FREEFLY Systems Freefly ALTA, RTF collapsible hexacopter

[stevemaller]

Hi Steve, I'm seriously considering buying an Alta. Couple of quick questions if you don't mind : what batteries are you using ? I have 10 16000mah, they would do wonders in parallel on the Alta or are they too big ?
Can the Mövi be controlled easily with a 14SG as I have 2 of them for the S900 ?
Thanks a lot and congrats, it's definitely our next copter.

I'm using matched pairs of Tattu 10000 6S LiPos. You can use larger batteries (like your 16000) in pairs for conventional (MōVI on bottom) configuration, but not for the MōVI-on-top setup. The larger batteries will cut into your payload capacity. See the Freefly KB for info on projected flight times vs. payloads.

I believe the MōVI can talk to a Futaba now with the latest firmwares, but I'm not familiar with all that. I use the Spektrum DX8 that came with my MōVI M5, as well as my new MIMIC. The MIMIC came with a new RX, so now my MōVI has two radios. If I want to use my Spektrum, I have to change it in the GUI. I'm not sure if you'd have to add a Futaba receiver, or if the new MIMIC/MōVI Controller receiver can speak Futaba.

Love this rig. Flying the hell out of it!

 

[econfly]

What's the practical flight time with those 2 x 10,000 LiPos, M5, and your favorite camera/lens setup?

 

[BogotaMatt]

Thanks a lot Steve, very informative. Will the M5 fly an Epic ?

 

[Carapau]

An M5 can just about handle a fully stripped down Epic with a very light lens on it but you are stretching its capability (this is not by design but people have done this with reasonable success I believe). For the sort of shoots that would want an Epic however, I doubt they would be happy with the limitations the M5 would impose.

 

[BogotaMatt]

Thanks, another question then, would a GH4 fit inside an M10 or do you have to add weight to it ?

 

[SleepyC]

Thanks, another question then, would a GH4 fit inside an M10 or do you have to add weight to it ?

It fit's fine.

 

[stevemaller]

I just swapped the old "MR" kit from my M5 for the new Aero landing gear. Haven't flow it yet (will do so tomorrow) but it's really slick. Many improvements.

View attachment 25999

 

[fltundra]

I just swapped the old "MR" kit from my M5 for the new Aero landing gear. Haven't flow it yet (will do so tomorrow) but it's really slick. Many improvements.

View attachment 25999

Curious to why your not flying 5.8 on the vtx?

 

[MadMonkey]

I just swapped the old "MR" kit from my M5 for the new Aero landing gear. Haven't flow it yet (will do so tomorrow) but it's really slick. Many improvements.

View attachment 25999

Any idea what the weight capacity is for the Aero gear? Same as the MR kit?

 

[stevemaller]

Curious to why your not flying 5.8 on the vtx?

Because 1.3 has far superior range and penetration. I run 1.3 on everything. And I also run it on the ALTA. I use RHCP and LHCP on adjacent channels and it works great.

 

[stevemaller]

Any idea what the weight capacity is for the Aero gear? Same as the MR kit?

I suspect you'll run out of payload on the ALTA before you tap out the Aero gear. But I only have the lowly M5 so that's not a consideration.

 

[MadMonkey]

I suspect you'll run out of payload on the ALTA before you tap out the Aero gear. But I only have the lowly M5 so that's not a consideration.

I was more interested in using it on a different aircraft than the Alta. The original MR kit on the M10 is limited to a 15lb aircraft, but I suspect that's limited by the pan motor rather than the strength of the landing gear though.

 

[Jjjkkklll]

I was more interested in using it on a different aircraft than the Alta. The original MR kit on the M10 is limited to a 15lb aircraft, but I suspect that's limited by the pan motor rather than the strength of the landing gear though.

We've been flying the aero gear with a 13lb payload with no trouble. It's a little more "wobbly" than the regular MR gear but it's been good so far. Anything to help with the wind loading issue! We have fought wind loading ever since we gave up retracts last year (gave up retracts because of other complications).

 

[BogotaMatt]

How does the Synpase FC compare with the A2 ? Specifically in ATTI mode (if there's such a thing) ? GPS works great with the A2 but I find ATTI to be a pita for precise, repeat takes...

 

[stevemaller]

How does the Synpase FC compare with the A2 ? Specifically in ATTI mode (if there's such a thing) ? GPS works great with the A2 but I find ATTI to be a pita for precise, repeat takes...

Apples vs. oranges. Synapse is tightly integrated with the ALTA and A2 is highly dependent on each copter installation. If you have a well tuned and well engineered machine, I'm sure the A2 will work well. But it's all on you to make sure that it is well-built and well tuned.

 

[Jjjkkklll]

How does the Synpase FC compare with the A2 ? Specifically in ATTI mode (if there's such a thing) ? GPS works great with the A2 but I find ATTI to be a pita for precise, repeat takes...

Just like Steve said above. It's basically the same compared to the one A2 we have (and the several WKM and superx too).

Only difference is its turn-key ready to go perfect instead of building and tuning perfect. We've still needed to tweak the gains just like on any other flight controller though.

What we (and most people, I imagine) are mainly interested in is reliability and confidence while flying. The Synapse def seems to give me confidence--we'll have to wait on the reliability part for a while.

At least some part of me worries every time I take the flat I to we have the A2 on. It's always flow perfectly for us but the horror stories are always in the back of my mind lol. My primary heavylift is a wkm v2 imu setup on a coax and I have tons of confidence in it. So much so that our alta won't replace it any time soon

 

[BogotaMatt]

I'm not trying to compare apple to oranges but am asking a very specific question : what is the copter behavior when GPS is not available ? Or hasn't anyone yet flown in this mode yet ?

 

[jdennings]

My primary heavylift is a wkm v2 imu setup on a coax and I have tons of confidence in it. So much so that our alta won't replace it any time soon

Have you seen a significant difference when upgrading wkm's original imu to v2? And worries aside, how does that combo compare to a2?

 

[Hexacrafter]

I hear many asking the same question...
How does it fly compared to A2?
They are answering, but I think you need to understand that you are not providing a "reference" for the A2 based aircraft.
Everyone's A2 based reference machine will be different, so how do they compare.
I believe what they are saying is that is very similar to a A2 on a well built professional grade user built aircraft that is properly designed and of high quality... including frame, motors, ESC & props....and all components are properly matched.
But an A2 on a low quality frame, improper matching components.. etc.... A2 can be BAD just as any FC can be.
This is the feedback that I have received from a user.....
The big plus is the RTF.
The big negatives come with a crash (needing repairs or parts). This is where a RTF can get VERY expensive VERY quickly....
It is most likely the BEST RTF currently on the market.. time will tell...

 

[BogotaMatt]

This is no doubt my next copter but I like to get as much info as I can before diving in. I'm currently flying an S900 that I know very well, it's been very good to me, but I've had to shoot for the past week in the jungle in ATTI mode, and I can't say that I'm a huge fan of it, especially in confined environment so I was eager to find out how the Synapse reacted in a no-GPS environment...