10 Days with FC40...and what Ive learned....

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Just thought I'd update my journey with the FC40 after having it a while longer. Keep in mind this is my first Quad of any kind.

In my original post after my first weekend I said the camera isn't that great.
Well, I'm going to half retract that. The camera is much better than I thought. No, its not as good as my GoPro, but for the price and weight savings it is much better than it should be.
It also helps so much now that I have the FPV working with my Galaxy 3 phone (Thanks to Stony30 with the fix!) Its really surprising how far away it keeps connection for FPV...I was easily 100+ yards away today and it worked perfect.
The not so good about the camera: a gimbal with some kind of tilt control from the tx is really a must have, and some kind of sunshade for the phone would be nice.

The 9" vision props are nice. They add flight time but are twitchier then stock. Im getting used to them.

Lastly, I set up IOC and LOVE it. Cant imagine flying without it ever again! No more of that sinking feeling in my stomach when Im just a speck in the distance and trying helplessly to figure out which way the quad is facing and what lever to bring it towards me. Now just switch the S2 lever back to HL, pull the joystick straight back and it comes straight back to where I started. Perfect!!
 
I'm starting to love mine more with every day, especially after getting a gopro and gimbal. It's actually become more fun to use than my Vision plus, probably because the fear level is reduced knowing a new gimbal is 1/10th of the P2v+ gimbal/camera assembly.

When you say the Vision props were twitchier, in what way? I was going to try them out with my setup since I feel the 8" ones are struggling with the added weight.


Edited for grammatical neurosis.
 
wattage said:
I'm starting to love mine more with every day, especially after getting a gopro and gimbal. It's actually become more fun to use than my Vision plus, probably because the fear level is reduced knowing a new gimbal is 1/10th of the P2v+ gimbal/camera assembly.

When you say the Vision props were twitchier, in what way? I was going to try them out with my setup since I feel the 8" ones are struggling with the added weight.


Edited for grammatical neurosis.

When I say 'twitchier' I am comparing them to the stock 8" props. The new props just seem to make the quad 'jump' more with each movement from the controller. They are also louder and seem much more 'powerful'.

Keep in mind I threw the 9" props on with no balancing or gains adjustment, and truth be told I think they are third party props...I don't think they are true DJI 9443 props. I bought them off Ebay.

To me the plus of longer flight times made them worth keeping.
 
I got my Fc40 about 6 weeks ago. (I work away for 2wks at a time on a ship and hate flying over water, so don't get as much time in the air as most).
I make Sun Shades, they are available on Ebay (example.... Item No. 331277623320). I do my best to get them sent out the same day.
I like the FC40 camera, even thou I can see it's not as good as the GoPro, but I'm ok with that at the moment, and enjoy the FPV WiFi, and the recorded quality is darn good for such a little camera. Got a Gimbal on order from HobbyKing, but I think it's on a slow boat from China...(lol) but I'm hoping it'll beat me back home next week. Been trying a set of the carbon fibre props from Ebay (not the real thing, but ok), and my only comment would be that they are so fine thay are like spinning razor blades... But they seem good thou.
 
Ive recently moved over the Graupner props. Have tried 8" and 9". They are very sporty blades and streamline. Much easier to fly as well. I would mosty definately recommned them . You get slightly better flight times with the larger prop obviously but less twitchy than the DJI 9" vision prop. You especially notice a much smoother decent with the Graupner even with full throttle down.

And regards to camera , dont forget the popular SJ4000 gopro clone. Great alternative at a fraction of the cost.
 
Please could you tell me the model number of the Graupner Props and where you bought them from?

I'd like to upgrade my FC40 props and ordered some DJI 9443's from Ebay recently, but they turned out to be fakes. They were badly finished and one of the self tightening nuts wouldn't screw on properly!

The Graupner's sound interesting especially if they fly more smoothly...
 
KimBrown said:
I got my Fc40 about 6 weeks ago. (I work away for 2wks at a time on a ship and hate flying over water, so don't get as much time in the air as most).
I make Sun Shades, they are available on Ebay (example.... Item No. 331277623320). I do my best to get them sent out the same day.
I like the FC40 camera, even thou I can see it's not as good as the GoPro, but I'm ok with that at the moment, and enjoy the FPV WiFi, and the recorded quality is darn good for such a little camera. Got a Gimbal on order from HobbyKing, but I think it's on a slow boat from China...(lol) but I'm hoping it'll beat me back home next week. Been trying a set of the carbon fibre props from Ebay (not the real thing, but ok), and my only comment would be that they are so fine thay are like spinning razor blades... But they seem good thou.


Your sunshade looks great!
As soon as I decide if I am going to keep the S3 or upgrade to the S5 I will be ordering.
Thanks!!
 
Ok dt, message me if you want one and I'll give you my paypal email address rather than go via Ebay, but remember to state which colour you want. The S3 was a new addition I did the other day, and the guy that ordered one loved it. As for upgrading your phone, take a peek at the Note 3, it's what I use and the displays good, but even better with one of my Shades. I make to order normaly, thou I do have a few of the popular ones in stock ready. Either way I do my best to turn orders around the same day for next day delivery. But the larger Shades can take 3hrs to make, so might miss that days post. All orders are sent 1st Class post, and tracked.
 
To set the IOC, does that require a computer connection, or just using switches? These fine adjustments are a real gray area for me. When I was a photographer, every time a new DSLR was released, there were about three books published about one week later.
 
Tom Franzson said:
To set the IOC, does that require a computer connection, or just using switches? These fine adjustments are a real gray area for me. When I was a photographer, every time a new DSLR was released, there were about three books published about one week later.

Its an option that needs to be set in Naza Assistant on your PC.
Basically connect the Phantom using the USB cable. Power on your controller, then the Phantom. Run the Assistant software and select IOC enabled. While you're at it set the right side switch so the bottom position is Failsafe. Beats me why DJI don't do that out of the box....
 
FC40 Pilot said:
Ive recently moved over the Graupner props. Have tried 8" and 9". They are very sporty blades and streamline. Much easier to fly as well. I would mosty definately recommned them .

Can we get a link, model # or something for the Graupners ?
 
In my original post after my first weekend I said the camera isn't that great.
Well, I'm going to half retract that.
It also helps so much now that I have the FPV working with my Galaxy 3 phone (Thanks to Stony30 with the fix!) .... :D
 

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