Aerial MTB Enduro with quadcopter

V011. Recording date: 23-03-2014

This has been the first time I shot video flying with the Naza M Lite with GPS flight controller. So in one hand I was feeling more confident in case of losing video signal or disorientation, but in the other hand I was a bit nervous because of my lack of practice with this controller.

I´m a bit disappointed because of the jello effect. As you can see, most part of it is at the beginning of the video. I´m not quite sure about the causes yet. I think it´s a mix of:

- vibrations of the motors (mainly when I go forward pretty fast)
- the propellers don´t fit exactly as they should
- I use bullet propeller holders
- maybe flying in GPS mode?
- too bright conditions with the GoPro. Under these conditions it uses a very fast shutter speed which records all the tiny high-frequency vibrations from your motors, props, etc., and causes this rolling shotter effect, or jello.

Fixing this is still a priority in my To-Do list, as I have to eliminate lot´s of shots that could be used perfectly in the final footage because of the jello. I will try to reduce part of it using a neutral density filter to reduce the shutter speed but letting through enough light for a clear picture. This is how I do it: http://niropter.blogspot.com.es/

Please check your compass is pointing in the same direction as the nose of the quad! After a bad landing, I didn´t realise it rotated almost 45º right, so it was nearly impossible to control it in the air. I still don´t know how I managed to land it. You can easily crash it and cause an accident.

Apart from that, the experience of recording a rider descending the hill at high speed has been amazing. Most part of the times I could not caught him up!

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv motors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Carbon fiber propellers
Naza M Lite with GPS
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Futaba 8FG Super Transmitter
Futaba R6208SB receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx
Gimbal Tarot T-2D
500mAh 3S 20C battery for gimbal
Plastic landing gear

Motocross aerial test with quadcopter

V010. Recording date: 01-02-2014

I broke one propeller some days ago hitting a tree branch, so I replaced them with DJIs, the only available at the store, as I wanted to fly asap. They don't fit perfectly with my motors, I reckon that could be one of the reasons why there's some jello on the footage. Besides, the cylinder of one of the propellers adapter holder is a bit bended because of that crash, and that's giving me vibrations for sure...

It was not the perfect day for flying: 25mph wind gust and my first time with too many moving objects on stage. Keeping my eyes only on the FPV screen was really complex, as the wind was taking the quad quite far away in a matter of seconds. For that reason I recorded 85% of the videos at a guess looking directly at the quad, and that's why I couldn't make another shoots I had in mind, like from a really high altitude facing down, or following the rider more closely, etc... I chose not to risk this time and avoid problems!

I'm still dealing with the slow motion settings in Sony Vegas, as I haven't been able to make these scenes look smoother. This time I've desabled resampling, and added the envelope velocity to set the speed at 50% (30fps). In previous videos (https://vimeo.com/niropter) I didn't take into account the fps for slow motion scenes, going under 30fps with the smart resample activated (apparently not good for fast scenes with dark background), and clicking the edge of the video and dragging while pressing control.

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv motors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Carbon fiber propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Futaba 8FG Super Transmitter
Futaba R6208SB receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx
Gimbal Tarot T-2D
500mAh 3S 20C battery for gimbal
Plastic landing gear

Several batteries on board? or just the main battery?

There's plenty of discussion about what to do regarding how many batteries to have on the multicopter.

More batteries mean more weight but more battery life. More weight means less flight time. One main battery means less weight, but also share battery life for all the components. Meaning less flight time.

So there's not easy answer here. I guess this depends on the type of multicopter you have, the electronics, etc. At the end, you'll use what it works for you.

In my case I've only tested different batteries. I've three on board:

• For the motors
• For the gimbal
• For the FPV transmitter

I've to say that I like the feeling of knowing that I've enought power to send the FPV signal independently, so I won't get blind if I spend a bit more time on air. And as I'm lately getting the FPV signal from the GoPro, and it's being stabilized by the gimbal, I also like to know the gimbal will work fine during the whole flight.

But, I know this adds extra weight, so I would like to try how it is to have just the main battery connected to the motors, gimbal and FPV video transmitter at the same time.

The key is... how to connect this three different battery connectors to the frame??

I'll try to find it out soon...

