550 Pilot's lounge

[havasuphoto]

Well, I got my aircraft back from the "shop".
All the ESC are soldered in well. I'm sorting through the wiring, and have remounted the PMU V2 and the remote receiver. Naza is already stuck dead center.


I was going around each arm and pulling out the engine wires to I could heat-shrink those bullet connectors together-just one less thing to arc or short out.
BUT-the first one I did, M3, had 2 cold soldered male bullets, from I assume T-motors(dunno who really soldered them on-doesn't matter). Luckily, I have exactly 3 clean bullet connectors left. So, I was able to put those on....soldering bullets by yourself is hard. I pulled on them pretty hard, and they're on there good now. Heat-shrunk all 3 of those engine bullets together, and the 3 on the arm next to it.
I'm calling it a "day". I just know I will find more cold soldered bullets. So at this point, Tomorrow, I'll go around and mount everything the way I want-and plug in a battery to make sure everything works, before I get too many more hours into the detail work.

I have my "new" mini hot glue gun...but, right below that in the store, were the Regular sized glue sticks. Didn't notice that until Today. I was going to apply some hot glue to each ESC solder point on the PCB when I discovered I had to drive all the way across town on a Sunday Afternoon to get Mini-glue sticks.
Once I got those-it was time to throw in the towel for the day, and re-group.

Hopefully everything beeps and works Tomorrow. Then I can tidy things up....and eventually go fly.

We're waiting on a bottom mounting bracket for my rail system. No holes will be drilled in my lower PCB.....

 

[SanCap]

A short video of the first couple of flights (amazingly, no augering in). First lesson, the 10C Walkera batteries are no good here. I got voltage sag enough to trigger the LV alarms at 3.9v.

My flight with 4x Phantom 2200s (4400mah 6S) lasted just over 18min to 21.9v.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1HPcZCQQQw[/youtube]

Very cool! Nice build.

 

[ElGuano]

Spent an hour yesterday evening tidying up the insides.

Before:

After:

It's not done yet. The frame is almost completely bare right now, but I still have to throw in the OSD, VTX, Datalink, BTU, and gimbal controller, among other things, so the cleanup will be ongoing.

 

[havasuphoto]

That looks familiar;

Everything works!!! Every motor responded correctly during the 2nd motor test(1st time-I had each motor wired backwards), and they all respond equally.
I set Naza to 4S, and tested on 4S.

Also tested all at once at idle-normal. Flipped to manual and I have linear throttle control. But, in GPS and Atti it doesn't rev the motors up until 50% throttle on the remote.
I'm wondering if Naza will make an "adjustment" to that after a few flights?

I only ran it for about 15 seconds or so, and nothing even got warm.

So now it's time to put the hot glue on the ESC solder points on the board.

I'm very leery of pulling the other 4 remaining motor wires out and putting heat shrink on those bullet connectors-I fear that I will probably encounter another cold solder bullet-and I only have 1 good one left.

Same with putting heat shrink on the bullets going into the ESC-I don't want to "induce" a cold solder with the heat gun-so I'll probably just figure out a way to mount the ESC's and leave that alone for now.

This is interesting-and, the aircraft has done this before; when I put the battery in, I get 1 beep, followed by 1,2,3,4,5 beep. I'm not sure why it does that? But-with the "hat" sitting inside the box(GPS is connected and I got satellites), the compass value was only around 900-should be 1500. So, my compass values are out of whack for sure.
Also-the Gimbal isn't hooked up to the GCU-so I'm wondering if that's why I get the 1 beep first....dunno, but it works. I even calibrated the remote, and move the controls around-and the motors responded in the correct direction for stick movement.

Just need the mounts for the rail system and I got some tidying up and mounting to do. Gonna take my time-and stay away from the heat gun/heat shrink for now.

@El G-did you use black hot glue?? That looks nice, I only have white. do they make black hot glue??(oh god-another trip to the store...ugh).

 

[ElGuano]

The different ESCs have slightly different beep codes. I don't know why some (e300/600, p2) have the single beep before the scale, and others (p1, p2v+) don't. The p2v had something like 3 beeps preceding. If you hear the scale, you're good.

No black glue, I think it just looks black against the frame? I do cover up a few exposed solder joints with black electrical tape.

Is you Naza velcro'd to the frame, or is that just affixed to the sides of the FC? Using Velcro (or anything other than the supplied 3M VHB) is potentially a dangerous mounting option; the IMU is specifically tuned for hard mounting with the provided tape, and it's highly recommended to stay with that!

 

[havasuphoto]

The different ESCs have slightly different beep codes. I don't know why some (e300/600, p2) have the single beep before the scale, and others (p1, p2v+) don't. The p2v had something like 3 beeps preceding. If you hear the scale, you're good.

No black glue, I think it just looks black against the frame? I do cover up a few exposed solder joints with black electrical tape.

