Mustang7302's Racing Mini Quad Build

[Mustang7302]

Thanks to the guys at FliteTest and the awesome folks here on the forums, I got sucked into the hobby about a year and half ago. I've been through a number of builds (Bat Bone #1, HAL Quad, Wood H Quad, Bat Bone #2, Polakium Mini Quad, Coptergeist Mini Quad, Twitchity Mini Quad, Twitchity G10 Hex, and an EMAX Mini Quad) over this time and love the build almost as much as I love flying. When the opportunity came up to get into FPV mini racing with a group of local pilots, I was hooked and have been having a blast.

To date I have been running Twitchity's Acro Quad frame with Cobra 2204 1960KV motors, KISS 18A ESCs, and swinging HQ 6045 props. This build was intended to run on 4S, but has been so fast on 3S that I have not needed to run run a 4S battery for anything other than showing off. It is light (370 grams plus battery) and has a smaller cross section reducing drag, which just makes for a great combination for speed.

This March there is a event which will be the start of a series for this year promoting FPV racing and with it comes a Specification class which this champion just wont fit into. The new Spec class was intended to help level the playing field by limiting to just a few restrictions. The class is intended for mini size quads in the 250mm range, spinning a 5 inch prop, and running a 3S battery up to 1800mAh. Pretty cut and dry, yet still leaves a lot of wiggle room to be creative with. Since I have some bragging rights to uphold, I couldn't just run your typical 2204 2300KV motor setup...

Frame: Custom 3D ABS Printed Design w/ 15* Forward Tilted Motors
Motors: SunnySky 2208 2600KV
ESCs: KISS 18A w/ One Shot
Props: HQ 5045 Bullnose (Glass Composite)
Flight Controller: Naze32 Acro w/ Cleanflight
Receiver: FrSKY D4R-II w/ PPM & Telemetry
Battery: ThunderPower Magna 1300mAh 3S 70C
FPV vTX: TS5823 32CH 5.8Ghz 200mW Mini
FPV Camera: Sony Effio-V 800TVL
FPV Antenna: VAS LHCP Airblade 5.8Ghz

The frame was inspired by the Twitch's and Warp's simple X style layout, but adds a couple of features that milled carbon plate just can't do. The motors are tilted forward 15* to allow more bite into the air when at full pitch in auto-level mode (limited to 45* angle of attack). This should help to apply more power used for ground speed while maintaining a reasonable altitude. The arms have a channel built into them which will make for smoother routing of power wires to the ESCs. The camera mount is modular and designed with a 20* upwards tilt. Surprisingly the frame parts only total 70 grams of weight.

I splurged a little on this build by ordering some anodized aluminum hardware. It was expensive, for simple M3 hardware, but adds a nice little touch and helps to shed a couple of grams over stainless hardware. When a new Naze32 came in the mail today, I was ready to get started! I thought I might try something a little different during this build and setup my iPhone to take time laps video when I was working.

So far I have the motors mounted, the Afro PDB soldered with the battery lead and ESC leads, direct soldered the RX to the FCB for PPM and Telemetry, soldered the signal wires from the FCB to the ESCs, and soldered a Pololu 5V 1A step down regulator to the FCB. This took me about three hours of work, trying to be as tight as possible to save weight, and so far I am sitting right at 300 grams. For having heavy 2208 size motors, I am exceptionally pleased with this weight. I anticipate the all up weight to be around 350 grams plus a battery when it is done!

I still need to solder up the ESCs, solder in the 12V step up off of the FCB for the camera and VTX (why I chose a 1A step down), and do all of the Naze32 configuration. It is getting there and I am getting more and more excited about it. I look forward to getting it out, stretching its legs, and getting some practice in with it before the event the first weekend of March. Stay tuned.

 

[Quad]

Thanks to the guys at FliteTest and the awesome folks here on the forums, I got sucked into the hobby about a year and half ago. I've been through a number of builds (Bat Bone #1, HAL Quad, Wood H Quad, Bat Bone #2, Polakium Mini Quad, Coptergeist Mini Quad, Twitchity Mini Quad, Twitchity G10 Hex, and an EMAX Mini Quad) over this time and love the build almost as much as I love flying. When the opportunity came up to get into FPV mini racing with a group of local pilots, I was hooked and have been having a blast.

To date I have been running Twitchity's Acro Quad frame with Cobra 2204 1960KV motors, KISS 18A ESCs, and swinging HQ 6045 props. This build was intended to run on 4S, but has been so fast on 3S that I have not needed to run run a 4S battery for anything other than showing off. It is light (370 grams plus battery) and has a smaller cross section reducing drag, which just makes for a great combination for speed.

