CranialRectosis' Alien Build

[cranialrectosis]

I love my WarpQuad. I have been looking for a quadcopter FPV frame for a while and held out until now.

The wait is over. Aliens are here!

Besides, it's snowing like mad outside.

I chose the 6" build and I am seriously thinking about a 4" now that I am into it.

The parts:
Frame: I went with the 6" Alien from ImpulseRC.

Flight controller: Sparky2 TAUlabs.
Motors: Cobra 2206 2100kv Race Edition
ESCs: KISS 30A
RX: FrSky D4R-II
Props: HQ 6045
Lipo: Turnigy 4S 1800
OSD: QOSD by DALRC..If I can get it to work. Technical info on this is sketchy and contains some misconceptions and errors.

FPV Tx: Surveilzone Mini
DVR: GoPro Hero4 Session

I am still waiting for some parts.
FPV Cam: HS1177
LC filter: http://www.getfpv.com/lc-common-mode-power-filter.html

 

[cranialrectosis]

PDB, booms and bottom plate

The copter comes in a little pack. Parts are grouped by function and individually sealed in segmented plastic bags.

The quality is what I expect from Warpquad and Soma. I expected top shelf. I saw FGAs and CodeMonkey's copters and I am not disappointed.

The PDB is an odd/heavy little thing. It takes a while to heat up.

The first thing I did was pull the press nuts into the PDB. Soma's instructions are clear here and not hard to follow. Still, if you find yourself giddily pressing the nuts into the wrong side of the PDB, it is a simple matter to push them back out by screwing the screw into the top side, placing the PDB atop a covered vice and tapping the nut out.

Still, I recommend you check the photo on Soma's page twice before you push the little nuts in and skip all the vice covering hassle.



Next, I covered the CF booms with some heatshrink just to mitigate against shorts from the ESCs.


The frame is striking and once the bottom plate and booms are installed, freakishly solid.


When it comes time to solder the XT60 to the PDB, keep the XT60 together (top and bottom connected) to prevent heat from warping the plastic. It will take some time and some heat here so go slow. Soma's instructions to ensure the G10 insert is in place is totally correct here. Before you spend 20 minutes digging through parts and photos looking for it, Soma has graciously pre-attached it to my XT60.


Cobra Motors with KISS 30A ESCs attached. I wear a wrist strap when unpacking these ESCs. I solder them only on wood and handle them with heatshrink.


I have finished the carbon fiber now and have re-installed the PDB to put the XT60 on the right of the copter.

To assemble this copter, I like to use a little masking tape to hold the screws in place so I may seat the booms with ease.


The basic frame assembled.


Lastly I cut some chunks out of the foam packing the Cobra motors came in and used two sided tape to stick them to the booms. Probably won't last long, but makes it easier to work on the copter on the table without scraping it on the bench.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Electronics and top plate

I spent much of today building cables and connecting the Sparky2 to my PC and to TAU.

This is a beautiful board.

I am trying a low profile bottom side pin scheme to keep the top of the board as clean as possible.


At this point. It is time to start up TAU.

I haven't connected a copter to my PC since Windows 10 attempted to abduct my PC. I have since formatted C and re-installed Windows 7 from my OEM disk and disabled the insidious Windows update. This means I install the driver for the USB.
https://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/Pages/USBtoUARTBridgeVCPDrivers.aspx

Remember you have to restart Windows after this install for anything to work.

Then I downloaded and installed TAU.
http://taulabs.org/

There is a basic Vimeo video showing how to run TAU on a Sparky. Really TAU is pretty self explanatory so far as you don't try to out think it. Just run it and click on the big green 'Setup' button.

At this point I have ran setup to the point where it needs power from a Lipo. This is it friends. The moment of truth. This is the moment when <> 50% of the KISS ESCs I have destroyed have gone up in smoke.

With the copter disconnected from the PC I am soldering in the grey signal wires and will connect them to the Sparky2.


Now I can connect a lipo and pray.

 

[jhitesma]

Glad to see you back and building again Cranial!

We should get you a DTFUHF module for that Taranis and use the built in RF module SPI connected RX for ultra-ultra low latency and telemetry with long range and no extra wires....I really want to get a sparky2 over here....though since they just hit the store today it will probably be in this format so I can enjoy some backyard FPV

Not joining Steele and FGA in the tri-blade club? I almost ordered some today to play with....

Will be interested to see how autotune in Tau does on that setup, I suspect you'll like it. Though the stuff RS2K is doing with his "raceflight" port of [b/c]flight to the F4 targets is looking interesting as well. (even if I think the low looptime obsession is reaching the point of diminishing returns I'm interested to see how it goes.)

Hope you have better luck with the 30a kiss's than you've had with the 18's. Then again considering how much I've been enjoying your surviving 18's maybe I do want to see your fire extinguisher get some more action

 

[jipp]

looks good man. i like the alien so far over others who are switching to a center X section like the armaton.
but my next frame is gonna be bigger. that PDB looks quite beefy. i look forward to hearing how them cobras handle the evil iron dirt.
oh yeah. snap a picture of the snow for me thanks ) also with the 30amp KIss you should not have any issues like the moody 18a version heh.
chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Mr Steele and FGA are in a whole other class/world. I just try not to hurt myself with the power I have.

