This is an old 550 drone originally sold as ARtF. I picked up one on Ebay for not very much. If it worked out of the box, I’d leave it as was, and if it didn’t, I’d learn a lot more about reconfiguring drones. First off, it has a very robust foldable frame (pics to follow). This is its strongest point.
The FC got very mixed reports from users, and mine wasn’t recognising the GPS/compass module, so it had to go. Support for this model ceased without warning in around 2015…I also ditched the ESCs, which at 10A struck me as likely to be on the weak side, and have put in a Naza M-Lite FC with its associated hardware, with Afro 20A opto ESCs. To come, a brushless gimbal - the original is a rather flimsy and oversize servo setup - an Apeman action cam and HDMI to AV converter hooked up via an N1 OSD module (we’re talking low cost here!) to get some telemetry back as well as providing half-decent photography - I hope.
Preliminary checks suggest that everything’s the right way round and when the wind round here subsides it might very well take off safely. Not sure whether to use the gimbal’s own gyro or take the stabilisation from the Naza. So many questions. To be continued.
Thanks for that. The gimbal is cheap Chinese, possibly throwaway, but I think I’ve identified a half decent one. It comes with its own controller.
I recognised the potential for obsession, and have already set a limit on the kit, - to some extent, the cost sets its own limit. The objective is to build a useable camera platform, capable of adaptation, and with no more DJI input than the Naza ( only intended to be an interim solution suitable for a newbie)
Couldn’t paste photo successfully, maybe because using Linux.
Could your failure to reach my email server be due to the .ws domain being unrecognised?
(@macspite )
The gimbal, from Ebay, is described as " FPV 2-Axis Camera Brushless Gimbal For DJI Phantom Gopro 3 4 with Controller YU". It’s as solid as I’d hoped, they haven’t skimped on the aluminium. It has a knockoff of Basecam’s old 8-bit controller aboard. The board has Basecam printed on it, which is cheeky, as it doesn’t look like any of Basecam’s models. However, it works. I only have a Radiomaster T8 Pro transmitter, so no pots and no inflight control for now, but an Eachine Tx16S should be on its way.
The Apeman HDMI didn’t work with the converter I got, so that idea’s on hold. As a temporary measure, a Caddx Baby Ratel (good in low light) feeding a HGLRC DVR-VTX via a N1 OSD module, all mounted on a nylon plate and spaced off under the fuselage to give a clear view. No cushioning, but I’m not looking for movie quality, just a background for the OSD telemetry. This setup works, but note the camera needs to be separately powered (from the VTX 5v out), while the OSD module needs to know the (3S) battery voltage - connected accordingly.
The RX is a Radiomaster R88, bound to an Eachine TX16s multiprotocol transmitter set up to Frsky D8 mode. I went for Open Tx because I liked its versatility, without actually knowing much about the alternatives. After much swearing it works for me.
The wind died down enough to chance a maiden flight this morning, and initial results are encouraging. Set up to Naza (550) defaults, pitch adjustable on one of the TX16’s pots, got it stable, successfully landed and took off three times, slight rotation so may need the GPS repositioned. Some modification of its folding mount will make realignment more precise.
On the whole the IFly’s much more responsive than a H501s, probably helped by the much better transmitter. Attempted a fourth takeoff on low battery - it fell over and broke two props. Still, proof of concept achieved, my criteria for spending more cash on the thing (Is it going to work at all?) were easily met. Now awaiting props and bigger LiPo. Back to the Hubsans for now!
Well, that was a bummer. Thought I would set up the gains. Perfect takeoff, responding well to all controls, no unwanted yaw, v. slight drift, so into Att mode. Seemed stable for 15 secs, responding properly, then without warning and despite panicked return to GPS mode (enough satellites previously) headed rapidly East, rose to about 20 metres and dropped like a stone.
Hit very hard and broke an arm bracket and all 4 props. Probably killed the GPS module too. But the motors were still running. I have no idea what happened. At which point it seems that the plastic arm bracket is unavailable as a spare - the arms themselves are carbon, and presumably this item was the one which always went - so it gets one last chance - a complete new frame from AliExpress. Grrr.
After repairs (AliExpress advertised a “4S” frame, though while it had the 4S bit I needed, the body plates are for a “4”), and extra careful setup, and waiting for suitably calm day, got it out yesterday to look at gains. Worked fine, with pitch and roll on X1 and yaw on X2. No reason to depart from initial guessed settings (160, 160, 125), looks as if Vertical will need adjustment next time out, though. Short flight time due to setting battery voltage warnings far too high, otherwise fine. Much crisper than my Hubsans.
The GPS puck had died in the crash, and I replaced this with a generic Chinese black number, advertised to be compatible with Naza - and it is. Actually, it’s better: picks up more satellites faster and has a lighter, more flexible connector. I added a folding mount, so the quad is totally foldable. Progress, at last.
PS, the Eachine version of the TX16S comes with a robust foam box which fits a small backpack. No broken switch misery with this one.
I think Hobbyking were the primary sellers of this quad up until around 2014, and for what it was it was quite pricey. I bought mine off ebay for £20 and the gimbal was a fiver. Though I see CML Distribution still selling spares for this quad on ebay and they’re asking silly money for the basic bits.
Unladen mine flys reasonably well, with the gimbal and camera it’s a bit of a bus.
Good to see a fellow maniac! I decided not to bother with the servo gimbal that came with the 4S ( did build it, but it seemed rather flimsy), but the 2-axis brushless item I got instead is a good bit heavier, so presumably, come the moment, it will fly like a doubledecker on biodiesel. Not worried, didn’t get it for racing! While setting up the FC I’ve ballasted the beast with a lump of lead sheet, so the change shouldn’t be too dramatic, though.
has now outlived its usefulness as a large learner drone (I now have a 680 Alien built), and I wonder if anyone might be interested? Original 2212 motors, 30A Littlebee ESCs (well over requirement), Flysky 10-channel RX, Naza-M Lite flashed to V2, decent VTX/DVR, N1 OSD, (video switchable), Caddx Ratel 2 camera. Uses 3S batteries.
Note the standard Naza Lite GPS puck. M8N pucks work better, but I can’t spare one.
