Hexa Belt F550 Build Thread

[Heli Yea!]

Wow Jerry what a sexy piece of Haxa Beltery! I'm glad you got it all sorted out. I can't wait for the maiden.

As for DJI I hate them. Why are they such a bunch of asswipes? IMO DJI should change their name to GREEDJI. Truth is I never liked them and when y'all were suggesting the phantom to Andy I was like Don't get me wrong they do make some good stuff but the price tag on everything they have is through the roof. They also pull shinanigans with there compatibility schemes. After finding/working on the P2 it sealed the deal, no DJI products for me. I'm still trying to wash that taste out of my mouth. I will however still support you poor souls who do use their products.

[jperkosk]

Fair enough, Chad. TBH I got my first Naza-M very soon after it was released, and was happy I spent something like $430 vs $1,100 Tom had to shell out for his WKM few months earlier with hardly any extra features, just because the Naza-M simply wasn't out yet.

Arducopter was a brand new project and there was a waiting list to buy the hardware, do you get the picture? Everything else was either crap (like the controller I have on allegedly "high end" HPQ1 quad, roughly Phantom size) or outrageously expensive, so Naza-M looked like the best option then. I don't particularly like DJI, but some of their stuff is more reasonably priced than other, and it's a very robust hardware IMHO. Hate the software locks they have started putting into their stuff recently, generating confusion with what the "lite" or "phantom" version of their controller can do.

Got APM2.5 laying around for my heli project for about a year, so if I find time I might be changing all DJI stuff to Arducopter soon enough

[sutty]

Not sure if the lead I bought has a 5V feed line to the USB plug, but yes I could certainly get one if it doesn't. I wonder what happens if you leave the battery out when operating in that mode, because that might save some weight.

My quad is only little, and already it keeps sucking up new purchases and cash and future changes of plan at an alarming rate. This is a scary new development for me. I've been flying for years spending almost nothing, lol, but yes, I know those bits would be nothing in the overall scheme of things.

When I read the new CAA new FPV regulations that Dave posted, I already found myself thinking, ah ha, they have increased the weight to allow for a 550 sized FPV craft, now that gives me some options.

Cheers

Sutty

[Heli Yea!]

Originally Posted by jperkosk

Fair enough, Chad. TBH I got my first Naza-M very soon after it was released, and was happy I spent something like $430 vs $1,100 Tom had to shell out for his WKM few months earlier with hardly any extra features, just because the Naza-M simply wasn't out yet.

Arducopter was a brand new project and there was a waiting list to buy the hardware, do you get the picture? Everything else was either crap (like the controller I have on allegedly "high end" HPQ1 quad, roughly Phantom size) or outrageously expensive, so Naza-M looked like the best option then. I don't particularly like DJI, but some of their stuff is more reasonably priced than other, and it's a very robust hardware IMHO. Hate the software locks they have started putting into their stuff recently, generating confusion with what the "lite" or "phantom" version of their controller can do.

Got APM2.5 laying around for my heli project for about a year, so if I find time I might be changing all DJI stuff to Arducopter soon enough

I get that you and Tom were pioneers and why you went that route. I'm betting they were less greedy then and price/technology ratio were much better then too.

Get the Arducopter going now that is your duty.

[sutty]

Originally Posted by jperkosk

Objective 6: 12VDC UBEC to eliminate use of a separate battery for LEDs and video link.

Done. No problems. The load on it with everything turned on is ~2A, and the BEC never even warms up having 4.5A capacity. It sits deep in the crotch of the landing gear, so taking a photo is not easy and it maybe offensive to some, so just take my word for it, OK?

What sort of BEC should I get then for my purposes Jerry, and how do I know if my lead has a 5V charge feed?

I'm going to be getting a separate BEC for my 550, to try and solve a long standing issue, and was planning on the CC10A for that, so I may as well order both at the same time.

Something like this?

UBEC

Cheers

Sutty

[jperkosk]

That's exactly what I had in the bin and was about to use when I realized I wound up with Naza PMU v1 who's 3A BEC was only powering status LED so I used it instead. But yes, that's a perfect BEC for GP, I even tested in on the bench, just make sure jumper is in 5V (default) position not 6V, it wouldn't do burn out the GP... GP lead that I bought has 2 servo connectors. One has only 2 wires and it's for 5V supply. The 3-wire one is for video.

The 4.5A BEC I was referring to in the build is different, it's 12V and it powers up all 12V stuff.

[Tomstoy2]

Originally Posted by sutty

My quad is only little, and already it keeps sucking up new purchases and cash and future changes of plan at an alarming rate. This is a scary new development for me. I've been flying for years spending almost nothing, lol, but yes, I know those bits would be nothing in the overall scheme of things.

When I read the new CAA new FPV regulations that Dave posted, I already found myself thinking, ah ha, they have increased the weight to allow for a 550 sized FPV craft, now that gives me some options.

Cheers

Sutty

Sut, ol' buddy, your troubles are just beginning. I think I did mention once that these things are never really finished, they just keep evolving. Transformers have nothing on these things.
I swear, mine makes its own purchases during the day while I sleep!

[sutty]

Thanks Jerry. I will order them both then. That is the one for my 550, and the small one for my quad. Yes, I realised the 12V one was for a different purpose. I read and had understood most of your re-build details, lol. Got a bit lost with the diodes and the resistor, but in the end I think I even got there with those.

What do you think about this little item from Hobby king?

UK warehouse, so will come quick, and VAT will be dealt with locally.

FPV Switch.

Cheers

Sutty

[sutty]

Originally Posted by Tomstoy2

Sut, ol' buddy, your troubles are just beginning. I think I did mention once that these things are never really finished, they just keep evolving. Transformers have nothing on these things.
I swear, mine makes its own purchases during the day while I sleep!

I'm beginning to understand Tom. I want bigger, stonger, faster, on all aspects already.

I'll try to remain calm and I'll be turning my computer off at night.

Cheers

Sutty

[Heli Yea!]

Whats wrong w/this setup?
Main pack powers gimbal, GP powers GP, 2s or 3s 800mah lipo powers 2x VTX and FPV cam?

[jperkosk]

@Andy. Looks good, are your cameral 1 and cameral 2 ready to connect to this fpv switch? lol Can't beat the price, so it's worth trying.

@Chad. Nothing wrong except for extra weight. Save yourself some weight and just power everything from the balance connector on your main pack, leaving GP to its own battery. Auxiliary 12v stuff has minimum impact on the main pack consumption, you'll probably come out even by saving some weight.

[Tomstoy2]

Don't be afraid of the weight thing, truth is, you will be truly surprised how much weight these thing can carry.
True, flight time is affected, but if a small battery kills your flight time that much then it's probably time to look for another frame, They all have a wall you will run up against somewhere.
I use a 3s 850mah battery and it is way oversized. I can fly for hours and never worry about consuming too much.

The big advantage of a separate battery is piece of mind. What price are you willing to bay for that?

For flying within your radio's range, sure, power up thru the main battery is fine. Just choose your components well, regulate and filter.
For long range, flying so far out that if things go bad you entire day is then shot to hell if things go bad, piece of mind is everything!!!

[sutty]

Cheers Jerry, I was intending giving it a go, and yes both leads are immediately swapable now direct into the vTx and as you say you can beat it for the price, well, you couldn't if it were in stock, lol.