Wizard Killer Mark III Build Guide

By Whiffles on Jan 20, 2018

205  33,906  300

This is the 3rd revision in the "Wizard Killer" series of builds based on the Martian II frame. The original Wizard Killer was my response to the successful Eachine Wizard RTF quad. The Mark III supersedes the more budget oriented Wizard Killer Mark II and is the most featured packed, simple to build and powerful of the three. The base weight with props is about 326g and fully loaded with a battery and Legend 3 it's nearly 600g.

Side View

Here are a few of the improvements over the previous versions:

  • Supports 20mm standoffs
  • CMOS WDR 2.1mm camera with OSD config
  • Current sensor for OSD
  • OSD VTX controls and pit mode
  • More powerful DYS Samguk motors
  • Very simple to build

Not to mention a few other useful features:

  • OSD tuning
  • Dynamic filters
  • Flip over on crash
  • ESC beeper

Frame Assembly

While the frame assembly is fairly straightforward there are a few tricks I've learned to make the process go smoother.

  1. Start with the bottom plate and loosely fit a single screw down through the small carbon plate and through the inner and outer screws of each arm.
  2. Loosely attach a nut to the bottom of each screw to keep the arms in place. You want a little wiggle room.
  3. The screw holes of the 4th arm may not line up quite right, so you may need to use a hex driver to screw through the carbon. It's a tight fit.
  4. Once all the arms have been fit into place send the same type of metal screw up through the middle holes and cap them with the included nylon standoffs.
  5. Tighten everything.

This process can be somewhat frustrating as there's virtually no tolerance between the arms. They fit together quite tight and sometimes the holes don't line up quite right. Fortunately this makes for a very solid build that's much less likely to break in a crash.

Frame Assembly top
Frame Assembly bottom

Motors

Now you can slide the flight controller onto the standoffs and screw the motors onto the arms with blue Loctite. I like to rotate the flight controller to set the power tab off to the side rather than the back. This does require adjusting the yaw rotation in Betaflight later, but it makes for a much more tidy build and a more accessible USB port. I used Battle Cord to protect the wires, but this is entirely optional. I cut 7cm lengths of rope, removed the nylon strands and melted the ends to avoid fraying. You'll also need some shrink tubing to cover the ends.

To solder the wires to the board it's a good idea to flux each tab first and add a ball of solder. To attach the motor wires it's easiest to start from the rightmost tab and work your way left. That way the previous wire won't get in the way of your tweezers. Of course if you're left handed you can start from the left. Cut each wire to size, one at a time, to ensure you don't cut any too short.

Motor wires done

Camera, Video Transmitter and RX

Camera wires
To use 20mm standoffs you can use the linked TPU camera mounts, but if you've got a TPU-capable 3D printer you can print them yourself. The Thingiverse page is also linked below. First screw the TPU mounts onto the camera then bend them over the standoffs to situate the camera. The Caddx F1 comes with two wires. I chose to use the wire with the OSD connector to make camera adjustments an option later. I also sleeved the wires with more Battle Cord, but this is again entirely optional. Refer to the photos for wire placement.

To wire the VTX it's a good idea to remove the 5v output and the second ground from the wire harness as we won't be using those. This VTX says it requires 7V, but it seems to work just fine running on 5V. There is always the potential for a brownout running at a lower input, so if you are concerned you can wire this directly to the rings around the main power leads.

Capacitor

Now you'll want to add an XT60 to the power tab. The frame kit expects you to solder the XT60 directly to the tab, but it's much safer to add some 14AWG wire between the XT60 and the tab. This will better protect the tab from breakage and increase the height of the XT60 for shorter battery leads. To do this first solder about 1.5cm of wire to the XT60, add shrink tube and then solder the wires into the holes while the quad is upside down. You can also add a capacitor as it greatly helps reduce noise to the gyro and creates a much cleaner electrical environment for all of the components. You can solder a pair of motor wire trimmings onto the capacitor and slide them under the flight controller from behind. Solder them directly under the main power tab. Be sure to match the polarity.

If you're using the XM+ the RX is very straightforward to attach. You simply add wire between each of the Sbus, 5v and Gnd pads. If you're using an R-XSR or S.Port capable receiver and you want to use telemetry it is possible to use the LED pad as a 3rd UART for the VTX controls. It does require some CLI resource commands, so please search this RCGroups thread for further details. Considering this build does OSD I don't think a telemetry receiver is necessary. If you are using an IBUS or Spektrum receiver you can still use the Sbus pad and un-invert the signal via the CLI using the set sbus_inversion = off command. Please note that this board does not have a 3.3v regulator, so if you are a Spektrum user you will need something like this to power your receiver.

At this point you'll need to apply power using a lipo battery to bind your receiver. It's always a good idea to test for continuity between each of your solders to ensure you didn't create any accidental bridges. Make sure you don't have any props on and apply power while holding the receiver bind button. Once you've successfully bound to your transmitter you can slide the receiver under the flight controller and add shrink tube to the receiver itself. To secure the antennas add zip-ties to the front arms pointed back toward the read motors. Add shrink tube to sling the antenna wires under the zip-ties to protect them from prop strikes.

VTX wires

Final Touches

Now you can finish adding the standoffs and mount the VTX. Flip the VTX upside down and use some foam tape to attach it to the underside of the top plate in a way that the antenna can protrude through the circular hole in the back. Add a zip-tie to parallel the antenna and use some shrink tube to affix the antenna to the zip-tie to keep it rigid and protected. Attach the top plate and add a non-slip battery pad and your assembly is complete!

VTX antenna

Betaflight Configuration

Betaflight Configurator is now available as an executable here as well as the BLHeli Configurator. This is a change in light of a move away from Google Chrome extensions. Download both programs and plug your flight controller into your computer to begin.

  1. Go to the Firmware Flasher and choose "Omnibus" as well as the latest stable release of Betaflight.
  2. Click "Load Firmware [Online]" and then "Flash Firmware" to update your flight controller. Once complete, click "Connect"
  3. On the Ports tab
    • Set the UART1 Peripherals to "IRC Tramp".
    • On UART3 click Serial RX for your receiver.
  4. On the Configuration tab
    • Under ESC/Motor Features select DSHOT600
    • If want to fly "props out" with reversed motors, select "Motor direction is reversed" below the illustration. (This is optional)
    • Under Board and Sensor Alignment set Yaw Degrees to 90 to address the rotated flight controller.
    • Under Receiver choose your receiver mode. For the XM+ choose "Serial-based receiver" and "SBUS"
    • Under Other Features enable: Airmode, OSD, Anti Gravity and Dynamic Filter
    • Click Save and Reboot
  5. Go to the CLI tab and enter the following commands to place the motors in the proper positions and enable the DShot ESC beacon:
resource MOTOR 1 B09
resource MOTOR 2 A02
resource MOTOR 3 B08
resource MOTOR 4 A03

set beeper_dshot_beacon_tone = 2

save

To complete the remaining steps you'll need to apply lipo power to your build:

  1. On the Receiver tab ensure your pitch, roll, throttle and yaw are being applied correctly. Adjust your transmitter and Channel Map as needed.
  2. On the Modes tab
    • Assign an Aux switch to arm and disarm your quad.
    • Assign another Aux switch to enable Horizon or Angle mode if you need them.
    • Assign the Beeper and "Flip over after crash" to a 3rd and/or 4th switch. I like to assign them both to a single 3 point toggle switch.
  3. On the Motors tab enable the motor test and apply a small amount power to check the rotation of each motor. Take note of any that need to be reversed.
  4. Disconnect from Betaflight Configurator and open BLHeli Configurator
    • Flash all ESCs to the latest firmware release.
    • Reverse the motor direction of any motors that need it.
    • Save and reconnect to Betaflight Configurator to test the motor directions.
  5. On the OSD tab
    • Uncheck all of the features you do not want and arrange your OSD as desired.

And that's it! The default Failsafe settings are generally fine, but make sure they work by arming your quad, applying a small amount of throttle and turning off your transmitter. It should shut down after 4 seconds.

Final Thoughts

This was, by far, the easiest build I've done. It requires a minimal amount of soldering and the short standoffs really give it a nice, low profile look. I love the way it turned out! This is a proven frame and should take some heavy hits. You don't need to use the countersunk washers, but I think they add a nice touch. These motors were just released so the durability has yet to be seen, but they've proven themselves in the power department. This build was courtesy of Banggood.com, and all the parts were selected by me.

