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It’s a story as old as time. Where you have drones, you have people who don’t like drones.
Well, it looks like the people who are in the Don’t Like camp may be getting a leg up.
Until quite recently anti-drone jamming “guns” or “death rays” could only work when the gun user was relatively close to the drone in question.
This could be a scary prospect if, for instance, you’re trying to jam a drone that you think may have explosives on board. On the other hand, it was nice for responsible drone owners to know that, for those who might want to mess with their operations, they only had a small physical window in which they could do so.
But now things have changed. DroneShield—a company that, as you might imagine from it’s name, “is a worldwide leader in drone detection technology”—recently announced the launch of the DroneGun.
The DroneGun works at up to 1.2 miles away, a huge increase in range from previous iterations of these kinds of devices. Like other, similar devices, the DroneGun doesn’t simply make a drone crash, but forces the sUAS to land or return to its starting point.
Check out the video below to see how DroneShield is pitching its gun, or scroll down to get our analysis on this new gizmo, and what we think about whether people should be angry, optimistic, or somewhere in between.
Playing Devil’s Advocate
As you can probably guess from the title of this section, when it comes to how we feel about the DroneGun, we choose to land in the “somewhere in between” camp. That is, between anger and optimism.
Now, hear us out.
The first thing to say is that this entire conversation is strictly academic for drone operations in the United States because the FCC has not yet approved any kind of jamming devices.
But—and here is where we’ll play devil’s advocate for a moment—hypothetically, creating safe, regulated air spaces is something all of us in the drone community at large should, and generally do, want to have. And creating safe airspaces will require reasonable legislation, and taking reasonable steps for enforcement of that legislation.
Can we agree on this concept? Sure we can. Where things start to unravel is when we start talking about enforcement, and what it looks like to actually implement regulations.
Certainly we are not OK with the idea of a lone citizen being able to control a highly valuable piece of equipment—a piece of equipment which may well be crucial for someone’s livelihood—just because he spent some money on a DroneGun.
But think airports, for starters.
Right now, due to the lack of an FCC-approval, there is very little that can be done to keep airports safe from rogue drones, and there is some real concern that a drone could accidentally (or maybe even on purpose!) bring down a plane as it’s taking off or landing.
The FBI has already been testing drone detection technology in partnership with the FAA, toward the goal of keeping airports safe from these kinds of accidents. In fact, although it’s still working on a complete strategy, the FAA is required to continue performing evaluations like these as part of the FY 2016 Appropriations law.
Other scenarios in which a DroneGun or similar device might be useful are when a drone is thought to contain explosives or otherwise is being used, or going to be used, to harm people.
With the proliferation of drones, it is certainly not unthinkable that they could be used for domestic terrorism or in other dangerous ways, and the thought of having a tool to prevent such attacks is a comfort.
On the other hand, the power to take down a drone should not be taken lightly.
As legislators consider allowing the use of anti-drone tools like the DroneGun, they should consider all of the implications for the vast majority of drone owners who are responsible and law-abiding— both professional and hobbyist users alike—and endeavor to do the right thing to create safe airspaces for everyone.
Some Other Great, and Kind of Wacky, Anti-Drone Ideas
Have you heard of the net bazooka? This bad boy shoots a net into the sky (you heard that right—a huge net shot out of a bazooka!) so quickly and powerfully that it can take down a drone.
The idea of catching anything with a net seems pretty early-20th century to us, but we’ll admit that we were impressed with the demonstration in the video below.
Also, eagles have been trained to take down drones.
This approach seems even older, like maybe 19th century or earlier, but again, the demonstration in the video below is compelling.
The only issue here is with size, since hawks only get so big. That being said, at a typical wingspan of 6-7 feet, and a typical weight of 6-12 pounds, a Bald Eagle gets plenty big enough to take down many of the drones on the market.
Interested in becoming FAA certified to fly your drone commercially? Check out our free step-by-step guide to FAA Part 107 for U.S. Commercial Drone Pilots.
The post Anti-Drone Guns Expand in Range, and Why This Might Not Be Such a Bad Thing After All appeared first on UAV Coach.
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The first 4-in-1 AIO FPV camera including a DVR recording 720p@30 videos: http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-DVR03-DVR-AIO-5_8G-72CH-025mW50mW200mW-Switchable-VTX-520TVL-14-Cmos-FPV-Camera-p-1117419.html
The output power can set selected between 25mW, 50mW and 200mW. A total of 6.8g is announced. So not for tinywhoop but from a 70mm machine it should be possible to integrate it easily. Be aware, the power consommation is greatly increased due to the presence of the DVR and the DVR03 can’t be used directly from a 2S source. We can dream/expect soon to see a 1080p version … but a good 720p@30 is already not bad.Specification:
FPV Camera Brand name: Eachine
Sensor: 1/4 ” CMOS
Resolution: 1MP
Viewing angle: 120 ° FOV
Format: NTSC / PAL switching
Power consumption: 700 mA (typical)
Power supply: 3.2-5.5V
Video format: AVI
Recording Size: 1280 * 720 @ 30fps
Video output resolution: 640 * 480
Lens mirror diameter: M7 lens 10mm
FPV Transmitter Support memory card: Max 32G (CLASS10)
Support video format: NTSC / PAL switch
Output impedance: 50ohms
Output signal strength: 14 ± 1dbmdBm
Output power: 25mW 14dBm
Output power: 50mW 17dBm
Output power: 200mW 23dBm
Wireless channel: 72CH
Operating voltage: 3.2-5.5 V
Working temperature: -10 – 60 ?
25 mW Current: 640-330 mA
50mW Current: 730-410mA
200 mW Current: 860-553 mA
Audio carrier: None
Weight 6.8g
Size 30.3mm * 18.4mm * 11mm (without antenna, lens)Feature:
4 In 1 AIO design, Super mini size and light weight
0/25mw/50mw/200mw Switchable
With DVR function, images can be acquired and recorded in real time.User Manual, please click here.
Package Included:
1 X DVR03 AIO FPV VTX Camera
1 X ManualCet article NEWS: Eachine DVR03, the first 4-in-1 AIO FPV camera including a DVR est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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Note: This list is updated for winter 2017. Fly safely and responsibly, folks. Never flown before? Learn to fly for free over here. Need to get your FAA commercial drone certificate? Start studying over here.
Flying an FPV (first person view) drone is an otherworldly experience.
Before now, only in movies and video games could most people experience a bird’s-eye view or race through obstacles at breakneck speeds.
Thanks to FPV quadcopters, hexacopters, and other multirotors, anyone with enough flying skill to maneuver a drone can now have this experience.
When most people think ‘FPV drone system,’ they think about FPV racing.
This new and rapidly growing sport is getting commercialized by organizations like the Drone Racing League, U.S. Drone Racing Association, and events like the World Drone Racing Championships.
And rightly so. It’s awesome!
Want to skip the details and go straight to our list of recommended FPV drones, goggles, cameras, and transmitters? You got it:
- Vortex 285 Racing Quadcopter
- ARRIS FPV 250 Quadcopter
- Walkera Runner 250 Pro Quadcopter
- TBS Vendetta Quadcopter
- DYS XDR220 RTF FPV Racing Quadcopter
- DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter
- Yuneec Typhoon H Hexacopter
- Eachine CMOS 700TVL FPV Camera + Transmitter
- FatShark 900VTL WDR CCD FPV Camera
- FatShark Dominator HD V3
- Eachine VR-D2 FPV Video Goggles
- Boscam TS351 200mW Transmitter
- Eachine 700tvl 5.8G 32Ch 200mW Transmitter
FPV racing makes for an excellent spectator sport. Live attendees can either watch the drones themselves, or they can set a pair of goggles or an LCD monitor to the right channel see what the drones are seeing.
TV stations can also stream live racing events to millions of homes, bars, and restaurants.
(ESPN recently announced a partnership with the International Drone Racing Association to begin streaming races in August, 2016.)
Then there’s the hobby side of FPV drones.
Pilots can have a ton of fun getting views, photos, and videos of objects and landscapes they never could have gotten before.
FPV drones can also aid search and rescue, as emergency personnel can eliminate the risk of human harm while scouting dangerous areas.
Finally, there’s the ever-expanding (and lucrative) commercial side to FPV.
Professional pilots can shoot expert aerial photos and videos to be turned into marketing materials, maps and 3D models, and much more.
First person view multirotor capabilities have blown the doors wide open to harness drone technology even further in society.
This guide gives drone pilots a crash course on the FPV side of drone flight. We made sure to include what FPV drone flying is, how it works, and some of the best equipment to get started.
If you’re new to the FPV world or have just started getting your feet wet, we suggest reading the entire article.
If not, go ahead and skip to the section that applies to you best:
- Helpful Definitions
- How FPV Racing Works
- Racing Drones (ready to fly)
- FPV Quadcopters for Aerial Photo/Video (ready to fly)
- FPV Cameras
- FPV Goggles
- Transmitters
- Other FPV Options to Check Out
- Further Reading
Happy flying!
Helpful Definitions
FPV (first person view): Using a screen, monitor, or goggles to view what your multirotor’s camera is seeing in real time.
Line of Sight (LoS): Being able to physically see your drone as you’re piloting it.
FPV racing: A rapidly growing sport in which pilots race small quadcopters around a predetermined track.
RTF (ready to fly) racing drones: Drones made for FPV racing that require no additional assembly.
DIY racing drones: A homemade do-it-yourself racing drone.
FPV camera: A special camera used for first-person-view racing, piloting, photography, or videography.
FPV goggles: A special set of goggles used to view what the multirotor’s camera is seeing in real time.
Head tracking: An FPV goggle mod that allows you to adjust your camera’s angle mid-flight by tilting your head.
Interpupillary distance: Internal goggle lens distance from the center of your pupils.
LCD monitor: A screen, usually attached to the controller, used to view what a multirotor’s camera is seeing. Usually used instead of goggles.
Transmitter: Relays the camera’s feed to the receiver.
Receiver: Accepts the camera’s feed and relays it to your screen/goggles of choice.
Frequency: The radio frequency FPV equipment runs on. Can be brand-dependent. Allows for multiple channels so pilots don’t interfere with each other.
FPV system: The entire drone rig, from the multirotor itself, to the connecting parts, to the controller and video display method.
On Screen Display (OSD): Gives you flight telemetry data (speed, altitude, battery life, etc) on your FPV display. See a full OSD guide here.
TVL (Resolution): The camera’s resolution, which helps determine video feed quality and clarity.
CCD camera type: Camera that uses a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor. Typically better for FPV.
CMOS camera type: Camera that uses a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. Typically cheaper than CCD cameras, but not as good for FPV.
Video Latency: Lag in what your camera sees and when it transmits it to your screen/goggles. Can lead to inaccurate flight, racing maneuvers, and aerial shots.
