Listening to your caveats list reminds me of why i like this channel. Thank you for your time and effort, this was very informative. I am looking forward to playing with my mro.Pixhawk for my next rover/tricopters because of my prior experience with Ardupilot.
Thanks, a lot of channels present their own subjective opinion as undeniable fact. This is a great hobby with a wide range of models, pilots, wars to fly and plenty of choices and budgets. There is no one answer for anything... Happy flying!
@@Painless360 there are all types i am getting back into it after taking time away from the hobby to get my master's degree in Additive Manufacturing Design. Cutting my teath on a rover since i have only designed one previous ground vehicle. Https://i.imgur.com/xaqvpJi.jpg
Thanks for this. I've been thinking of deep diving back into this. I helped a group of UCF engineering students successfully make a way over the top ambitious quadcopter project. I did all the programming interfacing a raspberry pi with a pixhawk board, ardupilot, etc. - the flying lawnmower (nickname since the hexacopter was swinging 12" rotors, yikes) had a robotic claw and a vision system (forget the camera board name) so it could fly mission, reach a waypoint then follow APRL code signs to hone in on targets and grab them and bring them back and stack them neatly LOL! It makes my brain hurt just remembering all the crazy connections with software and hardware, including a smartphone app with a nice control interface (buttons and telemetry gagues ). I still can't believe it worked (mostly). But I have no interest in doing anything that ambitious again. Just some quads, fixed wings and rovers for the tinkering pleasure of it. This video is a good overview of what's around today.
That sounds like an awesome project! I’m up in Lake City, working on a simpler project, maybe I could buy you dinner and pick your brain a bit? Thanks in advance! And great video!
I'm in a similar position, some non-engineering students are looking to do some surveying and asked me about getting into RTK for photogrammetry missions. It's been ages since I did anything RC but I'm seeing the quad/planes with ardupilot itches a lot of my interests! I've opened the firehose of info and it looks like I'm going after the F9p RTK for ublocks GPS for the quadcopter/plane which it looks like Holybro sells the H-RTK F9p with a 10pin connector for the pixhawk4 (and another 6-pin version for a 2nd gps). They're likely wanting to fly over water/coastline so I'm wondering if Lee's recommendation on the more-bulletproof pixhawk Cube Orange would be a better path to keep it from falling into the sea! Being students, bulletproof is nice so they don't destroy stuff but cheap is also good for when they do crash it (maybe the aluminum controller case instead of plastic?)
I'm currently a UCF engineering student working on a project that's almost exactly the same for senior design! Good to know I'm looking at the right channel for some research.
I've been traveling for the last 4 years so have been away from R/C. I found this video this evening after spending the afternoon dismantling 5 Naza, APM, and KK2 drones. Remember the F330, F450, and Discover frames? Yep, headed for the trashcan. A friend just sent me his old Mavic Air 1 and I will add a Mini 2 for our travels.
Thanks this was very helpful! I've done two F411-wing builds and they work but had vtx power issues. Powering the vtx directly from the battery and powering the camera from the vtx seemed to fix this. I'm wrapping up a Radix Li/Bixler build and really looking forward to getting it in the air.
My Ranger 1600 had a real bad crash last Sunday, both wings and 2 servos are now destroyed. I was using an Arkbird Autopilot. These are the steps i allways follow before and during start: 1. Checking all servos and motor working. In manual as in balance mode. Also checking if servos reacting properly in balance mode. 2. Bringing plane to a height between 80 - 90m in Balance mode. 3. Switching to RTH, checking if plane starts flying around the homepoint. 4. Taking seat in my chair, putting on my reading glasses and then my Cyclops goggles. 5. Taking control over plane by myself. But this time, still in RTH Mode, the plane suddenly went straight down with an approximately angle of 30deg down and crashed into the undergrowth. Could not react that fast to do countermeasures. I guess it was the gyro, delivering a false angle to the processor. I assume this, because on previous flights i noticed that the artificial horizon was reacting very slowly when vibrations occur or when doing flight manouvers like loops, dive loops, immelman etc. It really took a few seconds until the artificial hoirizon matched with the real horizon i saw in my goggles. I now ordered a f765 wing and a new Ranger 1600. But since the Ranger has a fuselage made of plastic, it is more vibration susceptible for vibrations than a depron model i assume. I allready used a double layered damper pad for the Arkbird. Is the f765 better in reaction time and managing vibrations ? Or what else can i do when mounting this FC to reduce vibrations as much as possible. Thx and greetings from Berlin Germany
A lag in the art. horizon is normal. The iNav team have been working on improving the horizon drift. If it was excessive then I'd suspect something was up. Maybe vibration was the cause. The LPF filter along with better mounting can help. Sometimes simple things like prop balancing can make a huge difference too.. If there are logs then it's be worth a look to see what the FC saw. Best of luck!