Final Photo
Complete

Photos

Part List

Frame

Martian II 220 220mm 4mm Arm Thickness Carbon Fiber Frame Kit w/ PDB For RC Drone (90 builds)
Banggood.com
$31.58

Flight Controller

Racerstar StarF3S 30A BL_S 4 In 1 ESC 5V BEC w/ F3 Flight Controller AIO OSD BEC Current Sensor (13 builds)
Banggood.com
$61.96

Motors

4 x DYS Samguk Series Wei 2207 2300KV 2600KV 3-4S Brushless Motor for RC Drone FPV Racing (73 builds)
Banggood.com
$41.16

Propellers

10 Pairs Racerstar S5048 PC 3-blade Propeller 5.0mm Mounting Hole for RC Multirotor FPV Racing Drone (13 builds)
Banggood.com
$7.90

FPV Camera

Caddx Turbo Micro SDR2 1/2.8 2.1mm 1200TVL Low Latency WDR 16:9/4:3 FPV Camera for RC Drone (5 builds)
Banggood.com
$32.90

FPV Transmitter

PandaRC Mini5804 5.8G 48CH 0/25/100/200mW Switchable FPV Transmitter 20x20mm for RC Drone FPV Racing (13 builds)
Banggood.com
$14.50

Receiver

Frsky XM+ Micro D16 SBUS Full Range Mini Receiver Up to 16CH for RC FPV Racing Drone
Banggood.com
$13.69

Batteries

AHTECH Infinity 4S 14.8V 1500mAh 85C Graphene LiPo Battery XT60 Support 15C Boosting Charger (81 builds)
Banggood.com
$25.67

Hardware

2 x Suleve™ M3AH4 10pcs M3x8mm Countersunk Hex Socket Screw 7075 Aluminum Alloy Flat Head Metric (7 builds)
Banggood.com
$8.14

Hardware

Suleve™ M3CH4 M3 Carbon Steel Countersunk Hex Socket Screw 6-20mm Flat Head Hex Screw Metric 100pcs (5 builds)
Banggood.com
$4.07

Hardware

Aluminum Alloy M3 M4 Flat Head Countersunk Head Washer 5Pcs (3 builds)
Banggood.com
$2.61

Hardware

Aluminum Alloy M3 M4 Flat Head Countersunk Head Washer 5Pcs (3 builds)
Banggood.com
$2.61

Hardware

Suleve™ M3AS4 10Pcs M3 20mm Knurled Standoff Aluminum Alloy Anodized Spacer (13 builds)
Banggood.com
See Site

Misc Parts

DANIU 2M AWG Soft Silicone Flexible Wire Cable 12-20 AWG (1 Meter Red + 1 Meter Black) (2 builds)
Banggood.com
$3.05

Misc Parts

10 PCS 25V 470UF Multirotor FM Series PDB Capacitor 8x12mm for RC Drone FPV Racing (10 builds)
Banggood.com
$2.60

Misc Parts

5PCS Banggood 220mm Battery Tie Down Strap for RC Drone (17 builds)
Banggood.com
$2.12

Misc Parts

DIY Fixed Mount For Runcam Micro Swift FPV Camera Red & Black RC Drone FPV Racing Multi Rotor (9 builds)
Banggood.com
$2.01

Misc Parts

Silicone 2mm Thickness Non-slip Mat Battery Anti Skid Pad Battery Mat for RC Drone (19 builds)
Banggood.com
$1.46

Misc Parts

Hyperlite Floss Micro Swift camera mounts by Dblnaknak (2 builds)
Thingiverse.com
See Site

Misc Parts

Legend 3 Case - 30 degree mount by JerryBoi831
Thingiverse.com
See Site

Misc Parts

Paracord Planet Para-Max Paracord 1200 lb Tensile Strength - 10' 25' 50' & 100'
Amazon.com
See Site
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Discussion

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TechRoss   Feb 19, 2018  

Thx whiffles for this build using it as base for my first build with few upgrades.. Looking for clear heatshink to fit ovet arms to protect some leds for non fpv flying any ideas? As well trying to find good mount for sessions hero5.

Whiffles   Feb 22, 2018 

You'll probably need some very wide heat shrink to get over the arms. You may just want to check your local hardware store. Bring the arm to see what'll fit. Most people will 3D print a Session 5 mount. There are a number of models on Thingiverse. If you don't have access to a 3D printer then you can order one from any number of FPV shops.

Mr.Trouble802   Jun 16, 2020 

I know this is a million years late, is weight the only reason not to use a standard stick on Go Pro mount that screws into the standard Go Pro frame instead of a 3d printed one?

Whiffles   Jun 16, 2020 
1

Weight is part of it and it's nice to have the shock protection of TPU.

zMercuryy   Mar 26, 2020  

is there an alternative to the vtx? its been a while and it hasn't been in stock

Whiffles   Mar 31, 2020 

Check out the AKK Race VTX.

michaelbar98   Jul 30, 2019  

Hi Whiffles, I am a complete noob here and I built your model as my first build. I followed all instructions (except the video trasmitter part) since I want to get comfortable flying it in front of me first before going FPV. I am having trouble flying it tho, I am using taranis X9D plus transmitter and FRsky R-XSR receiver. When I put throttle up, the power does not go evenly to all 4 motors (I check by connecting the drone to betaflight and observing from motors tab). On the other hand, when I use the master scroller in the motors tab, the power gets distributed 100% evenly. Air mode is off, and angle mode is on. If I arm the drone (propellors go slowly), and I rotate it, the right motors get more/less powerfull accordingly to keep the drone stable (angle mode is working). But when I push the throttle up, it behaves randomly and if I go all the way up, some times one motor hovers at 10% power, 2 motors would go around 50-60% and only one motor goes to 100%.

Show 3 more comments
michaelbar98   Aug 06, 2019 

airmode is not enabled, it is responding quickly, and default pid is 100% the problem.
when put I and D to 0 and P high, it can fly okay.
Betaflight does not have docs for pid tuning for betaflight 4.0, do you have a video showing how you tune yours?
I backed up some settings, and when restoring, (the motors usually turn on slightly to signify turning on/off) one motor smoked and one of its 3 wires got disconnected, I soldered it back on but it is still not working properly.

michaelbar98   Aug 06, 2019 

Since my drone is almost identical to yours, can i just use your pid values? Did you stick with the default?

Whiffles   Aug 06, 2019 

I wonder if it could be vibrations. I recommend swapping the nylon standoffs for vibration dampening standoffs. You may be experiencing gyro noise from the motors. I used the stock PIDs on this and it flew just fine, so it sounds like the problem is possibly the vibrations. That's unfortunate about the motor. Is it dead?

roman   Apr 06, 2019  

Hello Whiffles, great build! I found your instructions, pictures and buying links very useful. The drone is done and looks great. The only problem I am having is that it randomly jitters and shakes a little during hover. I tried replacing the propellers and playing around with gyro and D-filters but nothing helps. I am in airmode and have all sensors except gyro turned off. I have run out of ideas what the problem might be. Since you are way more experienced than me do you have any suggests on what I can try next to resolve? Thanks!

Whiffles   Apr 06, 2019 

Have you tried vibration dampening standoffs? Those usually do the trick. It's likely motor noise interfering with the gyro.

roman   Apr 06, 2019 

Thanks!

Jody.beeson   Jan 08, 2019  

How did you end up wiring the OSD control wires? I'm not sure which pads or if i need to do anything in BF to allow it to work. I dont know how to adjust camera settings with the micro eagle at all at this point. Thanks!

Whiffles   Jan 10, 2019 

You just need to feed the video from the camera to the flight controller and out to the VTX. The flight controller will add the OSD for you. This is not to adjust the camera settings though. You need to use the little control board included with the camera to do that.

Jody.beeson   Jan 16, 2019 

Ahh, i see that i was confused there, thank you! my micro eagle didn't come with a little remote, i guess it expects you to wire it to the FC and use the Camera_control resource.
Does this build support RSSI? Mine only shows as 0%. Thank you again!

Whiffles   Jan 16, 2019 

It depends on your receiver. The XM+ has RSSI on channel 12 I believe. You can open the receiver tab in Betaflight to see. It'll be a channel that's constantly moving. You just need to assign it on the top right.

