Quadcopter Set-up for scientific exploration and a little bit of fun!

[Andrew Desrosiers]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here as I am new to this forum. Let me start with a little background. I am an air quality meteorologist working for a large engineering firm in New England. I have had a personal interest in "drones" for quite some time. Last year I purchased (and built) a FPV Durlin Tricopter:

http://www.getfpv.com/pro-tricopter-delrin-kit-black.html

This kit was nice and worked for a few moments during the balancing and tuning phase. I ran into issues with flashing the KK board for the tricopter set up. I have had much better luck with a P51 Mustang build and a piper cub build as these were much easier to set up.

I currently have a DX6i Tx/Rx and have some background in flying. I am posting in the newby forumn, well because, that is what I consider myself...also this will be my first quadcopter purchase. I want to make sure I get the right quadcopter for the job and have something I can grow with.

Like I said above, I am an air quality meteorologist, and with that I want to be able to use a quadcopter to sample meteorological variables in the vertical and have the ability to "follow" plume and temperature gradients (basically...I need a quadcopter to sense weather). Also, I would like to peruse this as a hobby as well, since I have always had the desire to fly these (I just needed justification for the price).

Now that I have some application for the use of the quadcopter and want to learn this hobby, I need the quadcopter. I have been doing a little research this past week and found some options I really like, but I want to be sure that these options are reasonable, as I said I am a n00b outreaching to some pros. I am looking for something that can also record some video! The payload I am looking to lift is a raspberry pi computer, its small power source (portable USB cell phone charger), and a temperature probe. These do not weight much (but reading grams make all the difference). Eventually, I want to grow this hobby into using a fpv system to allow for further meteorological variable tracking (I have developed a multi-spectral band camera for this with the Rasp Pi and will communicate via WiFi...but this is far down the road).

Here are some of the systems I have been looking at:

http://www.getfpv.com/qav250-mini-fpv-quadcopter-rtf.html

Size may be an issue here as I do want to lift some kind of payload...the 5" props may not provide the lift I need...

I am liking this option:

http://www.getfpv.com/multi-rotor-frames/qav400-fpv-quad/ready-to-fly-qav400-rtf.html

with Lumenier Fx-2216-9 1100kv V2 motors,
DJI NAZA-M V2, PMU LED W/GPS
and landing gear.

I like this option because it has power behind it, it is not an enclosed system (easier to repair compared to a DJI Phantom...I think). Also, it will allow me to grow into this system and install a fpv system on it...However I am not sure if this is a good option for me.

Lastly,
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced...

Like I said I want to learn and REALLY get into this hobby. I want to learn and grow on a system that can push me and can hold some payload (like a GoPro). Flight time is important to me as well, like, but I know the more payload, the more you need to compensate for it...

Sorry for the length and wordiness of this query...I am overwhelmed with the quadcopter selections out there...and am in need of some guidance. I always like a challenge, so a quadcopter I can "grow-into" would be ideal. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your help,

Andrew

 

[GJH105775]

Welcome to the forum, this will be a great placed to get immersed in this addiction hobby

From what I can see you will want something that has a longer flight time, and can carry a little bit. For better flight times you will want bigger props, bigger props will mean lower kv motors and so on. If you wanted to builds one instead of buying one you could better customize to your needs, and will be repairable no matter what. If your only carrying a GoPro 12'' props would easily handle it, but if your willing to pay a little more you can go a little bigger to lets say ~14'' props and carry more equiptment and get longer flight times.

The trade off is really between speed and flight times/load.




The flight controller really decides what your quadcopter will do, take a look at this list.
Note: DJI use Naza flight controllers

 

[Andrew Desrosiers]

Thanks for the reply GJH105775!

That post helped a lot. The QA400 was very enticing to me because of the possibility of customization. Also, they offer a lot of replacement parts that appear to be easy to fix...because I realize with this hobby its not a matter of IF you are going to crash but eventually WHEN, especially being a newby. With what I now understand, I should opt for the lower KV motor and increase the prop size of that system. Since the QA400 is meant for being a racing platform, I can opt for the lower KV motor for my payload flight days and learning...then upgrade it to the higher KV motor and smaller prop when I get more comfortable and can handle much higher speeds.

Is tuning a quadcopter much easier than tuning a tricopter? I am looking to find an RTF because I have been scared away from the tuning processes...until I learn more about it.

Or should I opt for one of these?

http://www.dji.com/product/flame-wheel-arf

and build it myself. It seems like people are very helpful here and might be able to help me along the process. I am just confused on where to begin...what to buy (RTF or Build)...and if Build...what to buy that would be maximize efficiency.

 

[GJH105775]

It is easier as you don't have servos to mess with. I don't know about how much better, but it is manageable.

If your fine with a price increase (maybe after you get a little practice with a quad) you could opt for a hexa copter for heavy lift, or a mini hex for speed and a little lift.

 

[GJH105775]

The question is what you want, do you like aerial photography or the thrill of a faster quadcopter.

 

[Andrew Desrosiers]

I am more interested in aerial photography, using the platform for remote sensing, and learning the quad copter system (or even a hexa copter) which I found here for a decent price:

http://www.helipal.com/dji-flamewheel-f550-combo-2-naza-v2-legs.html

I think it would be best to stay away from speed and the trill...and master basics and controls first. Looking at the kit above, this might be a good option too since it has the Nava system, tuned motors, and ESC's. It is an ideal price too...

I have a few ideas that I am working with to mount a two camera system to the under body of the copter that will detect distressed cropland, temperature, and many other unique characteristics of land use. The trick is to get this camera unit up into the air. I made the unit out of a raspberry pi to minimize weight and to be able to use linux to stream the data back to a base station. Also, I wrote a python script to poll temperature from the raspberry pi at an n-interval, and this will also be streamed back to the base computer system...the idea is to fly the copter at the brink of morning to see unique characteristics of the lower atmosphere (under the 400 ft rule), to see how the temperature profile works...This data will be logged with GPS as well...and will be plotted in a ArcGIS environment. I have major goals with this copter one day! Like you said above, maybe a hexa copter might be better to increase my payload abilities. Besides all the science-y stuff...I can not wait to fly a system and throw my money into this hobby!

I am up for other suggestions and your expertise!

Thank you very much for your continued replies!

 

[GJH105775]

You will defiantly want something like hexacopter or 6Y, not only for lifting ability, but for redundancy. If a motor or ESC goes out you will want to be able to safely land, and not loose any equipment. If your looking for something easy to fly Naza is great, if your looking something you can incorporate into your other equipment a Mutiwii may be better.

 

[Andrew Desrosiers]

I am a little worried with the DJI flight time i have been reading with the Hexa Copter...seeing about 5-8 Min flight time...and that is stock set up...I know if i add more weight that flight time will deteriorate. Putting aside weather equipment...and just flying a camera, is there a copter that would be best? I guess what I am getting at is for someone to say...THIS BUY THIS haha

 

[GJH105775]

I think you'd be better to build something, unless you can find something with big props and a big battery.