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mashed_penguin posted:A buddy of mine built the baby blender. That thing is a really fun plane to fly. He also crashed it into a light pole when coming into land That would be me!. Smacked it straight on the spinner. Thing is, that despite all the damage, I could probably repair it in an hour or so, but I had some design/decoration changes I wanted to do, so I'm spending another $3 (It's 3 sheets of foamboard, not 2!) to make a new one. I'm also going to be building the FT3D. (I went to a laser cutting place this weekend and had both cut out, so building should be much quicker this time). Meanwhile I'm having a blast flying this one. http://www.twistedhobbys.com/TH-22-EPP-Crack-Pitts-Mini-Green-RCF-Crack-Pitts-Mini-Green.htm Was having some battery issues, but it turns out some idiot (me) ordered the wrong size batteries and they're nearly twice as heavy as recommended!. Should hopefully have the correct ones next week. The Flitetest stuff is great. The powerpod will set you back a bit (probably close to $100 once you take into account batteries, accessories, music wire, connectors, whatnot), but after that, it's just 3-4 $2 dollar servos (HXT900's) and some foamboard. ImplicitAssembler fucked around with this message at 23:36 on Aug 7, 2013 |
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Aug 7, 2013 23:33
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About $2 in materials damage. Not counting rebuild time.
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This tutorial here is awesome for learning orientations (and other stuff). http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=531380 While it's aimed at CP helis, most of it will apply to multi-rotor stuff as well.
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Aug 12, 2013 17:33
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mashed_penguin posted:It will help dial in your muscle memory. Also it is often easier to fire up the sim than go and fly. Personally I don't ever use a sim for my quadrotor but I do use one for learning new moves for my mcpx. And you were fairly comfortable on the MCPX before getting the quad, right?
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Aug 12, 2013 18:16
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CrazyLittle posted:How is that different from ER9x and eepe? Eepe is almost identical to Companion9X. I loaded ER9X onto mine and while some stuff is easier, I miss other stuff and plan on loading openTx onto it. (I have it set up using Companion9X anyway). Being able to program your stuff on the PC makes life soo much easier, especially helicopters.
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Aug 27, 2013 18:09
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rotaryfun posted:I have no idea what I'm looking for. I don't know what I need with respect to batteries? Controllers? Is there a beginners guide somewhere I can start? I only started 6 months or so ago and got a reasonably clear idea of the questions you need to ask..I'll try to put together a rough guide later. Start by looking at hobbyking.com You'll need: Transmitter(Controller/TX). Transmitter module (in some cases) (And if you end up buying the Turnigy 9XR) A lipo battery for the TX. A battery charge for multi-cell lipo batteries. If you go the Flitetest route (I recommend it), you'll need: Reciever(RX) Servos (2-4 depending on plane model) Speed controller (ESC) Motor Props Prop adapter You'll need a variety of battery plugs, possibly motor connectors, some heat shrink tubing, piano-wire, a hot-glue gun, velcro tape and a handful of other small things you forgot to think about and people didn't mention. With the Flitetest stuff, you can buy the 'power packs' from Lazertoys and they are reasonably good deals, but you'll still need a TX and a RX. You are probably still looking at ~$200 in start-up cost, even though it seems like it can be done cheaper.