BrambleFPV   Nov 07, 2018  

Howdy! Thank you for the great write up, it went quite well for my first build. The only problem I am running into is that I cannot get any video from the VTX and unfortunately there is not a lot of manufacturer documentation for troubleshooting this part. The Panda VTX when powered up has a blinking red light and a solid blue light. When I try to go through any of the button sequences to change things, it does respond and the LEDs to change, but it seems like every time I change a setting, it reverts back to its original state. When looking in my goggles, there is one channel that has a pinkish hue to it for a second and then goes away. When I am pressing buttons on the VTX, the snow in my goggles is bright and intense, and then it goes back to an inactive background snow. So the VTX must be pushing out some sort of signal that is blasting the area with waves for a second. You mentioned in your article that there was potential for a brown out, could it be that and I need to solder directly to the main battery terminals? Or with the blinking red light, do I just have a bad board?
Thank you in advance for your time.
Spenser

Whiffles   Nov 08, 2018 

So if you scan for the frequency with your headset you can't find it? I wouldn't bother with the button on the VTX itself and adjust everything via the OSD. I doubt it's a brown out issue as the 5v from the FC is ample. I haven't had any issues over several months of use. My only guess is you aren't on the correct frequency.

BrambleFPV   Jan 10, 2019 

Sorry for the late reply, got completely sucked up in the holidays. It turned out to goggle operator error on my part. I made the assumption that the VRX module frequency scan jumped to that frequency that was highest. It does not. I found the band and channel that the VTX was transmitting on and voila there it was. Then I was having problems getting OSD to show up on the video feed...turned out all that required was connecting the little caddix joystick to the green and black wires and changing it from PAL to NTSC and bam there was OSD. I'm finally all good to go...now if only it wasn't winter and pouring outside. Thanks again for such a great build, it made for a perfect first time.

Whiffles   Jan 10, 2019 

There you go! Yeah sometimes the scanners don't land on the exact frequency. Glad you're ready to go!

C1Rob   Jan 04, 2019  

Hi!

Love this build and it has given me more confidence in selecting parts for my first quad! Thanks for that!

I have made a Buildlog in which I have placed the list I have compiled. Could you give it a once over?

Thanks for this and cant wait to get into this IRL (although liftoff will have to do for now :P)

Whiffles   Jan 04, 2019 

Just had a look and gave some feedback on your Facebook post.

C1Rob   Jan 05, 2019 

Thank you very much! ill give it a look and change around the list some more. :)

BrandonSDeLaCruz   Dec 29, 2018  

hey brother. im new to this site and already i am intreaged about what you built here. Thank you buddy. my email address is famms00@aol.com if you would like to discuss anything at all.

Whiffles   Dec 31, 2018 

Do you have any particular questions?

BrandonSDeLaCruz   Dec 31, 2018 

i will contact you when i do have some questions. thank you for replying back. i dont know why i gave my email lol

BrandonSDeLaCruz   Dec 31, 2018 

i will contact you when i do have some questions. thank you for replying back. i dont know why i gave my email lol

SharkFPV   Nov 16, 2018  

Hi Whiffles, I'm about to build my first drone but I want to upgrade a few things from the Wizard Killer Mark III. I was thinking about replacing the drone frame for the Rotor Riot CL1, the camera for the Foxeer Arrow Micro Pro 1/3" and maybe a better transmitter/antenna. Few questions:

  1. Is the Foxeer Arrow Micro compatible with the Racerstar StarF4S ? Do you think I will have enough space even with the 20mm standoffs?
  2. Is it worth to upgrade the transmitter to the Eachine TX5258 ? Or is the one you proposing good enough? Should I upgrade the drone antenna? Which ones do you recommend?
  3. Is there enough space to put anti vibration stand offs ?
    Sorry for all the questions thank you!
    Jose
Whiffles   Nov 17, 2018 

You might have to have a look at my CL1 Build Guide as it does a lot of what you're asking here. I wouldn't say the TX5258 is an upgrade. It's a much older style VTX and much more bulky. There is enough space for anti-vibration standoffs on the CL1, but you'll need to move the arms under the bottom plate of the Martian II if you want to use 20mm standoffs.

Jody.beeson   Oct 30, 2018  

Thanks for the detailed write up! Would you say you still stand behind all of the parts on this list since you first made it or is there anything you recommend that may have come out since? Also anything else I should pick up while I'm at it that wasn't on the list? Thank again!

Whiffles   Oct 30, 2018 

I'm still flying this and it flies great. The main thing I'd upgrade is the camera. Maybe consider the Runcam Sparrow 2 as that's a great little cam. If you have the budget you can upgrade the motors, but these are suitable for a first build. I'd also suggest soft-mounting the flight controller with some anti-vibration standoffs. That'll slightly increase the height of the stack, so you may want to consider mounting the arms below the top plate. That's what I ended up doing.

Vala   Oct 17, 2018  

Hey Whiffles :-)
this was my first build i've done. it was sometime frustating but now its finished. But i have 2 problems now. when i turn on my quad the video-feed stops after a couple of time. The quad itselves is still reacting on controls, but video-signal is lost. Could it be a problem of heat?
The other problem i have, how can i change raceband and mw? When i try yaw lef + pitch up i can change everything i want, but nothing remains after plugging the batterie off and on again. Set / Exit / Save - Exit / Save - Reboot it still stands on the same default raceband and 25 mw.
Any suggestings so far? could it be a problem of heat
best regards

Vala

Show 2 more comments
Whiffles   Oct 17, 2018 

How long are you running the VTX before it stops? These video transmitters aren't designed to stay running without airflow for a period of time. After a couple minutes they'll shut down due to the high temperature. They need to be in the air.

Vala   Oct 17, 2018 

ah i alteady thought similar to this. So everything should be fine when flying or having props on. Thanks so far for your fast reply

Whiffles   Oct 19, 2018 

Yes, as long as you've got a feed for the first minute or two on the bench then you're probably fine. Just go easy on your first couple packs to make sure it's flying properly.

Kestic   Oct 11, 2018  

Hey Whiffles! Love your builds! I'm going to use this one as the framework to do my first build (really my second, but a lot has changed in 2 years).
I'm wondering if you think the EMAX RS2205-S motors are compatible with this build? I was more interested in those over the DYS because they are always out of stock and QC issues. Also would this build benefit from a capacitor to the battery connection like in your CL1 build? Sorry if these are pretty noob questions.

~Edit: I'm wondering if upgrading to the F4S FC is ok (or worth it)? I know there's a difference with no built-in inversion with the F4S but I'm not sure if that affects this build. Also, any good replacement for the FPV TX which is OOS?

Show 6 more comments
Kestic   Oct 12, 2018 
1

I appreciate your help getting me back into the hobby :)
Looking forward to your future content!

Kestic   Oct 15, 2018 

Hey Wiffles - Does the soldering orientation of the motor wires to the board matter, or is that all calibrated in Betaflight? I'll be watching a few Betaflight config videos today.
I'm also in need of a new soldering iron. Any suggestions?

Whiffles   Oct 15, 2018 
1

I love the Hakko 888D. It's moderately compact and works great. Here's a video I did for another build that more or less covers the entire Betaflight configuration process:

BeastY   Aug 25, 2018  

Hey, so I'm trying to bind my Flysky i6 with the receiver. I Turn on the transmitter while pressing the bind key and it says RC Binding. Then I connect the battery to power the XM+ receiver while holding the small button. After that I Turn off both the receiver and the transmitter but for some reason they didnt bind. What am I doing wrong?

Show 16 more comments
BeastY   Oct 10, 2018 
2

Thank you so much for your help! Its finally flying now, but I have a few questions. Im not really satisfied with how I mounted the antennas of the receiver(2black ones). Do you have a better option? Also, I want to learn to fly with goggles on but I dont have any experience with VR flying. How can I learn this the best way?

Whiffles   Oct 10, 2018 
2

Awesome! I like what you did with the blue and purple countersunk screws and washers. Try mounting the antennas like I did off the arms. You want them to be at a 90 degree angle and it's safer to mount them horizontally as they won't get crushed.

Download a sim like Liftoff and practice acro for several hours before you try actual FPV. Make sure you've got a lot of open space before you try FPV for the first time.

BeastY   Oct 11, 2018 

Thank you, I'm going to do that!

jcritt365   Sep 30, 2018  

Great build, love the idea paracord to protect the wires. I built the same quad myself and i am suffering with a problem. Every time i try to do a snap roll with it, it spins violently to the ground. Aside from flips it flies like perfect. I was just wondering if perhaps there was a way to resolve this.

Show 1 more comment
jcritt365   Sep 30, 2018 

No, i did not add the capacitor. That could be it though. Would gyro noise effect any other aspects of the quad?

Whiffles   Sep 30, 2018 

Definitely add a cap and see if that does the trick. It could be the power spike that's affecting the gyro.

jcritt365   Sep 30, 2018 

Ok, thanks so much for the help!

AgentChiken   Sep 15, 2018  

I have finished assembling this drone, but I have now spent like 30 minutes trying to get the flash firmware to work, but in no success. The coms always change from COM3 to COM1 when I flash firmware. I can always load online firmware though, when I press flash firmware, it always displays: No response from the bootloader, programming: FAILED

Show 3 more comments
AgentChiken   Sep 28, 2018 

But before I do any of this, I still have no idea if something went wrong during the build. The outside looks correct, but I have been connecting and soldering for about a month. It's my first drone and I really want to succeed, however I just don't think it was built right.

Whiffles   Sep 30, 2018 

Do you have a multimeter? Just make sure to check the continuity between each of your joints. You don't want any of the solder of one touching the other.

Whiffles   Sep 30, 2018 

Also, what soldering iron are you using? Those joints look pretty jagged. You need a good iron that can maintain 450C. I'd apply some flux to those joints and clean them up with a hot tip. It looks like your iron isn't powerful enough and maybe your solder isn't the best quality. You may need to practice soldering and clean some of that up with solder wick.

joshuashearer   Sep 21, 2018  
1

First off...thanks so much Whiffles for these great build instructions! Quick question...do you think the micro-eagle camera will fit into this frame with 20mm standoffs? I love the low height but I'm concerned the camera might not fit. Thanks!

Whiffles   Sep 21, 2018 
1

I think it might just fit, but your may have limited angle options. I don't have one to test, but it looks like the red cover may be slightly taller than the Caddx cover, so it'll rub against the top plate a little.

joshuashearer   Sep 24, 2018 

Ok...thanks so much for the input!

AgentChiken   Sep 15, 2018  

Where are all the tabs in the Betaflight configurator?

Whiffles   Sep 15, 2018 

It sounds like you might need to watch some video tutorials for configuring Betaflight. Watch at least 5 videos to familiarize yourself with the software.

AgentChiken   Aug 21, 2018  

Dear Whiffles,
This is my first drone I'm building and my introduction to drones, some of the directions are a bit confusing and hard to follow for newcomers to the drone world. It would be great if you posted a video of you building it so everyone can see and follow your steps. Thank you for the drone parts and list, and have a good day!

Show 5 more comments
Whiffles   Aug 27, 2018 

You remove the wires by just prying the respective white tab on the connector which allows you to pull the wire out. I'm not sure what you mean by nails for the XT60? It's just soldered on. I think you might need to watch a few build videos to get a general idea of how these go together.

AgentChiken   Sep 15, 2018 

does the Panda RC (VTX) have to be dangling? And how do I plug the drone into my computer?

Whiffles   Sep 15, 2018 

It's a good idea to use some double sided tape to hold the VTX in place. You plug the flight controller in with a micro-USB cable.

numbosphorus   Aug 19, 2018  

I was looking to buy ARTF quad, but your guide has just changed my mind to build my own! I am fan of 110, 150, 180mm's but this also is a monster. One quick question. I have my radiolink tx and rx. I think I can plug and play?

Whiffles   Aug 19, 2018 
1

The size of the quad really depends on how much space you have. 5" quads are the most common and you'll find the most support, but some people just don't have the space to fly them. I'm not very familiar with Radiolink, but you'll want an Sbus receiver. I'm not sure if Radiolink receivers use an inverted signal, so that's something to keep in mind. If you use an F3 flight controller like this then you can un-invert the Sbus pad via the CLI. If you use an F4 flight controller you cannot and you'll need to use a different UART. Not much in this hobby is plug and play though. You'll have to get really handy with a soldering iron.

numbosphorus   Aug 31, 2018 

Thank you for the respond and the notice. I know that my RAdiolink AT9s and rx support SBUS. So that will not be a problem I guess.
I am hunting used parts from RCgroups to build your models. Will comment and ask questions soon :)

AgentChiken   Aug 31, 2018  

where do the green and black wires of the fpv camera go?

AgentChiken   Aug 31, 2018 
1

just ignore me, im so unaware of pictures...

fyuover   Jun 07, 2018  

Please, I have been racking my brain over this for days and I dont know where else to go. I've got this beauty assembled and rearin' to go but I'm having receiver/betaflight issues. My taranis X7 is bound to the receiver but none of my inputs are showing up in betaflight's receiver tab. It feels like I've looked everywhere for a solution and everyone who has exhibited a similar predicament has found a solution...not I. Only other thing I can think of is a DOA receiver.

Things I have tried as per my exhaustive internet dig:
-redone all my soldering and checked especially that my signal wire is in the right place on both the receiver and FC
-bound and rebound
-I have all the necessary drivers running for betaflight
-flashed current firmware 3.3.3....flashed and reflashed, full chip erase, the works
-tried the serialrx_inversion on and off cli command
-tried different betaflight versions
-watched every youtubes and read every forum describing a similar situation

Made sure that..
-my cpu load is good - high of like 24%
-running D16 on taranis
-UART3 is set to serialrx
-UART1 is set to IRC tramp
-serial-based reciever and sbus are selected
-my channel map on my taranis matches the betaflight one TAER...also tried AERT among others
-my engines work, camera feed in good, gyros and accel are all working (can rule out bad FC?)

I am at a complete loss. I appreciate your time to no end.

Thank you

Show 3 more comments
Whiffles   Aug 09, 2018 

Sorry to hear about the dead FC, but at least you got it working! How does it fly?

fyuover   Aug 24, 2018 

It flies great! Almost too great..to the point where Im thinking about possible upgrades here and there.  I was thinking of either upgrading the vtx altogether or getting new antennas for my goggles (eachine ev800d). Any suggestions or sage advice?

Whiffles   Aug 25, 2018 

No need to upgrade the VTX. You could get a U.Fl to SMA pigtail and use a circular polarized antenna like the Strix Hoot or AXII. Otherwise unless something breaks you probably want to replace it. You could always build another rig ;)

OneDoesNotSimply   Aug 07, 2018  

First off, this a great build and I really appreciate you taking the time to create this site and share such detailed information. Many of the builds on here assume a lot of prior knowledge, some are no more than a part listing and some pictures of the finished quad!

One small thing not clear to me at first was the receiver placement though I figured it out by going through all the pictures in the album.

I did make one mistake with this build in that I used the Betaflight backup button which created a .json file. After updating Betaflight the settings were gone and the backup file did not work! I a manged to restore my settings (which was a useful learning exercise in its self) by following this guide:

https://www.propwashed.com/betaflight-configuration-guide/

So, if you're about to build or configure this, I suggest you also go to the CLI tab for the command line and type "diff" then save to file.

https://www.propwashed.com/betaflight-backup-restore/

Another thing to remember is to Save and Reboot or Save before moving onto the next settings tab.

Oh, and to flash the new firmware you need the Flight Controller in Device Firmware Update (DFU) mode, for some reason my drivers were not setup right and it would not do it. I ran the exe tool linked here and that fixed it:

https://www.dronetrest.com/t/fix-any-stm32-dfu-drivers-issues-when-flashing-betaflight-cleanflight-firmware/3603

As far as I know, this a trustworthy tool from Impulse RC and is not installing anything bad, but you should do your own research.

Other things:

  • My receiver needed the battery connected to work - USB power was not enough
  • For Aux buttons on your Taranis, you need to add those using the inputs and mixer options in the Taranis menus
    Tarinis Switch Setup
  • One weird issue I had was with the binding, it just would not work and someone suggested taking the transmitter further away from the quad, so I moved it to the other side of the room and was able to bind
  • If you use clear heatshrink on your receiver you can still see the LED status :)
  • Get two bags of those props - they tend to bend easily when you crash...so I'm told...

Finally, I had some issues getting BLHeli to connect. I think partly it does not like it if you still have the Betaflight Configurator open, even if you are disconnected.

Here are my settings which are probably wrong, as this is my first quad build! However, it does fly!

# Betaflight / OMNIBUS (OMNI) 3.4.1 Aug  2 2018 / 08:18:10 (1d99444d9) MSP API: 1.39

name Wizard III
resource MOTOR 1 B09
resource MOTOR 2 A02
resource MOTOR 3 B08
resource MOTOR 4 A03
resource PWM 1 D07
resource PWM 2 C08
resource PWM 3 K05
resource PWM 4 D04
resource PWM 5 B02
resource PWM 7 B01
resource PWM 8 A02

feature -RX_PPM
feature RX_SERIAL
map TAER1234
serial 2 64 115200 57600 0 115200
aux 0 0 0 1900 2100 0
aux 1 1 1 1425 1575 0
aux 2 2 1 1925 2075 0
aux 3 28 1 900 1075 0
set acc_calibration = -15,-30,-41
set serialrx_provider = SBUS
set blackbox_device = NONE
set dshot_idle_value = 200
set motor_pwm_protocol = DSHOT600
set align_board_yaw = 90
set beeper_dshot_beacon_tone = 2
profile 0

rateprofile 0
Whiffles   Aug 07, 2018 

Great little recount of your experience! Just a couple tips. If you don't want videos to embed just add a label to the link [label](link). And for the diff add 3 ticks above and below the code to isolate it.

banshee   Aug 02, 2018  

Hey Whiffles. I finally got my parts and I ended up building my quad. I have the FC sideways like you did, except it is put the other way (battery on the left instead of the right as you did)

I adjusted the yaw 270 degress as I figured I'd have to do that.