Pitch control test and GPH3 FPV aerial

V009. Recording date: 12-01-2014

On this occasion, I've replaced the Turnigy 9XR transmitter for the Futaba 8FG Super with the R6208SB receiver. Is not that the Turnigy is giving me any trouble (maybe interferences with GPH3 WiFi https://vimeo.com/84377244?), but as I'm improving the equipment of the quad, I preffer to control it with a more reliable transmitter. This radio is excellent, and the settings are so easy and quick to configure. The transmission between the radio and the receiver is much faster with the Futaba, you can definitely feel this when flying.

I have also conected the pitch control of the Tarot T-2D gimbal to one free channel of the receiver, so now I can turn the camera face down using the right slider of the radio. I'm also transmitting the FPV video directly from the GoPro, so I can see exaclty what I'm recording. It takes a while until getting used to FPV trough the camera while it's being stabilized by the gimbal, as you loose reference of the quad position.

I replaced the plastic propellers with carbon fiber ones, so they won't brake on air, and they can help holding the weight (1.7kg) of the quad. I've noticed though, that some turbulences are created when descending vertically unless I do it really slow, or while moving it in any direction.

If you wonder about the crash at the end of the video... I connected the voltage alarm to the gimbal battery instead to the main one!! So it did not have power enought to hold the falling. Just minor damage, but happened to me twice already :O

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Carbon fiber propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Futaba 8FG Super Transmitter
Futaba R6208SB receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx
Gimbal Tarot T-2D
500mAh 3S 20C battery for gimbal
Plastic landing gear

Replacing the Turnigy 9XR by the Futaba 8FG Super

December 2013. The display of my Turnigy 9XR suddenly stopped working one or two months ago, meaning I was not able to do any additional configuration, or able to move the pitch of the Tarot T-2D brushless gimbal.

I complained to HK about this faulty display, and they sent me back another 9XR for free. However I had to pay tolls, bad luck! Anyway, I´ll keep this new radio for future video purposes.

I´ve purchased a Futaba 8FG Super. Why? Well, I can´t say for sure that I suffered a quad signal lost because of the GoPro Hero 3 WiFi. But as you are adding electronics to the multicopter you prefer to control it with a more reliable transmitter. As there´s a lot of discussions about this, at the end you choose what works for you...

It comes with the Futaba receiver R6208SB

Futaba 8FG Super features and drivers here.

Iconix-x FPV Foldable

I´ve been interested in acquire a new frame to replace the Whirlwind FY450, or as a new quad for maybe using it just for FPV. I had some recommendations, and these frames are the winners:

• hoverthings
• quav 500/400
• iconic-FPV

At the end I decide to buy the Iconic-x FPV with foldable arms, nice when you have to pack so it doesn´t need to much room. I´ve just assembled the frame but I haven´t done anything else with it yet. I hope I can build the quad soon! The quality of the frame is just perfect and nice.

Comparing the Iconic-x FPV with my current Whirlwind FY450, they are quite similar in size, but the Iconic has much more room for all the electronics.

These are some specs:

New FOLDABLE design layout,
Pure Rubber Vibration mounts seperating the 2 levels of the frame.
Custom 6061 Aluminum CNC milled arms
45mm Distro board ( removable)
Deans style plug included
8"-10" Prop choices
Purple Hex cap screws for top plate support
velcro straps for mounting battery and gopro

Here you can see some interesting videos about how to assemble it and other stuff about this frame.

Tarot T-2D gimbal test quad aerial footage

V007. Recording date: 19-10-2013

As I couldn't definitely get rid of vibrations and jello with other solutions (earplugs, moongel, etc), I bought the Tarot T-2D gimbal, also because a camera stabilization system is the only way to go for having good quality aerial (and not aerial) videos.

Comparing this video with my previous tests, the gimbal really makes a huge difference. It makes THE difference. When I saw the video, I was impressed with the results (although they can be much better!), I didn't have to modify the gimbal settings at all, it worked out of the box. I use a 500mAh 3S 20C for the gimbal, lasting around 1h30m.

In one hand I've improved video quality, but on the other hand I've added too much weight to the quad (gimbal + stuff to hold it + gimbal battery + landing gear), going up to 1.7kg, which is a lot, probably for the type of motors and of course for the simple plastic propellers (a few times they broke in the air because of the weight!).

