I wish I had known.... F550 purchase, build and first flights..

[Martyf1]

I'm getting some conflicting info, so I'm not sure which way to go. Which battery do you use with the 10x5" props?

3s.....mmurfitt uses 4s

 

[baltiggle]

Lots of great advice and tips on this thread. I'll add a point that I learned the hard way. (This is for those with little or no RC experience.) After the maiden flight and the low altitude practce in the back yard, and after you,ve scoped out that wide-open field with a great stand of tall grass and/or brush, get on the computer and log into Google Earth. Bring up your prospective flying area and measure it with the app's "ruler" tool. Pick out some surface features readily identifiable from the spot from which you'll be controling your bird and measure the distance from the control spot to those features. Know, by physically checking, the range of your Tx-Rx combo ! My first time "off-premises" with an AR Drone modified for RC, at dusk, I became enchanted with the wide-open spaces and the freedom of threat from encircling trees. Suddenly the Drone was disappearing into the sunset, totally unresponsive to my frantic waggling of the sticks. Fortune smiled, and the battery died just as my bird was about to go out of sight over a distant grove of trees. Even better fortune had two adult sons present, able and willing to make the recovery hike that my four-score-and-seven year old legs wouldn't have chanced.

 

[mmurfitt]

Lots of great advice and tips on this thread. I'll add a point that I learned the hard way. (This is for those with little or no RC experience.) After the maiden flight and the low altitude practce in the back yard, and after you,ve scoped out that wide-open field with a great stand of tall grass and/or brush, get on the computer and log into Google Earth. Bring up your prospective flying area and measure it with the app's "ruler" tool. Pick out some surface features readily identifiable from the spot from which you'll be controling your bird and measure the distance from the control spot to those features. Know, by physically checking, the range of your Tx-Rx combo ! My first time "off-premises" with an AR Drone modified for RC, at dusk, I became enchanted with the wide-open spaces and the freedom of threat from encircling trees. Suddenly the Drone was disappearing into the sunset, totally unresponsive to my frantic waggling of the sticks. Fortune smiled, and the battery died just as my bird was about to go out of sight over a distant grove of trees. Even better fortune had two adult sons present, able and willing to make the recovery hike that my four-score-and-seven year old legs wouldn't have chanced.

Lol, nice.

I have a switch on my DX8 to initiate failsafe RTH in the event anything untoward happens.
Here's a little failsafe advice, scary as it may be, regularly test the failsafe. The last thing you want is to find out its not working when you need it most!


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[mmurfitt]

I'm getting some conflicting info, so I'm not sure which way to go. Which battery do you use with the 10x5" props?

It's a bit annoying when you more or less make up your mind to go for a setup, only to have a spanner thrown in to the works with some different advice, I feel your pain.

The choice of props and battery really depends on what you're going to be using your hexa for, I went for the 10" and 4S battery as I'm using the hexa, almost exclusively for camera work. This combo enables me to have a stable platform with good lift and long-ish flight times. The smaller prop will give you greater manoeuvrability and the 3S is a good match for this as you're not carrying too much weight.
Does that make sense?



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[PilotHal]

3s.....mmurfitt uses 4s

I'm going to go for the 10x5" props and use a 4S battery. Sounds like the way I want to go.

I also reheated my solder blobs and they look a bit better. I think my iron being like 15 years old is an issue. SO I ordered the new Hakko FX888 so I can adjust the temperature. Plus, being new it will hold the temperature from joint to joint much better than my old Weller. I think that might be part of my problem.

 

[mmurfitt]

You know what? There's just no substitute for having the right tools.
I'm sure with the right soldering iron you'll be flying (pun intended).


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[Sound Advantage]

Hi all, I'm so glad I found this thread. I stumbled across it the other evening and read and watch videos until 2 AM. Like most of you on here I'm absolute nob with no real RC experience. This past October I decided to take a short vacation by myself in my small plane. One of my stops was in Palm Springs for that AOPA convention (Airplane owners and pilots Association). While visiting the convention floor I came across a guy in one of the booths with a very small quad copter, demonstrating and selling them. I had seen toys like this in the mall before but this was really something different and much more refined than anything I've seen before. He also had what I thought was a large one on display and a video showing some aerial footage from it. I watched him for a bit and then moved on. Throughout the day I was milling it around in the back of my head. I couldn't stop thinking about that crazy little thing. The way my mind normally works after thinking about it for a while I came up with this brilliant concept to purchase one and throw my GoPro on it and start doing aerial photography for real estate! What an idea! I couldn't believe no one else had thought of this before! LOL. I purchased the small micro quad and went on my way. I figured if I could teach myself how to fly it (should be no big deal. I can fly a plane for gods sake) And then when I was a little better I would purchase the big one!!

Well I did just that. Now with a few flying hours, a few crashes, and a whole heck of a lot of Internet research, I did unfortunately figure out that I was not the first one to think of this! But all hope was not lost. This thing was also heck of a lot of fun to fly, and shoot, who knows, maybe I could actually pull this off.! Anyway you look at it, it has been a really fun hobby that I didn't expect to stumble across.

Now after crashing and repairing my little ladybird several times now. I have come to the conclusion that possibly building my own is going to be the best way to go in the long run. I see it is something that is going to take constant maintenance and repair so knowing how to build it and fix it is going to be the only way to keep this thing up in the air. Right now with my limited experience I'm thinking the F550 might be a good beginning platform for me. Like most of you I have plenty of questions still... And a few of them are so basic I feel funny asking them. LOL! But thanks to you guys and this thread it feels like a very fun and safe environment with a few people that are a lot in the same spot. Hopefully I won't ask something to dumb and get laughed out here.

Thanks, Tony

 

[PilotHal]

.
.
.
Now after crashing and repairing my little ladybird several times now. I have come to the conclusion that possibly building my own is going to be the best way to go in the long run. I see it is something that is going to take constant maintenance and repair so knowing how to build it and fix it is going to be the only way to keep this thing up in the air. Right now with my limited experience I'm thinking the F550 might be a good beginning platform for me. Like most of you I have plenty of questions still... And a few of them are so basic I feel funny asking them. LOL! But thanks to you guys and this thread it feels like a very fun and safe environment with a few people that are a lot in the same spot. Hopefully I won't ask something to dumb and get laughed out here.

Thanks, Tony

:nevreness: I feel the very same way Tony! I have JUST begun to build my F550 with the Wookong-M Autopilot. I don't have all my components yet, but am getting them together via mail-order. SO it's been a bit slow-going.
The forums are great! People are friendly and willing to help. Just do some research on your own first and ask your questions later; you'll be fine.
PS: Funny...I am also a private pilot like you!

 

[Sound Advantage]

:nevreness: I feel the very same way Tony! I have JUST begun to build my F550 with the Wookong-M Autopilot. I don't have all my components yet, but am getting them together via mail-order. SO it's been a bit slow-going.
The forums are great! People are friendly and willing to help. Just do some research on your own first and ask your questions later; you'll be fine.
PS: Funny...I am also a private pilot like you!

Thanks Hal, what made you choose the Wookong over the Naza? I'm still trying to figure out what will best for me to achieve a safe stable platform. Shoot I can't even program my radio yet.

 

[mmurfitt]

Hi all, I'm so glad I found this thread. I stumbled across it the other evening and read and watch videos until 2 AM. Like most of you on here I'm absolute nob with no real RC experience. This past October I decided to take a short vacation by myself in my small plane. One of my stops was in Palm Springs for that AOPA convention (Airplane owners and pilots Association). While visiting the convention floor I came across a guy in one of the booths with a very small quad copter, demonstrating and selling them. I had seen toys like this in the mall before but this was really something different and much more refined than anything I've seen before. He also had what I thought was a large one on display and a video showing some aerial footage from it. I watched him for a bit and then moved on. Throughout the day I was milling it around in the back of my head. I couldn't stop thinking about that crazy little thing. The way my mind normally works after thinking about it for a while I came up with this brilliant concept to purchase one and throw my GoPro on it and start doing aerial photography for real estate! What an idea! I couldn't believe no one else had thought of this before! LOL. I purchased the small micro quad and went on my way. I figured if I could teach myself how to fly it (should be no big deal. I can fly a plane for gods sake) And then when I was a little better I would purchase the big one!!

