Finally decided to build my first true 5.5inch quad. Already built 5inch LoFlo which is by far my favourite 5inch quad so when Craft Quads released 5.5inch version I was probably first to get this frame.
Very much the same setup that I run on my 6inch builds (I even run these same 5.5inch Gemfans on my 6inch long rangers), the only difference is that for this build I went for 2150kv motors (usually I run 2306 2450kv on most of my 5inch as well as 6inch builds), for this build originally I already sourced out green F40II 2400kv to match the colour but when F40II 2150kv were released I really wanted to try them and didn't mind at all they come only in blue, I just made it green/blue combo by adding blue camera, antenna, VTx mount and some cable ties :)
This will be my mid-range flyer (3km out and back), I'll be using 1300mAh-1600mAh 5S batteries and while the motors are only rated to 5S I'm still going to try some of the 1300mAh 6S batts as well.
| Cafayate, Argentina | Alentejo, Portugal |
I love these low CG frames, they just fly amazing, handling is completely effortless. The frame can be configured either as a 15mm stack (that's what I did with this build) or 10mm when mounting the arms and supporting mid-plate on top of the bottom plate. I made my older 5inch LoFlo 10mm stack so making this one 5mm taller was much easier in comparison, it allowed me to fit the Unify Pro HV under the FC which then in turn freed up the space at the rear where I fitted everything else (Crossfire Nano Rx, extra capacitor, microphone, even ran my AWG12 battery wires through the rear) and yet there is enough room for the battery strap. Low profile buzzer is in front of the camera.
CL Racing F4S is my favourite FC, it does everything I need and comes with my preffered MPU6000 gyro, SD card reader, camera control. 4 UARTs of which two are inverted so those are of no use to me with Crossfire Rx, but that's fine since I only need to wire Crossfire to UART4 Rx/Tx, GPS to UART6 Rx/Tx and for Smart Audio I configured the LED pad as Softserial and wired the microphone audio to the same line as well (this may be little tricky sometimes when Smart Audio and actual audio are used at the same time, but some 100nF cap and 100 Ohm resistor did the trick).
Microphone is 6-12V so I just wired the positive to VTx+ which is 9V on this board (my VTx is actually wired directly to the battery).
I'm still running the good trusty Betaflight 3.2.4 and Dshot1200.
Even on 5S I'm able to run Pitch 70/65/40 Roll 65/55/35 Yaw 90/60/20 with all notch filters disabled, both low pass filters as PT1 at 150hz. Clean gyro readouts, smooth ride, motors don't even get warm and video is super clean.
This quad is effortless and a pleasure to fly, on 4S it glides like 6inch, on 5S it's like 5inch freestyle quad on steroids.
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Nice build. I love the color scheme
I'm currently building one with the same camera. How'd you get yours to fit so nice without hitting the nylon nut behind it? I can't seem to screw mine in without it touching it.
thanks. I think you're right, I remember that camera being a tight fit. if I recall it was actually the camera bracket making it impossible to fit. so I just cut out middle part of the bracket - it doesn't need to be there anyway, you only need the sides of the bracket (they are held nicely by 2 screws already on each side so the middle part is not required). hard to explain but see the picture - what I marked "XXX" is what I cut out.
Hi there,
wondering how you like those motors? have you ever used these on a 6" build or just this 5.5" setup? curious to see how they run on 6" really love the colour, with T-motor would do a blue option for the new F60 Pro II's in 1750KV, do you only run these motors on 5S? or do you do 4S aswell? what are your thoughts on both Batteries?
thanks for your time,
on this build I can actually run 6inch props as well, it's a 5.5inch quad but somehow it fits 6inch props (although it's very tight, I have only 1mm clearance with 6inch props). but anyway my 5.5inch props are so aggressive that they generate as much thrust as any 6inch props. either way on 4S it feels like "slower" 6inch cruiser, it glides nicely but I still prefer to run 5S on this setup, but that may be just me because I normally run higher kv motors on my other builds so I'm used to higher RPM and faster moving quad. I even think I'll occasionally run 6S batteries (I know it's rated only 5S but it's so well built motor I'm certain it can handle 6S with easy).
personally I think this is quite universal motor for different needs (4S slow cruising, 5S should be correct battery for most people and 6S for fast carving power runs), I think it's correct motor for 6inch and I wouldn't go for a lower kv than this on 6inch quad.
it has fantastic torque at low-mid throttle (25-50%)
I bought 2 sets of these motors and my second set will go on 6inch "Hyperlow CG" frame that I just ordered.
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Very Nice Build. What clearance do you have between your 5.5'' props please? This that a true X frame? What is the size between motor?
thanks. clearance between 5.5" props is 38mm, it's true-X, distance between centers of the motors is 225mm. the only time you would have difficulties with 5.5" props if you run very wide battteries (close to 50mm wide), in that case I would run DAL 5249 props.
I think with is frame we can do something very efficiant for mid range big air acro ;)
yes, that's true, the only small disadvantage is that this frame can carry only short batteries, I think like 72-73mm max length and I think the biggest battery I can run is Tattu R-Line 1550mAh 5S. it's actually alright but I would still prefer option to run 1800mAh 5S battery and would prefer if they made the body of the frame little bit longer