Newbie Build Thread... All Comments, Advices, Etc. are Welcome

[e.chipev]

Hi to all,
I';m new to all this RC so every help/advice will be more than welcome.
Thanks in advance.

So the plan is build quad and learn to operate it then upgrade it to hex or octo for aerial photography.

Parts list of what I have to the moment:
- SM450 V2 Airframe
- 4x4215(3507) 650KV motors
- SK-30A SimonK Firmware Multicopter Speed Controller ESC 30A
- 11x5" Carbon Fiber CW CCW Propellers / 13x6.5" Carbon Fiber CW CCW Propellers
- Some landing gear
- DX6i with AR6210 DSMX‎

Still need FC and battery..
I';m thinking to go for Naza FC due is easy to install and has great performance and 4s 5000mah battery.
Which brand batteries? Which Lipo charger, why?
Do I miss something?

Now to the actual problems which I have with the available parts:
- the big props /13.5 x 6.5/ are touching.. soo gay! (see photos)
Solution: - Bigger frame I guess?!..
- Prop adapters.. are just too cheap and they don';t fit like they should.(see photos)
Solution? don';t tell me to buy new, please.

Pics to come..

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[teslahed]

Still need FC and battery..
I';m thinking to go for Naza FC due is easy to install and has great performance and 4s 5000mah battery.
Which brand batteries? Which Lipo charger, why?
Do I miss something?

The NAZA is pretty much the best performing flight controller in it';s class. If you want smooth and stable flying for aerial photography and your budget stretches far enough, go NAZA. If you are flying with a big, expensive and heavy camera the NAZA is a very safe option.

Turnigy Nanotech batteries seem to work pretty well and are usually available from hobbyking';s UK warehouse for reasonable prices. If your motors are happy on 4 cells you';ll be able to find a bunch of different 4 cell nanotechs without too much trouble;

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__11957__Turnigy_nano_tech_5000mah_4S_45_90C_Lipo_Pack.html

Most of the cheaper lipo chargers are pretty much identical, just different branding, so pick one you like the look of. Some come with mains adapters built in and some run from 12 volts, so you either use a car battery / cigarette lighter or else have to buy a separate mains to 12 volt adapter to feed into them. I suspect you wont be using a car to charge your batteries most of the time so get one with the mains adapter built in for the sake of simplicity in this case;

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__6478__IMAX_B6_AC_Charger_Discharger_1_6_Cells_GENUINE_.html

If you look around you';ll see there are more expensive ones available as well. The difference tends to be the maximum charge current. The higher the charging current the faster you can charge large batteries, up to the maximum charging current a battery is rated for. The one i linked to is quite cheap but only charges at 5 amps which means it would take about an hour (or slightly longer) to charge up a 5000mah battery. Some are rated much higher but tend to require a separate (and powerful) mains to 12 volt charger - so it';s up to you how much you want to spend / how long you want to wait and if you want to use a separate mains adapter or not. Some of the expensive chargers can charge multiple batteries at the same time which could be handy if you want to be flying longer missions without having to spend all day recharging afterwards.

Now to the actual problems which I have with the available parts:
- the big props /13.5 x 6.5/ are touching.. soo gay! (see photos)
Solution: - Bigger frame I guess?!..
- Prop adapters.. are just too cheap and they don';t fit like they should.(see photos)
Solution? don';t tell me to buy new, please.

If your props are touching you need a larger frame, or smaller props. Smaller props may require different (higher KV) motors to get the best out of them otherwise you';ll see a reduction in power - but if you have chosen the props and motors specifically to carry the weight of a heavy camera this may not be a good option.

Do you have any better pics of the prop adapters? ';Bolt on'; style prop adapters work much better than the collet style that grip the motor shafts - less prone to falure and they tend to run smoother.

[Balders]

With low KV motors (I consider anything under 750kv as low) you';ll almost certainly want to go 4S.

5000mah packs are pretty hefty (I have 4), you will save a fair chunk of weight (100grams or so) going to 4000mah 4S (I have two of those).  I';m getting 9 min flight times with my naza hexa including gopro and gimbal.

