SoutherlyBuster Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Wo hoo! Going by your last video Clive it's going to be a ripper. So how much for the whole unit, my educated guess is 900$. Beyond what Zac is willing to fork out. Zac has his eye on a multi rotor and is experimenting with cams on his bixler. Stabilization and good cam are essential. At the moment he is using a $35 cam, not the best image quality but gives him a taste of what can be done. He's added a gyro controls (guessing 20 to 30$) to his Bixler powered glider, makes the flight smooth but still a bit of a spew cam at times. So a gyro just for the cam would be essential but can't imagine that ever working on a glider, really need a multi rotor for that. Clive, you're welcome to pop by Trugania Park to test out your new cam/multi rotor. Even if there is no wind for kiting, we can pull out the RC planes to give you some thing to photograph. Birds of prey also frequent the site if the wind is blowing onto the hill, quite neat, us slope soaring and the bird of prey doing the same. I reckon Zac's eyes will pop out when he gets a chance to look at your gear. Keep us posted Clive. Regards, Norman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 Cost is about 1k including rotor guards. Will post some video once I've worked it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoutherlyBuster Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 Have you flown any RC (remote control) planes or mutli rotors before Clive? If not I would recommend getting some simulator time before stacking the real thing. From memory Zac told me that your unit remembers which way around your aircraft is pointing, so you will not need to reverse the controls when it's coming towards you, one of the major challenges for newbies. I'm used to it now and would get confussed if the reversing was done for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 Nup, complete newby. Got to be a first time I guess There's a number of YouTube videos of first flight beginners, apparently it's very easy straight out of the box, the biggest issue is not near sources which can interfere with the signal , ie communication towers, power lines etc. So slowly slowly does it. I think the rest of the crowd here like the whole challenge of the build etc ..... So I've just gone the fast food version( one with the lot) From what I see it's very capable http://vimeo.com/82135134 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabroni Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 Intelligent Orientation Control and GPS lock makes a DJI easy to learn to fly - much easier than a simulator. When things start to go wrong - take your fingers off the sticks. Just make sure you're in a large enough space - with no people around. As you get better, start turning off some of the noob-assist features. BTW - Brisbane City Council forbids flying model aircraft in parks. So you may want to check where you live... The "right" way to learn here is through a model aircraft club or on private property (subject to airport proximity/altitude). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 I'm outside the Melbourne metro area, we've got parks that are basically empty most of the time, and I've seen other remote flyers there, although not the race around madly variety, there's a couple of aero clubs for those guys. Plus I live on 1.5 acres so I could do some there eventually ( it slopes) I intend using it for filming, initially landscape stuff, which doesn't move, you can set up your shot etc etc, I've done a lot of landscape photography of the still variety so have a good idea what should work and locations. I expect most of the shots to be done slowly and within 30 meters of the operator, basically a mobile slider. Looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoutherlyBuster Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 I know all the RC sites say join your club and get a buddy to help, but the insurance costs are sky rocketing the club fees. Zac and I when we got into the sport just played low key, did not fly when other people were in the field when we started out, so avoided the risks all together. Having a buddy definitely helps. I was Zac's coach when he started out, well I tried my best. Now Zac coaches me on the advanced maneouvres .. ha ha. Zac has learnt a lot from online sources and plenty of practice on simulators, as I do. We don't fly in crowd places full stop. Do agree the simulators are harder to fly than the real thing. Pica sim ( http://www.rowlhouse.co.uk/PicaSim/) have a multi-rotor model, their simulator is for the iPads and it's free. Their focus is on gliders though. Clive I'd try to hook up with Joel and company, they have flown multi-rotors for quite a while now. Regards, Norman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 From what I can tell the phantom is idiot proofed........ Might not suit the experts, but for me Will just plug away on my own up here ...... Then surprise you with a video ( give me a month) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goz Posted March 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 Just for the record Chook who has a fair bit of RC chopper experience had a go on my SK450 Quad last Easter. Hovering was OK he thought he had the controls down pat so he went for a bit of fast forward flight, 30 seconds later a few good chunks taken out of Basils lawn (lucky it wasn't a bystander) and 2 broken props the flight ended. So even those with RC experience don't just pick these things up and go, it takes practice and a fair bit of it. Take this how you will, but it isn't as easy as you think to fly these things and a lot of talented pilots make it look very easy on Youtube. My Advice. Get yourself a simulator, preferably one you can plug your own TX into as it will get you used to flying without having to look down to flip switches. It will save you A LOT of broken hardware as in a simulator you can crash and reset and learn from mistakes a lot easier and cheaper. Also get a cheapy $80 RTF mini quad and a handful of spare props (You WILL need these) and practice practice practice. ALWAYS bear in mind THINGS DO GO WRONG it's not a matter of if but when. You want to make damn sure that no one gets hit by the blades of one of these things when they are spining as they do take multiple chunks out of whatever they hit. I have seen some very nasty images of fingers and hands peeled open by tuning accidents (not taking props off to tune) and it's not pretty. Have fun stay safe and enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Picked it up today First impressions, ...... 1. It's mostly plastic, probably fairly tough, hopefully the white will be easily visible when flying. 2. The battery is proprietary, and expensive, so no easy cheap ones available, need genuine 3. Gimbal mostly metal, nicely machined but needs a hero 3 camera to balance it properly.... Note HERO 3 ONLY, earlier versions will be too big. 4. I put the prop guards on it as reviews suggested it can tip on landings due to narrow feet and this is where most props get damaged. Plenty of extra screws were supplied, particularly the ones that lock the gopro in place, I wouldn't want to undo these in the grass! Unflown as yet, waiting for the battery to charge, and I think it can wait..... Edit..... No it won't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobM Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Picked it up today ------->8--- snip ---8<--------- Inches? what are those? I thought they were made illegal in 1973? Good looking rig thou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Joel Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 From what I can tell the phantom is idiot proofed........ What you've bought is no less dangerous to yourself or those around you than any other multi rotor posted in this thread so far. You're only ever 1 glitch away from a headache. Picked it up today Looks good. 1. It's mostly plastic, probably fairly tough, hopefully the white will be easily visible when flying. White on a clear day is easy to see, on an overcast day it's difficult to pick out from the clouds at distance. 4. I put the prop guards on it as reviews suggested it can tip on landings due to narrow feet and this is where most props get damaged. If you get replacement props, get some coloured ones for the front. 1x CW and 1x CCW, this will also help you at a distance tell orientation. Enjoy your new quad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Inches? what are those? I thought they were made illegal in 1973? Good looking rig thou C'mon they built the pyramids with inches, lasted for millennia, til someone decided we needed a change..... Typical of today's society, change for the sake of it. Actually I put that in for scale, the other side of the tape has both imperial and metric but it's not easy to see in a picture. It's about 350mm from prop centre to centre, and around 600 mm all up wide. I powered up the battery and it just turns off when full...... Nice Powered up the unit and calibrated the compass etc in both horizontal and vertical axis, did a test to see if props powered up...... Couldn't help myself...... I'm going to have to edit my previous post It flies, fair dinkum child's play, up goes up left goes left etc, just have to remember camera is facing the front, there is a mode for flying so you are the centre so no matter which way it's pointing forward is away from you. It hovers really well even in the slight wind, but drifts a little when rotating, that must be too complicated for the gps to do at the same time, very capable. It's so stable you could fly it through a gap pretty easily ..... This is all very slow mind you, faster you would have momentum issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 What you've bought is no less dangerous to yourself or those around you than any other multi rotor posted in this thread so far. You're only ever 1 glitch away from a headache. : True, I won't disagree there You can't totally idiot proof anything, my remark was more to the ease of which it should ( and does ) fly, I'm a ways off letting it rip and zooming around the park.... And there will be no doubt some stuff ups along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Joel Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 I'm a ways off letting it rip and zooming around the park.... You'll get there soon enough Just out of curiosity what's the total weight of the phantom with battery in etc? In the mean time enjoy this, it's from Stunt Double one of the Melbourne flyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Phantom with no battery, but gimbal and gopro attached 938 grams Battery 365 grams So all up 1.303 kg I don't have a fpv kit, nor the skills for that sort of flying, next expense will be a spare battery and car charger kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Got some spare batteries, so I should have about 1 hr flying time. Got myself a place to fly, friend of mine is president of a golf club, so I'm going to have a fly around the course, in return I will film it and put something together for him. I'm thinking I'm going to need FPV as I can't see that far. I'm going to need a transmitter and goggles I think, ...... help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoutherlyBuster Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 That last video looks like it was taken near the You Yangs in VIC, have a look at the mountains on the sky line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Joel Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 I'm thinking I'm going to need FPV as I can't see that far. I'm going to need a transmitter and goggles I think, ...... help And down the rabbit hole you go.... First off... TX/RX refers to your radio transmitter and receiver you control your quad with. vTX and vRX refers to your video transmitter and receiver you view and receive your video signal with. 2 simple choices... 