CranialRectosis' Alien Build

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
i have no info about the OSD, but im curious. do you think the D4R-II would be a good first RX for a quad? ( just not sure what RX to bujy for the taranis, hence iv been leaning on the dx6. when i should be learning to use the taranis... that way i can give the dx6 away to someone who needs a radio and is short on funds. )

i need a RX for my current project, and i may as well force my self to get the taranis in my hands.. i will buy the telemetry unit (module ) next month.

not sure how PPM works.. so maybe i could look into that too i guess. as im pretty sure the CC3d supports it and it sure would help with my rats nest.

chris.

PPM is nice. You wire power, ground and one signal wire between the rx and the flight controller and sort out the channels on the board in Cleanflight.

I like the D4R-IIs and have used them for a few years. I like them because I get good range, and they are small. They now have versions that support SBus. SBus reduces latency and that is what I would want today if I didn't have the D4R-IIs on my shelf.

I am a fan of Aloft Hobbies. Here is their X series page.

D4R-IIs work with the Taranis.
 

jipp

Senior Member
thank you for your help, i appreciate it, along with everyone else who has help me.. means a lot to this old crippled :D that is what i will order. FrSky X4R-SB - 3/16 Channel Receiver with Sbus and CPPM.
ill need to get a XJT module next month too. looks like this would be ideal even for my larger spring time project as i will want the extra channels. as it will have landing gear that are on there own switch to retract. probably over kill for a 680 small AP machine but it will be my toy to tinker with.. just a science bed for me to play with sensors and what not.. with the larger size which will be easier to work on.

well its lunch time i guess. i hope you are staying warm. :)
chris.



chris.
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
I'm glad you mentioned this. It's an example of the great attention to detail on the Alien frames.

Your build is looking good!

Thank you! I will feel better if/when the KISS ESCs and the Sparky2 pass the smoke test. :)

There are no instructions for an Alien build other than the RCGroups photos.

You don't need them. :)

The copter is simple to assemble and the way the parts are packed, if you open the individual packs when you need them, it makes the build self explanatory.

Except the camera mount which requires photos to build.

It's the difference between an Oracle query written with a ton of inline views as opposed to a more elegant solution using an analytic. The entire Alien experience is elegant. The parts have a synergy.

Even the packing adds to the synergy in this kit.
 

Ocean

Member
thank you for your help, i appreciate it, along with everyone else who has help me.. means a lot to this old crippled :D that is what i will order. FrSky X4R-SB - 3/16 Channel Receiver with Sbus and CPPM.
ill need to get a XJT module next month too. looks like this would be ideal even for my larger spring time project as i will want the extra channels. as it will have landing gear that are on there own switch to retract. probably over kill for a 680 small AP machine but it will be my toy to tinker with.. just a science bed for me to play with sensors and what not.. with the larger size which will be easier to work on.

well its lunch time i guess. i hope you are staying warm. :)
chris.



chris.

You will have to invert the SBUS signal for it to work with a Naze or CC3D. You can do a mod to your X4R or just invert it in the cable :)

You won't have to do it for a MotoMoto or Sparky though.

Not sure about the Sparky 2 but presume you won't have to.
 

jipp

Senior Member
You will have to invert the SBUS signal for it to work with a Naze or CC3D. You can do a mod to your X4R or just invert it in the cable :)

You won't have to do it for a MotoMoto or Sparky though.

Not sure about the Sparky 2 but presume you won't have to.

thanks for the tip. ill try to remember as i wont be able to order them until next month..
ill be using CC3D for this versacopter thing so ill invert them. RX get spendy, when you go to telemetry stuff. heh.
compared to a 6.00 6ch lemon RX. heh.

at least i will only have to buy the module for the taranis once.. that will be a quick 60.00
guess that will be my gift to my self for xmas. RX, and TX module. im gonna go ahead and order a 2 voltage sensors now tho.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-FrSky-F...890464?hash=item4d213961a0:g:2KoAAOxygPtS0EMZ
chris.
 

jhitesma

Some guy in the desert
Mentor
jipp - unless I'm missing something...why get an XJT module if you already have a Taranis? Taranis has a built in FrSky module. The XJT module is for adding FrSky to something like a 9x that doesn't talk FrSky natively.

Unless you're trying to run two modules simultaneously for 32ch...but I don't think you're doing anything that crazy :)

And yes, Sparky 2.0 does have a built in inverter on the RCVR port:

Rcvr: USART6. Convenient connection for receivers with selectable power between external power or 3.3V. PPM, S.Bus, DSM, HOTT. NOTE: because of the XOR on this port to support inverter protocols like SBus it is not possible to send a DSM Bind pulse with the receiver port
 

jipp

Senior Member
jipp - unless I'm missing something...why get an XJT module if you already have a Taranis? Taranis has a built in FrSky module. The XJT module is for adding FrSky to something like a 9x that doesn't talk FrSky natively.

Unless you're trying to run two modules simultaneously for 32ch...but I don't think you're doing anything that crazy :)

And yes, Sparky 2.0 does have a built in inverter on the RCVR port:

you are correct, im not going for 32ch that is over kill for anything ill ever build.
i do not see how i could use up a 32ch off hand with out adding a bunch of random stuff just to add it,instead of stuff crucial for flight.

i guess i miss understood, when i read the information to the telemetry RXs they all say you have to use X module.. so i thought i had to have that module on the back of the taranis to get telemetry to work with the radio. same with RX being sold in bundles with the module. that be great if i did not need the module. then i could just get the spectrum/walker module to keep in my case for BNF air frames like the nano, and other spectrum RX BNF products. then i can give the dx6 away to someone who needs a radio but i do not want to give it away till i know i can fly the BNF birds as the stock TX for example the nano comes with is total junk.

good to know about the sparky II. its such a impressive FC on paper and its sitting on my desk all looking dapper, laughing at my cc3d.. poor cc3d getting made fun of. laughs, joking aside. .. i look forward to more F4 Fc's to be design and hit the open market to see what other cool things come out of the added specs.

chris.
 
