EVILsteve's FR7!!!

I picked up this FR7 frame sometime ago to test out some of my more serious equipment on a small platform. I quickly realized that for such a large frame there really was not enough room for the components I selected. Ive since designed a new frame more tailored to this project but this will be the prefect test platform while I get my cnc router finished up.

The specs.
FC: Matek F405 (w. barometer)
ESC: Aikon 50A esc
Motors: Emax eco 2807 1500kv
GPS: Matek M8Q-5883 (w. Compass)
VTX: TBS 2.4, Matek 1.3 (haven't decided yet)
TX: Dragonlink advanced 433mhz / mini receiver

I didn't like the captains chair camera setup or whatever its called with the fpv cam above the gopro. I kept thinking every branch Id pass would be waiting to play T-ball with my camera. I also knocked it down to 25 degrees when I redesigned the mount.



The camera mount is printed from TPU and the bracket assembly is PETG. Theres a groove running down the bracket and a ridge on the camera mount that fit together, RTV bonds these together, Ive used this design without issue many times before. The front screws sandwich these together on the 10mm standoffs for extra security in case of a front impact. I went through many many variations to dial in the vibration damping without being too soft or too rigid. 


The video system has proven to be a challenge on this build.  With a Caddx Vista or DJI air unit installed the dragonlink receiver will only fit behind the camera with the antenna mounted in front of the frame in the worst place possible for long range. With a TBS 2.4 or Matek/RMRC 1.3 I am able to stack the VTX and TX in the rear and place the dragonlink antenna basically anywhere. I will probably have to give them all a fair try and see what performs best for this build.   

FWIW the FR7-G is a standard frame with a full top plate.  But you made do....

Nice build....and Dragonlink as well!

Dragonlink is the best system Ive used. Ive also been impressed with the expressLRS system but needed the telemetry capability for mavlink since this is an arducopter build.

I didn't know the G existed, I like the 3d print front end of this one. It adds some weight but keeps it low profile and looks cool. The low profile also works nicely with two 6s 18650 packs in parallel one over, one under. A true x with longer front end or h frame would have suited the receiver size better, 5mm extra room up front would have made things manageable 10mm would have made this easy.

What battery are you running w/this and how many minutes flight time?

Any changes you would recommend?

I haven't got this one flying yet. Still more printing and Electric setup I have some updated picture I was going to post shortly for this one.
For the battery I have a battery spot welder and a box of 18650 cells to experiment with. I was hoping a 5s2p 7000mha battery pack would get me past 20 minutes and keep it around 1100g but I might swap the motors for 1300kv rather than the 1500kv and go with a 6s2p at around 1300g.

This is a really good frame for its designed use. The layout is excellent with ESC and FC up front and DJI module in the rear or ESC up front and FC and VTX rear mounted for analog use. Needs a 200mm DJI camera cable if you go that route though. You could centre Mount the air unit and get away without but it balances really nice rear mounted. It's seems like it will be quite strong but it's a bit chunky.

I'm building something a lot different than the ordinary though and it's not the best setup me, too slammed and components are spaced out too far. The huge dragonlink receiver and 1.3 vtx is the issue and the Matek flight controller is meant to sit on rubber stand offs rather than using grommets and that's not helping with the additional hieght of the stack.

Nice build! I likewhat you have done with the camera mounts on this frame. I'm really intersted in dragon link and am thinking about putting it in my 10". I notice you are using DJI. What kind of range are you getting with the DJI system? I also wanted to upgrade my 10" to digital as well. I am happy to see someone using dragon link and DJI in the same build. I will be watching your progress with much interest in this build.

Dragonlink is excellent but it's very expensive and designed to take advantantage of telemetry. For a betaflight build with sketchy Rth and limited telemetry there's really no point. For an ardupilot build I can send the flight controller telemetry, gps, airspeed etc to a pc, tablet, phone app and have a live map and the ardupilot display and fly the aircraft from that by watching the horizon line to see pitch and roll and watch compass for yaw orientation and altitude, airspeed to control throttle so I can push through a blind spot. A Lua script makes this available on the transmitter screen through openTx. I run this on all my wings and AP drones but never tried it on an fpv quad yet.

That was the point of this build and trying out arducopter. I have one spot in particular with a hole through a mountain like a long tunnel but it's around a corner and there is absolutely no way to maintain video through it. Arducopter has a heading hold mode so I can basically aim towards it, when I loose video I can lift the goggles and maintain flight through with the telemetry display and hopefully regain video. This is actually running 1.3ghz video to a ground station relaying up 5.8 for the first flights. Mostly to try to position the tripod so I can pickup the lead in and exit of the tunnel while being near the entrance for a good Los to aim my heading. Dji and ardupilot isn't quite there yet until the next firmware release. You need to either run a nightly build or use an arduino for mavlink to msp conversion. That's set to release this year.

I've done about 5km on vista though with autonomous flights on a wing. Hands on maybe about 2.5mm.

I am just getting into fixed wings and have plans to eventually utilize arducopter for long range flights. I am currently using INAV and have the INAV Lua on my radio. Not as fancy as arducopter but pretty cool and useful none the less. I plan on playing around with the mission control before diving into arducopter. There's a YouTube channel I watch sometimes called Bonafidepirate and he uses arducopter and Dragon Link on his wings. He just sits in a shop in his barn and flies for miles lol. I'm having problems getting my wing to take off currently. I have wrecked it 3 times on the launch and had to replace the fuselage and almost gave up.

Hi EVILsteve,

You have got one GOOD LOOKING     build going on.   

I look forward to seeing the finished quad...and...flight video.