Well I did just that. Now with a few flying hours, a few crashes, and a whole heck of a lot of Internet research, I did unfortunately figure out that I was not the first one to think of this! But all hope was not lost. This thing was also heck of a lot of fun to fly, and shoot, who knows, maybe I could actually pull this off.! Anyway you look at it, it has been a really fun hobby that I didn't expect to stumble across.

Now after crashing and repairing my little ladybird several times now. I have come to the conclusion that possibly building my own is going to be the best way to go in the long run. I see it is something that is going to take constant maintenance and repair so knowing how to build it and fix it is going to be the only way to keep this thing up in the air. Right now with my limited experience I'm thinking the F550 might be a good beginning platform for me. Like most of you I have plenty of questions still... And a few of them are so basic I feel funny asking them. LOL! But thanks to you guys and this thread it feels like a very fun and safe environment with a few people that are a lot in the same spot. Hopefully I won't ask something to dumb and get laughed out here.

Thanks, Tony

Hey Tony,
I'm glad you've found some of the stuff on this thread useful.
Fire away with questions, they say there are no dumb questions, well I guess there are, but at least you'll be in good company here, most of us having asked those very same questions


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[PilotHal]

Thanks Hal, what made you choose the Wookong over the Naza? I'm still trying to figure out what will best for me to achieve a safe stable platform. Shoot I can't even program my radio yet.

:nevreness: I suggest joining helifreak dot com as well. TONS of videos on programming radios and a TON of videos for beginners. I also suggest the eBooks by John Salt. They are awesome for beginners and got me thoroughly back in to the hobby.
I fly an mCPX using a DX8, so I'm a bit further down the road than you. No time right now to get down to the heli field and tune a TREX 550 E, so I took a diversion in the meantime and am building the F550. Nobody down at the field has one, so I'll get everyone's attention there for sure! I like being different so that works for me. Then when things simmer down, I'll get started a new TREX 550E DFC.

 

[PilotHal]

Thanks Hal, what made you choose the Wookong over the Naza? I'm still trying to figure out what will best for me to achieve a safe stable platform. Shoot I can't even program my radio yet.

I chose the WKM over the Naza because it's more advanced. Go to uav products dot com and read up on the two.
Join heli freak dot com and read up on the different radios. I love my DX8!

 

[Sound Advantage]

I chose the WKM over the Naza because it's more advanced. Go to uav products dot com and read up on the two.
Join heli freak dot com and read up on the different radios. I love my DX8!

Thanks Hal, I will do.

 

[mmurfitt]

Not sure if you guys have seen this video, but if not it's some pretty impressive flying!

http://so.ee/d37

Can you just imagine the skill involved to fly 16 quadcopters in close formation in the dark!?
I'm assuming they're not being individually controlled, probably done on waypoints using the Wookong or open source FC, but still, the patience and attention to detail is very impressive.

 

[mmurfitt]

@Martyf1 - Here's photos of what my F550 is looking like thus far, any questions fire away??
(I'm uploading these on my mobile phone so hopefully this'll work..)

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[biffstephens]

Mmurfitt,

I really enjoyed this thread. I am just looking at ordering a quad..Thank you for the thread. I just have a question or 2. Do you feel it will be a good platform for some aerial footage once you get the flying down?

This next one is for anyone since Mmurfitt is in the UK. Do a search for F550 and dji and you get quite a few answers..I live in Oklahoma and there are no local places to get parts. I am sure you guys are buying the kits and parts somewhere. A good recommendation of an online retailer would be great....

