Hoverfly Tried the competition...

[Benjamin Rowland]

So everyone on here knows I'm a HoverFly fan, and that hasn't changed. I had the opportunity to try a DJI Naza with GPS yesterday on another person's multirotor - he was nice enough to let me give it a fly. Here were my first impressions...

• Manual mode: Hoverfly has the edge here.
• Atti mode: I like how Hoverfly lets you tune the aggressiveness of atti mode. The DJI was a bit harsh for AP. Does DJI allow for tuning this? I assume that they probably do.
• GPS mode: After flying in this mode, I understood better how GPS could be of use for some applications and add an extra layer of security with the "return to home" feature. Flying the DJI in GPS mode made me realize that I need to get our Hoverfly GPS board installed and start testing (once the new firmware is out).

All that being said, I prefer the Hoverfly Pro. It flies well and is very reliable - both are very important to me. And customer support is a phone call away.

One feature of the DJI that I did really like, that maybe Hoverfly could implement in the future is the way that the throttle works in Atti mode. With the throttle centered, it sits there at that altitude and doesn't budge. Move it up and and you incrementally effect the climbing speed. There are situations where this would be VERY useful.

 

[kloner]

Yuri has been trying to explain the throttle and altitude hold part of dji forever, now you get it...... increasing throttle makes the controller climb rate become controlled in fps instead of just more throttle or less throttle.... That part is what makes flying them proximity vids i do on the deck so easy and comftorable

There is no aggresiveness to adjust, it's a one setting deal...... teaches you to get really soft on the sticks....

gps mode is powerful, if you have to fly straight down a path and have a cross breeze, it handles all the unwanted uncommanded inut out of the equasion.
Y9ou should see how fast people pickup flying multis with nazas gps mode...... makes em look like pros in days, but is almost too much crutch cause it pushes them into thinking it's easy, but it's not. in too heavy a wind, the corrections gps mode give sucks, super choppy, not a smooth lean into a wind, but a hard lean in and out of the wind. shows up in footage.

For somebody flying cameras for hire, theres no other option. Except, like how hoverfly copied mk's flight charecteristics, i heard DJI is currently working on getting there controllers to fly smooth like hoverfly. better not stall on poegression or there gonna get blown out of the water.

 

[Lanzar]

Yoou should try the wookong

 

[SleepyC]

I agree with Ben. I have flown both systems quite a few times and after 12+ years of flying Big Airplanes (40%ers and such) and getting a good sense of how things "feel" when they fly, the HFP and even the HFS just "feel" better to me. I am looking forward to the GPS module, I should be getting a new rig very soon with the HF GPS and I look forward to experiencing that. but hands down, if you actually fly your rig, the HFP is awesome.

I love HF! I just slapped this guy together to handle my stationary (Non Gimbaled) gopro footage. Getting it up with a HFS, but will probably change it over to my other HFP as soon as my new power filter comes in!

View attachment 10028

 

[workshop]

Ah... I built that GoPro isolation mount! Where did you get it? I only made about twenty of those things.

Jeff

 

[SleepyC]

Bought an old Y6 from a guy, it finally exploded when I tried to lift a bit too much (arm folded) but the little mount worked great so I kept it.

I'd love to have another one and try some of the new Sorbathan gel material instead of the foam. I think that's a guaranteed winner!

 

[workshop]

I used the last of the waterjet cut parts to make one last week (I'm keeping it)...

The original used 30 Duro Sorbothane which gave the bast results for a GoPro II. Perhaps the previous owner swapped out foam for the lighter GoPro III?

I have been thinking of making more but the waterjet expense is holding me back. What do you think one should cost? I only made them as a part to a specific copter so I haven't tested the market to determine a price point.

Jeff

 

[mfabriz]

Hello, i tryed Wookong-m.... there is no story..
I connected all, configured multirotor type and... fly... without any settings and regulation..
Attitude stay in quote perfectly..
Gps mode is perfect... and my quad is a very big quad (1,5m of diameter..)