Jello: Vibration in your video caused by the multirotor itself.
How FPV Racing Works
FPV racing is an exhilarating sport.
These quadcopters can fly up to 50mph miles per hour (or faster) through hoops, around trees, over bars, and just about any object.
The tracks are specifically set up to challenge each pilot’s skill set. Recreational tracks tend to be less complex, because the organizers usually don’t have the resources for a more intricate set up.
Or the pilots’ skill levels are lower.
Professional tracks can get extremely complex, causing pilots to make acrobat maneuvers to get around/through each obstacle.
The Types of FPV Drone Races
According to FPVRacing.tv, FPV pilots currently have the option of 3 race types:
1. Rotorcross
The multirotors race through a course and are ranked in the order they cross the finish line (traditional racing).
2. Drag Race
A straight-line race between 2 or more multirotors over a short distance (usually 100m). This tests acceleration and top speed.
3. Time Trial
Tests how fast each multirotor can make it through the course.
How to Find Races
Check out these five resources to find drone racing events to join:
- FPVRacing.tv’s events map
- FPVRacingEvents.com
- The Drone Racing League
- U.S. Drone Racing Association Calendar
- Google: “your location + FPV drone race”
How to Join a Drone Racing Team
Just like NASCAR and other types of racing, pilots are broken up into teams for cohesion and scoring. Each pilot on a team typically uses similar equipment.
To find teams to join, check out this page.
The Different Leagues and Championships Available
The Drone Racing League – The DRL season involves different races in which pilots accumulate points. Pilots with the highest number of points qualify for the World Championship. Here are the standings.
MultiGP Drone Racing League – With chapters all over the world and events and classes for all types of FPV racers, MultiGP is leading the way in FPV racing and event management.
The World Drone Racing Championship – The 2016 Drone Worlds was held in Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii. The event brought together pilots from 30 countries to compete on four courses and in six different events each day.
To find a recreational or professional drone league in your area, do a Google search for “your area + drone racing league” or “your area + recreational drone racing league.”
Ready to Fly FPV Racing Drones
The following racing quadcopters are ready to fly right out of the box. No assembly required.
Many people choose to build their own rigs to get the specifications they want.
But if you don’t have the technical knowledge or the desire to build one yourself, these multirotors are more than adequate to start with.
Note: Ready to fly does not necessarily mean the quad comes with a remote control, goggles, a monitor, and other equipment. In many cases, those will need to be purchased separately.
Check out the full specs of our list of FPV drone systems below:
Note: All specs/features come from either the manufacturer or retailer.
Note #2: When checking out prices, we’ve included models available for sale on Amazon, one of the largest and most respectable online drone retailers. We do our best to keep these listings up-to-date on a regular basis, but if you see something we missed, let us know at support@uavcoach.com.
1. Vortex 285 Racing Quad
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMThe Vortex 285 Racing Quad from ImmersionRC is one of the top ready-to-fly FPV models out there.
Its 285 size is slightly bigger than the more common 250, but it’s still extremely fast.
This quadcopter is foldable for easy transport, and its frame is made out of durable carbon fiber and custom injected plastic.
The camera mount is tiltable, allowing you to get the right flight angle, and it can fit either an FPV camera or an HD one (like a GoPro).
The Vortex 285 also includes a full-graphic on-screen display and 5.8GHz video transmitter, making it compatible with any 5.8Ghz receiver.
This is an excellent RTF quadcopter for both beginner and intermediate racers.
Features- Foldable design
- Tiltable camera mount
- Can hold an FPV camera or an HD one (like a GoPro)
- Includes an on-screen display
Specifications- Size: 285
- Weight: 14.4 ounces
- Transmitter Frequency: 5.8Ghz
- Tranmitter Power: 350mW
2. ARRIS FPV 250
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMThe ARRIS FPV 250 is one of the highest rated racing quadcopters on Amazon.
It’s made of durable carbon/glass fiber composited material to help it handle crashes and accidents. The drone is also equipped with a 700TVL camera that offers zero latency between what the drone sees and what you see.
And all parts are tested by the manufacturer and ready to fly. However, you will need to buy your own remote control and battery.
If you’re looking for a high-rated racing drone, check out the ARRIS FPV 250.
Features- Made of carbon/glass fiber composited material
- Comes with 700TVL camera
Specifications- Size: 250
- Weight: 13.6 ounces
3. Walkera Runner 250 Pro
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMThe Walkera Runner 250 is one of the most popular ready-to-fly FPV drones on the market.
This quadcopter features a carbon fiber frame that’s ultra-durable and crash resistant.
The Walkera 250 Pro is also simple to disassemble and reassemble. This allows pilots to customize its features and tune the rig.
This drone reaches speeds of up to 21-25 miles per hour, and the Runner 250 is equipped with an 800TVL HD camera for live FPV streaming.
If you’re looking to get into drone FPV racing, the Walkera Runner 250 is a solid start at a modest price.
Features- Carbon fiber frame
- Simple to assemble and disassemble
- Reaches speeds up to 21-25 mph
- Comes with 800TVL camera
Specifications- Size: 250
- Weight: 18.7 ounces (w/ battery)
4. TBS Vendetta
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMTeam Black Sheep (TBS) has created an excellent RTF FPV racer, the Vendetta.This 240-sized quadcopter is made with a full carbon fiber frame and quick swap arms. It’s also one of the only FPV drones that does not require soldering to make repairs.
This is especially helpful for racers, because crashes are inevitable. Making repairs at the event is much easier with this quadcopter.
All parts are made by TBS and tested by professional tuning experts before going on sale.
Because this drone is in such high demand, availability is low right now. But you can backorder it from GetFPV here.
Features- Carbon fiber frame
- Quick swap arms
- No soldering required
Specifications- Size: 240
- Weight: 14.4 ounces
5. XDR220 RTF FPV Racing Drone
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMForce 1’s XDR220 comes with a light, extra durable, and bend-resistant carbon fiber frame, and was clearly designed with racing in mind.
The XDR220 fits every level of racing, as it can be tuned and modified overtime as you become a better pilot. It is available as an RTF package, or you can get the kit separately and customize your own XDR220.
Features- Ready-to-fly with modular design for quick crash recovery builds
- Carbon fiber frame
- Powerful brushless motors
- Balance charger increases battery life
- Fits every level of FPV racing
Specifications- 9-CH 2.4GHz CONTROLLER
- PREMIUM 5.8GHz FIRST PERSON VIEW (FPV)Remote Controller: FrSky Taranis X9D Plus (RTF Only)
Ready to Fly FPV Quadcopters for Aerial Photo/Video
First person view is not only for racing.
It’s also one of the best ways to get accurate aerial photos and videos. (Check out these aerial videography training tips.)
The following quadcopters are two of the top aerial videography and photography rigs with native FPV capability.
1. DJI Phantom 4
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMDJI has made more than a few excellent drones, but the Phantom 4 stands out among the rest.
First off, the quadcopter has an obstacle avoidance system. If you’re about to run into something, the drone senses its distance and automatically bumps itself away.
This drone also comes with multiple autonomous flight modes, like ActiveTrack, which allows you to click a subject on the screen and tell the Phantom 4 to follow it.
To fly in first person view with the Phantom 4, you can use your tablet or smartphone through the DJI GO app. You can then attach your device to your controller, which allows you to have it in front of you at all times.
You can also use FPV goggles (discussed later). To do this, you need to attach an adapter to your controller. Then, attach the HDMI cord from your goggles to the adapter.
Features- Auto takeoff and auto return home
- Obstable avoidance system
- FPV capability
- Capture 4K ultra HD video at 30 fps and 12MP stills
Specifications- Frequency: 2.4G
- Gyro: 6 axis
- Size: 12.8 x 8.66 x 14.96 in
- Weight: 3Â pounds
- Flying time: about 28 minutes
- Speed: Up to 45 mph
2. Yuneec Typhoon H
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMThe Yuneec Typhoon H is one of the most advanced aerial videography drones on the market. Most rigs of this quality cost $4,000-$10,000 or more.
The Typhoon H sits at a reachable $1,499 (similar to the Phantom 4).
This hexacopter features obstacle avoidance and a CGO3+ 4K UHD camera that gives you a full 360-degree view of the world around your drone.
It also offers Team Mode, which allows you to bind one controller to the hexacopter and one to the camera for dual-operator control.
Also, flying in FPV with the Typhoon H is super easy. Either use the 7-inch screen built into the controller, or simply connect your goggle’s HDMI cord to the controller’s HDMI port.
Features- CGO3+ 4K UHD camera (360-degree view)
- Team mode
- Easy FPV capability
- Capture 4K ultra HD video at 30 fps and 12MP stills
Specifications- Frequency: 2.4G
- Gyro: 6 axis
- Size: 520 x 457 x 294 mm
- Weight: 4.1 pounds
- Flying time: about 25 minutes
Drone FPV Cameras
Many cameras that can be mounted on drones can also be used for FPV.
But there’s a certain type that are best for FPV racing, reducing latency, and maximizing the FPV experience.
If your racing drone doesn’t come with a camera or you’re building your own (DIY), check out these cameras:
1. Eachine CMOS 700TVL FPV Camera + Transmitter
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMThis is one of the highest rated FPV cameras on Amazon. And for what you get, the price is nearly unbeatable.
It comes with a 5.8Ghz transmitter (make sure your receiver is also 5.8Ghz), and the FPV camera features low power consumption and lightweight design, making it great for 250-sized quadcopters.
It is a CMOS camera, so it’s not as good for FPV as CCD ones. And you may need to solder the connections. But for less than $50, this camera is a great starter.
Specifications- Frequency: 5.8Ghz
- Weight: .42 ounces
- Type: CMOS
- Resolution: 700TVL
2. FatShark 900VTL WDR CCD FPV Camera
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMIf you’ve read anything about FPV systems before, you’ve probably heard of Fat Shark.
Their 900VTL camera is on the pricier side, but it delivers high quality video.
At .3 ounces, it’s extremely lightweight and great for FPV racing. But you will need to couple it with a transmitter, receiver, and goggles or a monitor if you don’t have those items already.
(This is the case with most FPV cameras available.)
Specifications- Frequency: 5.8Ghz
- Weight: .2 ounces
- Type: CMOS
- Resolution: 900TVL
- Mechanical: 25 X 27 X 12(lens) mm, 13.5g (plastic cased) + 5g/9g cable.
- Resolution: 900 TVL*
- Low light (0.08Lux/F1.2)
Drone FPV Goggles
Many people prefer flying with goggles rather than a monitor. Goggles can provide a more immersive experience and minimize distractions.
They can be pricey, but totally worth it if you’re serious about improving your skills.
Here’s what you’re looking for in a pair of goggles:
- Is the resolution high enough? You want your image to be as clear as possible (within your budget).
