Drone Part list

[Hackentosher]

2 minutes ago, TheGhzGuy said:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__65585__S500_Glass_Fiber_Quadcopter_Frame_with_PDB_480mm.html 

So for something like this I would need a PDB? Second, how do they regulate voltage? Third, what are some good ones that are pretty cheap?

If you look at the picture with all the parts layed out, you can see a small, black PCB.  That's the power distribution board. But that one doesnt have the components necessary to regulate the voltage. It's essentially just splitting the battery power equally among all the ESCs. For that I would get one of these to regulate the voltage http://www.getfpv.com/electronics/12v-step-down-voltage-regulator.html. You can solder some wires from the distribution board that take the raw power from your battery and steps it down to 12v. You would use that 12v to power an FPV video transmitter probably some lights. Since you're using a Naze, you will also need a 5v step down as the Naze runs on 5v unless your ESCs have a BEC. A quick way to tell is if they have a wire in the middle of the 3 pin connector. If they do, you're good on 5v.

[TheGhzGuy]

4 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

If you look at the picture with all the parts layed out, you can see a small, black PCB.  That's the power distribution board. But that one doesnt have the components necessary to regulate the voltage. It's essentially just splitting the battery power equally among all the ESCs. For that I would get one of these to regulate the voltage http://www.getfpv.com/electronics/12v-step-down-voltage-regulator.html. You can solder some wires from the distribution board that take the raw power from your battery and steps it down to 12v. You would use that 12v to power an FPV video transmitter probably some lights. Since you're using a Naze, you will also need a 5v step down as the Naze runs on 5v unless your ESCs have a BEC. A quick way to tell is if they have a wire in the middle of the 3 pin connector. If they do, you're good on 5v.

So if the esc's have a BEC I can run them on 5V? (Sorry that I have no idea what I'm doing, this stuff confuses me so much since it seems no one can publish a full guide on this stuff)

[Hackentosher]

18 minutes ago, TheGhzGuy said:

So if the esc's have a BEC I can run them on 5V? (Sorry that I have no idea what I'm doing, this stuff confuses me so much since it seems no one can publish a full guide on this stuff)

No, if the ESCs have a BEC, they can output 5v to whatever the little connector is connected to. In your case, the flight controller.

 

 I'm thinking about making a guide, depends on if I can find the motivation :3 

[TheGhzGuy]

Just now, Hackentosher said:

No, if the ESCs have a BEC, they can output 5v to whatever the little connector is connected to. In your case, the flight controller.

 

 I'm thinking about making a guide, depends on if I can find the motivation :3 

Ah, do then that 12v regulator isn't necessary? 

 

That. Would. Be. Awesome. (I suggest doing it with some of the cheaper hobbyking stuff. That's what most people are going to buy)

[Hackentosher]

Just now, TheGhzGuy said:

Ah, do then that 12v regulator isn't necessary? 

 

That. Would. Be. Awesome. (I suggest doing it with some of the cheaper hobbyking stuff. That's what most people are going to buy)

Hobby king is hit or miss. I almost bought from them, but the shipping is weird. Also just like everything about that store weirds me out.

[TheGhzGuy]

Just now, Hackentosher said:

Hobby king is hit or miss. I almost bought from them, but the shipping is weird. Also just like everything about that store weirds me out.

What weirds you out?

[Hackentosher]

4 minutes ago, TheGhzGuy said:

What weirds you out?

They're website isn't too planned out imo and it feels unprofessional. Also their paypal page wouldn't take my Visa gift card when there was clearly enough money on it for the transaction which really freaked me out, because like, it's paypal. I much prefer GetFPV, MultirotorSuperStore, and ReadyMadeRC which also cuts down on shipping costs, something I didn't anticipate when I almost ordered parts from HK.

 

What country are you located in?

 

 

[TheGhzGuy]

1 minute ago, Hackentosher said:

They're website isn't too planned out imo and it feels unprofessional. Also their paypal page wouldn't take my Visa gift card when there was clearly enough money on it for the transaction which really freaked me out, because like, it's paypal. I much prefer GetFPV, MultirotorSuperStore, and ReadyMadeRC which also cuts down on shipping costs, something I didn't anticipate when I almost ordered parts from HK.

 

What country are you located in?

 

 

Well good to know I have other websites to look at. I'm in the USA.

[Hackentosher]

Just now, TheGhzGuy said:

Well good to know I have other websites to look at. I'm in the USA.

Perfect, those three companies are in the states.

[TheGhzGuy]

4 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

Perfect, those three companies are in the states.

These places seem more geared towards people who want FPV and can shell out more money. I am not one of those people.

[Hackentosher]

1 minute ago, TheGhzGuy said:

These places seem more geared towards people who want FPV and can shell out more money. I am not one of those people.

Ah okay, then HK might be the better choice. Just be sure to order parts from one of the US warehouses.

[TheGhzGuy]

7 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

Ah okay, then HK might be the better choice. Just be sure to order parts from one of the US warehouses.

So what changes to the list would you suggest?

