How to spend $5000 wisely

[Mediakopter.no]

Hi.

I suddenly find myself in the position that I have gotten about $5000 to spend on a new drone, and wonder how to spend it the best way.

The drone will be used for aerial photography/videography, and must lift my GHT EZ pro with a Sony Nex5n.

Im currently using a custom selfmade 4-cell hexacopter, but think I will need to step up to 6 cell on this new machine. I am looking for good flight times, and a reliable machine I can work with some years without to much trubleshooting.

What Im looking for is advise on what drone, batteries, charger you would pick if you had $5000. I also consider buing a new radio. Currently im using a Hitec Aurora 9 for my flight operator TX.

Thank you
Knut-Ove
www.mediakopter.no

 

[Mediakopter.no]

Looks like im going down the route with a Vulcan Black Widow X8, with Tiger MN3515 Navigator 400KV motors. Any advice on flight controller? Since I´m a MAC-guy, I need one that works out with my MAC (Not to fan on windows run on parallel software). Also I am a complete idiot when it comes to programming, so I guess Arduino-based FC´s are out of the question.

I think the SuperX might be an option, but I´m not shure how it handles X8 multis. What about the DJI A2? Guess WKM do not work with MAC? Any other FC´s I should consider?

 

[Carapau]

WKM and A2 both work with Mac so take your choice. Six months ago I would have said the WKM was the way to go due to reliability but I think the A2 has proved to be more reliable of late. The new GPS puck will help matters with the A2 as well.

 

[Mediakopter.no]

Hmm.. then WKM might be a good option as well

@Carapau :In what way are the A2 better than the WKM? I see that some sellers do have pretty good deals for WKM, including datalink and waypoints...

 

[Carapau]

The A2 flies smoother and has quite a few more features such as auto gear down in the event of a return to home. Also the A2 being the 'current' flight controller means that DJI has pretty much stopped development on the Wookong this all new stuff such as Dropsafe is designed around A2.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SleepyC]

Give it to me... money well spent!

 

[Mediakopter.no]

Haha. It will be kind of hard explaining how that will help my company, but why not

 

[Mediakopter.no]

I have ordered a Vulcan Black Widox X8, and a WKM with iOSD and data link. I'm going to run the machine at 6-cell battery, and shoot with a Sony Nex5n. The video TX I will use is a Boscam TS832, which are rated max 16V.

I am unsure how to connect cables between iOSD, camera and video transmitter. I reckon that I connect the camera with Video signal (yellow cable) and GND (black wire) to iOSD just as i would connecting it directly to the video transmitter?

The big question is cables from the iOSD and video transmitter. I have understood it that iOSD sends same V out as one feeds it with, in my case 22,2V. Since my video transmitter tolerates only 16V I have a challenge here. I have drawn a cable system, one possible solution, but I'm afraid this is wrong around iOSD. (Getting 14V positive from buck converter, and 22.2 GND from iOSD).

1: Should I run only video signal (yellow wire) out of iOSD, and then the video transmitter with power directly from a 14V buck converter?
2: Should I run video signal and GND (black cable) out of iOSD and take positive current (red cable) from a 14V buck converter) (so I drew it on the sketch)
3: Should I run video, GND and positive power of iOSD and mount a 14V buck converter between iOSD and video TX?
4: Should I run from a 14V buck into iOSD, or will I get the error info about tension on the screen of the ground station?

If someone can give me a good answer to this, I will be one happy camper...

View attachment 22785

 

[Mediakopter.no]

I just read in the iOSD mk2 manual that "If 4S-6S then: Output voltage = 11.2V". So the problem is solved (by reading the manual).

 

[tombrown1]

Iosd is unnecessary. Use a timer and voltage alarms and you will be fine.

 

[eskil23]

Iosd is unnecessary. Use a timer and voltage alarms and you will be fine.

Or a TX/RX combo with support for telemetry.

 

[Jjjkkklll]

Iosd is unnecessary. Use a timer and voltage alarms and you will be fine.

Unnecessary, maybe, but I put osd's in all our rigs for one simple reason: in case I get disoriented at long distance. A home indicator has saved me on multiple shoots when I'm out farther than I can see. Can't hurt to have one wired in.

Batt/flight time is monitored separately.

 

[Mediakopter.no]

I will have battery monitoring both with the osd and frsky telemetry. There are man reasons why I want the osd. Battery monitoring is just one of them.

And having duble monitoring makes it even safer. I think safe is a keyword when building a pro rig

 

[Pumpkinguy]

I just picked up a brand new wkm and v2 imu for my big hex. Not sure if I'll use it or sell and buy a2. He may be wrong but a dealer told me the wookong V2 imu is in fact a A2 imu. I think it's safe to say the wkm has all the kinks worked out of it. Some guys like them better than A2. I think the A2 vs wkm argument is very subjective.