- Can you adjust the IPD (interpupillary distance)? This allows you to make sure your pupils are centered in each goggle — similar to adjusting binoculars.
- Does it come with a receiver? And is it in the right frequency? (Remember that your receiver and transmitter need to be in the same frequency.)
- Head tracking: Can you control the camera’s tilt by tilting your head? (Awesome feature)
- Does the price fit your budget?
To cater to most people’s needs, I’ve reviewed goggles that have adequate resolution and can fit most people’s budgets:
1. FatShark Dominator HD3 V3
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMFat Shark’s Dominator HD3 V3 goggles come fully-featured with adjustable IPD, a modular design (allowing you to customize parts and add-ons), and high quality 800×600 resolution.
You can also attach the Trinity Head Tracker to allow you to adjust your camera’s angle mid-flight by tilting your head. Simply insert the module into a slot on the side of the goggles.
Features- Compared to the Dominator HD2, it has reduced field of view to help with image sharpness.
- HD3 ships with new lower profile Velcro backed (removable) faceplate foam for a more accommodating fit.
- 4:3 in Analog signal; 16:9 in HD signal.
Specifications- Resolution: 800×600 WVGA
- High definition media interface
- 720p Support
2. Eachine VR-D2 FPV Video Goggles
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMEachine’s VR-D2 is an excellent pair of goggles, and a good fit for new pilots or pilots who are on a budget.
It’s resolution is solid at 800 x 480, and it features a full 5-inch screen to view your quadcopter’s flight, and a built-in DVR function for recording your flight.
It has got a built-in 5.8Ghz receiver (the antenna is 5.8Ghz as well), and it comes with padding for added comfort.
These goggles are worth a look if you’re on a budget or want a starter pair to try out.
Features- 5-inch screen
- Built-in 5.8Ghz receiver
Specifications- Resolution: 800×480 WVGA
Transmitters
Transmitters run pretty cheap compared to other drone FPV gear.
But they’re also one of the most important pieces. The transmitter determines your goggle’s and camera’s connection quality, how well it can handle distance, and how well it can handle objects coming in its way.
Transmitters and receivers come in different radio frequencies. The most common right now is 5.8Ghz. That’s probably the route you’ll want to take, because it’s legal to use in most countries (but make sure to look up the laws in your country).
Look up the power limitations in your country as well.
Here are a couple transmitters to check out:
1. Boscam TS351 32Ch 5.8 Ghz 200mW Transmitter
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMIt runs on 5.8Ghz frequency, offers 32 channels, and is rated 600mW in power.
The 5.8Ghz frequency will make your connection a little jumpy if there are obstacles (like trees or buildings) in the way, but 600mW should be enough to make up for some of that.
For less than $30, this transmitter will at least get you up and running.
Specifications- Frequency: 5.8Ghz
- Power: 600mW
- Weight: .7 ounces
2. Eachine 700tvl 5.8G 32Ch 200mW Transmitter
SEE LATEST PRICE & OPTIONS AT AMAZON.COMThis Eachine transmitter is similar to the one above (5.8Ghz, 32 channel, etc) except the power voltage is lower.
What this transmitter lacks in power it makes up for in weight. If you’re concerned about minimizing weight to maximize speed, Eachine’s transmitter is a solid buy.
Specifications- Frequency: 5.8Ghz
- Power: 200mW
- Weight: .2 ounces (w/o antenna) and .53 ounces (w/ antenna)
Other FPV Options to Check Out
Here are a few other FPV options to check out:
The Hubsan H107L – If your pilot skills aren’t ready for a full-fledged FPV quadcopter yet, the Hubsan H107D is an excellent training drone. It’s small, can be flown indoors or outdoors, it’s cheap, and it has first-person-view capability. The Blade FPV Nano QX—This is one of the few quadcopters than comes with an FPV camera, transmitter, receiver, and goggles. It’s an EXCELLENT buy for practicing your skills and learning FPV.Racing Quadcopter Kits – If you’d like to assemble your own quadcopter, check out this kit and this kit. Some kits can be half the price of an RTF drone.
Build your own racing drone from scratch – Check out this awesome video:
FPV Racing Simulators – I’ve been using this simulator for a few months now. It’s really fun and it’s a good excuse to bust out my Xbox controller. You can also check out DroneSimPro and the FPV Freerider app.
Further Reading
If you’d like to deepen your FPV knowledge, check out these articles:
- The Beginners Guide to FPV Racing
- The Ultimate Guide to FPV Systems
- How To Get Into Hobby RC: Starter FPV Quadcopters
- FPV Guide for Multicopters | First Person View Bible
Over to You
Flying first-person-view multirotors can be fun, exciting, and it can improve your pilot skills dramatically.
If you have any questions about this aspect of drone flight, leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you out.
Fly safe!
Do you have any questions? Email us at support@uavcoach.com.
The post Guide to FPV Drone Systems: Quadcopters, Goggles, Cameras, and Transmitters [Updated for Winter 2016 / 2017] appeared first on UAV Coach.
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Raptor Maps gets more funding from Airware’s Commercial Drone Fund to grow its work in supporting drone use for agriculture.
CAMBRIDGE, MA. – December 26, 2016—Recently the Commercial Drone Fund, a venture capital fund launched by Airware focused on investing in promising commercial drone businesses around the world, announced an investment in Raptor Maps, a Cambridge-based company developing a drone-enabled technology platform for the agriculture sector.With the use of drones, tractor-mounted sensors and software, Raptor Maps has created an affordable system for farmers to allow them to precisely map, analyze, and measure the quality of crops at critical times during the growing season.
The system helps farmers to know the conditions that will maximize crop yield, allowing them to make more informed decisions and reduce unnecessary cost and labor.
A number of specialty crop growers across the United States and Canada have successfully implemented Raptor Maps technology this growing season.
“The agriculture sector has been an early adopter of commercial drone technology, with several companies now offering products for monitoring crops. What impressed us with Raptor Maps’ product is that it collects a vast amount of data, distills it down, and correlates actions that a grower can take on a season-to-season basis—something we haven’t seen in other drone products.”
—John Kolaczynski, Head of Corporate Development, the Commercial Drone Fund
Raptor Maps goes beyond just drone mapping and yield data overlays. Since farmers are constantly experimenting with new chemicals, fertilizer regimens, seed types, and techniques, Raptor Maps allows them to perform statistical analyses for A/B testing to compare and optimize these various inputs for fruits and vegetables. (They’re also currently developing a software tool that works for all crops.)
“Until now, drone technology has been more of a curiosity in agriculture,” said Nikhil Vadhavkar, CEO of Raptor Maps. “Farmers would receive maps with generic metrics like ‘crop stress’, but the actionability and ability to calculate a return-on-investment was limited.”
Raptor Maps’ effort this growing season has already created a lasting impression on their early customers. Washington state-based grower Steve Phipps of Piper Ranch will utilize data from this year’s yield to influence his practices for next season.“Raptor Maps gave me a breakdown of potato sizes on my 130-acre field. The size analysis showed I could reduce an input and save money while maintaining yield,” said Steve Phipps of Piper Ranch in Moses Lake, Washington.
Raptor Maps recently graduated from the Y Combinator Summer 2016 batch, and in 2015 was awarded the grand prize in the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition.
Want to learn more about drones in agriculture, or other ways you can make money flying drones commercially? Check out this profile we did a little while back of Idaho-based Empire Unmanned, and make sure to read up on the FAA’s Part 107 requirements for flying drones commercially in the United States.
The post Commercial Drone Fund Invests in Raptor Maps, Drone-Enabled Platform for Agriculture Yield Management appeared first on UAV Coach.
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INTRODUCTION
The Skytech TK110 is basic toyquadcopter offering altitulde and WiFi video transmission. The main originaly is probably the presence of foldable arms “à la” Zerotech Dobby. This flying machine targets beginners who want to have a live feedback via the WiFI connexion while being confortable thanks to the altitulde hold. Let’s discover the bundle
BOX CONTENT
+ 1 x Skytech TK110 (with a 1S 850mAh LiPo with JST connector)
+ 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAA batteries not included)
+ 1 x USB charging cable
+ 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW)
+ 1 x Screwdriver
+ 1 x Smartphone holder
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)OVERVIEW
Much larger than the Dobby, the TK110 is a 210m and can’t be really transported into a pocket even folded.
-FRONT VIEW
Folded position
A ground clearance of 33mm with the landing skid is deployed
-SIDE VIEW
-REAR VIEW
-UPPER VIEW
Like the Dobby, a unique button to power/disconnect the machine. Hold more than 1s to turn on. The same to shut down.-BOTTOM VIEW
With the battery inserted
No real free room to install a larger model
The FC can be guessed below the battery bay
-WEIGHT
Close to 158g… a little bit heavy IMHO but the machine includes a gear system
Motors
Motors are 8.5mmx20mm well jailed so no risk of dust intrusion. All rotative elements are nylon based a good news for the durability of the meshing. Motors can be in theory quick replaced thanks to the conector. Now the open question is about the availability of corresponding spare parts. Especially for coreless motors, it’s strongly advise to stock in advance 1 CW and 1 CCW.
LiPo
A 850mAh 1 cell LiPo module. No discharge rate mentioned
Camera module
The 2.4G WiFi camera module screwed on the machine. So no easy and quick way to unmount it. The linear antenna is installed horizontally favorizing more the vertical propagation so more high altitulde flights versus long range. The camera orientation can be ajusted from 0 to -25 degrees targetting more the ground. As for almost camera module especially those dedicaced for FPV/live transmission, we can regret the narrow Field Of View, limited to 70 degrees. Here no real possibility to use a lens with a wider FOV.
Transmitter
A basic chassis with a small monochrome LCD display. basic buttons: headless, auto-take off/auto landing, 360 flips and speed button. Only two speed modes are available.
A XN297 RF chip is ised for the 2.4G part.
UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT
In practice the machine is super stable and rates are clearly dedicaced to offer smooth flight and stabilize videos. Even in sport mode, the forward/backward mouvement is not super fast. In the other hand, the TK110 offers strong ascent rate. The gear system is efficient. Motors are not warming a lot too. A good sign for longibity. The control range is limited to 25m-30m when the machine is piloted by the radio-transmitter. As expected the frame rate drops versus distance for the WiFI transmission and it’s not rare the have the scene freezed. Flight duration is in avaerage of 6min
CONCLUSIONS
A basic machine without major drawback dedicaced to beginners who want to lear how to fly while controlling the current scene via their smartphone. It’s absoluplty not an FPV machine since the frame rate is most of the time irrigular and far to reach 24fps. But thanks to the efficient altitude hold, the new pilot have to play mainly only the right stick and can be concentrated more on the smartphone feedback screen.
