DJI S800 weight chart....strange results

[ChrisViperM]

Hello

Since there is questions and facts concerning the different weights of the S800 scattered all over the net, I thought I try to get a realistic picture and find out what the story really is.
The results are on my table and I might as well post them. PLEASE....if you find any mistakes...scream out loud and I will correct them, since other users might take this "chart" as a reference...

Total weight of the frame = 2600 g (91.71076 oz.)
ESC's: 6x 18 g = 108 g (3.80952 oz.)
Motors: 6x 147 g = 882 g (28.28924 oz.)
Propellers: 6x 15 g = 90 g (3.1746 oz.)
WooKong: = 118 g (4.16226 oz.)

So the naked bird's weight is 3.798 g (133.96825 oz.)

Lipo's: various options ranging from ~ 1220 g (43.03351 oz.) to ~ 1700 g (59.96473 oz.) Please no Lipo discussions here...that can be done in another thread....
I'll take an average of 1500 g (52.91005 oz.) for "electricity"

Naked bird + Lipo = 5298 g = 5,30 kg (186.87831oz.)

So far so good...according to manual:
Takeoff weight (total weight, inkluding EVERYTHING acc. to DJI) ~ 5,0 - 7,0 kg

BUT...ther is yet no Gimbal and no camera included in this calculation....

I thought I go for the Zenmuse Z 15 (Panasonic) version and use my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH 2, which should be a pefect match...I was reading somewhere DJI recommendes a 14 mm Pancake lense, but I don't like fixed focal lenght. I will (or at least I'll try) use my Panasonic G Vario 7-14/4,0 lens.

Zenmuse Z 15 = 880g (Without UBEC, HDMI-AV module...no specs about this at DJI)

Camera Lumix DMC-GH 2 = 392 g (13.82716 oz.) - naked body
Lens G Vario 7-14 = 300 g

Zenmuse + complete camera = 1572 g (55.44974)


Naked bird + LiPo + Zenmuse + compl. camera = 6800 g = 6,8 kg (239.85891 oz) - and there is still no equipment includet for video transmission ect....

This weight, compared to the specs from DJI (Total Liftoff Weight ~ 5 kg to 7 kg) means you are already more than close to the limit. I don't know how much reserve they have calculated, but can't be that much.
The other thing which confuses me a little bit is that DJI states in the Zenmuse tech specs: "Load Weight (Reference Value) = 392 g " - which is the camera body alone without lens.
What I also have to take into consideration is the strange ESC design (which apperantely leads to heat the thing up like hell) and randomly flipping S800's - boris knows more than me about this

Heavy weight close to the edge of specs AND hot ESC's might make the spare part guys rich men....



......Please find a lot of mistakes in my calculation, otherwise I will be **** scared at a fully loaded take-off......

Source: www.dji-innovations.com/products/spreading-wings-s800/specifications/
www.dji-innovations.com/products/zenmuse-z15/specifications/

Cheers

Chris

 

[OneSkidShort]

Very nice write-up. I've been going over your figures and unfortunately it appears your numbers are in fact correct. There doesn't seem to be much margin in error when adding a downlink, Ubecs, or doubling up batteries.

If I didn't know better, it almost seems like is was not designed to carry the Zenmuse!!! I've been close to pulling the trigger on one, but I think after reading this I'll wait.

 

[ChrisViperM]

If I didn't know better, it almost seems like is was not designed to carry the Zenmuse!!!

That's exactly what I was thinking....just wondering what DJI has to say to this. Now life is getting complicated....apparantly the Zenmuse only works together with the WooKong M...options are: taking the risk...or using the S800 as a fun-copter with a lighter gimbal and a lower level camera...or buying a stronger Hexa- or Oktcopter from DJI's competition...or wait if DJI comes up with some modifications (stronger motor/ESC combination)...S800 V2 to be announced...I don't know. Let's see what other mebers have to say. Maybe that's one of the reasons for all this pre-order discount-madness.

Chris

 

[OneSkidShort]

When I first saw the zenmuse I was quite impressed....still am. I just can't figure out why DJI didn't couple it with an octo rather than hexa.