There's only 2 Quad configs (Quad X and Quad X 1234) and both of them aren't correct. Either what betaflight thinks is 'front' is my side or similar. What should I do/troubleshoot from here?

I tried pretending it was backwards (ex 90 degree yaw/exactly the same as your guide) and still 2 motors are the wrong numbers

Whiffles   Aug 02, 2018 

Did you try setting your yaw degrees to -90? That may be what you need. You'll also need to change the motor positions with a different set of resource commands. The resource commands in the guide assume the FC is in the same orientation I used. Check this guide to learn how to adjust the motor positions.

jwpTX   Jul 23, 2018  

Awesome build and write-up Whiffles! Quick question on motors: could I use D2307 2500KV's? (using 30A FC Board in build list)

Show 2 more comments
jwpTX   Jul 27, 2018 
1

Progress!

Whiffles   Jul 27, 2018 

Looking good! Be sure to post it to the site when it's complete.

jwpTX   Jul 27, 2018 
1

Absolutely! So glad I found this site, btw!

I'm going with a red and black scheme.. Call it the Mark III Black Widow haha!

rusher   May 14, 2018  

Hi Whiffles, the indicated battery is out of stock, the same version but then 70c instead of 85c is available. Do you recommend to wait 2 weeks before it's back in stock or do you think it's fine to order the 70c version. (also 1500mAh, 4S model, 14.8v, XT60 support etc.

Whiffles   May 14, 2018 
1

Lots of batteries will work. Have a look at some of your local shops to see if they've got something good. The GNB, CNHL or Tattu brands are all good. Just look for something that's 1300 or 1500mah. The C-ratings are never real, but it's always good to buy the highest rated battery.

mb1980   Jul 26, 2018 

should we be trying to stay within a certain weight? and what is the draw on these motors 23.4 amps or 36.2 ( just trying to wrap my head around this).

Whiffles   Jul 26, 2018 

This isn't a lightweight build. It's a pretty average weight. It really depends on the restrictions in your country. I know that Canada requires less than 250g, but you can fly larger quads in the USA. Generally 30A ESCs are more than enough for any motor.

mdular   Jul 19, 2018  

Hey - nice builds, love the way to discover & collect parts lists on this site!

I've "mix&matched" a total starter build based off the 3 wizard killer builds you made, but using 4 separate ESCs since I expect to break a lot of stuff while getting started. Would love to get some input from you!

https://rotorbuilds.com/build/13369

Whiffles   Jul 19, 2018 

I just added a little feedback.

mdular   Jul 19, 2018 

Thanks alot!

webboy   Jul 18, 2018  

awesome build! i can't find the thingiverse link for the micro cam mounts anywhere here. i scrolled all the comments too- maybe I'm blind?  Thanks!

Whiffles   Jul 18, 2018 
1

Thank you! Here's the link.

webboy   Jul 18, 2018 
1

dude you are lightning fast! Thanks!

banshee   Jul 16, 2018  

Your tutorial made me purchase almost the exact same parts and made me create an account here. For the motors being soldered to the flight controller, is there an order/specific way to solder them? They all look black/the same.

Also I have a FlySky 2.4GHz 6 Channel Digital Transmitter. Will this work with the 16 channel reciever? I don't play to ever really fly around other remote control quads/need to worry about interference

Whiffles   Jul 16, 2018 

Welcome to the site! Nope, the order doesn't matter. I just like to make sure they don't cross over each other. You'll want to change the motor direction in the BLHeli Configurator after you're done building. There's always a motor or two that spin the wrong direction.

I'm not very familiar with Flysky, but just make sure your receiver supports ibus and not PPM. Be sure to note that you'll have to disable sbus inversion from the command line as mentioned in the build guide.

UABurrito9   Jun 30, 2018  

Thanks for putting this together.

Ive got all the parts in and have put everything together. Except i left off the camera and VTX for now because i dont have my googles yet. I wanted to do some flying by LOS but i plugged in my battery and flew off the ground just a little then landed. Now when i plug in the battery nothing happens. There are no lights on or anything. I didnt crash or hit anything. Any ideas why its not powering up? When i plug into my computer it will connect to betaflight. Please help!! Thanks!

Whiffles   Jun 30, 2018 

I would check your power lead. It sounds like power isn't getting to the board. Use a multimeter to make sure you've got continuity between the pad and the XT60 connector. It could be a dry solder joint or the wire may have disconnected.

Oguh   Jun 05, 2018  

All your Wizard Killer builds look awesome. I ordered the parts for UAVfutures $99 build and only the Racerstar RS20Ax4 20A was delivered (I think due to ordering batteries to the UK). Your builds look miles cleaner and better so out of the three which would you recommend (bearing in mind I would ideally like to use the ESC I currently have but if the difference is significant am happy to leave it). Your advice would be greatly appreciated as i would love to build this drone over summer

Show 3 more comments
Oguh   Jun 09, 2018 

Great. Thanks for the quick reply. I'll look into them.

Oguh   Jun 09, 2018 

Just wondering what the extra features are because they are quite pricey for an already significantly strained budget

Whiffles   Jun 09, 2018 

It uses an F4 processor which allows for 8khz gyro and PID loop frequencies. It's also a bit better at noise reduction with the capacitors and it uses a switching regulator so it doesn't get hot like the StarF3S. Yes, it is a high price to pay for a single component, so you could consider a separate 4-in-1 and a separate flight controller.

PatEO   May 30, 2018  
1

thanks a mill for this build plan! flys like a dream. my vendor upgraded me to RACERSTAR f4 when the spec'ed f3 was out of stock .

Show 1 more comment
PatEO   Jun 01, 2018 
1

thanks !

Whiffles   Jun 01, 2018 

I meant you should post it as a build to your profile, https://rotorbuilds.com/post

PatEO   Jun 05, 2018 

Oh, okay. Will do. Thanks for direction.

fyuover   May 31, 2018  

The banggood link for the FC notes that the mounting holes are linked to positive power and that you need non conductive screws. Did you have to work around this in any way or is the included hardware for this frame good to go?

Thanks!

Whiffles   May 31, 2018 

I just used the included nylon standoffs, so no problem there.

fyuover   Jun 04, 2018 

thanks a lot....nother noob question- wth is the little buttony thing included with the camera?

Whiffles   Jun 04, 2018 

When the camera is powered you can plug that into the little plug on the wire harness to change the camera settings. You can change the color, contrast, brightness, etc.

Zalua   May 11, 2018  

Im trying to build this quad but im not sure where and how to mount receiver and fpv transmitter.

Whiffles   May 11, 2018 
1

The receiver just needs some shrink tube so it can slide under the flight controller. It doesn't need anything to hold it in place once you've got the antennas in place on the zip ties. For the VTX I just used some double sided foam tape to stick it to the top plate. Be sure to use the flat side without any components.

Zalua   May 21, 2018 
1

Thank you very much :) Its almost done.

scottfpv   May 15, 2018  

Just about to start on the build yey! Whiffles do you know of any 3D printed antenna mounts that i can buy or download the files off www.thingiverse.com for the martian 2 frame. I want to use the TBS unify U.fl pigtail SMA i have seen a few but they all seem to be made for the original standoffs not the 20mml standoffs or do you know of any other way to mount a SMA antenna. Again thanks doing such a neat build guide and answering my previous questions.

Whiffles   May 15, 2018 
2

You can just use a 50mm U.Fl to SMA adapter and send it through the circular hole toward the back of the top plate. That's what I did to upgrade the antenna.

scottfpv   May 14, 2018  

Hi Whiffles i have had all the parts deliver finaly so about to start on this build the only thing i am strugeling to get here in the uk for a reasonable price is the battlecord i have seen this on Amaozon (100ft 550 Paracord Parachute Cord Lanyard Mil Spec Type III 7 Strand Core) https://www.amazon.co.uk/100ft-Paracord-Parachute-Lanyard-Strand/dp/B01EUIHZN2/ref=pd_sim_200_4?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=9XH6564H0VRDN45Y9ZMS do you think this would work? thanks

Whiffles   May 14, 2018 

That's not wide enough for all three motor wires. You need something like these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014GCNJUU
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BK8298Q

UABurrito9   May 13, 2018  

HEY! i am building my first drone and am thinking about using your build. i just wanted to ask how these motors have held up? I saw some reviews saying they werent very durable. i was thinking about using Racerstar 2205 2300 kv motors. Do you think there would be any problem with that? THANKS!

