Brians Hexacopter Build..

[teslahed]

To be honest I';m just plain worried about it all.

sorry to hear you';ve had a setback Brian.

I think you need more practice with a cheaper quad to get your confidence back up. I';d be scared flying something as large as you';ve built!

I would recommend a smaller and lighter quadcopter that you can build cheaply and then stick a KK2 on. Ask homer about what he';s done with the F330 frame - it';s like the 450 you are familiar with only a bit smaller, lighter, and cheaper;

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__28172__F330_Glass_Fiber_Mini_Quadcopter_Frame_330mm.html

fitted with small motors and 8 inch props you could build something very light and relatively cheap that you could throw around a grass field without worrying too much. You would build up your basic skills and confidence much faster this way - and you';ll find it an easy build, it';s just the same as what you';ve already had only smaller, lighter, cheaper and more maneuverable / fun.

If you want a nicer option (shameless self promotion warning!!!) you can always check out my mini Teslaquads;

http://www.multi-rotor.co.uk/index.php?topic=2102.msg16638#msg16638

The first batch is now available for sale. Almost indestructible (Almost!) when flown above long grass due to it';s light weight, small size and use of strong materials. Ideal for learning how to actually well with fly before you try flying anything more serious. 5 inch props and 2200kv motors don';t make for an efficient camera platform but it';s very practical for simple fun and stunt flying.

[Gaza07]

Sounds like good advice to me or even rebuild your 450 and start again 

Shaktar has the same hex as you heres a pic of the way he mounted his props Im sure shaktar will help you if needed  ~

[Brian]

Ok, update time...

I have just taken delivery of 6 30a ESC';s from Unmanned Tech they are the normal kind so I';ll have to thingy them cant think of the word c-something, anyway I';ll be taking the hex apart sometime this week and jamming the new ESC';s in... then doing the c-thingy?? (Come on brain hurry up!!)

Have fun all,
Brian :)

[Brian]

AHHHHGGGHHH!!!! Calibrate!! That';s the bunny!!

Brian :)

[Balders]

Castrate?

[Brian]

Back in the saddle again! I have swapped out my ESC';s and calibrated them, and sorted motor polarity so they are all turning the right way, and connected everything up. Now I just need to sort out the Naza and TX settings, and get testing etc...

I will be doing this on Saturday afternoon on a live stream, I';ll pop the link into the chat room when I go live.

There may be cake too! :)

Brian

[ChrisH]

I will be doing this on Saturday afternoon on a live stream, I';ll pop the link into the chat room when I go live.
Brian

Don';t think a stream is a good place to test a multi? 

[Brian]

lol!!

I may have to reschedule my live stream due to my Gran inviting me over for tea and tiffin!! There';s gonna be cake!! :)

This evening ish... about 1800, and I';ll pop into chat to let everyone know and post the link.

Brian

[Brian]

I';m finally there, the only thing left to do is test fly and final adjustments!!

Hexcopter Test

Brian

[Brian]

All sorted now!!









I have changed the position of the gimbal, so that the batteries are now central, and have made one of my knobs control the pitch of the gimbal (very chuffed about that bit!) I just need to test fly on a day where I';m not working, and there is no wind about.

Brian

[Balders]

Looking good Brian, but haven';t you got the undercarriage on upside down?  (newbies may not get that comment)

[Brian]

Good point mate, I';m thinking of adding a roll cage!!

Brian

[Brian]

Another minor setback! I have had a slight problem with two of my motors stuttering, so I checked all connections, did a wee bit of re soldering, and re calibrated the questionable ESC';s. The stuttering didn';t happen again when I calibrated, so I have connected everything up again, and now the Naza is stuck in Failsafe mode. I cant remember how to get it off Failsafe mode, although I do remember that Balders helped me last time, and it was a simple fix!

I am desperate to get the beast flying soon, and I';m sort of relying on it. I am actually going to start my own Aerial Photography business on the Isle of Wight with the hex as my starting frame. I already have several customers waiting for me to get my BNUC-S (or "Be-Nukes" as I call it!) Including a children';s adventure charity, and one customer who wants me to survey the local wind turbines!

So, please please please help me with my naughty Naza, so I can be my own boss!! (I';ll probably have to fire myself 3 times a year to feel like I';m working!!)

Brian :)

P.S. The problem is that the Naza is stuck in Failsafe mode when attached to the PC, all stick movements are picked up in the assistant but the three way switch does not show any movement, and also my "pit trim" knob does not move my gimbal any more. Its on a Turnigy 9X, with the FrSky module mod. All worked properly before, when it was fixed last time, but I cant remember how!! Stupid brain!

Thanks again all :)

[Brian]

Its alive! !!

http://youtu.be/lNdriLzoDPs

Brian :)

[Calomile]

Nice Brian, looks steady as a rock! Now get some nice shots!

[Brian]

Things to do...

1. sort out weight distribution.
2. lower gains.
3 raise idle speed.
4. sort gimble centre.
5. properly fix gimbal to hex without using cable ties!

