Octo Build for Aerial Video

[Sebas600]

Yeah to bad it's not ball size and weight nor bounces whiteout damage...

Don't know the refresh on the turnigy at high refresh. Just set it to high!!!!

I'm thinking about changing them out. It's not that expensive if it flies better. only $200 so that is only 2%

Seen Ken's rebuild and he likes them very much and he knows his stuff....

 

[xtakos]

Which one did he used Maytech or DJI?Do you have the link?

 

[Sebas600]

http://www.multirotorforums.com/showthread.php?1880-CineStar-6-WKM-Maytech-WOW!&highlight=Maytech

There is a search function

 

[mbsteed]

I did get an email back from these folks - they rate this distribution board at 120A:

http://www.kkmulticopter.kr/index.h...selected=Center&sn=power_board_octo&id_no=120

...I am not not into electronics per se but if you multiply 30A ESC by 8 then that would exceed the boards limit, am I right?

 

[Sebas600]

Yes but that was for the maytech esc. And that is why I didn't use a powerboard sins they're all for quads. Ken used two boards if I'm not mistaken...

 

[mbsteed]

Actually that one is designed for an octo but seems questionable for a more powerful setup. If you used 2 then you would probably be okay.

 

[Macsgrafs]

Make your own power board, its so easy!!!
Go to an electronics shop (Maplin as an example), buy some copper clad PCB board & draw out 2 circles:-
View attachment 2540

Ross

 

[mbsteed]

Thanks for that suggestion - it does sound easy. I will explore that.

Marlo

 

[Macsgrafs]

Thanks for that suggestion - it does sound easy. I will explore that.

Marlo

Takes about 10 mins to complete & for a cost of a few £'s only, if I can do it Marlo, you can do it.

Ross

 

[mbsteed]

Macsgrafs, It looks like this stuff comes in different thicknesses. What thickness would you suggest for my application (octo 30A ESC)?

 

[mbsteed]

Okay,

Here is the latest with the build. Rather than purchasing an additional motor mount for the GPS, I went to the local hardware store (HomeDepot) and purchased a wall clamp, it fits perfectly.

I put 4 ESCs in top and 4 ESCs on the bottom of the base plate. Each set of 4 will receive power from a different battery. I wired up the power distribution cables with 10 gauge wire - the only thing I could find is trailer wire, and as it turned out it was too thick to thread the connectors over ( bad news after I had it all soldered in), so had to strip large sections of the wire and then use heat shrink. Hope that still works okay, in the end the one stretch of wire was no longer tightly wrapped - hope that doesn't cause problems.

View attachment 2928View attachment 2929View attachment 2930View attachment 2931

 

[mbsteed]

More pics.

View attachment 2934View attachment 2935

 

[mbsteed]

It has been a while but...
I was successful getting the ship off the ground yesterday - (after flipping it initially and going back and finding my orientation for connecting the wiring was opposite to what it should have been - don't ask, it is a long story)
At any rate the minute or so it was airborne it seemed quite stable, so I am excited to do more testing.

Oh, an important change that I had to do was swap out the 14 inch props with 13 inch APC props - the 14 inch were just too large even with extended booms (465 mm) and didn't allow enough space between the props, in fact if the booms would have been stressed the props might have actually collided.

I will provide some video as soon as I can.

Now what to do for a camera gimbal? I think we will be shooting with a DSLR (T2i or 7D) or something like the Canon Vixia G10. Suggestions? I am leaning towards the Cinestar the DJI gimbal just seems over the top expensive, are there others that I should be considering? One of my criteria is that the tilt and roll be belt driven - to ensure smoother movement. I think to begin with just the two axis gimbal will probably suffice but the 3 axis is tempting.

 

[Quadcopterfly]

HI,

I used Maytech 40A ESCs, they are great quality in good price.
You may find what you need www.maytech.cn
They have ESCs motors specially for quadcopters.

I just won the DJI flight controller and while my wife was still excited about the win, I have convinced her to let me do a new build. The theory goes something like this; we saved so much money so we need to spend more - you know all the stores try to get you with that same logic - spend money and you will save money. It seems kind of counter intuitive but it works.

Purpose: I plan to take quality aerial video footage and be able to do FPV and at the same time frame the footage in the air with the video downlink.

I would like to be able to lift a large DSL if necessary but will probably start with the Canon Vixia G10 Camcorder.

I have a couple of concerns: I am assuming I will need at least 2 - 4s batteries to power those larger motors but not sure. What ESCs would folks suggest - I have been happy with my Maytech 30A but those are probably not quite enough for these motors. I can't seem to find any 40A Maytechs. Any suggestions there?

