Group Build 2014, DJI NAZA/F450 Quadcopter!


TBaldus

Member
Hey everybody,
I just got done setting up the NAZA. Thanks Bart for the nice video explaining everything in detail for us beginners. Now all I need to do is attache the NAZA, receiver, PMU and LED module and wait for 2 feet of snow to melt and i can go and fly.
Speaking of attaching all the electronic components.....is the carpet tape a good option for that or do i need something better? In the NAZA manual all they use is the sticky pads that come with it but i am just worried that's not good enough. Is there anything else I have to consider when putting it all together?
 

Hey everybody,
I just got done setting up the NAZA. Thanks Bart for the nice video explaining everything in detail for us beginners. Now all I need to do is attache the NAZA, receiver, PMU and LED module and wait for 2 feet of snow to melt and i can go and fly.
Speaking of attaching all the electronic components.....is the carpet tape a good option for that or do i need something better? In the NAZA manual all they use is the sticky pads that come with it but i am just worried that's not good enough. Is there anything else I have to consider when putting it all together?
Try the 3m VHB #4010 tape. Clear and leaves no residue when removed. Really sticks. Amazon link but you can find it at Walmart or any hardware store.
 

finally after weeks of agonizing research and purchase abandonment, I finally bought my charger and first Lipo. Soon, I'll face video 7 and get closer to getting in the air. In the meantime, flying everyday on the simulator and enjoying that, getting used to the sticks for sure.

What's everyone doing in real life for orientation guides in manual mode? Anyone using a ball or physical marker so you know which end is the nose of the multirotor? These things seem simple enough to fly once you take that out of the equation. I think the toughest part is going to be tracking the orientation of the craft once it's like 50 feet away from you. What's everyone doing for that? oh, and don't say setting up failsafe :)
 

t smith

Member
FWIW, and I'm very new to this with only a few batteries ran through my new build. My SK450 frame has the ball for the front, and I have colored blades on the front (frowned on by a few I've read - ha!) but when it's way out there and I loose my concentration I have no idea which way it's pointed until I make a stick movement. I've got LED's to put on it, maybe that will help some.
 

coreyperez

Member
I'm running the different color arms, LEDs on the aft and the DJI status LED in the aft. As far as what other people think about different color blades, who cares, it's not their money, or their responsibility. I run different color props on my manual quad.

Haters gonna hate.

Corey
 

jbrumberg

Member
International Orange tape on the front of the dome and insulation pipe landing skid foam and reflective silver tape on the rear of the dome and landing skid insulation foam. The dome's sides are taped accordingly. I will be placing international orange foam "wheels" under the front motor mount landing struts, and black foam "wheels" under the rear motor mounts as well. I just need to paint them when the weather allows.

On my SYMA X1's, I just spray painted the front of the canopies International Orange and the canopy rear's black and added contrasting vertical tape to aid in visual identification. Contrasting colors and vertical striping improve visual acuity
 



So got my first LiPo today. Can I set up the naza with the voltage around 15.2v?

Also, guess I gotta change these banana plugs out with an xt60 connection!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

You should be able to set up with that voltage but there us not much flight time in there so you would be wise not to be tempted to fly.
Regards
Crispy

Sent from my GT-I9210T using Tapatalk
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
So got my first LiPo today. Can I set up the naza with the voltage around 15.2v?

Also, guess I gotta change these banana plugs out with an xt60 connection!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had asked our resident DJI forums guy about the voltage protections and found that even he doesn't use them. My impression was that the protections are too prone to triggering early regardless of what you do, especially with three and four cell packs. Mine are off so I use time and plug-in monitors to gauge battery use age.

Bart
 


sledge57

Member
Me too, I use the HK plug-in (numerical) with audio alarm. Its loud enough for me to hear it at the distance I'm flying at.


Did either of you program those monitors for the alarm voltage?

If so what did you set them to?

I have the same just not from HK.
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
some of them are programmable, some aren't. 3.3 is a good low voltage threshold to produce a warning. keep in mind though that 3S and 4S packs will drop below that level and then recover which is perfectly safe. those first blips are a good warning that you are nearing the end but not quite there yet. larger cell-count packs don't sag the same way unless they're really being run hard on heavy aircraft. at least that has been my experience. it's that tendency of 3S and 4S packs to go below the warning level but recover and remain useable that makes the low voltage protections tough to get just right.
 

Hi Bart, where did video 7 go? can you put on the first post with the others?

Also, had a question for you when setting up the basic functions. Do you just set up channels 1,2,3,4,7 skipping 5,6?

I assume that you'd need the basic 4, but then how does the naza know to stay in manual mode?
 


Accupro

Member
Super Newbie Question

I read the entire thread over three days, great stuff.

I received an AR drone from Santa and have probably 15 accident free flights so far. I have an inspection business (Home Inspector) and got the idea to do roof inspections with the drone, I understand the FAA issues!

While I thought the AR might be the answer, I ordered a camera tilt mod, bearings, etc. it seems the AR is going to be really limiting, mostly in range issues as it communicates via Wifi so I have been looking at alternatives and thus found this great thread.

So I have many questions and will be following along but I wanted to ask about sourcing the frame. I have used HK and went to their site to look for the DJI frame and see apparently a knock-off? They have the Q450 V3 for $12.50, including the PCB, while the DJI dealers have the 450 Flame Wheel at $32. HK has the H550 V3, w/PCB for $20.58 while the DJI is $48. So what is the difference?
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
I read the entire thread over three days, great stuff.

I received an AR drone from Santa and have probably 15 accident free flights so far. I have an inspection business (Home Inspector) and got the idea to do roof inspections with the drone, I understand the FAA issues!

While I thought the AR might be the answer, I ordered a camera tilt mod, bearings, etc. it seems the AR is going to be really limiting, mostly in range issues as it communicates via Wifi so I have been looking at alternatives and thus found this great thread.

So I have many questions and will be following along but I wanted to ask about sourcing the frame. I have used HK and went to their site to look for the DJI frame and see apparently a knock-off? They have the Q450 V3 for $12.50, including the PCB, while the DJI dealers have the 450 Flame Wheel at $32. HK has the H550 V3, w/PCB for $20.58 while the DJI is $48. So what is the difference?

if you're just getting started I suggest you buy from a US dealer so that you will have support when you need it. we can help you build it but we can't get you your money back when things don't go right.
 

Accupro

Member
OK so it sounds like the stuff from HK is direct from China and thus minus a dealer %? I'm fine with that I get what your saying regarding a domestic dealer i.e. if something goes wrong I have someone to fall back on domestically, support the local economy, etc. But I'm sure in some cases, depending on the components, it might be cheaper to order direct from China and that would be OK?
 

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