Which FC has best loiter mode?
- Thread starter Vermiform
- Start date
Benjamin Kenobi
Easy? You call that easy?
For ease of setup and precision I would recommend the NAZA. The loiter is spot on and takes five minutes to setup.
fltundra
Member
Ditto!
There's really only two that I would ever even consider Pixhawk or SuperX depending on what your trying to do.
Stay away from NAZA and the A2, a disaster waiting to happen. Just look at Kloner's posts at Aerial Mob and he has almost completely moved over to the SuperX and doing quite well I might add. His success was the reason I went with it over a year ago, and am now just shy of 70 flawless flight hours.
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Vermiform
Member
Ditto!
There's really only two that I would ever even consider Pixhawk or SuperX depending on what your trying to do.
Stay away from NAZA and the A2, a disaster waiting to happen. Just look at Kloner's posts at Aerial Mob and he has almost completely moved over to the SuperX and doing quite well I might add. His success was the reason I went with it over a year ago, and am now just shy of 70 flawless flight hours.
I plan to use it to shoot footage to enhance my films, getting quick tracking shots that I would normally have to use a camera crane or a track system. I'll be producing 2-3 minute short films for a small niche market and I intend to use a hex or octo to "cheat" on some of the more difficult shots. Once the FAA Guidelines go through, I intend to get certified and "go bigger" and try to do some freelance work for the local media, as I have contacts with them.
I'm not looking for a rock solid "tripod in the sky", as most of my shots will involve some sort of movement with the camera, but if I need to pause between takes, I'd like to put it somewhere at a fixed point and relax a second or two.
I think I've sold myself on Pixhawk at this point for ease of setup.
SleepyC
www.AirHeadMedia.com
The SuperX is 200000000% easier to set up than a Pixhawk.
Not saying one is better than the other, but the SuperX is seriously foolproof.
Vermiform
Member
I'll do some more reading on it too then.
mediaguru
Member
Foolproof? I guess I'm not a fool then. Took me a couple of runs to get it working but now that I know the "process" I could do the whole thing in minutes.
Hexacrafter
Manufacturer
I feel compelled to chime in here. This thread is all about opinions. So be careful about basing your choice on opinions...
We have flown nearly every FC. I have flown with SleepyC and he has also flown nearly every FC. Actually more than me now.... see what a couple of years will do to you...
So.... weigh your value of an opinion carefully, as if a posted opinion is based on limited exposure to different FC then the opinion may be flawed.
So... here it goes....
Just about every FC out there has good points and bad points. Over the last 4 years there has been so much change in FC that what was AWESOME 2-3 years ago is today "fair". The users comfort zone with actual flying compared to computer assisted flying has a large part to play in a "preferred" FC. A high quality FC is not a substitute for a poorly tuned aircraft or experience with flying. All modern Multicopter FC still require the user to really "fly" and know what to do if a GPS signal is lost. Those that do not have the experience or knowledge of what to do... unhappily meet the earth with their aircraft in a crash or watch it fly away to a new home..
The real way to know what to buy or fly is by actually flying it..... I know that this is not usually feasible, but this forum is full of users of different FC and some may be close to you.... reach out & try to meet up with flyers and see what their FC is like in the air. Go to fly-ins and ask the users what they are using and WHY.....
Some FC will hold tight in GPS mode and others are more loose. Some get "nervous" in the air with tuning a tight GPS mode. Some let you tune different parameters for GPS/ ATT or motor mixing... some do not.
Some FC have are sold by Manufacturers who are responsive to questions or problems and some are not. Just remember the a FC is really only as good as the service you can get if you experience a problem. Ask about a specific Brand and you will get a ton of people who have had great customer service or poor customer service from the same company.
I have watched many bash a specific brand.... no names please.... while other are having incredible results with the same FC.
It really comes down to your aircraft, aircraft tuning (motors/ props), your intended flying style and what you wish to accomplish while flying.
So keep an open mind and ask for strengths and weaknesses about the recommended FC..... not just opinions...
Just a final rant.... Kloner.... a very close friend and client flies ATT mode or Manual mode..... The posted video of the wind tunnel was indoors and in ATT mode...... there was no GPS or "loiter" mode in use.... just damn good, experienced flying with a very highly tuned aircraft from one of the best fliers I know.....SleepyC... your damn good too..... you get the honorable mention....
We have flown nearly every FC. I have flown with SleepyC and he has also flown nearly every FC. Actually more than me now.... see what a couple of years will do to you...
So.... weigh your value of an opinion carefully, as if a posted opinion is based on limited exposure to different FC then the opinion may be flawed.
