Aerosky H100 or DJI Fire Wheel 450?

[JBRUSCH]

Hello fellow multi-rotorers! I am getting into the world of mulit-rotors and would like some opinions on the two options that I have come up with. But first, some background! Long story short, I thought I would be getting the quad rotor shown in link (1), and so I ordered a lot of stuff as listed in list (1). Since I still have a lot of stuff coming in the mail, I have considered building the quad myself using the DJI Flame Wheel 450 frame. I have experience with RC cars and planes, but not quads. I will be adding an FPV system to the quad. Instead of a gimbal, the camera will sit directly on the frame because it will give better feedback as to what the quad is doing, and I am not doing it for aerial photography, so vibrations and smoothness do not matter to me. Just for the background, I am an engineering student and can do some high and low level coding. I've always been mechanically inclined, but haven't touched quads or the programming used.

The Aerosky H100 in link (1) comes RTF which is nice since I have little experience with quads. I've done some research and have seen that the flight control board is set to a beginner's setting and is pretty hard to reprogram it. While the beginner setting would be good to start with, it will become useless as I move to more advanced maneuvers and acrobatics. When I got to this point, I was planning to switch over to the KK2.1.5 board, which is much easier to program and has an onboard screen to change settings without a computer. Another issue is that the camera mounts are on the sides, and so the bottom plate will need to be rotated 90 degrees in order to have the camera facing forward. The H100 is clearly a cheap copy of the DJI 450. The parts will be cheaper to replace, but also cheaper in quality. The H100 by itself costs $239.95.

The second option would be to build my own quad with the DJI 450 frame. Since the frame comes with motors and electronic speed controls, the only thing needed is the flight control board, battery, and TX/RX. The frame is shown in link (2). The TX/RX I am considering is shown in link (3), and since it has 6 channels, I could add LEDs just for the night time. Soldering is not a problem for me, so it wouldn't affect my decision. One thing to consider is the lack of LEDs as compared to the H100. The LEDs will make the quad fly longer, but not by much. I would like to attach LEDs in a similar manner if possible. The DJI is a tad bit more expensive, but will give a higher quality quad with a respectable brand. If the TX/RX was bought along with the 450 frame, it would cost $222.62 without LEDs or any added accessories. There is also the risk that I may have issues getting the quad up since this is my first.

If you have read this far, I'll explain what list (1) contains so you don't have to go search up the parts if there is confusion about what something is. (a) is a cheap pair of FPV goggles that uses one screen and a lens; much cheaper than fatsharks. (b) is a plug-n-play FPV kit with the camera, TX/RX, antennas and all the cables to make it work. (c) is the quad's battery. (d) is a new lens for the plug-n-play camera since it has been reported to have a very narrow field of view. (e) is the battery for the FPV goggles. (f) is the KK2.1.5 flight control board. (g) is spare propellers. (h) is a set of xt60 connectors which I intend to make standard between my planes, cars, and quad. (i) is the cable required to program the KK2.1.5 board with a computer.

Let me know of your opinions which way is best. I'm leaning towards the DJI 450 because in the end, a better product is worth the wait. However, I don't want to destroy a more expensive first quad. ( I know $222.62 is less than $239.95, but I anticipate that added accessories like LEDs and spare arms/motors will cost more in the end.) Also, I'm getting antsy to fly already. Thanks!

links
(1) http://www.xheli.com/05h100-quadcopter-red-rtf-24g.html
(2) http://www.ebay.com/itm/DJI-Flame-W...Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e8c402efb
(3) http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...HK6S_2_4Ghz_FHSS_6Ch_Tx_Rx_White_Mode_2_.html

lists
(1)
(a) Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with Monitor (KIT)
(b) Skyzone Plug-N-Play FPV 500-Set With TS58500 TX, RC832 RX, Sony 700CCD and C/P Antennas
(c) Turnigy 2650mAh 3S 20C Lipo Pack
(d) 2.1mm Board Lens, F2.0 , Mount 12x0.5 , CCD Size 1/3", Angle 150°
(e) Rhino 1050mah 2S 7.4v 20C Lipoly Pack
(f) Hobbyking KK2.1.5 Multi-rotor LCD Flight Control Board With 6050MPU And Atmel 644PA
(g) 10x4.5 SF Props 2pc Standard Rotation/2 pc RH Rotation (Red)
(h) Nylon XT60 Connectors Male/Female (5 pairs) GENUINE
(i) USBasp AVR Programming Device for ATMEL proccessors

 

[Motopreserve]

Seems you have done some good research. I typically suggest building your own rig at first - because despite which rig you choose, you will always need to repair it if you are just starting out.

Your experience with RC cars and planes will make a first build far easier than it would be for someone without your background. The f450 is a stable and simple platform. Chances are you wont "destroy" it, although you WILL crash. The replacement parts are cheap and ultimately may end up being something you still use for practice or just fun flying, even if/when you move to a larger MR.

If you look at the build thread that @Bartman did last year you will get all the help you need for a first build. Very helpful and you can adapt your choices to the basic build he does.

BTW: LEDs will kill the battery a hair quicker - but the value of having them for orientation is worth it. You can buy simple to install strip LEDs from Hobby King for a few dollars/meter and cut them to length. Soldering them is simple.

Don't go for the cheap plastic props. They can break mid-flight due to lack of strength. APC or HQProps can be had for a bit more and will balance easier and fly better/safer. I'm assuming you have a balancer from you RC Planes.

One other thing I'd suggest. Make sure you research the FPV gear thoroughly. Many companies have been making products that are cheaper than Fatshark/immersionRC, but often they can be difficult to get working together. One thing that arguably makes the higher cost worth it is the plug-n-play simplicity of the Fatshark gear.

Good luck and fly safe.

 

[JBRUSCH]

Seems you have done some good research. I typically suggest building your own rig at first - because despite which rig you choose, you will always need to repair it if you are just starting out.

Your experience with RC cars and planes will make a first build far easier than it would be for someone without your background. The f450 is a stable and simple platform. Chances are you wont "destroy" it, although you WILL crash. The replacement parts are cheap and ultimately may end up being something you still use for practice or just fun flying, even if/when you move to a larger MR.

If you look at the build thread that @Bartman did last year you will get all the help you need for a first build. Very helpful and you can adapt your choices to the basic build he does.

BTW: LEDs will kill the battery a hair quicker - but the value of having them for orientation is worth it. You can buy simple to install strip LEDs from Hobby King for a few dollars/meter and cut them to length. Soldering them is simple.

Don't go for the cheap plastic props. They can break mid-flight due to lack of strength. APC or HQProps can be had for a bit more and will balance easier and fly better/safer. I'm assuming you have a balancer from you RC Planes.

One other thing I'd suggest. Make sure you research the FPV gear thoroughly. Many companies have been making products that are cheaper than Fatshark/immersionRC, but often they can be difficult to get working together. One thing that arguably makes the higher cost worth it is the plug-n-play simplicity of the Fatshark gear.

Good luck and fly safe.

Thanks a lot for the great advice! I noticed after some more research that DJI has its own self-tightening props that are good quality and supposed to be used on their motors. As for the FPV gear, I know they work well together because Hobby King designed the plug-n-play kit to work with the quanum goggles. The kit also has other cables to work with other devices like gopros, etc. On YouTube, they have videos to set it all up.

 

[PeteDee]

3S on the Flamewheel will only just be powerful enough for basic flight, just go 4S right from the start, you will be glad you did.

 

[Motopreserve]

^+1. Go right to the 4S - it will be something you'll want in the future for sure.