All Questions
838
questions
7
votes
2
answers
7k
views
How to enter DFU mode on my flight controller?
How can I enter DFU mode on flight controllers, in particular on my CL Racing F4S flight controller?
Ref.: https://cl-racing.myshopify.com/products/clracing-f4s
- 579
7
votes
2
answers
725
views
Difference between a 3 and 6 axis gyro
When shopping for drones, I see a 3 and 6 axis gyro available, what is the difference between the two? Does one have a advantage when flying over another?
user149
9
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Can I run two motors off of one ESC?
Normally, a dual-motor plane has two ESCs but could I connect two brushless motors to one ESC? What would happen to the torque and speed of each of the two motors connected to the ESC?
- 5,642
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What is the advantage of a stretched-X frame over a true-X or squished-X design for racing?
Most racing frames on the market appear to be stretched-X (longer than they are wide).
I have heard the argument that a stretched-X allows better airflow to the rear props due to physical distance, ...
- 468
3
votes
1
answer
55
views
What is a filtered power pad on flight controller?
Having looked at many different flight controllers I saw that many of them have filtered power pads. What does it mean when it says filtered power?
- 5,642
6
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What's the difference between F4 or F7 flight controllers?
What is the difference between the STM32F411 and the STM32F722RET6 processors in flight controllers? What are the advantages of having the F7 processor over the F4 processor?
- 5,642
4
votes
1
answer
242
views
How to use an XM+ receiver without a flight controller?
All of the model aircraft I have seen without flight controllers normally have a receiver with all of the channels separate. Is there any way I can use a receiver like an XM+ receiver on a model ...
- 5,642
8
votes
2
answers
97
views
How to focus a newly-replaced lens on an FPV camera?
I cracked the lens on my FPV camera after a metal pipe jumped in front of my quad...Fortunately, I had another lens from another FPV camera sitting around. But I'm not sure how far away I should be ...
- 81
8
votes
3
answers
229
views
How do you waterproof your electronics?
I fly FPV drones a lot in the winter where it is wet and snowy. What is the best way to protect your equipment from shorting out from water?
- 1,130
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How to create a motor startup tone with a BLHeli ESC?
I am using a 32bit DShot1200 ESC, how can I make a custom startup sound for when the drone is powered on?
- 5,642
3
votes
2
answers
869
views
Series or parallel connection for drone batteries?
What is the difference between adding two drone batteries in series vs a parallel connection for flying the drone?
- 5,642
10
votes
2
answers
851
views
How hot is too hot when it comes to multirotor motors?
I hear this question asked all the time. Are my motors getting too hot? How hot is too hot for motors to get? Anyone have a great way to answer this question, possibly with some temperatures?
I ...
- 1,130
8
votes
1
answer
146
views
What should I look for when choosing an FPV camera?
I know that cameras are applicable to lots of fields, but FPV cameras are a special category with a very specific set of requirements - what should I look for when picking an FPV camera?
- 4,412
8
votes
2
answers
661
views
Can I configure Betaflight in the field without using a laptop?
I often find myself wanting to make adjustments to the settings on my quadcopter in the field, especially when tuning PID settings and rate profiles. I currently bring a laptop with me wherever I go ...
- 5,898
7
votes
1
answer
322
views
How fragile are the SMA connectors used in FPV equipment?
I've heard that it is a terrible idea to install and remove SMA antennae from my goggles every time I need to pack it away after a flight session. I know that this is because the SMA connector is ...
- 5,898
5
votes
5
answers
489
views
What affects the total flight time for a drone?
What factors would affect a drone's flight time? Battery capacity? Weight? Anything else?
user149
9
votes
2
answers
311
views
When flying FPV in a group, what are the best video transmission channels/frequencies to use to avoid interference?
When flying FPV drones in a group setting it is very important to choose appropriate video transmission frequencies so you don't interfere with others that are flying near you. What are the best ...
- 1,130
8
votes
2
answers
554
views
Why do LiHV batteries degrade faster than an equivalent LiPo?
There seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence, at least on YouTube, that LiHV batteries degrade faster than LiPos. Is this true?
I own a couple whoops and only have 1s LiHV batteries since I can't ...
3
votes
3
answers
562
views
Beeper beeps if transmitter is turned of even if it shouldn't
I have turned off all beeper sound signals in Betaflight Configurator, but the beeper still beeps if the transmitter is turned off. I thought that that shouldn't happen when RX_LOST was turned off or ...
- 2,644
3
votes
2
answers
82
views
Does the LaForge V3 Fat Shark Receiver receive audio from VTX?
I installed the Mach 3 VTX that has a built-in mic for audio that is transmitting to the LaForge v3 receiver in my fatshark dominator v3 goggles. Video works great and Smartaudio is also working. I ...
- 291
7
votes
1
answer
388
views
Which settings in Betaflight allows me to do flips and rolls?
I see a lot of people flipping and rolling their quads, but on my last attempt, it fell out of the sky.
What are the settings in Betaflight that allow them to do this without stopping the motors?
- 121
12
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What does Feed Forward do and how does it work?
PID tuning involves P, I and D gains to help the quad follow RC commands.
Whenever there is an error, P would "push" the quad to reduce the error. So how does Feed Forward come to play?
- 121
6
votes
1
answer
136
views
What are the typical methods of constructing a large airframe?
When building a 5 feet wingspan UAV, what building techniques:
used on smaller aircraft can't scale to aircraft of this size?
are best used on aircraft of this size?
Ideally, I want a simple ...
- 762
5
votes
3
answers
72
views
Keep quadcopter steady when taking a video
Whenever I take a video on my small quadcopter, it’s never steady. It always bounces up and down a bit rather than keeping level. How can this be stopped/prevented?
user149
5
votes
1
answer
130
views
Headless mode on a drone
I have noticed my drone has headless mode listed as one of it's features.
This poses a few questions:
What does this mode do?
How is it different from normal mode?
How does it work?
How do I ...
user149
4
votes
1
answer
54
views
Difference between analog and digital servos?
I've noticed that there is often a price gap between analog and digital servos. What is the difference between an analog and digital servo and why is a digital servo better?
- 5,642
2
votes
4
answers
439
views
Effect of motor load on ESC?
I know that when a prop is caught on something or is slowed down by something it can put extra strain on the ESC or even burn it out.
If I was using a 2207 motor with an unusually large and heavy ...
- 5,642
5
votes
1
answer
53
views
Barometer vs Rangefinder
On a small 6-7inch drone do I need a barometer, rangefinder or both? Is there a standard practice or does it just depend on use case?
user306
5
votes
2
answers
163
views
Optical sensors vs Ultrasonic sensors on a drone
Are there any performance differences between optical sensors and ultrasonic sensors? How do I make the right choice for my drone? I will be using them in a object detection system for collision ...
user306
8
votes
3
answers
139
views
In drone racing with multirotors, how does one navigate the course?
Whenever we watch drone racing, there is usually a course marked out in cones.
However, when there is an obstacle such as a Jacob’s Ladder, the racers know the order to go through each of the gaps. ...
- 4,412
5
votes
1
answer
567
views
Can drones/uav's fly over international waters without FAA's regulations?
Can UAV's or drones (consumer/commercial scale) operate over international waters (12 miles out from the shore) without being regulated by the FAA?
Just wondering if companies can do things like ...
- 51
4
votes
2
answers
122
views
Differences between brushed and brushless motors - advantanges and disadvantages of each
When buying a drone I have 2 options to consider: brushed and brushless motors. Are they much different from each other? Does one have advantages over the other?
user149
3
votes
2
answers
487
views
How to tell if you have a brushed or brushless motor?
