APM2.5 and GPS or Naza lite and GPS

[davethepitch]

Hello all

I am having some problems deciding which of these flight controllers to purchase and all i want is something simple to setup.

I know the APM2.5 and GPS is expandable and i think that the firmware and any adjustments can be made in Mission Planner.

Also i am sure the Naza lite and GPS is not expandable but all i want to do is use my DX6i and be able to switch between Attitude mode (which is altitude hold and loiter using the GPS) and manual mode.

I just do not know which system to go for and i am not sure how the APM 2.5 board gets its power from.

One very undecided person. 

Dave

[nub]

i quite like the APM2.5 though i have no experience of it think it would be powered by a BEC of some sort.

some info in the link below.

http://code.google.com/p/arducopter/wiki/APM2board

[Hands0n]

I';ve no direct experience of either, and new to the game, so for what it';s worth,  ::)  but I do know that the Naza is eye-wateringly expensive by comparison with other FCs.    I have an APM2.5 that I';m assembling, they can be had fully assembled and cased too.

Power can be from an ESC or a BEC

I';ve played with mine on the table top using Mission Planner. Updating the firmware was a piece of cake, literally a single click of a button. Nothing more fancy.

From all the videos I';ve seen on YouTube, especially those of Flite Test and Steve (forget his surname) who builds multirotors for people, show that the APM is no less capable than the Naza.  Certainly with the new V3 firmware if what I read here and elsewhere is correct.

So my vote would be for the APM2.5, for the sake of lower cost and firmware.

[jimmyhorns]

Im very new to this multirotor stuff.

I set up my hex with APM2.5 (well the HK clone) and neo 6m GPS. It couldnt have been more straightforward, other than just plugging it in and it working.

Minimal setup was required on the mission planner setup.

Im pretty good with helis so rc isnt new to me, nor is setting up transmitters e.t.c. but I found this way more straightforward than I thought it would be.

Flight controller and gps for around £70  I think.... delivered.... (though you will need to order a case if you get the HK clone and there dont seem to be any about....

[teslahed]

all i want is something simple to setup.

Get the DJI naza if you want it to be simple to setup. There is no contest.

You';ll get the apm flying no doubt but to get the best out of it you';ll spend a lot more time PID tuning than you would with the naza.

If you said you really cared about waypoints - that would be different...

Here';s the APM2.5 manual; http://www.multi-rotor.co.uk/index.php?topic=676.0

Here';s the DJI naza manual; http://download.dji-innovations.com/downloads/naza/en/NM_User_Manual_v2.7_en.pdf

You could have a look over both if you want to get an idea of the relative complexity.

[KK1W]

I own both and started with the APM.

Like I said before if you want to learn to fly the Naza is the best route. If you like tinkering with software, look forward to flying waypoints, using telemetry and Mission Planner software than the APM is the better choice. The difference in price isn';t enough anymore to make the APM the clear choice.

I am no expert for sure, I';ve only been flying since January. The APM gives you more bang for your $$$ but the Naza just works. The out of the box stability of the Naza is excellent. With the new, much more competitively priced Naza M lite the choice becomes a bit more difficult. That being said if I had to start all over again I would choose the Naza as my first flight controller. There is no substitute for flying experience and you';ll do more flying with the Naza.

Believe me, the APM is cool, lots of features the Naza doesn';t have and it is approaching the stability of the Naza. OTOH the Naza ';just works'; and does it well.

Best of luck with your decision,

Jim

[dazza22]

hi
like others have already said go for the naza to learn .
but at the same time be saving your pennies for the APM ,so once
you have got the knack of flying your ready to move to the next stage.

I get more joy from my APM due to the extra time you need to put in to achive
Auto waypoint , adding all the bells and whistle and getting them to work etc.

short answer they both great !

[Marty McFly]

Hello,I have both the Naza is very nice to fly and a great platform to learn to fly on very smoot and stable and with the GPs has some great features,The APM in my opinion is ace so many features,but does take a little bit of tinkering to get just right,its your call really both are very good,maybe Naza first then proceed to the APM.yours Marty. :scotland:

[davethepitch]

Thank you to everyone for your help and i am now sure i am going to have a Naza lite & GPS combo if i can get one as everywhere is out of stock.

Being as i have a TBS style frame i would have needed to set the APM 2.5 to V mode and not X mode but i am not sure if the same applies to a Naza system.

As long as a Naza system will work with my Rctimer 20 amp ESC';s flashed with simonK firmware and my Rctimer HP2212-1000Kv motors as i see that the Naza output is 400Hz so i hope my ESC';s and motors are up to the job. 

Also am i correct in thinking that i can take the power for the Naza from my power distribution board that my ESC';s are soldered to and it will be fine to solder the Versatile Unit (VU) to the power distribution board.

I only want to switch between Attitude mode which i am sure is similar to (altitude hold and loiter) and Manual mode (manual flying) so i hope my DX6i transmitter GEAR switch would allow me to switch between these two modes. 

If all the above would work fine then i will go a head and purchase the Naza lite & GPS system.

Thanks Dave