Oh Look, It's Another 'Help Me With My Versacopter" Thread!

[defhermit]

dang. another weekend, another quad-disabling crash!

I got the vc out to a proper flying field this morning and after successfully flying it around at semi-fast speeds I tried to do a flip again and pretty much did the same thing. it arced beautifully into a a high speed upside down landing.

Both booms survived this time, but both of the delrin side panels broke along with 1 prop. So I've placed an order for rplacement delrin parts and I'm sitting here attempting to crazy glue these ones back together.

I really wish that ALL of the pieces that are currently plastic could be upgraded to aluminum. before this crash I had several of the small "tabs" break or otherwise lose their edges so that things slide around a bit if not entirely tight at all times. I realize that I need to stop crashing the thing but I feel like there is no need for any of these parts to be made out of plastic. the aluminum upgrade available does not include aluminum side plates or the accessories (small tabs that precision fit the side panes to the screws...

hopefully I'll have this thing reworking, whether via crazy glue or via the new parts delivered on time, by next weekend to give it another shot!

 

[Darkback2]

Seems to me like you probably want to upgrade the frame to the v2 given how often minis crash...It is sort of par for the course. with the V2 the side plates are still delrin, but the top and bottom plates look much stiffer and the top and bottom plates are mostly supported by the aluminum clamps. I figure that would make for a much stiffer everything.

Best of luck!

DB

 

[Darkback2]

As for your flipping problem which is leading to your crashing problem...

You can't be timid when trying to flip.

First off, you have to check your settings to make sure a few things are true...

1) Set up your quad so that the props don't stop spinning when you cut the throttle all the way down.

2) Increase the heck out of your pitch and roll rates. (rates are how fast your quad rotates in whichever direction.

Best of luck to you

DB

 

[PsyBorg]

I haven't used the delrin on my versa since the first crash and reading its issues of being brittle. It is only meant to keep grass and stuff out of your quads frame and not for structural stability. The Versacopter is actually pretty stable with just the build settings but you can get it to be more agile with a little tuning. This is what I get from mine just by doing the steps in that Rotor Riot video I linked earlier in the post.

Since then I have ordered and put on 3 bladed props and retuned using that same method. I was surprised how much it changed going from 2 blade 6x4.5 to a 3 blade 6x4.5 props. Next phase is the step up to 4s!!!

 

[defhermit]

Seems to me like you probably want to upgrade the frame to the v2 given how often minis crash...It is sort of par for the course. with the V2 the side plates are still delrin, but the top and bottom plates look much stiffer and the top and bottom plates are mostly supported by the aluminum clamps. I figure that would make for a much stiffer everything.

Best of luck!

DB

I have the v2 already, that's the kit I'm using. It just seems weird that all the intricate smaller pieces that are used to cinch the top/bottom plates to the side plates are made of plastic. Those little tabs started breaking immediately after my first not-fast crash.

 

[defhermit]

As for your flipping problem which is leading to your crashing problem...

You can't be timid when trying to flip.

First off, you have to check your settings to make sure a few things are true...

1) Set up your quad so that the props don't stop spinning when you cut the throttle all the way down.

2) Increase the heck out of your pitch and roll rates. (rates are how fast your quad rotates in whichever direction.

Best of luck to you

DB

For now I'm going to just get comfortable flying the thing around in Horizon mode, trying to get the guts to switch to acro mode for little spurts. I think I'll hold off on adjusting the rates until I'm confidently flying in acro mode!

Thanks for the video link though! I'll definitely check it out.

 

[defhermit]

I haven't used the delrin on my versa since the first crash and reading its issues of being brittle. It is only meant to keep grass and stuff out of your quads frame and not for structural stability. The Versacopter is actually pretty stable with just the build settings but you can get it to be more agile with a little tuning. This is what I get from mine just by doing the steps in that Rotor Riot video I linked earlier in the post.

Since then I have ordered and put on 3 bladed props and retuned using that same method. I was surprised how much it changed going from 2 blade 6x4.5 to a 3 blade 6x4.5 props. Next phase is the step up to 4s!!!

I have a big order of props coming from hobbyking that includes a few sets of 3 bladed props. Looking forward to checking that out.

My main goal at this point is to feel confident enough in my ability to NOT crash to put a GoPro on it again. I basically disabled my previous one with my first big crash. One of the main reasons I got into this is to get sweet high altitude video footage so I want to get back into it but I don't want to spend $125 on a new gopro if I'm going to destroy it again immediately.

 

[Darkback2]

For now I'm going to just get comfortable flying the thing around in Horizon mode, trying to get the guts to switch to acro mode for little spurts. I think I'll hold off on adjusting the rates until I'm confidently flying in acro mode!

