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ArduPilot Purple + Skywalker X8 + FPV = Summer Loving

Posted by Alexander LeBrun on June 19, 2012 at 12:56am

3689462974?profile=originalSo I have some vacations coming up and already have some quads and a hex I figured I needed a fixed wing to round out my aerial camera fleet. (for now) heh. So I took the plunge and picked myself up an X8 to fill up with electronics. 

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I'm running an ArduPilot Purple, with a Castle 75 esc waiting for Hobbyking to drop of my new Scorpion motor until then I have a 700W max 50Amp local hobby store motor to power the bird. I'm running 1.2 video feeding through MinimOSD with a Sony 720 line mini cam. I have a roll and tilt GoPro mount in the works that I'll post up some pics when I can get some play time on the  router this weekend. Communication is done through a Futaba 10C 72Mhz and some 900Mhz XBees.

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I've only made a few mods for now like adding a second motor mount plate that bolt through the foam to the outer plate.

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I made some electronics trays and filled in the lower camera cut out with some foam and Gorilla glue.

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I ended up bringing the control linkage up through the wing, leaving it on the bottom seemed like a bad idea for a belly lander. I have never flown a or built a fixed wing, but I said the same about the multirotors and DIYDrone's gear and community made it simple, awesome and enjoyable. Only crashes were ah-hem user error. So I'm hoping for the same luck with this bird. I do have tons of hours now on RealFlight sim just to make sure I feel comfortable with the controls. That being said any input from from you guys will be greatly appreciated. I'll update this blog as things progress and as I get the camera mount going. But for now heres some more eye candy. Be happy and safe all!

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Comments

  • Developer
    Antonius Lourenço Kasbergen October 27, 2012 at 7:29am

    Can you share your pid settings? Are they working fine? 

    Anyway, after 4 months with this topic can someone post some good parameters? :) 

    Thanks

  • Gustav Kuhn October 26, 2012 at 11:33pm

    I'm still looking at all the folding options out there, but it has survived 6 flights now !

  • james sowell October 26, 2012 at 11:22am

    looks good no folding prop?

  • Gustav Kuhn October 26, 2012 at 10:30am

    Went mad with a spray can....

  • Gustav Kuhn October 26, 2012 at 10:29am

    3692533902?profile=original3692533693?profile=original

  • John October 15, 2012 at 5:15am
    Drop me your email and i will forward you the file im using.
  • Troy Fardell October 15, 2012 at 5:11am

    So Im only hrs off its maiden. Where exactly can I find the PID Parameters to download? or do I type them manually in from the posted picture near the start of the thread?

    Thanks

  • james sowell October 9, 2012 at 4:20am

    sorry to hear that also but let us know if you find out what happend

  • Rick M October 9, 2012 at 12:53am

    Unfortunately, we had grown complacent in our UAV's reliability. We've done a dozen flights without incident, and so weren't paying very close attention to the telemetry showing the gradual descent. Even if we had had a joystick, it's not clear it would've helped, even if we had been paying attention.

  • Hans Miller October 9, 2012 at 12:47am

    Sorry to hear Rick, 

    This is the sort of situation where a joystick via telemetry MAY be useful...I am including one in my setup and I intend to do a write-up on how that goes.

This reply was deleted.