PROS
+ Stable machine
+ Foldable arms
+ Altitulde hold ideal for beginners
+ Good ascent/descent rate
+ Can be controled either by the radio or the appCONS
– 25m of control range with the radio
– Narrow FOV (70 degrees)
– Not super fast machine
– No possibility to quick unclip the WiFi moduleThis quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Tomtop in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 56USD at http://www.tomtop.com/rc-quadcopter-1192/p-rm5505r.html?aid=frc6Cet article TEST: Skytech TK110 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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During the last Christmas’s days, Drone-maniac visitors increased a lot !!!!
Just two words: THANK YOU
A lot of new tests are coming soon after this mini Christmas breakCet article NEWS: Drone-Maniac more and more popular !!!! est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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When it comes to cornering a market, you have to be forward thinking.
DJI has done a great job anticipating industry needs, and the way that niche demands will grow into larger markets. One example is the way they’ve created and marketed their cameras.
Without a camera, a drone is almost worthless for commercial use.
Think about it—no one wants to pay for something that can fly to hard-to-reach places if you can’t also see and capture what’s there. Without the capture—that is, without high quality images and videos—the fact that you can get access to those places is really just a neat trick, but not worth anyone’s money or time.
So of course all of the big drone companies that create drones for commercial use (or even crossover commercial-serious hobbyist use, for that matter) don’t just include cameras, but include cameras of high quality made by the company themselves.
This makes sense. Because, following the logic laid out above, if you’re going to invest in making great drones, you really need to invest in making great cameras too. And why go to a third party when you could create and sell the product yourself, and reap the reward?
From this perspective, it also makes complete sense that a camera company like GoPro would decide to get into the drone market (whether or not they’ll succeed is, of course, another matter entirely).
DJI & ZenMuse: Marketing Strategy 101
What DJI has done so well when it comes to making and marketing cameras for drones has to do not just with the quality of the cameras they create, but in how they address certain emerging needs—such as the need for a camera that can enable a drone to inspect cell phone towers, which we’ll get to in just a moment—and, just as importantly, in how they approaching branding.
That is, how they market what they do so that people associate their two brands (DJI and ZenMuse) with specific products, and with quality.
Think about it. If you’re interested in commercial drones, you’ve probably heard of ZenMuse cameras. And you probably know that ZenMuse cameras are created by DJI, or that there is some connection between the two. But do you know what Parrot’s cameras are called? Or Yuneec’s?
You don’t know for a simple reason: unlike ZenMuse, the cameras created by Parrot and Yuneec don’t have their own name.
What DJI has done well when it comes to cameras (as one could argue they’ve done well in other areas, too, such as segmenting out types of drones for various commercial uses…but we’ll just stick to one rabbit hole today, thank you very much) is to segment out the brand of their cameras through the creation of ZenMuse, and associate it with quality.
This is a simple but brilliant marketing approach to highlighting value for different types of product lines, and allowing each line to help the other grow, instead of muddying the waters with all the different things you do well under one brand.
New Drone Made for Cell Tower Inspections
Before we started thinking about all these things DJI is doing to win, we set out to write a short post about a new ZenMuse camera created to help drones inspect cell phone towers.
(And we want to be clear that we are neutral when it comes to all of the companies mentioned above—it’s really just been fascinating for us to see their different approaches to marketing and production, and to watch DJI manage to come out on top time and again, and to try and figure out why that is.)
The new camera for cell tower inspections is called the ZenMuse Z30. Here is a concise description of the camera from DJI’s website:
Designed from the ground up with demanding industrial applications in mind, this powerful telephoto aerial camera comes with intelligent features like TapZoom that makes it easy to use, so that anyone can adapt it to their operations.
This is yet one more example of DJI perceiving a developing need, and hustling to be there first with a drone to address the specific commercial application in question.
Why Make a Camera Just for Cell Tower Inspections?
Traditionally, cell towers are inspected by a person, heavily weighted down with gear, climbing the entire tower. This approach has the potential for injury, and associated high insurance rates.
Drones present a preferred approach, but there have been hurdles to using drones for these inspections.
The biggest challenge in using drones for cell tower inspections has been that, in order for the inspection be thorough enough to actually identify issues on the tower, the shots taken need to be incredibly clear. This has meant needing to fly drones quite close to the towers, which has led to electromagnetic interferences with the drones, sometimes causing them to crash.
And here you have the very specific need that ZenMuse’s new Z30 addresses—a camera that is drone-compatible, that can zoom for incredibly precise shots, and that can actually be used in place of live personnel for these inspections.
Of course, whether this new camera will actually corner this particular market is yet to be seen. As we wrote recently regarding the fall of 3D Robotics, putting too much money into production can certainly be a fatal error for any company, regardless of size, but so far this is not a mistake DJI seems to be making.
And though it’s clear that drones are the way of the future for cell tower inspections, as both AT&T and Verizon have recently made clear, it’s still fairly open as to who will be the ones selling the drones that make the actual inspections.
But one thing is clear: DJI is there again on the ground floor, making it uphill work for any other competitor to try and elbow there way in.
The post DJI Corners the Market Again: New ZenMuse Camera Designed Specifically for Cell Tower Inspections appeared first on UAV Coach.
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Another brushed racer one more time from Eachine: http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-BAT-QX105-wAIOF3_BRUSHED-OSD-600TVL-CAM-1020-Motor-Buzzer-Micro-FPV-Racing-Quadcopter-BNF-p-1116393.html
This time a lot of novelties: first of all the FC is a variant of the classic SPF3 including directly an OSD configurable directly through Betaflight!!! that’s great. It will be even possible to tune PIDs and a lot of parameters through the OSD and the radio. A small buzzer is added too. For the FrSky version, the receiver firmware have been updated to send by telemetry the RSSI and Vbat to the radio (also displayed on the OSD).
Second major introduction are the 1020 black edition coreless motors so even larger and stronger than “classic” 8520 model for the 100mm category. In the other hand, the weight standalone is 72.5g so add 16 extra grams for the 600mAh 1s LiPo. Finally the FPV camera can be slightly oriented positively for more agressive FPV flights. The flight time is announced to be 5min with the Voltage down dangerously to 2.8v !!! so it means in practice more 4mins to secure the battery. Notice there are 3 versions with either a FrSky (D8)/ Flysky (AFHDS-2A) and DSM2/DSMX receiver.I have no practical feedback about the superiority in term of power of these 1020 motors versus 8520 ones. The real question is, how will be the total thrust for this QX105 (72.5g) versus classic QX95 for example (39.5g)… so close to be twice more heavier. It’s clear the QX105 is more an outdoors flyer.
Description:
The Eachine BAT QX105 is a New Design Micro FPV Racing Drones built-in OSD both for Indoor or Outdoor, the new QX105 comes with Betaflight firmware which can bring you an amazing FPV flight experience. The Black Edition 1020 Coreless motor support more powerful output , makes the QX105 more stable and faster, just like a beast. The adjustable angle of camera, The OSD, The LED_Strip, The carbon fiberglass frame, The buzzer, All that you can thought of the equipment for the FPV flight , it has ready. So take The Eachine BAT QX105 to your home now!Specification:
Brand Name: Eachine
Item NO.: QX105
Wheelbase: 105mm
Weight: 75g (Without propeller guard)
Flight controller: Eachine AIOF3_BRUSHED (STM32 F303 MCU/ MPU6000 VIA SPI)
Motor: Coreless 1020 Black Edition CW/CCW
Propeller: New Design 66mm CW/CCW 2-blades propeller
Camera: 600TVL HD CMOS 1/4inch
VTX: 5.8g 25MW 48CH NTSC/PAL Video transmitter
Battery: 3.7V 600mah Lipo battery
OSD: Betaflight OSD
Firmware of Flight controller: Betaflight 3.0.1 (Target:OmnibusF3)
Flight time: 5 minutes (Battery voltage at 2.8v)Features:
More powerful 1020 Black Edition Coreless motor
Jaw-dropping flight performance
Airmode/Angle/Acro mode support
Adjustable Angle of Camera (0°~15°)
Built-in Betaflight OSD
Radio Stick to control PID Tunes
LED_STRIP Ready
Buzzer Ready
Telemetry RSSI Output ready
V-bat DetectorReceiver Option:
-Frsky D8 mode SBUS Output 8ch With RSSI output (OSD display or X9D telemetry)
-Flysky compatible 8ch PPM receiver(AFHDS 2A Mode)
-DSM2/DSMX compatible ReceiverCompatible:
1. Frsky Receiver compatible with FRSKY X9D/X9D PLUS(D8 mode),and XJT (D8 Mode),DJT DFT DHT.
2. Flysky Receiver compatible with FS-i4, FS-i6, FS-i6S, FS-i6X, FS-i10, FS-GT2E, FS-GT2G, FS-GT2F.
3. DSM2/DSMX compatible Satellite receiverPackage included:
1 x QX105 Frame kit
6 x 1020 Coreless Motor
1 x AIOF3_BRUSHED Flight Controller Built-in RX
1 x 5.8G VTX w/Camera antenna
8 x 66mm Propeller
2 x 3.7V 600mah Battery
1 x LED_STRIP
1 x Buzzer
1 x USB Charging cable
1 x Paddle propellerYou have also a full RTF version with a FlySky AFHDS-2A solution: http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-BAT-QX105-105mm-Micro-FPV-LED-Racing-Quadcopter-wAIOF3-OSD-Eachine-i6-Transmitter-RTF-p-1116394.html
Cet article NEWS: Eachine “Bat” QX105, the first full equiped 1020 brushed FPV racer est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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Probably one of the best racer simulator, a serious competitor to Freerider FPV, the Velocidrone is now available in V1.5 for MAC/LiNux/Windows.
Please enjoy AndyRC’s talents with this last build
Cet article NEWS: Velocidrone V1.5 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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A successor of the excellent JJRC X1 is here: http://www.lightake.com/p/JJRC-X2-With-Brushless-Motor-4CH-6-Axis-RC-Quadcopter-RTF-2.4GHz_2134735.html
It seems they reinforce the plastic structure but except that … no real real novolties. It remains one of the great & cheap first brushless quadcopter for mid-beginners. A 5.8G variant will be also introduced.
Q101 already grabbed one (probably a pre-release model)
What’s a pity there is no way to select the flight mode, for example to have a pure acro mode.
