FREEFLY Systems Freefly ALTA, RTF collapsible hexacopter
- Thread starter Bartman
- Start date
jackwrangham
Member
Yeh I think it's unlikely since one of the founding members of freefly systems was the guy behind Xera motors - awesome rc Heli motors back in the day, so I think they have what they need in house to produce there own motor design!
Alpine Aerials
Member
Pumpkinguy
Member
The cosmetics are 95%. Close enough to open FF up for a lawsuit if the 2 companies weren't connected. I suspect they have contracted that company to take their existing design and tweak it to FF standards.
Dylan M
Which Switch...
Alta Specifications Sheet:
http://d27w8s76bjlz9v.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/24232354/ALTASpecs.pdf
http://d27w8s76bjlz9v.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/24232354/ALTASpecs.pdf
Pumpkinguy
Member
Badass with 3 minute flight time. Lol
Dylan M
Which Switch...
Haha, well it would be able to have more than 15lbs max payload. Might block their fancy LEDs a bit...
X12 is more efficient than you would think...
maxwelltub
Member
wait this says battery wait not included in spec sheet?
Dylan M
Which Switch...
I think they mean that the batteries don't count towards your max 15lbs payload.
Quadrocopter has been flying a pre-pro unit with 2x16ah and that by itself is almost 9lbs.
maxwelltub
Member
Ya I was chatting with them on Facebook, it's quite impressive
stevemaller
Heavy Lifter
This is the same conversation everybody had when Freefly introduced the original MōVI. "They couldn't have made their own motors." Well, they did. And I assure you that these motors are completely done in house. Cosmetics are irrelevant. There's only so much you can do to make a big brushless motor look different.
Pumpkinguy
Member
Well you are more connected to ff than most of us so you would know.
Hexacrafter
Manufacturer
Just an opinion....I have no facts....
My guess is that motors are being built as an OEM via Danlions....for FF....
They just selected a standard case and had them produced to their own specifications.
This is a pretty common practice as you can order nearly any motor with your mane on it as an OEM if the order is large enough...
This saves costs as it is an existing motor case & stator....Say the 4510.......
I had this same discussion with a motor manufacturer back in May as the size of the motor and the claims of thrust just do not seem to add up...
I guess users will report the actual facts....
My guess is that motors are being built as an OEM via Danlions....for FF....
They just selected a standard case and had them produced to their own specifications.
This is a pretty common practice as you can order nearly any motor with your mane on it as an OEM if the order is large enough...
This saves costs as it is an existing motor case & stator....Say the 4510.......
I had this same discussion with a motor manufacturer back in May as the size of the motor and the claims of thrust just do not seem to add up...
I guess users will report the actual facts....
maxwelltub
Member
if it was another company I would call BS, but free fly really seems to have some pretty impressive innovation and fore thought. I am skeptical of the flight performance with a heavy camera like a alexa mini or epic, but I guess I trust they know what they are doing. I have heard they are coming out with an octo version which I would be more interested in then the hex. I wish they would just sell the snyapse as a stand alone unit though.
Hexacrafter
Manufacturer
Max...
I want to go on record as stating that I am not calling BS.
For all I know, the motors depicted in the current released information are just a mock-up or prototypical.
I meant nothing derogatory toward Freefly, but agree with those speculating that the motor in the release photos & literature appears to be a 4515, and that motor would not produce the required thrust to effectively lift a RED with the current FC & ESC. As I currently understand the Hobby Based Brushless motor industry, there are just a few manufacturers who can produce the quality of motor anticipated for this aircraft. Additionally, the Cobra CM-4510 motor pre-dates the Free Fly Announcement of the Alta, so it is reasonable to believe that the design is proprietary to Danlions.
Perhaps there is something else in the equation that we do not yet understand that would allow this size motor to produce lift beyond that currently produced by the Cobra CM-4510 series at a 50% or less throttle as is currently used as a sweet spot for multi-rotor design.
I am as interested as everyone else to see some new motor / FC technology that will allow a better aerial platform.
As far as flight controllers go.... I have seen huge advancements in just the last 4 years... I am hopeful of many new and exciting FC to enter the market in the next couple of years. That being said, the "BIG" companies all seem to be going down the Proprietary RTF road following the lead of DJI... this is where the mass market appears to be, so this is where they invest resources. The stand alone FC seems to be taking a second seat to the bigger mass market RTF.... sadly the User Built market is shrinking even further making it a "niche" market that most companies will not invest in as returns are limited. JMHO...
I want to go on record as stating that I am not calling BS.
For all I know, the motors depicted in the current released information are just a mock-up or prototypical.
I meant nothing derogatory toward Freefly, but agree with those speculating that the motor in the release photos & literature appears to be a 4515, and that motor would not produce the required thrust to effectively lift a RED with the current FC & ESC. As I currently understand the Hobby Based Brushless motor industry, there are just a few manufacturers who can produce the quality of motor anticipated for this aircraft. Additionally, the Cobra CM-4510 motor pre-dates the Free Fly Announcement of the Alta, so it is reasonable to believe that the design is proprietary to Danlions.
Perhaps there is something else in the equation that we do not yet understand that would allow this size motor to produce lift beyond that currently produced by the Cobra CM-4510 series at a 50% or less throttle as is currently used as a sweet spot for multi-rotor design.
I am as interested as everyone else to see some new motor / FC technology that will allow a better aerial platform.
As far as flight controllers go.... I have seen huge advancements in just the last 4 years... I am hopeful of many new and exciting FC to enter the market in the next couple of years. That being said, the "BIG" companies all seem to be going down the Proprietary RTF road following the lead of DJI... this is where the mass market appears to be, so this is where they invest resources. The stand alone FC seems to be taking a second seat to the bigger mass market RTF.... sadly the User Built market is shrinking even further making it a "niche" market that most companies will not invest in as returns are limited. JMHO...
fltundra
Member
I think in the long run it will come full circle as multi-rotors get more and more advanced the RTF's will become just another consumer toy.
maxwelltub
Member
Oh ya I wasn't saying that on behalf on anyone else. I mean literally I would personally call bullshit if it wasn't free fly.
crayfellow
Member
I see so many parallels between the evolution of the PC since the late 1970's. A long period of homebuilt as hobbyists and pros alike assemble whatever does what they need, and in the meantime the players find their place in the hierarchy and economies of scale.
Today, very few people build their own "personal computer", but lots and lots of people are fiddling with BeagleBone Black, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, etc. So has the DIY PC market disappeared, or simply evolved?
I think you're right @fltundra , the market will be flooded primarily with consumer toys (analogous to the bottom-dollar Windows laptop). There will be a midrange of course, but always an opportunity, or maybe even an increasing opportunity, for players who can contribute to the state of the art at the DIY or professional hacker culture. I for one hope we have @Hexacrafter and the like for a good long while, as the natural ebb and flow moves us all generally forward. The successful providers will evolve into the suppliers of the pro assemblers and service vendors of the next generation.
Today, very few people build their own "personal computer", but lots and lots of people are fiddling with BeagleBone Black, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, etc. So has the DIY PC market disappeared, or simply evolved?
I think you're right @fltundra , the market will be flooded primarily with consumer toys (analogous to the bottom-dollar Windows laptop). There will be a midrange of course, but always an opportunity, or maybe even an increasing opportunity, for players who can contribute to the state of the art at the DIY or professional hacker culture. I for one hope we have @Hexacrafter and the like for a good long while, as the natural ebb and flow moves us all generally forward. The successful providers will evolve into the suppliers of the pro assemblers and service vendors of the next generation.