Radio selection for AP, single operator use

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Lylefk

Member
Aloha,

Headed down the road to fly my 5DS R. Questions.

Any single operators here? Could you share your setups with me? Trying to find my way. Anyone using two radios themselves?

I am strictly a photographer. No video so I'm anticipating flying out, hovering in place and then shooting.

I'm not overly familiar with brands etc, but I seem to be gravitating towards Futaba or Spektrum. The Futaba seem to be excellent but difficult to set up with limited instruction.

I'm new to this so talk down to me =)

Thanks for the help!

Lyle
 

violetwolf

violetwolf

Member
I use Taranis for this due to its ability to house two separate transmitters in one radio. You can slap a transmitter module in the back slot and assign it to channels 9-16 with the main TX using 1-8.

I then have two separate Receivers, one for the copter and one on the gimbal. Bind one to the internal TX and the other to the second module.

I then assign the sliders and switches related to the gimbal to channels 9-16. And the first 8 to copter functions.

Works like hot damn!

BUT wait THERE'S MORE!

I then have a second Taranis radio for a camera op to use when I have someone to handle the gimbal & camera for me.... Now here's the money: I just swap the external module out of the pilots ratio into the cam op radio and we're good to fly with no further configuration.
 


L

Lylefk

Member
That does sound like a pretty ideal setup. I don't know anything about Taranis, but aren't they tricky to set up? I guess I shouldn't be afraid of that as long as it it's only one period of pain and then it works properly.
 

dazzab

dazzab

Member
violetwolf said:
I then have a second Taranis radio for a camera op to use when I have someone to handle the gimbal & camera for me.... Now here's the money: I just swap the external module out of the pilots ratio into the cam op radio and we're good to fly with no further configuration.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. I've spent a lot of time training myself up for single op use but have been wondering what it would take to have the option to have a second operator using my Taranis. Sounds like the perfect solution to me.
 

L

Lylefk

Member
Any other brands that can make the transition from single to double simply like that? It's something I'll likely do a lot.

Thanks!
 

violetwolf

violetwolf

Member
Lylefk said:
That does sound like a pretty ideal setup. I don't know anything about Taranis, but aren't they tricky to set up? I guess I shouldn't be afraid of that as long as it it's only one period of pain and then it works properly.
Click to expand...

I was a Futaba guy and resisted learning the Taranis that I had sitting around due to all the rumors of being difficult to use. But once I put my mind to it and took it one baby step at a time, and left my "Futaba thinking" behind I found the Taranis system to be quite intuitive and easy to use. Now I love it and would never use any other radio.
 
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violetwolf

violetwolf

Member
Lylefk said:
Any other brands that can make the transition from single to double simply like that? It's something I'll likely do a lot.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I honestly don't know. What makes the Taranis a candidate is the fact that it has a bay on the back that you can install a second transmitter. The reason for this is so that you can use say a JR or Orange brand transmitter system, instead of the stock FrSky if you already have models with that other brand of receiver etc. What's unique is that you can also use the internal radio as well. It was in discussion with an Australian fellow online that we thought up this method of controlling a gimbal at the same time as the copter. To my knowledge no one else is doing this, or had done this before us. But it works very well.

And with any other brand it would add up in costs dramatically since you need to buy two radios (one of them 16 channels), a transmitter module, and two receivers. If it were Futaba or other expensive systems you would probably be spending $2500 minimum. (With Taranis it's about $500 USD)
 



L

Lylefk

Member
Just set up the Taranis for the first time, on my little f450 build. Phew, not exactly easy for someone brand new to flying and MR's, but I got through it and had my first flight (and couple dozen crashes). Thanks for the recommendation, I'll pick up a second one once the big octo is complete.
 

violetwolf

violetwolf

Member
Hahah ya crashes are part of the learning curve! Don't fly anything heavy expensive or dangerous until you are 100% confident and have dozens of crash free flights.

Practice flying figure 8's: away from yourself, towards yourself, across field left to right and then right to left. This will train your brain to fly in any orientation. Do this until you never crash or panic :)
 

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