This March there is a event which will be the start of a series for this year promoting FPV racing and with it comes a Specification class which this champion just wont fit into. The new Spec class was intended to help level the playing field by limiting to just a few restrictions. The class is intended for mini size quads in the 250mm range, spinning a 5 inch prop, and running a 3S battery up to 1800mAh. Pretty cut and dry, yet still leaves a lot of wiggle room to be creative with. Since I have some bragging rights to uphold, I couldn't just run your typical 2204 2300KV motor setup...

Frame: Custom 3D ABS Printed Design w/ 15* Forward Tilted Motors
Motors: SunnySky 2208 2600KV
ESCs: KISS 18A w/ One Shot
Props: HQ 5045 Bullnose (Glass Composite)
Flight Controller: Naze32 Acro w/ Cleanflight
Battery: ThunderPower Magna 1300mAh 3S 70C
FPV vTX: TS5823 32CH 5.8Ghz 200mW Mini
FPV Camera: Sony Effio-V 800TVL
FPV Antenna: VAS LHCP Airblade 5.8Ghz

The frame was inspired by the Twitch's and Warp's simple X style layout, but adds a couple of features that milled carbon plate just can't do. The motors are tilted forward 15* to allow more bite into the air when at full pitch in auto-level mode (limited to 45* angle of attack). This should help to apply more power used for ground speed while maintaining a reasonable altitude. The arms have a channel built into them which will make for smoother routing of power wires to the ESCs. The camera mount is modular and designed with a 20* upwards tilt. Surprisingly the frame parts only total 70 grams of weight.

I splurged a little on this build by ordering some anodized aluminum hardware. It was expensive, for simple M3 hardware, but adds a nice little touch and helps to shed a couple of grams over stainless hardware. When a new Naze32 came in the mail today, I was ready to get started! I thought I might try something a little different during this build and setup my iPhone to take time laps video when I was working.

So far I have the motors mounted, the Afro PDB soldered with the battery lead and ESC leads, direct soldered the RX to the FCB for PPM and Telemetry, soldered the signal wires from the FCB to the ESCs, and soldered a Pololu 5V 1A step down regulator to the FCB. This took me about three hours of work, trying to be as tight as possible to save weight, and so far I am sitting right at 300 grams. For having heavy 2208 size motors, I am exceptionally pleased with this weight. I anticipate the all up weight to be around 350 grams plus a battery when it is done!

I still need to solder up the ESCs, solder in the 12V step up off of the FCB for the camera and VTX (why I chose a 1A step down), and do all of the Naze32 configuration. It is getting there and I am getting more and more excited about it. I look forward to getting it out, stretching its legs, and getting some practice in with it before the event the first weekend of March. Stay tuned.

Very nice! Thanks for sharing!

 

[cranialrectosis]

Hooolllleeeeeeyyy Shhheeeeiiiiittt!

You are gonna make someone cry.


I find it amusing the race limits the max size of the lipo when for you the smallest high C lipo you can run is the best. An 800mAh at 100C might be an advantage if it can last the race and weighs less than the 1300.

 

[Craftydan]

That's . . . REALLLY Orange

Won't loose that one in the crowd. Crazy cool build.

So where are you planning on hiding those KISS ESCs?

 

[Twitchity]

Fantastic looking quad, Mustang. If you got that quad printed out on your printer I must say it does a mighty fine job at printing!

I agree with Cranial, that thing is going to make someone cry. This new class was probably created to get away from you and let someone else have their moment on the winners podium.

 

[Mustang7302]

I find it amusing the race limits the max size of the lipo when for you the smallest high C lipo you can run is the best. An 800mAh at 100C might be an advantage if it can last the race and weighs less than the 1300.

Some of the race formats have been to run for three minutes straight. I already have concerns of the 1300 being big enough for run for three or four minutes, an 800 would certainly not cater to that. I thought about going with a 55C 1800 for this new setup, but decided I would stick to something in the 1300 size as a compromise. When I found these new 70C 1300's, I figured they would give me the best chance to let this setup shine.

That's . . . REALLLY Orange

Won't loose that one in the crowd. Crazy cool build.

So where are you planning on hiding those KISS ESCs?

At past events my spotters had a hard time keeping track of a little black speck whizzing through the air on the far side of the course. I thought about putting LEDs on this setup at one point to help with that issue, then decided I didn't want the extra weight. I have blue, white, black, and orange ABS to choose from, and thought the bright orange would indeed help it to stand out in the air (and in the weeds).