Is you Naza velcro'd to the frame, or is that just affixed to the sides of the FC? Using Velcro (or anything other than the supplied 3M VHB) is potentially a dangerous mounting option; the IMU is specifically tuned for hard mounting with the provided tape, and it's highly recommended to stay with that!

The velcro is just around the outside of the Naza-it came that way. The Naza is held in place with a brand new DJI, 3M white sticky tape-the standard one that is used to mount Naza.
I used the red 3M tape on everything else...but not Naza because it's too thick.

So-would you just cover the solder joints with black electrical tape and call it good? Still not much of a fan of hot glue.....

 

[ElGuano]

Honestly, I don't even bother with the electrical tape on my other builds, I'm just being extra cautious with the 6S.

I don't like using hot glue as an electrical insulator since I don't know it properties or temp range, but it use it everywhere else as a vibration-resistant and easy-to-remove mounting system (RX, LED module, etc).

 

[havasuphoto]

Honestly, I don't even bother with the electrical tape on my other builds, I'm just being extra cautious with the 6S.

I don't like using hot glue as an electrical insulator since I don't know it properties or temp range, but it use it everywhere else as a vibration-resistant and easy-to-remove mounting system (RX, LED module, etc).

OK-I'm going with a strip of electrical tape. It's easy to remove, I can "beam" through it for temp checks, and it's just simpler.

I'll go around and do the hot glue thing some other time-once we're actually flying. For now-it's Zip Tie's and electrical tape.
I use the 3M red sticky tape to hold down the receiver, PMUV2, GCU, and iOSD mini. I think I'll just stack them on top of each other to save space. But this time-I'll have each oriented so I can access the mini-usb from the outside-and, be able to plug the gimbal cable into the GCU w/o having to take the top off.

First flights will be w/o gimbal/camera or VTX.

 

[OI Photography]

Spent an hour yesterday evening tidying up the insides.

Before:

That confirms what I thought I saw on there earlier, a Phantom Rx. I'm assuming that's for the weight + cost savings?

Btw I loved the vid with the lighting effects, you really nailed the badass factor on those...did it require a special rapid-flash pattern?

 

[ElGuano]

Spent an hour yesterday evening tidying up the insides.

Before:

That confirms what I thought I saw on there earlier, a Phantom Rx. I'm assuming that's for the weight + cost savings?

Btw I loved the vid with the lighting effects, you really nailed the badass factor on those...did it require a special rapid-flash pattern?

it's a phantom rx because for things that don't matter, I tend to be excessively parsimonious! I get great range out of the phantom tx/rx and haven't needed more than 7 channels yet, and I want to save money while I mull over the 14sg/spektrum option!

Havasu, if you stack all those, put them at the edge and check the temps and airflow around them. iOSDs get hot if they fail, and the pmu and gcu can build up a bit of heat as well. I have not seen a burnout but I have seen melted iOsd plastic.

 

[ElGuano]

Oh, and no patterns required. It seems the neopixels at 60% green do strobe a bit as caught in the red/orange flames under the front arms, but the green/blue at 100% is solid under the turquoise back arm....dunno why!

 

[havasuphoto]

Spent an hour yesterday evening tidying up the insides.

Before:

That confirms what I thought I saw on there earlier, a Phantom Rx. I'm assuming that's for the weight + cost savings?

Btw I loved the vid with the lighting effects, you really nailed the badass factor on those...did it require a special rapid-flash pattern?

it's a phantom rx because for things that don't matter, I tend to be excessively parsimonious! I get great range out of the phantom tx/rx and haven't needed more than 7 channels yet, and I want to save money while I mull over the 14sg/spektrum option!

Havasu, if you stack all those, put them at the edge and check the temps and airflow around them. iOSDs get hot if they fail, and the pmu and gcu can build up a bit of heat as well. I have not seen a burnout but I have seen melted iOsd plastic.

Yea, the iOSD mini is on top of the stack, PMU V2 on the bottom-and they're mounted right next to the right front opening between arms M1 and M6-so they're get plenty of airflow in forward flight.

I went with the ESC's zip tied to the left side of the arms, for right now. Where I want to mount them is a bit further inboard. But, that will require the hot glue to mount them-and I'm not ready to do that yet.
I also want to go back and finish some heat shrinking on the connectors....but, that can also wait til after flight testing.

I put the props on and ran it up-it almost took off in manual mode!!! Remember-I still don't have the rail system brackets-so no landing gear. And-I have that long EZ-UHF antenna, so it's not like it can sit flat on the floor.

Temps w/o any battery on the engines and ESC's were 86 deg's. After maybe 30 seconds of idling up to about 50% just messing around-I beamed the ESC's and there were all about 95 deg's. Engines were still at 86 deg's.
So, we know the ESC's are working........just don't know where the final "normal" temps will be.

I ran the IMU calibration and it's not needed-all the values are within range, and the compass is in the high 1400's, so everything looks normal there.

This is with the 11X5 E-Graupner props.

