Quadcopter fun

[W2R]

This really looks so cool! Also that footage was amazing, Fermion. I had no idea that these had become so affordable and with such crystal clear video.

 

[M Paquette]

A quad with enough payload could make a nifty 2M repeater. GPS program it to fly to where you want to transmit from, then talk to it with your HT and have it broadcast out. Wouldn't last for long with current battery tech, but you could make contacts 50 or 60 miles away with a HT even if you are hiking in a valley in a remote area.

Some local folks have been playing with a quad as a pop-up repeater on the 70 cm band. Another fun use is stringing up a temporary antenna, using the quad to place a light fishing line over a tree. It's more precise than a slingshot, and can get to higher locations easily.

 

[braumeister]

As another ham, these are the best uses for one I've ever heard of.

I sometimes go camping in extremely remote areas, so as an emergency way of getting a signal out to someone who might hear it, this would be awesome.

 

[Tailgate]

monkeying around with a drone

 

[Ronstar]

Brought mine to az for the winter. Had some fun out in the desert. Doesn't work too well (at least with my piloting abilities) in the mountains or forests. Got home to Illinois and flew it around a couple of days ago. Now waiting for the winds to die down.


Sent from my iPhone .using Early Retirement .//82339)

 

[Rustic23]

I now have about thirty min. Flying time on the new cheerson x10. The more I fly it the more I like it. Buying decision on Amazon, buy Prime have it in two days, buy China, have in 30-45 days, but it could be five bucks cheaper.

Flying. Once I got use to it, it is a good trainer. It is faster than the Syma. The controller is very small also and thus small corrections are hard to make smoothly. Buy prop guards! Props are paper thin and don't stand up well to walls!


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[ERD50]

I now have about thirty min. Flying time on the new cheerson x10. The more I fly it the more I like it. Buying decision on Amazon, buy Prime have it in two days, buy China, have in 30-45 days, but it could be five bucks cheaper.

Flying. Once I got use to it, it is a good trainer. It is faster than the Syma. The controller is very small also and thus small corrections are hard to make smoothly. Buy prop guards! Props are paper thin and don't stand up well to walls!

Yes, I have three of the CX-10s - one ordered through amazon (I think I still had a Prime trial then), and after I liked it, I ordered 2 more direct from China (~ 3-4 weeks, but cheaper).

I have no skills for this kind of thing, but at some point I noticed I just developed far better control than at first. It just came with practice. The first thing I noticed is that I had to be able to control the height with the throttle w/o thinking about it. That has to be like walking while chewing gum. Once I could just control the height by reflex, I was free to focus on turning and location.

Definitely buy a bunch of spare props! Oh, and extensions on the controller joysticks help. Some people use plastic thumbtacks, or the straight plastic plaster-board screw anchors - I used some 1/8" X 1/4" ID/OD clear plastic vinyl tubing I had (from the hardware store - the stuff they use for aquariums and things). The longer, soft joysticks are more comfortable, IMO.

I've taken apart one of the CX-10s and done some mods, just for kicks. Maybe later today I'll finish my latest mod - I bought larger propellers and will mount the motors a bit farther out to accommodate them. Fun. I think these props will fly better, and look to be much more durable. From Tmart:

UDI U839 RC Quadcopter Spare Part U839-03 Propeller Blade Set Black & Orange -- 14007044


I'll also add that these little quads offer a LOT of stuff for the money. It's incredible - a controller/transmitter, the RF link system, four motors, speed controllers, logic and all these sensors, a rechargeable lithium battery and charger - all for less than $20 shipped! So don;t be surprised if the quality control is not at a high level. Maybe I've been lucky, but all three of mine seem fine. If you order just one, and it doesn't work well, you might have just got a dud.

-ERD50

 

[Rustic23]

Found the first CX10! Looked like it had been stepped on. Replaced the blades and charged it. Good news, everything works. Bad news it is still impossible to control! Nothing like the second one.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Major Tom]

A quad with enough payload could make a nifty 2M repeater. GPS program it to fly to where you want to transmit from, then talk to it with your HT and have it broadcast out. Wouldn't last for long with current battery tech, but you could make contacts 50 or 60 miles away with a HT even if you are hiking in a valley in a remote area.

Or you could just use NVIS propagation on the lower HF bands so you wouldn't need a repeater

 

[harley]

 

[Ronstar]

Whoa! I have that same quadcopter and I don't think that mine can lift a dog. I'll give it a try.


