Advice for getting started with multi-rotor helicopters

[zackwrx05]

yes i have a DJi F550 with stock motors and esc, and i try to put two 3s 25c 5000mah, and gopro, and FPV Gear, and just to hovor the throttle is about 70%, so, my battery last no more than 13 min, so i was wondering what kind of motors should i get so i can hovor again at 49%, Plz help Thank you

 

[TheUFGadget]

I would also add to this that an ARF kit like 3D robotics, DJI, etc are great starters! Get something mid level and then if you like it build your own awesome creation or scratch build some cheap ones!!

 

[jbrumberg]

For getting started with multi-rotors? I should just have a personal "stickie" that I take with me from site to site- A cheap "toy" grade quad that can be easily replaced and/or repaired paired with a good quality programmable Tx is an affordable way to learn basic stick control and orientation skills which will pay off in the long term. One can learn basic flying skills and practice these skills as one builds their multi-rotor(s).

 

[Rotorfreek]

yes i have a DJi F550 with stock motors and esc, and i try to put two 3s 25c 5000mah, and gopro, and FPV Gear, and just to hovor the throttle is about 70%, so, my battery last no more than 13 min, so i was wondering what kind of motors should i get so i can hovor again at 49%, Plz help Thank you

If anything I would advise that you take a look at your voltage warning settings. Assuming you are using a Naza Fc, out of the box they are very conservative. You can go to 11.1 v for stage 1 and 10.1 for stage 2 very easily.

Secondly you can try using a 4s battery. That will help a lot. I also think that you are not really helping your flight time by your battery choice... 2 x 5000 mah will be very heavy, and you get to a point where the extra weight drains more power than you are adding...

Try a single 6500 mah or so. On my f450 I get 20 mins with a single 5800, but only 21 mins with dual 4500.

Sent by my thumb, a trusty slave to my crazy mind. The above is the ramblings of a lunatic, and should be treated as such. Terms and conditions apply.

 

[FastCat Studio]

I know that this is an older thread but have any of you who are thinking of using a dSLR camera considered a camera such as a Sony a6000 or Sony a7 (http://store.sony.com/professional-capability/cat-27-catid-all-alpha-pro-capability ) ? These are smaller than a dSLR, more resistant to vibration due to fewer moving parts and actually have fast fps and pretty good video. I did a review of the a6000 for my radio show and it is an impressive little camera which feels tiny compared with my dSLR.

 

[Cliffy15]

Fellow newb here...

My advice is to first spend some time flying something you're willing to crash to learn how to fly.

I recommend the BNF nano qx and get a controller you can grow into (programmable, dual rates/expo, etc) while you work on your next step up ... scratch build, ARF, or RTF, whatever suits you.

The NQX is forgiving in stability mode and durable in agility mode.

I personally recommend crawling before you walk. It has worked pretty well for me so far. Even if you want to go for some of the advanced RTFs, a SIM can offer you some valuable lessons without the dire consequences.

If you decide to build I recommend a basic build first because ESCs, motor choices, current draw, thrust to weight, BECs, flight controllers, TX/RX options, and prop sizes can be daunting without even considering payload, FPV, GPS aids, and telemetry can be very distracting.

It helps to know what's going on and how to troubleshoot/repair/recover.It makes the third step much less costly IMHO.

YMMV though... I'm still n00bish but I have a heavy tech background and a little experience with terrestrial-based rc... but that was long ago.

 

[Dylan M]

Always start small, and don't jump into flying with a camera because you have seen some cool shots. Get experience flying first then worry about the camera operation aspect.

 

[DroneHobbiest]

Good thread! The posts here are amazing, but I thought I would throw together something of my own.

Here are the guides that helped me out a ton in the beginning:

1. Gizmodo's beginner's drone buying guide: http://gizmodo.com/the-best-drone-for-every-indoor-need-1644579797. Detailed and will definitely set you off on the right track.
2. Once you've got your drone, Best Quadcopter Spot's quadcopter flying guide: http://www.bestquadcopterspot.com/beginners-guide/how-to-fly-quadcopter/. The pictures are great for giving you a visualization of what you're about to do.
3. Another quadcopter flying guide I found recently: http://uavcoach.com/how-to-fly-a-quadcopter-guide/. Very detailed. Gives you a step by step walk through with pictures and videos as well. If you can't fly the thing after those two guides, you're SOL.
4. Part 1 of an extensive DIY guide from Odd Copter: http://oddcopter.com/2012/12/12/easy-diy-quadcopter-build-part-1-the-parts-list/. One of the best I've found.

