Spending spare time flying a MikroKopter

[PineRidge]

Is that an Arduino microcontroller or something else? There are some vids on YouTube with guys tuning the feedback loops from gyros and accelerometers to help stabilize the thing, and they were slinging Arduino in there. I suppose you could use just about anything.

Do you have a radio (or at least channel count) you would recommend for this kind of application? I'd been planning to start with a small electric plane and play with FPV on it, and graduate up to heli/mikro over time. I just wanted to buy one radio, though, and wanted to get something that would do a reasonable job at all of the above.

This is a MikroKopter.de product.

I originally was going to use a 6 channel and found out that for FPV I needed more. So the wife is using the DX6i and I went to a JRX-9503 (9 channel)

They do have some sort of multiplier on the market to add more channels to certain radios.

 

[PineRidge]

That's not soooo bad - well compared to other hobby/pastime expenses. Boats, sports cars, snowmoble/ATV, hunting lease, etc.
Dave.

Dave years ago I flew real planes, raced cars, had boats and snowmobiles. Believe me this ain't bad at all.

This past Sunday the wife and I visited a fly-in about 50 miles away and gave a demonstration in 15 knot winds. It went real well.

Less than 3 hours later we were at a different flying field. Now there were 25 knot winds and the pilots were mulling around complaining. I decided what the heck and fired the HexaKopter up. I was doing some fast, steep turns and things were pretty cool until a wind gust hit the Hexa. The Hexa was on it's side and I knew it was gonna come down hard. Fixed pitch props really don't have much lift when they are 90 degrees to the tarmac. I took two steps back, yelled incoming, and it hit on it's side right in front of me. Two support arms (10mm aluminum) snapped and flew, the 4400mah Lipo was thrown free (undamaged) and it put a hole the size of a quarter in the hood. (that will need duct tape) The electronics and motors were all undamaged. The micro video camera was thrown from it's mount (servo taped) and it was also undamaged.

The Hexa is apart in front of me for repairs. Short of the hood the arms are going to cost me 7 bucks for the pair to replace. Forum members purchase the 10mm square alum. stock in lengths and cut it down for spare supports. The support arms absorb most of the energy in a crash.

It will be up and flying again by the weekend. It's a controlled crash when it comes down right in front of you so there is no need to go looking for the parts. :thumbsup:

BTW: Everything that flies carries an expiration date. Unfortunately we never know what the date is until it's too late.

 

[tommu56]

Another RC pilot here

if you are in to electric check out the NEET Fair

Northeast.Electric.Aircraft.Technology.Fair-Home

I've been there many times over the years

tom

 

[PineRidge]

Another RC pilot here

if you are in to electric check out the NEET Fair

Northeast.Electric.Aircraft.Technology.Fair-Home

I've been there many times over the years

tom

Tom thanks very much for the 'NEAT' link. I looked it over last evening and the wife and I are considering attending the event. Sounds like a lot of fun.

Wish I would have known about it earlier as demo registrations are already closed.

 

[thatguy]

Here's a price list I found following the links on youtube. Make sure you're sitting down:laughing:. http://shop.quadrocopter.us/Ready-to-Fly-MikroKopter_c_1.htmlhttp://shop.quadrocopter.us/Ready-to-Fly-MikroKopter_c_1.html

Ken

WOW... They look really cool, but I definitely cant hide that much $$ from the wife..

The worst part is that from what I have read on other forum you will spend that much or more in repairs after crashing OR in upgrades..

Brian

 

[jcims]

You can find kits here from MikroKopter.de - https://www.mikrocontroller.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=80

Not cheap by any stretch, but it looks like you could get a solid start for less than $3K. Aside from crashes, there aren't really any consumables. Batteries and motors will wear out of course, but I know plenty of folks that spend that much in golf in a given year. $3K won't get you anywhere with 'big toy' hobbies.

PineRidge, what would you say is the lifting capacity of a 'basic' hexacopter with 10" blades and 'standard' motors? Could it lift a small camera? Say 4-6oz? How do you like FPV with these?

 

[tommu56]

Tom thanks very much for the 'NEAT' link. I looked it over last evening and the wife and I are considering attending the event. Sounds like a lot of fun.

Wish I would have known about it earlier as demo registrations are already closed.

I haven't been up for a year or 2 but we usually make it a 4 day weekend Thursday after noon to Sunday to get a good camping site
reservations are a must if you want hookups
you have to do this through the camp ground

Peaceful Valley Campsite

tom

 

[RobertN]

Looks like a lot of fun. Our local ACE Hardware removed thier equipment rental, and replaced it with an RC section. They have a variety of Helicopters, some of which they fly in the store.

I go in to RC sailboats a couple years ago. Lotsa fun! I have three and am building a fourth, a Victor "Footy". 12" long full fledged RC sailboat.

 

[dodge man]

Cool pics and thanks for sharing. I don't think it sounds like that expensive of a hobby either. Do they let people go to these fly ins with shotguns to work on there skeet shooting?:laughing:

 

[frogfish]

Here's a price list I found following the links on youtube. Make sure you're sitting down:laughing:. http://shop.quadrocopter.us/Ready-to-Fly-MikroKopter_c_1.htmlhttp://shop.quadrocopter.us/Ready-to-Fly-MikroKopter_c_1.html

Ken

Whoa!! About 10 times what I was thinking! Looks like a lot of fun though: