Starter - needs advice for best results

[burgor57]

Hi - new to this. But I have a Droidworx AD6-HL with Photohigher AV200 camera mount to carry a Nikon D7000 or similar (Canon 550D for example).
First test flight was not wonderful. Keeping the Hexcopter steady even in the calm conditions was very hard - harder than I expected. Don't know how much is my own lack of skill or inadequate settings. It was running on APC 12x3.8 props, and the MK3638 motors.

I need to engage with an experienced Aerial photographer flying a Droidworx Hexacopter with same or similar camera mount who can advise me on how to get good stable vibration free video and stills. Is there anyone there willing to help me out? It is essential I arrive at good steady footage. All advice most welcome. Thanks

 

[Gary Mortimer]

Practice

 

[RTRyder]

Practice

Practice and proper setup!

Take the camera off and maybe even the AV200 as well and spend a lot of time getting the feel of the controls and what it takes to fly smooth and level before you try flying with the distraction of having a camera onboard, and make sure the accelerometer is calibrated correctly as well. I'm assuming you have MK electronics powering the AD6 in which case it should almost fly itself and be very steady if the setup was done correctly. I have an AD6 HL with Pulso motors and MK electronics and its almost like putting the camera on a tripod in calm conditions and it keeps level quite nicely in low to moderate winds.

If you don't have MikroKopter electronics then that may be a large part of the problem, there aren't many other flight controller systems out there that can match MK for stability and ease of flying while also controlling a camera mount. In that case, practice, practice, and more practice is about the only way to achieve what you're after.

Ken

 

[burgor57]

Practice accepted - other factors unknown.

Thanks for that advice. I have been practicing for weeks on a Gaui 500X Quad, and regularly (daily) on Aerosim RC, before I attempted to fly the AD6. That was only to get familiar with the controls of course. Flying the AD6 for real feels quite different to the sim or the quad. I just expected the platform to much more stable than I am getting. I am using the MK electronics, and I could not say as you suggest that it almost flies itself. Even is GPS/height hold the video footage is floaty. I have seen far far better footage taken from the AD6 and AV200 camera mount, so either I am flying it very poorly (quite possible) or I don't have things set up optimally. What were you suggesting for the accelerometer for example? And what difference do motors and props have on the flight performance? Thanks

 

[Bartman]

burgor57
welcome to the forums!
is your pressure sensor covered with foam and are you flying with a dome over the electronics? if the answer to both is NO then that might explain the "floaty" quality of the altitude hold.
we have to realize to some degree that these things are not going to hold altitude each and every time with the same degree of accuracy. small variations in airflow, air mass, temperature can make the sensor's readings change which will send the heli up or down a bit.
same with GPS which is only accurate for civilians to about 6 ft (2m) so a 32" diameter heli with a 6ft margin of error will appear to hunt for an exact location. sometimes it does better, sometimes it does worse. if it starts hunting around, a little nudge of the stick opposite its direction of movement will help it to settle down.
if the gps and altitude hold are both engaged, sometimes they work great together, sometimes they can't seem to get along.
usually the results are good but a bit of patience is required when things aren't so perfect.
so, is there foam on the round pressure sensor on the bottom of your flight control board?
welcome,
bartman

 

[Bartman]

fwiw,
toying with the camera mount parameters is fine but i wouldn't change any of the actual FC settings until you've had time to get to know your hexa pretty well. it'll fly different from the gaui and with a little time you may each develop a mutual understanding of each other and the flying will start to feel more natural.