ELEV-8 Feedback
First off this is a fantastic kit! I received mine on Aug 23rd and took the first test "flight", aka jumping around, on Sep 2nd. However, it was a bit challenging at times and part of that was due to trying to find correct info.
The problems started when I was ordering. I had been looking at these, on and off, for a long time, but when I saw the 10% discount for using the new website it seemed like the right time to pull the trigger. I quickly ordered just the kit to make sure I got in on the discount and then went back to figure out what else I needed. Even though the description stated that only a battery, charger and radio kit was needed I had figured I needed an ESC programming card and I wanted the LED kit. It was very helpful that Parallax carries a battery, but initially I wasn't sure if I should shop for a higher capacity so I waited to order it.
The amount of info on the web is overwhelming and often conflicting, so I went with the Parallax battery and the recommended charger. I waited on the LED's, but ordered the ESC card. Regarding the ESC card, I couldn't be sure if the Turnigy card would work with the GEM Fan ESC's. Maybe there is something stating that they will, but I don't recall finding it. The other issue that is probably obvious is that I have zero RC experience and that surely doesn't help with the confusion.
The kit arrived and was wonderfully packed with parts segregated into several bags by function. There was an Airframe kit, Hardware kit and an Electronics kit. It was not only well organized and packed, but not a single item was missing, in fact there are a number of extra parts when finished. Better than the other way around, for sure. I was pleased to find that the LED's came with the kit and surprised that the ESC programmer was included. This info should be clear to someone ordering. If it is spelled out somewhere, well I got confused. Not a huge deal, but my head was spinning at times trying to sort all this stuff out.
The mechanical stuff is great! All the holes line up, the fasteners are quality stainless steel, the tubing is well finished, and the delrin parts are nice. There just isn't much to complain about there. Yeah, you could procure materials and make parts yourself, but man it is sooo nice to have a KIT if you're not geared up for that.
As I got into the project I ran into some trouble here and there.
In step 3, number 1, I thought that 3/4" of heat shrink was a little short and so bought some extra and cut it to 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 inch.
In step 4, number 2, it is important to note the orientation of the motor leads. If incorrect the Motor Mount Bottom Plate should be flipped over. Also, you shouldn't do anything more than get the screws started. If you tighten the motors now, you'll find that you can't slip the boom into place because the leads won't budge to conform to the tube i.d. However, if the leads are entered into the tube and then the Motor Plate tightened, it works. Seems like it could put some strain on those leads, but that's another issue. Also, in this step, I found it easier to leave the Landing Gear off.
In step 5, I found it easy to roll the Boom tube over the checkered tape (that was in someone's build log here I believe) with the Gear off. It seemed really hard to get the heat-shrink to make it to size in this step. Guess my wife might need a better hair dryer.
In step 6, number 5, it refers to a 1" long screw. The screw is flagged as item 4 on the drawing and listed as 1-1/4"
In step 7, THIS IS A ROYAL PITA! Man did I struggle with this. I had watched the Hoverfly tutorial several times, but apparently watching isn't quite the same as doing. I used a solder "gun" and wrapped the joint with a piece of wire also. If I got one side looking good, it was quickly ruined when I flipped it over to "finish up" the other side. I can laugh about it now, but it sure wasn't humorous at the time. I did find one tip online that I thought was pretty clever. The guy split the feed cable into four groups of strands and then soldered these to the individual ESC wires. If I do it again, I think I'll try that. The other struggle with step 7 is the D connectors. Perhaps a note indicating how far the bullets should end up from the open end would be helpful.
I had no idea what transmitter and receiver to buy. Seems like a lot of vids and pics showed Spektrum so that's where I started. I nearly bought a Spektrum DX8, but changed my mind at the last minute to a HiTec Aurora 9 with an Optima 7 channel receiver. It was about the cost and the HiTec had some telemetry functionality that seemed appealing. I think some of the issues I encountered resulted from using this radio set.
In step 8, the chart on recommended setttings: The End point adjustment for the rudder MUST be left at 100% or you will not be able to arm the HoverflyOpen board. It is looking for full left and full right and an attenuated end point will prevent that. The Aileron must be REVERSED. Seems a little odd that one axis would be reversed.
In step 9, I thought this could have been done before mounting the ESC's on the frame and connecting to the motors. It's just a little less convenient to pull all the motor leads when it could have been done on the bench ahead of time.
In step 12, number 7, I decided to mount the battery underneath the bottom plate to keep the CG low. Maybe it doesn't make much difference, but it seems that the quad might be more stable with the mass further from the props. Pics of the velcro attachments would help since I couldn't figure out how the heck these were intended to be used. Eventually I ran across a forum thread or something stating that it could be wrapped around both top and bottom plates. I found that didn't leave a lot of Velcro engagement, but I had put a heavy duty adhesive backed velcro on the battery and the mounting plate, so wasn't too concerned. For this step, looking at the drawing, I think it would work better to use a 3/4" threaded rod to attach item 5 to item 4 and the standoff below. Then a 3/8" panhead could be substituted for item 2. This would make removal of the top plate possible without it all coming apart.
