(Part 2) Best products from r/multicopterbuilds

> I ended up with a bunch of 550mah 3S batteries: can I use them to tinker with this build?

I suspect you would get a minute of lackluster performance from those batteries on a 5" quad. However, those are great bats for a 2" build. So save them.

> Battery options once I'm 100% ready to fly?

Amazon sells Tattu and Infinity Graphene 1300 mAh 4S batteries that would work well with your rig. Ensure you get a high C rating (60+).

> Prop options?

Those DAL props are great. Other options are the HQ 5x4.3x3 props.

> Extra wires?

I have never needed to buy extra wires. You'll collect plenty from parts you buy.

> I feel much more comfortable dealing with this kind of merchant.

There are other reputable merchants with US stock at competitive prices. Examples are heli-nation.com, getfpv.com, racedayquads.com, etc. The amazon/ebay merchants are mostly just buying from the overseas guys and upping the price. But I understand the sentiment.

As far as checking your build. You'll probably need to buy an XT60 connector and wire to solder to the FC/PDB (Like these). You'll need need some battery straps (Like these). You'll need a vtx antenna (rec: Foxeer).

Do you have a battery charger?

Do you have FPV goggles?

I'm piecing it together over time and kind of stepping things around so keep in mind this is just my starting point. Also this is for playing with a GAAS project so flight time isn't a big deal.

frame

props, closest I could find to DJI Phantom which are pretty efficient

motors

The motors might be a bit high on kv, but I figured I could throw them in a long range fpv if I want to step down more. Also those motors ended up shipping from the US, they came yesterday while my other stuff is still in freight. Still undecided on batteries, I have some 4, 5, and 6s laying around so I was going to see what matches up best voltage wise with the motors on 10" props and start stepping up size until I notice performance dropping (guessing I'll end up around 3000-4500mah 4s). For ESC's I'll probably just use some spare individuals to start and go to a 4 in 1 if I need the space once I decide on battery cell count. FC will be a pixhawk since I need that for the project which I just realize I forgot to order. Once everything is dialed I need to slap one of these liabilities on there for my particular project https://www.amazon.com/NVIDIA-Jetson-Nano-Developer-Kit/dp/B06XPFH939/?th=1.

Here's the list that they recommend for the project I'll be working with. (https://github.com/generalized-intelligence/GAAS/tree/master/hardware). Those motors are 950kv on 3s 9" props, I couldn't find any at a reasonable price and wanted to experiment with the build first since this is my first 10", so chose my own. It's most definitely a destructively overpowered config, but like I said, I can re-purpose them if they end up over-drawing my escs on those 10" props. I'm expecting to end up putting on these in 640 or 900kv or these at 930kv before I put a $400 gpu on there. I run the v2 of those avengers on a long range build and they are nice (lowest v2's are 1200kv, though).

The frame you looking at is a zmr250 clone which is a bit out of style. You could try this Martian which is a copy of the alien frame has plenty of room to work in and as strong arms at 4 milliliters which makes it less likely to break in a crash.

Crazepony Martian II RX255 FPV Racing Drone Carbon Fiber Quadcopter Frame like QAV250 etc (4MM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GRN5OVS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_x6lJyb4TMRT6P

You're paying a premium for those motors which are only okay. Try rs 2205. They are known for their durability and good amount of thrust.

The esc's are old Tech and it doesn't cost much to upgrade to the newest thing, always better with esc's. Look for the shot 600 capable esc's

Definitely get an F3 board or better. No reason to get an F1 when the cost is the same. The F1 boards are about to be phased out the newest from where is too much for them at the moment.

Might be worth looking into getting the FR Sky taranis Q7. Might be a little bit cheaper with very similar functions.

I recommend simply getting 4S batteries and adjusting your transmitter to limit your throttle to 70% or so. It is not too challenging to do and you need to learn how to work with your radio anyway. It's likely if you were to fly 3s that you would get tired of it quickly and want more power.

Consider getting 5 inch props. I think if you switch to the Martian frame it is 5 inch Max. Most people recommend 5-inch quads to start with anyway the six inch quads require larger batteries and have a different feel

I've always heard people recommend against getting the teleporter series because of the low resolution. Consider getting a box goggle for that price.
Eachine EV800 5 Inches 800x480 FPV Goggles 5.8G 40CH Raceband Auto-Searching Build In Battery w/ RCA Phono Audio Interconnect Y Splitter Adapter 1 Male - 2 Female by Vaiyer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSYBLVV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BgmJyb31V3D6E


You can get a all-in-one transmitter antenna that is 25 milliwatts which should be plenty but not the terrible fatshark one

Definitely get a hs1177 or variant you can Swift. I would recommend going with an arrow V2 because it has battery monitoring you can wire into the camera so that you don't over discharge your batteries

thanks for the tips!
you said 200mW or less, did you mean more? wouldnt increased mW mean better signal range? heres what i was looking at for antenna and cam.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019F2LJYO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2DEZSSJ3IE9XA&coliid=I1GFBBHFIOXRZ0

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XKXVM8S/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2DEZSSJ3IE9XA&coliid=I3ASC923AF640K

think that combo should do good with the quantum V2's?

so about the only thing im tied up on is the FC... lol so many options.. but a noobish friendly board would be nice lol.

