XK Detect X380 GPS Headless Mode

WLDOR

WLDOR

R/C Veteran, Quadcopter Rookie
Shipping to Canada: $71.74 USD via Fedex Priority

I also added a number of other things to the order at the same time though, so this may not be an entirely representative shipping quote for ~just~ the quadcopter.
 
WLDOR

WLDOR

R/C Veteran, Quadcopter Rookie
Well, Just received my XK X380-C from Hobbyking, and I'm not overly impressed - the tape seal to the box was broken, and when I opened it, the protective bubble-wrap bags were removed from a number of the components and stuffed back into the styrofoam packaging. It is obviously an opened/returned item that has been shipped as 'new' (pretty sure that's illegal here in NA, but it was shipped from China… I have no idea how policy works there!)

When I opened the box up to uncover the quadcopter, the camera/gimbal were already mounted, but the camera sits at a really funky angle, and I'm not sure it's supposed to sit at such an angle! Any ideas?? Is this adjustable, or is it <ahem> buggered?!?image1 2.JPG
 
WLDOR

WLDOR

R/C Veteran, Quadcopter Rookie
You're right - It did. Sorry for the stupid question - new to quads, and nervous because the packaging was tampered with!
 
WLDOR

WLDOR

R/C Veteran, Quadcopter Rookie
Crashed it on each of the first couple of flights. No idea why as yet, but from what I've read, that's not entirely uncommon in this model - they do seem to have something of a tendency to fall from the sky... I need to order a new upper body shell and gimbal before attempting to fly it again - the shell is structural, and it cracked across the top of one arm. The gimbal broke both motor shafts on impact.

When it *was* flying, it was very stable, and also very forgiving under my inexperienced control… of course, that is right up until it flipped and crashed!
 
WLDOR

WLDOR

R/C Veteran, Quadcopter Rookie
Finally had a chance to take the shell apart this afternoon and check the damage from the last suicide mission. Fortunately it was just to the upper shell only, so I glued the crack, and 'strengthened it' with a short strip of plastic glued across the break (actually a piece of the plastic frame that holds all the bits in a model kit!)… works like a charm to support the arm.

I then performed the "battery mod" to the transmitter - solder a JST connector to the back of the battery box so now it can power off of a 2S Lipo (used the soldering iron to remove the AA battery separating 'fins' in the battery bay… all fully operational!

Took the quad for a flight… all was good for the first few mins, then i'll be darned if it didn't do it AGAIN! Hovering around 10ft from the floor, no input on the controls (next to zero breeze)… all of a sudden it flipped 180 degrees and death-crashed into the ground! Darnit! I have NO idea what the issue with this quad is, but whenever it gets to ~3mins of flight time, it suddenly goes bonkers! At least no further damage this time (not that there's much more that ~could~ break…!)

<Sigh>
 
WLDOR

WLDOR

R/C Veteran, Quadcopter Rookie
I take the above back. After the above crash, I tried to get this thing in the air again, but had an issue - the status led's flashed red really quickly ("there's a problem"), and it beeped incessantly. It wouldn't engage the motors at all, nor respond to the Tx in any way. I was -sure- it was a HW issue - maybe the GPS antenna in one of the legs had broken free? (apparently a common occurrence) or just one crash too many, and maybe the FC had given up the will to live!

I posted a vid of the issue online through the X380 FB page, and was advised to upgrade the firmware. I thought that was a daft idea - firmware doesn't break loose and fall out following a crash! What a crazy suggestion... But, what have I got to lose?

Sure enough, I loaded the new firmware, and now have a couple of 20+ min flights on this thing, no crazy flips, no crashes, and full green LED's (indicating strong GPS signal)

Back in love with this quad (so much so, that I'd better treat her to a new gimbal, and a new set of props...!)
 
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