Multirotor, multicopter and quadcopter discussion - The Drone thread

I decided to try and learn flips and rolls...

About 10 broken props, a bust battery, broken frame and snapped wire later, I've decided I'm no good at flips and rolls. :(
 
Ouch, bad times Skeeter! Would try and offer tips but I'm not really sure what to suggest, I found it kinda just happens - for me I took that leap of faith and it worked out.
Still trying to get the barrel roll into a half loop right, twice earlier I tried transitioning to quick and ending up having my quad flying very quickly in my general direction :eek:

Had a prop/arm/something fail in mid air earlier, came apart in mid air and plummeted to the ground luckily landing in soft grass. I need to build a new frame, mine's battery to hell now!
 
The KK stock firmware doesn't have horizon mode, so if you don't manually come out of a flip perfectly level its all over. I should have put the RC911 FW on before trying, but hey ho you live and learn.

 
Assuming by Horizon you mean the self level - if so you shouldn't really be enabling that as you come out of a loop to catch you, just keep pivoting until you are level and then centre the right stick.
Is it maybe just a case that with the 250 frames being quite squat that it's not as easy to tell the orientation as it is for me in my very flat and wide frame? *shrugs*

Nearly there on the last 2! Personally I find backflips are easier to judge, the first 180 flip is quick as a flash and then once you around 270 degrees you can just hit the throttle and burn out of the loop going forwards, when you do it like you are with a forward flip you're going backwards which I imagine makes judging the orientation hard - that last one looks like it was just orientation which threw you off?

Another option is sideways flip with the quad facing away from you. You should then easily be able to see how far to spin the quad, and if you do under/over do it the quad will be facing away and you'll not have to think about orientation :)
 
Horizon is the mixed mode on the Naze32 that the RC911 software adds to the KK. Its Self Level enabled while the sticks are near the centre, but disables it when you move the sticks out further. It allows you to fly gently in self level mode and then jab a stick to initiate a roll, and then bring the stick back to the centre and it will catch itself back level. It prevents over or under rotating resulting in the craft getting 'stuck' at an angle (or fully upside down in my case :p).

The cheat mode with the KK is to disable self level, flip, and then flick self level back on to catch it. But that requires the sort of pat your head and rub your tummy coordination that I don't have :).

I've decided I'd rather do FPV than Acro, so will keep self level on for a while to ensure its still in one piece when I finally get round to buying some FPV kit.
 
Genoma said:
Great job Russ. Now need to find a way to re-write my IT CV and change careers :)
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spookywillow said:
Yes great work and I feel the same Genoma, Worst thing is my brother has clients wanting stuff like this. Is it really that hard to get the licence?
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It's funny, that's usually what most people ask. Interestingly, the introduction of a license instantly induces the "how hard has it get a license", to the detriment of "how hard is to get work". For example, anyone can go out and try and do commercial photography. The same applies really. A license just means you can legally try, but you're still then at the bottom of the ladder the same as trying to start a business doing anything. A license isn't a passport to work, it just enables you to be in the same position as wanting to do X, Y or Z.

We would have never, due to the costs and time involved, bothered with a UAV license if it wasn't for existing clients and it complimenting our existing service offerings.

There were also a lot of people who were on my theory course who didn't have any specific business plans or applications and I doubt they'll make anything of it. At the time of my course 300 companies were licensed to use UAVs commercially in the UK. There were 25 people on my course, and the company ran 1 fully booked course a week, and yet I doubt there will be 500 companies licensed at the end of the year (yet if everyone passed and carried it through there should be at least 1000).

If you're not already doing what a drone will enable you to do, be it photography, filming, surveying or whatnot, then you're up against companies in the same position as you who already have that experience and contacts via 'traditional' means.
 
Ouch. I've still got my original FPV250 after I "rebuilt" it with larger motors, FV250 pro frame, Afro 12's and a Naze32. Rebuilt is the wife code I use.... So I'm going to drop a Naze32 with high rates on the original one (full of leds) for acro LOS play and keep the pro for FPV :-)
 
Interesting insight Russ. I wasn't seriously considering it but would have been a nice side earner if there was demand. Truth be it though, even with photography, I probably don't have the time to into it and drones. I also remind myself that mixing hobbies with business usually doesn't work out / isn't a good idea :)

I do wonder how quickly this will become saturated, and how people will differentiate. Being there first with good services (and obviously outstanding results in your case! :) seems a good start!
 
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Saturation isn't an issue or concern for us. If your business is based on a niche/non-saturated service then you've got a very limited time frame to succeed. We do 'traditional' film and photography work and in that sense we're technically 50 years behind the times. Doing something different with regards to technology isn't why we're successful, and equally that's why people who are overly focused on kit will never do particularly well because they're missing a trick. Nobody really cares what kit you use; the end result and your client relationship is all that matters.

There are of course exceptions to the rule and some people do very well from being 'known' to be ahead in their field in terms of tech, but for 99% of businesses that's largely irrelevant.
 
Genoma said:
Interesting insight Russ. I wasn't seriously considering it but would have been a nice side earner if there was demand. Truth be it though, even with photography, I probably don't have the time to invest into photography, with drones or otherwise. I also remind myself that mixing hobbies with business usually doesn't work out / isn't a good idea.

I do wonder how quickly this will become saturated, and how people will differentiate. Being there first with good services (and obviously outstanding results! :) obviously seems a good thing!
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Every man and his dog seems to be offering drone photography services. Check out some of the awful examples on YT :p

This one from the US raises a smile...


“I did practice a lot, probably not enough,” Orgill, co-owner of Pointe Digital Photography, told local TV station KSL.
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lol

However, as an owner of a DJI Phantom, this reporter can attest that for all the great visual opportunities the drone provides, it often makes just as much news for the many crashes it incurs thanks to questionable flying techniques employed by an army of newly equipped, amateur drone pilots.
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***
 
trentlad said:
I saw someone else say this, in this thread, and it's so true.... why is it ALWAYS a phantom!
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Relatively inexpensive plug and play stuff is attractive to inexperience pilots. As they haven't built it themselves, tuned it out, updated firmwares etc. they are not fully aware of the capabilities of the craft. There is less emotional attachment to the thing too, it's just a blip on the credit card.

Having said that, for every flaming Phantom noob, there's probably 10 more who do take all the precautions seriously and don't just fly it into a crowd of toddlers. Possibly :p
 
I lost my X4 in the field behind my house :( It just took off and wouldn't respond. Saw it hit the deck but can I find it? Nope. It's been out there for days now. Reckon it's a lost cause with moisture etc?

I really would like to build a PVC multi of my own. Recievers etc seem a lot cheaper than my Tamiya RC Mini days. I also fancy making some simple foam park fliers too. Anyone got a build spec or guide they have done or followed?
 
It'll probably be OK assuming you can find it. Coreless motors are pretty robust affairs and don't let much moisture in at all. Did you have a look in the evening/night? The LEDs will probably flash for a day or two.

TBH, I have enough trouble finding my 250 sometimes, when I down it in an empty field!
 
d_brennen said:
It'll probably be OK assuming you can find it. Coreless motors are pretty robust affairs and don't let much moisture in at all. Did you have a look in the evening/night? The LEDs will probably flash for a day or two.

TBH, I have enough trouble finding my 250 sometimes, when I down it in an empty field!
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Yeah, it's pitch black here at night so easy to see light. But it's just not visible. Maybe a squirrel has had it. Normally my dog finds things like this but even he's not sniffed it out. Gutted.

Russinating said:
Sounds like you need another drone to look for it...
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I was thinking this. I like my little X4, great for chasing the cat and dogs with in the house :D
 
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