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Aug 29, 2013 17:51
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rotaryfun posted:Thanks a lot. That's really helpful. And a rough guide would be wonderful. I was figuring 150-200 to begin with so I'm glad to get some confirmation on that. I'll spec out the top list with links later. The top list is your radio/controller. You can use it for multiple models. Speed controllers control the speed of your motor Lipos are Lithium Polymer batteries and are quite brilliant, but can also be very confusing if you are not familiar with batteries. This is a good guide: http://www.rchelicopterfun.com/rc-lipo-batteries.html
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Aug 29, 2013 18:16
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Whatever plane you start with, you will break it. Maybe even on the first flight. The advantage of the flitetest stuff is that you will already know how to repair/rebuild it and it can be done very very cheaply. I smashed my BabyBlender last time out and it will cost me $3 to rebuild it. Further, if you go through the progression of FT swappables, you'll learn to build, fly and repair in a logical manner. http://www.flitetest.com/articles/nutball-scratch-build http://www.flitetest.com/articles/delta_wing http://www.flitetest.com/articles/FT_Flyer_Scratch_build They are designed to ease people into the hobby for a low cost and all the electronics can be re-used. Anyways: Start with the Controller/Transmitter: Turnigy 9XR http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__31544__Turnigy_9XR_Transmitter_Mode_2_No_Module_.html Turnigy Battery: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__31315__Turnigy_9XR_Safety_Protected_11_1v_3s_2200mAh_1_5C_Transmitter_Pack.html TX module (Spektrum): http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__24655__OrangeRX_DSMX_DSM2_2_4GHz_Transmitter_Module_Futaba_Compatible_.html Battery charger for Lipos. (You'll need this for the Turnigy TX battery and whatever plane you end up with anyway) http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__5548__IMAX_B6_Charger_Discharger_1_6_Cells_GENUINE_.html There are other brands of TX's that will cost 100's of $, but there's honestly very little need to spend that kind of money. With the 9XR you can connect almost any kind of module, whether you want to do parkflyers or long range FPV. Now, then you *will* also want to get one of these: http://dx.com/p/usb-2-0-almighty-flight-simulator-dongle-51480 And then download the appropriate RC sim. Sims are simply invaluable in learning how to fly RC. I got a pilots license and already knew how to fly, but the trick with RC, is getting used to using the right control input, regardless of the relative orientation of the plane. It is harder than it sounds and the sim is extremely helpful in developing those skills. Even you do go down the RTF route, I would still get a simulator. ImplicitAssembler fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Aug 30, 2013 |
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Aug 29, 2013 21:16
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The requirements for the plane are then roughly as follows: A receiver (RX). This is what receives the controls and turns it into control signals for the servos. If you get the TX and module mentioned above, you then need a matching RX. Each receiver has X-amount of channels, which is basically how many things it can control, but remember that the throttle will always take 1 channel. So, a four channel plane will typically have the following: 1: Throttle 2: Rudder 3: Aileron 4: Elevator If you then want flaps, retractable gear, etc, you'll need more. The motor these days is typically a brushless motor. Brushed electrical motors are outdated. Their ratings/sizing is still mostly a mystery to me, because there's no real uniform system. Some refer to the old nitro/gas sizing (usually fractions of cubic inch displacement), but the power-output AND rpm will vary wildly depending on design. Roughly you need to know the following: Kv : rpm per volt. A 1-cell battery is rated at 3.7 volt, so a 1000kv engine will give you 3700rpm. (Just to confuse matters, a fully charged battery is actually more like 4.2v per cell, but just ignore that for now). Max Watt (Many plane designs refer to watts for sizing) Max sustained and burst current (Amps): This is to get the right ESC!. Finally the overall weight of the engine is often also important and then there's shaft sizing, prop adapters,etc. Doesn't matter too much for flitetest stuff as you can just buy what they recommend. Now, between the motor and the RX you have the ESC. (Electronic Speed Controller). This does 2 things: -Connects to the battery and feeds power to the RX (and servos) -Controls the motor. (Brushless motors, if I understand it right, needs a series of pulses in order to work, but I could be completely wrong on this). These can be programmed in a variety of ways, but are mostly good to go out of the box (At least the turnigy ones from HK are). Also connected to the RX is the servos. These comes in a variety of sizes. Go with the HXT or Turnigy ones. They're cheap and fairly reliable. The other confusing thing is propellers. There's different designs, but primarily they're measured in diameter and pitch.
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Aug 30, 2013 08:01
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mashed_penguin posted:One thing I still don't understand is what is the difference between two different motors of the same Kv rating but different size. Say a 2830 or a 3530. My current understanding is they will produce the same amount of power per volt but the larger motor will probably have a higher maximum voltage and better heat dispersion. A bigger motor can produce more torque and will draw a higher current (A), but will run at the same RPM per volt (Kv). At least that's how I understand it 
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Aug 30, 2013 17:35
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rotaryfun posted:I'm looking to get everything together to start a flitetest build and I'm looking at the parts for the power pod. 'S' refers to the amount of cells (ie voltage). Each cell is a nominal 3.7v, so say you hook that up to a 1000kv motor, a 2s will run it at 7400rpm and a 3s will run it at 11100rpm. I think you'll want a 3S. Linkage stoppers: Whichever are in stock, as they tend to go on backorder all the time! Post the list here before you press 'buy', as you will most likely also need: Bullet connectors (motor to ESC) Battery connector (ESC to battery) Some heat shrink tubing. Because I kept missing stuff, it took me 3 orders to get everything I needed when I built the first one:)
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Aug 30, 2013 18:19
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rotaryfun posted:You're right, I missed the RX. This seems to be the compatible counterpart correct? No, you'll get music wire at the local hobby shop or a well-supplied hardware store. Beware, the 2mm music wire I got for the landing gear was sprung steel and ruined 2 of my sidecutters and I had to resort to using my dremel to cut it. You'll also need: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9631 (To solder on to the ESC so you can connect the batteries) http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__42536__3_5mm_3_wire_Bullet_connector_for_motor_5pairs_bag_USA_warehouse_.html To connect your ESC to your motor. Your ESC is on backorder and might be outdated (and wont be restocked) Here's the updated version: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__2168__TURNIGY_Basic_18A_v3_1_Speed_Controller.html It's also kinda bigger than it needs to be, but there's no real attractive 12A options and the extra 3-4 grams wont matter. You may also want to consider buying some wheels: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__598__594__Hardware_accessories_-Wheels.html (I don't have time to browse through, but some cheap foam wheels around 2.5" diameter would be about right).
