20 minute flight - Flamewheel 450

[RTRyder]

I was curious to see just how long the F 450 kit quad could stay in the air so I charged up an old 3S 5000 pack, set the TX timer to 15 minutes, went out front and started doing passes back and forth in the street in front of the house. By the time the TX signaled the end of the 15 minutes it was still flying normally and the LED was still flashing amber for ATTI mode.

At roughly 17 1/2 minutes the LED started showing level 1 voltage alarm and it finally ran down to the point of autolanding at 19:51, 9 seconds short of the 20 minute mark. If it were a bit warmer than the current 34 degrees F or the pack newer than the year old one I used I'm pretty confident it would have made it to at least the 21 minute mark before autoland. I'd say with a good battery the F 450 kit with Naza controller and Graupner 10 x 5 props can do 20 minute flights no problem.

Now I'm going to install my FPV gear and see how long I can fly it with a bit of extra weight, nice to know it can easily do 15 minutes and still not be into first level voltage alert! I guess I'll also have to replace the parkflyer RX with something that has a little more range before putting the goggles on and flying off into the distance. Not sure how far away it could get in 8 or 9 minutes before turn around but I'm willing to bet its a lot further away than the little RX is capable of receiving a signal. Not that I would intentionally fly that far out with it but it would be nice to know that the radio is good for more than just a few hundred feet.

Ken

 

[Tomstoy2]

Outstanding!

I try not to get farther out than I'm willing to walk. Whith this titanium knee that usually means from the couch to the frig, ( keep forgetting to just put a cooler for the beer by the couch ). :highly_amused:

I really love that Flame Wheel, and with the Naza that's just icing on the cake.

 

[RTRyder]

As soon as the pack is recharged I'm going back out to try for 30 minutes with a pair of 3S 5000 wired in parallel, hope I can keep my hands warm enough to fly for that long!

 

[Tahoe Ed]

Ken where do have have your battery alarm set?

 

[RTRyder]

Ken where do have have your battery alarm set?

I'd have to look to find for certain but I think first level is set to 11.6 volts -.8 and second level 11.2 - .8

Forget 20 minute flight, I just went out trying for 30! Didn't make it to 30 minutes which is OK, my fingers are pretty numb at the moment considering the approximately 32 degrees F outside temp at the moment. I managed 28 minutes and 9 seconds before autoland on a pair of Turnigy 3S 5000 35C in parallel and a takeoff weight of 1653 grams. I just checked the packs and they're at 10.9 volts each so I could lower the voltage monitoring a little and push it a bit father if I wanted. I think 30 minutes is possible with the right battery packs, new, and in warmer weather.

I'll add this wasn't just hovering trying to make the packs last, this was constant FF for the entire 28 minutes, back and forth along a roughly 250 foot stretch of the street in front of my house, almost as boring as hovering for 28 minutes though! :cold:

Ken

 

[Tahoe Ed]

I have my 3S set at 10.1v - .2v = 9.9v for the second level alarm. You should get more than 30min with this set up. Warm your fingers and get back out there. Inquiring minds want to know if you can do it. Cheers, Ed

 

[RTRyder]

I have my 3S set at 10.1v - .2v = 9.9v for the second level alarm. You should get more than 30min with this set up. Warm your fingers and get back out there. Inquiring minds want to know if you can do it. Cheers, Ed

As is the packs are at 90% discharge, I won't take them all the way down to 9.9 as they tend to die rather rapidly if you do that on a regular basis. I think a pair of 3S 6000 pushing them to the same 90% discharge will get to the 30 minute mark. In any case it was more an exercise in seeing what is possible vs. I'm planning to do this everytime I fly. Most likely I'll stick to 8 or 9 minutes on a single 3S 2650 and for those instances where I want to really push it, I'll go 18 minutes on one of the big 3S 5000.

Besides, it's warmer and by now most certainly lighter outside where you are than where I am, so stack up some packs and get on it!

Ken

 

[Tahoe Ed]

That I will! With the my battery monitor set at 9.9 I am still at about 80% discharge. You may be flying more aggressively that I am. But I have had a lot of wind lately. I need to solder some leads to the Lipos, I do use Deans, and charge.

 

[RTRyder]

That I will! With the my battery monitor set at 9.9 I am still at about 80% discharge. You may be flying more aggressively that I am. But I have had a lot of wind lately. I need to solder some leads to the Lipos, I do use Deans, and charge.

Today I lowered the threshold for both first and second level voltage monitoring by .2 volts each, charged up one of the 3S 5000 packs and this time I got 20 minutes and 31 seconds before autoland with the outside temp right around freezing. Haven't put the pack on the charger yet to see how far down it got drained but I would guess it's going to be at less than 10% remaining.

Ken

 

[Tahoe Ed]

Excellent with temps that low! When I put mine on the charger, the voltage was .6v above the Naza cutoff and I put back about 82%. I have my new 3S 2.65A lipos soldered up and charged. Thank you Santa! My FPV set up is now working so tomorrow will be a little fpv with some just flying around to get better. I soldered a set of deans to the VU and the leads coming off the PDB. This way I can easily transfer the Naza between frames. Bent the prop mounts on my 500 WKM so no playing with the Click and Go until I get some more in. RCTimer aluminum, not very strong. I may just have to swap motors out with something good and be done with it.

 

[RTRyder]

The pack from the 20:31 flight was at 11% when I connected it to the charger, so not as bad as I thought. I think if I tweaked the voltages for second level 30 minutes might just be possible with the pair of 3S 5000s right off the charger, or maybe in somewhat warmer temps. Maybe it's time for a FLorida vacation and take the F 450 along in carry-on!

Not going to be too much warmer tomorrow but I'm going to try and get the CS6 out to a big field where I can try the click and go with plenty of open space. Did a demo for a member of the local PD today, they're trying to get some grant money to buy a multi for aerial surveilance. They got a quote from someplace for a turnkey X8 system @ $26,000, told them they could have an equivalent DJI setup for about half that, may have to do a demo for the Chief next but they'll want to see click and go work... :dread:

Ken