5.8Ghz, won't interfere with your TX/RX which run on 2.4Ghz. Pros: You can get goggles and LCD screens with the receiver built in. High video quality. Very small antennas. Cons: Signal does not penetrate very well through obstacles, antennas are critically important. Antenna Setup: 1x Skew Planar, 1x 3.5 to 5 turn Helical 1.3Ghz, *should not* interfere with your TX/RX which run on 2.4Ghz. Pros: Penetrates well through and around obstacles. vRX is small in comparison to the 5.8 vRX. Antenna design is not as critically important. Cons: Signal/harmonics can and do interfere with GPS unless you have filters on. Possible interference with poor 2.4 systems. Antennas are huge in comparison to 5.8Ghz. Antenna Setup: 2x Cloverleaf or Skew Planar antennas. Once you've decided on frequency, you need to consider how you're going to achieve separation and layout on your quad. You don't want the vTX anywhere near your GPS or your RX on your quad. Antennas, go for either Clover Leaf or Skew Planar antennas on the quad. On your goggles/LCD if you're going 1.3 you can get away with 2 cloverleaf antennas which will give you good omni directional range. If you're going 5.8 then go for a 3.5 to 5 turn helical antenna on the vRX. Now that you've sorted out what frequency and antennas, you need to decide on your hardware. Goggles or LCD? Budget? LCD $300 kit w/ DVR, vRX, vTX & camera included. Goggles $300 kit w/ basic goggles, vRX, vTX & camera included. Goggles $500 Goggles, the rest extra on top. For my mobile setup I use Fatshark Attitudes ($449), pz0420 fpv camera ($50), TS832 vTX/vRX kit ($100), 2x Circular Wireless 5.8Ghz Skew Planar Antenna ($100), Turnigy UBec for voltage control ($8), and a $2 LC-Filter kit I made to filter out noise to the FPV camera. For my ground station setup I use Fatshark Attitudes ($449), pz0420 fpv camera ($50), TS832 vTX/vRX kit ($100), 1x Circular Wireless 5.8Ghz Skew Planar Antenna ($50), Turnigy UBec for voltage control ($8), and a $2 LC-Filter kit I made to filter out noise to the FPV camera. + 7" LCD w/DVR built in ($150), 1x Circular Wireless 5.8Ghz Helical Antenna ($85). Range difference? Mobile setup is good for about 1KM, poor behind obstacles. Ground station setup is good for 10KM+, much better behind obstacles. You have some choices to make, i've laid them out, and shared what I fly. I tend to like 5.8Ghz as it doesn't interfere with my 2.4Ghz, however if I were to go 1.3Ghz video I would drop to 433mhz radio control. I don't like having my TX/RX frequency higher than my vTX/vRX frequency. You can either take a power feed by splicing in to the Phantom's power, or you can run a separate $6 battery to power the vTX setup on the quad. You're going to take a penalty on flight time with the added weight of the FPV gear, and you'll take an additional penalty on flight time if you put another small battery on there. Being a "plug and play" or "ready to fly / rtf" kit there's not much you can do unfortunately as it's not configurable. Just buy more batteries if you need to have an hour of flight under your sleeve. If you want some links to kits/packages let me know. If you would like to come over and stick your nose in and take a look at the difference between goggles and LCD before you purchase from wherever online you're welcome to take a look. I would strongly advise that you try goggles before purchasing them, in fact if you bring your phantom over I can velcro a FPV setup to it and you can try both in the park around the corner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 That sounds like a good idea, try before I buy...... Given my knowledge is so limited, that's a good idea. Will pm you my mobile no I had looked at this http://www.mongrelgear.com.au/fpv-kits/ ... etail.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabroni Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Disclaimer: transmitting on the above frequencies above about 10mw using analog video is illegal without an ATV licence. (Ie you do not fall in the LIPD class) Not looking at your model aircraft whilst flying is illegal without a UAV licence, or buddy box setup (unless your model is under 100 grams). That said, chances are you'll get away with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Disclaimer: transmitting on the above frequencies above about 10mw using analog video is illegal without an ATV licence. (Ie you do not fall in the LIPD class) Not looking at your model aircraft whilst flying is illegal without a UAV licence, or buddy box setup (unless your model is under 100 grams). That said, chances are you'll get away with it... ???? You've lost me...... Does that mean FPV goggles are illegal ????? If so how do you do a FPV system ????? I'm not particularly interested in having an illegal setup. If push comes to shove, I will just get a golf cart and chase it down the fairway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Joel Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 ???? You've lost me...... I'll make it easy.... .... none of the FPV setups you see are completely legal to operate. .... people sell them knowing so. Short version, don't be a dickhead and things are fine. Long version, be a dickhead and either CASA or ACMA will say hello. The technology is ahead of the curve and the law is currently being re-written to accommodate. There will a weight limit, and beyond that weight limit (I think they're discussing 2KG? at the moment???) you will need a commercial license. Nobody, not even the majority those commercially licensed at the moment for filming actual broadcast media are ticking all the boxes. They're licensed in some areas, but their equipment steps over the boundaries of the law in other areas. However neither ACMA or CASA is pushing the case with those individuals at the moment as licensing them has been "best effort" until they can create proper licensing categories for both commercial and recreational flyers. I had looked at this http://www.mongrelgear.com.au/fpv-kits/ ... etail.html ie: even the store owners have their own versions of legalities http://www.mongrelgear.com.au/legalities.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Looks like a mess......... Legislation has yet to catch up with reality. However given the ease to fly these things and people like this http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/la ... 6865255571 Reading between the lines, what they can't stop you from doing is having an fpv setup that has a monitor for framing the photographic images, and not for flying. Alternatively, the FPV goggles could be for one of your friends to enjoy the imersive experience whilst you fly the rotor I bought the drone for photographic work, if I don't race it around I don't care, I've got plenty of hobbies and can always find more. Last comment out of curiosity..... Do you get seasick using FPV ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoutherlyBuster Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Clive, regarding motion sickness, check the various videos out from the Flight Test Team: once such video: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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