So far I have had good luck with the titanium screws sold on Amazon.


Ti is a bit weaker than steel, but much lighter. There is the possibility of stripping them if you over-tighten, and some screws may best be left with steel, but they are great for lightening the quad. Don't crank them down super hard and you should be fine.


M3

M2(Not affiliate links)


You're local hardware store should carry some metric hardware, but they're not as easy to find in the US.

Your mob7 came with either a single connection usb charger or a 6 connection charger board that will need either a DC power supply (5.5mm barrel plug, probably... ) or an xt60 connection (larger battery or a modified DC power supply). Your best bet will be to look for similar 1s lipo charger boards online that come with the DC power supply in order to see what you need to get.

The M8 will only be able to charge 1s lipos with a special wire harness, which you would find searching for "1s parallel charging cable". Parallel charging is not simple and can be dangerous, though. I don't suggest it when you already have a capable charger.

Looking forward, the M8 will also need a DC psu with xt60 for input, and can only charge a single xt60 battery by default, so you would need a parallel board and/or adapters for more xt60 packs or xt30 charging.

Edit: This listing on amazon should look like your charger or you should consider getting something like it for your 1s charging. It has a picture with possible input options (battery, DC psu, DC psu with xt60). The answers section suggests a 5.5mm barrel plug, probably a 12v/3A supply should be purchased. You might have a suitable psu around the house already for smaller laptops or electronics like a router or modem. Other listings might come with a psu for a higher price.

Thank you for the information! I'll definitely go with smaller props - although if the bigger ones do happen to fit, would I be fine using those?

I'd really like to go with a taranis, if a sale comes up in the future I'll probably snag one. For now, being a beginner, I'll have to learn to hate the 9x so I can love the taranis - haha.

I do have a bunch (100+) of velcro straps from amazon. Specifically these. They might work out? I might grab a rubberized strap just because they're so cheap anyways.

As for the buzzer - I've seen the HobbyKing™ Lipoly Low Voltage Alarm (2s~4s) posted around, might grab 3 or 4 as you suggested.

Thanks again for the advice - it's very helpful to a noob like myself.

It's always worth buying the best tool you can afford unless it's single use. I have a decent weller that I've since replaced with a very decent Hakko.

This is a very nice iron that will serve you well: https://www.adafruit.com/products/1204

This is my older iron, served me well, the only reason I switched to the hakko is because I bought one for work and ended up liking it: http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WES51-Analog-Soldering-Station/dp/B000BRC2XU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462577050&sr=8-1&keywords=weller

oh there are lots of ways you can build one. the question is should you build one? And if you did, would you know how to fly it safely? Building and learning to fly are separate challenges. that's why everyone is saying buy a small cheap one to learn on. there are lots of kits on amazon like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Hobbypower-Quadcopter-Folding-Multicopter-Multi-rotor/dp/B00DU4A4JK
All you need to add is an RC radio, batteries and a charger. I'm not sure about flying back home with LiPO batteries though. If you are going to buy something be careful about the control board you buy. That has major implications on how the quad flies. you really want something that will enable you to dial back the settings so you can't get out of control. as you get better you can loosen things up. The DJI products limit your speed, yaw rate, roll etc with software in the controller. that's why they are good for learning on. I really suggest you do some reading on how quads work and what factors affect performance.

Can you really not get the stuff shipped in from China down in Argentina? If I where you I would go that route. If you walk into a hobby store (in Canada anyways) and try and buy this stuff you will pay at least twice as much as you would get it for online - if they even have it. I'm kind of in your boat in Canada- can't really buy the stuff locally. I just order form china and wait 4 weeks.