One last "dumb" question what does "esc" stand for? I have seen it a lot in my reading.

Thanks again for the thread!

Biff

 

[hobbycarbon]

Hello Mmurfitt,

Did DJI has camera gimbal which can be used with F550?

I saw you have pictures connect F550 and camera gimbal....where did you get?

Thanks. Yan

 

[mmurfitt]

Mmurfitt,

I really enjoyed this thread. I am just looking at ordering a quad..Thank you for the thread. I just have a question or 2. Do you feel it will be a good platform for some aerial footage once you get the flying down?

This next one is for anyone since Mmurfitt is in the UK. Do a search for F550 and dji and you get quite a few answers..I live in Oklahoma and there are no local places to get parts. I am sure you guys are buying the kits and parts somewhere. A good recommendation of an online retailer would be great....

One last "dumb" question what does "esc" stand for? I have seen it a lot in my reading.

Thanks again for the thread!

Biff

Hey Biff,
Glad you've found something on this thread useful.
I'll answer your questions in the order you've asked them;

Do you feel it will be a good platform for some aerial footage once you get the flying down?

I think a hexacopter is an excellent platform for capturing affordable aerial footage, absolutely!
It's the only reason I got in to multirotors in the first place. I did contemplate buying a quad, but a hexa gives a much more stable platform, and an Octocopter even more so. However, I was a little surprised at how much my hexa is subject to wind etc, and living in what feels like a 'windy Britain' it does make it a little challenging.
Top tip - Get out early in the morning! Don't know why, but in burbs of London, where I live, the wind is either much lighter or non-existent earlier in the day.
However something which has dawned on me in the past month is this; regardless of the multirotor of choice you're always going to get affected by wind, which has the knock-on affect of giving crappy footage shaky footage. So should give your camera the most stable platform you can afford (be it hexa or octo) and then spend a ton more money on a gimbal and stabilising unit (which can equal, and in some cases, surpass the cost of your multirotor).

A good recommendation of an online retailer would be great....

HobbyKing is fantastic! It seems most recommendations for buying kit seem to see you visiting hobbyking, however I'm sure someone else will answer your question with a nice link

One last "dumb" question what does "esc" stand for? I have seen it a lot in my reading.

LOL!
I'm glad someone else has had the balls to ask this, oh the multirotor acronyms!
ESC stands for Electronic Speed Controller. You find one a piece per motor which controls the speed of said motor.
You'll probably need to know what 'FC' stands for as well..
Flight Controller - This has all the ESC's plugged in to it, whereby the FC controls the power and thereby the thrust given to each motor.

Hopefully that makes a little sense.

 

[mmurfitt]

Hello Mmurfitt,

Did DJI has camera gimbal which can be used with F550?

I saw you have pictures connect F550 and camera gimbal....where did you get?

Thanks. Yan

Hey Yan,
I think I answered this earlier in the thread, have a read back and see if you can find it.

I bought the gimbal from unmannedtechshop.
However, if I did it again I'm not so sure I'd buy this gimbal as it's really not very good, and as I've just answered on an earlier post I'm realising you really need to spend some proper money to get yourself a good gimbal, and not only that but a good gimbal stabiliser (I have the Naza and while it has builtiin gimbal stabilisation, it's not good enough, it's ok, but not for super smooth footage).

 

[PilotHal]

Get a good soldering iron/station!

For all the noobs out there: I just unwrapped my new Hakko FX880 soldering iron station today and it's awesome! I couldn't wait for the new digital soldering station to arrive Jan. 14 but you can! Here is the link: http://www.hakkorc.com My old Weller WLC-100 I bought back in 1998 and although it wasn't totally shot, today's technology is just light-years ahead of this one. SO I broke down and bought the FX880. It's awesome! So much better than my old iron. I suggest that if you are going to get in to this hobby, you really do need to make your life easier and get a new soldering iron. You won't regret it!