@@Painless360 It happend all with my old FC, the Arkbird. Think it's on the market since 2013. The new FC has just arrived, it's a Matak 765. Guess that will do the job better. Thx for your answer.
Useful review, I have always thought Matek stuff looks nice. I'm familiar with some of those boards but not all, but it does seem you have concentrated on 30.5mm boards. I've only been doing this (quads for racing / freestyle type use with betaflight) for 2.5 years, and my first used an Omnibus F4 pro with Matek PDB and DYS ESCs. This was a 160mm frame with 3" props. Weight is everything on these things even before you think about CAA / registration / remote id issues, so I then swapped the Omnibus etc for an F3 SPCMaker (genuine) FC and quad ESC (20mm). Saved about 30g, which on something with (no battery) weight of about 135g now is a huge percentage. I've also used Eachine 20mm F3 FCs and ESCs. Very similar, never had a bad one of either. I do not see myself making anything with all up weight over 250g (3" or 4" max) any time soon, and I guess I'm not alone, so how about a similar survey of 20mm kit? The need to move to F4 is irritating though inevitable. It seems to me that for my use anyway, an F3 has more than adequate performance at the moment. The only issue is code space, and that is only an issue because of all the included features I don't use - but they are all there. For instance the (F4 only) feature for allowing the FC to act as a Rx joystick on a simulator is nice - but not really necessary when flying. The F4 also causes 'inversion grief' with FrSky protocols, because the UARTs do not natively support inversion. (Why did FrSky do it that way?) I build my own versions with slight changes, and I don't know if you've ever looked at the code, but it is a maze of #idef's, so one can just leave stuff out as necessary. I guess what would be nice is a web server build system which allows the end user to include only necessary facilities, ie build on demand.
I am about to use a 765-WIng and want to do waypoint missions with Ardupilot and Mission Planner. I have both old JR X10 and 3DR Iris transmitters. They both take Futaba modules, and I have a FRSky DJT 2.4 Ghz module already that will go into either. I just ordered an R-XSR receiver, which is S-bus. My question is, how can I connect a laptop or iPhone to send Mission Planner data to that receiver? Can I connect to the DJT module or do I have to buy something else?
Thanks Lee, you touched on a lot of bases... I'm a Pixhawk fan and I learned my lessons on the Pixhawk Clones trying to save a few bucks on ebay. Never again..! I'm still waiting on my PM07 Power Management Board from 3DXR, it's in NYC as of today, should be here shortly in NM, USA...! =)
Great videos, earned a sub! I learned a lot from your videos and I will be using the pixhawk for my college senior design project. It is an aquatic drone that will collect various data in different parts of water. Data is collected on rapsberry pi and navigation is handled with pixhawk using ardurover.
I had four naze32 and an Illuminati32 board that I threw away months ago because I couldn't get it to connect to cleanflight, I even tried betaflight and I still couldn't get it to connect to the board.
@@Painless360 yes I think they might have discontinued it as I couldn't see it on their website anymore which is a shame. It would be great if they introduced a V2 with a few extras like black box and maybe an f7.
Thx for the video. What would you suggest for better stability and reliability between Pixraser, Matek f-405, Matek f-765, Holy bro for a f-450 DJI frame. I know you made a video but didn’t compare it to any other flight controller. Size matter cause I would like to make smaller frame built soon. Thx
Don't start with the hardware, start with the firmware. For silky smooth flying for larger models Arducopter is the place to start.. see my various series on it... best of luck
At this 'problematic' time when we cant get out as much, a lot of people are maybe planning builds, some will be thinking of race quads, others (maybe few!)) will be thinking of heavy dslr lift octocopters (I am...) so maybe a follow on video could be how different FC's suit different air-frames and tasks.
Simple questions: betaflight has nothing to with the betafpv lite company that makes a transmitter betafpv lite radio 2 that had been advertised heavily as beginner
I'm using the Noxe on BG a lot. Nice and cheap with lots of features for an F411. For BF or iNav. I've used more pricey boards but they break just as easy.
I am new to flight controller use. Could you tell me what equipment i need for a non FPV volantex ranger using spektrum tx and Rx. I want to use a camera that records video, gps and RTHetc. Thank you in advance
The OSD that shows things like GPS location and RTH etc is normally created inside the flight controller and added to the image from the camera before going to the video transmitter to be sent to the goggles or screen used by the pilot. If you don't want to fly FPV but get this data you could maybe record the output from the FC that would usually go to a VTX with a DVR instead. Or, I would look to use telemetry to record the details and add them into the video after the flight using Dashware (i.e. ua-cam.com/video/LAEaRnkQ9kE/v-deo.html)
Hi Sir Pls suggest flight controller for 250 frame and receiver for flysky ia6b Requirement altitude hold gps pos hold vtx fpv Suggest budget FC can run on inav
Nothing springs to mind as most of the flight controllers that size have limited pads. You'll need one with a spare UART for the GPS and i2c pins for the external compass too. Best of luck
I am trying to revive an old tricopter (mostly parts) and am searching for a suitable flight controller that can work with a tricopter. I know, not much out there for tricopters but I like how they look in the air. Maybe I am a romantic. Are there any suitable flight controllers and firmware out there in 2023? No bells and whistles, just needs to work and be available for purchase.
Hey Painless360 I have a bit of a challenging build. it's 250 quad but with a very small space to accommodate FC.. I have tgy i10 radio and three omnibus f4 flight controllers, two of them are pro versions from reputable eBay sellers. No matter what settings I put in betaflight or Inav. They won't connect. RX is fine as I had it connected to a different model and it worked just fine. Sbus or ppm just don't work. Been on it for a couple of weeks now and I feel that I had enough of omnibus boards. My last quad built on omnibus f4 pro v3 kept flipping at takeoff, spent weeks trying to solve it, and eventually got naza lite for it. what board would you recommend for 250 easy going mini quad? not a racer just like to fly things. Best regards Rad
Thanks for producing this video series they are very informative. I do have a question, I intend to build a replica of the Avro Arrow and would like your advice on which would be the best controller system for this build. I want it to be able to follow waypoints, stablelise, and carry a cam. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your video series.
Dear @Painless, I build drone 7" Mateks F405 by Inav and TX1-RX1 (MSP) Telemetry to RX-TX Air Unit DJI. Added TX5-RX5 setting at DJI VTX but nothing OSD on display Gogle or recording automatic. Are you fix it?
I have a holybro discontinued now still brand new nearly took my mates head off while tuning it trying to find out why it was shaking ect .jyro was stupidly sensitive.wow .they did nothing about it for me so I'm stuck with it lol.could sofmount it and make a rubber frame maybe then it may work lol.
I've happily used Betaflight on Chinese Omnibus FCs before, but I'm new to the world of PX4, iNav, etc. and autonomous craft. The Arducopter website says that running on Omnibus or low power (F4?) FCs will mean that not all features are available. Is there a list of what won't run? Is there any reason then to pick an expensive FC like a pixhawk cube over something like a Matek? Is there any noticeable performance difference? Or is the difference really just the high quality, redundancy, thermal stability, ect. of the pixhawks? I'm working towards building a large (24 inch, 3-5 lb) hexacopter for camera and video work. So I don't want to risk some Chineseum part failing and my whole craft crashing and killing someone.
hi, thank you for your video. A real newbie question. Are JR connectors, servo connectors and dupont connectors all the same thing? The clamps that go inside them, are they the same thing? Do you prefer soldering or connectors for the F765? thank you
I got F405-wing on all of my planes running arduplane. Now looking to upgrade to F765 but currently, matek boards are quite expensive. I got a look at kakute F7 AIO board. A bit cheaper. Do you think the holybro option is feasible? Thanks!
Hi Lee, I am getting back into the hobby after a few years break and a lot has changed, so the video was very helpful. I was planning an f405/ardupilot/wing build, but almost immediately have hit a problem. My laptop is a Mac, and mission planner is not available for Mac. According to the documentation, the best GCS for Mac is APMPLANNER but that ceased development mid 2018, and no longer runs on Mac OS Catalina. That leaves QGroundControl, but I don't see many tutorials for that, it seems a little off the beaten track, and i fear it's not as fully featured as mission planner. Any thoughts on using QGC or should I change tracks and go back to INAV? Cheers. Laurence.
I use Mission Planner in the series because it works. A lot of the issues I see with setups are down to QGC. It depends on what you are planning to use the wing for and what you need but INAV is my go-to for almost every fixed wing build..
The ET Vector is a nice flight controller but hasn't been updated for many years. It doesn't support the latest protocols and standards in the hobby but if you can overlook that it's still a choice.
Hey yo painless dude. I am experimenting with various flight controllers and recently followed your lead to install a f405 wing into an aircraft with Ardupilot firmware. My question is why I am getting a cut down parameter set in Mission Planner. For example, I see in your vid that you have the ‘orientation’ option in the parameter list. I would like to turn the ‘405 through 180 degrees but AHRS ORIENTATION simply doesn’t exist in my parameter list. And I have been flying a mini pixhawk from Radiolink. It flies extremely well, and I notice that Radiolink has a rapidly growing presence. Are you considering doing a review?
Thank you for the hard work in putting this together I fancy an f7, is there a decent all in one?, but if I’m buying just a flight controller I’m not sure which esc will suit, do they all match?is there a simple shopping list? Still struggling thru this hobby, would love to build a gps fpv quad (inav) but I’m getting more and more confused
Loads of choice for a new build and it depends on what you want. Something like the Matek F722-SE AIO or the HolyBro Kakute F7 are solid. The Kakute also has a companion 4-in-1 ESC board too.. Best of luck!
How about a video comparing how ArduPilot and iNav stand these days? In the past I have always gone for ArduPilot for fixed wing but that was based on maybe some out of date ideas about iNav. Is it still a worthwhile option to use, say, a Matek board with ArduPilot or are the capabilities of iNav up there? What will I be missing if iNav was used instead? Obviously using Pixhawk hardware brings other advantages such as hardware redundancy - but other than that...?
Hi I am currently building a VTOL fixed wing aircraft. The motors are thrust vectored. I have two motors in front and just one in the back so I suppose its a slightly bit unconventional and might have to provide much more power in the back than in the front. So I think I may need to modify the controller code a bit. What flight controller would you recommend?
Is there a F7 controller for a wing that already has the pins soldered? I am not really interested in learning a skill like soldering. Thanks in advance.
I dislike that the matek doesnt support a hardware arming switch. Its led to an issue with my escs arming. I run dual on the nimbus and only one arms unless i unplug and replug the pwm. For a cheaper option i like the pixhack stuff. Thanks for the vids
Jacob, I personally don't understand the hardware arming switch you mentioned, like the one on the Pixhawk. It's really easy to solve the "ESC's arming" problem with the Matek FC's. There are several solutions if you want to be able to plug in your drone or fixed-wing...Some people setup a multiple switch arming on their radios so you physically have to move two switches to a specific configuration before arming will occur. You can think of it this way...you're moving that hardware arming switch from the sometimes unpredictable flying circle-saw, to your transmitter/radio which is already in your hands and much much safer to our limbs/extremities. Why would you want to walk up to a plugged in copter/plane and have to stick your delicate finger near it? Finally, imagine the XT60 on the battery is a button...The way you push it, is by simply inserting it in the XT60 on your rig. That's just like a hardware arming switch. I promise your ESC's won't arm unless you plug your battery in :) That's my perspective. To each his own though. Happy flying.
If it's working fine and has all the connections you need then I'd try it. There are good and bad examples of almost everything in the hobby.. Best of luck!
hello @Painless360.... what is ur opinion about Naza M lite...?? is it good fc... i can't afford some of the fc that u had mentioned at the video... 😅😅😅
Can you please advise. I fly radio controlled gliders and on a few occasions have nearly lost a glider due to loosing sight. I would like to look at a flight controller with a RTH facility. Could you please advise possible solutions that would be compatible with my spectrum radio and receiver system. My spectrum radio has built in telemetry. Looking forward to your help. Kind regards Warren Massey Durban South Africa
Imliving a flight controler hell. I have 3 bricked Naze 32, and cc3d that worked but I could not get isolation under control and it crashed throwing blade into the board breaking the tiny connector pins. I can not find any real info on what control boards are supported by what software and how to configure the p I ds. I'm thinking about a betaflight f4 seeing as the software betaflight supports it, is it worth it?
Interesting question. Has it always done this ir is this a new thing you've noticed with the model? If it's new - what changed? There could be ways that a faulty AIO FC could cause power issues or maybe a PID setup is to aggressive.. Could be a few things but more likely to be something more basic..
@@Painless360 its not always been like this i used to get good flight times, I have change anything for a while although before the lockdown I noticed the frame was getting warm but couldn't find any shorts on the frame.
@@Painless360 ok thank you. I have a cyclops storm also that I have not used before, so will put that in my wing for the mean time. See how that goes. Thanks
Ah ha! That's a question that I've not had for a while. I'm guessing you're not a regular viewer or only started watching in the last few years. I cover this in the 100K subs video from August 2108: ua-cam.com/video/3hZyJcdEg2A/v-deo.html
@@Painless360 It was a great flying session. Got the Zohd Dart 250g tuned just right. It really flies great. Ok gonna go watch your 100k video. Have a great day.
Hi greetings from Denmark, I have a Mavic 2 pro for my drone company, If i want to start Fpv on the side, What is a good start set?, i dont have any controller or googles
Then I'd check out the 'Introduction to FPV' playlist. Loads of great options for BNF quads (see the reviews playlist) and for goggles you can't go far wring with FatShark..
It's a great system, see my series on it. It's not something I consider for new builds as it's not had any serious investment for a long time. It doesn't support the latest standards for recievers, cameras, telemetry and VTX control..
I followed your AR Wing build with a Matek F405 and now I'm a big fan of Matek. Thanks for your videos!
Listening to your caveats list reminds me of why i like this channel. Thank you for your time and effort, this was very informative. I am looking forward to playing with my mro.Pixhawk for my next rover/tricopters because of my prior experience with Ardupilot.
Thanks, a lot of channels present their own subjective opinion as undeniable fact. This is a great hobby with a wide range of models, pilots, wars to fly and plenty of choices and budgets. There is no one answer for anything... Happy flying!
@@Painless360 there are all types i am getting back into it after taking time away from the hobby to get my master's degree in Additive Manufacturing Design. Cutting my teath on a rover since i have only designed one previous ground vehicle. Https://i.imgur.com/xaqvpJi.jpg
Thanks for this. I've been thinking of deep diving back into this. I helped a group of UCF engineering students successfully make a way over the top ambitious quadcopter project. I did all the programming interfacing a raspberry pi with a pixhawk board, ardupilot, etc. - the flying lawnmower (nickname since the hexacopter was swinging 12" rotors, yikes) had a robotic claw and a vision system (forget the camera board name) so it could fly mission, reach a waypoint then follow APRL code signs to hone in on targets and grab them and bring them back and stack them neatly LOL! It makes my brain hurt just remembering all the crazy connections with software and hardware, including a smartphone app with a nice control interface (buttons and telemetry gagues ). I still can't believe it worked (mostly).
But I have no interest in doing anything that ambitious again. Just some quads, fixed wings and rovers for the tinkering pleasure of it. This video is a good overview of what's around today.
That sounds like an awesome project! I’m up in Lake City, working on a simpler project, maybe I could buy you dinner and pick your brain a bit? Thanks in advance! And great video!
I'm in a similar position, some non-engineering students are looking to do some surveying and asked me about getting into RTK for photogrammetry missions. It's been ages since I did anything RC but I'm seeing the quad/planes with ardupilot itches a lot of my interests! I've opened the firehose of info and it looks like I'm going after the F9p RTK for ublocks GPS for the quadcopter/plane which it looks like Holybro sells the H-RTK F9p with a 10pin connector for the pixhawk4 (and another 6-pin version for a 2nd gps). They're likely wanting to fly over water/coastline so I'm wondering if Lee's recommendation on the more-bulletproof pixhawk Cube Orange would be a better path to keep it from falling into the sea! Being students, bulletproof is nice so they don't destroy stuff but cheap is also good for when they do crash it (maybe the aluminum controller case instead of plastic?)
I'm currently a UCF engineering student working on a project that's almost exactly the same for senior design! Good to know I'm looking at the right channel for some research.
I've been traveling for the last 4 years so have been away from R/C.
I found this video this evening after spending the afternoon dismantling 5 Naza, APM, and KK2 drones.
Remember the F330, F450, and Discover frames?
Yep, headed for the trashcan.
A friend just sent me his old Mavic Air 1 and I will add a Mini 2 for our travels.
Really good introduction and overview of the traps and opportunities ... and very well aimed ...
F765 works great with Raspberry Pi 0W. Lovely board, tests (improves!) your soldering skills ;-)
brilliant found my old crius flight board the other day.... good old times
Another clear concise video with pretty much exactly all the info I'm looking for with out a bunch of fluff. Love your vids.
Thanks this was very helpful! I've done two F411-wing builds and they work but had vtx power issues. Powering the vtx directly from the battery and powering the camera from the vtx seemed to fix this. I'm wrapping up a Radix Li/Bixler build and really looking forward to getting it in the air.
My Ranger 1600 had a real bad crash last Sunday, both wings and 2 servos are now destroyed. I was using an Arkbird Autopilot.
These are the steps i allways follow before and during start:
1. Checking all servos and motor working. In manual as in balance mode. Also checking if servos reacting properly in balance mode.
2. Bringing plane to a height between 80 - 90m in Balance mode.
3. Switching to RTH, checking if plane starts flying around the homepoint.
4. Taking seat in my chair, putting on my reading glasses and then my Cyclops goggles.
5. Taking control over plane by myself.
But this time, still in RTH Mode, the plane suddenly went straight down with an approximately angle of 30deg down and crashed into
the undergrowth. Could not react that fast to do countermeasures.
I guess it was the gyro, delivering a false angle to the processor. I assume this, because on previous flights i noticed that the artificial
horizon was reacting very slowly when vibrations occur or when doing flight manouvers like loops, dive loops, immelman etc.
It really took a few seconds until the artificial hoirizon matched with the real horizon i saw in my goggles.
I now ordered a f765 wing and a new Ranger 1600.
But since the Ranger has a fuselage made of plastic, it is more vibration susceptible for vibrations than a depron model i assume.
I allready used a double layered damper pad for the Arkbird.
Is the f765 better in reaction time and managing vibrations ? Or what else can i do when mounting this FC to reduce vibrations as much as
possible.
Thx and greetings from Berlin Germany
A lag in the art. horizon is normal. The iNav team have been working on improving the horizon drift. If it was excessive then I'd suspect something was up. Maybe vibration was the cause. The LPF filter along with better mounting can help. Sometimes simple things like prop balancing can make a huge difference too.. If there are logs then it's be worth a look to see what the FC saw. Best of luck!
@@Painless360 It happend all with my old FC, the Arkbird. Think it's on the market since 2013. The new FC has just arrived, it's a Matak 765. Guess that will do the job better. Thx for your answer.
Lets not forget the Matek F722 wing! That falls in with the F405 and F765 all 3 are awesome FC's!!
I've not tried it - great to hear it's also good!
Useful review, I have always thought Matek stuff looks nice.
I'm familiar with some of those boards but not all, but it does seem you have concentrated on 30.5mm boards.
I've only been doing this (quads for racing / freestyle type use with betaflight) for 2.5 years, and my first used an Omnibus F4 pro with Matek PDB and DYS ESCs. This was a 160mm frame with 3" props. Weight is everything on these things even before you think about CAA / registration / remote id issues, so I then swapped the Omnibus etc for an F3 SPCMaker (genuine) FC and quad ESC (20mm).
Saved about 30g, which on something with (no battery) weight of about 135g now is a huge percentage.
I've also used Eachine 20mm F3 FCs and ESCs. Very similar, never had a bad one of either.
I do not see myself making anything with all up weight over 250g (3" or 4" max) any time soon, and I guess I'm not alone, so how about a similar survey of 20mm kit?
The need to move to F4 is irritating though inevitable. It seems to me that for my use anyway, an F3 has more than adequate performance at the moment. The only issue is code space, and that is only an issue because of all the included features I don't use - but they are all there. For instance the (F4 only) feature for allowing the FC to act as a Rx joystick on a simulator is nice - but not really necessary when flying.
The F4 also causes 'inversion grief' with FrSky protocols, because the UARTs do not natively support inversion. (Why did FrSky do it that way?)
I build my own versions with slight changes, and I don't know if you've ever looked at the code, but it is a maze of #idef's, so one can just leave stuff out as necessary. I guess what would be nice is a web server build system which allows the end user to include only necessary facilities, ie build on demand.
Just getting into flying quads, this was a very informative video for me. Thank you.