In step 13 I found that the servo leads supplied are not "JR" style (with a chamfer on the edges) and my receiver is. A little Dremel work fixed that.
After step 14, the instructions say you're all finished. However, at this point I jumped to the Hoverfly documents and I think that the instructions should point the user that way. There is a lot of info on general design and building considerations, which isn't as relevant because we are working with a kit - no problem there.
Skipping to 4.5.6 They show that only one ESC should be used as a BEC and I saw that in other places, but I decided to let it go for now. I figured I probably had some de-bugging to do and could get to it later if needed.
5.3 Covers arming. I had issues here because of the EPA setting I made earlier. Eventually I figured it out.
6 Covers the software for updating and the setup application. This started a litte confusion because there is no setup file listed on their site for the HoverflyOpen. In fact it isn't listed as one of their products. Hmmm... So I did the update, which wasn't like the tutorial, but was obvious enough. I also tried to run the setup, but picked the wrong one (for Hoverfly Pro). I downloaded the correct one (for Hoverfly Sport and older). However, it didn't run because, I found out later, I didn't uninstall the wrong version. Ok, now that I got the right app I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it.
The first issue is that the guide says in 7.1.1 that you shouldn't power the board from both the ESC's and the USB at the same time. This means you have to disconnect the ESC's to run the setup. (and make sure you put them back in the right place).
After powering up and connecting it looked like my Aileron and Rudder controls were reversed (radio was "normal"). So I reversed both on the radio. Then when I pushed the sticks right, the sliders went right and vice versa. The artificial horizon seemed sluggish when moving the copter around. I went to the diagnostics screen and passed that test.
I had a hard time getting the system armed. Turns out the Gear switch was in the wrong place, giving me a blinking green instead of a steady green. Not hard to fix, but hard to find.
Pairing the transmitter and receiver wasn't 100% smooth either. :-) Their doc's were not quite correct. Oh well.
After all was said and done, it flew! Well sort of... I did the bunny hop special on day one. Today I did a little better, but it was a little windy and the quad would wander away. I did find that the Rudder needed to be returned to normal instead of reverse (I didn't really use it on day one). Seems weird. Now I have all channels normal except for the Aileron.
Thanks again for a fine product, I am very happy to have a well designed and tested quadcopter platform.
-Russ
The problems started when I was ordering. I had been looking at these, on and off, for a long time, but when I saw the 10% discount for using the new website it seemed like the right time to pull the trigger. I quickly ordered just the kit to make sure I got in on the discount and then went back to figure out what else I needed. Even though the description stated that only a battery, charger and radio kit was needed I had figured I needed an ESC programming card and I wanted the LED kit. It was very helpful that Parallax carries a battery, but initially I wasn't sure if I should shop for a higher capacity so I waited to order it.
The amount of info on the web is overwhelming and often conflicting, so I went with the Parallax battery and the recommended charger. I waited on the LED's, but ordered the ESC card. Regarding the ESC card, I couldn't be sure if the Turnigy card would work with the GEM Fan ESC's. Maybe there is something stating that they will, but I don't recall finding it. The other issue that is probably obvious is that I have zero RC experience and that surely doesn't help with the confusion.
The kit arrived and was wonderfully packed with parts segregated into several bags by function. There was an Airframe kit, Hardware kit and an Electronics kit. It was not only well organized and packed, but not a single item was missing, in fact there are a number of extra parts when finished. Better than the other way around, for sure. I was pleased to find that the LED's came with the kit and surprised that the ESC programmer was included. This info should be clear to someone ordering. If it is spelled out somewhere, well I got confused. Not a huge deal, but my head was spinning at times trying to sort all this stuff out.
The mechanical stuff is great! All the holes line up, the fasteners are quality stainless steel, the tubing is well finished, and the delrin parts are nice. There just isn't much to complain about there. Yeah, you could procure materials and make parts yourself, but man it is sooo nice to have a KIT if you're not geared up for that.
As I got into the project I ran into some trouble here and there.
In step 3, number 1, I thought that 3/4" of heat shrink was a little short and so bought some extra and cut it to 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 inch.
In step 4, number 2, it is important to note the orientation of the motor leads. If incorrect the Motor Mount Bottom Plate should be flipped over. Also, you shouldn't do anything more than get the screws started. If you tighten the motors now, you'll find that you can't slip the boom into place because the leads won't budge to conform to the tube i.d. However, if the leads are entered into the tube and then the Motor Plate tightened, it works. Seems like it could put some strain on those leads, but that's another issue. Also, in this step, I found it easier to leave the Landing Gear off.
In step 5, I found it easy to roll the Boom tube over the checkered tape (that was in someone's build log here I believe) with the Gear off. It seemed really hard to get the heat-shrink to make it to size in this step. Guess my wife might need a better hair dryer.
In step 6, number 5, it refers to a 1" long screw. The screw is flagged as item 4 on the drawing and listed as 1-1/4"
In step 7, THIS IS A ROYAL PITA! Man did I struggle with this. I had watched the Hoverfly tutorial several times, but apparently watching isn't quite the same as doing. I used a solder "gun" and wrapped the joint with a piece of wire also. If I got one side looking good, it was quickly ruined when I flipped it over to "finish up" the other side. I can laugh about it now, but it sure wasn't humorous at the time. I did find one tip online that I thought was pretty clever. The guy split the feed cable into four groups of strands and then soldered these to the individual ESC wires. If I do it again, I think I'll try that. The other struggle with step 7 is the D connectors. Perhaps a note indicating how far the bullets should end up from the open end would be helpful.
