FinalGlideAus
terrorizing squirrels
To power the Naze 32 and receiver.
CranialRectosis' Twitchity Mini-Hex build
- Thread starter cranialrectosis
- Start date
My receiver is soldered directly to the Naze and secured to the bottom of the Naze with 2 sided tape. The only wires on the copter are power and ESC signal.
I like how you meshed yours and am thinking about a similar option when I wire in the new escs.
I like how you meshed yours and am thinking about a similar option when I wire in the new escs.
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I guess I am missing something here. I planned to use a ubec to power the Naze and receiver.
http://www.altitudehobbies.com/brushless-esc-bec/external-bec-ubec/suppo-3a-external-bec-ubec
Have I made a mistake or is the Pololu 5v regulator a better option?
FinalGlideAus
terrorizing squirrels
Yes what DarkShot said 
FinalGlideAus
terrorizing squirrels
I like the idea of smaller, lighter faster on my mini copters.
The options on the pololu site default to 5V output and 600mA current. Is this the proper selection?
I will be experimenting for the first time with a external bec so I may as well go for broke and play with the regulators too.
Yup, that's the correct one. The thing is smaller than a penny so you'll be able to fit it anywhere. Dealing with external BECs/regulators is easy, nothing to worry about. One thing to remember with that regulator is to bridge the VIN and SHDN pins together so that it always stays active. Other than that, wiring it up is easy, it can be tucked away anywhere you need, and as the FC and RX will only need a maximum of 250mA there's no need to get a massive 5A BEC that takes up way more space and power than needed.
Mustang7302
Senior Member
Mustang,
Your kit is on the machine right now being cut
My Twitchity Mini Hex came in last weekend. I haven't had a chance to do much more with it than bolt the frame together and admire it's awesome looks and start thinking about the little things while installing the electronics. I wasn't a fan of the isolated clean and dirty sub chassis look, even though I understand why it is desirable, but was very relieved to see all of the appropriate holes to just bolt the top plate to the frame itself with the 35mm standoffs. It is just a very awesome looking sleek and simple design.
My goal is to have a pretty docile, stable, and fail safe FPV build which can get some nice video from a Mobius or GoPro. So I am thinking strongly towards taking the DJI Naza M-Lite off of the F330 that I no longer fly, since having gone to mini multirotors, and putting it on this hex build. That should easily make things super easy to fly, no matter how much power I put on it with the non-linear throttle control and narrow performance range that the Naza uses.
Speaking of power, I just got word that MultiRotorMinis will be sponsoring the motors and speed controllers for this build. Cobra 2204 1960KV motors and EMAX Simon Series 12A ESCS. I will do my normal thrust tests, which are published to RCGroups, with the new motors and expect some awesome 4S numbers while stay around the 12A peak range. I would love to see a 4S and HQ 6030 setup for this Cobra 2204 1960KV Hex build; not so much for high speed power, but for long and efficient flights.
Should have the parts from MRM late this week and will probably start on the build this weekend. At that time I will probably break out into my own build thread.
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Twitchity
Senior Member
Glad to hear you're pleased with the frame so far Mustang I'm excited to see what you end up doing with your build, it sounds interesting and I will be following it closely. I'm working on a little acro quad at the moment so I'll be in the market for some motors/esc's. I'll be looking for your review on those Cobra's once you get them. Any feedback you're able to give me on the frame is much appreciated.
I'm excited to see what you end up doing with your build, it sounds interesting and I will be following it closely. I'm working on a little acro quad at the moment so I'll be in the market for some motors/esc's. I'll be looking for your review on those Cobra's once you get them. Any feedback you're able to give me on the frame is much appreciated.Mustang7302
Senior Member
Got everything in and spent most of yesterday putting the Hex together. Since I was in a rush to have the rig ready for a maker space meet today, I didn't really take my time and document a lot of the process.
Motors: Cobra 2204 1960KV from MultiRotorMinis (not yet for sale)
ESCs: EMAX Simon Series 12A from MultiRotorMinis
Props: HQ 5040 from GotHeliRC
Flight Controller: Naza M-Lite with GPS
Took it out for whirl this morning for an official maiden flight on a 1300 3S 35C battery, everything went great and was able to walk up to it to grab this picture:
Flew it at the maker space event this morning on a 4S battery because it was handy, and found that the Naza did an excellent job of taming the beast like I hoped it would. So easy to fly even your grandma could do it. But of course it wasn't without some kind of drama; five or six minutes into a GPS hold hover, the craft leans right and dives in from about 10 feet up. No damage done, not even a broken prop, which impresses all the guys who had F450's with them. I put it back in the air on self level mode to see if it will repeat it self, and about a minute into the gentle flight it does the same thing.
