Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 Good day all,
I am working for department of agriculture (South Africa) doing farm planning, mapping and infrastructure development. The employer recently purchased a very expensive mapping drone to do aerial photogrammetry for mapping and sent us on a "crash" course- (no, we did not crash it). The drone has Pixhack autopilot and connects with Mission Planner. It has a 24MP Sony a6000 camera to take aerial photos.
I am retiring in a few months after 39 year's service, but I want to build my own (cheap) drone with a very limited budget that can almost do the same. So, I plunged in and after a lot of research ordered some parts from Aliexpress. This is my kit:
1 x X500 Quadcopter Frame Kit
4 x 2212 920kv Motor
4 x 30A Simonk esc
4 pairs 1045 propeller
1 x Pixhawk 2.4.8 32bit ARM Flight Controller
1 x Safety button
1 x Buzzer
1 x 4G TF card(IO firmware has written)
1 x Power Module
1 x I2C Splitter Expand Module
1 x M8N GPS with GPS Holder
1 x PPM Module w/ shell
1 x Mini OSD
1 x RGB Module
1 x 433MHZ 3DR Radio Telemetry Kit With Case
1 x 1200TVL Mini Camera
1x 5.8G 48CH 4.3 Inch LCD FPV Monitor
Runcam Speedybee VTX-DVR
FlySky FS-i6X with IA10B receiver
[b]I have not ordered batteries yet.[/b]
My first question: Is there anything else I will need to get me in the air?
At this stage I am not very worried about flying it with the RC and FPV. I rather want to do planned routes from Mission Planner taking aerial photos.
My big question: which affordable camera will be suitable to take shots triggered by Pixhawk? I cannot afford a Sony a6000, so is there any of the affordable 4K or HD cameras that will be triggered by the autopilot?
Thank you for your assistance. ![[-]](https://intofpv.com/images/collapse.png) • Posts: 6,093 Threads: 172 Likes Received: 2,283 in 1,830 posts Likes Given: 4,724 Joined: Feb 2019 Reputation: 100 what rating do your motors have? what direction of weight will your copter have?
how many cell are recommend? what ampdraw they have will give an idea for choosing a battery, good motormanufacture write this informations on their website. • Posts: 1,197 Threads: 59 Likes Received: 592 in 395 posts Likes Given: 210 Joined: Mar 2019 Reputation: 42 Hi Frans, It appears some of your parts are quite outdated, and for the same price you could probably get some newer and better quality gear.
I'm sure some other experienced members will chime in, but i'd recommend going for BLheli ESC's, Also those motors might be okay, but do you have any idea what batteries you will want to run, and more importantly the cell count of these batteries?
I probably wouldn't use that runcam speedybee vtx dvr, you're probably better off with an AKK vtx or something like a TX805S.
Not sure on which camera would be best suited for you, what's your price range and maybe I can recommend. I think you can even do a setup with a gopro, but then you lack a decent lens that something like the sony would have. • Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 Thank you for your replies. I can see I still have a lot to learn.
The motors comes wit the kit and it is ReadytoSky 2212 920kv. I have no idea what rating they have and I don't know what the total weight will be. I think I will order 4S Lipo batteries.
The ESC's are also ReadytoSky with this specs:
ESC Specs:
Cont. current: 30A
Max. current: 35A
Input Voltage: 2-4S lipo / 4-12 cell Ni-MH/Ni-Cd
BEC: 5V 2A (Linear mode)
Size: 55x26x8mm (length 145mm including power cable)
Weight: ~24g
Can be programmed by yourself!
Would that mean that I can flash BLheli firmware on it?
At this stage I only need any cheap (4K, HD) camera that can be triggered by the autopilot to take aerial photos. Is there anything that can do that?