I think I might nickname this build "Orange Scream." I am sure little 5" props spinning up to 30,000 RPM will have an amusing sound.

The ESCs I think will go on the arms. The tiny size of the KISS ESCs makes it easier to just "plop" them somewhere. If for some reason I don't like them there, I will have to go back into SketchUp and figure out some place to put them and print a new set of parts.

Fantastic looking quad, Mustang. If you got that quad printed out on your printer I must say it does a mighty fine job at printing!

I agree with Cranial, that thing is going to make someone cry. This new class was probably created to get away from you and let someone else have their moment on the winners podium.

Yup, printed these parts on my Solidoodle 4. It is about nine hours of print time for the four arms, center plates, the camera mount, the VTX mount, and the top hat. The biggest part of getting good prints is the slicer settings for both the tool path (GCODE) and extrusion flow rate.

What you don't see is no less than a dozen hours diddling around in SketchUp designing the parts. Then these parts were actually the third set of prints, as I tested the tolerances and features in my hands and going to back to make small changes. Speaking of diddling in SketchUp, I have an idea for over/under motor mounts to make the Tri frame you sent me a Y6 :black_eyed:. I will dive into that build after this one is in the air.

I think the class was intended to make it approachable. A lot of folks run a H style FPV frame (Blackout, ZMR, QAV250, ect) with 1806 or 2204 2300KV motors on 5030 GemFan props. These are what I consider the usual FPV mini quad setup and they're fun on their own right. But I know a couple of the guys have been trying to step up their game by using 10* tilted motor mount adapters, running on 4S, or trying the HQ 5040 and new HQ 5045 Bullnose props. So I don't expect the class to be a push over as the year goes on as more and more pilots get serious about racing.

 

[Mustang7302]

solder in the 12V step up off of the FCB for the camera and VTX (why I chose a 1A step down)

I tinkered around on this build just a little today, mostly focused on the FPV setup. I found that running the VTX through the 12V 1.6A step up regulator being powered by the 5V 1A step down regulator cause a brown out to the system. The Naze32 wouldn't boot (had a dim blue LED to indicate some power) and I did not get a picture out of the camera. I have re-routed the input to the 12V step up to come off the PDB for the flight pack which will give a little more than 12V on a fresh battery, but sustain 12V to the VTX and camera under load or depleted battery.

Over the next couple of days I will be re-making the camera mount, top hat plate, and bracket to hold the VTX. I might switch to black ABS filament for these parts, just to break up all the orange.

 

[Tritium]

VERY nice Mustang!

Thurmond

 

[colorex]

WOW! I've been a bit outside the hobby for a while and I come back to this stuff! :O

 

[x0054]

Mustang, I was wondering, why do you need 12V for the VTX. I have both the FatShark and the FoxTech modules, and both take 5V. The FatShark takes 12V, but I probed it with a meter, and it turns out that it's actually feeding 5V to the VTX module, there is a step down switching regulator on the board, at least in my case. Same is true for the 600TLV camera I have on my quad. It takes 12V by default, but I found that it actually just regulates the 12V down to 5V and that's what the camera needs. I deleted the 12V regulators, and now everything is feeding from 5V in my case.

Not sure if the same is true in your system, but maybe it's worth checking out. Less components to brake, and lighters

As for the frame, I think it's pretty awesome! I was thinking, maybe it's also worth it to put a spherical canopy on the top of the quad. At the speeds you are probably flying a little aerodynamics would probably go a long way. What do you think?

 

[Quad]

With 3s you can sometimes run the camera off the lipo directly and often the vTX as well (if it has its own converter). running both off the 12v pullup usually burns it out as they are often only 200ma. Of course on 4s it is a different story and you may want a 12v pullup/down.

 

[Mustang7302]

Mustang, I was wondering, why do you need 12V for the VTX. I have both the FatShark and the FoxTech modules, and both take 5V. The FatShark takes 12V, but I probed it with a meter, and it turns out that it's actually feeding 5V to the VTX module, there is a step down switching regulator on the board, at least in my case. Same is true for the 600TLV camera I have on my quad. It takes 12V by default, but I found that it actually just regulates the 12V down to 5V and that's what the camera needs. I deleted the 12V regulators, and now everything is feeding from 5V in my case.

Not sure if the same is true in your system, but maybe it's worth checking out. Less components to brake, and lighters

The FatShark system will take up to 4S power, step it down to 5V and power the 600TVL camera that came with it. This is a super easy setup to install and works well. However the transmitter is bulky and the stock camera has ho hum contrast performance.