Features:
-The first generation of RC Quadcopter with brushless motor
-4 Channel which can do ascend, descend, forward, backward, left sideward fly, right sideward fly
-It has 6-axis gyro which can have more stable flying and be easy to control
-Ldle speed adjustment / stop expansion, rudder volume switch
-Lightweight airframe with nice durability
-Function: Up/down/left/right/side flight/ fine-tuning/ Idle speed adjustment / stop expansion/rudder volume switchSpecification:
Frequency: 2.4G
Gyro: 6 axis
Material: ABS
Size: 35.5*35.5*12cm
Flight time: about 15-20 minutes
Charging time: 150 minutes
Control distance: about 350-500M
Battery for quadcopter: 7.4V1200mahIncludes:
1*Aircraft
1*remote control
1*manual
1*accessory packageCet article NEWS: JJRC X2 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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INTRODUCTION
The Eachine V-tail 210 is the first cheap “chinese” quadcopter adopting the V-tail design. In theory, the V-tail architecture offers a much better yaw authority especially at full speed. In fact the EV210 is not a simple quadcopter adpopting this original design, but you have also included a 1080p@60 camera broadcasting the FPV signal, a buitin GPS and OSD for a complete displayed information and a 10DOF SPF3 board. Is the EV210 a racer or with such equipement more a super cruizer ? …. Let’s check that.
BOX CONTENT
+ 1 x Eachine V-tail 210 (with a 4S 1500mAh LiPo with XT60)
+ 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAA batteries not included)
+ 1 x Charger (2S, 3S, 4S)
+ 1 x Power unit
+ 1 x Wrench prop tool
+ 1 x Bluetooth module
+ 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW)
+ 1 x Velcro bands
+ 1 x Screwdriver
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)A small originality, the charger is also able to display total and individual cell’s voltages
Can charge from a 2S up to 4S battery
OVERVIEW
A class 210 mm brushless machine. Let’s look to the main official caracteristics
Here we have a 10DOF SPF3 board including a barometer and magnetometer. In complement of the GPS installed on top, it means in theory you can program altitulde/GPS hold, RTH and even use a mission planner to pre-program a tour.
In term of carbon structure, the front carbon element is 2mm
while each arms are 3mm
-FRONT VIEW
-SIDE VIEW
On the left side, the unique FlySky receiver antenna connected via PPM connexion to the UART2-REAR VIEW
On the rear side, the Vtail system based on two tilted carbon arms (around 25 degrees) but attached to the main lower carbon structure by a simple piece of plastic
It’s a real disaster in term of design… for sure, this plastic element will break from any minor rear shock !!!! At least you can find a rear LEDs’s bar indicating throttle current value and turns direction as well.
-UPPER VIEW
The two ESC associated with rear arms
-BOTTOM VIEW
On front, two plastic legs are installed
They will break super fast … The third rear leg won’t be much more resistant
-WEIGHT
598.5g !!!!! so heavy !!! for a 210mm class machine
Motors & Props
Motors are 2205 announced 2300KV. They are known to be strong. The for example installed on the JJRC P175 and the RealAcc GX220.
5045 Bull noze props are given. Unfortunatly, it’s not possible to install some 6″ model and more.
Even with the given wrench tool, it’s hard to completly lock each nuts. Start to pre-tight them without the prop installed than with.
Below each motors, 4 leds configurable in Cleanflight/betaflight
By default, they indicate turns
ESC
20A lightning Emax ESC with a peak up to 30A. If onshot125 and Damping light are supported, no Dshot available. At least you can update the firmware easily via BLheli suite software for example
Each ESC is connected via mini-banana plugs
For the front arm, you can directly change a full arm (arm + ESC + motors) by removing 6 hexscrews.
LiPo
sCamera & VTX modules
The HD/FPV camera is sumply install beneath with a light camera support without any specific protection to frontal shocks. With close 600g, you can guess any front accident will be fatal…. Just so disapointing camera location design…
The lens thread is in M12 format
the ribbon cable is also absoluptly not protected from a frontal crash or battery front shift. At least a spare one is given in the bundle… They know it’s a weak point.
The microSD card slot is located front below the rubbon cable. You will the lift gently the ribbon cable to insert/remobe a miroSD card. A class 10 is recommended to enjoy perfect and smooth recordings at 60fps.
The camera is able to film in 1080p@60 fps…. while broadcasting the signal in PAL or NTSC format
1080p recordings are just great, IMHO as good as a mobius 1 camera
Good news, the processing is fast 60ms with or without recording turned on
Something amazing with the VTX
a) The 5.8G linear antenna is installed parallel of the main axis
It means first of all that propagation in the hozizon plan and more particulary when TX and the quad are aligned will be bad. More part of the signal will be blocked by the carbon structure below
b) to set the Vband and Vfreq, you will need to remove first the six hexscrews locking the upper canopy structure
Then both the GPS and the VTX module are avialable
The VTX is a 200mW supporting 5 bands so 40CH in total
In practice, the table given in the manual is wrong or at least partially. If the Band selection is currect, the choice of the Vfreq is not correspondling with the diagram
By default the the camera and OSD are set to NTSC format. If you plan to fly more in PAL system, you will need
i) to press the trigger button while powering the system to turn in into PAL
ii) to set the PAL option in MWOSD R1.6 GUIDisassembling
The SPF3 board with 10DF is installed front while LDO/voltage regulator/PCB just behind. By default, you have cleanfight 1.13 installed. You can connect the FC via the left USB. The right one is more to tune OSD via the MWOSD GUI but you will need to turn on power first.
A microSD car is here to save logs
At least a buzzer is installed
By default, the buzzer is activated when the LiPo is below a first threshold, then buzzing faster with you reach less 3.5v per cell
For an easy maintenance at least for front arms, you change directly an arm section thanks to this specific connexion
Transmitter
The classic FlySky i6 transmitter with three 2-way and one 3-way switches. Only 6 channels are available
Be default the switch A arms/disarms the machine while the switch B select between angle and acro mode. The three way switch is not used by default.
The two way protocol AFHDS-2A (deviated in the last built of deviationTX) is used in coordination with the FlySky receiver in PPM connexion.
UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT
What a noisy machine !!!!! Amazing…. motor are yelling. For sure no discrete flights with this model :). You start to hover from 50%… it’s a lot despite the 4S setup. The 600g weight is real handicap. With the default rate settings, only the yaw rate is too slow. Be aware if you increase too much the pich and roll rates, the machine become relatively instable. The FPV signal is just amazing !!!!! so nice color and light transitions are superbly handled. Probably the best CMOS camera I was able to fly with. Be sure to use a class 10 microSD card. If not, I noticed some little slow down in the FPV live signal. The machine is fast but punchouts are not super impressive. If the yaw authority is great, I noticed a big inertia when practicing banking at great speed. For example, the crash in the tree was linked with that. Impossible to turn to the right with my current fast speed. Definitively, betaflight will be a great improvement. Another major disapointement is the flight time 5min maximum 5min30 … before to see the machine falling slowly. Voltage went down to 3.3V !!!! so be aware to not damage your LiPo and listen correctly emitted beeps. Another drawback, I found in the OSD the main battery voltage is not updated. To fix this, change the corresponding setting in MWOSD R1.6.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the great quality of the HD/FPV camera (offering videos as good as a Mobius 1) and the presence of GPS, barometer, etc…. I can’t really recommand this machine due to two important weak points in the design: a) not protected camera and b) fragile plastic support holding the rear arms. We can also add the fragility of the landing gear system.. More with close to 600g, the machine can’t be seen as super fast racer: It need space to perform large turns even if at low speed, the yaw authority is great (you don’t loose or gain altitude for example). Too many things have been introduced simultaneously here with the V-tail 210. Probably a version without GPS, DVR, and by trimming weight can be a very interesting model.
PROS
+ Strong yaw authority
+ Great HD/FPV camera
+ 1080p@60fps
+ 60ms of latency w/ or w/o recording
+ Builtin OSD (MWOSD based) with velocity & GPS informations
+ SPF3 board with 10DOF
+ Bluetooth module
+ Complete instruction manual color printedCONS
– Short flight time (5min30)
– Super noisy
– Heavy (~600g)
– A lot of inertia while banking at full speed
– Exposed front camera
– Plastic holder for rear arms
– Fragile landing skid
– VTX dip switches hidden by the top cover
– Bad 5.8G antenna location/orientation
– Frequency list table not correct
– Prop nuts hard to lockThis quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 310USD at http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-V-tail-210-FPV-Drone-1080P-HD-DVR-SP-Racing-F3-5_8G-40CH-200mW-VTX-OSD-w-Eachine-I6-RTF-p-1100100.htmlCet article TEST: Eachine V-tail 210 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE
and happy flying for 2017 …..
Cet article MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!! est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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We’ve recently been blown away by the videos Luke Bell of South Africa has been sharing with us, and specifically by the way Luke is using the Tilt-Shift Effect to make things seem smaller than they actually are.
If you’ve been following us on Facebook, you might have seen some of Luke’s videos. One we recently shared was called Mini South Africa, and followed a similar approach as the video featured below in today’s blog post, called Cape Town Mini Town.
Scroll down if you’d like to learn more about the Tilt-Shift Effect Luke used to get this unique miniature look in his videos.
The Tilt-Shift Effect
As we mentioned above, in order to create the miniature effect you see in the video, Luke used an approach called the Tilt-Shift Effect.
According to to photographer RL Miller (who we were lucky enough to interview a little while back!), the Tilt Shift Effect “is a method that makes an image appear as though it is a miniature version of the subject.”
The Tilt-Shift Effect can be done by shooting subjects from a high angle (especially from the air), which creates the illusion of looking down at a miniature model.
A camera equipped with a tilt-shift lens, which simulates a shallow depth of field, is essentially all you need to do this.
You can also create the Tilt-Shift Effect in post-production using Photoshop.
Tilt-Shift Photo Example (see link below for photo credit):
Luke’s Words on His Video and the Tilt-Shift Effect
Living in Cape Town, we are continually awed by the beauty our city has to offer. As content creators and consumers ourselves we have seen our city captured from every angle there is. From FPV trail runs, to sweeping vistas captured from up high, it has been hard to share the majesty of our city in a way that we felt would be original.
Thus, instead of thinking epic, we thought small. Living in Cape Town is just fun and as a result, what better way to depict our city than as the playground it is.
We have admired tilt-shift videos for a while, but given that we had only 24 hours to capture our video, we were daunted by the proposition of finding and gaining access to the buildings and look-outs tilt-shift videos are normally captured from. To solve this we turned to probably the greatest filmic problem solver to come out in my short career as a video creator: the drone.
Using our DJI Phantom we were able to capture angles and scenes we would have been unable to shoot using even the longest telescopic lenses. More than that, we were able to cover exponentially more locations in just one day.
All of this came together in the short video you have here, which showcases the beauty of Cape Town in a way never shown before. There is something humbling about seeing the big city we live in as something small.
Video Specs
- Location(s): The video was shot at 20 different locations in South Africa. 3 were just outside of Cape Town.
- Camera(s) used: The Phantom 3 Professional was used.
- Editing software used: Final Cut Pro X was used for post with the FCP Tilt Shift Plugin from the App Store.
Looking for the best camera drones on the market? Check out our recently updated guide, The Best Camera Drones for Aerial Photography.
Happy flying!
