First Bat Bone Build

[DDSFlyer]

I know there are a lot of these threads out there and wish it was easier if we all just made the same thing, but I guess I have to start my own thread as well.

My question is I got the Bat Bone kit from Flite Test and am building up my shopping cart.
I was going to try and make it easy and buy the Altitude Hobby's Combo Flight pack http://www.altitudehobbies.com/combo-flight-pack-flitetest-rotor-bones-multicopters, but I want to find the odds and ends that I need to complete this build. If the list becomes too long, I may just order everything from HobbyKing so that it all arrives at once instead of starting and stopping the build process or looking at a pile of parts and waiting for the rest to build.

I already have
KK2.0 w/ 1.6v flashed or a KK2.1 with stock software
Orange Rx
2200mAh batteries
misc zip ties...

Looking at needing
Battery Cable/Breakoutcable? XT60 -> 3 ESC bullet connectors
10cm Male to Male servo extensions (for Rx to KK board)
mounting materials for KK board (prob the case it came in and adhesive OR other suggestion?)
Extra props (all CW? or should I go 2 CW and 1 CCW?)

What else am I missing? I just wonder how complete this setup from altitude hobbies really is and how close I am to actually building this tricopter together?

Thanks for all the help as I'm sure I'll be asking a lot more questions as well as watching their build videos over and over again as I build my first tricopter!

 

[Craftydan]

DDS,

A scrach build is a personal thing . . . but you're right -- the bat bones + combo is more of an ARF kit than a true scratch build. But we've got plenty of threads here to waste, especially if you turn this into your build/tune/flight log.

- Look into a power distribution board -- it can really clean up the harness quite a bit. A good one will also give taps for lights

- for connectors going *to* the ESCs, get something polarized. Not an hour ago, I smoked a 3S1300 plugging into a harness with an ESC plugged in backwards -- 3mm bullets with red/black wire, but nothing else to enforce polarization. just a plastic sleave would have prevented it, but did I do that?!?! No

- Go with the mixed set of props -- you'll already have some tilt on the rear to make up for it's torque. Best to let the front two cancel each other out. That, and the KK2 premix assumes they're a mixed set.

- Servo . . . or is that in the combo too?!?

 

[kah00na]

Other than extra wire and solder, I can't see anything missing.

Definitely get extra props - CW & CCW. Buy at least 5 extras of each. I went through them pretty fast on my first tricopter.

 

[DDSFlyer]

I thought about a power distribution board, but with a tri I thought it would be weird leaving an output open. I actually was prepared to make my own breakout cable (with a JST connector for lights) but with one already made I was gonna take the easy way out. If that's all I'll need to order though I may just make my own.
As for Red/Black polarity on the wires...I've had my own problems with polarity and batteries not a bad thought but I'd like to minimize the clutter? personal preference, just need to make sure I have enough sleep and don't rush things like I do on a build...should only have to do it infrequently when first setting it up right?
As for the servo, I forgot to add that I already have the metal gear servo they recommended in the setup BUT the altitude hobbies kit comes with one as well.
So for ease of use I may just go with the Altitude hobbies kit, make my own battery breakout cable (I think I have most of the supplies except for extra bullet connectors) and order more props (I think I have a few of those as well that I ordered awhile ago) Time for the new year to build a new project! In the meantime I'm gonna continue to practice on my NanoQX I bought for christmas!

 

[DDSFlyer]

Quick question! Will these servo lead/extensions work to get from the Orange Rx to the KK2 board? Just removing the female to female adapter right?
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idproduct=47398
Looking to order everything from the USA warehouse and they have no Male to Male servo leads

 

[Craftydan]

if you replace the female end with the male from one of these:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__43720__Servo_Terminals_JR_Gold_Plated_10pairs_set_USA_warehouse_.html

then yes -- tedious, but it'll work.

 

[DDSFlyer]

Well, I made a quick order to HK before the chinese new year to pick up some parts that hopefully will get all the odds and ends (male to male leads, extra props, mounting foam, velcro - just to have around, & extra 3.5mm bullet connectors). I am gonna go the route of making my own breakout cable for the battery to the ESC's.

Question is, should I go with 12 ga wire? or should I go smaller. I have 16 ga around (prob for the ESC to Motor leads I made), but most of my 2200mAh batteries have 12 ga on them so I figured that would be a safe bet.

Also, I found that I ordered awhile back a balance connector breakout cable to 4 JST connectors for LED's. Should I use this or should I wire in a JST plug directly to the battery breakout cable? Which way is better?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[cranialrectosis]

I use the Altitude kits on two copters. Love it.

I use 12AWG from the battery to the breakout and then 16awg to the ESCs and from the ESCs to the motors on three copters with homemade breakout cables and I have no trouble.

I like to build mine myself. I used a power distro board and had trouble with it so now I solder ALL my own connections. Cold solder joints blow chunks and I prefer to KNOW FOR SURE the quality of my soldering joints. I would wire the JST directly to your own homemade breakout cable.

 

[DDSFlyer]

Yeah my soldering skills have gotten better but I've had a couple of cold solder joints (one in particular mid air cutoff of my ar drone resulting in a cracked frame). But I think I've got it figured out and also wanted to make sure if the direct JST to breakout cable was the way to go or not. I'm not sure why I bought the other JST breakout cable from the balance connector, but it may be useful down the road with FPV?