I had no idea what transmitter and receiver to buy. Seems like a lot of vids and pics showed Spektrum so that's where I started. I nearly bought a Spektrum DX8, but changed my mind at the last minute to a HiTec Aurora 9 with an Optima 7 channel receiver. It was about the cost and the HiTec had some telemetry functionality that seemed appealing. I think some of the issues I encountered resulted from using this radio set.
In step 8, the chart on recommended setttings: The End point adjustment for the rudder MUST be left at 100% or you will not be able to arm the HoverflyOpen board. It is looking for full left and full right and an attenuated end point will prevent that. The Aileron must be REVERSED. Seems a little odd that one axis would be reversed.
In step 9, I thought this could have been done before mounting the ESC's on the frame and connecting to the motors. It's just a little less convenient to pull all the motor leads when it could have been done on the bench ahead of time.
In step 12, number 7, I decided to mount the battery underneath the bottom plate to keep the CG low. Maybe it doesn't make much difference, but it seems that the quad might be more stable with the mass further from the props. Pics of the velcro attachments would help since I couldn't figure out how the heck these were intended to be used. Eventually I ran across a forum thread or something stating that it could be wrapped around both top and bottom plates. I found that didn't leave a lot of Velcro engagement, but I had put a heavy duty adhesive backed velcro on the battery and the mounting plate, so wasn't too concerned. For this step, looking at the drawing, I think it would work better to use a 3/4" threaded rod to attach item 5 to item 4 and the standoff below. Then a 3/8" panhead could be substituted for item 2. This would make removal of the top plate possible without it all coming apart.
In step 13 I found that the servo leads supplied are not "JR" style (with a chamfer on the edges) and my receiver is. A little Dremel work fixed that.
After step 14, the instructions say you're all finished. However, at this point I jumped to the Hoverfly documents and I think that the instructions should point the user that way. There is a lot of info on general design and building considerations, which isn't as relevant because we are working with a kit - no problem there.
Skipping to 4.5.6 They show that only one ESC should be used as a BEC and I saw that in other places, but I decided to let it go for now. I figured I probably had some de-bugging to do and could get to it later if needed.
5.3 Covers arming. I had issues here because of the EPA setting I made earlier. Eventually I figured it out.
6 Covers the software for updating and the setup application. This started a litte confusion because there is no setup file listed on their site for the HoverflyOpen. In fact it isn't listed as one of their products. Hmmm... So I did the update, which wasn't like the tutorial, but was obvious enough. I also tried to run the setup, but picked the wrong one (for Hoverfly Pro). I downloaded the correct one (for Hoverfly Sport and older). However, it didn't run because, I found out later, I didn't uninstall the wrong version. Ok, now that I got the right app I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it.
The first issue is that the guide says in 7.1.1 that you shouldn't power the board from both the ESC's and the USB at the same time. This means you have to disconnect the ESC's to run the setup. (and make sure you put them back in the right place).
After powering up and connecting it looked like my Aileron and Rudder controls were reversed (radio was "normal"). So I reversed both on the radio. Then when I pushed the sticks right, the sliders went right and vice versa. The artificial horizon seemed sluggish when moving the copter around. I went to the diagnostics screen and passed that test.
I had a hard time getting the system armed. Turns out the Gear switch was in the wrong place, giving me a blinking green instead of a steady green. Not hard to fix, but hard to find.
Pairing the transmitter and receiver wasn't 100% smooth either. :-) Their doc's were not quite correct. Oh well.
After all was said and done, it flew! Well sort of... I did the bunny hop special on day one. Today I did a little better, but it was a little windy and the quad would wander away. I did find that the Rudder needed to be returned to normal instead of reverse (I didn't really use it on day one). Seems weird. Now I have all channels normal except for the Aileron.
Thanks again for a fine product, I am very happy to have a well designed and tested quadcopter platform.
-Russ
Comments
I am glad to hear that you got your Elev-8 up and flying! Thank you for all of your feedback, I will take a look at where and how to improve the kit and information available to try and minimize any confusion that could be caused. One of the main reasons that we do not give a recommendation for a Transmitter/Receiver combo is because it seems like every manufacturer is doing things a little different, and it would be hard for us to keep up with every type of controller and provide setup instructions to go along with them. This is why we give the settings and values that the HoverFly board wants from each channel, and then the user can configure their controller accordingly. I will look at making the setup, assembly, and all together whole process smoother for future builders. I must say though, for a guy who has "no previous r/c experience", you did very well! If you have any pictures of your Elev-8 in action, I always like to see them flying in their new homes! If you need anything, or have any questions while getting used to flying, please don't hesitate to contact me.
-Nick
..and a couple of clips. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iml_2q_q830 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFOprq4lBXg
One of the things that would be helpful is if the instructions were in printed in color.
-Russ