Advice for a new FPV Quadcopter User

[Nightwalker]

A little intro; I am looking to get into the FPV Quadcopter scene and I have just today received a Eachine 250 Racer with controller and screen.

Backstory: So my first Quad was a small Hubsan X4 H107C which I have been flying for many months now and I would say I'm quite proficient with it and can manoeuvre it exactly how I want, I'm very confident with it. The Hubsan X4 is fairly small and cheap (~£45) but I think it is superb little model.

I'm interested in photography so I didn't hesitate to dismantle my Hubsan X4 and upgrade its camera by soldering in a new higher res camera-board from BangGood, so I'm not scared of a basic soldering job But the thought of building my own drone from scratch would probably be a little daunting for me.

I don't have a lot of cash to spend but I've always wanted a bigger / better quadcopter; hence my most recent purchase (Eachine Racer 250 FPV with 2.4G I6 Controller 6CH Transmitter 7 Inch Monitor). Shipped into the UK from Singapore the full bundle + import-duty charges cost me around £240 which is the highest I could afford for a drone atm.

I liked the fact that it was pre-built and mostly ready to go. The instructions were very minimal and don't really tell you how to get started, I watched a few videos online about this model and it seem to be that everyone was using OpenPilot GCS to do an initial configuration and calibration before their first flight, I don't know if that was required but I kinda of assumed it might have been.

So I downloaded & installed OpenPilot and got the firmware re-flashed & calibration done.

I'm sensible when it comes to safety so I wont be attempting to fly this indoors at all as I realise it is more powerful and can cause injury. The weather is appalling here at the moment so I may have to wait a day or two. But I have a few questions for the community:

Are there any guides that you would recommend for beginners to FPV / Quadcopters? Either on here or elsewhere?

I picked up a good glossary of terminology here: http://blog.oscarliang.net/quadcopter-acronyms-term-glossary-word-drone/

I have also lost one Hubsan X4 back when I was learning in long-grass so to my Racer 250 I will be fitting a lost alarm/buzzer which I am yet to purchase. Thanks for your time and help.

 

[Nightwalker]

So here's a good example of the kind of thing that might baffle a beginner and I'm wondering if anyone can help me with: Propellers and how to know which goes where? I understand that on the quadcopter I've got some rotate clockwise and others counter-clockwise and the matching pairs are diagonally opposite to one another however with my Eachine Racer 250 (shown in the attached photo) which comes with a spair set of propellers I have noticed that the propellers are angled differently, the back ones are black, front white, but there are two different types of white and black ones.

A close inspection of the propellers shows very tiny writing which says: 5030R and on the other type it says 5030 would I be right to assume the inclusion of the letter 'R' on one type might be to indicate that they should be used on the right-side of the vehicle?

I have noticed that the rear black propellers have the same lettering. Are there any FliteTest or other guides out there shows how propeller angles should work for quadcopters? Apologies if I have missed it, thanks for your time.

 

[Jackson]

would I be right to assume the inclusion of the letter 'R' on one type might be to indicate that they should be used on the right-side of the vehicle?

No, that is incorrect. That prop is meant to spin CW, no R = CCW

Ignore the actual motor numbers (different flight controllers may use another scheme.

Look at this prop.

By looking at leading edge you can tell which way it should spin. That's an 'R'.

On a side note that's a decent transmitter that came in the kit. You can use it for your next project. You'll just need another RX, this is the 'fancy' one, it can also do PPM and has an IBus port. You have a 20 model memory to work with, all independent of themselves. Make sure to go into the menu and set the failsafes, there's one for each channel.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4G-Flysky...534481?hash=item3d060d3751:g:tTcAAOSwo0JWH1P4

With that one you could also grab this if you like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flysky-FS-C...402297?hash=item2ca37c6fb9:g:0EIAAOSw14xWKHFh

It will show the actual voltage of your LiPo on the radio's LCD.

 

[Nightwalker]

Jackson thank you for taking the time to reply and for the detailed diagrams, as luck would have it by complete chance I appear to have my propellers set up correctly when compared to your explanation and pictures, thank you Jackson.

 

[Jackson]

as luck would have it

A good thing.

 

[Nightwalker]

I would like to fit a lost alarm/buzzer before I fly this Quad I'm wondering if any of you fine folks could help me confirm if the kind of thing I am looking at would be compatible? I can see ones like this:
- http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Racer-250-Drone-Spare-Part-Lost-Alarm-Module-p-1012629.html
- http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbykin...itor_Signal_Loss_and_Lost_Airplane_Alarm.html
- http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/__13064__Signal_loss_Alarm_Lost_Plane_Finder.html
I notice on a couple of these they say they "plug into any servo/rx port", I believe in my case that might be the widest white connector on my CC3D, please be gentle with me I'm new to all this!

I think this diagram backs up my thinking:

I would love to hear from others who have fitted lost alarms and whether you think any of the above alarms will be compatible with my Eachine Racer 250? Thanks for your time and help.

 

[mrbeal]

This is an older thread but I thought my $.02 might be helpful to someone. I quickly figured out that my 6045 and 6045R props are 6045 (normal) and 6045R (Reverse). So, if you keep in mind the "R" is reverse then you should be able to figure it out easily.