[Hackentosher]

6 minutes ago, TheGhzGuy said:

So what changes to the list would you suggest?

Well you don't need any 5v anything because your ESC's got your covered there, but I'd get a Naze32 rev 6 that comes with 90 degree pins for the ESC wires and the big breakout cable. I've now killed 2 of those damn things because I made similar mistakes both times. What happens is the vertical pins create a super high profile and bash the connectors into the top of your frame and makes for a bad day eventually.I know multirotorsuperstore carries theirs with those 90 degree pins, but otherwise I think you're okay.

 

You mentioned that you are going to be doing aerial photography with this thing? If so, you probably want a gimbal for camera stabilization. If you can work it into your budget, I would recommend also swapping your transmitter for something like a Turnigy TGY-i10 for the sliders on the back. This will make for convenient gimbal control. An alternative that still offers these sliders would be the Hitec Flash 7 and Flash 8. Hope all this noise helped!

[TheGhzGuy]

56 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

Well you don't need any 5v anything because your ESC's got your covered there, but I'd get a Naze32 rev 6 that comes with 90 degree pins for the ESC wires and the big breakout cable. I've now killed 2 of those damn things because I made similar mistakes both times. What happens is the vertical pins create a super high profile and bash the connectors into the top of your frame and makes for a bad day eventually.I know multirotorsuperstore carries theirs with those 90 degree pins, but otherwise I think you're okay.

 

You mentioned that you are going to be doing aerial photography with this thing? If so, you probably want a gimbal for camera stabilization. If you can work it into your budget, I would recommend also swapping your transmitter for something like a Turnigy TGY-i10 for the sliders on the back. This will make for convenient gimbal control. An alternative that still offers these sliders would be the Hitec Flash 7 and Flash 8. Hope all this noise helped!

I'll try finding those, thanks! (Nevermind, couldn't find it)

 

That wasn't one of my requirements but I'll keep it in mind for the future!

Edited April 12, 2016 by TheGhzGuy

[Hackentosher]

Just now, TheGhzGuy said:

I'll try finding those, thanks!

 

That wasn't one of my requirements but I'll keep it in mind for the future!

If you're using a gimbal, you want two channels that can operate 2 axes of movement rather than a simple on or off. This is essential for a gimbal because I'm not sure how many good shots you could get with the camera pointed straight down or straight up.

[TheGhzGuy]

1 hour ago, Hackentosher said:

If you're using a gimbal, you want two channels that can operate 2 axes of movement rather than a simple on or off. This is essential for a gimbal because I'm not sure how many good shots you could get with the camera pointed straight down or straight up.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__96841__AfroFlight_Naze32_Rev6_Flight_Controller_Acro_.html

So would this controller board work?

 

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__43709__Afro_ESC_20Amp_Multi_rotor_Motor_Speed_Controller_SimonK_Firmware_.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__81201__ZTW_Spider_Series_20A_OPTO_Multi_Rotor_ESC_2_6S_SimonK_Firmware_.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__58264__Flycolor_30_Amp_Multi_rotor_ESC_2_4S_with_BEC.html

 

I'm going to assume that the Afro ESC is probably the best but the Flycolor has the BEC, so again, not sure which one to go with. Also, I heard something about clockwise and counterclockwise props, so what is the function behind that? I assume to keep the load balance equal, or something like that?

Edited April 12, 2016 by TheGhzGuy

[Hackentosher]

2 minutes ago, TheGhzGuy said:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__96841__AfroFlight_Naze32_Rev6_Flight_Controller_Acro_.html

So would this controller board work?

 

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__43709__Afro_ESC_20Amp_Multi_rotor_Motor_Speed_Controller_SimonK_Firmware_.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__81201__ZTW_Spider_Series_20A_OPTO_Multi_Rotor_ESC_2_6S_SimonK_Firmware_.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__58264__Flycolor_30_Amp_Multi_rotor_ESC_2_4S_with_BEC.html

 

I'm going to assume that the Afro ESC is probably the best but the Flycolor has the BEC, so again, not sure which one to go with

I'd go with this one because it includes a 90 degree 1x8 pin included which allows for a cleaner and lower profile install https://www.multirotorsuperstore.com/controllers/controllers-by-firmware/baseflight-cleanflight/acro-naze-32-rev6.html. 

 

Those ESCs you had before are fine, but the last one has the ESC which cuts down on requisite parts. Since you're going with bigger props, I would go with 30 Amp controllers just for the head room. I'm not sure how much current those motors will need swinging those big 10" props around, but I'm sure it's more than my 5" triblades.

[TheGhzGuy]

2 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

I'd go with this one because it includes a 90 degree 1x8 pin included which allows for a cleaner and lower profile install https://www.multirotorsuperstore.com/controllers/controllers-by-firmware/baseflight-cleanflight/acro-naze-32-rev6.html. 

 

Those ESCs you had before are fine, but the last one has the ESC which cuts down on requisite parts. Since you're going with bigger props, I would go with 30 Amp controllers just for the head room. I'm not sure how much current those motors will need swinging those big 10" props around, but I'm sure it's more than my 5" triblades.

