Multirotor, multicopter and quadcopter discussion - The Drone thread

~Lithium~ said:
Can anyone drop me some links to where I can read more about Quad/Drones please?

My Googlefu keeps sending me to low count forums or websites that look like they were made in the 90s.

Bought the Mrs a cheap Quad for her birthday as a novelty, now I can't put it down. As fate would have it I also stumbled across FPV racing on TV!
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I've found http://www.propwashed.com/ to be useful, along with looking at seller's websites. Once I begun to get a grounding in the terms used, I understood forum posts more.
 
GeX said:
I'm in the process of building my first FPV racing drone, at the stage of spec'ing and gathering parts.

After some opinions on the flight controller, boiling down to SPF3 vs SPF4.

The SPF4 is newer and faster, but from what I've read it doesn't exceed the SPF3 in all areas. The barometric sensor is a BMP280 vs the MS5611 on the SPF3. The SPF4 also lacks a compass, but I'm sure it can be added.

Do these sensors really matter for FPV racing, I think I want altitude hold - but I'm not sure until I've actually flown something like this! I'm keen to use the SPF4 as it's more future proof as it's newer (and supports DSHOT which I need). My flight controller must use Cleanflight, and I'd like to buy direct from SP as it helps support the development of Cleanflight.
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Both my quads use F3's. The only reasons I'd look for F4 is faster loop cycles. But I would look for one if buying another now as long as everything else about it fit what I wanted (e.g. telemetry, built in PDB for my last build that was a little tight, you might want OSD) As already mentioned, the other sensors are irrelevant. You can use dshot on a f3 (the one I have it on is a diatone f3 v2)
 
I already have a Matek Systems PDB-XPW, the intention is to stack it beneath the FC; space is tight as the frame is a Shendrone Krieger. But I am open to an FC with a PDB if it looks like it'll save space / make it easier to wire. I think once the motors and ESCs arrive, I might be able to make a better judgement on it.
 
Yep, starting to realise that there's more space there I thought. ESCs and motors arrived today :D
Now looking at F4 and F3 FCs without PDBs but with OSD. Which boards do you use?
 
Hey guys a few questions ...

I know I could read the 477 pages of this thread but decide to just ask.

- I just moved into a place with a large living room/dinning room and what small drone could I buy that would entertain my 3 year old? so cheap and wont hurt him if he wacks it and could fly around a large room? or outside

- If I decided not to buy the above do you guys like the sound of the yuneec breeze? and do you think you could fly that around a large room or just too big?

and next - can you fly drones around your backyard or a park or does the uk have rules where you cannot do this? if so whats the point then? and next - what about packing it in luggage and taking it on trips ie on a place to the states any issues?

thanks
 
Like the look of the DJI Goggles - although at £499 they aren't cheap and are limited to use with the Mavic / Phantom 4 range!

The head tracking feature sounds like it would be properly weird / cool if not nauseating! I love the trackpad on the side - such a simple and intuitive feature that they worked it out without even reading the instructions.


Seems I might be changing job role partly to do drone work for my organisation 50% of the time - they're going to put me through my license and then I'll get to travel around the country doing survey work! :D
 
Guys, anyone know what to look at when you can't connect to Betaflight? I'm trying to connect up my little Walkera Rodeo 150 and it won't connect. Sometimes it gives me this error message and sometimes it just says its opening the port and then it closes the port again and nothing happens?:-

betaflight1.jpg
 
you don't have betaflight on the flight controller by the look of it. I think that quad comes with cleanflight. Try that or flash betaflight to it
 
Where is the spark going to fit into the range? Any idea on price, i'm very tempted by the mavic pro go further pack purely due to size, the spark is even smaller.
 
So so close to pulling the trigger on the mavic pro but not sure if I should wait for a more upgraded model, which will happen at some pint or just get one now.
 
Question:

Your not allowed to fly over 400ft/120m with UK law right?

So, what if your in mountainous terrain that would require you to fly higher than that *from the take off point* - yet you may still only be 20-30m above the ground below the coptor?

