Certainly! I prefer the original Martian frame as it's slightly better quality. You can use any type of ESC you'd like, but this flight controller expects a common ground between all the ESCs. If you do you may want to consider a different flight controller like the DYS F4 or the Omnibus F4. Both of those have ground pads for each PWM control wire.
Thanks! I am trying to figure out my very first build into something bigger than a toy drone (currently have Eachine e011). There is an information overload trying to understand what will and wont fit and what works together. :)
I've read single ESCs are better because when I break one (and I'm sure I will), I can replace 1 instead of 4. What ESC + FC combo would work well with this build? I've read about Dshot, and it looks like going that route is a good idea so I'm assuming my ESC and FC both have to support the same Dshot, e.g 150, 300, 600?
I've also seen that the VTX03 is popular. Is the only difference between VTX02 and VTX03 the power? 25/50/200 mW on the VTX03 instead of just 200mW on the VTX02? Does the power just affect the range? When would I ever use 25 or 50 mW?
I like 4-in-1s because the board is protected in the stack and they simplify the build process quite a bit. Most people break ESCs from prop strikes or other physical damage due to being on the arm. For the price this 4-in-1 isn't a big set-back to replace if you kill it though. The ESC will tell you if it supports dshot300, 600, etc. Most modern flight controllers support dshot. The VTX03 is great. I use it on a number of builds. The only reason I chose the VTX02 here is to save a few dollars. I always use 200mw on the VTX03 anyway. You'd only need 25mw for races that require it.
Thanks Whiffles! I am building a cart and have some more questions if you don't mind:
What props would you recommend?
What battery charger would you recommend? (I'd prefer to be able to charge a bunch of batteries in parallel. My understanding is I can buy a para-board for this and use a charger that is designed for a single battery)
Just curious, why are the emax motors more than twice as expensive? They look like they are the same specs compared to the racestars. Are they just better quality?
I like the Cyclone 5046C tri-blades. They're a great, well-rounded prop.
I use and iSDT charger for it's compact size and features. It indicates the internal resistance while charging which is important to monitor. You need an AC adapter to plug it into the wall though. I use a 12v 8A laptop power supply with an XT60 soldered to the end. With the cheapest model and a paraboard you can charge 2 or 3 batteries in parallel at up to 8amps, but if you're just starting out don't worry about para-charging. You'll be lucky if you can fly 2 or 3 packs in a single session without breaking something.
The EMAX motors have a lot more power, but if this is your first build then I recommend the Racerstars. They're pretty decent for the price and have plenty of power. If you haven't flown a 5" quad before then the EMAX might feel unwieldy. They require a bit more finesse on the sticks.
If we use the Martian II 220 from banggood it has a PBD. Is that part of the Frame? Do we just install the 4 in 1 over top of it? Is that going to make the stack higher, like will the same size standoffs work? Or just use the ones that come with the frame and it should be ok.
You don't need the red PDB. Have a look at my original Wizard Killer to see how I built that one. You may be able to get away with 25mm standoffs, but it's a tight fit. You might just want to use 30mm to be safe.
These are the spare laptop chargers I have. https://imgur.com/a/jMJaO Not the same specs as yours, but the output voltage of the laptop charger is within the range of 9-32V required by the iSDT charger. Will this work?
That'll be just fine. You'll have to snip off the barrel connector. Hopefully it's two wires inside otherwise it'll be a little more trouble to separate the positive from the negative, but it can be done.
You can use the Omnibus listed in the part list. It's what I used and appears to be in stock. The F4 V2 board will work, but it's a little more complicated to wire if you want to use the current sensor. It's not a substantial burden, but just a little different.
Great! That'll make the build a bit easier since you no longer need the external regulator. You can pass power from the FC to the VTX and from the VTX to the camera. You'll need to extend the wire from the camera though because this is a long frame.
That paraboard has a 'deans plug' connector for the charging lead. You want to get one with an XT60 on the end because you can plug that into the ISDT output. I got the 4 slot ISDT parallel board that they sell along with the power supply for the 300w charger.
Could you use the regular martian frame for this? The anniversary edition is sold out on banggood.
EDIT: Also, could you use single ESCs instead of a 4-in-1?
Certainly! I prefer the original Martian frame as it's slightly better quality. You can use any type of ESC you'd like, but this flight controller expects a common ground between all the ESCs. If you do you may want to consider a different flight controller like the DYS F4 or the Omnibus F4. Both of those have ground pads for each PWM control wire.
Thanks! I am trying to figure out my very first build into something bigger than a toy drone (currently have Eachine e011). There is an information overload trying to understand what will and wont fit and what works together. :)
I've read single ESCs are better because when I break one (and I'm sure I will), I can replace 1 instead of 4. What ESC + FC combo would work well with this build? I've read about Dshot, and it looks like going that route is a good idea so I'm assuming my ESC and FC both have to support the same Dshot, e.g 150, 300, 600?