Alright, I bookmarked it and saved it in a list so I don't lose it. If I can find any other parts that are the same price, I'll buy it from these guys.

 

I prefer the 30 amp to. I heard people were having the 20 amp get very, very, very warm. Which is something I don't want. (I went to the Linus Tech Tips school of Power supply overkill)

[KaminKevCrew]

On 4/11/2016 at 1:31 PM, Hackentosher said:

I would suggest getting a quality carbon fiber frame. Arm attain frames are built like tanks, my F1-6 took about a 30 foot free fall into its stomach yesterday because of a boneheaded mistake I made  

 

Also don't forget a power distribution board, preferably one with 5v and 12v to power a VTX and your flight controller (assuming your ESC's don't have BEC's)

The Q450 frame has a PDB, but it doesn't have a BEC. If the ESCs have a BEC, then OP doesn't need to worry about it. My 450 took a similar dive the other day, only it was at full throttle for most of the fall (it was upside down) and I only broke one arm. Seeing as those arms cost about $1 each on ebay, I don't really have a problem with that. 

 

Other than that, the props were screwed, but that's par for the course. The F450/Q450 frames are pretty durable. 

 

instead of some 4000 mah batteries, I would suggest going for some 3300 batteries. I have a similar quad to what you'd be building, and I get about 18 minutes out of each battery, at 3300mah. Honestly, it's kind of hard to keep flying for that long on one battery without taking a break, especially if you're new to the whole flying thing. 

 

Also, for props, the largest you're going to want to get will be 12" props. I have a 450 frame, and 12" slowfly props are about as big as you can physically go without changing the height of the motors, and overlapping props. Also, I would recommend something like the slowfly props, especially if you're planning to do photography later. They have much more static thrust, due to their enormous blade area, so they can lift a lot and hover really well.

[Hackentosher]

1 hour ago, KaminKevCrew said:

The Q450 frame has a PDB, but it doesn't have a BEC. If the ESCs have a BEC, then OP doesn't need to worry about it. My 450 took a similar dive the other day, only it was at full throttle for most of the fall (it was upside down) and I only broke one arm. Seeing as those arms cost about $1 each on ebay, I don't really have a problem with that. 

 

Other than that, the props were screwed, but that's par for the course. The F450/Q450 frames are pretty durable. 

 

instead of some 4000 mah batteries, I would suggest going for some 3300 batteries. I have a similar quad to what you'd be building, and I get about 18 minutes out of each battery, at 3300mah. Honestly, it's kind of hard to keep flying for that long on one battery without taking a break, especially if you're new to the whole flying thing. 

 

Also, for props, the largest you're going to want to get will be 12" props. I have a 450 frame, and 12" slowfly props are about as big as you can physically go without changing the height of the motors, and overlapping props. Also, I would recommend something like the slowfly props, especially if you're planning to do photography later. They have much more static thrust, due to their enormous blade area, so they can lift a lot and hover really well.

@TheGhzGuy. And I have picked his parts via pm and Skype. He's going with a zmr 250 with 2204's.

[KaminKevCrew]

1 minute ago, Hackentosher said:

@TheGhzGuy. And I have picked his parts via pm and Skype. He's going with a zmr 250 with 2204's.

Ooooo That sounds like it's going to be fun! With what RCModelReviews has said though, I won't personally be getting a ZMR250 frame. Especially with frames from the likes of alien and armattan. They're way more expensive though, so if you're on a budget, it's not a bad frame!

[Hackentosher]

23 minutes ago, KaminKevCrew said:

Ooooo That sounds like it's going to be fun! With what RCModelReviews has said though, I won't personally be getting a ZMR250 frame. Especially with frames from the likes of alien and armattan. They're way more expensive though, so if you're on a budget, it's not a bad frame!

Yeah OP is on a really tight budget, but he's pulling it off. The frame is on his upgrade path and he's getting quanum v2 goggles instead of fatsharks. 

[KaminKevCrew]

21 hours ago, Hackentosher said:

Yeah OP is on a really tight budget, but he's pulling it off. The frame is on his upgrade path and he's getting quanum v2 goggles instead of fatsharks. 

I need to order some V2s, or something of that style. I like the idea of having an actual LCD that I can use for other things if I want to using those goggles. (Plus, HobbyKing has a 1080p set of goggles in their coming soon section, so I might grab those when they come out.)

[Hackentosher]

3 minutes ago, KaminKevCrew said:

I need to order some V2s, or something of that style. I like the idea of having an actual LCD that I can use for other things if I want to using those goggles. (Plus, HobbyKing has a 1080p set of goggles in their coming soon section, so I might grab those when they come out.)

I'm pretty happy with my predator V2's, but if I ever get off my ass and get a job, some Dominator v3's are next.

[KaminKevCrew]

35 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

I'm pretty happy with my predator V2's, but if I ever get off my ass and get a job, some Dominator v3's are next.

Yeah. I think that for me, if I were to ever get a pair of actual goggles, I would have to jump straight to the top end and grab those crazy Zeiss goggles. Those would be a long way off though.