I always recommend going through the setup procedure no matter what.

 

As for me...

 

A great weekend flying!

6 of us on Saturday had a few hours flying and just myself and a mate on Saturday. For my 3rd day flying FPV I feel I have picked it up well and I made my maiden flight with Acro! (unassisted flight so no self levelling). Ran a few packs on my 280 in acro and only crashed once when I was trying to roll and completely lost orientation.

 

Got the FPV cam setup on my 180 now and flew that in Horizon with airmode on and it was sublime! Will be going acro with that next but here is a video direct from my goggles. This is what I was looking at. This is raw video footage so no music or sound so just turn your speakers down. ( im not into video editing at all) Bare in mind this is only my 3rd day in FPV, I switched airmode on after the first flip as I realised it wasnt on and the fpv cam wasnt setup for this light level.

 

 

I think I am doing ok. :D

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You are doing more than ok by the look of it.

 

I have not connected to Cleanflight, i will do this as soon as i have some time.

 

Endpoints are set correctly.

 

And yes, i am using the x8r.

 

Endpoints are set with the use of cleanflight so my money will be on them being a bit off. ;)

 

Hows the flying going?

 

 

 

Well the carbon hornet is a no go... they have revised the prices and they have gone up and for me to get one its $350aud... waaay to much for just a frame. So the hunt continues!

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Order placed for my next frame!

 

After the stupid price of the Carbon Hornet, I went and had a chat to my mate who I buy all my gear off and he said he had some new frames coming in.... $450 later and I have a full build on the way to me and this one will chew your face off!

 

I have also had my first attempt at proximity flying! ( inbetween trees etc ) and oh my.. what a rush! I was in full on granny mode again, had a few crashes, fortunately only into branches so nothing damaged. I will be doing more of that!

 

as always, turn the sound down as its raw footage.

 

 

I also jumped on the local football pitch and ripped some batteries through my 180... and I love this thing! its so responsive, power is nuts and airmode makes it so easy to flip and roll. Grabbed some footage again so will get that uploaded later. I may have to get some more baby 1050mah batteries as I pushed one pack in particular to far... only landed as my Taranis was screaming "battery critical" at me, I was just having way to much fun and ended up at 2.8v per cell! ooops! It recovered to 3.2v per cell so I may be able to save it!

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The new build arrived yesterday....

 

image

 

Nighthawk X5 frame

Xnova 2206/2500kv motors

Dys XM30a ESC's

XSR rx

Sp Racing FC

Quanum 600mw Vtx

Caseless Foxeer hs1177 camera.

 

 

I also couldnt wait so started putting it all together!

 

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Just waiting on my TBS antenna to come in stock and I will be using my 1300Mah 4s batteries I already have. Cant wait to fly it!

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Far can keep his Ferrari... ;)

 

Almost completed...

 

image

 

I tried to fit the caseless cam but it wouldnt fit as they are longer than the cased versions so I am just waiting on my cased version to arrive.

 

Firmware is flashed to the latest Betaflight 2.8 but staying on the stable blheli 14.4 for the ESC's. All calibrated and ready to fly this week. Now I just need it to stop raining!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update time!

 

Well it stopped raining and I took the X5 out for its maiden.... and it wouldnt fly. Once props were put on the motors would be erratic and it would instaflip when trying to take off. I made some changes to the FC settings to no avail until I tried it on monday and got the magic smoke. Plugged in the battery, armed, and *poof* ESC 3 popped..

 

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You can just see the point it let go. These are not cheap ESC's so I was a bit miffed! Gave my mate a call and he swapped it FOC so I couldnt argue with that. Got the new one on and took it out to fly... Instaflip again.

 

Popped in to see him and swapped a set of 20a DYS esc I also bought for a set of the trusty 30a Littlebee escs. My first forray with DYS escs has been terrible and there was no way I was putting them on anything else hence the swap. I also bought another 4 20a littlebees whilst I was there and another XSR rx for the next build.

 

Ripped the DYS off and soldered on the Littlebees with my new solder station...Ebay special but made the job so much easier!

 

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All done..

 

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grabbed a sneaky couple of packs during work on wednesday and tentatively armed the X5..... Instafly! Worked absolutely perfectly! Got through 3 packs with zero issues! Still need my new cam to arrive but I am happy with it now! and it screams! the punch these motors have over the 2204 sized motors is nuts! Keen to FPV it now!

 

I also had my extra 180 frames arrive so I now have them to build up. One will be a proximity basher and the other is going to get a set of these xnova motors on it to really scare me!

 

The tribe so far!

 

image

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Grabbed a couple of batteries today but not on the X5. still need a cam on it. I did however take my 280 and the 180 out. Warmed up with the 280 and then went full acro on the 180.... and it clicked today! I think I did ok...

 

 

Learning how much the stick movement affect flight and couldnt resist trying a bit of hangtime!

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  • 2 weeks later...

My Cam and VTX still havent come in and I couldnt wait any longer! Pulled the HS1177 off the 250 and stuck it on the X5.

 

 

First impressions are great! Very nimble, flies well and the power is insane! VERY happy with this ship now!

 

Bad news is I ripped the connector off the vtx for the aerial on the 180 this weekend so need to get another for that but the X5 will keep me entertained for now!

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Another weekend, another video...

