Any Quadcopter experts here?

Robin Kearney · February 23, 2013

I've long fancied building a quadcopter, well this morning I received a parcel with all the bits. Now I'm begining to realise how much I have to learn!

Is there anybody on here with my experience in this area? If there is much interest I'll try and document my progress as I go.

r.

Martin McIntosh · February 24, 2013

I was in the same boat with an o/d quad and have posted somewhere on the forum. They are not that difficult but you must synch the esc`s to the throttle stick so that the motors all start at the same time. Flying is quite easy once you get up above the ground effect, so get the thing up and do not try to hover just above the grass.

Tony Read · March 3, 2013

You could try the Multi Rotor Forum here

I think there should be a quad/multi copter section on this forum. Would there be any interest from others?

Martin McIntosh · March 3, 2013

Since this is a relatively new aspect of the hobby I think that this would be a good idea. Tried a while ago to start a thread but not much response.

Martin McIntosh · March 3, 2013

I am a BMFA examiner and can take people for a heli `A` test but how do I stand with these since they are quite different. I take mine to the field occasionally for a buzz but only when it is quiet and since I do not have a heli `A` myself then should I really do this?

Tony Read 2 · March 4, 2013

Must admit that I've never been a heli man, but these things are giving me a buzz!

Got the UDI UFO and I'm hooked. But need something bigger, faster, better. The Witespy 'Flip' looks like fun. shame the pound has tanked against the dollar.

What did you buy robin?

Frank Skilbeck · March 4, 2013

Posted by Martin McIntosh on 03/03/2013 19:35:52:

I am a BMFA examiner and can take people for a heli `A` test but how do I stand with these since they are quite different. I take mine to the field occasionally for a buzz but only when it is quiet and since I do not have a heli `A` myself then should I really do this?

Only if it is a club requirement that you have to have a Heli A to fly at your field.

Robin Kearney · March 4, 2013

Hi guys, I wasn't getting notifications for replies to this thread for some reason, although all of them just came through in one go!

Tony, I bought the SK450 frame from HobbyKing, with four motors and ESCs from there, I've just spent a few hours hunched over a soldering iron and I'm pretty much there as far as the build is concerned.

I spent a bit of time researching flight control boards, eventually going for the Arducopter board, which I bought from RCtimer, delivery from HK was only 10 days, which was a relief. The board comes without the ESC/RX connectors soldered onto the board, allowing you the choice of right angled or straight up connectors. But that means you are signed up for about 90 pin through hole soldered joints!

I now need to do some proper reading about how to program the thing and get it all setup! I've not bothered with the GPS for now, I want to get it flying as a standard Quad first before I start looking into flight paths etc.

Which brings me to a question, what are the laws around having one of these things fly itself around various way points?

r.

Edited By Robin Kearney on 04/03/2013 13:06:40

Tony Read 2 · March 4, 2013

I don't know the answer to that. But I would have thought if it was in line of site and you had the Tx ready to retake control then it is not a lot different to other gyro controlled models. If you look at the Phantom quad for instance, it will fly back to you in the event of loss of signal, is that flying by waypoints? If you went FPV then you should stick to the BMFA rules.

Please keep posting on the progess of your build!

Frank Skilbeck · March 4, 2013

Note these are not BMFA rules but CAA laws, the BMFA note on these is here, you'd need to check up on these if your aim is to do out of site flights, I think you can apply for a commercial license from the CAA to do this.

If all you are doing is using the GPS to fly it around the field and you can see it and take over control anytime then as long as you are within the guidelines you should be OK.

Don't know if you are following the "discussions" going on in the US, but they are trying to make it illegal to fly any aircraft with a camera or sensor over anybodies private property without their permission first and the property owner would be within their rights to shoot down any drones flying over their property. The big worry in the US is that the initial draft of the FAA rules would have serverly curtailly regular RC flying, it's quite a lively discussion going on over there.

Tony Read 2 · March 4, 2013

Wow, Frank, that last bit is worrying.

Frank Skilbeck · March 4, 2013

Part the problem in the US is that it looks like FPVers want to be able to fly their drones whenever and where ever they want and theres a knee jerk reaction to the technology. While some FPVs here may think that what the BMFA have agreed with the CAA is a bit of a cop out, it is at least a workable compromise.

Note i heven't done any FPV myself but I will once it becomes a bit more affordable, it looks good fun, and I'd like a quad to do some aerial footage using my GoPro.

Frank Skilbeck · March 4, 2013

Part the problem in the US is that it looks like FPVers want to be able to fly their drones whenever and where ever they want and theres a knee jerk reaction to the technology. While some FPVs here may think that what the BMFA have agreed with the CAA is a bit of a cop out, it is at least a workable compromise.

Note i heven't done any FPV myself but I will once it becomes a bit more affordable, it looks good fun, and I'd like a quad to do some aerial footage using my GoPro.