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Turnigy 9XR transmitter
FrSKY V8FR-II receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx
Gimbal Tarot T-2D
500mAh 3S 20C battery for gimbal
Plastic landing gear

Aerial footage chasing MTB rider

September 2013. Re-edited video, sorry about the quality. This time I try to follow for the first time a moving objective, a mountain bike rider, using the FPV camera, the goggles, and recording with the GPH3. The challenge here is controlling the speed of the quad so the camera points to the rider at all times, even if he speeds up or slows down while riding up the slope. Also being careful with the low side shots, because as it wasn't a flat scenery it was so easy to crash against the bush.

Using moongel to get rid of jello.

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Turnigy 9XR transmitter
FrSKY V8FR-II receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
Plastic landing gear

Predator goggles and GPH3 FPV aerial footage

V004. Recording date: 12-09-2013

Re-edited video, sorry about the quality. This is my first FPV aerial footage using the Fatshark Predator goggles and the ImmersionRC 600mw Tx, with Spironet antennas and the FPV fatshark camera. I'm impressed about the feeling of flighing with the feet on the ground. This is one of the most amazing things ever! I use a 1000mAh 3S 20C for the video tx, having more than an hour of battery life.

I've put a 7cm light wood extension on the front of the quad so I can bring the camera forward and solve the problem of propellers on camera. I also try not to record on wide FOV for this reason and to get the more realistic view.

I'm using the GoPro Hero 3 Black for recording (the H3+ already on the market!), which is much lighter and it allows you to test live on your mobile device if the camera is pointing correctly with the WiFi function. However, I don't recommend to flight with the WiFi activated because of the interferences it might cause, in my case the rotors suddenly stopped and I crashed the quad. There's plenty of discussion on the forums about this topic. I've never used the WiFi while flying since then, and never happened it to me again.

Recorded at sunset, I still have to learn how to setup the camera for better quality footage with low light.

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Turnigy 9XR transmitter
FrSKY V8FR-II receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx
Plastic landing gear

First distance test with FPV

September 2013. This is the first FPV distance test I try, and it didn't end up really well! The land was not flat, so I didn't take into account to keep the quad at eyesight, and I suddenly lost the video signal. Luckily, I did attach my mobile to the quad and share the position with another mobile, so I could easily find it between the bushes. From that moment on, I'm much more careful when flying! As a result of the crash, only the landing gear was broken! :)

Well, 932m is not bad at all so far!!

The best is to have one of those GPS systems with the return to home features (RTH), so if you loose signal the quad comes automatically to the starting point. I don't have one... yet.

Flying in FPV is just amazing. You can feel a bit disoriented at the beginning with your feet on the ground but at the same time having the feeling of being actually up in the air. Totally recommended!!!!

Starting with FPV with Fatshark Predator and ImmersionRC

August 2013. Now it's time to go one step further and start flying in FPV.

It took me a while until discovering what exactly to buy, reading and asking in forums. As this is not a cheap upgrade, I did want to get it right at once.

So I finally bought the following components:

• Fatshark Predator pack. It includes the goggles, a camera, and a 2S 1000mAh battery.
• ImmersionRC 600mw video transmitter, including 5.8GHZ antennas.
• Immersion RC Spironet circularly polarized antennas, 5.8GHZ.
• 3S 1000mAh 11.1v LiPo battery for the video transmitter

 

 

 

 

With these you have everything you need in order to start flying in FPV. You can also choose not to buy the goggles and purcharse an LCD screen, there are cheap ones out there.

As this frame is a bit small, I've to place one of the batteries unterneath the frame, so I've bought a plastic landing gear from banggood to avoid the components touching the ground. And it is also a good idea in case of having a crash, because it will absorb most part of the impact avoiding brakings.

 

So everything put toguether looks like this

Notice that the wood stick allows me to put the FPV camera on the front, and gives me space to mount the GoPro just behind it with the GoPro mount. So the camera is inside the landing gear (not in the picture now).

 

 

The wire connections of the FPV system are easy. The camera has one wire, that goes to the right side of the transmitter (video, positive, ground). The battery is connected to the black and red wire that goes to the left side of the transmitter.

It is really important, both for the goggles and the video transmitter, to attach the antenna at the first place, and after that connect the battery. Don't do it otherwise!

