So, I have compiled this list of what I am considering ordering: this is my first time building a quad. Just curious if anyone wants to take a look and has any better recommendations--or tell me if I am missing anything. From what I can tell, the parts should be compatible with one another. I am still not sure about the strength the motor should be.... I want to make sure I have the right parts before I order- as I will surely do a blog on this website.
I am trying to make this on a tight budget--so I thought maybe others would be interested in this list. I know its annoying to click all the individual links. If anyone has any feedback I'd be grateful.
Remember that I have never built a UAV before. So parts that I assume are part of the body weight may not actually be part of the body. This is all new to me hahahha. I hope as this list develops it can be used to help other hobbyists starting out.
***Updated Dec. 8th, 2014***
BODY
Flight Board
http://www.getfpv.com/dji-naza-m-lite-multi-rotor-stabilization-controller.html
Cost:$70
Weight: 32g
5V UBEC x2
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__16663__HobbyKing_8482_HKU5_5V_5A_UBEC.html
Cost:$5.75 x2
Weight: 11.5g x2
1000uF 16V Capacitor x2
http://www.amazon.com/1000uf-Capacitor-High-Radial-Leads/dp/B004O21PPE
Cost:$2.67 x2
Weight: not specified
Splitter cable x8
http://www.helipal.com/product_info.php?currency=CAD&products_id=10449&gclid=CNbmh_y6r8ICFS6ZMgodTkkA4A
Cost:$4.88
Weight: not specified
Cost:$14 x4
Weight: 26.5g x4
ESC Cable
http://www.rctimer.com/product-899.html
Cost:$3.36 x4
Weight: 27g x4
Motor: (updated)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__12921__d2830_11_1000kv_brushless_motor.html
Cost : 11.79 x6 (buying 2 extra)
Weight: 52g x4
bolt-19 mm
battery
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__10306__Turnigy_5000mAh_3S_40C_Lipo_Pack.html
Cost:$45 x2
Weight: 443g (x1) -1 lipo is for transmitter/controller
Battery strap (updated)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__11736__Turnigy_Battery_Strap_330mm.html
Cost:$1.59 x4
Servo Lead (updated)
Cost:$5
Props (updated)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25818__8045_SF_Props_2pc_Standard_Rotation_2_pc_RH_Rotation_Black_.html
Cost:$2.79 x 2
Weight: not specified
Frame (updated)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__36428__Hobbyking_X525_V3_Glass_Fiber_Quadcopter_Frame_600mm_EU_warehouse_.html
Cost:$21
Weight: 346g
Specs:
Width: 600mm
Motor Bolt Holes: 14~30mm
Required:
Multi-Rotor control board
15~25A Brushless ESC x 4
28-XX 1100~1300KV Brushless motor x 4
8x4~9x5 Propeller - 2 standard/2 reverse rotation
OTHERS
transmitter/receiver (updated Dec. 11)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__28297__Turnigy_9XR_Transmitter_Mode_1_No_Module_.html
cost: $50.00
Module (updated Dec. 11)
Lipo Battery Charge Pack (updated)
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__4134__Lithium_Polymer_Charge_Pack_18x22cm_Sack.html
Cost: $2.00
I still need to update my parts for compatibility as was given from the last suggestion- will do this later on today. Thus the costs and weights are subject to change.
Total Cost: $440
Total Body Weight:about <1500g
Replies
By the way; I did not see in your list the charger & power supply.
For charger, this is what I have:
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=15986
But I DO NOT recommend it! because it is only 50 watts per channel, so you can charge 4 batteries at the same time; but it is SLOW. I am using two 4S 5000 mAh, and also two 4S 6000 mAh batteries, and I can charge all at the same time; but it takes over 2 hours to charge them.
When I have extra $$, I would like to get a 200 watts per channel (2 channels) charger. I am still looking for a good one.
For the power supply, I am using this one:
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=17754
This I like; especially because if I upgrade my charger this power supply should be able to take it, you can even plug 2 chargers in it (as long as you don't exceed the 540 watts of course)
Thanks Michael! I completely forgot! haha
I will add the power supply and look for a suitable charger.....Im still wondering why this quad is so light....even with the frame being heavier than the original. But what I like about this frame is that it seems quite sturdy and durable. However, you are right in that it is hard to add a gimbal to it. I still am going to change this list some more- and I will try to add some cheaper parts if I can. If I can reduce the price to around 300 dollars it would be pretty awesome.
More updates to come!
Around $300? that is very optimistic! On my first order from HobbyKing I spent $1200, then I had another 4 orders after that for more parts. So far I spent $2500 on my hexacopter.
I can tell you right now that you will have at least 10 to 20 crashes; you will have to fix or replace motors, propellers, and probably every part on your quad until you will learn how to fly it and also until you will get all the setting correct.
