How hard can it be?

[Bad Raven]

This is a story about making a quad, make of it what you will!

I decided to make a 85mm ducted prop Quad for garden/sports hall use.

I had some high kV 8.5mm brushed motors, an AIO Camera Combo, and a D16 BeeCore with OSD FC kicking around.  OK, cheapskate deal then.

I sorted out a modded 3D print frame, printed it in clear and printed some flex motor covers/feet to protect the vulnerable motor end cap and wiring. I also 3D printed a canopy cover.

I had some spare E010/E011 frame centres where the ducts had been cut off to be used for Whoovers, so that enabled the "beyond my 3D designers pay grade" production of a mounting to which the FC, AIO, and canopy cover could be screw fitted for mtnce, and which fitted inside the frame ducts well.

Printed the parts and tested the frame for breakage/flex, all OK.

Great, on to the assembly!

With a socket fitted FC and plug fitted motors, only the wiring to/from the AIO and a power feed needed soldering, easy!

I decided to make this one "props out" to explore for myself the pros/cons, having read a lot of conflicting info/opinion. Being plug connect, soon swapped back if no good.

Mechanically it all went together, but I hit the first snag when I realised that the only props I had (ALL the many props I had!) did not fully fill the ducts.  Went to order, found some idela ones.............. Backorder!!   

Then in Betaflight, I could not work out why no RSSI telemetry. Took me a while to remember that OpenTX with normal receivers often needs the telemetry sensors "finding", and for some reason this FC would not work without that, unlike ALL other Bee FC's I own so far which worked straight away and lulled me into a false sense of security. 

I fitted the nearest size props, and it flew OK, if lacking expected punch (those small props).

The following day, I went to fly it in a hall, and it struggled to get airborne at all, with several batteries that all went on to fly a 100mm same 8.5 motored quad quite OK. 

I put it to one side, awaiting props.  These came this evening (my local friendly Romanian), so were fitted. At the first attempt to fly, it was flipping over all directions. Now, I hear you all screaming twit, the props are on wrong (remember that choice of reversed direction?  He's forgotten, the old twerp).....well, no.........

Err......... WTF?

After a few thoughts, reboots, inspections, etc, holding it while running throttle (plenty of power but seemed wrong levels of thrusts on roll and pitch control, I changed the battery.

Solved. But it wasn't flagging low battery, it wasn't exhibiting lack of power. Booted wrong?

Went back to first battery, back to flipping, back again, OK. Repeat to be sure, def the battery. The iffy battery looks OK on a meter voltage wise, and its giving power to flip it violently, so how?? AND it flew the 100mm one tonight OK, too.

Have now run two other batteries through it flying around the house and its perfect and the duration does not lead to thoughts of a greater need for current.

At least now the props fit the ducts and thrust is good.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring? (other than a repeat visit by a plumber to get a new cistern working without leaking and overflowing, not a good week so far!!)

[ched]

That is a bit wacky. Can't really see any even illogical reason for flipping on one specific battery!!!

Bad week here too. PC stuck on installing updates. HD failing I thought, so ordered new one. Cloned disk all OK and can now login. Disable windows updates till I check no weird ones causing issues. Rebooted and it's stuck again!!!!!!! So looks like HD was not failing!!!!
Well at least it prompted me to get a 4TB external drive and take drive images of other machine!!!