Author Topic: Build a drone video series  (Read 13975 times)

Offline JayMcClellan

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Build a drone video series
« on: June 18, 2017, 09:44:36 AM »
I just started making a new video series on building a quadcopter  :med: with a detachable payload section, with the first payload to be a stabilized camera platform for making aerial video. I'm using a simple and relatively inexpensive design in hopes of making it practical for others to build. Part 1 goes over all the components and some numerical modeling with ecalc to help optimize performance. To keep it from getting too dry I also included footage from some of my better crashes.  :palm:



I put the parts list and predicted performance data out on my website at http://BrainRight.com/Projects/Drone.

Offline ieezitin

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2017, 10:35:03 AM »
Hello

I enjoyed your video and am looking forward to the rest of them this was to me very interesting project i find this drone business very interesting...

Anthony.
If you cant fix it, get another hobby.

Offline philf

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2017, 10:36:56 AM »
Brilliant Jay,

You've got my interest.

 :thumbup:


Phil.
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Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline Biggles

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2017, 01:07:26 AM »
Looks good Jay looking forward to the rest.  :thumbup:

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2017, 11:43:31 AM »
I find this very interesting. Will be watching.

Eric
Science is fun.

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2017, 01:44:55 PM »
I just published the Part 2 video where I assemble and get it flying:



Next I'll build the payload section with a gimbal-stabilized camera platform and FPV transmitter.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2017, 06:10:21 AM »
Looking very good Jay - if only my to do list wasn't so long already !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2017, 05:54:43 PM »
I just upload the Part 3 video where I finished the camera platform and shot some aerial video of my house:


Offline AdeV

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2017, 04:38:32 AM »
Jay,

Very much enjoyed your videos! I didn't realise that camera gimbals were comparatively so cheap (less than $50, over the pond here we can get them for similar money, which makes a pleasant change), I'll definitely be referring back to these when I start putting my own drone together, so thank you!
Cheers!
Ade.
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Occasionally: Zhengzhou, China. An even longer way from anywhere...

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2017, 10:25:36 AM »
 Ade, I'm glad you enjoyed the videos. My impression of the cheap gimbal is that it is really quite decent in terms of stability, and fairly well made for the price. I think the main thing you get with higher-end gimbals, other than presumed better quality and perhaps a third axis, is a more compact design. This one does the job but it sprouts wires all over and looks aerodynamic as a rocking chair. That doesn't matter much for slow flight though.

Offline ieezitin

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2017, 11:05:59 AM »
Jay

great job on the video show on building the drone, about how much did this build cost you and whats a ballpark price for a radio transciever cost.

Anthony.
If you cant fix it, get another hobby.

Offline Biggles

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2017, 12:40:44 PM »
great work Jay enjoyed the videos very much.   :clap:

Offline AdeV

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2017, 12:55:16 PM »
Ade, I'm glad you enjoyed the videos. My impression of the cheap gimbal is that it is really quite decent in terms of stability, and fairly well made for the price. I think the main thing you get with higher-end gimbals, other than presumed better quality and perhaps a third axis, is a more compact design. This one does the job but it sprouts wires all over and looks aerodynamic as a rocking chair. That doesn't matter much for slow flight though.

Other than a couple of points where it looks like you tilted too far for the camera, I'd say it was amazingly stable for the price; and as you say, for a quadcopter type vehicle, high speed isn't essential... I really liked the FPV facility too; where I am, near the docks, I reckon there's some great footage to be had, flying around the bridges and whatnot. I'll maybe have to add floats to mine, in case of a water landing!

The main difference between what I want to do with mine and most drones (including yours), I want the "stable level flight" thing to be 100% automatic; I will send digital commands such as "ascend", "descend", bank or rotate left/right; and let the flight computer work out everything else. I don't know if such a flight computer exists.... so I may be trying to get my head around some maths when it comes down to it... I've already butchered an old RC set to fit an Arduino (which will read the stick inputs & translate these into the relevant commands, which will be sent over a digital stream. If I can incorporate GPS and collision avoidance as well, then it shouldn't be too much of a step to add "return home" functionality, e.g. if it loses signal from the transmitter, or if the batteries are getting a bit low. Fun stuff!
Cheers!
Ade.
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Occasionally: Zhengzhou, China. An even longer way from anywhere...

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2017, 04:58:22 PM »
Jay

great job on the video show on building the drone, about how much did this build cost you and whats a ballpark price for a radio transciever cost.

Anthony.
I tried to build this with relatively inexpensive components, to make it affordable to more people and also so it's more practical for me to replicate. I didn't add up all the parts cost and some of the things I found at sale prices, but I think it's in the ballpark of $400 including the radio (FlySky FS-T6 currently sells for $52 on Amazon). You can buy a pretty nice drone for $400, so you're not likely to save a lot of money building it yourself and it takes a lot of time but it's worthwhile if you enjoy the design and build process as I do. It's also worthwhile for the ability to customize aspects of the design that may not be practical with commercial drones. It becomes more economical when you start having crashes (which will happen) and figure in repair cost, which can be much lower with a homebuilt drone so the long-term cost may be lower depending on how you fly.

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #14 on: July 02, 2017, 05:10:03 PM »
I'll maybe have to add floats to mine, in case of a water landing

You might consider a product called GetterBack, http://www.amazon.com/GetterBack-Recovery-System-Velcro-Yellow/dp/B00GIYIU8Q, which lets you recover a sunken drone from the water. Floats might be better in some cases, but I think it's more likely to be a "water crash" than a "water landing" in which case there's a good chance it would end up upside-down anyway. The Getterback is probably lighter and certainly smaller than floats, and is popular with drone flyers. I haven't used it yet but I have one on order.

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #15 on: July 11, 2017, 05:59:46 PM »
Here's Part 4 where I rebuild the drone with a better flight controller and communication to the OSD, plus a much simpler FPV camera platform, after having watched the first drone sail away over the treetops.  :(


Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2017, 11:14:23 PM »
Hi Jay,

I enjoyed the videos. Makes me want to dig out my stalled drone project... If you don't mind, I would to PM you some questions.

Eric
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We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Offline JayMcClellan

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2017, 11:26:44 AM »
Hi Jay,

I enjoyed the videos. Makes me want to dig out my stalled drone project... If you don't mind, I would to PM you some questions.

Eric
Glad you liked the  videos, and you're welcome to PM me if you like although for questions that may be of general interest I prefer to field them as forum posts or YouTube comments so others can see the discussion. Either way is fine though.

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Build a drone video series
« Reply #18 on: July 12, 2017, 02:30:17 PM »
Hi Jay,

I enjoyed the videos. Makes me want to dig out my stalled drone project... If you don't mind, I would to PM you some questions.

Eric
Glad you liked the  videos, and you're welcome to PM me if you like although for questions that may be of general interest I prefer to field them as forum posts or YouTube comments so others can see the discussion. Either way is fine though.

Absolutely. I will float them on the forum. Just didn't want to dirty up your post.
Science is fun.

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.