What rules apply here? I was in snowdonia the other day wanting to get a shot from the ridge of a mountain (don't worry I was no where near flight training areas & clear of any 'no fly' zones - I checked) but of course the coptor wouldn't fly over the altitude of its take off point which took me about 1/2 way up the mountain - albeit i was very very close to the ground of the mountain (it wasn't a vertical cliff face, very very steep incline, a person could stand on it if they were careful and scramble up)
 
400ft limit applies if the craft is carrying a camera. If it's not (eg, a glider which fly way over 400ft), you can fly as high as you like providing you can still see it and control it for the purposes of avoiding manned flight.

I believe the 400ft applies as measured to the ground below the craft. DJI's craft use a barometer, so they'll work off where the home position was set as that's its only reference.
 
Bigpops said:
400ft limit applies if the craft is carrying a camera. If it's not (eg, a glider which fly way over 400ft), you can fly as high as you like providing you can still see it and control it for the purposes of avoiding manned flight.

I believe the 400ft applies as measured to the ground below the craft. DJI's craft use a barometer, so they'll work off where the home position was set as that's its only reference.
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yeah its carrying a camera. So basically as long as I stay within 400ft of the ground I can go up as high as I like??, as long as ground is below it within 400ft? Because Snowdon is like 3,560 ft xD - well, not from where I would take off. maybe 1000 ft or so - but I have seen a route to go up and the rock face is black and the drone is white, getting as far as I did it was EASILY visible to me - I could easily reach the top if I disabled the altitude limit in the software................but obviously I need to check I can do that as long as I stay within the ground range.
 
The Mavic won't let you do that - you're physically limited to the takeoff point. 500 (or maybe 400) metres higher is the limit, with the normal rules about height from ground (120 metres) applying. For 1000 feet it is questionable legality but the Mavic will let you do it. I'd be concerned about the wind around a mountain peak like that though.

Took the Mavic out on Sunday for a look around the local docks. It was a bit gusty, but the Mavic was fine. What wasn't so fine were the seagulls who suddenly decided to take a dislike to it. They hit it a couple of times - the second time it really spun around a little - but I managed to keep descending and get it back ok. No damage to drone or props though - got lucky.

Got a decent shot of the new tidal barrier being put in too.

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The_Abyss said:
The Mavic won't let you do that - you're physically limited to the takeoff point. 500 (or maybe 400) metres higher is the limit, with the normal rules about height from ground (120 metres) applying. For 1000 feet it is questionable legality but the Mavic will let you do it. I'd be concerned about the wind around a mountain peak like that though.

Took the Mavic out on Sunday for a look around the local docks. It was a bit gusty, but the Mavic was fine. What wasn't so fine were the seagulls who suddenly decided to take a dislike to it. They hit it a couple of times - the second time it really spun around a little - but I managed to keep descending and get it back ok. No damage to drone or props though - got lucky.

Got a decent shot of the new tidal barrier being put in too.
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Well that's why im confused - if I flew up my planned route, im actually within 30-40 metres of the ground at all times, just, that its more than 120m from my take off point because the side of the mountain is very steep - its all within visual range - I can easily see the coptor - if it failed it would just fall on the ground, maybe roll down abit, but not all the way - and its no where near any people, and no where near any flight routes................. so as far as a safety inspection goes, its a go for flying in favourable flying conditions (no wind due to updrafts on the mountain)........but even then a worst case scenario is it hits the rock and falls down the mountain back to me - no where near any humans at all.

Your brave flying in such a built up area, id not have the balls to do that !!! id be scared of fly aways! lol - also FYI your not allowed to fly within 150 meters of any buildings or built up areas - so check where u are before flying again :O

So the question stands - can you fly over 120m from the take off point assuming your still low to the ground/terrain ?
 
It's 50m from people and properties and 150m from crowds and built up areas.

What are the chances of there being any bank holiday offers on the mavic? I'm holding off hitting the buy button in case there are any offers this weekend.
 
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