Discussions

Building my first hexacopter

Posted by Kate on June 2, 2014 at 11:47am

Hi everyone,

I'm new to these sort of projects, and I'm trying to prepare all the components I need to build a hexacopter. I'm looking to buy the jD-Simplex Hexa (RTF) from jDrones, with the upgraded motors, ESCs, and the 12x45 props. I'm also planning on purchasing the radio set with it. However, I'm in a dilemma about the battery I should get and what the flight time will be. I've read almost everything I can about how to select a battery and how to calculate the flight time.

With the upgraded motors and ESCs, I'm thinking I need a 8000 mAh 3S1P 30C battery, because 8 Ah * 30C = 240 A, and the ESCs run on 30 A (so 30*6=180). Can someone clarify this selection for me?

Also, if I calculated correctly, this copter at 75% throttle will have about 4.5 minutes of flight (with the 8000 mAh battery). Does anyone that has experience with this drone have a longer flight time than that?

Thanks so much,

Kate

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hexa, battery, flight, jd-simplex, new, time

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Replies

- - Kate > Gary Mortimer June 5, 2014 at 7:04am
    
    Thank you, I'll look into it!!
Ye Wang June 5, 2014 at 2:19am

for 1245 props, you can use 4s battery to increase endurance
- Kate > Ye Wang June 5, 2014 at 6:59am
  
  Sounds awesome, I'll look into it. Thanks, Ye!
Will Snodgrass June 4, 2014 at 11:03pm

Most of use 3S Batteries for almost everything. Also a quadcopter Easily carries a GoPro with a 4000 to 5000 MAH battery for 15-25 minutes with 10" (1045) props.
- Kate > Will Snodgrass June 5, 2014 at 6:41am
  
  Good to know. I'm getting a lot more encouragement towards buying a quad than a hexa. Thanks!
Felixrising June 4, 2014 at 9:23pm

Hi,

Are you completely new to multi-rotor craft? Have you flown any kind of rc helicopter before? If you are new, just a word to the wise. Build something smaller and cheaper to cut your teeth on. It's amazing how easy it is to crash on your first flight, all it takes is a bit of mis tuning, mis configuration, a small mistake somewhere, an unexpected component failure, inexperience with helicopter/multi-rotor flight.. and your $900+ hexa would turn into a very expensive bonfire on the ground. I absolutely don't want to discourage you, but do consider a smaller much cheaper build to make your first experiences on. You can get a multi-rotor in the air for less than $100 (excluding flight controller/GPS and remote) and make some great learning experiences without the pain of seeing that beauty come crashing down.

All this assumes you are truly new to the hobby and I don't mean to patronise. Anyway, enjoy and good luck, you're in for what can be a very fun and rewarding learning experience.
- Kate > Felixrising June 5, 2014 at 6:39am
  
  Felixrising,
  
  I appreciate your concern as I am new to copters in general. However, I'm an intern at the company I work for and this is my summer project, and my mentors prefer a hexa right now. I'm probably going to ask them to buy me a small quad with a lot of durability first to practice with before trying to fly the hexa. Although, I am hearing a lot about how quads are generally more efficient than hexas, so I might try talking them into that instead.
  
  Thanks for the advice!
- Will Snodgrass > Felixrising June 4, 2014 at 11:13pm
  
  Also in regrads to Felixrising , you really cant fly a multirotor without an APM or Pixhawk (better) in the loop. Unlike a helicopter or plane, you really are using a fly by wire or your not going to be able to keep it in the air. If you just order one of there prebuilt or kit quads or hexes from 3DR or Jdrones there going to already be setup for that craft. If its your first time thats really the best way to go. I personally recommend a Pixhawk quad from 3DR for what your looking to do, since thats the platform its tuned for by default. I personally use the APM, but thats only because it's what we had at the time. The Pixhawk is more plug and play and more advanced, so if you dpnt mind spending $600 for Everything its really the way to go. Plus it will get you in the air faster then most other routes. Good Luck! (btw, you totally look like "root" from person of interest.(and fred from Angel)
  - Kate > Will Snodgrass June 5, 2014 at 6:58am
    
    Will,
    
    Getting the jDrones hex RTF is pretty much my plan, thanks for letting me know that it's a pretty solid path for my first time. I looked into the Pixhawk but it doesn't seem to have much programming flexibility? I liked the APM because I can go in there and change the code if I want. (btw, I'm not happy about Stargate being gone either).
    
    Thanks!!
Cala June 4, 2014 at 3:18pm

That's a great news :) more girls here, try FPV is just amazing :).

I have to put a profile photo :)