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Skeeter have you considered a hubsan x4 as a stop gap? It is a toy but some of the flying skills translate quite well to the bigger better 250
Multirotor, multicopter and quadcopter discussion - The Drone thread
- Thread starter RomanNose
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aha!
Soldato
The Hubsan X4 is no toy, it's a weapon of mass wife/girlfriend/child/cat/dog annoyance 
Does a good job of cutting the lawn too, although it might take me a while.
I found Expert mode by accident and panicked as things got hyper sensitive mid flight, and it ended up at an almightly altitude at unknown orientation. I managed to get it back though.
Flips are hard as it looses so much altitude.
I found Expert mode by accident and panicked as things got hyper sensitive mid flight, and it ended up at an almightly altitude at unknown orientation. I managed to get it back though.
Flips are hard as it looses so much altitude.
Soldato
With careful throttle punching I can just about flip mine indoors, but its touch and go 
Soldato
Just ordered a dji phantom 2 vision+
What do I need to do before first flight? Any tips?
What do I need to do before first flight? Any tips?
Soldato
With a Phantom, you need to pick a flying site which is completely inappropriate, with loads of people watching near by, forget to get a sat lock and make sure you record it for the tabloid media... Or so it seems from other pilots
Well mine arrived yesterday, and both batteries needed charging, then today it's been rain and lightning, so I've still not used it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=695FLzWT_ko
There are a few videos on youtube, as well as this one
Soldato
Cool, look forward to your feedback then.
I am mildy concerned about flyaways.... So bit unsure about that.
I am mildy concerned about flyaways.... So bit unsure about that.
The phantom 2 vision + has settings that stop flyaways. I think the older ones had firmware upgrades too. There's a video from DJI at a conference on youtube, basically saying that people ignored their advice, resulting in flyaways before.
I've not read through the manual yet, but a video I watched showed that if it goes out of signal range, it returns to your home setting, which is about 10ft in front of you, where you started off, this is why the GPS setup is important.
Read the manual, learn what the light colours mean. Start off in GPS mode, (make sure you get a lock) then when you are comfy with flying try the other 2 modes. I have a Vision and altho its not perfect its awesome.
Also, have a wander over to PhantomPilots where you will learn a lot.
^^ lol d_brennen
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With a Phantom, you need to pick a flying site which is completely inappropriate, with loads of people watching near by, forget to get a sat lock and make sure you record it for the tabloid media... Or so it seems from other pilots
Don't forget to crash into a building to finish it off.
Soldato
Do I have a reputation to try and follow/uphold? LOL
Soldato
Nah, just the Phantom quads have been the ride of choice for the reckless RC noob of late 
Bit of research and you'll be fine, they are nice machines
Bit of research and you'll be fine, they are nice machines
Soldato
I'm building the rc.explorer tricopter and am pretty much using the listed parts at the bottom of his page, are there any suggestions for better parts?
http://rcexplorer.se/projects/2011/09/the-tricopter-v2-5/
I have swapped the ESC to F-20A - Hobby King 20A ESC 3A UBEC
Also swapped the servo to BMS-380MG - Turnigy 380MG Micro Servo
I still need a flight controller, the KK2.1.5 is not in the UK warehouse so will order that separately unless a better one is known of, I do want some features like GPS and RTH which the KK doesn't have...can be added on?
Also need a good radio, I will be getting FPV next month and want decent range.
Order is going in next weekend so all advice appreciated!
http://rcexplorer.se/projects/2011/09/the-tricopter-v2-5/
I have swapped the ESC to F-20A - Hobby King 20A ESC 3A UBEC
Also swapped the servo to BMS-380MG - Turnigy 380MG Micro Servo
I still need a flight controller, the KK2.1.5 is not in the UK warehouse so will order that separately unless a better one is known of, I do want some features like GPS and RTH which the KK doesn't have...can be added on?
Also need a good radio, I will be getting FPV next month and want decent range.
Order is going in next weekend so all advice appreciated!
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KK doesn't support GPS or RTH so you will need something more expensive than that.
I wouldn't worry about range on the radio, you will probably loose FPV video signal before you loose Tx range, even on a budget radio.
Nice tri!
I wouldn't worry about range on the radio, you will probably loose FPV video signal before you loose Tx range, even on a budget radio.
Nice tri!
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So today I went to the large scale model aircraft show at Cosford. Really fun day and I came back with a few servos as I fancy putting together a foamboard wing. Anyhoo, got some of those LED helicopter dart things from there too, thrown them in the air and they spin down:
So I thought these must be launched from the quad!
Let's build a "bomb bay" trigger with a servo
Then a piece of elastic to hold them together!
The servo is bound to one of the Tx buttons. Take it up, hit the button and the LED helicopters spiral down! Fun for all the family on a dark dusky afternoon
(apart from the first attempt, held the elastic to far forward on the frame, it twanged right into one of the props, jammed the motor and FPV came crashing down. Not even a broken prop! back flying after I got all the elastic band out of the motor ... Other attempts worked flawlessly though!)
So I thought these must be launched from the quad!
Let's build a "bomb bay" trigger with a servo
Then a piece of elastic to hold them together!
The servo is bound to one of the Tx buttons. Take it up, hit the button and the LED helicopters spiral down! Fun for all the family on a dark dusky afternoon
(apart from the first attempt, held the elastic to far forward on the frame, it twanged right into one of the props, jammed the motor and FPV came crashing down. Not even a broken prop! back flying after I got all the elastic band out of the motor ... Other attempts worked flawlessly though!)
Soldato
"Full" Naze32 and Flip32+ can be had for about the same if not less than a KK2.1. The former is as often rare as rocking horse **** and the latter is only available from the US. I have heard tell of other Naze32 clones, but know knothing of them.
Also, ive read work is well underway on a MultiWii port to KK hardware, but its a long way off and debatable of how much value there is in it with the rise in cheap, ultra capable 32bit ARM based FCs
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2157987
E: not trying to be an area pointing these out
The Hubsan X4 is no toy, it's a weapon of mass wife/girlfriend/child/cat/dog annoyance
It is indeed fantastic for these purposes
I just need more than two batteries