Airborne Mechatronics - Heavylift KX-8
- Thread starter Shifted Cinema
- Start date
Shifted Cinema
Member
The barebones KX-8 kit is supposed to go for around $2800 usd I believe. Currently the website lists the barebones kit at $2687 eu, or $2957 usd. I know they're still firming up their pricing and various equipped kit options, it's possible the current listed prices may come down a bit. If you have specific pricing questions and concerns, Airborne always provides rapid responses - http://airbornemechatronics.com/contact/ .
I don't want to get this thread too wrapped up in people's perspectives on pricing, I'd like to keep it more constructive and informative than that, but as with anything - you get what you pay for. Often times people don't actually realize what goes into the production and development cost of certain components. The KX-8 is on the upper end of the price spectrum because it's on the upper end of the quality spectrum and has a lot of custom designed components specifically molded, machined, or printed for the KX-8. For a little perspective for you, I threw together some price-points for other copters on the market:
Foxtech Devourer D130 X8 - $1000
- not nearly the build quality, fit, or finish, or component quality, or design elegancy.
- built in damping system is garbage and an incredibly negligent design.
- collapsing design is only marginally helpful for rapid transport on location
- gimbal mounting plate design requires significant innovation out of the box
Gryphon Dynamics X8 Foldable kit - $1650
- everything I’ve hear about GD frames is that the material quality, especially the aluminum quality, is poor grade and doesn’t last well over time. I also think their folding designs look hokey and not rigid enough. I guess that’s probably why they've both folding and non-folding Gryphon frames..
Cinestar 8 frame 550mm booms - $1910
- We love our CS8 and it's been one our our primary bread winners over the last few years for aerial work . I was always a little surprised by the cost of these Cinestar kits, and I still am really.. for what they are - just booms, plates, clamps, some standoffs and the FF damping cartridges.
- The cost is more justified because the component quality is very solid on a Cinestar, we have hundreds and hundreds of hours on our CS8 and lots of travel time in harsh conditions.
Freefly Alta - won’t be sold as just an airframe, but ARF will be $9000
- If this airframe were to sell as a barebones option, I imagine it would have to have a $3000-4000 price tag on it.
- The Alta is one of the more direct comparisons in terms of fit/finish, and overall ingenuity for the KX-8. They're both next-generation multirotor designs with their quick release systems, rapid assembly/disassembly, and integrated damping systems.
FX8 Pro Elite - https://aerialpixels.com/shop/aeria...ultirotor-frame-for-heavy-lift-and-endurance/
- $2570
- Pretty decent looking airframe but I can’t speak to it beyond that. There’s a lot of features I think it’s missing from a frame that I’m spending over $2500 for.
Aeronavics Skyjib-8 Ti-Qr - $2933
- a pretty decent looking airframe but not nearly the features and professionalism of the kx-8 design
Photohigher Halo 8 - $5200
- damn I never even looked at the cost of these before! $5200 is crazy for just an airframe with nothing but retracts included for electronics.
- the molded carbon arms are pretty cool but I really don’t think the cost could really ever be worth it.
Again, you pay for what you get in this world! The RC world is no exception to the rule. This list outlines the fact that the KX-8 isn't as unreasonably priced compared to other current market options as I think you feel it is.
Shifted Cinema
Member
The bullets are a special design and are secured into the POM housings with an integrated snap-ring system that gives them a very positive 'click' fit into the housings and requires a special tool (included) to easily remove/reposition individual bullets.
Old Man
Active Member
Good to know about the bullets. I was concerned they might have just been a potted fit which would not endure over time and multiple insertions/separations. Some kind of "keeper" as you described or a special design bullet with a threaded fit could endure. The snap ring arrangement could also be user serviceable if needed.
Shifted Cinema
Member
Yep, I'm not worried about the bullets at all, their locking system is super secure and the tool to remove them is easy to use, too, so when you have to rearrange them it's not a challenge.
Shifted Cinema
Member
Airborne has a bunch of great Vimeo videos on their channel, check em out: https://vimeo.com/user31547353
The rain cover will definitely push our abilities in adverse conditions!
The rain cover will definitely push our abilities in adverse conditions!
Shifted Cinema
Member
Cool video here by Helicam showing their Airborne stuff getting put through its paces in some pretty close quarters environments
Shifted Cinema
Member
Or KX-8 is up and rocking and doing great! Here's a photo from sunset flight testing at home in Washington.
The footage from our KX-8 has been great and I have it well tuned in with our WKM flight controller. It's feeling confident and predictable. We now have a couple hours of service under its belt, including a recent trip to the Virgin Islands for a shoot. More to come from that project, but the KX-8 did great in the seaside conditions of 90-95deg heat, humidity, and 15-25mph winds.
The footage from our KX-8 has been great and I have it well tuned in with our WKM flight controller. It's feeling confident and predictable. We now have a couple hours of service under its belt, including a recent trip to the Virgin Islands for a shoot. More to come from that project, but the KX-8 did great in the seaside conditions of 90-95deg heat, humidity, and 15-25mph winds.
Shifted Cinema
Member
Beautiful shot of our KX-8 drinking some more late rays
Shifted Cinema
Member
We can get that going for you guys, we've just been slammed with work and projects since the KX8 kit showed up at our door! I'll try to get some flight videos from testing with it this week.
I can say that it's much quieter than I expected it to be. Most coax multirotor layouts are inherently pretty noisy but I don't feel it's a whole lot louder than our flat CS8 or our Alta.
I can say that it's much quieter than I expected it to be. Most coax multirotor layouts are inherently pretty noisy but I don't feel it's a whole lot louder than our flat CS8 or our Alta.
Shifted Cinema
Member
Here's some action of the KX8 with the elusive Arri Alexa mini.
Tuomas P.
Member
Hello, I flew that copter that day
I guess I got to lift the Alexa Mini among the first...
Tuomas
I guess I got to lift the Alexa Mini among the first...Tuomas
Shifted Cinema
Member
Hello, I flew that copter that day
Tuomas
You got to fly the Mini?? You lucky dog. We almost got the opportunity to fly it for a job last week, but alas it fell through
What was your total payload and total aircraft flying weight, if I might ask?
Shifted Cinema
Member
Our raw footage directly off the KX8 has been solid so far, we haven't noticed prop-wash issues any more significantly than with our Cinestar 8 or Alta. I'll try to get both some raw footage from the gimbal and some 3rd person footage of the copter flying from a ground camera posted up soon for you guys.
The motor distance is indeed pretty short but overall it flies great and the shorter wingspan makes for easier on-set maneuverability such as going in and out of vehicles. Being able to disconnect the booms in seconds is also a nice plus.
The motor distance is indeed pretty short but overall it flies great and the shorter wingspan makes for easier on-set maneuverability such as going in and out of vehicles. Being able to disconnect the booms in seconds is also a nice plus.
Nice. Yeah i'm a fan of the compact frame as well. I ran into issues with heavier setups due to prop wash, it wasn't horrendous but there were the occasional shakes that annoyed me! Straetching the frame out to 1100mm solved it.