New to multicopters, what to buy?

baddox

Senior Member
As far as I know, those speed controllers can't be flashed with simonk firmware. I've been running those same ones on my new tricopter and it's performing fine, but it's probably smart to plan for the future and buy something that can be flashed. I believe the F-30A can be flashed, and there's also preflashed ones like the HobbyKing's Afros.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__15205__Hobby_King_30A_ESC_3A_UBEC.html

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/..._Motor_Speed_Controller_SimonK_Firmware_.html

(I don't know anything about FPV or the Multiwii, so I can only comment on the ESCs.)
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
Props will HAVE to be 2 CW and 2CCW. The torque from them is how the quad yaws. Usually the left front is CW, right front is CCW, Right rear is CW and left rear is CCW.

You have a very ambitious project if you have not flown multi's before.

I highly recommend copying a known good design rather than learning what parts work well together by trial and error ($$$) as I and many others did when starting out.

Thurmond
 

THURO

Junior Member
The only experience I have with multi's was a long time ago (6 or 7 years ago, maybe more) I bought an XUFO quadcopter that had a faulty mechanical gyro that flipped and busted after it's second flight. I never fixed it, but I've been reading up since then. I feel things are cheap enough now where I can build something completely awesome and I'm drawn to the megapirate firmware with its GPS waypoint capability. I also have DSLR's sitting at the house which I know won't make it into the air until a very long time from now, but this is what I'm shooting for, no pun intended.
 

THURO

Junior Member
BTW i really like the V-Tail batbone that was up a couple of weeks ago, and that got me seriously interested again.
 

baddox

Senior Member
I agree with Tritium about it being an ambitious first project, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I do agree that your power combination (prop/motor/ESC/battery) should be something fairly standard, but I'm not experienced with all the combinations so I can't comment on your specific choice. My first foray into RC was building a tricopter with this frame: http://www.fortisairframes.com/titan-tricopter-frame-kit/, and I mostly used the creator's advice on the components. Everything went extremely smoothly with my build.

My biggest piece of advice is to buy a cheap toy quadcopter as soon as possible and fly the crap out of it. I always recommend the Syma X1 which is around $40. If you're going to be waiting for a HobbyKing order, or even while doing research, just buy the toy quad and practice your flying without fear! The Syma X1 comes with a spare set of props, but I've wrecked the thing so many times, indoor and out, and haven't broken anything.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
How much experience do you have with R/C?
The plush seem to work ok on multi's but like baddox says, you might be better off in the long run with something flash-able or already flashed. I see you have a Frsky module on the list. Do you have a radio for that to go in? And what's the distribution board for?
If you are building a quad, you'll need 2 of each rotation for the props, 2 CW and 2 CCW, hex will take 3 of each. Get some spares! What frame are you putting all this on? You'll also need prop adapters for those motors. I don't know if you're dead set on that board or not. I use this one flashed with megapirate firmware so I can use the flight planner software with it and it comes with a GPS module. I might have more questions for you but I'll give you what answers I can.

And Welcome to the forums!


On edit: seems like you got a few more answers while I was posting...
 

THURO

Junior Member
The distribution board I read on there was for the modules, GPS and others, I thought it should be part of the order since it's made for that particular board. I've read people having problems with the AIO board there's actually recent videos on youtube of it not arming in multiwii config. I might get the board you mention xuzme720. I have experience only in simulators with planes, and am aware that it will probably not be the same outside with a quad. I do have a cheapie helicopter I can maneuver around the house and land on whatever I want, but it's not even close to able to do anything impressive with it. I have had numerous RC cars, but again no flying. I have a 9XR which I bought when it came out, like around christmas time I think, I was going to build a quad, I've been putting it off for quite a while, but now I'm ready to take the dive. I really don't like to spend twice on the same things, for example spend like 200 dlls to build a quad and then spend this amount to build the quad I want. I do understand that I'll break things, crash, it's inevitable, much like riding my dirtbike, crashing, and being in pain for a while. I do however think that with great power comes great responsibility, and therefore this would be something I would be more careful with than just a small quad that I wouldn't really mind having fall from the sky. I don't know, I may be wrong, that happens from time to time lol.
 

THURO

Junior Member
oh and thanks baddox and others, I didn't know you couldn't flash those ESC's I'd probably go with Afro's in that case.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
I don't think you need the dist board, especially if you go with the other board. You won't need one of these either if you go that way...