Those are some of the best resources I've come across. Will definitely help out any beginners.

 

[nikunj sharma]

I've been in a discussion with one of our forum members about what to do to get started and rather than continuing with him in private I thought I'd just put my thoughts together in a post for everyone to read, comment on, and hopefully benefit from.

There are a lot of choices and it's easy to get caught up in analysis-paralysis where you get so bogged down trying to make the best decision that you can't make any decision. To get right to the meat of the matter, I personally think it's best for anyone getting started to just buy a basic quad and get it flying.

With a basic quad in your possession you can get to work flying and improving your skills while you get a handle on what you want to do next.

If you've got some experience with radio control planes/heli's/cars and you like to build things you can make your basic quad a little more of a challenge by building it from components. This opens up your choices as now you can consider any of the flight controllers out there (DJI, Mikrokopter, OpenPilot, Hoverfly, KK, Arduino, MultiWii, etc.) as well as motors and ESC's. Keep in mind though that this is supposed to be the quad you learn with and that will probably include some crashing, mistakes in building, and it may even fly away at some point so I highly recommend that you keep it simple and inexpensive. There is a lot to learn and in getting this first quad flying a lot of the mystery that seems to surround these things will just go away and you'll be ready for the next build.

If you go with a second build and decide to make it more, more, more of everything there's a chance you won't want to fly it for fun or in a way that will put it at risk of crashing. That's where the first basic quad comes in. If you've got a maneuver you're aching to try but it's risky, get the basic quad out. If you haven't been flying much and you want to get proficient again, get the basic quad out. If you just want to velcro a GoPro to the frame and take video of you flying after winter geese that are pooping on your lawn, get the basic quad out. I can't really enjoy flying my bigger heli because it's part of my business and it would be too expensive and time consuming to replace. With a smaller, more basic quad available I can fly after dinner and enjoy the hobby while keeping my working heli safe for paying gigs.

Hope that helps.
Bart

hi ,
i m new to this..
i want to make my quad.
i have four 930 kv motors and 30 A ESC: props of 10* 4.7
my quad will weight about 1500 g (including evrything)
so pls tell me what battry should i use to have flight time of about 10-15 min.

 

[masterbeatty]

hi ,
i m new to this..
i want to make my quad.
i have four 930 kv motors and 30 A ESC: props of 10* 4.7
my quad will weight about 1500 g (including evrything)
so pls tell me what battry should i use to have flight time of about 10-15 min.

I have the stock DJI f450 esc/ motors and i get 22 mins with a 4s 5200mah battery. The only gear i have on it is my go pro.

 

[jbrumberg]

The Oddcopter link is a really informative link. I followed it for my build, but I would caution a NOOB pilot against the Turnigy HAL 585 frame. The motor baseplate mounts bend very easily and the booms will too in hard crashes. And the landing gear is pretty flimsy and needs serious beefing up. It's also heavy, but the size allows for an easier build and placement of components.

I am still flying mine (2nd frame, but original dome). I still have one frame kit in the box; just in case.

My AUW is now 2050 grams with AV (Mobius) and FPV and I get 8 minute flight times.

 

[glenn welch]

i've been into quads for several years but only the little indoor ones untill about a year ago when i happen to get my 1st computer and happened on to hobbyking's website, where i found everything a budding multirotorist could ever want, only problem is that they sell a lot of crap. either that or i have the worst luck in the world. any way i have gotten some graeat stuff from hk, i'me just finding it hard to learn everything i need to know about using a pc to set up just about anything in the multirotor world. so my sugestion is you better know a lot on the use of a computer, or your in for one HUGE headache. ps the dji 450 looks just like a diatone frame from hk thats a whole lot cheaper, check em out. GLENN WELCH