Multirotor, multicopter and quadcopter discussion - The Drone thread

[Russinating]

You have to apply for a renewal and submit all the logs you need to keep (flights, batteries, incidents etc) but you don't need to do the theory ever again and you only need to do the flight exam if you change crafts.

On the back of the card it lists the S1000 so that's all I'm permitted to fly commercially.

 

[Flukester]

Congratulations!!!

 

[CocoPops]

This is just for commercial flights yes?

 

[Rilot]

Yes, you only need a cert to fly commercially.

 

[Russinating]

Yes, you only need a cert to fly commercially.

Certainly the main reason but not 100% correct:

You must request permission from the CAA if you plan to:

- fly the aircraft on a commercial basis (i.e. conducting ‘aerial work’) or
- fly a camera/surveillance fitted aircraft within congested areas or closer (than the distances listed within Article 167) to people or properties (vehicles, vessels or structures) that are not under your control

 

[Unicorn]

Having fun with my Q4 still, wish i got an X4 now though

 

[Genoma]

Quick video flying the FPV250 line of sight with the LED strips on in the night, ready for a local RC night flying event http://youtu.be/X4yWO1LkDFA?list=PL7SM86AZ8DLtBs0ix6-Q0K4GYLwj71EkD

 

[Genoma]

Do you have any pics of the other side of the PDB?

I don't no but I'll try and explain

- On the PDB facing the back I soldered the battery connector wires (obvious thick ones) from the top of the PDB.

Then soldered to the back of the PDB:

- On each of the 4 corners I've soldered each of the ESCs + and - wires from the bottom.

- On the front I soldered I long male JST connector that connects to the power monitor on the KK flight controller.

- On the left and right hand side of the PDB I soldered 2 JST female + and - wires. These feed my 2 detachable LED strips.

Hope that makes sense.

Then you need to:

Attach each of the 4 signal wires from the 4 ESCs to the KK flight controller
Attach 5 servo leads (male to male) from the 5 receiver channels from the receiver to the KK (roll, pitch, yaw, throttle and aux channel/button that controls the auto level feature on and off)
Attach the low voltage/armed/safe buzzer connector to the KK

I think that is it. I might knock up a diagram in Visio if it helps at some point.

 

[Cyclone]

Got a set of 5x4 hq triblades today. Didn't get chance to try them as the weather wasn't that good. All being well I'll give them a spin in the morning.

 

[Genoma]

I went flying this week on the FPV250 + RCX 1804 2400KV - replaced the 5 x 3 HQs with 5 x 4 HQs and it was very very nice, a bit more thrust, less wobble on descents and the motors definitely spin slower so they don't seem to be screaming all the time (although obviously under more load). Constant altitude was easier to maintain.

But the real surprise was that they seem to be much more bash resistant, I crashed 3 times, one I just plummeted from a great height, props intact! For some reason these seem stronger, but might just be because of the slower rotation speed.

I have some 6 x 3 HQs on order to see what they are like, this test for SunnySky motors determined these are the best all rounders with a shedload of thrust:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112708

Where did you find tri-blades?? And what motor do you intend to be running on?

I'm thinking in upgrading to the SunnySkys.

 

[Shelster]

Cheeky Request

...is there anyone in Plymouth that has one of these multirotor whodangeries that would be willing to take some video footage of the building site where they are putting up my new home?

Can't get round to see how it is progressing and would be nice to see how it is getting on and also to have a view of the lie of the land too..

 

[Rilot]

Russ, can you clarify something for me?

I'm not clear on the distances you have to keep from things and people not under your control. It's different for licensed and unlicensed pilots but I can't seem to make sense of it.

So, unlicensed are you or are you not allowed to fly within 50M of items / people not under your control?
When licensed, you can fly within 50M of items / people not under your control?
What constitutes a congested area?

I was just thinking, with the 50M rule, technically I can't fly in my back garden because I don't have control over my neighbour's house.

 

[Cyclone]

Where did you find tri-blades?? And what motor do you intend to be running on?

I got the Tri's from here - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221487888619

At the moment they are on the 1704 motors. I was hoping to get out over the field but its windy here. Ive tried them indoors but Ive got a wobble with them, didnt have it with the 2 bladed 5x4. Im going to have to have a look at my KK settings again and change something.

You've reminded me - Ive yet to try the 6x3 blades I got the other day. The person in the link above sells HQ 6x4.5 props


* Changed my KK settings and there's hardly any wobble in flight using the 6x3 props.

 

[Russinating]

It's not different which is why it's so infeasible.