Sent from my iPhone .using Early Retirement .//82339)

 

[Fermion]

Or you could just use NVIS propagation on the lower HF bands so you wouldn't need a repeater

Link to a 60m handheld please.

 

[Walt34]

Whoa! I have that same quadcopter and I don't think that mine can lift a dog. I'll give it a try.

I'd bet my next pension check that there's some Photoshoping going on in that image.

 

[harley]

I'd bet my next pension check that there's some Photoshoping going on in that image.

Yep, that's a pretty skinny pug. Must be the same software they use on magazine ad models.

 

[marko]

After reading this thread I ordered and just received my Syma x5c two days ago. Maybe it's me being an "old dog learning new tricks" but it took me a while to get the hang of flying it.

All of a sudden however, like magic, it suddenly 'came to me' and I was hovering, flying against the wind and doing pretty well! It was interesting on how all of a sudden I figured it out just as I was about to quit in frustration!

Video next!

BTW: DW just doesn't get this at all but it humoring me.

 

[marko]

Has anyone tried this?:

Rainy/windy day here so I figured that I was grounded and couldn't play.

Instead, I tied a four foot piece of string to my quad and anchored it to my garage floor with a small weight.

Gave me 8 full minutes of hover/forward/banking practice on a day that otherwise wouldn't have any. Flew around without crashing into anything and sure beat having to run all over the park (and maybe climbing a tree) chasing it down.

Worked so well that I might get a 50 foot leash to allow me to fly in tighter quarters until my competence level improves.

 

[Fermion]

Not a bad idea. I am proficient enough now that I can control the altitude enough to not crash even in a 10x12 room with 8 foot ceilings but I have now flown quite a few flights. We have a large room in the house (30 x 50 x 25 feet high) where I practiced.

 

[ERD50]

Has anyone tried this?:

Rainy/windy day here so I figured that I was grounded and couldn't play.

Instead, I tied a four foot piece of string to my quad and anchored it to my garage floor with a small weight. ....

The thought occurred to me, but I was afraid the string would catch the propellers and cause problems.

I flew my tiny CX-10 outside the past few days, it was a little gusty one day, and I was amazed how well it did. I figured anything beyond dead calm would trip it up. It did flip once when a gust hit, but I (it?) actually recovered.

-ERD50

 

[marko]

The thought occurred to me, but I was afraid the string would catch the propellers and cause problems.

I flew my tiny CX-10 outside the past few days, it was a little gusty one day, and I was amazed how well it did. I figured anything beyond dead calm would trip it up. It did flip once when a gust hit, but I (it?) actually recovered.

-ERD50

I didn't even come close to winding the string around the props. Mostly because the string is at the bottom and the quad kept wanting to fly up in the opposite direction. I also had the prop guards on as well.

It did keep tugging at the string as it tried to 'escape' and it would sort of heel over as the gyro action would take over depending on the demand I was placing on it.

Maybe a longer string would've been trouble? Dunno, but this was only 4-5 feet in length.

 

[Ronstar]

I like that string idea. I could use some practice, and practice isn't practical most spring days around here.

 

[marko]

I like that string idea. I could use some practice, and practice isn't practical most spring days around here.

I think that a few feet is good for indoors, like in a garage so that you don't hit your props on the ceiling. Outdoors maybe 50 feet might work??

I just got in from an outside run. Decided to stop trying to take video in exchange for a bit more airtime.

Also, it was windy so rather than getting fancy, I just tried going back and forth along a single yaw (not trying to turn around) into the wind. For now, every time I turn around (and left/right becomes reversed) I get all confused.

 

[Rustic23]

The X5c is a little big to fly indoors, therefore I have an X11 and a Cheerson CX10 for indoors. I like the fact that I can fly the X11 with the X5C's controller. The CX10 is a challenge indoors and out! I fly all three with prop guards on, and have not problems with running into things. In fact I find it rather easy!. Still on the first set of blades for all three.

 

[marko]

The X5c is a little big to fly indoors, therefore I have an X11 and a Cheerson CX10 for indoors. I like the fact that I can fly the X11 with the X5C's controller. T.

So using the X5C's controller indoors with an X11 might make for a good indoor practice tool to get used to the controller. (?)

 

[Arif]

I've got a go pro Hero 3 and wondered if any of the drones mentioned allows you to mount a camera on it.

 

[Ronstar]

I shot this with a GoPro Hero3 on a DJU Phantom 2. I don't know if the smaller quadcopter have mounts for a GoPro or not.

Prairie Lake[