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Droidworx airframes can be fitted with all the Major Flight Control avionics, such as Hoverfly Pro and Sport, Mikrokopter, DJI
wookongM, Arducopter, Openpilot, UAVP-NG and the specialist UAV electronics by Procerus.
If you plan to assemble the electronics yourself it is advised that you make yourself well acquainted with the process by
studying WIKI pages and forums, and that you have some reasonable soldering skills.
Take your time; make an art out of your build and you won’t have any problems at all. If in doubt - ask in the forums and
get clear on what you are doing before proceeding - see below for Forum addresses.
Propellers and engine combinations (note - propellers required are counter rotating sets)
Be sure to take some time to prepare the propellers before installing them, a prop balancer is also a good investment and can be bought from most on-line hobby stores.
A well used propeller is the APC 10x 4.7 or 11 x 4.7 – slightly heavier and stiffer but also very responsive matched
with AXI 2217/20 series motors - The Graupner 10 x 5 or 11 x 5 electro are a great match on this engine.
12” propellers recommended are 12 x 3.8SF(P) on AXI 2814/22 765Kv
13" propellers recommended are 13 x 6.5 E(P) on Axi 2814/22 series multi-rotor engines.
14" propellers - the APC 14 x 4.7SF(P)
Warning: never use prop protector type rubber mounted propellers on larger Multi-Rotor craft, these are only suitable for
very small hobby craft...such as the Droidworx Mini 4 or Mini 6.
Engines - standard and heavy lift
Recommended standard engine AXi 2217/20 - custom Multi-Rotor engine (factory short shaft with long extended wires)
Recommended heavy lift engine AXi 2814/22 - custom Multi-Rotor engine (factory short shaft with long extended wires)
www.modelmotors.cz
News: AXi are now supplying 2217/20 and 2814/22 engines, short shaft + 700mm extended wires as standard product
lines.
These high quality engines are available directly from Axi and are also carried by
www.digitech.nl
SpecificationAXI 2814/22
Voltage range3 - 6s Li-poly
RPM per Volt 765 RPM/V
Max. Efficiency 85%
Max. Efficiency Current 8-19 A
Max. Loading 25 A/30 s
Internal resistance 168mW
Dimensions 35x37 mm
Shaft Diameter 4 mm
Weight 106 g
Recommended model weight 1000 - 1800 g
Properller range. Direct drive. Special quadrocopter use 12"-14" prop
Non Standard Engines: please note that engines with protruding shafts cannot be used on droidworx engine mounts,
if you choose to use long shaft engine you must remove the excess shaft... see here for details.
SkyJib 8 and SkyJib 6
The SkyJib 8 and SkyJib 6 have been specially designed to fit the larger high torque hi power engines matched with
14" and 15" props. The engine class for this craft is in the range 2826/12 to 4120/20 series Axi or plattenberg
15-20.
This is a serious craft designed for high spec applications such as professional aerial cinematography carring large
video camera's such as the Red Epic on the SkyJib 8 and large DSLR's (such as the Red Scarlett) with bigger lenses on the
SkyJib 6.
Propellers
Propellers from: http://www.apcprop.com/default.asp - and from most outlets, see the "where to buy" page for sources
Propeller balancing and installing them correctly ensuring that they spin true is critical. It is advised to
to fit the propellers only after you have installed the electronics, software, firmware and powered the board and are
sure all systems are operational; then fit the propellers and secure them well - and check them regularly.
Balancing your propellers - a quick guide here.
Electronic Flight Control Systems
Recommended Flight Control - Hoverfly Pro - Mikrokopter - DJI (wookong M)
Hoverfly Pro and Sport
http://www.hoverflytech.com/Home_Page.php
HoverflyPRO is an expandable, Plug-N-Fly flight control system for professional multi-copter systems. Designed for stable flight and aerial photography, the HoverflyPro is creating a revolution in unmanned aerial systems. Where ever UAVs are flying, the HoverflyPro is emerging, bringing with it the advantages of lower cost, brilliant design, and consistent, dependable, powerful performance..
