'bout time you finished this job, Mustang. 
Mustang7302's Bat Bone Build Log
- Thread starter Mustang7302
- Start date
DDSFlyer
Senior Member
I wish I've got that much stick time on my bat bone! I am putting lights on almost all my models nowadays since it seems the only time I can fly is after work. With such an early sunset during winter it's the only way to fly! Plus I like to scare the neighbors into UFO sightings...
DDSFlyer, I think CyberD has you beat with his CREE module, but IMO, you take second in the Griswold flying Christmas lights competition.
Mustang7302
Senior Member
Put the FatShark Attitude V2 5.8Ghz FPV setup on the Bat this afternoon and gave it a whirl. It is a totally different experience, but I think I liked it...
Mustang7302
Senior Member
The Attitudes have a noticeably larger picture than the Predators than I got to try last weekend. The picture from the 600 TVL camera included with the kit is great on the 5.8Ghz band, clear, bright, good color, good contrast, and a comfortable field of view. I tried hooking my 808 #16 D 720P key chain camera to the transmitter and the picture quality was not nearly as good. The kit also comes with a power harness which acts as a power filter (just a capacitor) and allows you to connect it to a 2S, 3S, or 4S battery balance plug; this is nice to keep you from hacking into your existing power harness to rig up the transmitter directly.
The fact that it is plug and play, minus battery for the goggles (an extra $20 :black_eyed
, with such a nice camera makes it worth the expense. This doesn't even touch the head tracking built in and all the supporting variants of cables for it. I would say get the Attitude set before you upgrade your transmitter, personally.I actually use 8.5 inch (21.5 cm) booms all around; FT recommends 10 inch (25.5 cm) booms. The Bat bone is very smooth on this shorter span and quite docile with stock KK2.1 firmware and 25% expo on pitch, roll, and yaw from my transmitter. The Bat Bone body has a much larger span in just the frame than David's 2.6H body, which helps to make shorter booms more docile.
I am accustomed to my scratch built quad being "twitchy" and eager to be thrown around. By comparison the Bat, as it sits, makes me want more performance out of it because of its docile nature; but I just have to remind myself that the Bat is the cruiser while the iQuad is the hotrod. I enjoy flying the Bat way more because it is more relaxing.
Here is a video of the Bat from this past weekend. It was very foggy that morning and the camera gets mucked up in the first couple of minutes, but you can still see quite a bit. It demonstrates the smooth swoopy nature that makes it awesome to fly:
DDSFlyer
Senior Member
My bat bone is definitely smaller than a friend of mine's David inspired tricopter. I was wondering that myself when I chose to do the bat bone, but it just looks so much sweeter than David's design. With the programmability of the KK board and the dual rates on the Tx you can make it as docile I'm sure.
As for the DX9 I was just trying to see if I needed more channels if I go with a gimbal for rollers to control the tilt when I build a hexacopter this year...I just need more money to just get both!
As for the DX9 I was just trying to see if I needed more channels if I go with a gimbal for rollers to control the tilt when I build a hexacopter this year...I just need more money to just get both!
Mustang7302
Senior Member
Here is some footage on board from this last weekend flying around FPV. Still learning my limits and enjoying covering ground, but man is this thing fun. The tricopter is just so graceful to watch and fly FPV.
It was getting pretty windy for this flight; winds 10 to 15 MPH. Had to be careful turning down wind and watch the speed as it goes down wind. Going up wind wasn't too bad, just a little bobble here and there.
It was getting pretty windy for this flight; winds 10 to 15 MPH. Had to be careful turning down wind and watch the speed as it goes down wind. Going up wind wasn't too bad, just a little bobble here and there.
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DDSFlyer
Senior Member
Nice flight! Definitely looks windy! What camera is taking the video? One from the Fatshark package?
Are you still using the 8X4.5 props? Have you tried the 9x4.7s? I have a set but don't have the right color for the tail rotor, may just go all green, but I'm having to power up with the GoPro for normal hover flight. So I think I need the extra thrust to get back to half throttle position to hover
P.S. Looks like the bikers love that parking lot you're in
Are you still using the 8X4.5 props? Have you tried the 9x4.7s? I have a set but don't have the right color for the tail rotor, may just go all green, but I'm having to power up with the GoPro for normal hover flight. So I think I need the extra thrust to get back to half throttle position to hover
P.S. Looks like the bikers love that parking lot you're in
Mustang7302
Senior Member
The camera is a Keychain 808 #16 with D Lens that was strapped to the battery for flight. The camera in the FS Attitude kit doesn't record video, but it does have a very nice picture to broadcast. The keychain camera does have the ability to output an analog video feed from the mini USB port, but the image quality was no where as nice as the camera that comes with the goggles. So I fly with two cameras on the rig when I want to record.
I am using 8x4.5" props on the Bat with the Turnigy 1450KV motors. It has plenty of power to lift everything, hovers at 50% throttle, but it lacks raw acceleration. Transitioning from a hover into a forward acceleration burst is less than inspiring; could be one less motor, the ~750 grams of weight, or the drag induced by the silhouette of the Bat body. The small motors I am using are happy on a 8" prop, but I believe a 9" prop will be the limit of its power potential without burning up. If I ever get my hands on 9" props, I will probably give them a whirl or two.
How much extra throttle do you need to hover with the added weight? The KK2 is limited to 90% throttle in the stick scaling menu by default. You can get a little extra power range from the motors by bumping it to 110%, but I wouldn't go much past that. As long as you can hover within the first tick past the 50% mark, you should be just fine. What motors did you go with again?
The park is in the middle of no where off of some country roads. Perfect for getting a little mischievous from time to time when no one else is around.
I am using 8x4.5" props on the Bat with the Turnigy 1450KV motors. It has plenty of power to lift everything, hovers at 50% throttle, but it lacks raw acceleration. Transitioning from a hover into a forward acceleration burst is less than inspiring; could be one less motor, the ~750 grams of weight, or the drag induced by the silhouette of the Bat body. The small motors I am using are happy on a 8" prop, but I believe a 9" prop will be the limit of its power potential without burning up. If I ever get my hands on 9" props, I will probably give them a whirl or two.
How much extra throttle do you need to hover with the added weight? The KK2 is limited to 90% throttle in the stick scaling menu by default. You can get a little extra power range from the motors by bumping it to 110%, but I wouldn't go much past that. As long as you can hover within the first tick past the 50% mark, you should be just fine. What motors did you go with again?
The park is in the middle of no where off of some country roads. Perfect for getting a little mischievous from time to time when no one else is around
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DDSFlyer
Senior Member
Yeah the GoPro2 adds a mighty bit of weight. I've been flying with the 8" props but like I said I think the 9" should make it a little easier to carry the weight. I went with the NTM 28-26 1200kV motors. I actually lessened the stick scaling on the KK2 board because at 50% hover it was just too twitchy to keep a steady hover.
I think the acceleration would benefit from either taking it off of self level or changing the gains to get more control of the angle of attack for forward movement.
I think the acceleration would benefit from either taking it off of self level or changing the gains to get more control of the angle of attack for forward movement.
Mustang7302
Senior Member
1200KV Motors on a rig upwards of 800 to 900 grams with a GoPro certainly should use a 9" prop. Even on basic FT frames without the extra hardware on board, I still suggest the 9" props for the 1200KV NTM motors.
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