So far in my 5 orders; I purchased 32 propellers, and 20 motors in total, and the motors I currently have on my Hexa are already too used (with broken bearings), it still flies but with vibrations and noisy. In my next order I will buy another 10 motors.
The motors I choose (NTM Prop Drive Series 28-26A 1200kv) have a reputation for broken bearings; a lot of people are complaining about that (from what I read on the forums); but I searched for an equivalent motor with the same power, kV, and for 4S battery, and I canoot find any! so I am stuck with this motor.
I can see that you did not put any extra things, the most obvious are extra motors, and propellers as those are the first to break. Also you will want more than one battery, it ony takes ~10 minutes to discharge it, and between 1 to 2 hours to charge it.
So hopefully you can understand now why I am saying that $300 is very optimistic.
Ya that makes sense and its true I will be crashing like crazy. We have a UAV workshop at the university with extra parts that I can scavenge or borrow as needed and for this reason I haven't ordered so many parts. I primarily will want to get the knowledge from building this thing....any kinks can be dealt with as they come. The motor is the main concern because we likely won't have a compatible motor.....but that is fine I'll bleed more money into it when needed-especially if I want to make this operational towards a particular study.
So 300 would be nice since I have always been an optimist. I am curious how low I can get it....aren't you? haha
I do have a budget of 500 dollars max and I imagine shipping costs will amount to that total after the base cost of the components.
Why have you chosen to go for such a big quad to start off with? Personally I've never liked quads, hated the runtime haha. Recently though I watched a few 250 class quads and am now in love, those little suckers are crazy. With just a few batteries enough time for a days flying. Will be a little lighter on the wallet to for your first quad. Definitly though if you want to carry a DSLR later on then an upgrade will be needed. Thats my plans anyway, 250 first bigger later. The 250 will be for my fpv whill I will be using my plane for missions like mapping and maybe hunting(setup with flir ofcourse).
Well, keep in mind guys that I have other quads and fixed wings that are operational and that I will be using for my research..... I am in the field of precision agriculture. The thing is, my colleagues are way ahead of me on all the technical aspects....so this quad is just a pet project in order to get me up to speed (its also lots of fun). How many people can say they built a mini helicopter? haha
I just randomly chose a frame and was mixing and adding parts thus I didn't give size a notable consideration. But as I talk with you guys I am getting more ideas and getting a little greedier. I want this to be somewhat nice and practical towards future operations if possible. This notion isn't entirely necessary but if I can make something with enough lift and battery power to give the option of strapping on a gimbal with a multispectral sensor it would be pretty awesome.
Plus, we need more of these lists. I was searching lots on the internet and they are not so easy to come by.
More updates to come when I finish working tonight!
for the multi-spectral sensor i think it is just a chdk'd snap and shoot camera. I have this idea for automating agriculture a lil more, kinda like our new smart homes :P The farm would use a quad with multi-spectral and a wing with flir. They would go out daily automatically and analyse crops and count livestock. Even the livestock could have lil sensors in them which would relay different information to the wing on its daily flyby. To do this an automatic docking charging station would need to be created kinda like those vacuums.
What do you think of the Iron Man 650 quad?
Yes well your idea seems to be what agriculture will be leading to in the not too distant future....
as for the Iron Man 650- I actually came across this while looking for frames otherwise I wouldn;t know what you were talking about. I wanted to buy this frame but its a little out of my price range. I also really like the frame from Game of Drones ... http://www.gameofdrones.biz/shop/
the thing takes shotgun blasts... you stress more about your parts than the frame when you crash this thing.
Im looking at the motors now.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8505__Turnigy_3632_Brush...
This one has good pull but it states the Prop compatibility is 10x5. What does that mean?
Hi Alex,
I think that motors have to much kV (too fast)
By the way "kV" means how many RPM per volt.
If you choose a motor with a lot of kV, then the quad will be fast & agile, but the battery won't last long. So if you choose a slower motor, then you can fly longer.
Of course, on the faster motor you have to use smaller propeller, and on slow motor you have to use large propeller so that you have good lift.
So... if you want to use your quad for racing, to do flips, or other aerobatic things, then choose fast motor at the cost of flight time.
But... for the frame you choose, since it's big, I think it's better to use motors that are between 800 and 1000 kV (with whatever props are recommended for the motors you choose)
I am surprised that the total weight is only 1Kg...
I read through the comments posted for the frame, and the motors that they say they used varry a lot, and one of them has the same motor you posted originally (but I am wondering if they posted in the correct frame?)... anyways... there was one that looks kind of correct; the post says he used motor: Turnigy D2830-11 1000kv (surprisingly cheap!) but I can't find anywhere a thrust chart for different prop sizes.
Here is a video talking about this motor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKfI5hhQD8
At the end he says about the props
By the way, since you have YouTube already open :D check out my video with my Hexacopter, and click on the "show more" for the specs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIYogu0J16g
Maybe it will give you some ideas :)
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