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There is a real answer to this besides all the hand waviness you see most of the time from "experts". The real reason is the "freewheeling current", or more specifically the voltage drop across the body diodes within each FET on a passive-freewheeling ESC (which is: most of the ones we use)...

I think this is completely untrue. Forums are for people who are looking for answers, real information, no matter what level they are operating at, beginner or expert. I find the only people who don't use forums are know-it-alls and self-proclaimed experts. People who think they could never...

I think that's outside the range of where they want to go, at least at this point. Also keep in mind, multiple gyros does not help you maintain AHRS solution during rapid manoevers. At least not directly. It's the quality of the chips that matters, I think.

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that these other guys were using a $1000 chip. ;) I had seen one Pro-grade IMU that used 5 gyros arranged in a pentagonal array for tons of redundancy.

Oh yeah? I hadn't heard that part. Interesting. Somebody had posted about this new IMU chip on the market claiming "tactical grade performance" or something like that, whatever that means, but the $1000 pricetag for just the chip was a bit off-putting. ;)

I'm curious to know how reliable they are. Keeping track of which way is up is difficult when doing manoevers like that. The accelerometer becomes useless, so you're all on gyro and the errors can add up quickly.

I understand that part already. That is exactly how Arducopter works. Theoretically you can do 3D in "Acro" mode which is basically just like any FBL controller. The problem is using it as a "bail out". The AHRS can lose the solution during these manoevers. So you do some 3D stuff, and then...

Yes, the Schiebel is cool, but it's not that much cheaper or more practical than a full size heli. Is that the heli you were telling us about Denny? Looks pretty good. The mass is nicely centralized on it. Good job. I don't quite understand, the boom supports in the front, you have both a...

Ah, so the AHRS loses it during 3D. Not surprising, I have the same problem. I wonder how the other systems perform.

Good luck. Please keep us posted on your progress.

Big weekend for me. I've finally got rate based control working really well on flybarless helis. Here's a test I did with my little HK450GT FBL. It's a joy to fly in dynamic fast forward flight now. It's very responsive but also very stable.

Some motors are raised because the props are overlapping. It's got 12" props on a 630mm frame. It flies excellently.

Ah, OK, I understand now. I agree, most multi-rotor frames are way too small. Here's what I have designed. The frame is almost 12" in diameter. Lots of room for mounting ESC's, etc. Very stiff as well, it helps the arms are so short. The only disadvantage I can see so far is that it is...

What exactly is the issue that led you to believe the frame is at fault?

Denny, you are absolutely correct, that there is a cast in stone relationship between rotor disk area and efficiency. Or rather, the disk loading (area/mass) and efficiency. It's a very simple theory based on momentum theory. That is, the aircraft hovers by accelerating a mass of air...

Denny, I agree with you to a certain point. But one thing you have to keep in mind is that, in theory, an MR rotor with proper taper and twist could be more efficient than a SR rotor. The problem right now is that, frankly, we have crap selection for propellers on MR. Just about all of us...

Was the FOD ever traced down to flying in GPS mode? Was it shown that it never happened in Atti? Honest question, I don't know. I understand your aversion to higher flight modes. Obviously more complexity brings with it more room for error. Still, I hope for better. The higher flight modes...

Denny, I like your work. That is the best looking gimbal mount I have seen. You're obviously not afraid of a bit of 3D CNC. And the vibration damping is much better thought out than most. And then of course the Zen is the only proper gimbal on the market. I find the Naza-H, like the WKH to...

I agree. I have a pretty good Sony F-series laptop (I7 processor, dedicated graphics, matte screen) that I use for my ground control station. It was $1400, but the image isn't as viewable as it is on my $80 Foxtech 7" monitor. And the viewability of this thing is better than most, so most...

Sure, that's why I said, if you're doing real FPV, it's not great. But with a good flight controller, and if you're far away from your subjects, it's fine. I have actually flown like this, and didn't even notice the lag until somebody else mentioned it. Heck, when I'm flying the ground...