The new transmitter I am putting into this build is about a third of the size of the FatShark/Immersion 250mW transmitter. It is not only lighter, but it also a lot easier to find a place for since it is so much more compact. This new transmitter is rated to take 7 to 24 volts input, which could run very happily off of a 3S lipo directly. However I am hesitant about putting it on a source which is sharing up to up 70 amps of current without some kind of filter to smooth out the power. Smoother power should help its performance (noise), but could also protect it from voltage spikes.

The Sony camera just does not operate on 5 volts. It too can be powered directly by the 3S LiPo, but again the same hesitation exists. The 12V step up regulator is a means of smoothing out the power. I am by no means an expert here, but it is an educated opinion based on my experience to date.

With 3s you can sometimes run the camera off the lipo directly and often the vTX as well (if it has its own converter). running both off the 12v pullup usually burns it out as they are often only 200ma. Of course on 4s it is a different story and you may want a 12v pullup/down.

I addressed running these parts directly off the battery above. The 12V pullup is rated for 1.4 amps, which is more than sufficient to power the camera and VTX. It was just more than the 5V pulldown rated for 1 amp was capable of.

 

[x0054]

This is the camera I am running on one of my builds:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LL4KWZC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's not bad at all, good contrast, good light switching, though it does add about a 80ms delay. I would like to get something faster, but not sure what to look at. FGA gave me some ideas yesterday, so I'll take a look at those. Any way, in the spec sheet it says it's a 12V camera, online it says it's a 12V camera. But I cracked it open and probed around, and it turns out that it runs on 5V after all So I am running it on 5V, and it's quite happy.

I think most VTX run on 3.3V at the end of the day, but there are step down regulators in the middle. The fact that your VTX takes 7-24V makes me think that it has a 5V regulator onboard. If you probe around with a tester you might find that both your camera and your VTX actually run on 5V. If that's the case, you can simply get rid of the step down regulators on both, and just run it from same 5V you are using for the FC.

That might not be the case, but if it is, you can save 5-15 grams in wiring and regulators. Plus, the less regulators you have, the less heat your components generate, and the more power you have to fly Any way, just my 2 cents, I am pretty new to this, so I am not an expert either, it's just what I have found, maybe it helps.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I have tried tilting my camera back 10 degrees or so, to give me better sight lines in forward flight, and it becomes totally disorienting trying to hover and/or land. Maybe I would get used to the new horizon position, but it's a real issue for now. I can only imagine what it would be like with 15 degrees of tilt from the motor and another 15 from the camera mount.

 

[cranialrectosis]

Mustang had a tilt mechanism on his Polakium. You could change the tilt as you flew so landing was easier and flying fast you could see the horizon.

 

[Mustang7302]

I have tried tilting my camera back 10 degrees or so, to give me better sight lines in forward flight, and it becomes totally disorienting trying to hover and/or land. Maybe I would get used to the new horizon position, but it's a real issue for now. I can only imagine what it would be like with 15 degrees of tilt from the motor and another 15 from the camera mount.

I've been flying the Twitch frame with a 20* camera mount for a while now. Coming in to land is a little tricky, but by going slow and easing up to where you're looking to set down, it isn't too bad as you're watching the ground in the lower quarter of the view.

With the the motors 15* forward and the camera still 20* up, landing by FPV will be impossible for a graceful landing where you intend to put it. Chances are I will will be getting it close, point the nose away, take the goggles off, and land it by line of sight.

Mustang had a tilt mechanism on his Polakium. You could change the tilt as you flew so landing was easier and flying fast you could see the horizon.

That was a nice setup, for sure. Too bad these X frames make it hard to fit in such hardware, let alone the extra wiring and 5V step down for power.

 

[cranialrectosis]

We need a better pod and a tiny little servo.

 

[Mustang7302]

We need a better pod and a tiny little servo.

You know ... there is still time to make changes...

 

[x0054]

What about a tiny secondary camera and a video switch? You can have one camera setup at 35 or so degrees of tilt (motors + camera) and another with 0 degrease of tilt for lending and taking off and flying slow.

This:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/weight-1-gr...694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4187ff546e

Plus This:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Channel-3...555?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4873b53c1b

I couldn't find right away a 2-way switch, but I am sure one can be found, to make the setup smaller. By removing those pins and direct soldering you can probably drop the weight for the whole setup to about 5 grams or so.

- Bogdan

PS: I think that camera I linked can be upgraded with a wide angle lens from 808#16, I am not sure, but I have seen it somewhere. It will make it 2 grams heavier though.

 

[Ocean]

Hi Mustang,
Nice design should be great for racing I hope.
I might be printing a frame soon, so what's the reason you went with ABS over PLA?