I also find useful the velcro strap ties, for batteries or whatever you need.

Rock climbing aerial footage

V003. Recording date: 10-08-2013

This recording session has been quite a challenge for me. I didn't have a lot of experience flying yet, it was windy, water underneath, narrow walls, and people watching... 100% under pressure! The spot is really beautiful for hicking, climbing, or just for chilling.

To try to get rid of vibrations and jello I tried this time using moongel inside the GoPro waterproof housing, as some people recomend in forums. It really makes a difference, it's worth a try, but vibrations and jello depends on a lot of factors, so it might work or it won't for you... At the end it´s not worth it to publish this video, because of the quality and all the weird movements due to my lack of experience. Hopefully I can repeat at the same location and make a top one! :)

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro Hero 2
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Turnigy 9XR transmitter
FrSKY V8FR-II receiver

Jello test aerial quad flight

V002. Recording date: 2013-08-02

I recorded this video before I put the wood extension for allowing the camera have different point of views easily. Re-edited video to remove a person that didn't want to show up in the video, but I didn't want to loose the scenes... sorry for the quality. For this video I used the earplugs solution under the camera mount. It doesn't work very well for me though! First flight over water, really scared!

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro Hero 2
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Turnigy 9XR transmitter
FrSKY V8FR-II receiver

Short quadcopter aerial footage

V001. Recording date: 28-07-2013

This is one of my first flights with the quadcopter. I think the original footage is 720x60, and wide FOV. After watching the vibrations, the jello of the video, and the propellers on camera, those problems became my main priority for the following videos.

Setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
GoPro Hero 2
3300mAh 3S 20C battery
Turnigy 9XR transmitter
FrSKY V8FR-II receivet

Battery duration, charging and balancing

I've four batteries: 3 x 2600mAh 3S 20C, and 1 x 3300mAh 3S 20C. They last between 7 and 8 minutes, depending on the flying mode, camera on board.

With the charger you can balance the batteries or charge them. Some people charge them and only use the balance option every 5 or so flights, when the difference between the cells is high. I've been doing this for long time, until someone told me the best is to balance them always. There's a lot of discussion as well about this matter, so at the end I guess you do what it works for you! :)

To fully charge/balance the batteries requires about 45 minutes, depending how much you drain the battery :p. I've a voltage alarm that beeps at 3.70 per cell to stop flying and avoid damaging the battery.

Anti-vibration solution with moongel

From the wikipedia, Moongel is a translucent blue, sticky, gel-like substance produced by the drum practice products company RTOM. It has been incorporated into several products and come in packs of four which can applied to a drumhead or cymbal to diminish the higher overtones. It also has become a popular studio technique due to its dampening properties. Therefore, it allows for drummers to get a "punchier" sound of out their toms.

I read people use this as a solution as well for reducing vibrations. So I went to a music store and bought a small box of Moongel. It contains four of five pieces of it.

So the trick here is to put two or three of this pieces inside the GoPro housing, trying to have the Moongel all around the camera so it doesn't touch the housing directly. It's a bit tricky, but play with it! :)

 

 I've also added that wood stick at the front of the quad in order to be able to have different point of views while flying.

I'll see how the whole thing behaves!

The real quadcopter arrives!

After surfing the web during a couple of months, reading information about multicopters in forums, I decide to go for a bigger quadcopter and start practicing with the goal of recording video and taking pictures from the air.

I think this field requires a lot of knowledge if you want to build your own quadcopter. At least for me, it seems impossible at this point!!! So I contacted a local store and bought the quad already builded. It is really basic, but I want it for practicing and not worrying too much for the crashes.

This is the setup:

Frame Whirlwind FY450
BL-2830/11 1000kv rotors
20A SK ESC
10x4.5 Plastic HK propellers
KK2 controller board
3 x 2600mAh 3S 20C battery
1 x 3300mAh 3S 20C battery

I have bought the Turnigy 9XR transmitter and the FrSKY V8FR-II receiver from Hobbyking. It is not the most reliable transmitter, of course, but some people told me it is really good to get into RC without spending lot of money at the first place.

The guy at the store configured the transmitter, so I just had to connect everything in order to fly. Easy!

 

I have the V680AC sinchronous balance charger/discharger (specifications here). I really like this one, easy to use and reliable.

Let's fly now!!! :)