The post Filming with the Tilt-Shift Effect in South Africa appeared first on UAV Coach.
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If you’re looking to upgrade your drone or perhaps contemplating a custom build, check out these high-frequency brushless ESCs from RISE. They come in three flavors – 12A, 20A and 30A – and feature ONESHOT programming for superior high-speed communication with your flight controller. RISE8012 – 12A Mini High Frequency Brushless ESC Firmware: BLHELI Voltage …
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Hubsan delivers a new update of their Hubsan H502S with their new H507A: http://www.banggood.com/Hubsan-X4-STAR-H507A-App-Compatible-Wifi-FPV-With-1080P-HD-Camera-GPS-RC-Quadcopter-RTF-p-1115752.html. Here bye bye the 5.8G solution but now it’s a pure 2.4G WiFi solution who have been prefered…. It means in practice latency versus distance. Other ingredients are: 720P camera, 10min of flight time (less than the H502E/S but probably they saved a bit of weight to unstress coreless motors), large 7″.2 props. Good news, like the H502S, the follow me feature as well as a new path planner thanks to the new WiFi interface. For me the main open question is about durability of motors. For the H502E/S version, it was the weakest point since they installed these huge props to extend flight time. With the H507A, we have the same props … so this question is fundamental. If they saved some extra weight and/or installed more durable motors, the announced price is very interesting for a full complete solution. I hope also they changed the wide FOV lens of the H502E/S blurring partially videos.
Description:
Brand Name: Hubsan
Item NO.: H507A
Item Name: Hubsan X4 H507A RC quadcopter
Frequency: 2.4G
Channel: 4CH
Gyro: 6 Axis
Flying time: About 10mins
Quadcopter battery:550mAh Lipo.
Color:BlackFeatures:
* Built in1920x1080P HD720p camera are tuned amazingly to capture stunning pictures and videos from the sky.
* With App Waypoint Function,easy to control and more relaxtion and time to enjoy the flight experience.
* Built-in GPS(Universal version) positioning system, the accurate positioning location, perfect advanced follower.
* With Follow me function,turns you into a mobile photographer with a personal cameraman.
* With headless mode function,no need to adjust the position of aircraft before flying.
* The 550mAh capacity battery provides2010 minutes of satisfying flight on a sigle charge.Package Included:
1x H507A RC Quadcopter
1x Transmitter
1x Battery
1x Charger
4x BladeCet article NEWS: Hubsan X4 Star H507A, the cheapest follow-me/path-planning quadcopter est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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Check out today’s post on drone safety during the holidays from James Mackler of the Frost Brown Todd law group. James holds a commercial pilot certificate, and advises businesses on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in various industries. Read James Mackler’s bio here.
Here is James’ post on holiday safety:
It’s almost impossible to scan a holiday gift guide without coming across a list of drones suggested as the perfect present for the techie or photographer in your life.
This season, you’ll be able to spend anywhere from $35 for a “nano” drone to $3,500 or more for a professional quality flying videography/photography platform.
One thing that every drone has in common is that they’re subject to some degree of state and federal regulation. In order to avoid getting yourself or a loved one in trouble, make sure you’re familiar with these legal instructions before buying or giving a drone.
Hobby vs. Commercial Use
Different rules apply to commercial flight as opposed to hobby use. The first thing to determine, therefore, is how the drone will be used.
Examples of commercial use are wedding photography and real-estate marketing, even if no additional fee is charged for the use of the drone. In other words, if there is any way that the operator will make money from flying or from selling photos or data taken by the drone, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will likely view this as a commercial use.
Commercial Use Rules
The FAA rules governing commercial users have changed dramatically since the last holiday season.
Commercial users need to obtain a special pilot’s certificate, get permission to fly in certain airspace, and comply with a variety of restrictions regarding airspeed, altitude, aircraft weight, and more.
If the drone is going to be used commercially, it is best to consult with an attorney. At the very least, you should take the time to carefully read, understand, and follow the applicable FAA regulations.
Hobby Use Rules
Hobby users have fewer restrictions. Most importantly, all users, whether hobby or commercial, must fly in a safe manner. Any flights seen as careless or reckless will violate FAA rules and likely state laws against reckless endangerment.
Examples of careless flying include buzzing directly over a person’s head, near airports, or interfering with manned airplanes or helicopters.
Weight-Related Regulations: Knowing When to Register Your Drone
Another important law to know is that hobby users and commercial users flying any drone that weighs over 0.55 pounds must register with the FAA. As a general rule, most drones that cost over $150 will weigh more than 0.55 pounds. Registration can be accomplished online and costs $5. Flying an unregistered drone is federal felony that could result in hefty fines or jail time.
It is also very important to respect your neighbor’s privacy and property rights. A number of state laws protect property owners from drones conducting surveillance or committing trespass.
In addition to avoiding criminal penalties, respectful flying is just the right thing to do.
Line of Sight Requirements
In addition to registering your drone and flying in a respectful manner, the FAA requires hobby pilots to always maintain sight of their aircraft. If you cannot see your drone you are doing something wrong.
Also, although hobby users do not need permission to fly, if you are flying within five miles of an airport you must notify the airport and the air traffic control tower before flying.
Drone flying can be a great way to spend an afternoon, to earn some extra money, or can be the foundation for a new business. Just keep in mind that you will have to become a student of both flight and of the law.
Looking for some gift ideas for the drone lover in your life? Check out our 2016 Drone Holiday Gift Guide!
The post Important Information about U.S. Drone Laws this Holiday Season appeared first on UAV Coach.
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A new selfie drone enters into the arena: http://www.banggood.com/Geniusidea-Follow-Drone-Wifi-FPV-With-4K-HD-Camera-GPS-Pocket-Selfie-RC-Quadcopter-p-1115171.html. Like the dobby, you have a GPS module of course, but for indoors application optical flow stabilization. The camera is 13mpx 4K and the main MCU (Qualcomm 801) is strong enough to offer computer vision features such face recognition and of course follow me. Like the dobby, the lens must be manually ajusted. A path planner is also promised via the App (iOS & Android). Unfortunatly, the arms are not foldable like the dobby. At least 20min of flight time is promised thanks to 2500mAh LiPo
Description:
Brand Name:Geniusidea
Item Name: Follow DroneGeniusidea Follow Drone
Drone Platform Qualcomm 801
Wheelbase 199mm
Weight 273g
Dimension 160mm x160mm x50mm (without propellers)
Maximum Operating Alitude 3000mEndurance Time 20mins
Operating Temperarure- -20?-40?
Positioning System GPS/GLONASS & Optical flow/ Sinar(illimination more than 15lux)Contorl Distance 100m
Hovering Accuracy Vertical:+/-0.1m(Optical flow positioning/Sonar)
+/-0.5m(GPS/GLONASS)
Horizontal:+/-0.1m(Optical flow positioning/Sonar);+/-0.5m(GPS/GLONASS)WiFi Frequency Band 2.4GHz,5GHz
WiFi Working Frequency Band 8.2.11n2x2MIMO
WiFi Transmit Power EIRO 2.4G:19dBm; EIROP 5G:15dBmCamera Picture Sensor 13MP
Camera Lens FOV117°,14mm
Max Picture Resolution 4K
EIS Avaliable
Adjustable Angle 0°/-20°/-45°/-90°
ISO Range 100-3200
EV Range- -12;-8;-4;4;8;12
Video Resolution 4K
Storage Format JPG/MP4(MPEG-4AVC/H.264)
Memory Capacity 2GB RAM+16GB EMMC
Extended Memory Up to 64GBBattery Rated Capacity 2500mAh x 2
Norminal Voltage 7.4V
Battery Type 18650 chargeable Lithium Battery
Flying Time 20MinsApp App Name G-IDEA
Real-time Image Transmission 1280×720@30fpsTime Delay 16ms(depend in actual shooting circumistance and the mobile device)
Requirements on Mobile Decive
Version Android 4.3 and above; iOS 8.0 and aboveFeatures:
High-definition pictures
Sony IMX214 camera for aerial photography, featured in 13 mega-pixel, enables you to enjoy taking picturesRoute planning
Set flight routes accurately to achieve the easy shooting of dynamic videosFacial recognition
Capture every moment with expressions clearlyEndurance of 20 minutes
Achieve the record of a whole sunrise for you
Powerful App – G-IDEA
With excellent interface design, G-IDEA makes the flight experience simple and convenient
Achieves the real-time preview of the picture to be shot, and fast adjustment of shooting parameters
Also enables users to control the Follow Drone easily, with the flight condition mastered in real timePackage Included:
Standard Version:
1 x Follow Drone (Yellow + black Fuel injection)
2 x Battery
1 x Charger
1 x Carrying case
1x PVC boxProfessional Version:
1 x Follow Drone (Yellow + tarnish plating)
2 x Battery
2 x Color shell
2 x Propellers
1 x Charger
1 x Charger cable
1 x Carrying case
1 x BoxCet article NEWS: Geniusidea Followme, another selfie drone est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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Want a super lightweight DSM2/DSMX receiver ? Maybe this new 1g receiver is a good alternative option of the excellent Orange R616XN: http://www.banggood.com/2_4G-7CH-Micro-DSMX-DSM2-Compatible-Receiver-Support-PPM-SBUS-Output-p-1115121.html
Both SBUS & PPM connexions are supported
but no real confirmation that this new “chinese” spektrum clone module is really supporting the DSMX protocol.Description:
Item Name: 2.4G Micro receiver
Channel: 7
Weight: About 1g
Color: Red
PPM Output: Yes
SBUS Output: Yes
Operating Voltage: 5V
Antenna Length: 30mm
Dimension: 23mm*19mm
Control Range: 500m+
Compatibility: Compatible with DSM2 DSMX transmitter.Feature:
Dual signal output,support PPM and SBUS
Dual-chip design, more stable performance
Over 500m control range in open area
Support two kinds of wiring way, make the modification more flexibleNote:
This item is only compatible with DSM2,DSMX protocol transmitter.
During the binding process,don’t move the transmitter control rods.
Every time use,make sure to turn on the transmitter before supplying power to the receiver.How To Bind:
1, Supply power to receiver,red LED blinks fast means the receiver is entering the binding mode.
2, Wait 6 seconds,press and hold the binding button on the transmitter, in the meantime,turn on the transmitter,the receiver output SBUS signal. If wait 30 seconds before turning on the transmitter,the receiver output PPM signal.
3, Wait about 1 second,the red LED stay on,means binding has succeed.Package Included:
1x 2.4G 7CH Micro DSM2 DSMX Compatible ReceiverCet article NEWS: 1g DSM2/DSMX nano 2.4G receiver est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently issued an incredibly critical report of the FAA, in which it said the agency has “limited knowledge of where UAS actually operate and limited means to oversee [commercial] operators.”
