After viewing about 200 videos and surfing every website and forum I can find, I'm hooked. I have flown RC planes but the quadcopter etc is the berries. I had looked primarily at DJI stuff and stumbled onto the Ardu/3DR stuff. I have sent the following email to 3DR but thought it worthwhile to pop it up here for the expertise this group holds.
I am interested in either the quad or the X8 and for either, have the following questions:
- I want to use my existing GoPro Hero2 camera with your 5.8Ghz FPV system. Can [they] delete the Sony and furnish the cabling for the Hero2?
- The camera mount [they] show as an option has little description. Can [anyone] tell me what it is and if the Hero2 will fit it?
- Can [they] substitute a charger that will charge multiple batteries simultaneously? [or do any of you have a specific battery/charger setup you recommend]
- Does [their] DX8 option include the receiver and telemetry or not? The page is ambiguous. I am new to this but a lot of discussion on the 'net says the 3-position switches, more programability and other features are nice. [what is the group consensus?]
Now help me evaluate the quad versus the X8. I have read a lot of the diydrones discussions and it is hard to get a clear comparison. My interest is in using the GoPro and FPV with as much flight time as I can wring out of it.
------------------------------- end of the email to 3DR ---------------------
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Replies
You have received some real sound advice, go simple for starters. I have been flying models for the best part of the last 50 years and only started to experiment with quads about 18 months ago. I found the KK2 flight control board to be easy to use and come to terms with, you can build a top quad for about $150.00 (AU) all up, that includes all the things you need that you are not told about in the first instance. I have since graduated to to an Ardu flight controller, but am still having problems coming to terms with computer interfacing to get it to fly. Note because you can already fly (KK2 copter) you can actually pinpoint issues rather than scratching your head. Finally buy a big fist full of propellers, you will need them. I can help you with a shopping list if you require one.
for go pro 2 quad will be enough and later on you can add 4 more motors and make x8...x8 do have redundancy but twice as many things to go wrong with esc motors,connections..also its double price...start with quad and use brusshles gimbal for go pro..maybe something like this
http://www.rctimer.com/product_872.html or this http://www.rctimer.com/product_950.html u will need board to control it too
http://www.rctimer.com/product_884.html
also if you build quad by yourself it will be cheaper...
I fly aquad. But consider changing it to X8 configuration. I dont think the X8 is as efficient as a standard Octo. But my reasoning is based on redundency... Should one motor fail on an X8 there is another motor on the same arm to give thrust to compensate avoiding a crash.
I use a Gopro 2 on a brushless gimbal as far as camera and mount.
First off you are talking apples and oranges on the quad vs X8. If you have not flown multicopters you should get a el cheap before you start flying your new expensive toy you order from 3DR. You will have to buy your own multi battery charger and I suggest a decent computer type charger. The DX8 will have a Rx and Sat Rx. The telemetry is brought you buy the telemetry radio installed on the craft. As far as the go pro 2 goes I have no idea what they are doing with cam mounts if you are looking at the servo based one Id say steer clear of it and order a different one after you start flying. And as far as using the hero for your 5.8 video its very easy to change that from the "sony" to the go pro. I suggest you call them because emailing will take weeks of back and forth.