Newbie, scared of my versacopter...

[MadMcMatt]

Hi everybody. So I have been watching FliteTest for a few years now, it's what got me into flight. I don't know anyone else in the hobby, so it would be cool to be able to connect with people online. I started with a sport cub, and then an inductrix. I got so excited with the tiny quad, I ordered a Versacopter v2 kit over a year ago. That was probably a little crazy, I believe it's way beyond my ability. I've been flying a vortex 150 for a little while now, but only with a 3s battery. That's been alot of fun but I haven't got the nerve to take the Versacopter out yet. So I guess this is me saying hi!

 

[Duck]

MadMcMatt,

The versa copter shouldn't fly all that different from your Vortex 150. If you manage that in acro you shouldn't have any issues. Of course do safety things like fly away from other people. I have a Vortex 180 and it is quite quick. I few maybe 30 flights + ~5-10 hours on the simulator before moving to 4S and the biggest difference was 4S was easier to fly because it stops quicker. You already know how to not use 100% throttle unless you want to go really fast.

 

[sprzout]

Matt, 100% agree on this. The Versacopter shouldn't be too different from your 150. Get out and FLY it. If you crash it, you crash it! Learn from the crash. Rebuild, replace props, upgrade if needed.

 

[MadMcMatt]

I think I've mostly just been worried about breaking it in the first five minutes, you guys are right though. I had a lot of fun putting it together, fixing it should be the same. The little vortex seems indestructible with some of the crashes I've had. I always find the one piece of concrete in the field!
I've been using Lift Off to practice when I can't fly, but I never thought about being able to stop quicker with 4s batteries. I'm going to order a couple.
Thanks for advice, I'll definitely keep things safe. Hopefully I'll find a club or group near me soon, I think flying with an more experienced person would be helpful for my confidence.

 

[sprzout]

I think I've mostly just been worried about breaking it in the first five minutes, you guys are right though. I had a lot of fun putting it together, fixing it should be the same-sex . The little vortex seems indestructible with some of the crashes I've had. I always find the one piece of concrete in the field!
I've been using Lift Off to practice when I can't fly, but I never thought about being able to stop quicker with 4s batteries. I'm going to order a couple.
Thanks for advice, I'll definitely keep things safe. Hopefully I'll find a club or group near me soon, I think flying with an more experienced person would be helpful for my confidence.

Good luck with the clubs; while there are experienced people out there, my findings have been pretty much that *I* was the drone expert, because most of the guys in the club didn't trust "drones" and so they didn't learn much, if anything, about them...Some of them are interested, but at the end of the day, these guys are stuck on the old warbirds and fixed wing aircraft, or helis. You may have better luck, though, but if not, you may need to just step up and be ready to help others! Believe me, you'll learn all sorts of stuff trying to help answer questions, so it's not a bad position to be in.

 

[jack10525]

I built my versacopter from the kit. Hardest part was setting up the flight controller. Flew and crashed quite a few times until I finally killed the FC. Tried replacing the FC but couldn't program it. Now the versacopter sits in a box neglected. I guess I can harvest parts from it for planes but the motors are soo tiny. Anyway get out and fly your versa. Like the others have said it will fly the same maybe with just a little more power.

 

[ElectriSean]

If you have the OG versacopter power pack with 12A ESC's, I wouldn't run it on 4S, they will melt. That said, the versa will probably be pretty tame compared to your Vortex. They are a little fragile, but the parts are dirt cheap.

 

[MadMcMatt]

Good luck with the clubs; while there are experienced people out there, my findings have been pretty much that *I* was the drone expert, because most of the guys in the club didn't trust "drones" and so they didn't learn much, if anything, about them...Some of them are interested, but at the end of the day, these guys are stuck on the old warbirds and fixed wing aircraft, or helis. You may have better luck, though, but if not, you may need to just step up and be ready to help others! Believe me, you'll learn all sorts of stuff trying to help answer questions, so it's not a bad position to be in.

That's kinda sad. I thought it was odd that the local rc club was suddenly at member capacity, but not till I mentioned I mostly fly quadcopters. I didn't really know there was a divide between the different types of aircraft. Joining this forum will have to suffice for now. I'm excited, this seems to be a pretty active group of people. I wasn't really expecting responses like this.
Thanks.

 

[MadMcMatt]

If you have the OG versacopter power pack with 12A ESC's, I wouldn't run it on 4S, they will melt. That said, the versa will probably be pretty tame compared to your Vortex. They are a little fragile, but the parts are dirt cheap.

I have the v2 with power pack E (I'll have to double check what ESCs I have) and a couple 3s 2200 mah packs to start with. I'm just going to go for it this weekend. I was hoping to mayden my Ft Flyer, I may as well do my Versa too. I'm excited, I will be awesome to finally carry my GoPro. I feel better knowing the Vortex isn't as far off as I thought from the Versacopter.

 

[sprzout]

That's kinda sad. I thought it was odd that the local rc club was suddenly at member capacity, but not till I mentioned I mostly fly quadcopters. I didn't really know there was a divide between the different types of aircraft. Joining this forum will have to suffice for now. I'm excited, this seems to be a pretty active group of people. I wasn't really expecting responses like this.
Thanks.

I say it not to discourage you, just let you know there are a lot of clubs that 1) don't understand multirotor functionality, 2) are...inflexible, I guess would be the best way to put it, in how their fields provide support, and 3) see only a certain type of club member joining. When you look around and see a club full of 55+ year old members and no kids, and the club is shrinking, ask yourself why. This may be an opportunity to start a new club in the area, with support from the AMA, local parks, farming areas, etc. as you find that there's a niche that needs to be filled.

 

[ElectriSean]

I have the v2 with power pack E (I'll have to double check what ESCs I have) and a couple 3s 2200 mah packs to start with.

There were 3 or 4 versions of the E pack, the newer ones came with 30A Lumenier ESC's, but the original had 12A Emax BLHeli. Definitely check before running 4s. I only ever ran mine on 3s, and it was a great platform to learn on.

I'm just going to go for it this weekend.

That's the spirit

 

[ElectriSean]

I built my versacopter from the kit. Hardest part was setting up the flight controller. Flew and crashed quite a few times until I finally killed the FC. Tried replacing the FC but couldn't program it. Now the versacopter sits in a box neglected.

That's a very sad story Start up a thread and we'll help you get it going

 

[sprzout]

I built my versacopter from the kit. Hardest part was setting up the flight controller. Flew and crashed quite a few times until I finally killed the FC. Tried replacing the FC but couldn't program it. Now the versacopter sits in a box neglected. I guess I can harvest parts from it for planes but the motors are soo tiny. Anyway get out and fly your versa. Like the others have said it will fly the same maybe with just a little more power.

If you re-source the motors to something else, you could always put them on a Twin Sparrow...