So I think I have a hurt ESC that acts awary when heat soaked. I had an issue with my CGX250 build where it would yaw hard to the right as power was rapidly applied (makes for a fun dance as you're picking up speed going 40 MPH), and of course transplanted the issue to the new craft. My impatience for getting the Hex in the air and getting it ready for the event got the best of me by having to steal ESCs from my two flying quads. Luckily MultiRotorMinis is getting new stock of ESCs in a couple of days and I will have the parts to put the Polakium Panda back in the air and have a few spares to hunt down the hurt ESC.
Motors: Cobra 2204 1960KV from MultiRotorMinis (not yet for sale)
ESCs: EMAX Simon Series 12A from MultiRotorMinis
Props: HQ 5040 from GotHeliRC
Flight Controller: Naza M-Lite with GPS
Took it out for whirl this morning for an official maiden flight on a 1300 3S 35C battery, everything went great and was able to walk up to it to grab this picture:
Flew it at the maker space event this morning on a 4S battery because it was handy, and found that the Naza did an excellent job of taming the beast like I hoped it would. So easy to fly even your grandma could do it. But of course it wasn't without some kind of drama; five or six minutes into a GPS hold hover, the craft leans right and dives in from about 10 feet up. No damage done, not even a broken prop, which impresses all the guys who had F450's with them. I put it back in the air on self level mode to see if it will repeat it self, and about a minute into the gentle flight it does the same thing.
So I think I have a hurt ESC that acts awary when heat soaked. I had an issue with my CGX250 build where it would yaw hard to the right as power was rapidly applied (makes for a fun dance as you're picking up speed going 40 MPH), and of course transplanted the issue to the new craft. My impatience for getting the Hex in the air and getting it ready for the event got the best of me by having to steal ESCs from my two flying quads. Luckily MultiRotorMinis is getting new stock of ESCs in a couple of days and I will have the parts to put the Polakium Panda back in the air and have a few spares to hunt down the hurt ESC.
FinalGlideAus
terrorizing squirrels
Nice looking build Mustang Those carbon HQ props sound so nice in the air don't they!
Those carbon HQ props sound so nice in the air don't they!
Beautiful copter, Mustang. Got any video of this thing in the air?
Mustang7302
Senior Member
Nice looking build Mustang
It came together pretty well. I love the looks of the frame on top of the little details things like battery strap slots, holes for passing servo connectors through, the pattern in the plates lining up, and enough solid space to mount things.
I haven't flown anything but HQ props for months now, love em. Speaking of which, I need a new pile of 5040s and 6030s from GotHeliRC.
Glad the NAZA is treating you well.
Thurmond
So far it has been great. Yes it greatly restricts performance, but such is the trade off when you want a smooth camera ship.
I have about 10 minutes of video from the other day at the maker space event from the mobius on board. Nothing exciting to see at all, other than being able to help figure out that it was the front right motor which caused things to nose in. I will replace that ESC and test things again. Eventually I will have it solid and ready to roam the skies.
That is a beautiful looking hex, Mustang. From what I'm aware of, that was the first durability test this frame has performed, and I'm glad to hear nothing broke
It was a very gentle nose in. I saw it going, tried to soften the hit, and shut the motors down on impact. No where near the level of crash that my Polakium quad has been through, good lord has that thing taken some very hard hits.
Two observations from the build. The long arms act like a tuning fork and resonated through the body to other arms. This hasn't been a problem for the Naza, I think, but I can see where minimizing vibration from motors/props will be important. Luckily the Cobra motors runs smooth as glass and the HQ props are always nearly perfectly balanced out of the package.
The other observation was that the FatShark 600TVL camera that comes with the Attitude SD kit didn't fit in the camera mount. I had to take a file and relieve the ear cutouts a bit for the camera to fit in. I then used zip ties from the corner mounting holes to hold the camera to the plate. I have a new transmitter and board camera coming in, which might end up flying on this Hex.
FinalGlideAus
terrorizing squirrels
The resonating arms were a problem on early mini h racing quads including the blackout when using 2mm plate. This was fixed with using 3mmplate. The slender Warpquad style arms need 4mm carbon. There is reason why certain designs are the way they are.
I want more pics, more info, more thoughts and insight.... More more more more!!!
Sorry, Im excited since mine is in the mail. Unfortunately I wont have it in the air for a couple weeks since I ordered my esc's from rtfquads, but Ive been super happy with his pre flashed 12a fire reds, so for $8 its worth the wait. Ill be running dys1806's on 6" and 3s so hopefully it scoots around ok.
Sorry, Im excited since mine is in the mail. Unfortunately I wont have it in the air for a couple weeks since I ordered my esc's from rtfquads, but Ive been super happy with his pre flashed 12a fire reds, so for $8 its worth the wait. Ill be running dys1806's on 6" and 3s so hopefully it scoots around ok.
FinalGlideAus
terrorizing squirrels
I received my hex last night too. I'm also waiting on ESC's so will be a little bit before I'm airborne. My work life has gotten crazy lately too so it's limiting my building time which is annoying since I have a few secret projects and prototype frames to get airborne.
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