The Sparky2 should be in my hex. If I could get my mitts on a Tornado, the moto board would be on the Alien and the school can have another Naze.

I am totally interested in the radio aspect on this board in the future. I plan to play with the minim OSD on the Alien at some point but by the time it goes on the Hex, I would like to understand that radio. Pop a link or two out if you get a chance. I have some reading to do and don't really know where to start.

Eventually I will donate the Sparky2 to the school. I need to figure out how to use it.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Here you go, Jipp!


Stay cool!

 

[jipp]

new wall paper. thanks my friend. also not heard of the tornado FC.. who makes it?
just cloudy here and its thinking about raining.. i wont see snow till maybe December then it will be on top of the mountain range in my front yard for maybe a couple of hours in the morning before the sun zaps it. it did snow here tho once even tho it melted before it hit the ground. yeah hell must of froze over that day. laughs.

chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

motomoto makes the Tornado. It was made for the Alien and supported here on the Alien page. You can get yours (unless I get it first) here.

It is the board Chad flew on his 6" Alien at the races.

The Moto Tornado is the simplest STM3 board I can find. No muss, no fuss just kick ass.

The Sparky2 has all the bells and whistles including RTH capability and it's own low-frequency radio if I put it together.

In a weird, twisted turn of events, I may put GPS on an Alien... I may as well use purple sleeving. FGA is hurling in his keyboard, I can hear it.

 

[jhitesma]

Not sure if you've heard but FGA has moved on to an even simpler FC lately it sounds like Little something quadmovr has been using in his recent videos and that pairs very well with those ESC's...

I'd gladly take a tornado over a SP3 though, I like moto's designs in general and as far as F3 boards go I like what he's done a lot more than what hydra/Dominic has done with the SP3. But then again with the new toy FGA is playing with and what RS2K is doing with F4 targets I can't say I'm very interested in F3 boards at all.

Since I don't have a Sparky2 yet I really don't have much to share about the radio. I haven't even used my openLRS setup since the RX fried back in February. I'm hoping to pick up a new one soon...or make one. I do have a couple of RMF22B's sitting here I picked up for just that purpose but never got around to. If I can get my hands on one of those brushed Sparky2.0's I'll learn myself up to help you for sure. But I'm really trying to save up for a 3D printer right now (Wife has approved it...but only if I save up double what I need and put the same amount I spent into savings when I spend it.)

I barely have the budget to keep up with my propeller habit right now as a result Plus I still have this tri I need to get airborne, and parts for a bigger quad...and I really really want to pickup a gimbal soon....so another flight controller has been low on the wish list. With the brushed sparky2 though I may have to revise that list...really want one of those little guys for FPV practice in the yard!

 

[jipp]

motomoto makes the Tornado. It was made for the Alien and supported here on the Alien page. You can get yours (unless I get it first) here.

It is the board Chad flew on his 6" Alien at the races.

The Moto Tornado is the simplest STM3 board I can find. No muss, no fuss just kick ass.

The Sparky2 has all the bells and whistles including RTH capability and it's own low-frequency radio if I put it together.

In a weird, twisted turn of events, I may put GPS on an Alien... I may as well use purple sleeving. FGA is hurling in his keyboard, I can hear it.

ok i have seen that board before i just assumed it was another naze. i did not realize it was a stripped down.. which for racing makes sense.. yeah i have the sparky too waiting to be played with.. even tho im thinking i may use a pixhawk for my 680 spring project.

jason, yeah a 3d printer would be so nice to have ( id have the stupid protective case for the runcam re-printed that is for sure.. but ill make this thing work i guess ). so many options tho it is a bit confusing.. looks like a decent one is about 600? even tho i admit some of them fancy ones look neat but at the price pint of 4k which is stupid expensive.

chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

The KISS FC. Yeah I saw that. Been hanging around on FGAs youtube channel and following F3Expo as much as I have been able.

Looks like I may just build today.

70+mph wind and better than a foot of snow and I have some pretty killer drifting. It was raining before the snow started so I am sure the roads are slick as snott.

 

[jipp]

wow man sounds like the world is ending in colarado.. nothing very eventful here.. just cloudy and should hit 70F today

i got a new people into the hobby yesterday, i took my blade nano to my doctors ( pain doctors ) yesterday, as i had to go get my bottles of poison filled err i mean schedule 3 drugs.. errr i mean pain meds yeah. hah.. anyhow, i had my doctor, and the nurses all flying around the hall ways in a short time.. they were all having a blast. was a good day indeed

i look forward to see who went out and bought a nano that day.. i have money at least the doctor and 2 of the nurses did they were hooked..

chris.