I have done some reading on FPV systems and I think what I have there will work but this is totally new territory for me, so I could be off base. Will a 2S battery be sufficient to power the video transmitter?

Has anyone had experience with the Pro Mount 200 Camera Gimbal?

Here is what I am thinking:

Droidworx Octo HL V3	http://shop.quadrocopter.us/AD-8-HL-Airframe-Kit_p_125.html
QUADROPOWER MOTOR QC-3328	http://shop.quadrocopter.us/QuadroPower-Motor-QC-3328_p_392.html
PRO MOUNT-200	http://shop.quadrocopter.us/Pro-Mount-200_p_188.html
Maytech ESC 40A orCastle Creation Thunderbird 54A ESC	http://www.maytech.cn/eng/proesc.asp?type=2				http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_150_14_46&products_id=757
DX10 Transmitter	http://www.greathobbies.com/productinfo/?prod_id=SPM2800US
APC Props 14”	http://shop.quadrocopter.us/APC-SlowFly-Prop-14x47SF_p_410.html
APC Props 14” pusher	http://shop.quadrocopter.us/APC-SlowFly-Prop-14x47SFP_p_409.html
LM 1.2GHz Portable Receiver	http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5_93&products_id=328
1W LM 1.2GHz Transmitter	http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_83_58&products_id=172
Standard 1.2GHhz Antenna	http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_10_39_78&products_id=357
1.2 GHz 8 dBi Flat Patch Antenna	http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_10_39_78&products_id=223
Goggles - EVG920 Video Eyewear	http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_170_171&products_id=114
Flight camera - 3D FPV Camera	http://www.nghobbies.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_8_112&products_id=393
Turnigy nano-tech 6000mah 4S 25~50C	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=20682
ESC distribution board _ PhotoshipOne	http://photoshipone.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=40&products_id=251

Any thoughts?

 

[hugy]

The maytech are just rebranded hobbyking blueseries. Don't pay for that ****. Get some hobbyking escs and reflash them with simonk, much much better.

 

[mbsteed]

Hugy,

How do you know those are just repurposed blue series - do you have any evidence? If you are going to make such a statement it would be useful to say why.

Still struggling with this build - it caused two major crashes *two broken carbon arms) - never was stable in the air I have just finished totally redoing the power distribution - used copper washers (and centralized the power rather than having one battery powering 4 sets of motors and the other battery powering the other set of motors. I will report on how that works - probably by the end of the week.

 

[RTRyder]

Hugy,

How do you know those are just repurposed blue series - do you have any evidence? If you are going to make such a statement it would be useful to say why.

Still struggling with this build - it caused two major crashes *two broken carbon arms) - never was stable in the air I have just finished totally redoing the power distribution - used copper washers (and centralized the power rather than having one battery powering 4 sets of motors and the other battery powering the other set of motors. I will report on how that works - probably by the end of the week.

I do, I've had the shrink wrap off one of each and sitting side by side, EXACTLY the same hardware Blue series - Maytech V1. Only difference might be the firmware running on the Maytech but there's no way to tell that for certain. What I do know is the Maytechs work even better with the SimonK firmware, I reflashed the set on my Cinestar using the same file used for the Blue series and it flys much, much better now.

Ken

 

[Octo NZ]

What happened during those both crashes ?
You lost power, or control ?

I have a very similar config with an AV200 (360) but smaller props (APC 12") and AXi motors.
I think that centralizing the power is wiser but I would like to warn you if you are still thinking about using 4S batteries.
I have started flying with my octo with 5S (5500mAh x 2) with no problem. Then, I wanted to see if I could increase the flight time with 4S (8000mAh x 2) batteries.
The first flight with 4S batteries has been also the last one : 2 minutes and 15 secondes after taking off, the power shut down and the octo felt down to the ground. Hopefully I was not hovering high (2m), so the damages have been minimum.
What happened ? A dean connector has melted. Actually, by lowering the voltage (4S = 14.8V), the amps had to be increased to deliver the same amount of power and the connector has reached its limits by melting.
Since then, I never flew again with these 4S batteries (by the way I am selling them , they are not fitted for our "heavy lift" machine.

I hope that helps.
Cheers

Moe

 

[hugy]

See for yourself.

 

[mbsteed]

Yes, those look like the same hardware - I wonder if that is the same firmware?

I have been running 4s on my other octo (Hoverfly) for months with no problems - use deans for the power distribution with no problems. 7 Minutes of flight time with a 500g camera. Although this build will be a bit heavier than that one.

The first flight of this ship was fine for a few seconds. The other flights have been totally out of control - so I had to let her drop out of the sky.