Neagron & Jump07's Great build off, Reptile Frame + APM 2.5

[Jumpy07]

Mine will have the following:
APM 2.5
Skywalker Quattro ESC 20a
Mystery 2212/13 motors
9x4.7 Props
FrSky Telemetry D8R-XP
Will also have FPV gear onboard

Let the build begin :-)

[Jumpy07]

Have mounted the motors on the arms.. the Dji arms have two holes at one spacing.. and the other two at a different spacing for their motors.. the clones on the Reptile are the same..  neither holes line up with my Mystery motors.. so had to do a bit of fettling...  have only used two bolts on each motor.. with some lockthread..

The Skywalker Quattro ESC is big and square.. so have mounted it between the plates..   not sure yet where I will be fitting the APM 2.5.. probably in a case on the top plate.. would prefer between the plates .. but will make it too close to the ESC....  also need to figure out the CG.. which I think will be quite far back..

Props were on the motors.. need to take them off..  color scheme is a bit garish lol.. ordered some spare arms in black.. so might go for a red and black color scheme..

I like Spider frames as they get the props out of the way..  this will be an FPV frame.. and likely to be the one I use the most..     the front of the frame has a mount for a board camera and a gopro (non gimbal)

[neagron]

Im still waiting on my Reptile,hopefully here monday,

       my motors are the rctimer';s 2212-1000kv
       APM 2.5
       rc timer 30 amp speedo';s simon K

      Will start when it arrives,Marty. :scotland:
       
                             

[Jumpy07]

Im still waiting on my Reptile,hopefully here monday,
       my motors are the rctimer';s 2212-1000kv
       APM 2.5
       rc timer 30 amp speedo';s simon K

      Will start when it arrives,Marty. :scotland:                                   

Marty,  same motors I am using.. 2212/13 Mystery 1000kv.. gonna run 9x4.7 props..   just ordered some more Rctimer carbon props for it...  was really impressed with the 10s on my HAL.

The Skywalker Quattro I am using has a silabs chip.. so cant flash simonk unfortunately.. but its not too bad.. used it before on  my last Spider frame.

You will be itching to get started now..

Craig

[neagron]

Yes cant wait to get started,may need some help with APM,but i will take my time to get it right,is the reptile frame good,Marty. :scotland:

p/s read some here you can simon K tha speedo

[Gaza07]

Looking good Craig most of the motors I have used have holes on 2 pitch circle diameters and would fit the rctimer frames no problem but, I also tend to only use 2 screw to hold the motors on and ive never had any problems doing that way, I dont bother with thread locker either 

[Jumpy07]

Cheers Gary.. used pan head stainless bolts with threadlock.. so should be fine with two bolts..

Have decided to fit FC on top plate.. so ordered one of the new cases for the APM from BYOD...  also ordered another Ultrasonic and the new APM Power unit..    most of it out of stock.. so might be a while before I can finish this one..  will mount the Ultrasonic on one of the arms.

Removed the props to make way for carbon props on their way from Rctimer.. (notice front props on wrong way round in pic...before someone points it out lol). Had to change one of the motors.. noticed bent shaft...

Thats all the bits ordered to complete now.. .. it all mounts up phew..  this will give me two complete FPV setups in the hanger..

I know its not a TBS frame.. but will look like one when its finished..   :-)

[neagron]

My reptile frame arrived,so now can get started,got a couple of decissions to make,Marty.

[neagron]

The 433 arrived today just need to get my own lap top working,Marty. :scotland:

[Jumpy07]

Still waiting on RX.. so slow progress.. 

Mounted the Ultrasonic on one of the arms.. just cable tied..  this is the high performance Maxbotix for the APM ..



ImmersionRx Tx mounted on another arm..  with Spiro antenna facing down..



The Skywalker Quattro ESC is in between the plates .. so don';t want anything too close.. but have mounted the MinimOSD on some Velcro underneath the top plate..




Neo 6 V2 GPS mounted on one of the other arms.. not pretty but functional.. I know it would be better on a standoff with a bit of height.. but trying to keep the whole frame low profile..



So not huge progress I am afraid..

[Gaza07]

Looking good 

[Jumpy07]

Cheers Gary.. getting hacked off waiting for bits though.. so start stop..

Kinda boring to most I know.. but someone might get some inspiration and ideas.. hint hint Marty.. wheres your pics ?   lol

[neagron]

Untill i get my own lap top back kind of at a stand still,but yours is looking good Craig,Marty. :scotland:

[Jumpy07]

Fitted APM to its nice new case..  mounted it in what I think is the CG..  also soldered bullets onto the APM power module for my Batts..    still waiting on RX from China..

While I have been waiting made up a simple RC circuit to convert the PWM Rssi output from the FrSky RX direct to the APM A8 Rssi input pin

433Mhz 3DR Radios for telemetry also fitted now..

[Jumpy07]

Waiting on some gopro mounts.. but have just mounted the gopro  on some foam with some cable ties (with safety fishing gut as back up lol).

Still tail end heavy... but can trim it out now.. been weaking Arducopter pids and its pretty stable now...   ALT hold it flies away.. so some more work to do yet.. 

Still waiting on my Rctimer carbon props.. which seem to be taking a long while.. hate the orange props in it at the mo..

[neagron]

l,martyooking really good Craig

[Gaza07]

+1 looks great Craig look forward to a test flight video 

[Jumpy07]

Now sporting Carbon props..

[mickyt]

very nicely put together  well done that man 

[Jumpy07]

Got my ESC';s programmed, with SimonK,  decided to use a small harness with bullets so that I can remove parts easily... normally just solder  them.. still waiting on some silicon cable coming to extend the cables to the motors so cant fit them yet..

[Jumpy07]

Have now replaced the Skywalker Quattro all in one ESC with the four SimonK Flashed F30a HK ESC';s.

As I had it in bits, have relocated some bits and pieces.. GPS is now on two stand-offs above APM FC, also moved 3DR Radios to rear above battery, and video tx is now located in between the two plates.

Also moved the ultrasonic underneath.. made a small bracket up to hold it slightly recessed so it doesent get damaged.

I have also swapped over top and bottom plates so that GoPro lens is now in centre (I had it the other way for my old camera)

Calibrated ESC';s and had a quick flight... lot more responsive to the throttle now..

[Gaza07]

Looks very good ive mounted my gps on two pillars to 

[rickp]

Can we get a gimbal on the front of these frames?

[Jumpy07]

You could .. buts its not ideal... search Fleabay for GoPro Gimbal...

[TBC15]

I'm busy assembling what appears to be a near identical frame with an integral gimbal on the front.

[TBC15]

What type of mounting are people using for the APM 2.5?

[firey1]

I have mine mounted on an old 450 heli blade holder made out of neoprene seems to be working good
mine is an alien X  they have a different front to the reptile

[TBC15]

Centre of gravity for the build. Draw lines across the motors and x marks the spot? Or is there more to it? Once established what part of the APM 2.5 needs to be on the C of G?

[j45on]

Centre of gravity for the build. Draw lines across the motors and x marks the spot? Or is there more to it? Once established what part of the APM 2.5 needs to be on the C of G?

Info for a discovery so same shape
http://fpvlab.com/forums/showthread.php?12404-TBS-Discovery-CoT-and-CoG-diagram

[TBC15]

Thanks for that. So should the part of the board that has the gyro bit on it be on the C of G or C of T. Still not sure which bit of the APM 2.5 is the gyro.