FPV Racing / quadcopter flying

[Robert Longbottom]

Hi all,

I know a few people have expressed an interest in FPV racing and a group has just started who are looking to setup regular meets.  I went to their first meet a couple of weeks ago which was interesting.  A number of people had mini-quads with FPV kit and there were a few larger multirotor machines there as well including a DJI S1000 carrying a Canon 5D which was pretty impressive, but also a bit scary!  They seem like a friendly bunch, a mix of flying skills with some beginners and some more experienced people who have been fpv-ing for a while.  There was also one guy flying a plane and there were a couple of helis there that didn't fly.

Anyway, next meeting is on Sunday, the location is just down past Calne near Bowood House.  Sign up on the meetup group and contact the organiser Phil for directions if you're interested.

North Wilts Drone Club - http://www.meetup.com/nwdroneclub/events/219119209/

Same as last time guys but lets co-ordinate some flying at the same time around a course!? I've been trying the tree's and its challenging to say the least! especially since my camera blacks out when i head into the sun!
Any other stuff is welcome still, I'm sure Peter will be keen to have someone operate his camera for him on his S1000 and I have now fixed my little single rotor collective pitch which is entertaining to watch!
The more the merrier! We can spread out around the various fields!

Cheers,

Rob.

[Gyrobot]

Coincidently the quad police and Daily Mail readers are starting to scaremonger and flex their rulebook muscles. WE MUST HAVE RULES, BAN THEM ALL!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30387107

[Robert Longbottom]

Ah yes, I read that earlier.  Sad really that some Muppet who must have no common sense and decides to fly near Heathrow will eventually spoil the fun for the rest of us!

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[Damian Axford]

typical - ah well...  that meet up/group sounds good, but probably won't be able to make it until the new year...  

[Robert Longbottom]

We'll have to have another Hackspace flying meet in Swindon in the new year too.  I've been waiting for warmer weather to suggest something to be honest.  The last couple of times I've been anywhere to fly recently I've pretty much frozen to death!

On 10 December 2014 14:28:41 Damian Axford <dam...@axford.me.uk> wrote:

typical - ah well...  that meet up/group sounds good, but probably won't be able to make it until the new year...  

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[Jamie Osborne]

Anybody have a spare that I can join in and try out with (I'm sure I can't go too badly wrong in such a wide open space!)? :)

Jamie

[Malcolm Pett]

Sorry Jamie only the one...but if you want to come along then I can give you a lift.

On Tuesday, 9 December 2014 09:07:49 UTC, Robert Longbottom wrote:

[Robert Longbottom]

One of the guys there was letting people fly his Dji Phantom last time; they are fairly easy to fly thanks to GPS and lots of onboard tech.  Though I think they had flown other things before as well, so weren't complete newbies.

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[jmeosbn .]

Thanks Mal, I'd be interested in coming along and having a go - but don't fancy standing in the cold and wind too long without something to occupy me!

Saturday looks to be best for the weather at the moment - no rain, and wind predicted no more than 10 km/h.  Sunday's supposed to be a couple of degrees warmer, but with winds around 25 km/h (and perhaps a bit of light rain).

How long did you stay out for last time?

Jamie Osborne

[Malcolm Pett]

I didn't go last time so Rob will have to answer that but you are right it will probably be a little cold but thinking about it we are meeting at 1.00 and it gets dark by 4.00 so we will only be there 3 hrs probably at most.

Mal

[Malcolm Pett]

Oh and you can have a fly of mine.

[jmeosbn .]

Ah cool! And I should manage 3hrs - count me in! :)

Jamie Osborne

[Robert Longbottom]

Yeah I think it was starting to get dark last time, so 2-3hrs until everyone headed off.

See you there.

[Malcolm Pett]

Ok Shall I pick you up at Gorse Hill behind the super market at about 11.45?

[Jamie Osborne]

That'd be great - is this tomorrow with the Calne group?

Jamie

[Malcolm Pett]

Yep

[Jamie Osborne]

Cool, see you tomorrow!

Jamie

> On 13 Dec 2014, at 19:06, Malcolm Pett <mal...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Yep

[jmeosbn .]

I don't think anyone else took photos so I'll post a few (albeit, bad quality) photos here. I may post them to flickr later.  

We had a great time on Sunday and the location is perfect with a few wide open spaces and friendly hosts.

Here's the main space, with a nice soft patch of dry grass to dump into - though it doesn't help if you crash into the wall - sorry Mal! (it was later in the day at least!)

And here's the orchard, where there is both a clear area, and an area with trees for FPV flying where you can try out your woodland racing skills (Imperial speeder style).  The photo shows an Octocopter mounted with an (independently controlled) Canon 5D that was buzzing us from the adjacent field.