 

[ChrisViperM]

The problem is...DJI doesn't have an Octo in their product range...and they didn't plan one, because the design of the WooKong is not laid out for an Octo....looks like this one is a checkmate for DJI...and I feel sorry for that cause I think all of these products are pretty good for themselves...but not as a package.


But anyway...I will sell my house, my 2 Harleys, send the kids to work in a coal mine, and get one of these:

http://www.flight-cams.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcokEkwFmE0&feature=relmfu (note the comments on this site...)

or I get this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=nh2Ym7ehb8k&NR=1 (old fashioned hand held camera work...)

 

[Tahoe Ed]

That's exactly what I was thinking....just wondering what DJI has to say to this. Now life is getting complicated....apparantly the Zenmuse only works together with the WooKong M...options are: taking the risk...or using the S800 as a fun-copter with a lighter gimbal and a lower level camera...or buying a stronger Hexa- or Oktcopter from DJI's competition...or wait if DJI comes up with some modifications (stronger motor/ESC combination)...S800 V2 to be announced...I don't know. Let's see what other mebers have to say. Maybe that's one of the reasons for all this pre-order discount-madness.

Chris

You can use the Z15 WKM combo on any frame up to an Octo. Check out the Z15 manual for connection information. It will also work with an Ace One as well for Heli applications. Singe gimbal for multiple uses.

 

[ChrisViperM]

You are right....one could do a lot of things....but that's not the point. If someone is looking at the whole picture with a little distance, he can't do anything than being amazed how well DJI is playing the marketing piano. It started already with the pre-order madness. By offering this package deals the impression was geard towards to make people believe that you don't just buy a copter + a stabilization unit + camera gimbal as single product, but a well balanced package. Just lean back and carefully analyze their website: Total Solutions for Areal Photography...what impressions does that slogan create to someone ? Especially to people who want to use this "package" to earn their living...I am not taking about the tech-geek with enough money in their pockets to spend it on every new sensation - and mostly sinking the money into a deep hole - but about all the "smaller" photographers and film makers which are very good in their field but might not be copter experts. For them this "package" must look like the perfect solution. Areal filming and photographing is becoming very popular and allows also "smaller" professionals to enter a field which was formerly occupied by a few "big boys". They might not be able to spend 40 - 50 grand for a real professional ( entry level) setup, so to them it must look like the perfect solution, especially if they don't have the time to spend hours and hours to get all the bits and pieces of information togeter you would need to make the right desiccision in choosing theyr equipment.
But with this package and the figures given in the entry of this post, ...could anyone go out to a client and make a shoot with confidence, trusting that the system is capable of doing the job, with enough reserves concerning payload and without overheating ?
Would you really taking the risk flying above the heads of an audience at a concert while knowing your equipment is already on it's limit ? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying anything against DJI or anybody's decision how to spend their money, I am just asking questions....

 

[NewHexacopterFan]

Hello Chris, all

Because it's keyfor my own decision process, I checked your weight analysis.

If did not misunderstand the S800 Spec, you made some double countings. The Spec says that the Frame Arm weight is 428 g including Motor, ESC and Prop.
If you take the weights from the Spec, that are
Center Frame = 365 g, Bipod = 426g and 6 Frame arms, each 428g, you sum up to a total weight of 2617 g, which I believe is the 2,6 kg that is mentioned in the Spec for the Basic Konfiguration w/o Battery.

My target is - in order to stay below 5 kg MTOW. Reason is because in Germany you can fly rather unrestricted with electric driven equipment as long as you are below that threshold.

If your weight analysis is true, I can forget to use the S800 here, because I do not want to end up in lots of paperwork.

So my conclusion so far is that with the additional weight of the Wookong/GPS/IMU (150g), a MK-Highsight III Camera Gimbel (140g), Video Downlink XMTR (30g) and a 6S 11.000 mAH LiPo (1250g) I would end up at 4200 g Takeoff Weight w/o the camera.

Question : Is my interpretation of the Spec really right. Is there someone who has cross checked the real weight of the S800 Basic configuration ?

Regards

Artur

 

[NewHexacopterFan]

Hello Chris, all

my previous message containes a typo, the Frame arm weight is 304 g each including Motor, ESC, Prop. However the total sum of the Basic configuration is 2617 g if my way to read the spec is correct.....
Sorry for the confusion...

Artur