Thanks for the video link though! I'll definitely check it out.

Awesome! Have fun and see how things go. Part of what I was trying to point out has to do with the flip results you are getting. If your quad is flipping in "nice smooth arches", that means that your rates are too low. In that sense it doesn't matter what mode you are in. The results will be the same in either Horizon or Acro. If you are uncomfortable increasing your rates then you need A LOT more altitude in order to do a flip. Go well above the tree line. Up is your friend because it gives you more time to save your quad.

When I first flew quads I had a phantom. I loved it, and at times I still do, until I went flying with a guy who was flying a blackout. He did a flip. Honestly it wasn't that good of a flip, just a quick forward roll...After that I wanted nothing else. So I started trying to get my phantom to do flips in manual mode.

Mostly I did what you described, nice arches into inverted landings.

Best of luck to you and happy flying.

DB

 

[defhermit]

What the versacopter looks like now...

A couple of clips of it flying!

https://vimeo.com/171363389

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxYIvdSmlI8&feature=youtu.be

As you can see if you watch the videos, it gets a little jitter/shaky at times. This seems to be whenever I'm coming down in altitude. While I need to tune this thing, I'm guessing there might be something I'm doing wrong input wise that is causing this? maybe I need to be smoother?

I replaced my forever-blurry hand me down gopro with a monster digital vision hd camera. while it's actually a step down in resolution, it was only $80 and I figured I should probably fly for a bit and prove I won't smash it to heck again before spending $200 for the nicer gopro...

Still haven't flown FPV yet, still getting comfortable flying it. I'm getting really close though. I've determined that my current FPV system will work when I want to give it a try. I just need to stick it on there and run it off its own 1c battery that I will also just stick on there. So, weather permitting, I will most likely try it out this weekend. I'm comfortable that I can get it into a stable hover at a good height, and flip the fpv goggles down on my head!

Anyway, hope someone watches my videos! Not much impressive flying but I think there's some nice sights!

 

[PsyBorg]

That wobbles when coming down is you going thru your own prop wash. A better tune will cure most or all of that. Id check and make sure the battery is secure as well. Sometimes they can shake if not strapped down tight enough and give the quad fits too. Check your motors out too as the vemeo video sounded like grinding gears when you landed. If you have dirt or grass in the bell that could cause issues too. Make sure nothing like wires are rubbing on the bells and check the gap between the bell and the motor mount to make sure its even as you spin the motors by hand. that will show if you have a bent shaft.

 

[jipp]

so what is the weak link in the versacopter 2? seems to me by looking at it would just be the arms.

seems they would break at the point where the frame aluminum arm mount is.

if that is the case would adding a wood dowel inside beef it up to make this virtually indestructible and just be a prop breaker?

i know that is one benefit of all carbon frames with 4mm arms hard to break unless you hit a tree head on etc, or cement at a odd angle.

iv not broken anything yet besides props, sigh.. but then i am part of team nanna.. :d

chris.

 

[PsyBorg]

I've had several hard crashes resulting in damage on my version one and all I managed to break were the boom clamps. You'd have to hit pretty darn hard to break a boom. Watch the episode where they were throwing a versa frame all over the yard and smackin it down on concrete to see what breaks. Its a pretty hearty machine.

For general information I leave my booms loose enough they can spin with a little effort. I think that has saved me more damage on a few of my crashes. I just twist the booms back to where the motors are straight and back in the air it goes. No tools no fuss.

 

[jipp]

i assume you mean you can turn the booms one direction or the other in a vertical sense, not horizontal with the frame. if that makes any sense. i may have to try version 2.

i know i was not impressed with 1.

chris.

 

[ElectriSean]

The only thing that has broken on mine is one of the side plates. I've stacked it pretty hard on a few occasions, and killed many props in 'early landings' but it's been solid. The way the booms twist and slide in the clamps has saved me at least a complete set of motors One day I'll replace that side plate, but it flies fine the way it is

 

[defhermit]

So far I've broken 2 side plates and 1 boom. The boom went as described in this thread, from a high speed upside down landing. It's possible that it broke because I had also over-tightened the boom and it was subtly cracked. In hindsight I've figured out it doesn't need to be as tight as I was doing it. The side plates bummed me out after another not-so-bad crash and I immediately ordered replacements from flitetest. While I was waiting for them to arrive I wound up gluing them back together and reassembling the vc just fine. So I have a replacement set for the next time these things break down.

When the boom broke I actually ordered 2 replacements so now I have replacement parts galore! Looking forward to learning how to fly better. I want to maybe make myself some loop/hoops to fly through to try to get better at that.