Well the there just seems to be few good straight to the wall chargers, this one has 2 channels and decent power but also costs a 100$ https://www.banggood.com/SkyRC-D100-ACDC-Dual-Balance-Charger-Discharger-For-RC-Models-p-971647.html?rmmds=search

If you are willing to get a bit more complex by getting an old server power supply from amazon that changes AC voltage to DC voltage and then buying an DC to DC charger you can get a lot more for the money and most good chargers seem to be DC/DC.

here is a huge power supply for 27$. it can power multiple chargers so if you get deeper into this hobby you can add chargers but just use the one power supply. https://www.amazon.com/HP-403781-001-DL380-1000W-Supply/dp/B001U0EM1W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496370584&sr=8-1&keywords=server+PSu

This charger has alot more power and also puts out more current for balance charging than other chargers in it's price range.
https://www.banggood.com/ISDT-Q6-Plus-300W-14A-MINI-Pocket-Battery-Balance-Charger-p-1103946.html?rmmds=search

The last piece of the puzzle is a parallel board so you can use the one charger to charge 6 or more batteries at once.
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Charger-Parallel-Balanced-Charging/dp/B016DHUJZO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1496370715&sr=8-2&keywords=xt+60+parallel+board

The PDB i had chosen out is apparently not a good choice. Im going to go with the one you pointed out, thanks.

I'm adding the M3 screws to the list as well as the standoffs, thanks :)

I already have LED like these (without the remote), will they work?
I have some velcro straps, all the sodering tools and plenty of wire and the such. I need to get the UBEC, thanks

Looks good ! Make sure to balance charge the battery's when you first get them, for instance my charge you have an option between lipo charge and lipo balance, I recommend balancing when you have the time, you also might want to get some lipo bags like these https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00TB5ST94/ref=sr_ph_2?qid=1462376713&sr=sr-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=lipo+bag to put them in while you charge as a safety precaution

http://www.amazon.com/Du-Bro-499-Tru-Spin-Prop-Balancer/dp/B0006N72Y8
You'll need a prop balancer no matter what. vibrations cause multirotors to fly poorly.

Blheli ESC seem to be more popular nowadays than SimonK. Pick an ESC that can handle your peak current, plus, some overhead. The bigger ones that can handle more power generally are only a few dollars extra and should be more durable.

I'd recommend getting ESC and motors that can run on 3S and 4S. Once you've been flying on 3S for a long time, going to 4S makes flying more fun and exciting because you've suddenly got more thrust!

I prefer carbon fiber for larger props. plastic will flex and flutter at high rpm, robbing you of thrust and increasing power usage.

Inductrix run 6mm motors. Sounds like you need 8.5mm frame. Maybe something like this? Usmile 90mm 6.1g Super lightweight Micro Carbon Fiber Quadcopter Frame & Battery cable for Mini Micro Nano fpv racing support for 820 8.520mm motor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FAM7AZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h2xJybT82XTRM

I have all of this in my wishlist now (swift 2 and TBS unify pro). I think for starters I just want a screen that i can attach to my TX, while i save up for some goggles. I was looking at something like THIS. Worth it or just wait until i can get the goggles?

Perfect!!! I decided to use that!

Can you let me know if you see any problems with this list?? Anything I can improve?? Anything I don't need??

Frame, PDB, FC, Motors, ESCs

Extra XT60 Battery Connectors

Props

Standoffs

2mm Gold Bullet Connector

Cable/Zip Ties

DIY FPV Kit

Tx/Rx

Tx/Rx to USB Adapter

Drone Battery 1 (heavy) 2200mAh

Drone Battery 2 (light) 1800mAh

FPV battery 1500mAh

What's the cheapest way to be able to get voltage to show on my FPV setup?

-Would I be able to use this voltage checker/warning buzzer?

What about a cheap lost model buzzer/discovery buzzer?? Can I use a switch on my Tx to make the alarm sound??

Is it overkill to get 3 batteries total?? 2 for the drone (So I can keep flying when one is charging) and 1 for the FPV reciever/display?

Thanks for the help!!

trying to do the exact same thing! I'm thinking about using my phone as the googles in a cardboard setup. Here's my parts list, please critique!

transmitter tutorial http://flitetest.com/articles/diy-micro-5-8ghz-fpv
receiver tutorial http://copterwars.com/blog/?p=64#tutorials
frequency stuff http://blog.oscarliang.net/5-8ghz-frequency-bands-b-e-f-different-brand/
another tutorial http://blog.oscarliang.net/diy-micro-fpv-setup-vtx-camera-v2/

On the quad:

fpv transmitter | bangood | 12.99

fpv camera | bangood | 10.89

3 way DIP switch | optional

antenna | use wire?

On the ground: (with google cardboard + phone)

usb capture adapter | bangood | 6.59

micro usb adapter | amazon | 4.99

rca to rca coupler | amazon | 2.19

receiver | amazon | 17.14

power adapter | HK | 1.99

2S battery | HK | 5.04

2s battery charger | HK | 27.47

Battery cable | HK | 2.99

Costs:

HK total | 37.49

amazon total | 24.32

bangood total | 30.47


TOTAL | 92.28



This seems like a lot of money to drop for what seems like it will be a fairly janky set up. Will this even produce a good experience?