Getting started with a quad Welcome to the adventure of UAV flight and the fun of learning about all aspects of building these very serious toys. What makes this pursuit so good is the fact that you can decide where you want to be in the general scheme of things. If you enjoy just flying around, great. The way we will go about getting the information you need organised, is to start from the basic components, then add some talk about airframe builds and information about transmitters for you to use as and when you need. So what do we need to cover? OK, this is what we need to do to get in the air Learn about motorsLearn about speed controllers (ESCs)Learn about batteriesLearn about transmittersLearn about airframes Remember, the actual control hardware is your choice. Other helpful skills You will need a few tools, some basic assembly knowledge and a little knowledge of electronics. So what do I need to get started [No matter what control system I choose]
Beginner Quadcopter Kit Buying Guide - Hovership I frequently get asked how much it costs to build a quadcopter or other multi-rotor helicopter. I usually try to add together a number real quick based on equipment I own. Which could come close to $1000. I decided to look closer at the real cost for a basic complete setup to get started flying (if you own zero RC gear). Below is a buying guide that includes everything needed to put a quadcopter in the air. PLEASE NOTE: I picked these items based on their low cost yet good reviews. UPDATE: 02-23-2014 HobbyKing now sells a very similar ready-to-fly kit, just add batteries and a charger. The Frame – $14 Hobbyking X525 V3 Glass Fiber Quadcopter Frame This frame is based on a tried and true frame design for multirotors. Purchase the frame at HobbyKing.com »Purchase replacement parts at HobbyKing.com » Frame option #2 -$8 Since writing this post, it has been pointed out that the above frame might be a bit heavy for the motors/props I am about to suggest. Purchase the frame at HobbyKing.com »
Complete Quadcopter guide | MultiCopter Build Complete quadcopter building guide: Hello everyone! The first thing you need to do is to get the parts you need for your quadcopter. You could of course take a look int the “Parts” section above and look what i used for my quadcopters, or you could just look at the links below: Quadcopter v2.0 Motors: hexTronik DT750 Brushless Outrunner 750kv ESC’s: HobbyKing Red Brick 30A ESC Battery: ZIPPY Flightmax 2800mAh 3S1P 30C Props: Slow Fly Electric Prop 11×4.7SF RH Rotation (4 pc) Slow Fly Electric Prop 11X4.7SF (4 pc) Prop savers: Prop Saver w/ Band 4mm (10pcs) Colet Type Prop Adapter 4mm. Radio (Rx/Tx): Hobby King 2.4Ghz 6Ch Tx & Rx V2 (Mode 2) Charger: Turnigy 2S 3S Balance Charger Imax B6AC 2-6s Balance Charger Control board + power distribution board: KK multicopter controlboard v5.5 with Xcopter configuration. HobbyKing KKv2.1 Quadcopter controller board. Frame: 15,2 mm Aluminum. Now, lets get on with the actual building shall we? This is the option i chose to use for my quadcopter. Just like that. NOTE!!!!!
Forums - A guide for multi-rotor newbies - Page 1 The world of multi-rotor aircraft moves rather quickly these days - newly developed parts are being released regularly, and older designs are being updated with additional features. There's no chance that I will be able to keep up with changes on HobbyKing's products, or their pricing. Please treat this list as a guide to assist you with your own part selection. THE PARTS LISTBelow is a list of parts for a basic quadcopter. This aircraft will be suitable for beginners who have never flown a multi-rotor aircraft before. It will be relatively cheap, stable, reasonably robust, and able to easily carry a payload such as a small video camera. You shouldn't need any specialist tools to complete this build. But first, a disclaimer: This list is something I have put together from my own knowledge and experience, to assist you with your pursuit of this hobby. This list is by no means the only possible combination of parts you can use. Other bits and pieces Totals $174 937g
Forums - A guide for multi-rotor newbies - Page 3 The list does not include a radio transmitter or receiver, or a battery charger. The posts above give my recommendations for these items. I believe that everything for the aircraft itself is listed. It's not entirely clear what comes with the frame kit, but you may need some small screws or bolts to fix your motors to the frame. I specifically tried to select parts that do not need soldering or modification - the major parts should just plug in and run with no fuss. The battery (link) has a HXT 4mm bullet plug. The only exceptions to this are the low battery alarm, and the BEC - neither of these are available with suitable plugs. I don't recommend the battery distribution board linked above for this kit, simply because both the XT60 plugs and the board itself could be operating at very close to their maximum rated current.
Multicopter Tutorial List I have been sharing my experience and writing a lot about building multicopters, FPV etc, but still, many people ask me questions that I have already answered in some of my posts. Clearly just by throwing people with a lot of information is not going to help them learn quicker, so I decided to put these information into a more structured, better presented tutorial. I included most if not all of my multicopter related posts in this article, hoping that it could make it easier for everyone to find what they need. If you are a beginner, I strongly recommend you read this multicopter beginner tutorial first. It gives you an basic understanding how a multicopter works, and what hardware is required. There are different configurations in multicopter, such as 2 motors, 3 motors, 4 motors. You might be wondering if there are any tips about flying the aircraft for newcomers of this exciting hobby, this post “how to get started with quadcopter” might give you a hint.
Build A Quadcopter From Scratch - Hardware Anatomy - Oscar Liang This article explains the anatomy of a quadcopter, and what each component does in a quadcopter. This tutorial is an essential part of learning how to build a quadcopter from scratch. If you are planning on building a quadcopter from scratch but not sure where to start, you might find this guide useful. Mini Quad is the most versatile platform for FPV flying IMO, that can be used for racing, free-style flying and even aerial filming. Here is a guide on how to get into building and flying a mini quad. This blog post is divided into a 2 sections What is a quadcopterHow does a quadcopter fly? A quadcopter is a type of multicopters with 4 rotors, aka drone or UAV. Quadcopters exist in many different sizes. On a regular helicopter there is one big rotor to provide all the lifting power and a little tail rotor to offset the aerodynamic torque generated by the big rotor (without it, the helicopter would spin almost as fast as the propeller). A quadcopter consists of the following essential parts:
How to Build a Multirotor: 6 Steps By Jared Reabow Take to now that the frame is built, you will want to set up and secure the APM to the frame. Start by heating your hot glue gun and soldering iron. You should not solder on the pins to the board, take reference from my video on how to solder. Now that the board is positioned and secured, it is time to install the gps and Mavlink As i stated in the video, the APM comes with two cables, one for the gps and one for the MAVink Simply remove the white plug to servo plug from the gps and mavlink and keep safe. now fit the plugs to the mavlink and gps, The small white plugs go the the modules and the larger plugs to the board. make sure the red wire goes to vdd on the module (at this point i recommend you watch my setup apm video) Take the elastic or alternative if you could not get any (2cm wide strips of paper) and roll them up to a thickness of about 2cm then secure with tape. Now that the system is secured, it is time to fit the receiver.