The iFlight DC3 was a bit more troublesome than I expected. Initially I was planning to 3D print an 20x20 to Whoop board adapter. When the whoop board arrived in the mail, I tried to see how it would fit on the frame. It does not fit well at all. The first problem is the front of the board is too close to the DJI FPV camera. Next is the USB port, it is right in front of the standoff.
That is fine because I have a few extra Aikon AK32 20x20 35a BLHeli32 ESC I could use. Wrong again! The Aikon AK32 ESC is too big. The front and back of the ESC are too long. In the front the camera is in the way and in the back the standoff is blocking it. I end up using a busted HGLRC F420 stack that was in a Squirt. The 20a ESC was fine but the FC was toast. I swapped the FC out for a Flywoo GOKU F722 Mini.
The maiden flight went pretty well, got about 5:38 minutes of flight with a 850mah 4s lipo and landed with 30% left in the battery. I am using all stock setting with Betaflight 4.1.5. The quad is exactly what I was expecting. I wanted a small quad to be used as a scout. Something that can be flown slow but still have the power to go if needed. I will need to do some more test with different size batteries and props. If I find anything significant I will update this page.
Update ( May 13, 2020 ) GEPRC CineQueen Prop Guard
The main purpose of these quads is for video footage and most of them is usually of a soft target. That means I do not want to damage or hurt any anyone in an event of contact. At this current time, I am working on 2 different cinewhoop style 3” quads. I am trying to figure out which quad works best for my purpose. The GepRC prop guards are a pretty stuff and seem to offer a lot of protect from the propellers for hitting anything.
Comparing the prop guards to a ducted prop, it is easier to maneuver in close quarters with the open prop guards because I get a lot less prop wash. For example, when I fly inside the house and down a narrow hallway, it is smooth with the open prop guards. But when I am flying a Squirt v2, I get pushed all over the place when flying down the same hallways. However, there is one huge difference I have not factored in, it is the Gopro Hero 7 black that I am also lifting with the Squirt. So, I would need a lot more thrust to be keep it up in the air. I think I will need to try flying the squirt with out the GoPro and see if there is an improvement.
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Guides & Reviews
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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..
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i will be using mine in the same exact way. its a friendly size, quiet and safe with propguards. i think it will be perfect for scouting if i travel and longer cinematic flights with a big battery. ordered the same guards. good to see yours. nice build! i cheated and bought mine rtf:)
The 3" inch quad is a good blance between size, and flight time. Now a days, RTF might be cheaper than building it yourself. But I already had some of the electronics already, so would be cheaper to use what I have.