The report was written by DOT Assistant Inspector General Matthew Hampton. Hampton spent a year, from October 2015 to October 2016, overseeing an audit of the FAA’s oversight of commercial drone operations in the United States.
The DOT claims in the report that the FAA created a fast-tracked process for granting commercial licenses to drone pilots, which led to quick turnarounds on licenses but poor policies when it comes to assessing the potential knowledge and flying capabilities of the pilots licensed.
It seems to us like the FAA was probably tasked with an impossible job: to simultaneously ensure that commercial drone pilots in the U.S. were flying safely, while also ensuring that the U.S. commercial drone business was not overly burdened in a way that would hinder growth.(Of course, we’re just speculating here—we don’t know for sure that the FAA didn’t want to stand in the way of growth. But given the global competition, it doesn’t seem like much of a leap to think the U.S. government wouldn’t want to stand in the way of quick, competitive progress in the drone industry.)
According to the report, the DOT seems to think that the FAA erred a little too much on the side of allowing for progress, and should have done much more on the regulatory side.
The report finds that the quick turnaround of licenses led to poor tracking procedures, and also meant that pilots did not necessarily fully understand the regulations and requirements they needed to know in order to fly safely.
Here is a direct quote from the DOT report with some more details:
“[Streamling procedures allowed] FAA to increase its processing rate, and the rate of exemptions granted increased over five-fold in 1 month. However, FAA’s process does not verify that operators actually meet or understand the conditions and limitations of their exemptions either before or after the application is approved.”
But it’s not just the operators who are found at fault in the report.
Hampton also finds that FAA staff doesn’t have the training required to understand the complexities required to fly drones commercially, and have not themselves received the training needed to understand how to regulate the flight of a UAS:
“FAA safety inspectors have received only limited UAS-related training and guidance. For example, as of April 2016, there were no formal, instructor-led training courses and only two outdated online courses available to inspectors focused on UAS technology.”
So how can they be expected to regulate them?
The report concludes with a list of recommendations, which includes comprehensive drone training for inspectors, the development of risk-based oversight procedures, and the periodic testing of commercial drone operators.
The truth is that none of this should be all that surprising, given how quickly the drone industry has exploded onto the scene, and how much catch-up governments all over the world, not just in the United States, have had to do just to wrap their heads around what the advent of the sUAS means for our airspaces.
With drones and drone use changing all the time, there are sure to be more gaps between regulation and safety, with drone capabilities constantly outstripping drone regulation. It will certainly be a fascinating ride as government agencies work toward creating regulatory systems that are not overly prohibitive, and actually function to keep our skies safe.
We know the FAA is preparing the release of more rules, but we can only guess that those will just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the DOT would like to see in place. Certainly the FAA is hustling to get safety information out there (check out our recent post on an FAA Holiday Safety Video, for example) but the jury is out on these bigger changes proposed by the DOT.
If you’d like to learn more about the DOT report, here is a link to the report itself, entitled (pretty provocatively, it seems to us), “FAA Lacks a Risk-Based Oversight Process for Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems.”
The post Bad News for the FAA from the U.S. Department of Transportation appeared first on UAV Coach.
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Probably one of the cheapest 5.8G brushed racer, the DM002 5.8G FPV: http://www.banggood.com/DM002-5_8G-FPV-With-600TVL-Camera-2_4G-4CH-6Axis-RC-Quadcopter-RTF-p-1114854.html
A simple micro-quadcopter with a AIO FPV camera installed on top. The emitted power can be set between 25mW/80mW and 200mW…. I guess the 7min of flight time is only for the 25mW setting.
The radio control is ultra basic but the control range is announced to be around 100m. It’s enough for proximity flight indoors… The machine should be relatively light, I guess around 55-57g. Announced around 43 USD, no miracle no 5.8G FPV monitor with the bundle.Description:
Item Name: DM002 Micro 5.8G FPV RC Quadcopter
Frequency: 2.4GHz + 5.8GHz (Video transmission)
Gyro: 6 axis
Flight time: around 7 minutes
Charging time: about 60-80 minutes
Remote Control Distance: about 100 meter
Image Transmission Distance:about 200 meter
Battery For Quadcopter: 3.7V 300mAh lipo Battery (included)
Night Flight: Yes
Operating environment: indoor & outdoor
Camera: 25MW /80MW /200MW Switchable 600TVL CameraFeatures:
5.8G FPV camera gives you more clear and high quality wonderful views from different angles.
It has 6-axis gyro which can have more stable flying and be easy to control.
One key to return function makes it easily to find the way home.
Super bright colorful LED light, make it more dazzle beautiful and colorful night light.
Can fly both indoor and outdoor.
Function: FPV / ascend / descend / forward / backward / side flying / Slow/Medium/High speed / turn round / 360°rolling action / 360° accurate localization / LED / One key returnPackage Included:
1 x DM002 RC Quadcopter
1 x Transmitter
1 x 3.7V 300mAh Battery
1 x Battery Charger
4 x Spare propeller
1 x Screwdriver
1 x English manualCet article NEWS: DM002 5.8G FPV, the cheapest microFPV machine ? est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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The Eachine racer of the day …. (so much active… with probably a lot of OEM compagnies behind), the aurora 90: http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Aurora-90-90mm-Mini-FPV-Racing-Drone-BNF-wF3-OSD-10A-BLheli_S-Dshot600-5_8G-25MW-48CH-VTX-p-1114799.html. It’s a 90mm brushless racer with all last technologies of ESC (BLheli_S supporting Dshot), FC (SPF3), motors (1104) and even including a builtin OSD !!!!. Here almost all elements are in 3K carbon even the ducted system…. So it should much more crash resistant. In the other the machine standalone weights already 72.7g. So with the 2S 450mAh LIpo, the total weight will be around 100g…. so not super indoors FPV friendly. The FPV part is done by a 25mW AIO camera. Maybe a 200mW would have been a better choice since outdoors applications will be mainly targetted.
Description:
Brand name: Eachine
Item name: Aurora 90 Mini FPV Racing Drone BNF
Wheelbase: 90mm
Size: 118mm*118mm*70mm
Weight: 73g( battery not include)
Motor: Eachine 1104 7500KV brushless motor
ESC: 10A BLHELI_S 16.5 1-2S 4 in 1 ESC Dshot600
Propeller: 50mm 4-blades propeller
Receiver: Frsky/DSMX/Flysky AFHDS2A (optional)
Camera: 600TVL HD CMOS 1/4 inch
VTX: 5.8g 25MW 48CH NTSC/PAL video transmitter
Flight controller: Halocube Betaflight F3 6DOF built-in OSD
OSD: Betaflight OSD
Firmware of flight controller: Betaflight 3.1
Flight time : 3-4minutes
Rear LED Ready (LED_Strip function)
Buzzer Ready
Battery: 7.4V 450mah 80C lipo battery
Charger: B3PRO 2S balance charger
Minicube F3 6DOF flight controller:
Size: 27mm*27mm*5mm
Mount hole: 20mm*20mm
Processor: STM32 F303 MCU
Sensor: SPI Sensor MPU6000
Built-in Betaflight OSD (Batt voltage, RSSI, Artificial Horizon, Fly mode, Flytime, Craft name etz.)
Firmware version: Betaflight 3.1 Dshot ready
Target: OmnibusF3
Minicube 10A BLHELI_S 4 in 1 ESC Dshot600:
Size: 27mm*27mm*5mm
Mount hole: 20mm*20mm
Firmware version: BLHELI_S 16.5
BB2, 48MHZ Chip
Lipo Battery: 1-2S
Con. Current: 10A
Peak Current: 15A (10S)
BEC: 5V @0.1A
Programming: YES
Betaflight passtrough ready
Dshot600 ready(Default)
Support oneshot42 oneshot125 Multishot Dshot
Damped light onFeatures:
Extremely light and more powerful
STM32 F303MCU + BLHELI_S ESC make your Operating feel more stabilly and silky
Adjustable Angle of camera
Jaw-dropping flight performance
Cleanflight/Betaflight support
Acro mode / Air mode /Angle mode support
Built-in OSD(Using F3 MCU controls OSD over SPI bus in DMA mode)
OSD Configuration has been include in BETAFLIGHT GUI
Radio Stick to control PID Tunes
BLHELI_S pass-through ready
Telemetry RSSI Output readyNotice:
1. BNF receiver (intergrated buzzer) option:
Compatible Frsky SBUS receiver
Compatible Flysky 8CH AFHDS2A receiver
Compatible Specktrum DSM2/DSMX receiver2. Compatible:
1). Frsky Receiver compatible with FRSKY ACCST, X9D(Plus)DJT/DFT/DHT
2). Flysky Receiver compatible with FS-i4, FS-i6, FS-i6S, FS-i6X, FS-i10, FS-GT2E, FS-GT2G, FS-GT2F.
3). DSM2/DSMX Receiver compatible wiht Satellite receiver.Package included:
1 x Eachine Aurora 90 Frame kit
1 x Betaflight F3 6DOF flight controller build-in OSD
1 x Frsky/DSMX/Flysky AFHDS2A (optional)
4 x Eachine 1104 7500KV brushless motor
1 x Minicube 10A BLHELI_S 16.5 1-2S 4 in 1 ESC Dshot600
4 x 50mm 4-blades propeller CW
4 x 50mm 4-blades propeller CCW
1 x 600TVL HD CMOS 1/4 inch camera
1 x 5.8g 25MW 48CH NTSC/PAL VTX
1 x 7.4V 450mah 80C lipo battery
1 x B3PRO 2S balance chargerCet article NEWS: Eachine Aurora 90, the full carbon 2S brushless Whoop est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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A big brother in the Eachine EX”s serie with a microhexacopter: http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-EX120-120mm-With-800TVL-FPV-Camera-F3-EVO-Brushed-LED-Buzzer-Racing-Quadcopter-p-1114602.html
Everything like usual: SPF3 board, a 800TVL 25mW AIO FPV cam but here the EX120 comes in 2S configuration and integrates directly a builtin buzzer !!!!
Announced to 63g witout the battery and 80g AWG …. Well a little bit heavy for indoors training but for outdoors applications, should be a beast. A small alert, announced flight time are 3.5-4min …. Hummmm it means in practice more 3min. Now we want also the quadricopter version of this EX120 to save at least 10-12g and probably moreYes !!!! at least a buitin Buzzer
Specification:
Brand Name: Eachine
Item No.: EX120
Wheelbase: 120mm
Weight: 63g
Size: 123*120mm
Flight controller: SPRACING F3 EVO
Firmware version: BetaFlight 1.3.1
Motor: CL820 5200RPM motor
Prop Size: 56mm
Receiver: Flysky/Frsky
Camera: 800TVL HD CMOS 1/3 inch Camera
AV Wireless Transmitter: 5.8g 25mw 40ch
Batterry: 7.4V 2S 450mAh 25C Lipo battery
Flight time:3.5-4 minutes
Package size: 215*110*265mm
Package weight: 236gFeatures:
Flight control base on SPRACING F3 EVO, high current MOS output,convenient according to the personal touch.