Jamie Osborne

[Robert Longbottom]

Nice pictures.  I completely forgot to take any this time, I was too busy changing props!  Flying fpv with a screen is hard...

The big octo is a DJI S1000 and he has one rc receiver for the pilot and one for the camera operator to control the gimbal, plus a couple of screens on tripods for the live video feeds from the pilots camera and from the Canon 5D.  Nice piece of kit.

[jmeosbn .]

Yes, I think that's what both you and Mal are doing in that photo!

I meant to have a closer look at the octo - and the photo doesn't do it's size justice! I totally missed that there were screens for the live feed that I could check out! :/

Jamie Osborne

[Robert Longbottom]

Ha ha, yes probably.

I might have posted this before, this is it from the time before, still doesn't really do it justice, and one of its screens:

[Malcolm Pett]

Hi All

For those flying mini quads I just bought these off ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GemFan-5x3-5030-X16-8-Pairs-Miniature-Props-CW-CCW-250-Miniquad-Quadcopter-QAV-/171568755563?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item27f24b736b

£9.95

8 pairs I thought that was a good deal and in the uk.

Mal

On Tuesday, 9 December 2014 09:07:49 UTC, Robert Longbottom wrote:

[Robert Longbottom]

That's funny, I've just ordered the same set last night!  Only slightly more expensive than Hobbyking, but you don't have to wait for delivery (hopefully)

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[Damian Axford]

good find... I went for these, very cheap albeit shipping from China:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161514519151?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Robert Longbottom]

Ooh, are you building a mini quad? :-)

On 18 December 2014 09:33:57 Damian Axford <dam...@axford.me.uk> wrote:

good find... I went for these, very cheap albeit shipping from China:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161514519151?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

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[Malcolm Pett]

Thats weird that wasn't the correct link but I haven't see that page.

Try this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171568755563?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

If not search for

GemFan 5x3 5030 X16 8 Pairs Miniature Props CW CCW 250 Miniquad Quadcopter QAV

Mal

On Tuesday, 9 December 2014 09:07:49 UTC, Robert Longbottom wrote:

[Damian Axford]

bought them for the kids for xmas...  planning something like this for xmas day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=morwLhy_k3E

[Gyrobot]

Now this is a good idea :

 

http://youtu.be/TIpqxsVDgVs

http://www.flyability.com/

 

 And perfect for "Drone Wars" like an aerial version of Zorb Football.

[Robert Longbottom]

Nice, I'd quite like to try and build a single-copter, though that one looks like a dual.

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[Damian Axford]

awesome looking tiltrotor quad:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2125431

looks very buildable....  or should I say printable :)

[Robert Longbottom]

That's weird when he's adjusting the tilt angle in flight.  Looks pretty cool. 

Too many copters to build already :-)

[Damian Axford]

doodled some sketches of a 250 sized tilt-rotor system over afternoon coffee.... hmm, would be cool :)

[Damian Axford]

did a quick sketch layout in OpenSCAD for a tilt-rotor mini quad...  it's a little bigger than 250, more like 275, but the important thing is that all the necessary bits fit - just.  That is, without wires - the wires could be a problem.

Anyhoo - for the sake of some printed bits and a couple of carbon tubes, it's gotta be worth a try :)    It's either this, or a Hovership MHQ2 ...

Ordered bits for a mini quad at the weekend - hence the sudden interest.  It's copter month!

Parts list:

• Naze32 Acro
• 4x Turnigy Elite Multistar 2204 2300Kv motors with 5030 props
• 4x Plush 18A ESCs
• 3S 3350 mAh lipo
• WFly 7-channel receiver
• Board camera (TBC)
• Video Tx (TBC)
• Neopixel ring (to look like some sort of jet/rocket engine)

[Robert Longbottom]

Are you going to have the tilting flight controller like in that link? That will be interesting :-)

Why the Naze32 Acro rather than any other flight controller?

[Damian Axford]

yep - that's the current plan...  saves having to do tilt compensation/mixing in s/w.  Although, it's a bit of a hack, it seems to work well.

Naze32:  

• Small (APM2.5 is too big for this design)
• Cheap (£17!!!)
• well reviewed... seems to perform very well

[Robert Longbottom]

Yeah, I started reading a few Naze vs nnn threads and people seem to think its quite good, though no one really gave any concrete reasons why.  But for £17 it can't be bad!

[Damian Axford]

The reason it's so cheap is the Acro version doesn't have the barometer or magnetometer... It's purely for acrobatic quads! Which also means I'm going to have to get better at flying rather quickly :)

[Robert Longbottom]

Well if you can fly the hubsan okay and the APM in stabilise it shouldn't
be any harder than those. Unless of course you are planing on flying rate
mode. That's always fun!! I need to get better at that.

[Damian Axford]

refined the design a little, more compact layout - less height: