Back in 2012 building and flying your own quads was a lot of fun and highly educational, with so many ready to fly drones now available in 2019, it seems like less people are doing this now. Well, it was a lot of fun for me back then and thanks to Flitetest for making these videos!
Hey Guys! I just wanted to thank you for these last couple of videos on quads. Two months ago I bought all the parts and got stuck when it came to programming the esc's. These videos have motivated me to try again and go for it!
Nice one Josh. This is one of your most informative videos yet to me as I have just started with Hexacopters. I love how you guys when to make a vid with a bit of mucking-around, reviewing some awesome planes AND THEN get serious with more techy stuff like this, when a more serious vid is required. Really really great job guys. Your channel is my favourite subscription of all time.
You guys ROCK! So glad somebody is starting to take the mystery out of setting up a quad. Excellent advice. I spent hours and hours trying to find the information you shared in these few videos. Now I've built several quads and tri's it's old hat, but for noobs it can be overwhelming trying to get the info.
Thanks Josh! You Have been a great help! You have a good attitude, and are very knowledgable. Wish you the best! from and senior retired electronics instructor that's just getting into the hobby. God bless!
Don't apologise for the video "not being very entertaining". It was educational and informative, that's part of the fun - for what it's worth I thought this was one of the better FliteTest episodes... more like this please!
This is a super ep Josh (and the flitetest crew). I am currently putting together a Turnigy integrated micro quad from Hobby King (going to do an Xcopter). I have never really been into copters but I needed something I could fly around the back yard safely without having to go down to the field to fly and maybe get a small amount of flying in after work on good weather days. Future plan is get further into it, esp FPV from the quads.
I just built my 2nd Tricopter and maiden it in my living room today. It is my 4th multi-rotor on a KKboard so setup is very smooth for me. I took my time to build it and it flew very well. There's lots of good information on the internet to get you flying, so start reading while your parts are on the way. Also practice on a simulator if you have one. Phoenix RC has a great Gaui Quad simulator which has very close flight characteristics for multirotors. Good for practicing orientation as well.
what a great informative video. l was having trouble with back motors not going as fast as frount and hopefully l can work it out now THANKS keep up the good work steve
This is the best video you've made so far. Full to the brink with information. Only a few things missing. It must be difficult to remember it all. Now, if you could just talk a little slower...I wouldn't have to keep rewinding it. Well done!
Agreed! Little more effort but they fly very nice for FPV. I love mine. Getting the right motor/prop/battery combination is the trick to a nice tricopter I think.
I think that you guys are doing a great job cause the setup will aply to almost every type of quad and it gives people a taste of building there own quad. It also shows how easy it can beto work on your own stuff which is really good for our hobby. I also wanted to know if you need some experienced help with reviewing heli's cause I think that I'm not half bad and love my heli's? Good luck with it and keep up the good work also keep the vids coming. Regards, Pete.
Josh, Great video! Now I know what to post on the discussion boards when someone asks me how to set a board up and I don't have to make a video. Ha ha! I do still get asked to make a video on how to flash the board. Don't really want to do that either, usually to busy making stuff. Ha ha! Take care and Happy flying!
yeahp, I totally agree. I am a big fan of dadde and his tricopers, and his website explaining his v2.5 is great. i just ran into unnecessary technical issues that are avoidable with the quad thats all.
Great video!!, I've built 2 kk boards from a kit, a tricopter and a quadcopter plus config. I used the Lazy Zero program to program my HK board in the quad xcopter mode and it flies great. I had the motors numbered as you did oriiginally and found a guide on RcGroup by Kaptein, that has #1 motor cw, front left., #2 m.r ccw, rear left, #3 m. ccw, front rt. and #4 m. rear rt. cw. I just wanted to put this out there if others have run into this difference, again your vids. provide a ton of info.
Thanks guys, really usefull, too bad I did this last week on my quad, all the reaserches would have been faster with this video. Really love your show, thanks!
excellent tutorial. All my motors are spooling, however, there seems to be no auto correcting when I alter the pitch and yaw of the quad manually. this means that when I attach propellers the thing isn't stable and flips over straight away when I go to fly it. Iv checked the direction of props and motors with no issues. I have calibrated all the pots...Any Ideas out there?
Hi Josh. I have done all the steps according to your videos and everything work out up to the point were you return the yaw pot back to 50% after calibrating the ESCs, after returning my yaw pot back to 50% I powered up the quad and got no response from the motors, they all keep beeping very low and the light on the KK board stays off. If I do return the yaw pot back to zero and power up the quad than I do get response from motors, but no spool ups from any of them to compensate.
You've done such a great job with this video thanks Josh. Appreciated very much.One of my gyros was backwards and it flipped over and bent motor shafts now I have to get new motors.lol I have the black board though. Maybe if you have any info on the black board would be great if you could post about black board. Sincerely William Gonzales
You guys make awesome build video's but could you make an video whare you build an quadcopter from ordering (and telling why you take this part instead of that part) to putting it all together and letting it fly?
hi, I wanted to ask a question ... I bought the same base that there is video in the command with a remote control of Hitec lite 4 AFHSS. The problem that does not go to the right or left even forward nor back. What should I do ??
we would love to see a design review or a build for an asymetrical aircraft, such as the rutan boomerang or the blohm und voss bv 141. its application for fpv could be great due to the unobstructed view. also, just an interesting aircraft. a simplified model version of one of these or something similar would be great! thanks for such a good show!