Whiffles   May 14, 2018 
1

They hold up just fine. The bearings might get worn out pretty quick, but I wouldn't say the Racerstar motors are much better quality. The Samguks have a lot more power for the price.

Mario   Apr 30, 2018  
1

Hi, thanks for this great build! You are awesome! Is it worth to upgrade FC to F4? For example this one:
https://www.banggood.com/Racerstar-StarF4S-30A-Blheli_S-Dshot-4-in-1-ESC-AIO-F4-OSD-Flight-Controller-w-BEC-Current-Sensor-p-1165076.html?rmmds=detail-left-hotproducts__2&cur_warehouse=CN ? It's just a few dollars more. I am beginner, currently training with hubsan 107p. Will it be good for the first FPV quad? Do you recommend the 3s battery for begginers? Or is there an option to reduce motor power? Thank you.

Whiffles   Apr 30, 2018 
1

That'll work and with F4 you'll be able to run 8k/8k on your gyro and PID loop. That should help with the new stage2 filter. But if you haven't flown an FPV rig you might want to start smaller. Maybe something like the Babyhawk-R to get comfortable with the controls. You could also try learning on a sim. I'd start with 4S because eventually your 3S packs will just collect dust.

BrambleFPV   May 11, 2018 

The F3S FC listed in this build has been out stock for awhile, is there going to be any differences in configuration by going with the F4 FC listed by Mario?

Whiffles   May 11, 2018 
1

It looks like it's in stock now.

rusher   May 10, 2018  

Thanks for this nice information, i am rather new into this and want to buy all the items described above. The only info that is missing is what controller (to one you keep in your hands) to use. Can you maybe give some info on a good controller you recomment for beginners?

Whiffles   May 10, 2018 

There are a number of transmitters available. I think the go-to is the FrSky Taranis QX7, but I've been flying the Jumper T8SG Plus. Have a look at my review on the Guides & Reviews page. Another consideration is the upcoming Frsky X-Lite which will be out in a couple weeks.

rusher   May 11, 2018 

Thx for the quick reply, i think this is in combination with a goggle right? What is the best alternative with an on screen controller. In my country it is officially not allowed to fly with goggles. I will also check your review.

Whiffles   May 11, 2018 

Yes, this is an FPV quadcopter, so you need goggles to fly it.

dadquad   May 09, 2018  

Are there any videos of this thing flying? How would this compare to the RTF Emax Hawk5?

Whiffles   May 10, 2018 

I don't have any noteworthy flights recorded on this, but it does fly really well. I'm not very familiar with the Hawk5, but from what I've heard it's a great RTF quad. It really comes down to your budget and willingness to build. This will perform nearly as well, but it does require assembly.

Faede   May 09, 2018  

Did you use the 2300kv or 2600kv motors?

Whiffles   May 10, 2018 

I used the 2300kv motors on this one.

Tym   May 08, 2018  
2

Just finished this as my first build, it looks and flies great! Super glad I follow your build.
Thanks for the amazing guide and answering all my questions!

Whiffles   May 08, 2018 

Awesome, looks great! Be sure to post it to the site.

Joel#9   May 06, 2018  

Very nice build and write-up! I'm looking to get back into 5 inch and this one feels safe. :-D Everthing looks like the old 250 style with a new spin. I do have one question that I can't find the answer to. What is the width of the arms? Thinking about using individual esc's if the overhang is minimal. Thanks!

Whiffles   May 07, 2018 
1

They're about 16mm wide, but why use arm ESCs? It's much cleaner and easier to use a 4-in-1 or even a 5-in-1. ESCs have come a long way and very rarely fail due to over-amperage.

scottfpv   May 06, 2018  
1

Hi Whiffles i am doing this as my first bulid i have orderd all the parts so i am just waitning for them all to be delivered! the only thing i have ordedrd diffrerently was the camera i got the Caddx Turbo micro SDR1 do i just wire it up the same? cannot wait to get started. I will upload some pictures when it is done and will probably be back to ask questions when i get stuck lol. great great bulid and write up by the way.

Whiffles   May 07, 2018 

Great choice with the SDR1. Yes, it wires the same way. I hope the build goes smoothly!

Andris819   May 02, 2018  

Dear Whiffles,
how durable is this build? I orderd the same camera fc and motors. How do they hold up in bigger crashes?

Whiffles   May 03, 2018 

I don't think you need to worry about the durability of the camera or FC, but the motors are another story. I have heard the bearings can start to go bad after 100-200 packs, but I haven't run them enough to experience this myself. For the price though these motors can't be beat.

Andris819   May 04, 2018 
1

Yes I heard the same. Just to be safe I ordered 5 of them and some fushi abec 7 bearings. Got a friend who got 2 of those bords and both of them blow up after couple of flights. How many packs have you flown with this build? Did the esc survive? I have the 5040 kingkong props hope the escs/motors will last long.

Whiffles   May 05, 2018 

Wow, you mean the StarF3S? How did it blow up? I've flown only about 10-15 packs on this, but the board hasn't been a concern or issue at all.

reazura   May 02, 2018  

I'm trying to build this build as my first and I'm kinda having trouble following along the xt60 part. What are the wires going beneath the board in this picture? https://rotorbuilds.com/pictures/f_1_55EFcJT71bOGqdkLN4BjuBnG4.jpg

Also, would the board still be able to support the xt60 if it wasn't turned 90 degrees?

Whiffles   May 02, 2018 

The wires under there go to the capacitor and yes you can still get an XT60 no matter the orientation. You'll just need longer wires. I don't recommend this though because your USB port will be inaccessible. Any reason you want to orient it that way?

scottfpv   Apr 29, 2018  

Hi i am planning on doing this for my first build dose it have a low bat buzzer or how would i do this thank

Whiffles   Apr 29, 2018 

It has an OSD and a current sensor, so you just watch the values in your goggles. I generally watch the mah used and once it reaches 800-900mah on a 1300mah battery it's time to land.

TheBlueGoblin   Apr 28, 2018  

Where are the boot pads or button?

Whiffles   Apr 28, 2018 

You don't need a boot button to put it into DFU mode. You can just use the Firmware flasher which will put it into DFU for you.

TheBlueGoblin   Apr 16, 2018  

Is there any other way to mount the camera than the tpu 3d printed mounts

Show 4 more comments
Whiffles   Apr 18, 2018 

Those are purely aesthetic, so you can use the included screws.

jimborc   Apr 25, 2018 

i use 25mm standoffs eact same design as the ones shown, and i use the metal stand that comes with the caddx camera. You just need 2*M2 nut/bolt to secure it to the holes pre drilled on the martian frame. Hope that helps. (5mm extra height is nothing to worry about)

As for a gool soldering iron: i use a copy of a hakko, 939d. Heats up fast, cheap, nice quality, free shipping on ebay. And the copy fits the real Hakko tips so you can buy replacements.

TheBlueGoblin   Apr 28, 2018 

Where is the boot pads or button

Tofu   Apr 16, 2018  

Whats the difference between base and total?

Whiffles   Apr 16, 2018 

The base price excludes all of the arbitrary parts like the misc parts, HD camera, props and receiver. Base is what you would buy if it were a BNF rig.

Aptivari   Apr 12, 2018  

what is a good cheap charger?

Show 4 more comments
Whiffles   Apr 13, 2018 

I believe they have them at Banggood if you don't mind the wait.

Aptivari   Apr 15, 2018 

thx for the help, have found one on banggood will use it for my build

Aptivari   Apr 15, 2018 

thx for the help, have found one on banggood will use it for my build

fyuover   Apr 07, 2018  

Great build, Im looking to try this for my entry into the hobby. I have two questions. First, where exactly do you solder the capacitor onto the FC? I think I spy it connecting to the 5v and SBUS portioins, am I correct? Also, should I look into getting an antenna? I notice lots of build lists on here mention some sort of antenna.

Thanks!

Whiffles   Apr 09, 2018 

The capacitor is soldered under the main battery pads where the XT60 connects to the board. I used a couple wires to run to it to keep it inside the frame. The VTX comes with a linear antenna which works just fine for the most part. You can try it and if you feel the reception isn't very good, just swap it out for a circular U.Fl antenna.

fyuover   Apr 11, 2018 

Thanks for clearing that obviously nooby question. I however have another: does this particular FC support betaflight in such a way to allow for OSD pid tuning?

Thanks again

Whiffles   Apr 11, 2018 

Yes, it does. Most modern boards should support OSD tuning at this point.

Polynikes   Feb 21, 2018  

First - Thanks for the great post, I appreciate the effort.

I am a 100% novice, trying to get started with my first drone/experience. I have a few questions if you wouldn't mind answering them:

  1. as a complete novice - would you recommend this build? I am attracted to it for a few reasons - good detail, you seem to be actively supporting it, cost is within range, all parts seem to be outlined pretty well.
  2. I dont have goggles. I was thinking of Fat Shark Dominator HD3 which are expensive, but I want to have a great quality experience. Are these compatible? are they overkill? recommendation for goggles with this quad?
  3. I dont have a radio. I was looking at something like FrSky Taranis X9D Plus 2.4GHz ACCST Radio -- but again, is this compatible and/or overkill?
  4. What tools would you need to build this quad?
  5. Do you have any video tutorials of the actual build? ... can you be bribed to possibly make a video tutorial if not?
  6. As a novice... am I better off buying a preset package... a prebuilt drone?

anyway, tons of questions - sorry... im just excited and want to figure out the best way to jump in.

thanks - polynikes

Whiffles   Feb 22, 2018 
1
  1. From a build standpoint this is great for a novice. It's not necessarily for a novice pilot though. You definitely need some experience at least on a sim, but flying a smaller micro brushless quad would be even more useful.
  2. You don't need to jump right into the high end goggles. You'd be perfectly fine using the Eachine EV800D, EV100 or even a VR006 if you want a very low budget goggle.
  3. Get the Taranis QX7.
  4. A good soldering iron (Hakko 888D or the TS100), some 63/37 Kester solder, wire cutters, 14awg wire, shrink tubing of assorted sizes, precision tweezers, hex drivers, foam tape, and some small zip ties.
  5. Sorry, but there are a number of build videos on youtube. You might want to watch several to learn the process.
  6. I'd start with a pre-built micro like the Beta65S or even the Emax Babyhawk-R to learn how to fly acro. Then you can build a 5".
Polynikes   Feb 26, 2018 
1

First - Thanks for spending the time to write individual answers to my questions - I really appreciate it.

I will wait on doing this build until I get some experience on a pre-built micro racer. My first drone (Holy Stone HS200 gift) is still up in a tree in my backyard taunting me - so I will take your advice and get some time before something this serious. I will maybe pursue this build after getting bored on the pre-built.

I bought some Ev100s - cant wait to try them out. Going this route instead of the 400$ option was a great weight off my shoulders. I realize they wont be perfect - but it should go along way to get use to flying. I will eventually get some nicer ones if I get hooked.

Taranis QX7 - check!

I will start getting some tools together as I clear my workspace in the garage! Thanks for the recommendations here - I will just blind buy this stuff.

I went with a Tiny Whoop Racer - TWR. Ill give this a try - if it doesnt work out, I will probably try the Emax Babyhawk-R or just jump into this build directly.

Thanks Again -- I should have everything in a few days - very excited.

rockstarzx6   Mar 29, 2018 
1

This is an awesome build. I have been flying almost 2 years and have a pile of gear. My main 2 matching freestyle quads started almost identical to this but I have converted them to Joshua Bardwell fc's and Speedix 30 esc's so I can run 5s or 6s on occasion. The performance of these are insane.

rockstarzx6   Mar 29, 2018  
1

I want to compliment one of the best builds I have seen online hands down. I have used all of these parts with some minor differences like camera and I am flying slightly lighter more compact QAV-R clones off Amazon but I do not support clones I just needed same day availability as a truck driver and they have worked out flawlessly. Also I have and fly that aio fc/esc but my main duplicate freestyle quads are built around Joshua Bardwell fc's and Speedix es 30 esc's because I wanted to get very into betaflight and possibly run 5s or 6s occasionally. Beautiful build and has inspired me to join rotorbuilds and post some of mine.

The Van   Mar 27, 2018  

Wow man, just gotta say - Excellent, excellent write up!

Whiffles   Mar 27, 2018 

Thank you!

BerZerKer   Mar 12, 2018  

Also What isnt included in the total build?

Whiffles   Mar 12, 2018 

I'm not sure I understand the question. You'll need some essentials like a soldering iron, shrink tube, wire cutters, double sided foam tape, and loctite. This also doesn't include a battery charger, power supply, transmitter, headset, etc.

BerZerKer   Mar 12, 2018  

I was curious if I wanted to cut costs at all where could I?

Whiffles   Mar 12, 2018 

You don't need to use any of the extra screws and washers. Those are mainly for decoration. Other than that you could buy the cheaper Racerstar motors, but they won't have as much power.

STruple   Feb 23, 2018  

This is just amazing, thank you for this guide. Don't you get a battery sliced by the props in crashes from time to time, though?

Whiffles   Feb 24, 2018 

Hasn't happened yet! The battery pad really helps hold it in place.

+)KEV1N(+   Feb 21, 2018  

I don't know if it's possible, but can you fit a runcam split mini in that empty front area?

Whiffles   Feb 22, 2018 

That might just work! You'd probably have to soft mount the boards on some double sided foam tape, but it sounds like a neat experiment.

kaozer   Feb 17, 2018  

Hello! Complete drone noob here. I think i will build this drone as my first in the near future. But i have a few (noob) questions. Is this drone a 5in drone? And what props do you use for it? And lastly is all that fancy hardware needed for the build?

Whiffles   Feb 17, 2018 
1

Yes, this is 5" and I'd probably go with the DAL Cyclone 5046C tri-blades. They're tried and true. I only used the Racerstar props for the color. They fly okay, but not as well as the cyclones. And nope, the hardware is not necessary. I just wanted to experiment with the colors. I'd still use shorter standoffs. The kit comes with 35mm purple standoffs which make it far too tall. 20mm is perfect if you use the TPU camera mounts.

kaozer   Feb 18, 2018 

Allright! Thank you very much for your answers. :)

deadmoo   Feb 15, 2018  

You inspired me to make a similar build. I am going to use a different budget alien style frame than the martian, but still use the shortened frame standoffs etc.

Whiffles   Feb 15, 2018 

Awesome! Be sure to post it to the site when it's complete.

SnapFPV   Feb 12, 2018  

The motors and the fpv transmitter are out of stock, do you have any suggestions for replacements for them?

Whiffles   Feb 12, 2018 

Search for any of the Samguk motors in the series. They've got 2306 and 2206 versions as well. If you don't need VTX controls over OSD then the VTX03 is a great little transmitter.

doc   Feb 11, 2018  

Love the build. How are you using the 20mm standoffs with the 19x19 camera? best I can do with some tilt is 22mm. I generally use 20mm spacers with some 2mm spacers on the front standoffs.

Whiffles   Feb 11, 2018 

What do you use to mount the cam? The metal bracket doesn't work because it seats the camera too high for 20mm standoffs. The TPU mounts are perfect. You can situate the camera low enough that it clears both the bottom and top plates.

w1nst0n   Feb 11, 2018  
1

I'm new to drones but I'm wondering why the HD camera is angled up like that. Do you flip the drone upside down to get footage of the ground and horizon?

LoaDy588   Feb 11, 2018 
2

It's tilted the same way as the fpv camera, so that the recording is close to the view of the FPV camera. Quads like this one are not for panoramatic/cinematic shots, you would use something like DJI quads for that. This is acro/racing quad. Here are some examples of videos from similar drones:
(vids by JohnyFPV and Robogenesis)


w1nst0n   Feb 11, 2018 
1

Oh, wow. Thank you for the information.

Whiffles   Feb 11, 2018 

Yes and these little quads don't fly level. They need to fly at an angle to get lots of speed.

Paulhirdler   Feb 08, 2018  

I wish i could hide this post! I am tired of looking at it!!!!! Can it stop being promoted!!!!! It is almost an add now!

Whiffles   Feb 08, 2018 

I'll probably run it for a few more days, but that is an idea. Maybe a feature to hide promoted posts.

JC250   Feb 05, 2018  

Martian II vs Martian Anniversary edition?

Whiffles   Feb 05, 2018 

They're both essentially the same except the anniversary edition is less forgiving concerning the arm length and prop options. If you use 25mm standoffs the props can brush the top plate if the arms aren't just right.

ricardovasc   Feb 02, 2018  
1

Did you like the motors? I saw more guys telling they aren't good and just a few telling they are good (for the price).

Beastie Builds   Feb 02, 2018 

Yeah, how are these motors doing Whiffles?

