RC Drones, Quadcopter, and real-time Video

[TickTock]

Ha! Worked the same way for me. The Phantom is a gateway quad. You think it's just recreational and you can control it, but before you know it you're into the serious stuff. Have fun building the hex!

 

[TickTock]

Just FYI. A 1m octorotor fits with props on without any folding or disassembly. Heading out today away from the population for my first untethered test flights.

 

[TickTock]

.. and it fit even better on the way home. :'-(

 

[AndyH]

Ouch. Sorry!

 

[JasonA]

Awww man! What happened? First flight? First FPV? Too bad we're not closer

Which controller are you using?

 

[TickTock]

Not first flight - first *un-tethered* flight. I've had lots of test flights in my back yard with some 200lb kite string attached. But that limited how aggressivly I could fly. Flew well at first, but the first time I went full speed to full stop, it went into an unrecoverable oscillation until it ended up upside-down. Doesn't fly very well in that orientation. I am thinking that the isolation mount for the FPV must've hit the stops creating a new harmonic for which my PID settings had too much gain (there is a lot of mass/inertia there - I actually have two cameras totaling ~2lbs). I'll cut the PID coefficients in half and try again once I get it fixed. Not too bad, really, once I cleaned the dust off. 3 broken arms and 7 broken props but otherwise intact.

I am using the PX4 platform.

 

[JasonA]

I run and fly the PixHawk on one of my platforms also. I do dev stuff for them but I will tell you (unless you're a pro at this) and you have experience with the PX4 and APM 2.x family.. DO NOT try out the current branch of software on such a large and expensive hex or machine :roll:

Get a flamewheel clone and play around with it first and dial in your PID's... and learn it..

Sorry about crash.. PID tuning is the worse on a big ship. Make a proper 3 axis tether possibly then if you still want experiment with bungees.

 

[TickTock]

I run and fly the PixHawk on one of my platforms also. I do dev stuff for them but I will tell you (unless you're a pro at this) and you have experience with the PX4 and APM 2.x family.. DO NOT try out the current branch of software on such a large and expensive hex or machine :roll:

Get a flamewheel clone and play around with it first and dial in your PID's... and learn it..

Sorry about crash.. PID tuning is the worse on a big ship. Make a proper 3 axis tether possibly then if you still want experiment with bungees.

Yeah, I followed all the steps for tuning - including bungees, isolating axis, watching the plot on QGC for underdamped response, etc. I even built a roll cage which saved me a lot of broken props/arms in the early tuning stages (I am documenting some of it here). However, I took off the roll cage when I added the gimbal. I had a lot of flight time in my back yard so I thought I was ready. I had stopped holding my finger on the manual override, unfortunately, for some time so I was caught off guard and didn't have time to find the switch to get out of the "EASY" mode before it hit the ground. I will probably map it to the trainer switch for future flights (in parallel with the non-spring-return switch) so I can use that when trying new parameters until I am sure no more such boundary conditions exist.

This is my second multi. My first was the DJI Phantom (same as the OP of the thread bought but earlier model) and I have a half dozen heli's as well that I played with through the years so while I'm no pro, I'm not a newb either. I do agree it would be wise to learn the px4 on a smaller, cheaper, more durable platform but once I knew I was going to want a large platform eventually, I thought I would just skip the middle step to save money. Time will tell if my broken parts add up to the cost of one flamewheel...

 

[JasonA]

Just get a clone from rctimer.com for cheap.. motors, esc's, etc. for under a hundred and be done and use that as your tuner platform. I also fly heli's extensively (500's through 800 class).. but when I comes to tuning PIDs you just have to experiment either with a smaller platform that's cheaper..

Or just put a NazaV2 on there now since there's way points. Cause you're gonna be spending ALOT in parts with that PX4 trying to tune it.

Just my .02

 

[palmermd]

Best drone video yet!



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3QrhdfLCO8[/youtube]

 

[Rat]

I am really getting the bug to try this. I'm looking at getting a DJI Phantom, probably the Phantom 1. I don't have a smart phone or a camera, although I will probably get a GoPro, too. I am a little leery to just jump in without any experience since I've seen so many stories online of crashes and flyaways and even injuries from unshielded rotors. I would really like to get together with someone who has already had some experience who can let me see one in action. I have tons of questions, too, and it doesn't look easy to find answers on the various forums out there. There's too much jargon and photography or smart phone/RC talk. Is there anyone in the Bay Area on this forum who would be willing to let me tag along on a flight some day?