Hoverfly GPS and Navi module offering multiple features including Position hold, Come home and Care free flight modes.
the SPORT is streamlined to offer more acrobatic control. It makes sport flying a multi-rotor copter so natural, you might forget there’s incredible technology at your fingertips. It’s footprint is (55mm x 55mm), so it fits easily into many existing frames. Its streamlined design is perfect for sport flyers, micro-UAVs, educators, and anyone learning to fly.
Note; the Hoverfly system works with standard off the shelf speed controllers - make sure you choose quality components
to fit this setup, it is advised to check on forums to see what others are using, or contact Hoverfly for recommendations.
DJI - Wookong M
http://www.dji-innovations.com/minisite/index_en.html
DJI Wookong Multi-Rotor stabilization controller is a complete flight system for all multi-rotor platforms for commercial and
industrial AP applications. Unlike others, WooKong allows the use of regular ESC commonly used in RC helicopter without
any wiring modification; Heli mode setup providing a seamless transition for current Ace One AP professionals. WK-M utilizes
high quality components precisely calibrated with temperature compensation in all gyros and sensors, industry renounce
flight algorithm in autopilot and UAV.
Mikrokopter
Recommended setup for Mikrokopter is - Flight Control V2.1-ME + compass + Navi & GPS + BL V2.0 (x number of motors)
Note: when mounting the FC to the craft - be sure to use vibration dampening standoffs
https://www.mikrocontroller.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77&products_id=391
Mikrokopter has been a very well known, widely used and proven platform with many loyal followers and users globally.
The craft can be flown using only the flight control board, however navigation systems and GPS modules
provide potential for enjoyment and also for commercial applications. A new feature from Mikrokopter named
"care free" is a remarkable software modifictation allowing the craft to be easily controlled regardless of its orientation
in the sky - a compass and navi gear is required for this function on firmware 0.82 or higher.
WIKI pages offer an encyclopedia style instruction manual for everything Mikrokopter and more.
Go to: http://www.mikrokopter.de/ucwiki/en/MikroKopter?action=show&redirect=FrontPage
Arducopter - www.udrones.com
- Designed to be used with autonomous aircraft, quadcopters and helis
- Based on a 16MHz Atmega2560 processor.
- Built-in hardware failsafe that uses a separate circuit (multiplexer chip and ATMega328 processor) to transfer control
from the RC system to the autopilot and back again.
- Includes ability to reboot the main processor in mid-flight
- Dual-processor design with 32 MIPS of onboard power
- Supports 3D waypoints and mission commands (limited only by memory--approximately 600-700 waypoints with
current code, but can be adapted for more)
- 256k Flash Program Memory, 8K SRAM, 4K EEPROM
- Comes with a 6-pin GPS connector (EM406 style).
- Has 16 spare analog inputs (with ADC on each) and 40 digital input/outputs to add additional sensors
- Four dedicated serial ports for two-way telemetry (using optional XBee modules) and expansion
- Can be powered by either the RC receiver or a separate battery
- Hardware-driven servo control, which means less processor overhead, tighter response and no jitters
- Eight RC channels (including the autopilot on/off channel) can be processed by the autopilot.
- LEDs for power, failsafe status, autopilot status
Openpilot - www.openpilot.org - http://vimeo.com/22438901
OpenPilot is a next-generation Open Source UAV autopilot, it is a highly capable platform for multi-rotor craft, helicopters as
well as fixed wing aircraft. It has been designed from the ground up by a community of passionate developers from around
the globe, its core design principals are of quality and ease of use. Simplicity does not come with any compromises either:
with no hard-coded settings, a complete flight plan scripting language and other powerful features, OpenPilot is an
extremely capable UAV autopilot platform.
UAVP-NG - http://ng.uavp.ch/moin/FrontPage
This is an open source community project to build a modern autonomously flying Multicopter. The abbreviation UAVP stands
for "Universal Aerial Video Project". It is a flying object, ideally suited for making aerial videos and photos (aerial
photography), but is also a lot of fun to fly whether indoors or outdoors. The UAVP-NG Hardware 0.22 consists of two PCBs,
the flight-controller board (FC) and the sensor board (SB). Both contain a peripherial CPU called RC-Controller (RCC) and
SB-Controller (SBC).
