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HobbyKing introduces SimonK, timecop designed AfroESC

Posted by Mark Harrison on July 2, 2013 at 10:00am

39708.jpg?width=300For quite a while, people have been wondering

- When will ESCs be readily available with SimonK firmware pre-flashed?

- When will some easily obtainable ESCs support I2C, so that flight controllers can read motor status?

HobbyKing has provided the answer, with the newly introduced AfroESC.  It's licensed from both SimonK and timecop.

I've started collecting information here, and will update when more information is available.

http://eastbay-rc.blogspot.com/2013/07/afro-esc-simonktimecophobbyking.html

(short link)

Highlights:

- SimonK preflashed

- Open Source software

- licensed

Tags: esc, simonk, timecop
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Comments

  • Raph October 16, 2013 at 1:06pm

    how are the AfroESC's going for you Alan? was thinking of picking them up

  • AlanGP October 7, 2013 at 8:26am

    My Afro ESCs have arrived - thankfully in slightly less green shrink wrap.  Looking at the firmware available, am I correct in thinking that flashing with the "reverse" version does just that - causes the motor to run in the opposite direction?

    regards

    Alan

  • Crashpilot1000 July 10, 2013 at 3:12pm

    BTW: How is any esc without an internal voltage regulator supposed to run in the first place? How does it power its' own cpu then? I just think of that 500mA stuff of those esc just as a gimmick to power a simple FC. For everything else you will end up needing a separate powerline. For that price point i think it is completely sufficient if they work as advertised.

  • Stefan Gofferje July 10, 2013 at 7:50am

    @Paxmax:

    THANK YOU! ^^

  • Stefan Gofferje July 10, 2013 at 5:48am

    If you would have read further, you could have saved yourself abusive language and the embarrassment of outing yourself as one who uses the latter to support a weak position.

    1. With telemetry radios, OSD, RCRX, etc. you quickly go past 500mA. My setup currently consumes 550mA.
    2. You cannot just put those BECs in parallel and expect that they share the load equally. Due to tolerances, one BEC might put out 5.2V while the other puts out 4.8V. That might lead to some problems.
    3. If it's my opinion that a 500mA linear BEC is useless, then that is my opinion, which is based on my use cases. I am entitled to my opinion. You are NOT entitled to use abusive language just because you disagree with my opinion.
  • Crashpilot1000 July 8, 2013 at 9:31am

    Hi!

    I really don't know what that linear voltage regulator talk is based about. Like stated by TC they are designed to run in parallel without problem. I don't know if the amperage adds up then but that isn't necessary IMHO. Every ESC needs an regulator to power it's own CPU. Linear regulators produce less ripple. So take ESC/regulator  1&2 to power the apm with redundancy. Take Regulator 3 or 4 to power other stuff like gps, telemetry etc. Use an X Ampere switching BEC for your servos. I think those linear regulators are no drawback or problem and just a necessity for the onboard CPU and can serve other useful purposes.

    What is really problematic with those ESC is the color of the heatshrink and the afropicture :) .

    Cheers

    Kraut Rob

  • T3
    Stephen Zidek July 7, 2013 at 11:18am

    @R_Lefebvre: Isn't that how they already work?  I always attach my 5V leads from the ESCs in parallel to the APM by just plugging them all in.

  • Rob_Lefebvre July 7, 2013 at 10:05am

    I think an awesome arrangement for multirotor ESC's would be if they each have a small BEC, switching or linear, I don't really care.  But have them designed specifically to be able to run in parallel.  I'm pretty sure it can be done.  So you plug them all into the flight controller, and they share the load, and give redundancy.  If one of the regulators fail, you should still be able to fly as if nothing happened.

  • not2fast July 6, 2013 at 2:02pm

    I'm with you in principle and I'm with you on the culture clash part but I've found that dealing with HK "customer support" is futile. I buy a lot of stuff from them as well, way past $900, and I guess I just have accepted that some of their stuff is crap. The worst one for me was a 9x radio that lasted three weeks and then one of the gimbal pots died. No parts. I've waited months for the new Frsky Trananis radio to come out but I've given up and will order a 9xr Monday. I feel your frustration.

  • Emin Bu July 6, 2013 at 10:24am

    i would like them to be for 6S....

This reply was deleted.