fpvmanuals QAV500 Build

My first build log ever. Whoop! Hopefully, this is helpful to some folks.

Close up of the power distribution pads

I installed my motors first since I have long motor leads. I then soldered the motors directly to the ESC.

I am using Hobby King F-30A flashed with wii-esc.

The motor mounts accept 16mmx19mm and 25mmx19mm mounting patterns for motors. There are also mounting holes for NX-4008 motors. I am running Avroto 2814-11 (770kv)

This is the center of the PDB plate. It has pads for the 4 ESCs. On either side, there is are pads for battery leads. You could easily add pigtails to both sides and run two packs in parallel.

Prior to installing the lower frame spacers, I added a dab of loctite blue to all metal-metal screws.

Install all short (10mm?) spacers.

I’ve shortened up the battery wires so the ESCs fit neatly between the two plates. There isn’t much room down there. My F30A just made it. I am sure smaller ESC will be fine. I am not worried too much about cooling. The ESCs haven’t been more than slightly warm to the touch. I’m pulling ~14A in general flight.

Soldered in XT60 pigtail and installed G10 plate. Next up is mounting the arms.

Bottom frame complete.

Next up are the CF landing gear legs. These work by compression. I started the set screws in with a drop of loctite blue.

Then slide clamp on to the arm and insert CF leg until it is flush with the top of the clamp. Tighten the set screws.

Here’s the leg installed.

Next up is installing the bobbins that separate the two frames.

***Important tip!***

Before you install the bobbins, break in the nylock nut a bit to make it easier to screw on. The alternative is to use non-nylon locking M3 nuts.

Several early users have broken the bobbins on install. They can be repaired with DAP silicone adhesive, but better safe than sorry. The bobbins will be available for sale at some point, so it’s good to have a handful of spares in your flight box.

I install the bobbins to the top frame first with the nylon locking nuts. Then I used normal nuts on the bottom. I just make sure to always check them on preflight.

Here I’ve installed my FC of choice.

Some finishing touches to wiring. I just added a bit of servo braid to make it look it little cleaner.

Some final pics before the maiden.

Installed Components:

OpenPilot CopterControl
Avroto 2814-11 770kv motors
HK F30A ESC with wii-esc
APC 10×4.7 (now Graupner 10×5)
EzUHF

FPV Gear:

RMRC 300mW 1.3GHz Vtx
RMRC 600XV camera
DIY Cloverleaf
EzOSD
GoPro Hero 2
fpvmanuals LayerLens

Here’s the maiden.

Here’s some FPV. Switched from APC to Graupner 10×5.

FPV Tricopter + Jakub’s GoPro Gimbal

Posted Image

Inspired by @Patscherofel and bored with the “hard” mounted GoPro look at decided to try and mount my Jakub’s GoPro gimbal onto my tricopter. I’ve enabled camera stabilization to the gimbal and it’s working. I need to tune out some jittering I think, but over all I like the results.

I’ve since upgraded the “pitch’ servo to an HS-65HB which is much smoother than the HXT900 that I have on there now.

Here’s some pics.

Here’s vide of the initial test I conducted today.

Arducopter 2 Camera Stabilization + Jakub’s GoPro gimbal

Short test of the camera stabilization in Arducopter 2.0.49 Beta. I’ve set this arducopter up for hexa plus and camera stabilization is on by default. I just adjusted the camera trims and servo travel using the APM Mission Planner. This will be getting installed on a UAP1 frame from AGL Hobbies.

Right now I am using HXT900 9g servos, but will be swapping them out with something faster and smoother later on.

MultiWii Tricopter

Flight of my tricopter. It’s running a Paris 4.0 board with original WMP and Nunchuk. Finally have gotten the oscillations out I think I had the P & I terms a bit too high. I just need to tune the stabilize mode and tweak the yaw a bit since it’s drifting. When I first started tuning I did nothing but hover and with the high I it was just LOCKED in like it was on rails. After I got comfortable with a throttle curve, I decided to do some “fast” forward flight and that’s where the oscillations were very pronounced. After my last tweak, it removed the wobbles, but still flies very crisp.

This tricopter has 13in poplar arms, AX2213N motors, 25A ESCs, running GWS 9050 three bladed props. FPV gear: ReadyMadeRC 100mW 1.3GHz Vtx, 600TVL Sony Super HAD camera.

Something new

Tried something new today. I wanted to do some panning timelapse and decided to hook up a servos, RC receiver and BEC to a custom camera mount (plywood). I just turned on the cameras cameras and moved the my Transmitter stick a small bit every minute. I need to make it smooth, so Arduino will be making it’s way into the next version of this.

The camera is a GoPro HD with a modified lens from Sunex. I bought the lens from ReadyMadeRC since Tim ships them fast.

RIP Steve

“I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did.” – Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Tricopter FPV + GoPro + DragonLInk

Compilation of some weekend flying footage from the my OpenPilot CC Tricopter. This thing is super stable. I have complete confidence when flying with OpenPilot. Can’t believe how simple the setup was. I am using 3-bladed props this time. They are much quieter, but produce less thrust. I had to adjust my trottle curve a bit to get better response.

Setup:
OpenPilot CC
Turnigy 2213N motors
Turnigy Plush 18A ESC
GWS 9×5 3-bladed props (2 CCW, 1 CW)
Pro Tricopter Delrin frame
ImmersionRC 500mW 5.8GHz Vtx + Bluebeam SPW
DragonLink UHF RC System

OpenPilot Tricopter FPV maiden

Maiden FPV flight of my tricopter. I have a bent motor shaft so it’s causing some vibration issues…sorry for the shaky vid. The tricopter frame is from fpvmanuals.com. Very nice delrin frame kit with a no slop yaw setup. Really nice work from Tim.

Stryker 02

Second Stryker FPV flight. I went back to using FM since I was having some range issues with OpenLRS. I am going to test that in the Skyfun since there is much less gear on it and more room to move it around the frame.

Stryker 01

First FPV flight of the Stryker.