ProcerusUAV - http://www.procerusuav.com
This is serious equipment used primarily for military spec applications - procerus will build RTF systems using thier high
quality electronics
for certified applications...such as the service sector and search and rescue operations. With advanced
features, this electronics package from Procerus is second to none on the market.
Caution: always test your electronics setup for first time powerup with the propellers removed.
Batteries
LiPo (Lithium Polymer) are the best choice for now and inroads have been made in battery technology over
the last years with greater output and performance continually being offered across the board.
3 cell 11.1 volt or 4 cell 14.4 volt 2600 mAp to 6000 mAp. Prices range from $30 on www.hobbycity.com to
over $200 + for more expensive batteries. A LiPo battery charger is needed to recharge the batteries and
these can also be bought from most on-line RC stores - you might want to consider a multi-port charger for charging
up to 4 battery packs at once.
The AD-8 and ADX-4 configuration uses larger amounts of current for flight and higher discharge rates are
recommended. 4 cell 14.4 volt power offers increased performance and endurance than a 3 cell 11.1 volt
power system. Batteries with a discharge rate of 45C and higher are recommended. New LiPo batteries
currently emerging on the market are claiming peak discharge rates of 90+C; note, higher "C" rated
batteries are recommended.
Recommended battery is Hyperion G3 EX series: LGG345-3300 to -LG345-5000-4S
Budget battery worth considering is the Turnigy 4S Nano-Tech 3300 - 6000 mAp.
The battery tray on Droidworx airframes are universal and designed to accept most battery sizes and shapes.
Note: the SkyJib series craft with larger 2826 or 4120 series Axi engines or 15 series Plettenbergs engines will require 5 or
6 cell LiPo batteries.
Caution - LiPo Batteries are dangerous if handled incorrectly - please view the Lipo Care page below:
LiPo care information
Radio Gear
Futaba, Spectrum, Graupner 2.4Ghz.
Hoverfly use and recommend Spektrum radio gear for their flight control.
The Mikrokopter platform is designed to accept the signal stream from these radio systems through special adaptations in
the Mikrokopter electronics; Spectrum via a satellite only installation, Futaba through a special PPM receiver and the
Graupner via Jeti Duplex. Up to 12 channels are accepted by the MK platform and 9 channel radio systems are
recommended to allow for all possible functions. 7 channels are required for the crafts controls, 4 for throttle, yaw, pitch and
roll, 1 for height hold, 1 for GPS position lock and return to home feature, 1 for "care free" flight mode leaving two for
camera functions or other accessories.
Recommended systems are Graupner MX16/MX22 + Jeti telemetry, Spectrum DX7/8/10 + satellite and Futaba 9c/10c/FX30
Camera’s
Note: higher voltsge recom regulators are advised for use with photohigher mounts to provide 6.5 volts from the FC
be careful to read the data sheet before fitting this to your FC to ensure the correct connections are made.
Recommended hobby camera - GoPro Hero HD and HD 2 - ContourHD - Drift
http://gopro.com/
http://contour.com/products/contour-plus
http://driftinnovation.com/hd170-action-camera/
Note these Camera's are perfect for the new Droidworx CX series craft.
The droidworx-photohigher pro series gymbal and extended landing gear option will accommodate larger DSLR camera's
and HD video camera's. This is a pro-setup for smooth gyro stabilized operation in roll and tilt axis offering superb results.
The smaller av130 pro-mini is also available for sub 500 gram camera's. 360 versions of these are also available.
A smaller lighter AV100 tilt only mount for point and shoots also from Photohigher. The MD2-DW from Mark Dana is also
a lightweight option for smaller compacts and GoPro.
Shutter Control
Shutter control for camera's (still photos) can be accomplished by installing a remote infra red device. These can be sourced
from www.blip.com.au in Australia. A list of suitable camera's for these devices can also be found on that site. Alternatively
the camera can be set to shoot every 5 seconds or a manual remote servo can be fitted to fire the shutter at will from
ground equipment.