I understand there are 2 main types of motors: brushed and brushless motors. How can you tell visibly what type of motor you have without researching/reading the manual?
user149
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
One motor on quadcopter broken
I have a small quadcopter and I realised one of the motors does not turn electronically, meaning it can't fly properly. There is no visible sign of something stuck in the motor, like some string or ...
user149
2
votes
3
answers
123
views
Flying a drone in France
In the future, I plan to fly a small (<250 gram) in France, are there any special licenses/permits that have to be obtained? What are the laws on this? Where are the no-fly zones located?
user149
18
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How does a quadcopter yaw?
I've always wondered how a quadcopter actually yaws, when all propellers are horizontal. I know that two of the motors spins faster, but I don't understand how that generates thrust in the horizontal ...
- 2,644
2
votes
1
answer
143
views
Are there specific laws or regulations in the USA barring weapons on drones?
Are there specific laws or regulations in the USA on operating an armed drone, or do armed drones fall under ordinary weapons laws? More specifically, is it legal to fly a drone with a weapon under ...
- 333
6
votes
2
answers
451
views
What is the background of remote controller modules?
I've seen that in many remote controllers you can plug in an external module under it.
Are there other purposes for these modules than just being transceivers?
Are the module bays offered by multiple ...
- 215
3
votes
2
answers
39
views
Getting Started with Aerial Photography
There are a large number of camera drones on the market covering a vast range of cost, from hundreds to thousands of £/€/$/etc.
What are the things to look out for in a photography drone for someone ...
- 5,956
4
votes
4
answers
224
views
What happens when a multirotor runs out of battery mid-air?
If I am flying a multirotor drone and it runs out of battery mid-air, what will happen to it? Will it just fall down from the sky or will it give me a low-battery warning?
user149
8
votes
4
answers
152
views
How do I pick my gear when getting started with FPV multirotors?
There are a large number of beginner and starter kits out there for people looking to get into multirotor FPV flying, all touting their various advantages over the competition.
What should I look for ...
- 5,956
6
votes
1
answer
55
views
What is the established drone racing etiquette?
As I understand it, at drone races there are lots of rules to follow pre and post flight, an obvious one that jumps to mind is to shout ‘plugging in’ before plugging in.
What other rules and best ...
- 4,412
3
votes
3
answers
187
views
How do I re-charge the batteries of my S49 drone faster when outside?
I have a small S49 quadcopter. After around 10-15 minutes, it often runs out of charge and needs recharging. My charger requires it to be plugged into a portable USB charger or to the mains. I have ...
user149
5
votes
2
answers
96
views
What are good specifications for a intermediate medium priced quadcopter?
What are good specifications for an intermediate medium-priced quadcopter? I have flown a smaller quadcopter before and developed a bit of an understanding of how they work and how to control it.
I ...
user149
9
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Do low temperatures damage LiPo batteries?
I'm wondering if low temperatures affect LiPo batteries in any way? Can colder temperatures damage the cells? Can I store my batteries in bat safe box outside, in cold/hot temperatures?
- 579
7
votes
2
answers
298
views
What are the usual engineering considerations for a UAV current sensor?
Current sensors are a popular feature in both multicopter and fixed wing flight control stacks.
Most of them are analog, i.e. convert the current into a voltage using a small-value shunt resistor (...
- 2,957
5
votes
2
answers
153
views
ESCs for inverted flight?
What types of brushless drone ESCs are reversible and will work for flying inverted?
- 5,642
1
vote
2
answers
246
views
How can I build a drone similar to a DJI Mavic 2?
I want to build a drone with the same functionality as a DJI's Mavic 2. Are there any books/videos/guides available? What would be involved?
I need a flying machine that:
has a good enough camera ...
user306
8
votes
2
answers
593
views
Affordable ways to crimp your own connectors
Ever since PX4 and DroneCode came up with their connector pinout standards. I see more and more sensors and devices off the shelf adopting the same
This is particularly the JST-GH and Dupont ...
- 81
8
votes
3
answers
169
views
Why does a brushless drone fly longer?
I have noticed that drones with brushless motors fly longer than those with brushed motors. Why are drones with brushless motors able to fly for longer amounts of time?
- 5,642