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cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
The Sparky2 is where I am now. Of course, I have just seen Steele's build and am thinking of making some modifications to this build already. :)

I don't know how he can work on a carpet covered bench and touch those ESCs with his bare fingers without any blowouts.
 

MototechRyan

Wannabe Jedi
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cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Lol, "you could mount your pololu to the alien face" :D

The Aliens are way above my skill level to get the performance they are capable of. Kinda like my grandma driving a Lamborghini. I still thoroughly enjoy and learn alot from yalls build posts though.

Thank you MotottechRyan!

I learned to build copters right here by reading other builds so this is a way to pay some of that back.

Your analogy of grandma driving a Lamborghini is about how I fly. Colorado Springs is pretty unfriendly (illegal in all the parks) toward 'drones' so I tend to stay low profile. To be honest, I LOVE the build. I saw how Steele built his and have mine all torn apart again. He gave me some ideas and I may make mine even more of a showpiece than his.

Steele's, FGAs and Codemonkey's copters will see much more airtime. Mine will see much more parade time when I use it to give kids and teachers at the high school 'rides' in my goggles. There is much work to be done in Colorado Springs to change the image and the laws here. Purple paracord sleeving and a happy copter name go a long way toward showing a copter that looks like fun instead of a weapon or spy machine.


Thank you for reading MototechRyan! I hope my build/chatter will inspire/help other builds.

If you can afford it and if you like owning the best there is regardless of how good you fly today, building an Alien can only help the hobby and you progress. It WILL challenge you.

Besides, everyone starts a Lamborghini in 1st gear. :)
 

airhawk

Crashing Ace
Thank you MotottechRyan!

I learned to build copters right here by reading other builds so this is a way to pay some of that back.

Your analogy of grandma driving a Lamborghini is about how I fly. Colorado Springs is pretty unfriendly (illegal in all the parks) toward 'drones' so I tend to stay low profile. To be honest, I LOVE the build. I saw how Steele built his and have mine all torn apart again. He gave me some ideas and I may make mine even more of a showpiece than his.

Steele's, FGAs and Codemonkey's copters will see much more airtime. Mine will see much more parade time when I use it to give kids and teachers at the high school 'rides' in my goggles. There is much work to be done in Colorado Springs to change the image and the laws here. Purple paracord sleeving and a happy copter name go a long way toward showing a copter that looks like fun instead of a weapon or spy machine.


Thank you for reading MototechRyan! I hope my build/chatter will inspire/help other builds.

If you can afford it and if you like owning the best there is regardless of how good you fly today, building an Alien can only help the hobby and you progress. It WILL challenge you.

Besides, everyone starts a Lamborghini in 1st gear. :)
im flying a night hawk and i feel like there is still untapped potential
 

MototechRyan

Wannabe Jedi
Gotta agree with you gentlemen, if I had the money I'd allready have one of each size of the Aliens. And the Warpquads. Makes me wonder how much a gently used, uncrashed/mint condition Alien would be worth years from now.
 

airhawk

Crashing Ace
alot the qav isnt new and its 500 - 600 used if the alien tops the qav performance wise the price will skyrocket
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
So, I took this thing all apart again, damned Steele, and finished the carbon fiber. I am going to flip the PDB so the XT60 is on the right side of the copter. I am just too used to having that USB on the left dangit!

I should be back to playing with the Sparky2 tomorrow but tonight I have dishes. Bobbi had the day off and baked a chicken and made almond, rice alfredo and a Dutch apple pie (with the heavy cream in the middle). Holy crap, right?

That's the deal though. If she does that, I do the dishes.

jhitesma dashed my hopes for using my Pololu up/down 12v as a power filter. So that's the next thing I need to buy and that should be the bulk of the parts.

The Sparky2 is a really fine board. I will flash (smoke test) it tomorrow. :)
 

jipp

Senior Member
good luck i look forward to your experience with the sparky II as mine is waiting for a project patiently.. while its little brothers (cc3d) sits in two project box... heh.

chris.
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
So I played with this for a few hours yesterday trying to place the 5v Pololu.

Broke one. :(

I have a spare! :)

The Sparky2 has little connectors on the bottom of the board that won't permit a Pololu to fit under them. The XT60 connector blocks one side of the Sparky2 that has no connectors and the PDB 12V rail would be blocked by the Pololu if I mount the Pololu under the front of the Sparky2 that also has none of these little connectors.

I also decided to try an underside, low profile pin plan for the motor pins on the Sparky2. The pins are close to the center press fit nuts on the PDB but the connectors fit and should prevent shorts.

Still, there is absolutely no room under the Sparky2 for a Pololu.

A simpler board makes for a simpler build.

Ahh well. I still have leftover Dutch Apple Pie!
 
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jipp

Senior Member
bummer man.. at least you have a apple pie indeed.. as i do not have one. LOL.

iv been up all night can not sleep stupid leg is bugging me.. sometimes i wonder why i bother. also i need a new set of battery's for the nano.. this set of 5 are on there last legs.. this will be the second set of battery iv gone through.. and the second rebuild of his nano. i guess its safe to say im getting my moneys worth out of this little gem of a quad. lol.

i do have a spare nano qx that has aburnt motor.. not sure what to do with the thing as the FC in it is still good..
maybe there will be a kit that i can just transfer the FC over one day.

i think i will take the nano for a walk.. iv been walking the dog last couple of days. mixing it up.. hopefully all this nano flying is making me a better pilot. :D

share the apple pie?
chris.