Heavy weight setup for X8 - Motor/Propellers advice needed - ArduCopter User Group

Hello,

I finished my last heavy setup for picture/video filming. It is a X8 quad, based on a VulcanFrame, embarking a brushless gimbal and a NEX5, two lipo 4500mah batteries, 20A ESCs, 8 Tigermotors MN3110-700KV, 4 APC props on top 11x4,7 and 4 APC props 12x3,8 on bottom.

Total AUW weight is 4,7 Kg (almost 10 pounds). So it is very heavy.

I feel kind of underpowered with this config because I hover at 60-65% and have an autonomy of 8,5 minutes which is quite low.

I would like both increase in weight/power ratio and more autonomy.

According to the tiger motors web site, they do not mention if I could increase prop size with these motors. They are normaly capable of supporting 460w each and a max current of 20A.

In hover my current is now around 7-8 amps (total of between 60 and 70 amps for the eight motors).

So the ESC are not the limitation, the amps neither. Would I dare increase the prop size to 13 inches ?

What motors/props combination would you suggest me to use for such a config ? Objective : hover at 50% and minimum 10 minutes autonomy.

Thanks for your experience and recommendations,

I also have a very heavy unit, a quad x, at about 7 lbs. I'm also using T-Motor 2820-6 830 kv, APC 10 4.7 props, (too small), and two 4400 mah 14.8 batteries. My hover is right in the middle. I suggest that you go to T-motor's website and check the test tables, if you haven't already. I'm also worried that your esc's are too small. My motors are rated for 42 amps, and I'm running Castle Phoenix Ice 50's. Big heavy, expensive, but freakin' worth it, they barely get warm. I always over power the speed controller. Had many fail in mid-air, not any more!

Also make sure that your battery has a high enough C-Rating for that load. I'd go 60c. You have 9000mah, you can get bigger ones from MaxAmps. I had a 135000mah 65c, (they claim 100c), 14.8 that they made for me, ($400 ouch!), but I poked a hole in it during a crash, but they honor a 50% crash discount to get another one, not a bad deal.

Try 13's and 12's on top, that's cheap enough to try. Keep an eye on you speed controller's temps, that is your weakest point of failure. If you have the kind of $ in yours, as I have in mine, well, let me just say I hardly breathe when I'm flying.

Hope that helps,

Tom

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Replies

Andrew Chapman July 22, 2013 at 12:26am

You didn't mention how many cells you're running - if you're on 4S then consider 6S and larger ESCs (which you really need anyway). I recently switched from 4S to 6S on my T-Motor 4008 powered Hex and am super happy with the result. The more cells the higher the theoretical efficiency too.
Thomas Rutter July 21, 2013 at 9:51am

I also have a very heavy unit, a quad x, at about 7 lbs. I'm also using T-Motor 2820-6 830 kv, APC 10 4.7 props, (too small), and two 4400 mah 14.8 batteries. My hover is right in the middle. I suggest that you go to T-motor's website and check the test tables, if you haven't already. I'm also worried that your esc's are too small. My motors are rated for 42 amps, and I'm running Castle Phoenix Ice 50's. Big heavy, expensive, but freakin' worth it, they barely get warm. I always over power the speed controller. Had many fail in mid-air, not any more!

Also make sure that your battery has a high enough C-Rating for that load. I'd go 60c. You have 9000mah, you can get bigger ones from MaxAmps. I had a 135000mah 65c, (they claim 100c), 14.8 that they made for me, ($400 ouch!), but I poked a hole in it during a crash, but they honor a 50% crash discount to get another one, not a bad deal.

Try 13's and 12's on top, that's cheap enough to try. Keep an eye on you speed controller's temps, that is your weakest point of failure. If you have the kind of $ in yours, as I have in mine, well, let me just say I hardly breathe when I'm flying.

Hope that helps,

Tom

IMG_0322.JPG

This reply was deleted.