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Aug 30, 2013 19:12
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rotaryfun posted:I was just going to post that both the ESC and motor are both backordered. Should I look at a different motor as well? Argh...at least there's some reasonable subs: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19034__Turnigy_Park300_Brushless_Outrunner_1600kv.html This will be more powerful (and justify your 18A ESC :P), but is otherwise very close. Regarding more batteries: You could, but don't get more than 4 in total. You'll most likely break something before you get through all of them .ImplicitAssembler fucked around with this message at 19:47 on Aug 30, 2013 |
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Aug 30, 2013 19:44
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 (Another one sucked in)
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Aug 30, 2013 20:11
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ease posted:I think these guys are in Florida : http://www.valuehobby.com/index.php Hmm, do you have any experience with their Gforce Lipos? http://www.valuehobby.com/power-systems/batteries/1s-lipo/blade-120-sr-lipo.html I've just upgraded my MCPX to brushless and once I get it flying properly, I'm going to need some 500mAh lipos.
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Aug 30, 2013 20:35
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It will carry you up to just before the BabyBlender (Although I think the new FT Duster will work with your setup, but they haven't released the build for it yet). After that you'll need a 24A ESC, 250W motor and some 1300-1800mAh 3s/4s lipos Your servos/RX will be usuable for all of them.
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Aug 30, 2013 21:23
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Sagebrush posted:I'm not sure that flight sims are needed; they can help but nothing really compares to time operating the real machine. There's a reason you can't get a pilot's license from flight simulators alone. You'll learn more from crashes, I think. A real flight sim can teach you a lot of the procedures that you need. I certainly found the flight sim invaluable when I was learning navigation and instrument flying. Similarly, I found the RC Sims invaluable for learning to deal with orientations. Spend 10 mins every day just doing basic circuits and figure 8's. Further, it's always daylight and no wind in the RC Sims and you can fly any time you want.
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Aug 31, 2013 03:04
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Finally found some spare time and weather to get some more stick time on this one: Really enjoying and are even starting to get some basic 3D turnarounds to work. Apart from getting thrown around by the lightest breeze, it's super easy to fly and can take a beating.
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Sep 2, 2013 09:17
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NitroSpazzz posted:That thing looks like a blast. I DIY'd one of those years ago and loved it, I should find/buy/DIY one to use with my CD motor setup. I didn't mind the throttle so much on mine, but I did mind the centering springs...I've totally become used to it now, though.
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Sep 3, 2013 01:31
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We'll try harder next time..
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Sep 3, 2013 06:06
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rotaryfun posted:So I did end up making it out to the precision flying air contest that the local club I found was having on Saturday and completely left there defeated. Those idiots are just insecure. Imagine turning up at a race track in a $1000 banger and matching the guy in his super car. This is essentially what is happening here. What they completely forget is that this is a hobby and thanks to the Chinese knock-offs, it has become an accessible hobby, rather than a hobby for old retired idiots with too much money. Of course they are upset when they see you having fun with your $3 foamplane, while they've spent thousands on theirs and cry at the thought of crashing it. (Where you will crash yours, laugh, spend 10 mins with a hotglue gun and be in the air again).
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Sep 3, 2013 18:29
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rotaryfun posted:Am I correct in my flight time estimate? At full throttle...which you'll rarely be using.
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Sep 7, 2013 01:03
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Golluk posted:Oh, looks like you crash landed in Russian territory there. Are you doing any sim work at all?. The thing is that it's much more easy to learn up in the air rather than just off the ground. First most RC planes simply don't track that well and I think what you are setting out to do,is just an exercise in frustration. Alternatively, get a smaller, more crash-resistant plane to practice on. Either small trainer like the Hobbyzone champ or go the Flitetest route and work through their beginner swappables.
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Sep 8, 2013 21:17
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As Mashed said, it's the Crack Pitts Mini from Twisted Hobby. They specialize in crazy small 3D planes and this is one of the smallest planes they make. (~110gram all up) It was more fiddly to build than the FT stuff, but it's EPP foam and is also super easy to repair. It's easier to fly in the sense that you have so much power and control authority in any attitude that you can always get out. I'm still only using 50% throws..at full rate, my brain can't keep up. In the video I'm flying fairly slow, mostly focusing on getting it in frame and not colliding with the quad. It also requires near-still conditions to fly, really. Any wind will throw it around. It can also be flown in shoebox: http://vimeo.com/68489033 The Baby Blender behaves a lot more like a 'real plane'. It's short fuselage means it's got a very high pitch rate, but roll rate is moderate. Unfortunately it also requires a lot more space and so far, we've only found one (nearby) park that is big enough for it. I got a bunch of mods that I need to test out of my wrecked version before I rebuild it, but I suspect it'll be a month or so before I get around to it. (That included ailerons on both wings to improve roll rate).
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Sep 9, 2013 17:49
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CrazyLittle posted:Yeah, that kind of flight you can see in the video isn't really possible with most of the flitetest models. The closest would be the FT3D but even then it's a much much bigger/heavier model. If you want to dink around with 3d, I'd highly recommend getting one of the larger profile 3D foamy models like the Techone Extra EPP which is nearly impossible to break beyond a simple glue repair. Also the Sbach 342 EPP <-- pretty much the same plane from the Hobbyking US warehouse. $68!!. Only needs a RX + lipos.
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Sep 9, 2013 19:30
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NitroSpazzz posted:Holy crap I need one I was kinda ignoring all the foamies (and 3D) until I saw this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRJBmp9j8gY For me, it's the best 3D video out there. This is the bigger, original version of the Crack Pitts. I went with the smaller one partly for storage, but in terms of the areas I can fly, even the bigger one would have been fine. I still may get it one day.
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Sep 9, 2013 19:55
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uXs posted:The flight time of my Nano QX is getting lower. I put my timer at 5:40 and that has worked without a problem so far. But since a day or two it's started plummeting out of the sky at around 5 minutes, if that. The mcx2, which is sharing the same batteries, has always been able to fly a bit longer, and I don't have that problem, its flight time is the same as it ever was. In fact, last time I tried putting an 'empty' battery from the nano in the mcx2, and I was able to get a good 2 minutes out of it. The draw from the Nano QX is higher, causing the voltage to drop below LVC earlier than on the mcx2? Lipos will 'wear out' so you will see a performance drop over time and the Eflite ones aren't that great.
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Sep 12, 2013 19:35
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uXs posted:
A few place got very good deals on the MCPX right now. Local hobbyshop has it for $80! (BNF)
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Sep 12, 2013 21:21
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Your local electronics shop should have them.
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Sep 13, 2013 20:04
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There's 2 versions of that charger, one with built-in PS and one without: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__6478__IMAX_B6_AC_Charger_Discharger_1_6_Cells_GENUINE_.html You may have an old laptop PS that would work with the one you got? Wrong TX module does suck...really hard to work around. The rest could be hacked if needed.
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Sep 14, 2013 01:06
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For those interested in 3D flying, I found the series of videos posted here really good: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1968864 Even the basics of how to set up your plane are quite good.
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Sep 16, 2013 18:47
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Wojcigitty posted:Thanks for the kind words! (I'm the dude flying in the video). Right...I think my wife would like a word or two with you... Seriously, though, I would look at the large scale 3D planes and mostly shake my head. (I still kinda do)..the only other stuff appeared to be the pattern flying and while impressive in their accuracy, also very boring...until I saw your video. I'll build the FT 3D next (I have all the bits anyway) and then probably get the PA Addiction as my next plane.
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Sep 16, 2013 22:40
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rotaryfun posted:So I have a bunch of cool stuff now. Just waiting for my new TX to come in. Balancing: I balance them maybe every 5th charge? 9XR: Yeah, it's a pain to get your head around. I will try to make a basic write-up for a 4-channel setup. (Except I've now flashed it with openTX which is slightly different)..