Whiffles   Feb 03, 2018 
2

I've only had one chance to fly due to rain, but they flew considerably better than my previous builds using the Racerstar motors. These have a lot more power. Time will tell how durable they are.

Figg   Jan 31, 2018  

I plan on doing this build but putting RunCam Split for the camera. Do you think there will be enough room to fit everything in there?

Whiffles   Jan 31, 2018 

It may be a tight fit with 20mm standoffs, but maybe a micro split would work if you mount the boards directly behind the camera.

JC250   Jan 31, 2018  

Also how is the camera protection?

Whiffles   Jan 31, 2018 

The camera is fairly well protected and TPU mounts help protect it from any sort of impact.

JC250   Jan 31, 2018 

Do u think the tpu mount would work for the ls210 frame. the standoffs seem to be closer to ther edge of the frame

Whiffles   Jan 31, 2018 

It should work as it's fairly flexible.

JC250   Jan 31, 2018  

How r the motor bearings and durability. I can’t find anywhere whether it’s 7075 or 6065

Whiffles   Jan 31, 2018 

I can't say as I haven't crashed them enough. They held up through at least one crash though.

EddyScotch   Jan 28, 2018  

What's the average flight time?

Whiffles   Jan 28, 2018 

Most any quad of this size can do 3-5 minutes depending on how aggressive you fly. It's generally closer to 3 minutes unless you fly very slowly.

RZFPV   Jan 27, 2018  

From what I understand the Martian has 1619 mm motor mounts and don't the dys motors have 1616 mm mounts? How did you mount the motors?

Whiffles   Jan 28, 2018 

I had no problem with the motor screws. I've never heard of a 5" frame not supporting any particular motor. The only difference is when you go down to 1407 or 1306 motors which require a smaller screw configuration on a smaller frame.

RZFPV   Jan 25, 2018  

Does the vtx work with the new bf update

RZFPV   Jan 25, 2018 

Does it work with raceflight, if so how do I set it up, and do you need a xsr for smart audio?

Whiffles   Jan 25, 2018 

This VTX should work with BF 3.3 as there are no issues with the tramp protocol. Sorry, I know nothing about Raceflight.

Third Eye FPV   Jan 25, 2018  
1

Super slick as usual dude. 👌🏻

Denis   Jan 21, 2018  

Damn. I might build this just for fun on the snow, won't be so sorry for more expensive parts! Much appreciated! :o
Having said that, would you be able to get any tangible benefits if spending like 25 bucks more on the set? What would you opt for? F4 board, or something else? Cheers!

Show 3 more comments
Denis   Jan 23, 2018 

Will do! I am actually planning on ordering everything, but it seems I'll have to wait for a few items like props to get back in stock for my colour! Once again thanks for showing us this build, seems to be quite a "Wizard Killer" :)

Denis   Jan 23, 2018 

Damnit. Now I want to put the Runcam Split Mini in there instead of external camera (would hate to bash the Sesh 5)...wonder if it'll fit with that extra stack somewhere in the front somehow. >_<'

Whiffles   Jan 23, 2018 

You might actually be able to do it directly behind the camera with some double foam tape. Definitely an interesting idea!

clambert   Jan 22, 2018  
Whiffles   Jan 22, 2018 

I used that on my previous wizard killer and it's pretty much on par with this one. The only issue is the arms are slightly shorter, so if you're planning to use 25mm standoffs your props might brush the top plate. If you use 20mm standoffs like I did here you should be fine.

clambert   Jan 22, 2018 

Thank you. I appreciate your help on this. I'm new to drone building but looking forward to my first attempt. I have a win 2 from xhover which has been great and am looking to build a 5". Your setup looks great and I plan to build it. I'm currently looking into the additional component changes required for my radio. I have a spectrum DX6. I plan to use the SPM4648 https://rotorbuilds.com/part/13130. Are there other modifications I need to make to use this receiver?

Whiffles   Jan 22, 2018 

This board doesn't have a 3.3v output, but you can use something like this to step down the 5v output from the board. You can even use the Sbus signal pad and un-invert it via the CLI to leave the other UART open for the VTX controls. Here's the command:

set sbus_inversion = off
cheesebanana   Jan 22, 2018  

Is there any reason you don't go for a flush/countersunk top plate? I'm guessing structural?

cheesebanana   Jan 22, 2018 

Wait, that would require a countersunk top plate, which this isnt. Sometimes I should think before I ask questions. I think the cone washers threw me off, I thought you were adding the green washers on top of an already sunk plate...Which doesn't even make sense. Carry on 😂😂😂

Whiffles   Jan 22, 2018 

No problem! I just added the washers for style. They may add a tiny bit more to the strength, but it's marginal.

Whiffles   Jan 22, 2018  

I just took it out for a maiden flight and these motors definitely have some oomph! With the battery and Legend 3 it weighs in at around 590g, but it really doesn't feel that heavy. One motor took a head-on blow to the ground without any damage. So far so good!

LeRAW   Jan 21, 2018  
1

Very clean ESC cables setup!!!

SadisticLeprechaun   Jan 20, 2018  
1

I have used the Martian II on all my builds for over a year, love the frame. That build it TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT! Question, which part on the list is for the camera, and would it fit a Foxeer Monster v2? I think this would be a great upgrade for all my quads to make them lower profile. Thanks!

Whiffles   Jan 20, 2018 

The only way to pull off 20mm standoffs is to use a micro cam and something like the TPU mounts listed. It's a tight fit, but you still retain the full camera angle range. To use a full sized camera like the Monster V2 you need 30mm standoffs. Using 25mm might be doable but it'll be a very tight fit with limited control over the angle.

SadisticLeprechaun   Jan 21, 2018 

BLAH I need a 16:9 camera, wish they made a micro! I really like the low profile.

Whiffles   Jan 21, 2018 
1

This is a 16:9 cam. There is also a higher end model, the SDR1, that also does 16:9.

Beastie Builds   Jan 20, 2018  

What? $155 for that kind of power + performance? GET. OUT.

Show 3 more comments
Beastie Builds   Jan 20, 2018 

Oh yeah I know Jeremiah very well

Beastie Builds   Jan 20, 2018 

Are you going to be our there for Flying Circus this year?

Whiffles   Jan 21, 2018 
1

I went to the Flying Circus this past fall for a single night and it was fun. I just may consider going for the larger event this spring.

david   Jan 20, 2018  

How did you solder the XT60 "1.5cm" extension wire without the solder 'wicking' up the wire and making it stiff? I've tried to do this on a recent build but the solder wicked up into the wire (12awg) and made it completely stiff , thus seemingly defeating the purpose of having an extension on the XT60.

Whiffles   Jan 21, 2018 

It did stiffen up a bit, but it'll still bend at least. Without it a couple of my battery leads would never reach as they're quite short.

RZFPV   Jan 20, 2018  

hey first off great job, second off could you maybe look at my budget build. I have a little higher budget. I was also wondering how are the dys 2207s, what's the efficiency and power. I'm trying to decide between the 2206, 2207, and 2306 motors for my build. Shoot me a message when you get a chance.

Whiffles   Jan 21, 2018 

Thank you! I had a look at your mockup and left you a comment. I've yet to fly this due to weather, but from what I've heard the power is quite ample. According to the thrust charts the 2207 and 2306 are very similar in terms of power. Only the 2206 offers slightly less power.

RZFPV   Jan 20, 2018  

I would also recommend for anyone building this to upgrade the vtx it will cost maybe $5 more. Just make sure the vtx you upgrade has a power output of around 600mw, even though it is not necessary it is still nice to have the ability to put the power to 600mw. Also I would recomend upgrading to the foxeer mini camera its $19 and its ccd, not cmos like this caddix camera, it will give you a worst picture quality but IMPROVED latency which you need when fly quads fast.

Whiffles   Jan 20, 2018 

I don't think 600mw is entirely necessary. I've always flown 200mw without any issues. And lately the CMOS cameras rival the CCD cameras in terms of latency. I think going forward CMOS will become the norm. The nice thing about the Caddx F1 is you have a choice between 4:3 and 16:9. This is particularly prudent considering all the new 16:9 headsets coming to market.

RZFPV   Jan 20, 2018  

Also an actual antenna might be nice if you have the money, perhaps a foxeer pagoda, they are only $10, and will give you better video feed than the dipole on this build.

Whiffles   Jan 20, 2018 

Yes and a U.fl to SMA cable. The dipole works great, but an antenna upgrade would help a bit.

Beastie Builds   Jan 20, 2018  
1

Plus sick looks? I take my hat off to you.

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