You rolled the dice buying the v2.1 green board. MANY people have had issues with that board, including myself. Go to either Flitetest's forums or RCGroups forum and put "Lazy M4" into the search engine. I have since purchased the v3.0 (blue) board and have had no issues.
If you have the latest firmware, try turning Anti-clockwise. That is if you are doing the ESC throttle calibration. Also, if you are using Red Bricks, you need to change one of the settings in order for the throttle to auto-calibrate
oke I have done exacly as is instruckted in the video but at around 4 min you are powering up waiting for 2 beebs but min gives one and then 3 beebs. When I try turning the yaw pot to max so CCW I here the trip the one beeb an then the 2 beebs. So I did it reversed but my throtle is then calibrated for min so no throtle is given at all. I'm strugeling I whyle now with this problem so I would be really graetfull if some one could help me
does stick centering have to do with your transmitter/receiver? because i am using the same electronics except the transmitter/receiver and i am not getting any stick centering.
Hi, can you advise... I have a HK 2.1 board and I just finished building my quad... I believe everything is working, but when testing on the bench one motor seems a little less keen to start when running on the bench for testing... I've swapped that channel out to another motor and it's definitely that channel on the control board that not spooling that motor up, it will run, but it seems different to the other 3 while testing. I know ground tests are bogus, but I'm worried to fly.
A better way to check your gyro comp is to lift the throttle up till just before the motors want to start spinning, then Its very clear which ones are revving harder. Regards Doug
Thank you. guessed it but not always easy to find those who have made it. I have ordered cards from hobby king, so I will need the help :-);-) will try me on tricopter. Many thanks guys. They do it so much easier for me, and Hobby King will certainly make money on you.
I have a bit of a problem i have done what u said but some of my motors are not spining but kinda jittering and flicking around do u know if i have done anything wrong?
ok I dont plan on flying or making one of these but this seems like a good and useful video to any one who was. basically explaining complex functions in a way that doest seem condescending. great video to me but I dont really know much about this so maybe it is better for beginners like me but still +1like
hi josh, instead of calibrating the ESC's through the HK V3.0 Board can i just use the programming card as i would be using turnigy plush series ESC'S and got the programming card for the ESC'S
WIth some of the software of rthese KK boards the potentiometers are 'Reversed' compared to what most people consider as standard. Turning CCW or to the left is increasing and CW or right is decreasing your value. Hope this helps.
Mine was not working either, I could not enter the mode because stick position was not recognised. With the 9x I found that 1 or 2 channels were reversed I put them in order then I was able to enter the different mode. I also found that with the last firware version of the card, one of my motor would not spin hence my quad flipped all times. I downgraded the firmware to the earlier version and it solved all my issues. Seems like the last firmware and the 9x doesn't work well together.
hey, what does actually happen when you input the signal wire backwards in the KK board? josh said "nothing is going to blow or fire, just a big mess in ur hands", so i admit that the quadcopter will go uncontrolable?
Hi...can anyone help please?when connecting the power to calibrate the esc i get the first 3 tones then a constant beep beep beep.i am using the board in the video,2212/13 motors and mystery 30a esc's. with the dx61 controller. this my first build, inspired by your vids and my enjoyment of quads. any suggestions pls
Hi i need help, im am not from the US and it takes months for me to get parts for makeing RC planes and quad copter. I have bought every single thing you said in the srach built. i have built it entirely. I am done. I have done the configuration perfectly in the computer and pluged everything correctly. When i put the yaw clock wise and plug de battery and turn on the RC i just have a red light in the bord and a loud beep, just ONE beep. I have tried everything.... please help me.
you can get some replacement parts at hobbyking, but they dont focus on aircraft, they focus on parts. Even if your plane or something did break, they sell kits which have plenty of parts. And im in the UK so i dont really mind about the usa warehouse, the Germany warehouse isnt very well stocked but it is frankly cheaper getting it all from China
It does take some effort to build a Tricopter but there are kits available and with the right tools, it shouldn't be too difficult. rcexplorer.se V2.5 is a great example. I'm building my 2nd one. Properly tuned and set up, it is a fantastic video platform on the cheap.
i am havign a problem with my quad. i have the same parts except for the control board. i have a i86. and i cant do my esc calibration. i have done everything i could and still it doesent work:/ i think the problem is in the turnigy 9x throthle settings.. can somebody please help me. any help would be highly appriciated.
Did you try to do calibration of the gyro itself on a level surface? If you do not have a center of gravity / weight distribution issue, it's a 100% certain the calibration itself.
Masterpj555 If the board isn't level on the quad and the quad itself isn't standing on level ground, you have to compensate the calibration by lowering or raising legs of your quad so the board is level. It takes a few shots, but will totally improve the self-level capabilities. If calibration is off by a few degrees, your quad will never self-level properly. :)