Now it's off to the LHS to pick up some 12ga red and black wire, I only have black in the 16ga anyways (which doesn't matter in the ESC to motor wire) then it's off to altitude hobbies to get the rest of the electronics and start building the frame!

Now to just figure out if I want to paint the booms or not. (I might just minwax them to see if they will look different)

 

[Craftydan]

um . . . Minwax? did you use DTFB for the booms?!?

Seriously, wooden booms should take almost any paint, not that laying a primer layer wouldn't help.

 

[xuzme720]

um . . . Minwax? did you use DTFB for the booms?!?

Seriously, wooden booms should take almost any paint, not that laying a primer layer wouldn't help.

Minwax will make them extra smooth and slippery to the airflow!

 

[Craftydan]

Minwax will make them extra smooth and slippery to the airflow!

Hey, if he's figgured our some dramatic improvement in DTMS (Dollar Tree Materials Science), I'm eager to hear about it

 

[DDSFlyer]

Hehe, I was actually thinking of staining them like David's V tail but all I had lying around was the minwax, the I realizeditwouldnt do anything of the sort...

Anyways, now I have a dilemma...do I go with the altitude hobbies deal? Or should I go the route of NTM 28-26 1200kV motors and Afro 20 amp ESCs? I already have the recommended tail servo so the price between the HK route from the US warehouse and the Altitude hobbies is the same (even with me getting the Afro ESC programmer and some linkage stoppers) Will theses motors be too much for the 20 amp ESC's with 8x4.5 props?

 

[Craftydan]

Anyways, now I have a dilemma...do I go with the altitude hobbies deal? Or should I go the route of NTM 28-26 1200kV motors and Afro 20 amp ESCs? I already have the recommended tail servo so the price between the HK route from the US warehouse and the Altitude hobbies is the same (even with me getting the Afro ESC programmer and some linkage stoppers) Will theses motors be too much for the 20 amp ESC's with 8x4.5 props?

I'm running these on the Q-brain 4x20 -- You should *easily* be able to run 9" on that NTM motor, and even 10, but the 10" felt overpropped to me -- motors start getting sluggish when the prop is too big, and you start *loosing* thrust when the motor can't keep it spinning fast enough. Felt like 10's are just over this curve.

Point is, 8" should be pretty zippy and no trouble at all on a 20A ESC

 

[DDSFlyer]

Nice, what size pitch do you use for the 9" props? Plus I'm still debating going HK vs Altitude? Being my first build should I cop out and take the easy route? A lot less soldering would be one advantage I'm sure, but maybe less to trouble shoot?

EDIT: never mind, I'm impulsive and just made an order to HK, scratch building here I come! Hopefully I have enough bullet connectors or else that's just a waste and will have to get some high priced at the LHS.
Oh and I ordered some 9x4.7 props as well to try them out. I'll be using this bat bone with the camera tray and my gopro2 so I may want the extra prop

 

[Tritium]

I used the q-brain 4X20 for my last Acro quad build and I am well pleased with it.

No need to setup either, since it is programmed for the common multicopter settings from the factory.

Thurmond

 

[Craftydan]

DDS,

Always go with a slower pitch on multirotors -- the prop isn't moving fast into the air in a hover

9x4.7's are good and should give good lifting strength. you'll have good control, but 8x4.5's would give you higher agility. While you're learning, agility isn't your friend . . . especially on a tri!

. . . and take your time before moving the camera from the ground to the air, or props won't be the only thing you break while learning . . .

 

[DDSFlyer]

Crafty Dan,

Thanks for the advice. Yeah I've been wary of putting my gopro on any plane until I really know how it flies and even then I didn't want to do it, but I had it on my AXN Floater Jet and on my Super Cub before brushless (bad accident) and after (no problem!).
I'll start with the 9x4.7 props and the camera tray without the camera first and then after I get used to it I'll try the gopro mounted.

I'm trying to learn to fly multirotors with my little Blade Nano QX...that thing is fast! A ton to learn to make smooth turns and to keep orientation. Only took it outside once and it was interesting. I also started on an AR Drone 2.0 but that thing is just a toy and is hard to even control with an iphone. It'll be awhile building this bat bone I know so I'll have plenty of time to practice. I have a guy close to me that will help me set it up too. He has David's tricopter setup.

As far as orientation, instead of painting the arms I'm gonna put Red and Green LEDs on the sides and White on the bottom of the arms. That and have two colored props up front and a black one on the tail. We'll see if that's enough. I'll keep it close early anyways.

 

[Craftydan]

That nano QX will treat you well. The larger tri will still take a little getting used to -- far more mass with far greater power -- but the nano should teach you orientation and make the control more automatic. Most of that skill scales well!

lights will work better in low light (obviously), but they'll help in the day too. Mine are mounted in the frame and fully directional -- you see only blue from the front, only red from the back, and enough reflections on the sides to see blue/red (or red/blue) from the sides.

On a tri, all you need to know is which boom is the tail, and the rest will follow -- light the tail radically different than the nose and you'll have it made. If you mounted white on the front side of the left/right booms and red on the back, you'll probably never loose orientation, but red & green for left/right wouldn't hurt.

. . . or you could have a bright orange forward and a dark blue aft . . .

 

[epic.engineering]

I have blue L.E.D's on my front booms and red on the back. I bought the strips from hobby king, I have 15 L.E.D's per boom and its WAYto bright. Its literally like looking into the sun at night. So that's my advice. a little goes a long way, and also put at least one L.E.D at the tip of each boom, not just under each boom.. It will help with orientation when the tri is pitched.