FPV - video downlink and telemetry - (First Person View)
As the recommended radio frequency is 2.4Ghz for your aerial droid your FPV system cannot conflict with
this bandwidth. 1.2Ghz or 5.8 Ghz systems are therefore recommended for video transmission (900 Mhz is a banned
frequency range for public use in some countries).
The recommended telemetry downlink connections are Jeti and XBee.
Please note that placement of the XBee module on the craft is critical - it must be well away from the flight controller and
speed controllers.
Note: FPV piloting is against the law in some countries including Australia and the UK: be sure to check with the
relevant civil aviation safety authority in your country or ask on the international forums before buying, installing and
operating an FPV system.
FPV telemetry equipment allows the possibility to see through the lens of the onboard camera equipment for an aerial view
for framing shots and video footage and also just for the unique experience of that perspective. It is strongly recommended
that professional aerial applications always use a two person operation with the pilot of the vehicle solely focused on the
craft whilst the second person operates the camera via wireless telemetry.
Sources for FPV equipment are:
www.globe-flight.com
www.rangevideo.com
http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/
http://fpvpilot.com/default.aspx.
A good guide for FPV safety can be found at: www.fpvpilot.com/safe.aspx
Safety - See also "FLT-OPS" button on the front page of this site. FLT-OPS = Flight Operations
You are in control of a potentially dangerous craft – be responsible in your actions and choices when operating this craft.
Always check your equipment before you fly; a simple preflight check to ensure that everything on the craft
is in the right place and all equipment is functioning normally.
Safety precautions to take are:
Battery levels on the craft and transmitter are fully charged.
Propellers fastened tight
Engine mounts tight
You have the correct model selected on your transmitter
The area is clear and everyone nearby is notified of your intent to fly.
Choose a level area for take off.
Keep others clear in front and behind.
Plan your flight and survey the flight path for wires and obstructions.
Set the timer on the transmitter to 80% of the known battery duration.
Always keep the craft in line of sight of the transmitter – never fly behind trees etc.
Fly well clear of other people and their property - 30+ meters.
Regulation
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in Australia allows the use of these vehicles for recreational and
non commercial purposes . However you must adhere to operational regulations at all times. The maximum
height or operational ceiling for these craft is 400 feet – everywhere. You must not fly above this height.
You must also never fly near an operational aerodrome or airfield at any height and you are responsible for
the safety of others who are in proximity of this vehicle whilst it is on the ground with engines on and in
flight.
You may use this vehicle for professional aerial photography and video work in Australia only after
completing an accreditation course with CASA. Check with the relevant aviation authority in your country
before operating a commercial aerial photography and video business.
Please check safety and operational regulations in your country before operating and piloting this craft.
Forums
Be sure to make use of forums for help in setting up your aerial droid. RC Groups Mikrokopter/UAVP forums
offer an enormous wealth of information and personal on-line help. The Mikrokopter.de forum is also a great
resource for on-line help.
The newest forum and now getting allot of attention and fast becoming the preferred neutral public sharing space is:
www.multirotorforums.com
Shopping List - What you will need to complete your droidworx - hoverfly or Mikrokopter build
Mikrokopter
MK Flight Control – ME V 2.1
Navi
GPS
GPS Cable
MK Compass
BL controllers (X) the number of engines (V2.0)
MK USB
Power Distribution board
Molex connector
Molex cable
Hoverfly
HF Pro or Sport board
Hoverfly GPS and Navi module
Electronic Speed Controllers (ESC's) x number of engines.
General standard items
Rubber standoffs
Nylon Standoffs
Nylon nuts and bolts
Transmitter + Receiver
Wire and connectors
Heat shrink
Soldering Iron
LiPo Batteries (2 minumum) 4 cell high "C" rated 4-6000 mAp
Battery and Charger
Battery voltage gauge
Engines and Propellers and prop adaptors for the Axi motors
Laptop or PC for connection to the FC Camera and camera mount
Video downlink - if you want to see through your camera lens
Enjoy and be safe! Some quick tips for first flight see below...
MK Flight School: http://www.mikrokopter.com/ucwiki/en/FlightSchool |