RX130

By busse on Mar 06, 2017

3  394  0

Fast little backyard flyer, size 130mm

This is my third build, first was a 250mm and second that's still partly unfinished is a 210mm. This is meant to be flown in backyard or small parks.

About the parts chosen:
I Tried to keep the build somewhat light, but wanted still some extras like a buzzer and LEDs (as my kids like to watch when flying). I usually buy a pretty cheap, but sturdy frame (so that I can buy a spare). Wanted to try an "all-in-one" fc, Furious FPV Kombini is a pdb+fc, super easy to build and well documented so no problems in connections. Tough solderpads are quite close to another, so that took some extra time. ESC's, motors and fpv camera are pretty standard and common choises. I decided to take 3300kv motors (instead of 4000kv) as I've used smaller kv's before, and they usually works better if the build ain't the most lightest (as this is not). I had the Swift fpv camera as a spare, and wanted an OSD, so when choosing one, decided to go with FuriousFPV piggy (as the kombini supports it super easily). The receiver is also FuriousFPV, it's super small, and the range (1km) shouldn't be an issue. Batteries are what they are, they are cheap, and serves my purposes well.

Some thoughts and notes after first flight

  • First of it flies very nicely! There's enough power and betaflight original PIDs are good to begin with, very pleased with the 3300kv motors (there was no overheating or problems alike, tough the outside temp was only about 5c degrees (41 f)
  • Had to change the receiver antenna position as it originally was just left to stick out up next to VTX antenna. Range was about 500m after getting critical or lost signal. That's half of what it should be. Hoping the antennas new placement in right the side, climbing up the frame and sticking out packed in cable tie and heat shrink, next to the camera is better
  • VTX performance was ok, but not perfect, tough just remembered it was set in 200mw power output.. so the power increase to 600mw should fix most or all of the performance issues
  • PiggyOSD is nice, all works fine, but can't get any RSSI signal (don't know should I) to the piggy (taranis gets the RSSI). Still, I mostly rely on telemetry from my taranis.
  • a bigger problem was the compromise I had to make to get the kombini fitted with the original standoffs and screws to the frame. As the kombini is pretty thick (it requires space both sides), the original screws didn't go deep enough in the nylon standoffs, so the whole upper frame broke off from the (nylon) standoffs right after the first crash! This happened during the "build-test-flight". The frame came with four metal standoffs that are about 8mm in height, and are propably mean't to be between the FC and upper part of the frame (at least that is what I thought). But four is not enough, or the screws are not long enough (to get through the bottom frame all the way to the upper frame). So to get both parts of the frame secured and kombini between them, I bought a second set of metal standoffs and longer screws. Now there's metal standoffs both sides of the FC, and screws come deep enough to the standoffs that they will hold in crashes

Some thoughts after a while

  • The FuriousFPV LR1000 receiver got swapped to Frsky XM+ and got an RMA request, I heard there should be some improvements in the new version of LR1000 that I'm supposed to receive one day. The new Frsky XM+ makes me to rely on my taranis flight timer, that actually seems to be much better idea to protect my batteries from over draining than the telemetry data from LR1000
  • TBS Triumph Stub get's easily bend as it's sticking up like in pictures, after a few bend-and-straight movements the antenna stick snapped broke as did the outer cable inside the heat shrink. That was a disappointment, as I tough these Triumphs could take a real beating (I guess the hat is unbreakable, but the stick is not). Now using a 90 degree adapter, shall see if it helps

Photos

Discussion

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