Product Review ---> 3D Robotics Iris+ RTF Quad

[Bartman]

After a month of waiting (sorry!) it's time to kick off our official review of the 3D Robotics Iris+ ready-to-fly (RTF) quad copter.

The backstory: 3D Robotics has been supporting the Arducopter Mega project for a number of years now and through their leadership in the area of firmware development they have been able to get the process more organized and stable. With that the APM flight control board (with the ArduCopter firmware) began to gain in popularity and it wasn't long before the APM was superceded by the PX4 controller and then the Pixhawk.

With their flagship flight control system firmly on its way to market acceptance 3D Robotics set out to develop a RTF quadcopter that could serve as both a reliable camera platform for aspiring aerial mediaists (I thought I just invented a word but, alas, google tells me not today! ) and a fun, feature filled RTF quad for ambitious hobbyists.

Like many other entrants to the RTF quad market, the Iris had its share of teething pains but the Iris+, and the Pixhawk flight control system in general, have been enjoying an ever expanding and very enthusiastic/happy user community.

So here is our review. It will be posted in parts in order to get it going and with the weather here in New Jersey, USA improving by the day I'm hoping to get the formal review done quickly and to continue flying the Iris+ and learning the ins and outs of the Pixhawk flight control system and the features available for Iris+ flyers.

Along with this brief introduction we're posting photos this evening from the unboxing and initial inspection. Since we've declared MultiRotorForums.com to be a "No Unboxing Videos!" zone we'll instead be posting our "First Impressions" video sometime tomorrow evening.

After that we'll fly it using nothing more than the user guide and other instructions just as any other new user would. After all, we'd like to know if RTF means RTF and if there are any problems we'd like to know if a new
user will be able to get them sorted out.

Once we're flying we'll post another video update demonstrating our first flights and with commentary about our experience to that point. Lastly we'll wrap it up with our conclusions and strategies to help new users get their Iris+ quads flying successfully.

To the photos! First we present for your review, the Iris+ as it arrives safely double boxed with the optional gimbal packed separately.
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Opening the box you'll find everything well organized, secure, and packed for a safe trip to your home.
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Unpacking the box we find the assembled Iris+, the RC transmitter, extended landing gear legs, various boxes with props, parts, tools, a battery, a LiPo safe bag for charging, and a charger.
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I love it when the RC transmitter's switches are labeled custom for the application.
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Also included in the box are an instruction manual, an addendum slip which addresses firmware updates, a registration card, STICKERS!!!, and a companion field guide (a quick reference guide, if you will) to take with you when you're going flying.
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Exterior photos;
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Interior photos starting with the Pixhawk flight control system. In this photo you can also see the RC receiver, the beeper, the telemetry transmitter, and underneath the padded circle on the right (on the underside of the top shell) is the GPS receiver.
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Another pic of the padding that covers the GPS antenna
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Another shot of the top shell opened up. The frame uses two plates with the arms bolted from above and below.
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Located below the lower frame plate, one component contains all of the hardware for the brushless motor speed controllers. The motor wires are soldered directly to it using adequately sized pads that are accessible without any additional disassembly.
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And one last photo of our Tarot 2D gimbal removed from the box and awaiting installation. Note the custom 3DR instructions set, another nice touch.
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Thanks for taking a look at our introduction to the 3D Robotics Iris+ RTF quadcopter. I'll be preparing the "First Impressions" video in the morning and expect to have it posted about this time tomorrow evening. Please feel free to post your questions here or in the Official 3DR Iris+ Owners' Thread.

Thanks!

 

[Bartman]

First Impressions video has been uploaded to Youtube

I promise my videos will get better very soon and not just me droning on endlessly!!

Thanks for watching! Please join in the conversation by posting questions to the thread below.

 

[Bartman]

Reserved, Follow Up post

 

[Bartman]

Reserved, Conclusion and Recommendations

 

[Bartman]

Video posted to #2 post.

 

[cootertwo]

Great job Bart. Looks like a good review coming..........

 

[Old Man]

Bart,

I like the way you closed out the video, referencing the possible dual purpose of an "everybody" quad, and as a fast and easy means of learning Pixhawk. Those reasons were exactly why I previously purchased the discontinued RTF 3DR quad with APM 2.6, and later the RTF X-8 with Pixhawk. I ended up with both the toys and the tool and all the wonderful features of each in the process. As complex as both control systems can be, both served the purpose of being easy to fly and as instructional tools far better than I thought they could have. The Iris+ has more "fun" features than either the earlier APM quad or the X-8 did so I suspect the users are in for quite a treat.

One place I disagree with the video is in not reading up on tools and features before the first flight by the user. I acknowledge that many don't bother to read anything before they fly the first time but regardless of the model or maker that lack of attentiveness has been the demise of many a model, and left more than one new user with a slimmer wallet and a bad feeling about the hobby/sport/endeavor. I believe everyone should spend at least a little time learning about what they are about to embark on before shoving off.

Good video for a line pilot though. You're gonna be making Sleepy jealous pretty soon
Pat

 

[brocour]

Great job Bart!

I have this very unit as well. I ended up buying an extra 5 batteries, the case, pair of props all at the same time. For the gimbal i wanted a 3 axis gimbal so i went with a DYS 3 axis smart gimbal. I bought the tarot gimbal mount at the same time i bought the quad on purpose knowing i would use it for the DYS gimbal.

I am extremely happy with this investment and would recommend it for not only a beginner into quads but also someone who wants to use this to make professional photography with it.

