I was fairly impressed with the quality of the GEP130X, so I decided to try out their flagship 5" frame, the GEP-TX. It's fairly well thought out and includes a few bonus components like the WS2812B LED panel and a battery plate with foam feet.
It doesn't say it in the product name, but this FC is an Omnibus F3 clone. I also have a genuine Omnibus and they both perform identically. I flashed Betaflight 3.1 and updated the ESCs to run dshot and everything seems to work as expected.
Challenges
There were a couple challenges, so I'd like to point them out and offer my solutions.
-
Fitting the FPV camera is a challenge. You'll need to screw one side panel to the camera before fitting it into the top plate. Once you've got it in place then slide the other side through the top plate before screwing it onto the camera. Once that's complete you can add the standoffs and HD camera mount.
- Depending on the size of your RX you may have trouble finding an appropriate place to mount it. Since I'm using a Spektrum diversity satellite it was small enough to ramp down the front of the FC below the FPV camera. I've got it antenna side down so I can run the antennas behind the front arms. They'll be far better protected here rather than on top.
Considerations
In the future I won't be using separate ESCs. Compared to a 4-in-1 build this was far more time consuming. I think we've reached a point where a 4-in-1 likely won't fail due to electronic failure. ESCs are far more prone to environmental damage being exposed on the arms. If you do choose to use separate ESCs you'll want to replace the kit PDB. It's very poor quality. Ideally you can find a 4-in-1 with 12v filtered output to the FC.
This frame kit favors a VTX with an off-center antenna connector. The "tail" plate that mounts to the back has a groove that can be fitted to the left or the right depending on how you orient your VTX. They also provide a plate to mount above the flight controller, but the standoffs are too short to raise it above the LED panel. If you've got taller standoffs you might want to raise the platform to sandwich the VTX between it and the top plate.
Photos
Part List
Show stores (4)
I'm a fan of how you mounted the Rx antennas :)
Thanks! It wasn't my idea though. I have lumpydonut to thank for his Garuda build. It's a nice safe place for them, but it makes handling the quad a bit more troublesome.
Totally agree with the 4-1 FSC+ESC+PDB+OSD combo boards. They're so much easier to install and the price on them has come down substantially. It just doesn't make sense to have separate ESC's, PDB and OSD boards especially considering how much weight savings there are with the 4-1's and all the functionality that's bundled with them.
Holy crap man! What a pretty and clean build. Keep it up man!
Very clean build Whiffles, love it!
Could I ask you which battery cable you used? Looks like an small AWG for a 4s 5" setup?
Been wondering if its ok to use an smaller diameter than 12awg for a long time!
Thanks so much!
All finished! I took it out for a maiden today and it flew great. I decided to switch the VTX to the Eachine ET526. The 90 degree angled SMA on the other VTX just doesn't work with this frame. It needs a VTX that sends the antenna out the back. I ended up with more than enough space above the stack and I managed to squeeze the RX just below the FPV camera.
6inch? hv? thats a ton of power. this might be my qavr clone and future gopro flyer. good call man. ahh i can't keep building something every month!! :)
I have 2 quads with those F60 motors. The 2200kv runs 6x4.5x3 on 4S, and amazingly the 2450kv runs 5x4x4 on 4S or 5S comfortably. Its power is just insano. Best thing though is lower throttle control, they seem to be really good at lower control speeds while still having crazy top end. LOVE them. I will say though that these engines for me killed many cheap batteries, while any brand of graphene (Hobbyking, Lumenier, DefianceRC 5S graphene) and the Tattu line held up well. They really killed HV batteries fast though, both Bolt and Lumeneir.
Guides & Reviews
AirbladeUAV has done it again and this time they've brought long range to the 5" class! Based on the popular Transformer Mini, the new Transformer 5" Ultralight adopts a lot of the same design philosophies with larger props and more payload capacity. It can fly upwards of 20 minutes on a 4 cell Li-Ion battery pack and in ideal conditions it's got a range of over 4 to 5 miles. In this guide I'll walk..
Read more
With the release of the DJI FPV Drone cinematic FPV has become a lot more accessible, but you certainly don't want to crash a $750 drone! The QAV-CINE Freybott is a compact, lightweight cinematic FPV drone that can take a hit and keep going. It's a lot safer to fly indoors and around people. With a naked GoPro or the SMO 4k you can capture some great stabilized footage. In this guide I'll show you..
Read more
Where can I get that nice action camera holder? I just got this frame today also. Thanks
I just added the link to the Misc Parts section. You need access to a 3D printer to make it.