Going home today, back to a proper PC and internet etc. I';ll upload my footage tonight, and sort out the above list tomorrow after I';ve emptied the doggy. Should fly again early to mid next week. I also have a list of things to do with the Job centre and the self employment guy. I may be able to get the Benukes done through the job centre which would save me a load of wonga better spent on a ****** hot gimbal!

Brian :)

[Brian]

Video!!

New Hexcopter Testing

Brian :)

[Brian]

Latest video, an admittedly boring 15 minute test flight where nothing interesting happens at all. Well, apart from a wee happy dance...

15 minute Hexcopter flight test

Brian

[Brian]

Hex Update... And its not very good today

As many of you know I have changed my ESC';s over to Afro 30A ESC';s. I fitted them and calibrated them, along with re calibrating the Naza and GPS compass. I went to fly the Hex yesterday and the thing spun up ok with no stuttering or anything, however when I went to take off the hex tried to flip over on one side every time. I cycled the power a load of times but with the same result. I eventually thought to look at the ESC';s and they all had red lights on instead of a nice green light. Whats going on here?

Do I recalibrate? Is there a special way to calibrate Afro';s? When I calibrated them I get the green lights and happy tones.

Just thought of another thing - I think when I calibrated them I hadn';t sorted out motor direction, I then changed the cables round to get the right direction, is that it?

Would adding a servo extension lead to two of the ESC';s change the output of those particular ESC';s, or would I have to add the same extension to all the other ESC leads to get the same even result out of all? (One lead is a wee bit tight - just fits with a bit of stretching.)

Oh, and do I have the right ESC';s for the job?

Set-up:
Motors - HP4215 630KV RCTimer http://www.rctimer.com/catalog_217_2.html
ESC - Afro 30 Amp http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__39708__Afro_ESC_30Amp_Multi_rotor_Motor_Speed_Controller_SimonK_Firmware_.html
Batts - 4S 5000Mah x2 in parallel
FC - DJI Naza/GPS

Starting to lose my hair now (lol, any excuse for my male pattern baldness!!!)

Please help,  I actually am getting a bit threaders here...
Brian

[teslahed]

Please help,  I actually am getting a bit threaders here...
Brian

I wish i could help. The only suggestion i have is that i have heard reports of the afroESCs being a bit iffy with certain motor combinations. It might be worth reading through the whole rcgroups afroESC thread and possibly considering trying different ESCs if you really can';t work it out.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1948974

Oh, and do I have the right ESC';s for the job?

They look fine from the specs.

[Brian]

Thanks mate, looks like its the 22 pole motors that the Afro seems to have a problem with. I';m going to have to get some more ESC';s

I think I';ll go for some more RCTimer SK ones.

Brian

[teslahed]

I bet if you put the afro ESCs up on ebay or the forum they will sell. They work very well with some (most?) motor combinations, just not yours apparently

The other option is to ask one of the programmers over on rcgroups in the afroESC thread if there are alternative firmwares or firmware settings you can flash the AfroESCs with to make them work with 22 pole motors. It might be possible to get them going.

[Brian]

I';ll keep hold of them, I';m planning another 450 sized build some time soonish.

Brian

[teslahed]

Good to hear you';ll get some use out of them then

[Brian]

I'm back!! And I'm rebuilding the old HEX! And I cant remember a thing about the Naza, the reciever, the ESC's, the motors, well... Here goes a bit of relearning!!

Brian's Bodgit Builds...

[LuMan]

Back after a 6.5 year gap? Brilliant! 

My first build was a 550 of a very similar design to your 450. It suffered a terminal power failure while I was testing a new gimbal and plummeted to its doom a year or so ago. The main hub was split and that also doubles as the PDB, so I sacked it off and used the salvageable part on a Sky Hero Little Six build. I actually got it to 'test flight' phase before we started to move house, so it's still not got airborne yet!

I have got a build thread here somewhere... 

But here it is in the 'test' set up. Barebones, cheapo props and no camera kit.


Once I'm happy that the FC and GPS kit is all still working OK (ground tests all positive) I'll start making it proper, with decent CF props and 3 cameras.

Now lockdown seems to be loosening a bit I may get to the field, so I need to finish this, my 130mm FPV rig, T-10 plank and modded Lidl chucker!!   

Looking forward to seeing how you get on with your rebuild. 

[Brian]

Well, I have the frame, motors, ESCs, all together. I've modded another tupperware box for all the leccy gubbins, and I have separated my chair from the floor (slight superglue accident with one of the landing legs..) Now I have to hunt for my Naza's GPS - it's in a box somewhere.. 

Thanks for the welcome :) And that carbon frame looks sexy!

[Ern Stock]

Stroll on !
I've just had a long year away from multirotors ( think we allowed to call them drones now !) and struggled a bit with the tech - but 6+ years !?
As has been said , welcome back !!!
 

[Brian]

Dust...


No dust...

[Brian]