 

This time I was at my sisters for the day and took my 180 and the X5.

 

unfortunately the X5 was waaaay to fast for my skill level in proximity and I ended up breaking the cam or vtx after hitting a tree.. my new ones are here though so I will swap them out tonight.

 

the 180 though... as always, was spot on! my repair to the damaged vtx worked so I ran all my batteries through it seeing as the x5 was out of action... here is the result. As always, turn your sound down as its raw dvr footage.

 

 

My flying is becoming more and more enjoyable for me and I feel like I am getting somewhere at last.

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Squeezed a couple of batteries in at a spot I have been eyeing for a while. Havent felt I had the skill level for it but I had a spare 20min and thought I would go for it...... This is my new fav spot! I will be organising 4 or 5 of us next time to fly here! Its also a bit different compared to my first attempt at proximity!

 

As always, turn your volume down. I did look at editing videos... but I really cant be bothered. :D

 

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Rain has stopped play this week.... so what does that mean?.......

 

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A new build!

 

This pile of parts turned into...

 

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Another 180 for proximity.

 

I also went shopping last week and these turned up in the post on Friday.

 

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Laforge Diversity modules. Supposed to be the best on the market. I have the replacement V2 fatshark diversity module here now so I will be able to compare all 3 at my proximity place as I have a good baseline. Keen to get out there and fly again!

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An update for those still following along....Managed to grab some packs between rain today.

 

Took the new 180 and the X5 out.. but I think I have a bent motor on the X5, really bad wobble and a noise from motor 3. Will have to strip it down and check it out.

 

The new 180 though was a dream! Did some hover tests during the week and today was its first full run... smashed 8 packs through it until the last one and my brain decided to stop communicating with my fingers...

 

 

Ejected the battery, lost the screws that mount the cam and filled a motor with dirt. :D Back to the bench!

 

I also couldnt wait with the Laforge and pulled apart the rather expensive goggles and attacked them with the dremel! an hour later I have...

 

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Fully fitted. One thing I did notice was an increase in power draw using the new LaForge so I jumped online and ordered a bigger battery. Fitted the correct plugs and heatshrunk it to hold all the cables that werent used...

 

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Its about twice the size as the stock battery but fits the headstrap well. Its a little heavier and felt weird at first but you soon get used to the extra weight...

 

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Wow, would love to see this flying first hand.

 

I had my phantom up at the Sclub party but really want a racing drone too :)

 

So would I!

 

Its funny to think I have never seen them fly like this line of sight... its like nobody else driving your car so you can only assume what it sounds like when you drive away! :D

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Another wet week another update for the followers... :D

 

Got a call from my local shop to see if I wanted to build him a few quads to sell in the shop as BNF units. I get a kickback and parts at cost. Im not in it for the money tbh, keeps me occupied and I really enjoy building.

 

So I collected my boxes from him and this is what you start with...

 

image

 

Its a BoltRc Kraken 6inch build.

 

My wiring ocd is going overboard with this one! As the wires from the motors to the esc's run around the end of the arm I want to neaten them up so wrapped them in braid..

 

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It was then a case of working out the wiring and after 4 hours I have this..

 

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Tonight's job is to get the FC wired in and fpv gear installed then get the canopy painted.

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Nice work, the frame arms look very thick :thumbs:

 

6mm I think. wont break an arm but the motors will take the brunt of it due to them overhanging the arms... poor design if you ask me.

 

In other news

 

I got a couple of batteries in at my proximity place today with my 180s. Crashed both of them but they were flying really well and that made me push alot harder....

 

excuse the over exposure, I forgot to put my day settings into the camera before I took off and I was having way to much fun to stop!

 

 

 

The quad actually bounced about 10 feet backwards! Didnt even break a prop! These cheap ass ebay frames can take a real battering!

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Didnt get to fly this weekend but I thought I would check out a local fun fly/race to see what its all about. It was a good afternoon but I think I am not that interested in racing. I much prefer freestyling.

 

There was also an issue for one of the guys flying and a picture will say a thousand words...

 

image

 

 

yep... 1 $600 quad missing in action, presumed drowned! He had only had it a week or so.

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got out this week and managed a few packs. Decided to up my rates to help perform rolls etc a bit quicker. Also started trying a few new moves... really enjoyed these packs on the trusty 180!

 

 

Also pulled the x5 out and put a smaller 1050mah battery on it. managed to get less than 2 minutes out of it but, my god it was quick... scary quick due to the lighter battery!

 

 

I also had a crazy idea....... next day I got a delivery....

 

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new motors and flight controller for another 180.... the emax motors were to cheap to say no to but its the ones in the white boxes that are the ones I wanted.... why you may ask...

 

5s capable! yep, building a 180 that will run on 4s batteries and more importantly 5s for even more loonyness!! Cant wait!

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Let the 5s 180 build commence!

 

image

 

I am also going to be using the built in OSD display thats part of the PDb. I have never been a fan of osd so never used it on my other builds, this time I thought I would try it. This has also lead to another revelation.... W10 is Sh*% for flashing this stuff. It doesnt recognize the USBasp drivers correctly and simply wouldnt work. Installed arduino on my W7 gaming rig, plugged in the board, self installed the drivers and I was uploaded in seconds. Another reason not to upgrade to W10 then I guess!

 

Keen to try this out on 5s now!

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