Thanks for your help. I really appreciate. • Posts: 6,093 Threads: 172 Likes Received: 2,283 in 1,830 posts Likes Given: 4,724 Joined: Feb 2019 Reputation: 100 05-Nov-2019, 01:55 PM (This post was last modified: 05-Nov-2019, 02:33 PM by hugnosed_bat.) http://www.readytosky.com/e_productshow/...r-787.html seems like they have no information written, only thing voltage 7-12v, they are rated for 3s lipos. they will probably work on 4s, but for flighttime 3s should be the best. as example; if the ampdraw would be 10a avarage, a 3000mah lipo should give 18min flytime, i guess between 3000mah to 6000mah should give you flytime to do good areal fotos. i am not an areal foto/video guy but probably a used digital cam with possibility to controll over the fc, should be most inexpensive option. „can be programmed by yourself“ doesnt mean its able for blheli, this only describe ability to do settings on the particular firmware of the esc. did you still own the parts you listed? if not, as bffigjam wrote there are better value for money options. • Posts: 1,197 Threads: 59 Likes Received: 592 in 395 posts Likes Given: 210 Joined: Mar 2019 Reputation: 42 If you would like i'd be happy to recommend a list of more current components. We'd need a good judgement of your price range, or what you were expecting to pay for each of these items. That way I can cater to your budget. Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 Thank you for your help, I really appreciate. Unfortunately I already ordered and paid for the parts- just waiting for delivery, which can be up to 2 months.
I was able to cancel the VTX DVR, so I will have to order something else. • Posts: 1,197 Threads: 59 Likes Received: 592 in 395 posts Likes Given: 210 Joined: Mar 2019 Reputation: 42 (06-Nov-2019, 11:04 AM)Frans Wrote: Thank you for your help, I really appreciate. Unfortunately I already ordered and paid for the parts- just waiting for delivery, which can be up to 2 months.
I was able to cancel the VTX DVR, so I will have to order something else. Wow that's a very long delivery time! • Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 OK, my kit arrived and I started to assemble.
First problem, my (old windows 7) computer does not see the Pixhawk 2.4.8.
I tried to install Qgroundcontrol, but it can't start because api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing on my computer.
Whatever fixes I tried- nothing works. • Posts: 21,190 Threads: 582 Likes Received: 8,930 in 6,606 posts Likes Given: 1,425 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 786 14-Nov-2019, 02:46 PM (This post was last modified: 14-Nov-2019, 02:47 PM by SnowLeopardFPV.) (14-Nov-2019, 02:26 PM)Frans Wrote: OK, my kit arrived and I started to assemble.
First problem, my (old windows 7) computer does not see the Pixhawk 2.4.8.
I tried to install Qgroundcontrol, but it can't start because api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing on my computer.
Whatever fixes I tried- nothing works. That DLL is part of the Visual C++ 2015 redistribution pack. If either the x86 or x64 versions already exist on your machine (look in Add/Remove Programs) then completely uninstall them. Then download and do a fresh install of both redistribution packs from the following link... https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download...x?id=52685 • Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 Thank you, I did this^^^ and now QGC is working, but.
Next problem: When I plug the Pixhawk in it lights up, but my computer does not see it. QGP keeps "Waiting for Vehicle Connection".
Any ideas? • Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 I also started Mission Planner and it does not pick the Picxhawk up. • Posts: 21,190 Threads: 582 Likes Received: 8,930 in 6,606 posts Likes Given: 1,425 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 786 If you open up Windows Device Manager, when you connect the Pixhawk device to your computer via USB, a new device should appear under the "Ports (COM & LPT)" node. Is that happening? • Posts: 20 Threads: 3 Likes Received: 1 in 1 posts Likes Given: 0 Joined: Oct 2019 Reputation: 0 There is no Ports folder in my Device manager. • Posts: 21,190 Threads: 582 Likes Received: 8,930 in 6,606 posts Likes Given: 1,425 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 786 (16-Nov-2019, 08:32 AM)Frans Wrote: There is no Ports folder in my Device manager. With the Pixhawk plugged into your computer, are you getting any entries in Windows Device Manager under the "Other Devices" node with a yellow exclamation mark against them? • |