Re the props, yeah the 13';s are going to be too large for that frame as you have found out.  The 11';s on 4S will have oodles of grunt.  I';ve built a naza hexa for a chap running 11x4.7';s, and the frame alone is 2.4kg';s and it';s got plenty of lift on 4S.

I think you best bet is either hang on to the 13';s until you get a larger frame, or sell them on.

I also use a Dx6i on my naza, it is a bit of a compromise due to it not have a 3 position switch and no analogue rotating pot (can be used for remote gain adjustment or gimbal tilt) but other than that it';s great as a starter radio.

[e.chipev]

Thanks for the replies, appreciate.
I';ll stick with the small props 11x5 and for the adaptors I';m gonna use 6mm nuts instead of original ';';head';';.
Detail photos of the adapters below.
I have a Mac right now and It';s something new/strange to me so.. if anyone has used Mac to setup Naza FC, please share if they are any problems (tip&tricks).


Just for the record.. now I notice that on one of the motors there is a missing part  not a big thing but still.( I';ll post a photo)
And only one of the prop adapters is quite Ok.. the rest three are really not looking right.

[e.chipev]

Update..
Naza FC has arrived! :)
Only the battery is still missing.

[Gaza07]

Looking good soon be test flight time I hope it all goes well for you 

[e.chipev]

hi all,
i have a problem with TX calibration in naza assistant and i need your help..  don';t know what settings i should use to set up correct DX6I (airplane/heli mod??!)
I bind the transmiter with the reciever but nothing more.. this is my first radio not much experience.
When I press START to calibrate and I start moving the sticks three of them are working fine but the one for the rudder /R/ is not responding at all and i get ERROR 8.
I';ll attach some images of what it shows.

Thanks in advance for your help and advices!

[e.chipev]

Short video of what is not working...

http://youtu.be/rGSMihswTX8

[e.chipev]

Finally I  got it all working and did a few take off followed by crashes! 
Big thanks to Shaktar who helped me to sort out the problem with the calibration..
Wind speed 21/32mph ..
I end up with some broken parts, missing screws and etc.

Throttle response was kinda slow - how to adjust it?

King Regards
Evgeni 

[shaktar]

Ouch, ate some dirt there.

Yeah you defo need some blue lockittight there, mine were coming louse when i first tested it in my room.

Attitude Gain will sort the Throttle response out try increasing it a bit.

[e.chipev]

http://youtu.be/lVuaXGn4OlE

no crashes today 
yaw is not working properly when I try to spin it left it woobbles when  I try right everything is fine...what is the problem faulty motor?!@#
At 2:36 to 2:55 I lost orientation and almost crash because of the yaw.

cheers 

[Tony Campbell]

I';m not sure what is causing your yaw wobble, not even sure its misbehaving. What I can see though, is one of two things. Either, you are stabbing at the sticks and giving short sharp stick movements, or, you have way too much stick authority. The first one, is something that I';ve seen in many people, when I';ve been teaching them fixed wing. Fortunately, that';s something that will come with experience as you learn. The same thing applies to any area of radio control. The second thing, if its that, is also easy to remedy. All you need to do, is to reduce control throw on the transmitter and/or introduce some expo. 25-40% will soften the stick centres nicely and help smooth things out.
Keep at it though, you';ll come along nicely. 

[e.chipev]

thanks Tony,
I did couple of changes to change this behavior, first I calibrated the esc';s then I did some changes in the gains and finally adjust the radio sticks the way that i feel more comfortable(air ratchet strip, stiffer throttle and all the rest of the sticks - soft).
It';s way more better but crashes still occur.
After this crash today I added DIY landing gear,
because motors are getting too much dirt/water when grounded 
After this they have to be open/disassemble in order to clean them very good before,
I can fly again.

Some shaky,crash at the end video..
http://youtu.be/Tm10ReiXafI

cheers 


edit: I did also imu calibration way more precise than before/tripod,level and etc./