My Quadcopter (Build Thread)
Discussion
Hi folks,
We’ll its come to that time where I thought I would share with you my experience from start to finish by a beginner for a beginner!. It all started 3 months ago when I watched a video made by Warthox - here’s the video http://youtu.be/JTWmOHedrXw
I have an technical/engineering background however when it came to building a Quadcopter this was a first for me.
Ok here’s the shopping list:
MWC MultiWii SE Standard Edition 4-axis flight control board :QUADX X 4 from Ebay £48
(This is the flight controller board, basically the brains of the copter, there are loads of different models/makes available to chose from.)
FTDI Basic Breakout Arduino USB-TTL 6 PIN 3.3 5V for MWC MultiWii Lite /SE Ebay £10.70
(This allows me to connect my laptop to the copter and watch the sensors work, plus change the config)
FSM X450 £50
(This is the frame, loads of different makes/models/sizes available, could even build your own)
E-Power 2215/25 950KV 15A Brushless Outrunner Motor x5 £10 each
(4 motors, one for each arm + 1 spare , different sizes, power ratings available to do different jobs)
Imax B6 Balance Charger £24
(Battery Charger)
Hobbywing pentium 18amp ESC x4 £10.70
(Electronic Speed Controllers, one for each motor)
Hobby Wing programming card $4.80
(Programming card required to programme the ESC’s)
Gens Ace 2200 25C 3S Lipo Battery £15.37
(Batteries)
Pair of 1045R Slow Fly counter and noncounter rotating props
(Propellers, 2 arms will have counter and the other 2 will have non counter props)
Power/ESC/LED light speed controller Board
(Power Distribution board used to power the ESC’s from the battery)
40w Soldering Iron Kit, Helping Hands, Desolder & Stand
FlySky FS-TH9B 2.4G 9CH System ( TX+ RX) RC Transmitter
(Radio Gear, both transmitter and receiver)
Once all these items we’re ordered they came in drips and drabs through the letterbox, I waited for everything to arrive before I started my build.
First things first was the Frame
This is how it arrived
This is what it looks like once you follow the build instructions
Next thing to do was to add the motors, once on each arm,
This is what you get in a pack
This is what it looks like once mounted to the frame, do this for the rest of the motors/arms,
Once all the motors have been mounted it should look something like this.
Next up are the ESC’s, this is what they look like when they arrive,
I used some heat shrink and once the tips have been soldered on this is what they should look like,
Next up is to mount the ESC’s on the frame, a good place to put them is in the downwash of the props,
Here’s where I put mine..
Now all the ESC’s need power to run/power the motors so next up is soldering/mounting the Power distribution board, here’s where I’m going to put mine, somewhere central to the quad, and close to where the battery is going to be mounted.
Once all soldered up I then used some 20mm spacers to allow me to put a board on the next level up shown here.
I found a plastic plate for a box in my cupboard of odds and sods and through it would be handy as a plate for the next board. I mounted the Flight controller board on this plate, as this board contains the gyro’s/magnetometers/barometers it needs to be centrally located and flat.. see it mounted below.
I connected the ESC’s up to the Flight controller board, as this manages the amount of throttle to be sent to each motor to keep it balanced. See here.
There’s only one more thing to mount and that’s the receiver, I used some board mounts shown below..
I had another plate handy and mounted the receiver to this plate.
With the receiver on I wired up the channels that I need, and I did that by looking on my transmitter see here
The top Aileron would be Chan1, Elevation would be Chan2 etc etc
This is what it looks like with Receiver connected up the Flight control board.
Ok next job us was mounting the battery to the bottom of the quad, nice and central ballast, used some cable ties for this to keep it secure.
Ok, before I wire the ESC’s to the motors, the ESC’s need programming according to how you want them to react, I.e. When the battery starts to drain do you want it to cut of straight away or gradually (Obviously I chose gradually as I don’t want the thing to drop like a rock when the battery goes)
This is the programming card connected to one of the ESC’s.
Once programming has been completed I connected the ESC’s to the motors..
Ok.. Now it was time to tighten all loose ends, I.e. cable tie everything that moved so they didn’t risk the chance oh hitting the props..
Here’s the quad fully built with regards to hardware, now it was a matter of tuning it via software.
Using an FTDI connector I was able to connect my laptop to the quad see here..
And using a piece of software config I am able monitor all of its sensors, test my transmitter ranges and see if there’s any vibration whilst putting power onto the quad.
Heres it ready to go....
I’m currently awaiting my First Person View equipment to arrive so I can get it mounted under the quad, here’s what I hope to achieve… http://youtu.be/v-B2yfmU89k . Hope you like….
Cheers
Gaz
We’ll its come to that time where I thought I would share with you my experience from start to finish by a beginner for a beginner!. It all started 3 months ago when I watched a video made by Warthox - here’s the video http://youtu.be/JTWmOHedrXw
I have an technical/engineering background however when it came to building a Quadcopter this was a first for me.
Ok here’s the shopping list:
MWC MultiWii SE Standard Edition 4-axis flight control board :QUADX X 4 from Ebay £48
(This is the flight controller board, basically the brains of the copter, there are loads of different models/makes available to chose from.)
FTDI Basic Breakout Arduino USB-TTL 6 PIN 3.3 5V for MWC MultiWii Lite /SE Ebay £10.70
(This allows me to connect my laptop to the copter and watch the sensors work, plus change the config)
FSM X450 £50
(This is the frame, loads of different makes/models/sizes available, could even build your own)
E-Power 2215/25 950KV 15A Brushless Outrunner Motor x5 £10 each
(4 motors, one for each arm + 1 spare , different sizes, power ratings available to do different jobs)
Imax B6 Balance Charger £24
(Battery Charger)
Hobbywing pentium 18amp ESC x4 £10.70
(Electronic Speed Controllers, one for each motor)
Hobby Wing programming card $4.80
(Programming card required to programme the ESC’s)
Gens Ace 2200 25C 3S Lipo Battery £15.37
(Batteries)
Pair of 1045R Slow Fly counter and noncounter rotating props
(Propellers, 2 arms will have counter and the other 2 will have non counter props)
Power/ESC/LED light speed controller Board
(Power Distribution board used to power the ESC’s from the battery)
40w Soldering Iron Kit, Helping Hands, Desolder & Stand
FlySky FS-TH9B 2.4G 9CH System ( TX+ RX) RC Transmitter
(Radio Gear, both transmitter and receiver)
Once all these items we’re ordered they came in drips and drabs through the letterbox, I waited for everything to arrive before I started my build.
First things first was the Frame
This is how it arrived
This is what it looks like once you follow the build instructions
Next thing to do was to add the motors, once on each arm,
This is what you get in a pack
This is what it looks like once mounted to the frame, do this for the rest of the motors/arms,
Once all the motors have been mounted it should look something like this.
Next up are the ESC’s, this is what they look like when they arrive,
I used some heat shrink and once the tips have been soldered on this is what they should look like,
Next up is to mount the ESC’s on the frame, a good place to put them is in the downwash of the props,
Here’s where I put mine..
Now all the ESC’s need power to run/power the motors so next up is soldering/mounting the Power distribution board, here’s where I’m going to put mine, somewhere central to the quad, and close to where the battery is going to be mounted.
Once all soldered up I then used some 20mm spacers to allow me to put a board on the next level up shown here.
I found a plastic plate for a box in my cupboard of odds and sods and through it would be handy as a plate for the next board. I mounted the Flight controller board on this plate, as this board contains the gyro’s/magnetometers/barometers it needs to be centrally located and flat.. see it mounted below.
I connected the ESC’s up to the Flight controller board, as this manages the amount of throttle to be sent to each motor to keep it balanced. See here.
There’s only one more thing to mount and that’s the receiver, I used some board mounts shown below..
I had another plate handy and mounted the receiver to this plate.
With the receiver on I wired up the channels that I need, and I did that by looking on my transmitter see here
The top Aileron would be Chan1, Elevation would be Chan2 etc etc
This is what it looks like with Receiver connected up the Flight control board.
Ok next job us was mounting the battery to the bottom of the quad, nice and central ballast, used some cable ties for this to keep it secure.
Ok, before I wire the ESC’s to the motors, the ESC’s need programming according to how you want them to react, I.e. When the battery starts to drain do you want it to cut of straight away or gradually (Obviously I chose gradually as I don’t want the thing to drop like a rock when the battery goes)
This is the programming card connected to one of the ESC’s.
Once programming has been completed I connected the ESC’s to the motors..
Ok.. Now it was time to tighten all loose ends, I.e. cable tie everything that moved so they didn’t risk the chance oh hitting the props..
Here’s the quad fully built with regards to hardware, now it was a matter of tuning it via software.
Using an FTDI connector I was able to connect my laptop to the quad see here..
And using a piece of software config I am able monitor all of its sensors, test my transmitter ranges and see if there’s any vibration whilst putting power onto the quad.
Heres it ready to go....
I’m currently awaiting my First Person View equipment to arrive so I can get it mounted under the quad, here’s what I hope to achieve… http://youtu.be/v-B2yfmU89k . Hope you like….
Cheers
Gaz
Regarding the use of FPV equipment, dr_gn posted an interesting link a few days ago to the CAA's guide to safe flying.
You need two pilots when using FPV, because the person in charge of the model must have 'eyes on' it at all times.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP658.PDF
Chapter 6, part 7.
You need two pilots when using FPV, because the person in charge of the model must have 'eyes on' it at all times.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP658.PDF
Chapter 6, part 7.
SlipStream77 said:
Regarding the use of FPV equipment, dr_gn posted an interesting link a few days ago to the CAA's guide to safe flying.
You need two pilots when using FPV, because the person in charge of the model must have 'eyes on' it at all times.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP658.PDF
Chapter 6, part 7.
Quite right. Also a maximum distance away from you of 500 metres weather there are two of you or just you using your eyes (rather than FPV), and an altitude limit of 400ft.You need two pilots when using FPV, because the person in charge of the model must have 'eyes on' it at all times.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP658.PDF
Chapter 6, part 7.
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