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Quad or hexcopter kit — Parallax Forums

Quad or hexcopter kit

fschutzmanfschutzman Posts: 14
edited 2011-03-01 01:06 in Propeller 1
I know there are threads on the quadcopter in the forum, but I am wondering if anyone has a "ready to go kit" that uses a propeller chip in a "copter". I am vice-president of a small non-profit community access TV station in Woodland, Ca. We may be in the market for a quad or hexacopter to use in some projects that are coming up...one involves helping wounded vets coming back from the middle east to readjust and videoing them doing sports with their artifical limbs. We would use the quadcopter to get aerial shots. Anyway, after hearing so many good things about how the propeller chip is being used in quadcopters, I was wondering if anyone has actually solved all the problems and has a kit. I need one that could lift a small digital camera for a 2-4 minute video clip. It would be nice if it could send real-time sampling back to a ground station. I would also be nice if we could swivel the camera from the ground. I know some German companies have things like this already, but I want to give the propeller chip as well as Parallax a chance to shine. If someone is currently doing something along these lines and would be done prototyping by June 2011, give me an email or post a reply. I am a beginner robotic enthusiast and would not mind helping in the process, but I would have to have a finished device by the above mentioned date.

Comments

  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2011-02-25 13:33
    I'd remove the email address from the post... some (more) spam bots would then have less fun without it :)
    There are kits available but I think they only come in ARM or AVR variants, though.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2011-02-25 13:52
    Hello fschutzman,

    This week I ordered one of the Hoverfly boards at http://www.hoverflytech.com/. Their design uses a Propeller and it's configurable instead of open-source. Their product is mostly used for aerial photography. They don't offer a frame so I'll be building my own. I initially wanted to program my own Propeller to interface with gyros, accelerometers, ESCs, and receivers until the reality struck - I don't have time to go that route.

    Since you're in Woodland - about 45 minutes away - how about if you come over to Parallax after my Hoverfly board arrives and we'll take a look together. This board can fly larger quad/hex/octo copter designs. Their documentation is here: http://www.hoverflytech.com/uploads/HoverflyProUsersGuideV1_2.pdf

    My board should arrive in about a week if you want to check it out.

    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-02-25 15:40
    There are a few who have the prop working and IIRC their code has been posted. IIRC Jason Dorie is the most advanced with this project.

    I expect to have a pcb available in less than 1 month to specifically handle the Radio receiver inputs and esc outputs on an smt pcb 1.1x2.1" and a piggyback pcb for the sensors. However, big advances have been made using the gyro on the Wii Motion Plus, which I also have for investigating.

    I will PM you and Ken offline further.
  • fschutzmanfschutzman Posts: 14
    edited 2011-02-26 09:33
    Thanks to Ken and Cluso both for their quick response. I am looking forward to developing this idea further.

    Fred
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2011-02-26 17:25
    Mine works, but it's not self-stable (meaning you actually have to know how to fly an R/C copter), and it's not available as a kit. The one Ken linked to looks pretty cool, has controls for pan & tilt of a connected camera, and looks relatively configurable.
  • Cats92Cats92 Posts: 149
    edited 2011-02-27 01:34
    Hello Cluso99,
    When you have a pcb I am interested please send me an email. I am to buy one.

    Have a GAUI 330 quad.
    Last year , tried also to write a quad program for the propeller : it works well for getting the DX8 radio receiver inputs and sending commands to Turnigy esc , reading gyros and accelerometers.

    But I am not good enough to write a mixer for the commands and a sort off PID controller like the Aeroquad one.

    Cats92
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-02-27 14:02
    This might be a dummy question. But I have a rc model cessna, 1.5 meter wing span. Is it possible to to make this fly autonomously ?

    I guess it would be super hard even if take off and landings were done by the radio operator.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-02-27 16:05
    Cats92: Certainly. I shall be posting an announcement soon.
    mickal: I would expect it would be far simpler to control in flight than a quadcopter. Even for takeoff and landing, it could be programmed to remain level across the wings.
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-02-27 16:17
    Thanks for your response. Ill use another thread when I get round to it. I got the idea after reading a book about US military robotics and the zillion dollar budget they have. Those Predators and ravens are almost unbelievable.
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2011-02-27 23:27
    Mickal - Check out a site called DIY Drones - the whole site is devoted to autonomous flying stuff, and a number of people there have planes that will fly patterns set via GPS.
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-02-28 15:21
    Thanks again. Just a bit of experience, the last rc plane i purchased was while on a holiday in the US. I carried it all the way around with me and back to australia. Had no experience and I crashed it straight into a gum tree on maiden flight totally wrecked it. :( I have not yet flown the new plane, I think ill take it to a club day first. Maybe getting a propeller to fly it for me is my best bet im sure that chip is smarter than me :)
    Ps. Ive also purchased 3 hydrlic units to make a flight sim and have sketched up a couple of designs Ive got a great workshed on the folks farm and enjoy metal fab but that idea will be a few months off.
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2011-02-28 15:29
    My suggestion would be to pick up RealFlight or some other flight simulator, though attending a club day is an excellent idea if there's one nearby. A simulator will let you get all the initial crashing out of the way as you learn to handle the different orientations. Then you can move on to the more advanced crashing. :)