So, unlicensed are you or are you not allowed to fly within 50M of items / people not under your control?

Not allowed if you have a camera fitted. Remember pretty much all the rules only apply if there's a camera fitted. No camera and you could fly into your neighbour's garden, almost land, and you'd be fine.

When licensed, you can fly within 50M of items / people not under your control?

No, not without explicit permission. When we receive our permission for aerial work through it'll have a few exemptions, one will be that. The others include night flying, flying in London, etc.

What constitutes a congested area?

I don't think there's a specific definition of that, but in any case that's 150m as well. You're basically talking an A road, motorway, generally busy area. I personally wouldn't count buildings or where people are inside a factor to this. Common sense applies really despite that not really existing in the CAA.

I was just thinking, with the 50M rule, technically I can't fly in my back garden because I don't have control over my neighbour's house.

Yep, technically, which is why it's stupid. But again that's only with a camera attached. No camera, you're fine, so their argument would be "why do you want to fly with a camera in your back garden" and "if you do, go fly somewhere else". Stupid I know.

We've probably broken quite a few rules if you're following it letter-for-letter because most are impossible; 50m is a huge distance to be away from anyone or anything when doing commercial work (there ain't a lot of work going round in the middle of nowhere).

 

[Flukester]

I have a friend with S800 and BNUC-S and he is struggling to find work. The problem seems to be people expect him to spend hours filming for peanuts. As soon as he says, yeah £300 for a day they don't want to know.

I'm sure there is work out there..

On the flight restrictions you guys are talking about it appears the 50m limit does not apply to taking off and landing ?, so in theory you could take off from your back garden, up and 50m and jobs a goodun , but then again you are within 150m of congested area arghhh

Russinating, have you called your local ATC yet when flying ?, the guy I fly with does it before every flight. (they must love him ringing every day lol)

 

[Russinating]

There is work out there but not specialist. £300 is cheap so if he's struggling on those rates then I doubt it'd be worth him carrying on or renewing. Our intention was to never just do aerial work - rather it compliments are existing services - and I do feel sorry for those who have that as a plan because it's far too competitive, not valued enough and not regulated enough to make any money from it. Yes there are some people out there doing well with big contracts but a lot of that, like any business, is smoke and mirrors.

It's 30m for take-off and landing. But a flight is defined as the moment it starts to move, ie motors spinning up, so the separate rule is a bit defunct.

No not yet, nor have I flown within an ATZ. Again, common sense applies and calling Bristol Airport every day is just silly. If a Boeing is flying less than 400ft above Bristol then I think a drone is the least of their worries .

The thing is the biggest risk is military yet there's no way of communicating with them. I interviewed an RAF Hercules pilot the other day who has permission to fly 250ft above the Suspension Bridge and those flights would be completely unbeknown to anyone but the pilot himself, and he may not even decide to fly there until 5 minutes before if he's just training and doesn't have a specific flight route planned.

Interestingly he wasn't aware that drones could be flown legally up to 400ft.

 

[Guest2]

Interesting, what would happen if you had a large heavy drone 300ft up and a military plane crashed into it, lost control and crashed (sucked into the engine etc)? Nothing I presume as you are within the law

 

[Flukester]

Interestingly he wasn't aware that drones could be flown legally up to 400ft.

...and 1000ft if FPV with an observer

 

[Tackle_Berry]

I don't no but I'll try and explain

- On the PDB facing the back I soldered the battery connector wires (obvious thick ones) from the top of the PDB.

Then soldered to the back of the PDB:

- On each of the 4 corners I've soldered each of the ESCs + and - wires from the bottom.

- On the front I soldered I long male JST connector that connects to the power monitor on the KK flight controller.

- On the left and right hand side of the PDB I soldered 2 JST female + and - wires. These feed my 2 detachable LED strips.

Hope that makes sense.

Then you need to:

Attach each of the 4 signal wires from the 4 ESCs to the KK flight controller
Attach 5 servo leads (male to male) from the 5 receiver channels from the receiver to the KK (roll, pitch, yaw, throttle and aux channel/button that controls the auto level feature on and off)
Attach the low voltage/armed/safe buzzer connector to the KK

I think that is it. I might knock up a diagram in Visio if it helps at some point.

Thanks for the info, ordered some female and male JST cables.

 

[Russinating]

...and 1000ft if FPV with an observer

Where'd you get that from? FPV is illegal for VLoS operations (pretty much every operation unless again you have special exemptions from the CAA), regardless of having an observer or not.

And regardless of FPV, the limit is 400ft.