Announcing our new product listings for mid-summer 2013!
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3D Robotics Y6 and X8 Multicopters - RTF and Kit
We released the Hexa-to-Y6 conversion kit a few weeks back, and now the complete Y6 DIY package and Ready-To-Fly are available. A Y6 design is able to withstand a single motor out scenario, provides a more open and stable view for cameras, and doesn't weigh as much as a traditional Hex (because it uses less parts). It features folding arms to make ground transport a painless affair. This is our new go-to multicopter at 3DR: better performance than a quad at about the same size!
If six motors aren't enough for you, there is now the X8. With the same coaxial motor design as the Y6, but with four arms. This brute is amazingly compact, it's actually smaller than our quads in the front to back dimension, due to the wide angle of the arms. This is the platform to choose for flying your heavy camera and gimbal setups. The redundant nature of this vehicle is a valuable trait when carrying expensive gear or flying over difficult terrain. This vehicle can lose a motor and remain in a stable loiter with almost no disruption . The 3DR X8 is available ready-to-fly only at this time.
APM 2.6 and 3DR uBlox GPS with Compass
APM 2.6 is the same APM 2.5 you know and love, but with one valuable change: this revision of the board has no onboard compass, which is designed for vehicles (especially multicopters and rovers) where the compass should be placed as far from power and motor sources as possible to avoid magnetic interference. (On fixed wing aircraft it's often easier to mount APM far enough away from the motors and ESCs to avoid magnetic interference, so this is not as critical, but APM 2.6 gives more flexibility in that positioning and is a good choice for them, too). This is designed to be used with the new 3DR uBlox GPS with Compass, so that the GPS/Compass unit can be mounted further from noise sources than APM itself.
Note: APM 2.6 requires an external compass for full autonomy. If you are using APM 2.6 with a GPS module that does not have a compass sensor, you must use a stand-alone external compass. We recommend this one with this cable.
New GPS shown as it comes, in a nice enclosure
The board, inside the enclosure
You can also use the new uBlox GPS with on board magnetometer (compass) with your existing APM 2.5, To modify your board, follow the directions here.
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If you have been wanting to add first-person-view (FPV) capability to your vehicle, our new FPV package gives you everything you need in one kit (including batteries). All connectors have been built in the factory and designed to give you an easy plug-and-play experience -- no soldering required! On-screen-display is provided by our MinimOSD board for real time data telemetry. This is an important safety and convenience feature for anyone flying FPV.
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All of these items are available for order immediately.
The FPV kit is ready for shipping today.
The Y6 DIY package and APM 2.6 will ship on July 15th.
Note: RTF Y6 and X8 units will follow the normal 1-2 week turnaround. You'll find those and more on our new RTF store here: http://rtf.3drobotics.com/
Comments
Steve,
Are you referring to the 3DR Radio shown in the system connections photo on the top of page 2, in this PDF?
Neither the APM or 3DR Radio are included in the list of contents for this kit, described on page 1 of the same PDF. Those two components are shown in order to illustrate how to connect the video kit components with them. The 3DR Radio is a data transceiver (two way radio) used to send and receive telemetry and control signals between the vehicle and the ground station. It is completely separate and on a different frequency from the video transmitter, and requires it's own antenna. You can find more information here and here.
Wow, just looking at the new stuff available. Guys, I was looking at the video kit, and I'm a little confused. The way the PDF instructions read is that 3 antennas are required, but only 2 are included... Obviously 1 is needed for the receiving signal, but it looks like it is wired up at the transmission end for 2. Have a look on page 3, and you'll see what I mean. looks great though! I may have to start saving my money for this! haha.
Thanks
Eric,
The main idea with this X8 is to pack a lot of power into a small package.
This performs very well in the wind, as it is very nimble and powerful while presenting a small profile.
Payload capacity is 800g in addition to 800g of battery
Flight time is ~10-15minutes depending on payload etc.
The 915Mhz telemetry radios are good out to ~1.6 kilometer
RC range is also ~1.6km, but this is a variable and the user should perform appropriate range checks when using any RC system. Here is the manual for the Spektrum DX7s:http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPM7800-Manual_EN.pdf
The only difference in firmware setup (PID tuning) for this vehicle would be to unlink the pitch and roll values when tuning, this is due to the asymmetry of the frame. We are working on a tune for the new AC 3.0 firmware, that will be posted on the product listing.
The X8 is available in RTF only, at this time. They ship from our RTF store.
Stefan,
The frame weighs ~440g
We do not have any other arm choices, but that is something one could DIY. The arms are 19mm (3/4"), if you kept this same dimension it would be easy to use the kit components. Longer motor leads might be the only need, perhaps you could move the ESCs out on the arms. It would not be as clean looking, but that might get you the extra length.
Thanks guys for the support!
Still no email/ETA from 3DR... sure they are busy, must be a lot of orders to prepare.
I also have a batch of 2.5+ ordered and not shipped (they show backorder now...maybe just replace them with 2.6+ hehe sure no one will complain)
The good news (I think) is that my 2.6 order state is "Ready" whatever it means is better than processing!
Dany
www.CanadaDrones.com
Question:
Wow, I was lurking since a week to replace my ubber aging draganflyer with something a little more powerful, thinking X6 was not just enough and now this release... looks awesome.
My presale questions/comments/concerns, were some should be in the product's main page or in a FAQ...
- Stability of the 4x2 configuration vs. a "normal" x6 or x8 in terms of holding position or facing gusts
- Payload capacity and flight time with the new X8 RTF configuration as shipped
- Transmitter and telemetry Range as shipped
- How complete is the firmware and software support given its a new configuration compared lets say to the "old" X6? i.e. all the features such as loitering stability, etc... underlying question should be: is there anything different we should know about with that type of configuration?
- When will it be distributed in Canada so that I don't have to be ruined by OOPS/Fedup/etc. in terms of duty charges and whatnot
- Videos of the various APM features with THAT unit.
I'm close to trigger happy for a buy right now but I need to see if it can lift my dslr and lens and probably an extra battery pack. If not I might go with standard X6 if the flight/stability features are better with the other configuration, and use a lighter camera.
To the 3DR team... sounds like the patent issue might be serious but in regards to the helicopters what is the maximum payload capacity for the Y6 and X8? Please post a "motor out" video with the helicopters carrying a significant payload. In the sample video I see a little GoPro onboard to record the stopped motor but it would be nice to see that you can still keep flying in a "motor out" condition when we're carrying more expensive stabilized gimbals and cameras. Have you tested motor out with lets say a 650g or 700g payload or at what payload weight does "motor out" fail?
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