Brocour

 

[RCJardin]

Thanks for the review. I look forward to the flying and aerial pics video. I am building the 3DR Quad from basic frame + sourced parts. I have put a Pixhawk on my F550 and it flies beautifully. I will get another Pixhawk for what may become an X8 3DR quad.
The thought of an Iris for training and a bigger machine for serious video use is a good one.
One does get the feeling that 3DR are trying hard as the website back up for their products is first class - they are worth supporting.

 

[Old Man]

You won't need an Iris. Your quad has been called a "pick up truck" by 3DR R&D people because it can do anything you ask of it. Put a 4000mA 4s on it for power and you can carry another one for ballast and still get a 15 minute flight. The size differences between the Iris and the quad are not very much but the quad can lift more for longer without upgrading anything except the battery. Use a 4s instead of a 3s.

 

[cootertwo]

Bart, (just kidding of course, I know you're moving, etc.) BUT, you'd better get going, 3DR is getting ahead of you, with a NEW model, already!

 

[Bartman]

ever get to that point with something where you hit a limit, stop being so careful about everything and say today's the day?

this review has been dragging along, i realize that and my sincerest apologies to 3D Robotics, they deserve better! to move things along i packed the IRIS+ back into its box and called @econfly to tell him I was sending the package to him to finish the review, I just don't have any spare time to get to it! yesterday I called him back and said I was going to get back to it and he was cool about it.

so just now i unpacked it, stuffed the instruction book in my back pocket and headed for the front yard. all along i've been trying to treat the IRIS+ like any new user would treat a high quality toy instead of like a multi-rotor builder/flyer with an excess of appreciation for the Pixhawk and its many powers. i was pretty confident that i had set up the IRIS+ correctly a few weeks ago according to the new user videos and instructions so to the front yard and a quick look at the instructions to make sure i didn't miss any calibrations (there are none if all goes well out of the box).

a few notes;

• it'll take a few tries to figure out where the power wires want to go in order to get the battery compartment closed.
• try to get the battery connection together in one clean shot, dawdling and letting it snap and spark a few times seems to be detrimental to the heli's initialization
• make the battery connection and then let it fully initiate before trying to close the battery compartment, the heli should be level and perfectly still as soon as possible after making the battery connection

getting these few details into place I held the left stick in the lower-right position until the motors started turning and it flew! It actually flew really well! the controls were very stable and the helicopter was appropriately responsive. it was actually very fun to fly! i expected something more stoic, with little personality and mushy interactions, kinda like talking to an accountant but it wasn't like that at all!

i'm really surprised and looking forward to adding the gimbal tonight so I can fly it next week with a buddy of mine when we go flying, probably Tuesday. Power appears adequate for the mission and stated uses such as a 2 or 3 axis GoPro gimbal. Anything larger is probably too much although I'll be trying different things as I continue to get used to the IRIS+.

 

[cootertwo]

Question, has anyone replaced the motors on their Iris+, "yet"? I have one with a terrible vibration. Ordered a replacement, but was courious if anyone else has found suitabe replacements. I guess $29 from 3DR isn't too bad a price.

 

[Motopreserve]

Nice! Glad to see you got it in the air and enjoyed it.

Cooter, seems $30/motor is not bad to have the ones they designed the iris for, especially if you only need to replace 1 instead of all 4.

 

[cootertwo]

Forgive me if this is in the wrong place. Bart has me confused with these new sub/forums. So, here's my current strange problem. I'm getting a harmonic/resonance type vibration, mainly at around half/hover throttle. And I mean you can hear it from the air BAD. I'll post more of my checks, etc. later, if this is where to start such a thing. BTW, if you use a small punch, 1/16 or so, (to fit the 2 small holes in the prop), you can push the self locking nuts off the top of the 3DR props, and then balance them on a regular balancer of your choice. All 4 of mine required some tape. I'm narrowing the problem to YAW. I'll post a short youtube later. Also, I probably have the bin files, etc. etc. and they will show I had a bad vibration at yada yada yada.

 

[Bartman]

added the gimbal a few days ago, the IRIS specific mounting bracket is a little flimsy so I'm going to stuff some foam under it to reduce free motion of the plate. the stock vibration isolators that came with the Tarot 2D gimbal are also too flimsy so I've clamped them down with 6-32 nylon bolts/nuts, it's much better but there's still too much uncontrolled movement from the mounting bracket.

@cootertwo take one of the prop hubs off of the motor and see if the mounting scheme is like other brushless motors. if so, you can probably buy standard prop hubs with longer props shafts from Hobbyking for a couple of bucks each. that opens up being able to use any prop you want, APC slowflight would probably help to get more lift out of the motors. the stock props are a little too thin and flimsy IMHO

 

[Old Man]

A flimsy prop could be a source for a lot of vibration.

 

[cootertwo]

I tried some HQ 9/5's carbon mix, for giggles. No vibrations, but no lift either! I'll get around to down/uploading my bin files, youtube, etc. Been some illness in the family lately. Put a hold on my playing. BTW, my other Iris+ with gimble and long legs, is fine. Maybe dealing with a bent prop adapter or something like that. I did rotate one of the vibrating motors prop adapter 180 degrees, no change. Sorry guys, I shouldn't have brought this up, until I had all my facts together. "Later"

 

[cootertwo]

Update, after balancing props, and that not helping much, I did an ESC calibration, and it's much better! Will post log/bin files, after I learn how to read them. Mission Planner can be confusing for an old fart, like myself! Still learning.

 

[Old Man]

You're not alone.