    Honestly, it doesn't take long - you might even be able to find a local hobby store that has an R/C flight simulator for sale with a "try before you buy" kiosk. Spend 15 minutes on that - you'll probably crash a few dozen times without it costing you a cent, and it'll help you get past the initial hump. Practice take-off, landing, and flying simple patterns, like a figure 8 in front of you.
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-02-28 15:41
    Jason I am doing just that , a friend with rc helecopters told me pretty much what you said.

    ps. I have been playing with the nokia display again this morning. I was trying to modify other code but your driver was plug and play :) The fubota rc unit was $800 but I found an 8 channel in oz for $59. From china but buyers have given it 3 to 4 stars !
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-02-28 16:38
    mickal: That $59 unit sounds great. I have a DX6i.
    BTW I will be in Brisvegas next Monday but no spare time.

    My flying/crashing was done years ago. I could take off and make a few loops of the field, but always got into trouble before any landing attempt began. But the copters will allow me to fly in the yard, etc. I have a great set of water out the back too, once I am sure I will not crash it - cannot waterproof the motors, etc.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2011-02-28 16:42
    Ken, will you have the hoverfly at UPEW? I'd be very interested in seeing it.
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2011-02-28 19:37
    @Cluso - Check out HobbyKing.com and look for "OrangeRX" - They're specifically for the Spectrum line and are VERY cheap knock-offs. @Mickal - OrangeRX also has Futaba compatible units which might be useful to you. I'm glad to hear you were able to use the Nokia driver. It was pretty easy to write once I knew which settings to apply. Finding the right settings was a big pain in the @$$. :)
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2011-02-28 19:57
    Jason: Yes I have seen those cheap knock offs. I purchased my motors and escs from hobbyking. Unfortunately I bought my DX6i for this project over a year ago :( I thought my older rc's may not be reliable so I didnt want to chance them.
    I have some blades for the motors, but no corresponding counter rotating ones. I would much rather use these than place 2 motors on angles. HobbyKing never seems to have both normal and counter rotationg in stock at the same time (at least when I look). Any other cheap (shipping is the biggest cost) props (as in propellor blades, not chips)?
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2011-02-28 20:06
    I bought the three-bladed props from here:
    http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=151&curPage=3&v=&sortlist=&LiPoConfig=

    They seem to have some in stock at the moment. So far I prefer the 3-blade over two-blade as the vibrations from the air hitting the motor support arms are at a higher frequency so they're a little easier to filter out.

    Counter rotating props are notoriously hard to find, because they're not used all that often. Dragonfly (http://www.rctoys.com/) probably has some too, but I doubt they're cheap.
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-02-28 21:08
    It was HobbyKing aussie warehouse I where i have been waiting a month for these to back in stock http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?catname=2%2E4Ghz+Turnigy&idCategory=309&ParentCat=190 they been on backorder for ages despite customers asking for them.

    Then there are hobbykings own brand http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=295&curPage=1&sortlist=&LiPoConfig=&qty=30 Which are also inexpensive. I need a min of 5 channel to use the flaps as well. The HK $59 has 7 channels. The customer comments seem to have been removed so im not sure. Ill see if they respond to emails.

    sorry custommer reviws are there. I just looed at a $25 HK unit 6 channel. customers seem pleased. 8 or 9 channel would be nice but at half the price its probably ok for me.

    I would value any of your opinions.
  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    edited 2011-03-01 00:28
    Mickal - I completely missed the fact that you're looking at a transmitter, not just a receiver. I don't know anything about the HK transmitters - I used a Spektrum DX7 for a while, and replaced it with a JR9303. I have a bunch of other things I fly, so it makes sense for me to have a decent transmitter. I'd look at getting something compatible with a Spektrum, like one of the entry level DX line, and then moving up from there once you've decided whether you'll continue with it or not. If you're looking to build an autopilot anyway, a lot of the functions that you'd normally have the radio do (exponential, curve range, reversing, etc) you can do in your flight software, so you don't necessarily need something stellar to begin with.

    That said, if you plan on using it for other r/c stuff, or plan to be doing this a while, spending a bit of extra money up front is a good idea. The radio is the "interface" to your planes. Buying a cheap one will impact how well they fly, how "connected" you feel, and so on. It's like buying a great car and then putting garbage tires on it. :)
  • mickalmickal Posts: 75
    edited 2011-03-01 01:06
    I can understand now why some units are $800 and some are $25.
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