Maiden flight Tarot Iron Man 650 with Naza M Lite GPS

I coudn´t wait longer fot the maiden flight, but I´ve to admit that I was a bit scared since this is the first time I build one quadcopter from scratch.

I am impressed about how smooth the flight is with this setup. I have tested the GPS mode with course and home lock, and the Atti mode. All of them work perfectly.

I felt so confident that I tried some FPV. I think this is the first time I don´t have jello or vibrations on the real time video, with the other quad was almost permanent.

As you will see on the video, I put 3.40 in the lipo voltage alarm, and tested it to the limit to see how far I can go without loosing power. Bad idea, I had a small crash. The tubes I put for protection worked a little but not enough, as the propellers hit the ground while spinning. After this, I tried the voltage alarm at 3.50 and landing without risking.

I have flown for around 13 minutes, smooth one, with the turnigy 3S 5000mAh. Not bad I guess. For the next flight I will try with the gimbal and the GoPro to check the difference.

Maiden flight Tarot Iron Man 650

Maiden flight Tarot Iron Man 650

Maiden flight Tarot Iron Man 650

Maiden flight Tarot Iron Man 650

Maiden flight Tarot Iron Man 650

Setup:

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650
Maytech 620kv motors
30A T-Motor 400Hz ESC for multicopter
13x5.5 Carbon fiber propellers
Naza M Lite with GPS
GoPro H3 black, 1080x60, N FOV
5000mAh 3S 20C - 30C battery
Futaba 8FG Super Transmitter
Futaba R6208SB receiver
Fatshark FPV camera
Fatshark Predator goggles
ImmersionRC 600mw Tx
1000mAh 3S 20C battery for video Tx

(III) Quadcopter project with frame Tarot Iron Man 650, Maytech motors 620kv,T-Motor ESCs and 13'' props - Part III

This is the third and last part of the new quadcopter project. If you haven´t see the first and second ones, you can see them here:

1. First part of the project
2. Second part of the project

I´ve finally finish the quadcopter with the frame Tarot Iron Man 650, Maytech motors 620kv, T-Motor ESCs, 13x5.5 props, Naza M Lite with GPS, the Futaba Futaba R6208SB receiver, and the Immersion RC 600mw Tx.

On the top plate I have put some velcro for the main battery so it doesn´t slide to the sides, apart from being holded with another velcro around it. The gimbal battery will go on the top plate as you can see in the pictures (yellow one, 500mAh). And also the GPS fits in the top plate and is isolated from the rest of the components.

The appearance of the quad is amazing, it looks really proffesional. It is quite big, but when you fold it completely it is really easy to carry anywhere. I guess I will try to make a do-it-yourself suitcase. In case you are interested, the measures are  100cm x 30cm x 25cm (width - heigh -  depth).

The total weight (without gimbal, battery gimbal, and GoPro) is 1.805kg.

Tarot Iron Man 650 - soldering main power supply

Tarot Iron Man 650 Top plate

Adding velcro to the batteries for the top plate

Tarot Iron Man 650 - placing the Naza GPS

Tarot Iron Man 650 - placing the Naza GPS

Tarot Iron Man 650 - T-Motor 30A - Naza M Lite GPS - R6208SB

Tarot Iron Man 650 - Maytech 620kv - 13x5.5 Tarot carbon fiber props

Almost done...

Tarot Iron Man 650

Tarot Iron Man 650 half folded

Tarot Iron Man 650 fully folded

Tarot Iron Man 650 fully folded

Tarot Iron Man 650 fully folded front view

Lipo voltage alarm

FPV battery holder and power connection

Tarot Iron Man 650 - FPV battery holder with battery

Some foam to protect the legs

Finally... Ready to Fly!!!!!

Remember to run the Naza software again to do all the setup. If your propellers do not start at the same time, follow the following video to solve it:

I have added some tubes for trying to avoid the propellers hitting the ground if there´s a crash...

Propellers protector

Propellers protector

Propellers protector

 And now let´s go to the field and see how it goes!!

(II) Quadcopter project with frame Tarot Iron Man 650, Maytech motors 620kv,T-Motor ESCs and 13'' props - Part II

After building the first part of the project, I have progressed a bit more with the Tarot Iron Man 650. I have cut the wires of the motors to add some extra wire so they can go inside the arm tubes and reach the T-Motor 30A ESCs located on the middle plate.