I picked up the aircraft by the arms-and it's definitely tail heavy(no battery or rails), and left heavy. Both can be corrected once I get the landing gear and battery mounted.

 

[OI Photography]

Oh, and no patterns required. It seems the neopixels at 60% green do strobe a bit as caught in the red/orange flames under the front arms, but the green/blue at 100% is solid under the turquoise back arm....dunno why!

My WAG would be that it has something to do with the different wavelengths of the colors and their interaction with the RPM of the blades, and/or our eyeballs. Either way, at least the color that works that way is flame orange

 

[ElGuano]

My WAG would be that it has something to do with the different wavelengths of the colors and their interaction with the RPM of the blades, and/or our eyeballs. Either way, at least the color that works that way is flame orange

I think the line patterning is the different reflectivity and angles from the carbon fiber weave, and the red/yellow color shifting is from the flickering of the individual emitters due to the driver characteristics (probably strobes the lights to adjust brightness of each channel). Either way, it's way trippy! I want to find a way to make it visible when viewed from below.

 

[joeg1717]

Can anyone suggest a shop that would do modifications to my 550? I bought the RTF package from helipal, and would like to change my receiver and radio. The Devo 7 that came with the package has terrible range and I believe that modification might be beyond my skill level.

Thanks

Joe

 

[havasuphoto]

Can anyone suggest a shop that would do modifications to my 550? I bought the RTF package from helipal, and would like to change my receiver and radio. The Devo 7 that came with the package has terrible range and I believe that modification might be beyond my skill level.

Thanks

Joe

Where are you located?
What range are you currently getting? Changing over to the Futaba system is fairly easy...but, they're expensive. I have the 14SGH that came with the 7008SB receiver. Had to buy 400mm extended antenna's because the stock one's are too short.

There are a lot of how to threads and video's on the Futaba set-up.....don't know about other receiver set-up except the EZ-UHF-and you don't want that nightmare. It works fine-but it's spendy, and difficult to configure, at best.

Also-what kind of range are you looking for?

 

[joeg1717]

I'm located in Pennsylvania, USA. Right now I get in the neighborhood of 300-400 meters before it goes into failsafe and returns home, which is significantly shorter than my phantom 2 which goes to around 1900 meters. I would be happy with a 1500 meter range. I do mostly FPV and BVF with ground station so a decent range is important for me. I have a Futaba 8s for my phantom now.

 

[havasuphoto]

I'm located in Pennsylvania, USA. Right now I get in the neighborhood of 300-400 meters before it goes into failsafe and returns home, which is significantly shorter than my phantom 2 which goes to around 1900 meters. I would be happy with a 1500 meter range. I do mostly FPV and BVF with ground station so a decent range is important for me. I have a Futaba 8s for my phantom now.

OK, what's a Futaba 8S? is that the T8J? What receiver are you using in the P1? should be something like a 20008 or similar number. I have a T8J and futaba receiver in my P1 and it goes about 1500M. In my P2, I have the 14SGH and am using the stock phantom 2 receiver and antenna's and go out to 2000M before I decide to turn around and come home.
all my flying is bvr.

Changing from what you have to the futaba is pretty easy....Sbus on futaba to X2 on the Naza, done. Like I said, there are entire thread on how to do the set-up....this one is for the P2, but will work the same for the F550;
http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=8358
The nice thing about the 8FG and the 14SGH is that you can copy that profile in that thread onto an SD card and load it into the radio-works great.

I'm still using the EZ-UHF on my F800....long story-but basically I just changed engines, burned up some ESC's, replaced them, and am still testing the new engines. I went from 3S to 4S with bigger engines. Once I get that sorted, I'll probably get rid of the EZ-UHF and go with the Futaba because the 14SGH shipped with a receiver.....I'm just waiting to iron out any problems before swapping the rx/tx set-up.

Oh, I believe there is a link in that thread for the 400mm antenna's. There's only 1 place you can buy them. You have to carefully "split" open the receiver case and then gently pry the short antenna's off their little snap plugs, then plug the long ones on, and snap the case back together-done.

 

[OI Photography]

I'm located in Pennsylvania, USA. Right now I get in the neighborhood of 300-400 meters before it goes into failsafe and returns home, which is significantly shorter than my phantom 2 which goes to around 1900 meters. I would be happy with a 1500 meter range. I do mostly FPV and BVF with ground station so a decent range is important for me. I have a Futaba 8s for my phantom now.

What part of PA? I happen to be visiting family this week in PA, just outside of Reading. If you're anywhere nearby, I'd be happy to give you a hand, and show you the aftermarket radio I have set up in my Phantom (which of course I brought with me!)

 

[PJA]

My flight with 4x Phantom 2200s (4400mah 6S) lasted just over 18min to 21.9v.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1HPcZCQQQw[/youtube]

What an Immaculate Build! I'm always in awe of your creative designs and add-ons, Elguano...

I do think you need to get a more elegant landing gear for such a marvelous machine though... just sayin'