I've also seen that the VTX03 is popular. Is the only difference between VTX02 and VTX03 the power? 25/50/200 mW on the VTX03 instead of just 200mW on the VTX02? Does the power just affect the range? When would I ever use 25 or 50 mW?
I like 4-in-1s because the board is protected in the stack and they simplify the build process quite a bit. Most people break ESCs from prop strikes or other physical damage due to being on the arm. For the price this 4-in-1 isn't a big set-back to replace if you kill it though. The ESC will tell you if it supports dshot300, 600, etc. Most modern flight controllers support dshot. The VTX03 is great. I use it on a number of builds. The only reason I chose the VTX02 here is to save a few dollars. I always use 200mw on the VTX03 anyway. You'd only need 25mw for races that require it.
Thanks Whiffles! I am building a cart and have some more questions if you don't mind:
What props would you recommend?
What battery charger would you recommend? (I'd prefer to be able to charge a bunch of batteries in parallel. My understanding is I can buy a para-board for this and use a charger that is designed for a single battery)
Just curious, why are the emax motors more than twice as expensive? They look like they are the same specs compared to the racestars. Are they just better quality?
I like the Cyclone 5046C tri-blades. They're a great, well-rounded prop.
I use and iSDT charger for it's compact size and features. It indicates the internal resistance while charging which is important to monitor. You need an AC adapter to plug it into the wall though. I use a 12v 8A laptop power supply with an XT60 soldered to the end. With the cheapest model and a paraboard you can charge 2 or 3 batteries in parallel at up to 8amps, but if you're just starting out don't worry about para-charging. You'll be lucky if you can fly 2 or 3 packs in a single session without breaking something.
The EMAX motors have a lot more power, but if this is your first build then I recommend the Racerstars. They're pretty decent for the price and have plenty of power. If you haven't flown a 5" quad before then the EMAX might feel unwieldy. They require a bit more finesse on the sticks.
If we use the Martian II 220 from banggood it has a PBD. Is that part of the Frame? Do we just install the 4 in 1 over top of it? Is that going to make the stack higher, like will the same size standoffs work? Or just use the ones that come with the frame and it should be ok.
You don't need the red PDB. Have a look at my original Wizard Killer to see how I built that one. You may be able to get away with 25mm standoffs, but it's a tight fit. You might just want to use 30mm to be safe.
Something like this for charger? I'll have to see if I have a laptop power supply that will work.
https://m.banggood.com/ISDT-SC-608-150W-8A-MINI-Smart-LCD-Battery-Balance-Charger-p-1057271.html
That's what I use. It's a great little charger.
These are the spare laptop chargers I have. https://imgur.com/a/jMJaO Not the same specs as yours, but the output voltage of the laptop charger is within the range of 9-32V required by the iSDT charger. Will this work?
That'll be just fine. You'll have to snip off the barrel connector. Hopefully it's two wires inside otherwise it'll be a little more trouble to separate the positive from the negative, but it can be done.
Whiffles, looks like the Omnibus F4 Nano is out of stock. Could I use one of these instead? BF3.1.5 Omnibus F4 V2 or Betaflight Omnibus F4 Pro V3
If neither of those, what would you recommend instead?
You can use the Omnibus listed in the part list. It's what I used and appears to be in stock. The F4 V2 board will work, but it's a little more complicated to wire if you want to use the current sensor. It's not a substantial burden, but just a little different.
Or you could try this one. It's an F3 rather than F4, but you won't need an external regulator as it does 3A at 5v.
I'll just go with the FC from the parts list. The BEC listed on Banggood is the 5v, not the 12v, correct?
Yea the VTX needs the 5v that is what the BEC is doing.
I lucked out! The Omnibus F4 Nano was back in stock so I ordered it quickly. :)
Great! That'll make the build a bit easier since you no longer need the external regulator. You can pass power from the FC to the VTX and from the VTX to the camera. You'll need to extend the wire from the camera though because this is a long frame.
Will this paraboard work ok with the iSDT charger? Im guessing any board with XT60 will work and this one supports 2-6s.
https://www.amazon.com/Weyland-Parallel-Balanced-Rechargeable-Expansion/dp/B06XW6XCZ3/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1507387156&sr=8-5&keywords=parallel+charging+board
That paraboard has a 'deans plug' connector for the charging lead. You want to get one with an XT60 on the end because you can plug that into the ISDT output. I got the 4 slot ISDT parallel board that they sell along with the power supply for the 300w charger.
Could I just turn it into an XT60 connector? I bought the 5 pack from the parts list, so I'll have a few extra.
Yea, you could add your own XT60 to replace the deans or make up an adapter wire.