I have decided to keep this middle plate as clean as possible, so I´ll only leave here the electronics (except the Naza Versatile Unit that goes underneath so it can be seen while flying). All the extra wire is laying on the bottom plate, and the batteries will go on the top plate that is not placed yet. I still don´t know where I´m placing the FPV and gimbal batteries though, and the GPS of the Naza M Lite.

There´s a couple of pieces of drinking straws to hold the Futaba R6208SB receiver antennas in place. The camera of the FPV is located on the very front of the bottom plate, between two metal pieces of the frame that fits perfectly the wide of the camera. I have put some foam under it in case it helps reducing vibrations.

Tarot Iron Man 650 - Naza VU BEC - bottom

Iron Man 650 - T-Motor 30A - Naza and ESCs connection

Iron Man 650 - Naza - Maytech 4228 620kv motors

Iron Man 650 -  Futaba R6208SB - antenna holder

Tarot Iron Man 650 - Naza and Futaba receiver connection

Top view - Iron Man 650 - T-Motor ESC - Naza GPS - R6208SB

Rear view - Tarot Iron Man 650 - Naza Versatile Unit

Tarot Iron Man 650 - T-Motor 30A 400Hz

So, what is next? Things pending to be done are:

• Placing the Immersion RC 600mw transmitter,
• Placing the Naza GPS unit,
• Placing the top plate for the main battery,
• Figuring out where to put the FPV and gimbal batteries,
• Soldering a T-Dean for connecting the main battery,
• Running the Naza software for the set up,
• Placing the propellers.

To be continued!!

(I) Quadcopter project with frame Tarot Iron Man 650, Maytech motors 620kv,T-Motor ESCs and 13'' props - Part I

After the last big quadcopter crash I have decided to start a new project instead trying to fix the current quad. I have been flying this FY450 with the same setup for almost a year now, and I had several crashes and other failures that makes the quad not able for shooting good video footage at this point.

I´ll try to build this multirotor from scratch, which is also a good way to learn how everything works. I pretend to use a lighter frame, and better motors, rotors and ESCs. I will reuse, from the current quad, the Naza M Lite with the GPS, the ImmersionRC 600mw video Tx with the camera, and the same Futaba R6208SB receiver.

Naza M Lite GPS, ImmersionRC 600mw, Futaba R6208S

The components

For this new project, and after some research, I have chosen some components that hopefully will help to:

• Increase flight time,
• Better support of the total weight of the quad plus gimbal, camera, etc.,
• Shooting smoother video footage.

This components are the following:

• Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable
• T-Motor 30A 400Hz ESCs
• Maytech motors 620kv
• Tarot 13X5.5 Carbon fiber propellers

T-Motor 30A, Maytech motors 620kw, 13x5.5 carbon fiber propeller

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

T-Motor 30A 400Hz ESCs

Maytech motors 620kv

Tarot 13X5.5 Carbon fiber propellers

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

Building the frame is easy following the instructions sheet. It looks resistant and well finished.

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

Frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable

It is important to level the motor holders, so they are as horizontal as possible.

Leveling the motor holder

I´m using now a propeller balancer with magnets, I used to do it in a rudimentary way, but I have to say that this balancer works great.

Propeller Balancer with magnet

Size comparison between the frame Tarot Iron Man 650 foldable and the frame Whirlwind FY450. The components on the Iron Man are just for illustrative purposes, I don´t know yet where I am placing them.

Size comparison Iron Man 650 vs Whirlwind FY450

Connections

Now it´s time for soldering. As you can see in the following pictures, I have soldered together the ESCs and the Naza BEC positives to the red thick wire. The same process with the negatives. Then cover it with thermoretractable tube. This two main wires will be connected to the main battery. The gimbal and the FPV will be fed from their own batteries as usual.

I think the following way of soldering two or more wires together is pretty good, I have done it just like you can see here:

Soldering the T-Motor 30A ESC and the Naza BEC

Soldering the T-Motor 30A ESC and the Naza BEC

Placing the T-Motor 30A ESCs, and the wires inside

Before soldering

After soldering

Maytech motor 620kv soldered with wire extensions

Maytech motor 620kv and frame Tarot Iron Man 650

I´ll try to finish it in a couple of days!!

Follow the second part here!