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Sep 17, 2013 05:34
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rotaryfun posted:Flashing to opentx are the only videos and guides I've really been able to find for the 9xr. Is there really a good reason to do it? Should I just do that to begin with? I was really just wanting to use it the way it was and maybe do that once I actually know what's going on. They're in some ways slightly easier to use, but my main reason was so that I could program it from my PC. Straight 4 channel planes are not so bad, but programming my MCPX the first time around was a nightmare.
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Sep 18, 2013 17:44
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Wojcigitty posted:If you like my video look at some from Daniel Holman and Gabriel Altuz. They are very good at doing precise stuff low enough to be exciting and interesting. Precision competition flying (pattern/IMAC) is a lot of fun to do but I agree that it is pretty boring to watch. Argh, just about what I didn't want to hear. Michael Wargo seems to rate it, but then they also appear to sponsor him .They no longer sell those servos though and now recommend using the Hitec 65s. I like the way it flies in the videos, so maybe I just like floaty planes .How much better is the Crack Laser in the wind (compared to both the mini Pitts and the Addiction?). Maybe I should just stick with foamies as I mostly want to fly in my local park, but more than a very gentle breeze makes it tricky to fly the mini Pitts.
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Sep 18, 2013 19:58
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Golluk posted:Sounds like it would be fun. I have the stock motor from the bixler spare. flitetest.com Go through their first swappable series. Your motor/battery is a little overpowered for that, but it should work You'll then need 2-4 9 gram servos, piano wire and some plywood. (unlesss you want to order firewalls/control horns from them). Foamboard can be found at DollarTree. Or you can pick up a Hobbyzone Champ... On a somewhat similar note, I got started on my FT3D yesterday  I think if it didn't have the squared off top, it would look so much better. Since it's actually really easy to build, I might just try and do a version like that. I also got my power meter from HK and I'm getting 217 watts with a 8x4 on my NTM 2826A, which means there's room for going to a bigger prop for the FT3D. ImplicitAssembler fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Sep 20, 2013 |
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Sep 20, 2013 17:31
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 Got the wings mounted, which was more difficult than I expected. With a bit of luck, I should get this one in the air next week. I also managed to put the wings on upside down, which is mostly just a look thing (symmetrical wings, yay), but annoying anyway. It's a very tight fit for the powerpod and I'm not entirely happy with the amount of force I have to use to mount/unmount it. Once the local laser-cutting cafe opens again, I'll probably do another version with a handful of changes
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Sep 22, 2013 09:10
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Haven't had much time to work on my FT3D, but I did get around to putting it on a scale yesterday, along with the powerpod + lipo: 500grams all up. That's actually not bad for a 40" plane!. Add 50 grams for servos + control horns/rods, maybe another 30-40g for finishing and it's still entirely reasonable.
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Sep 27, 2013 00:10
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Wojcigitty posted:Managed first place in IMAC Unlimited regional points even though I only got second in the regional fly-off. Won freestyle though: Yeah, saw that on the RCgroups. Congrats! What's the manoeuvre you're doing at ~2:45? Looks like a knife-edge spin with added tumble!
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Sep 27, 2013 21:19
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Finally got around to testing skinning the FT3D with printed tissue paper. It's a technique that I copied from the RCgroups micro forum and it mostly works:  It's slow going, though and the overlaps are more visible than I would like. ( I also made a couple of mistakes that doesn't help either). I'm not convinced that the whole procedure is worth it: - Using low-tack glue, glue tissue paper on top of standard A4 - Trim tissue paper to A4. - Print desired art work - Peel off tissue paper from A4 carrier - Carefully line up and tack with glue stick. - Permanently fix tissue paper with spray glue. Not to mention the time spent laying out the design in photoshop/illustrator. Now I've started, so there's no going back, but there's still another 6-8 hours work left to do on that. I should just buy an airbrush instead...they have a compressor at my wife's studio.
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Sep 30, 2013 08:24
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| # ¿ Apr 23, 2024 11:01 |
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I hate programming them..it's sooo counter-intuitive and I will be buying a programming card for my next ESC. Anyways, setting the throttle range isn't *too* hard. Page 3, under throttle range settings http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uploads/809043064X351363X29.pdf
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Oct 1, 2013 17:27
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