 

[cranialrectosis]

wow man sounds like the world is ending in colarado.. nothing very eventful here.. just cloudy and should hit 70F today

Naw man. It's just Colorado. I should consider waterproofing so I can fly in the storm if/when the wind dies down...

 

[jipp]

i would think one of them boat planes would work well in the snow like the Polaris, it even looks cool.

chris.

 

[jhitesma]

jason, yeah a 3d printer would be so nice to have ( id have the stupid protective case for the runcam re-printed that is for sure.. but ill make this thing work i guess ). so many options tho it is a bit confusing.. looks like a decent one is about 600? even tho i admit some of them fancy ones look neat but at the price pint of 4k which is stupid expensive.

You should know me by now...$600 is way more than I'm planning on spending

I already have my mini X/Y platform I built out of mostly stuff I had laying around to start learning the basics:
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?18033-CNC-adventures

I could just build an extruder and mount it up and have a very small 3D printer going in a weekend...but if I was going to put in that much effort I'd want something bigger.

I backed Peachy on Kickstarter so I'll have that if they ever ship: http://www.peachyprinter.com/ But I don't expect it to be capable of the tolerances I want. My plan for it was mostly to print parts to build a reprap design.

But I'm tired of waiting on Peachy to ship and the FolgerTech Prussa kit is looking really tempting to me. Especially after following markyoe's thread: http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?22307-Folger-Tech-2020-Prusa-i3-Build-Log and seeing the results people on rcgroups are getting from it: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2344393 I'm really tempted. At <$300 I'd have a hard time sourcing parts to build my own any cheaper. I could maybe save $30-$50 by going full DIY...but for that small of a price difference I'd rather just get a kit. But whatever I get I definitely want something like the Folger which is more a box of parts than a full on "kit" since I want to build it not just buy it and start printing The build is half the fun for me after all!



The KISS FC intrigues me. Based on what Felix has done before though and FGA's comments about it on Facebook I'm guessing a lot of people would consider it a step backwards. I don't think he's even using a STM. And it doesn't sound like it does anything other than basic acro flight. But that's kind of the point. It's just meant to be a simple high performance FC for people who don't want a bunch of bells and whistles they just want to fly. And honestly for that you don't need much. A good PIDC on a simple micro with a nice gyro is all it takes and that sounds like it's exactly what the KISS is.

 

[cranialrectosis]

I concur with you on the KISS FC. But if it uses Arduino and requires all that, it isn't simple.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Anyone ever use a QOSD?

I picked one up on a lark (I utterly despise the EZOSD I got for the hex) and am looking at how to connect this much lighter OSD.

Specifically, the instructions show a connection to the receiver using PWM and RSSI. I am running a D4R-II in PPM mode and have no idea if it's compatible or if i have an option to connect this to the Sparky2 instead.

Thoughts?

 

[jipp]

Anyone ever use a QOSD?

I picked one up on a lark (I utterly despise the EZOSD I got) and am looking at how to connect it.

Specifically, the instructions show a connection to the receiver using PWM and RSSI. I am running a D4R-II in PPM mode and have no idea if it's compatible or if i have an option to connect this to the Sparky2 instead.

Thoughts?

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.

 

[jipp]

You should know me by now...$600 is way more than I'm planning on spending

I already have my mini X/Y platform I built out of mostly stuff I had laying around to start learning the basics:
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?18033-CNC-adventures

I could just build an extruder and mount it up and have a very small 3D printer going in a weekend...but if I was going to put in that much effort I'd want something bigger.

I backed Peachy on Kickstarter so I'll have that if they ever ship: http://www.peachyprinter.com/ But I don't expect it to be capable of the tolerances I want. My plan for it was mostly to print parts to build a reprap design.

But I'm tired of waiting on Peachy to ship and the FolgerTech Prussa kit is looking really tempting to me. Especially after following markyoe's thread: http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?22307-Folger-Tech-2020-Prusa-i3-Build-Log and seeing the results people on rcgroups are getting from it: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2344393 I'm really tempted. At <$300 I'd have a hard time sourcing parts to build my own any cheaper. I could maybe save $30-$50 by going full DIY...but for that small of a price difference I'd rather just get a kit. But whatever I get I definitely want something like the Folger which is more a box of parts than a full on "kit" since I want to build it not just buy it and start printing The build is half the fun for me after all!



The KISS FC intrigues me. Based on what Felix has done before though and FGA's comments about it on Facebook I'm guessing a lot of people would consider it a step backwards. I don't think he's even using a STM. And it doesn't sound like it does anything other than basic acro flight. But that's kind of the point. It's just meant to be a simple high performance FC for people who don't want a bunch of bells and whistles they just want to fly. And honestly for that you don't need much. A good PIDC on a simple micro with a nice gyro is all it takes and that sounds like it's exactly what the KISS is.

i have to admit it looks like even i could assemble that folgers 3d printer ( i guess im gonna have to really put some thought into a 3d printer down the road as it would help in this hobby and im in this hobby for the long run. ).. not sure why the choose a coffee name tho

Chris.