Made of high quality carbon fiber material, a full set of take-off weight of 80 grams with battery.
The user only need to be equipped with a remote control to experience the indoor FPV flight.
Use buckle structure, no screw fixation, installation is very convenient.
With 7 LED light, have LED_Strip function.
F3 flight controller tail light with a buzzer, can provide low pressure alarm, signal loss alarm, searching alarm.Compatible:
1.Frsky Receiver Support FRSKY taranis X9D/X9D PLUS(D8 mode),and XJT (D8 Mode),DJT DFT DHT Transmitter.
2.Flysky Receiver Support FS-I6, Echine I6, TH9X, DEVO 7E with A7105 Module series Transmitter.
3.DSM Receiver Support Spectrum/JR(DSMX/DSM2 protocol) DEVO10/DEVO 7E(with deviation firmware).Note:
BNF version come with receiver (4 options: Frsky Receiver, Flysky Receiver, DSM2 Receiver).
ARF version come without receiver.Package included:
1 x Eachine EX120 Carbon Fibre Frame kit
6 x CL820 5200RPM Coreless Motor
1 x F3 Brush Flight controller
1 x Receiver (Optional)
1 x 5.8G VTX w/Camera antenna
12 x 56mm Propeller
1 x 3.7V 450mah 2S Battery
1 x USB Charging cableCet article NEWS: Eachine EX120, the 2S micro-hexacopter FPV racer est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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INTRODUCTION
After the QX70, here is another ducted brushed racer, i.e. the Eachine FB90 “Fatbee”. The similarities between both models are important but the main difference is probably the presence of a 2S system… which should bring much more power out of the box than QX70 (was not hard since the QX70 is completly underpowered).
BOX CONTENT
+ 1 x Eachine FB90 (with a 2S 400mAh LiPo with microLOSI connector)
+ 1 x USB charging cable
+ 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW)
+ 1 x Spare LiPo
+ 2 x Spare motors (1 CW, 1CCW)
+ 3 x Velcro bands
+ 1 x Wrench tool
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)OVERVIEW
As many many last QX’s and EX’s machine from Eachine, the main ingredients are the same: powerfull SPF3 board, good receivers: FrSky (D8), FlySkt (AFHDS) or DSM2, efficient AIO FPV 25mW 48CH camera. As the QX70, you have the same ducted system and the same props….. For this latter, it’s not a good choice if you already read some QX70’s reviews.
-FRONT VIEW
and with the battery strapped beneath
Two leds are installed behind eyes
They change color proportionally to the throttle input and configurable through cleanflight/betaflight.
-SIDE VIEW
No visible USB port latteraly-REAR VIEW
Neither rear-UPPER VIEW
With the original props, the same models as for the QX70-BOTTOM VIEW
Real 3K carbon monobloc element with 1mm of thickness.When Velcro bands are installed
-WEIGHT
With the battery and velcro bands. Close to 64g!!!! 10g more heavier than QX70 model, so close to 20% more
Motors
Probably one the main feature, the 2S compatible 8520 motors. A tiny 1mm connector allow an easy maintenance.
Probably with 2S power and the 63g…. they are “living” into a huge stress and it’s really a good idea to provide two spare motorsLiPo
A 2S 400mAh LiPo with microLOSI connector but no balancer plug !!!!!! It’s known that USB charger often overcharge cells … It means, with balancing, the probability to damage the FB90 batteries is non zero with the USB charger.
AIO FPV Camera module
Still a 25mW but here a “simple” 520TVL CMOS camera. Paradoxally, the camera offers super vivid colors and relatively good light handling.
“TVL size” do not matter … for camera.The camera support fix the lens orientation to 0 degrees. Probably by inserting a piece of foam front, you can ajust a small positive angle.
The front button permits to flip the camera when pressed shortly and if pressed more than 2s, to cycle between NTSC (default) and PAL systems.
The rear button selects the Vband when pressed more than 2s (6 bands supported in total) and a short press cycles between each of 8 Vfreq inside the current band.Disassembling
Release the four rear dark yellow clips to remove the top plastic canopy. Be gentle during the release process to not break these thin plastic tabs
The linear 5.8G antenna is parallel the board and clearly not correctly installed to favorize horizontal signal propagation….
A mod would consist to bend gently the antenna and dril a hole on the top of the canopy to install it more vertically.We can still deeply regret the absence of a builtin Buzzer …. a must to have to play the FB90 in a more wider field (despite its yellow color)
To acess to the microUSB, you will need each time to remove the top canopy section.
A mod would consist to cut the last third of the plastic canopy to make an easy USB accessOn the front right of FC, at least for the FrSky version, you have two pads to be short to enter into the binding mode. Use a tweezer or a screwdriver
Mods
As for the QX70, the hubsan’s triblad mod is working great for the FB90
http://www.banggood.com/Hubsan-Upgraded-3-Leaf-Propellers-for-H107L-H107C-H107D-p-970384.html
The antenna mod
UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHTS
Out of the box with default settings, the FB90 is much much more powerfull than the QX70. It means it’s enjoyable directly. Punchout are not amazing but enough to perform acro IMHO with a minimum of altitude for flips & rolls.
The drawback is the noise emitted by the combo props-motors. Maybe it’s related to the higher RPM asssociated with the 2S motors, but it’s really much more noisy. The machine with default CF settings
is super stable in both angle and acro modes. You have in average 4min-4min30 of flight duration with the default configuration. The 64g AWG is the guilty here.When the hubsan’s props are installed, the machine becomes more silent, with improved thrust and better flight time (> 5min) just only bonus
I strongly advise this mod. As you can see, in the last part of the vdeos, the FB90 can be super fast and nimble… Acro is easy and flips & rolls not a problem. As expected without the antenna mod, despite the FPV signal is super clear and strong in proximity flight, the signal can break when the antenna’s cones are parellel the VRX antenna. Nothing catastrophic and an easy fix can improve the situation.Other acro flight mode demo
CONCLUSIONS
The Fatbee FB90 works fine out of the box with a minimum of setting operation (binding and flight mode). The machine is clearly much more powerfull than the QX70 but much more noisy in the other hand. While the QX70 is almost a indoors only machine the FB90 is also promising for outdoors in calm wind situations. It’s fast and nimble while being stronger. I strongly recommand to install better 40mm props (such as the Hubsan’s modded model). With this 2USD mod, the FB90 performances are boosted !!!! and becomes one of my favorite brushed acro trainer. Even if 2 extra motors are given in the bundle, I am afraid the MTBF of motors is poor and statically every 20 flights, you will need some motor maintenance.
PROS
+ Much powerfull than classic 1S equivalent
+ SPF3 board (CF/BF compatible)
+ Good AIO FPV camera
+ Good radio and FPV rance (> 100m & < 150-200m in LOS conditions) + 8520 2S motors + Spare motors + Spare battery + Programmable LEDs + Superb acro flyer with the Hubsan's prop modCONS
– Same Heavy, not efficient and unbalanced props as for the QX70
– Noisy
– No possibility to tune the lens tilt orientation
– Bad VTX’s antenna location
– No balancer plug for the 2S LiPo
– No builtin buzzer
– Durability of 2S motors ?This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 73USD at http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Fatbee-FB90-90mm-Micro-FPV-LED-Racing-Quadcopter-BNF-Based-On-F3-Flight-Controller-p-1089814.htmlCet article TEST: Eachine “FatBee” FB90, the 2S Whoop est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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Seems to be a bug of the last WordPress 4.7 update. I applied a momentanary fix but I need to validate manually each new message.
Sorry for the convenance.Cet article FYI: Comments buggy since last WordPress update est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
Team Black Sheep (TBS) has created an excellent RTF FPV racer, the 
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TEST: Eachine AIOF3: 3g, SPF3, Builtin FrSky D8 w/telemetry, builtin BetaOSD
in RC Drone Product News
Posted
INTRODUCTION
With the Eachine AIOF3, here is an new ultralight Flight controller based on the powerfull F3 ARM core supporting directly Betaflight (3.0.0 by default), including a buitin FrSky D8 receiver (like the FrDR3) with working telemetry but now also integrate the Betaflight OSD. With betaflight OSD, you can configure everything from the Chrome GUI !!! just great. Cherry on the cake, FET are annouced to handle up to 10A so even compatible with “big” 10mmx20mm coreless brushed motors.
BOX CONTENT
+ 1 x AIOF3
+ 1 x Powerlead cable with microLOSI connector
+ 1 x Foam pad with double tape
OVERVIEW
A 37mmx29mm board …too large to fit a TinyWhoop/Eachine E010… but more adapted from a 80mm machine
The CC2500 RFchip associated with the FrSky receiver is installed on top. Nearby a ATmega328p to control it but no dedicaced pads to flash a new firmware. For the FrSky version, we have a binding button. You have to hold this button while powering the board via the USB for example. Good news, the receiver firware have been updated to correctly output RSSI & Vbat by telemetry. For the 6-axis stabilization, we have a MPU 6000 from invensense. The OSD processor is a AT7456E. Notice the big cap here for the +5V voltage regulation. It should help to filter out most interefences coming for the FPV connexion
The other side welcomes the main ARM F3 MCU and the strong FET supporting 10A at peak… (probably some ic995 chm2310p chip variant)
It’s just great !!!! In one year, FET were able to handle max 4A… then 6.4A. Now we have 10A models…. It means, bigger/stronger motors can be installed
3g so just 0.4g more than the FrFR3 without OSD.
Here are for example the connexions with the Eachine MC02 but more lighter AIO FPV cam can be used of course as soon the Video pads are found. We can expect bundle TX01+AIOF3 Under 7g.
UNBOXING & CONFIGURATIONS
CONCLUSIONS
The AIOF3 is clearly a super board with strong elements: strong FET, strong ARM F3 MCU, builtin FrSky D8 with telemetry, strong OSD and betaflight ready. Probably the best 1S board in the market. What’s a pity there is no way to use it in 2S configuration.
PROS
+ 3g
+ Builtin FrSky D8 receiver with working Telemetry
+ Builtin BetaflightOSD
+ F3 processor
+ Compatible Cleanflight/Betaflight
+ Strong 10A FET
CONS
– No 2S support
This Flight controller have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 31USD at http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-AIOF3_BRUSHED-Flight-Control-Board-Built-in-OSD-FrskyFlyskyDSM2DSMX-Receiver-Betaflight-p-1107427.html
Cet article TEST: Eachine AIOF3: 3g, SPF3, Builtin FrSky D8 w/telemetry, builtin BetaOSD est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.
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