So... here it goes....
Just about every FC out there has good points and bad points. Over the last 4 years there has been so much change in FC that what was AWESOME 2-3 years ago is today "fair". The users comfort zone with actual flying compared to computer assisted flying has a large part to play in a "preferred" FC. A high quality FC is not a substitute for a poorly tuned aircraft or experience with flying. All modern Multicopter FC still require the user to really "fly" and know what to do if a GPS signal is lost. Those that do not have the experience or knowledge of what to do... unhappily meet the earth with their aircraft in a crash or watch it fly away to a new home..
The real way to know what to buy or fly is by actually flying it..... I know that this is not usually feasible, but this forum is full of users of different FC and some may be close to you.... reach out & try to meet up with flyers and see what their FC is like in the air. Go to fly-ins and ask the users what they are using and WHY.....
Some FC will hold tight in GPS mode and others are more loose. Some get "nervous" in the air with tuning a tight GPS mode. Some let you tune different parameters for GPS/ ATT or motor mixing... some do not.
Some FC have are sold by Manufacturers who are responsive to questions or problems and some are not. Just remember the a FC is really only as good as the service you can get if you experience a problem. Ask about a specific Brand and you will get a ton of people who have had great customer service or poor customer service from the same company.
I have watched many bash a specific brand.... no names please.... while other are having incredible results with the same FC.
It really comes down to your aircraft, aircraft tuning (motors/ props), your intended flying style and what you wish to accomplish while flying.
So keep an open mind and ask for strengths and weaknesses about the recommended FC..... not just opinions...
Just a final rant.... Kloner.... a very close friend and client flies ATT mode or Manual mode..... The posted video of the wind tunnel was indoors and in ATT mode...... there was no GPS or "loiter" mode in use.... just damn good, experienced flying with a very highly tuned aircraft from one of the best fliers I know.....SleepyC... your damn good too..... you get the honorable mention....
Vermiform
Member
Awesome reply and advice. I'm slowly working my way up to a large quad. Right now, my Blade 200qx gets most of my attention. My first build is going on right now with a cheap 500 quad but I'm learning a ton. My first serious build will be the F550 Hex and then the sky is the limit from there.
dazzab
Member
Given your description of what you want to do - replace a boom/rail and fast moving shots - the FC isn't going to be your primary issue. What you need to be paying attention to is what gimbal you will be using. As far as I can tell there's only one that will do what you want to do and that's a Zenmuse. Start with your camera and gimbal. FC is important but any of them will fly the copter.
You can skip the entire process by going out and getting a DJI Inspire. Any idiot can fly one and the video is rock solid no matter how aggressively you fly it. I describe the Inspire as a flying camera that lets you forget about the million details of RC flying. RC guys will hate it because there's nothing to fiddle with and it just flies. Photographers will love it because they can just get on with their work.
You can skip the entire process by going out and getting a DJI Inspire. Any idiot can fly one and the video is rock solid no matter how aggressively you fly it. I describe the Inspire as a flying camera that lets you forget about the million details of RC flying. RC guys will hate it because there's nothing to fiddle with and it just flies. Photographers will love it because they can just get on with their work.
Vermiform
Member
I almost bought one, in fact it was an Inspire ad that got me into multis to begin with. I saw what it was capable of doing and decided like all major decisions, I would sleep on it 48 hours. The next day, I saw the vid of one slamming into the guys garage door during takeoff, 3 feet from his wife. I decided then to start small and learn to fly first.
As for gimbals, I agree 100%. However, you need to learn a few flying techniques along the way like how to slip out of a VRS , how to deal with a thermal, and how to fly if the FC suddenly goes wacky.
Also, the inspire is a machine and machines wear out eventually. Even with all I've learned so far, if my Inspire suddenly started malfunctioning, I wouldn't have the first idea on how to fix it. If I build one, even if I spend more learning and doing, I'm much more apt to be able to fix it faster on my own, rather than ship it off or put it in a queue at my LHS.
In my humble opinion based on my very limited knowledge, if you need a multi that you have to depend on, then Inspire doesn't fit the bill unless you buy two. It would certainly be a good tool in your arsenal though.
dazzab
Member
There isn't a multi out there that is reliable enough to count on only having one available. You should always have backup for everything. I suspect that as time goes on we will find the the Inspire's record to be quite good in the reliability department. But yes, I take two when I shoot. Along with about three Aeronavics.
Vermiform
Member
That is amazing footage! Dude, quit tempting me!! Seriously, I want to learn to build. If I buy one of those, I'll end up throwing everything else in the closet and I'll be too busy filming to learn anything.