My first few questions that someone here can answer include:
What's really better about the more expensive versions of the Phantom, especially if I'm not going to do photography with it?
If I do go the photography route, which version of the GoPro is best? The GoPro website now only shows the Hero3 versions on the product page. What's wrong with the Hero2 and is it even available now? Amazon has some shown. Wikipedia says the Hero3 has a shorter battery runtime.
What software is recommended to make the videos?
If I go for fpv eventually, can that be done on a laptop or do you have to have a smart phone?
Can the Phantom be controlled in a "fine" manner, i.e. move an inch up, inch down, left etc., or put another way, would you feel comfortable using one to knock a paper party hat off your kid's head without risk? I'm talking outdoors with a very light breeze. (No that's not my intended use, just a hypothetical).
Does the Phantom need rotor balancing out of the box or is it really ready-to-fly? I'm not a hands-on DIY type. When I made models as a kid I'd always get decals crooked and parts on backward or in the wrong spot, etc. I'm looking for plug and play. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[Rat]

Apparently these things are not as ubiquitous as some media hype would have us believe. I have been unable to find anyone else in the Bay Area who has one, so I just went ahead and took the plunge. I bought a DJI Phantom 1. It shipped yesterday. Knowing me, I'll probably break it the first week but they look like a heckuva lot of fun so all I can say is, it's only money.

 

[Boomer23]

Apparently these things are not as ubiquitous as some media hype would have us believe. I have been unable to find anyone else in the Bay Area who has one, so I just went ahead and took the plunge. I bought a DJI Phantom 1. It shipped yesterday. Knowing me, I'll probably break it the first week but they look like a heckuva lot of fun so all I can say is, it's only money.

Pick up a cheap indoor quad to learn on. Something like the UFO from Hobby People, recently $50 ready to fly. It will provide some indoor fun, you'll learn basic control movements, experience "control reversal" when the quad is flying toward you, and you'll be less likely to destroy your expensive quad on early flights. I'd recommend an extra battery for the UFO, as a charge only lasts about 10 minutes flying time.

Good luck!

 

[TickTock]

Knowing me, I'll probably break it the first week.

Nah, one thing about the Phantom is it is tough. I've dropped mine out of the sky numerous times and only have a few cracks to show for it (which I patched easily enough with epoxy). Also, it is amazingly easy to fly. FAR easier than helicopters - especially those a few year back before flight control got so advanced. When in doubt just let go of the sticks and it will hover in place. You don't even need to learn how to reverse the controls when it is pointing toward you if you don't want to - just put it in course lock and it never have to worry about which way it is facing.
Do be careful around the props, though. They will cut you (or anyone unfortunate enough to get in your way) to the bone.

 

[JasonA]

Knowing me, I'll probably break it the first week.

Nah, one thing about the Phantom is it is tough. I've dropped mine out of the sky numerous times and only have a few cracks to show for it (which I patched easily enough with epoxy). Also, it is amazingly easy to fly. FAR easier than helicopters - especially those a few year back before flight control got so advanced. When in doubt just let go of the sticks and it will hover in place. You don't even need to learn how to reverse the controls when it is pointing toward you if you don't want to - just put it in course lock and it never have to worry about which way it is facing.
Do be careful around the props, though. They will cut you (or anyone unfortunate enough to get in your way) to the bone.

The problem with this mentality is you don't learn how to fly :roll:

You are letting the machine "think" for you and when that Naza inside that Phantom glitches out (they ALWAYS do) you will be scared $hitless and won't know what to do because all this time you've been letting the machine fly for you and not thinking about it.

Try flying the machine in normal mode once in a while. It's better for your brain!

 

[TickTock]

Try flying the machine in normal mode once in a while. It's better for your brain!

Yeah! It is especially hard switching back and forth. I was pretty good at the old school flying where you think from the aircraft POV when that was all you had, but now I switch back and forth and often forget which "mode" I am operating in and goof up. Getting better, but trying to use both definitely was a new spin on things.

 

[Rat]

I appreciate all the advice - hard learned in some cases, I'm sure. However, I have the Phantom in hand and have played with it (er, practiced flying) for the last two days. The assembly was hell (using the Allen head screws meant for the rotor guards to mount the legs was not a swift move) and initializing the compass took a day. But after all that, it seemed to be fine. It is as easy to fly as people say and I have had very little trouble with the orientation, although I did manage to fly it into a bush in my yard trying to be fancy with low level flight in tight quarters in a stiff breeze. I don't have a camera yet, but I am planning to buy an SJ1000. It's so much cheaper than the GoPro, nearly as good, although not as full-featured, and many GoPro features are for things I don't have or need. Of course, after an entire winter of calm sunny days I get my aircraft at the beginning of a week of rainstorms. I take credit for breaking the drought.

 

[Rat]

Okay, for the curious, here's the latest:

Blog post explaining mount for the camera and a short demo video.

Or you can just watch the YouTube video:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ht5YxHdQg[/youtube]
Hmm, I don't seem to be able to embed the video, but you can copy the URL.

 

[AndyH]

Okay, for the curious, here's the latest:

Blog post explaining mount for the camera and a short demo video.

Or you can just watch the YouTube video:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ht5YxHdQg[/youtube]
Hmm, I don't seem to be able to embed the video, but you can copy the URL.

Just remove the 's' to link a non-encrypted address. Google and other sites started encrypting server connections in response to Edward Snowden's disclosures that the NSA has been performing traffic analysis of visitors...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ht5YxHdQg[/youtube]

You guys are having too much fun - way to go!

 

[Rat]

Thank you, AndyH.