With my HFP quadricopter never stay in quote, i tried all type of settings and gain but nothing t tryed for 6 months...
GPs never worked, quad went away every time, i tryed to move battery, frame, cable etc etc but nothing..

So I switched to the competition...

Marco

 

[jfro]

I have been following the HF threads here for a few months. When I log in, I see 10x as many peeps on the DJI boards. I'm about 80% done with my first build (x8 or xy8 whatever it's called). I'm building around the HFP based on what I've been reading about quality of flight for filming & customer support. I understand my flying skills will have to evolve quick, but I'm actually more concerned about getting setup and radio right.

Maybe I'll get lucky and in the next few months and HF will get their GPS module working and I will get some of the features peeps like that is spoken in this thread and others. I was going to go with Naza until I found out it didn't have all the quality features their higher end product had and that it wouldn't handle 8 motors. Then over time after reading more and more from the smaller user base about what you all liked in the HFP, I've become more comfortable that I'm on the right track.

Thanks to all the HF users who have shared your experiences here.

 

[yeehaanow]

Ben, I'm guessing that the HF will work the same as the DJI once altitude hold is working better. Very useful when you're at those heights where it's hard to tell if you're going up or down.

I started on the NAZA and miss the gps features a lot. I'm hoping the new HF firmware will be the cure.

 

[DucktileMedia]

Next thing you know Hoverfly will have a plastic box with an external LED! I'll be happy if the GPS gets more on track. As for flying characteristics, I did like the WOOKONG but I hated it when the wind picked up or anything was off as it was very hard to dial in. the Hoverfly is just a matter of rolling through 1 gain and voila, perfect smooth flight. And I also like the feel of the Hoverfly as well as it is more direct feeling. When I fly my DJI quad I remember how easy it is though. They dumb it up quite a bit which is good for the most part. but I still think there should be a mandatory, self-regulated, learn to fly SRH manual style first. As someone put it, you dont learnt to fly a commercial airline on autopilot only.

 

[jimbril]

I want a WKM with the manual mode of a HF...

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

Looks like I got what I was looking for with the new firmware release.

http://www.multirotorforums.com/showthread.php?9805-PRO-GPS-Firmware-Update-v4-8-Beta

 

[JZSlenker]

As I see it, most pros don't use AL, AH, RTH. They know how to fly and fly well. I personally don't use any of those features for shooting. (I do have RTH set as failsafe) HF has the best manual flight hands down.

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

As I see it, most pros don't use AL, AH, RTH. They know how to fly and fly well. I personally don't use any of those features for shooting. (I do have RTH set as failsafe) HF has the best manual flight hands down.

I use manual mode only for about 99% of the time. But there are times when those features will be very useful.

 

[Bartman]

Al,

Can we disable the beeping armed warning? If we're at a ceremony or other quiet place waiting to fly then that beeping is going to be a huge problem.

I've got to look through the notes to familiarize myself with the changes but I'm happy that we're making meaningful progress again.

Bart

 

[Aerovideo]

I love the way my Hoverfly multi's fly but I only fly in manual mode. But I have to admit I like the size and self contained box of the DJI stuff The HFPro board is HUGE!

I also finally got to try a CC3D from OpenPilot and while it took FOREVER to get the settings dialed in I think I do have it flying pretty well. I almost wish I could load the HF firmware onto the teeny tiny CC3D board... hehe

 

[jcmonty]

Looks like the next release is going to filter GPS with inertial sensors for position hold - which is what DJI, autoquad, etc uses. Arducopter is going that way as well. It makes a huge difference if done right. I am sure HF will get it right when they do release it.

I love how the HF flies. Don't have much experience with DJI, and there are situations where I would really like reliable GPS mode, but I am glad that my main rig has a HF pro. Can't beat the support that i have received either.

Next up is trying this autoquad I have sitting in a box. It seems to bring the best of both worlds (no manual mode though.. sad), but I am not sure if it will compete with the HF pro for smoothness. Guess I will find out