Newbie quadcopter recommendations!

[Trisnpod]

Hi! I'm looking into building a quadcopter that is suitable for a beginner, but has growing space for a bit of FPV in the future. I've trawled around hobbyking, but they don't seem to have anything reasonably priced and beginner friendly (if there is something good there for me, please tell me). I'm looking for a kit, preferably with all parts included but if getting the electronics separately is a better option, please let me know! I have a gopro hero 3, so I am looking for something that can carry one of them. As I said before, growing space would be nice. My budget is up to about £150 (I think that's $238) and I don't need transmitter or FPV gear included.
Thanks! Tristan

 

[HawkMan]

The only way to get that low is to put together your own "kit". I could show the shopping list(s) for my reptile500 build but inch over specced a bit and ordered a bunch of stuff I didn't use I would end up a bit outside your budget.

Check, the reptile frame, pick their cheapest reccomended motors that can use 20A ESCs, and pick whatever is their cheapest 20A ESCs, though for a multi I think you want either the afro, blue or multistars. Others might not be suited or need programming.

You could also start with the SK450 frame instead of the reptile. I don't think you save to much, but its smaller and lighter and can use smaller and cheaper motors, then you can get their dead cat conversion kit for it later for more space and better camera platform. The straight X might be easier to fly right off the bat as well... but from my experience with the reptile dead cats are fine and very stable on a kk board.

 

[Trisnpod]

Thanks for the help! I have had a look, and made a shopping cart for the reptile.

 

[xMeox]

HawkMan, can you please give us the shopping lists for your quad? Im currently thinking about building a quad myself and I would really appreciate a part list as guidance

 

[NateO]

Pick any frame you want, the reptile frame looks nice if you want a 500, but the SK450 is nice and light:
Here is a quick list (hobbyking)

This is a beginner pack, there is always better stuff, but start with good yet cheap then upgrade when your good
Motor prop: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/..._Motor_and_Propeller_Combo_10_4_5_CW_CCW.html
ESC:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/..._Motor_Speed_Controller_SimonK_Firmware_.html
Power Distro
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...JST_Plug_Quadcopter_Distribution_Harness.html
Battery:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...apacity_3S_5200mAh_Multi_Rotor_Lipo_Pack.html
Flight Control board:
GPS capable:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/..._Flight_Controller_USB_GYRO_ACC_MAG_BARO.html
Basic:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...light_Control_Board_36x36mm_30_5x30_5mm_.html

You may need odds and ends like heat shrink and other connectors, but this is a start.



I just sold my SK 450 to get in to 250 racers, but here is a night flight:
http://youtu.be/7tCDOYHVeTg

 

[Trisnpod]

Wow thanks! That looks great. I think I might go for the reptile, but is the sk450 better for fpv?

 

[NateO]

You can put FPV on any frame, here is the for sale post of mine, You can see from the pictures that I use the Flitetest style battery/camera holder.
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthre...EDs-APM2-6-ESC-Motors-Propellers-Batt-GPS-ARF
(currently on ebay)

Here is a 500 frame i was looking at for a while because it has gimble mounts:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...ss_Fiber_Quadcopter_Frame_with_PDB_480mm.html

But the SK450 is a good first body and hobbyking sells spare parts.

Dead Cat style frames are also good to get the props out of the way for FPV (and they make an sk450 dead cat). I would worry less on your Frame and more on the FPV gear you want. I use Fatshark attitude v2, but keep in mind, good FPV gear is more than the rest of the quad parts, combined.

 

[Trisnpod]

So would I not be able to put a gimble on the reptile? Can you put gimbals on the sk450? I think I have seen pictures of gimbals on the reptile frame, but I don't know how much they modified the frame.

 

[Trisnpod]

The main problem with hobbyking is the way they don't have that many things in the uk warehouse! If it isn't in the uk warehouse, you end up paying about £20 for postage!

 

[HawkMan]

i just put a gimbal on the reptile 500, so, Yeah you can

still waiting for my camera so i can properly test it though.

 

[HawkMan]

bangood or goodluckbuy have a reptile frame that is a copy of the discovery pro and not the regular discovery though. this one is more expensive, but it comes With an inline brushless gimbal and is carbon.

if you know you're going to be using a camera gimbal I'd go for that one.

 

[Trisnpod]

I can't find a quadcopter 3.5mm distribution harness in the eu warehouse, so will a hexacopter one do?

 

[C0d3M0nk3y]

I can't find a quadcopter 3.5mm distribution harness in the eu warehouse, so will a hexacopter one do?

Yes. You'll just have 2 unused sets of power leads. That might be handy if you want to run LEDs or FPV gear in the future.

 

[Trisnpod]

Hi, I don't know if anyone can answer this but what kind of flight time would I be looking at with a 2200mah 3s lipo using the reptile 500 frame? Just cos I have one of those spare.
Thanks, Tristan

 

[HawkMan]

As just a quad 3S 2200 Lipos gave me up to and over 10 minute flights at least, that's about as far as I tested them. of course, now I have a heavier landing gear and a gimbal mounted on it and waiting on my SJ4000 so I don't think the 3S' will do much for me anymore Ordered 1050 props again as well, as I don't think the 1045's will be much good with the extra weight. you may also need 1050 for 3S batteries, I never actually tried the 1045 on the 3s, but on 4s the first carbon 1050's I had made it very eager and jumpy and hard to hover, while on 3s it flew very nice, with the 1045 the 4s flew like the 3s on the 1050's, but it might have been affected by the 1045's being slow fly props to...

 

[Trisnpod]

What do you mean by 1045 and 1050? Is that the prop size?

 

[cranialrectosis]

Prop sizes contain two bits of information, length and pitch.

On a 1045, the length of the prop from tip to tip is 10". The pitch is 4.5" forward per revolution (in a perfect fluid). A 1050 has 1/2" more forward thrust per revolution. It is a steeper pitch and therefore gives you more thrust but requires more power to push.

 

[Trisnpod]

Ok. I think I have pretty much finished my shopping cart for my quad, which I will post tomorrow, but I am just not quite sure if the motors will fit the frame. The frame (http://www.banggood.com/HJ-MWC-X-Mode-Alien-Multicopter-Quadcopter-Frame-Kit-3-Colors-p-947345.html) says at the bottom of the description that the recommended motors are 2212, 2216, 4006 or 5005, but on the motors I have in my cart (http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...peller_Combo_10_4_5_CW_CCW_EU_Warehouse_.html) have 2213 in the name. Is the 2213 referring to the same thing as the numbers on the recommended motor list on the frame description? What does that number mean, and will my motors fit my frame?
Thanks, Tristan

 

[cranialrectosis]

The real item is this from the motors:
bolt hole spacing: 16mm * 19mm

I see nothing about motor bolt hole spacing on the copter so I would have to guess.

The motor numbers are also telling you two measurements.

A 2212 is 22mm wide by 12mm tall. I think 2213s should fit a frame that takes 22mm motors just fine.

 

[NateO]

Im not going to lie, if you just starting out, why not go Racing quad! I just sold my 450 and built a 250 racer. I first was scared of acro mode, but now I prefer it. Yes I learned in self level, but after about 5 minutes of back yard acro mode i will NEVER fly in self level again.

Here is a little about my 250 racer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FURY4ICgj68



First flights with my 250 racer (about 1:05 starts fast flying)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCAZK6pgKUM