I am about to use a 765-WIng and want to do waypoint missions with Ardupilot and Mission Planner. I have both old JR X10 and 3DR Iris transmitters. They both take Futaba modules, and I have a FRSky DJT 2.4 Ghz module already that will go into either. I just ordered an R-XSR receiver, which is S-bus. My question is, how can I connect a laptop or iPhone to send Mission Planner data to that receiver? Can I connect to the DJT module or do I have to buy something else?
Thanks Lee, you touched on a lot of bases... I'm a Pixhawk fan and I learned my lessons on the Pixhawk Clones trying to save a few bucks on ebay. Never again..! I'm still waiting on my PM07 Power Management Board from 3DXR, it's in NYC as of today, should be here shortly in NM, USA...! =)
Great videos, earned a sub! I learned a lot from your videos and I will be using the pixhawk for my college senior design project. It is an aquatic drone that will collect various data in different parts of water. Data is collected on rapsberry pi and navigation is handled with pixhawk using ardurover.
Sounds similar to the project I mention above.... Best of luck!
I had four naze32 and an Illuminati32 board that I threw away months ago because I couldn't get it to connect to cleanflight, I even tried betaflight and I still couldn't get it to connect to the board.
Awesome video, thank you. I will be sure to check out your store. I have a pixhawk cube waiting on Amazon.
Its not my store but best of luck with your build! Happy flying!
Thanks you! The brainFpv indeed looks nice, it's small and should fit all my 3d printed planes, like my cc3d used to do :)
I still have an old ardupilot pro controller laying around. its a shame that it can't really be useful anymore.
You can still use them, just not with the modern versions of the firmware.. Happy flying
I use the Furious Fpv F35 lightning board for my Inav builds. Great size, easy set up with all wires and connectors supplied. Works flawlessly. 👍
They are great. I just can't find them in stock any more ...Happy flying
@@Painless360 yes I think they might have discontinued it as I couldn't see it on their website anymore which is a shame. It would be great if they introduced a V2 with a few extras like black box and maybe an f7.
Graham Downs I use them too, and asked Furious and they said they will not be upgraded or made anymore. Sad because its a very good total package.
@@TheMultiProp I messaged them today and they said they are working on a new and improved version!
Thx for the video. What would you suggest for better stability and reliability between Pixraser, Matek f-405, Matek f-765, Holy bro for a f-450 DJI frame. I know you made a video but didn’t compare it to any other flight controller. Size matter cause I would like to make smaller frame built soon. Thx
Don't start with the hardware, start with the firmware. For silky smooth flying for larger models Arducopter is the place to start.. see my various series on it... best of luck
@@Painless360 All the above flight controller supports Arducopter. That’s why trying to see which hardware is better. Pixracer vs Matek vs Holy bro
At this 'problematic' time when we cant get out as much, a lot of people are maybe planning builds, some will be thinking of race quads, others (maybe few!)) will be thinking of heavy dslr lift octocopters (I am...) so maybe a follow on video could be how different FC's suit different air-frames and tasks.
Check out the playlist links in the description for more detail. If you want camera rig then its Arducopter.. best of luck
Simple questions: betaflight has nothing to with the betafpv lite company that makes a transmitter betafpv lite radio 2 that had been advertised heavily as beginner
I'm using the Noxe on BG a lot. Nice and cheap with lots of features for an F411. For BF or iNav. I've used more pricey boards but they break just as easy.
I am new to flight controller use. Could you tell me what equipment i need for a non FPV volantex ranger using spektrum tx and Rx. I want to use a camera that records video, gps and RTHetc. Thank you in advance
The OSD that shows things like GPS location and RTH etc is normally created inside the flight controller and added to the image from the camera before going to the video transmitter to be sent to the goggles or screen used by the pilot. If you don't want to fly FPV but get this data you could maybe record the output from the FC that would usually go to a VTX with a DVR instead. Or, I would look to use telemetry to record the details and add them into the video after the flight using Dashware (i.e. ua-cam.com/video/LAEaRnkQ9kE/v-deo.html)
Hi Sir
Pls suggest flight controller for 250 frame and receiver for flysky ia6b
Requirement altitude hold gps pos hold vtx fpv
Suggest budget FC can run on inav
Nothing springs to mind as most of the flight controllers that size have limited pads. You'll need one with a spare UART for the GPS and i2c pins for the external compass too. Best of luck
@@Painless360 Omnibus F4 is suitable?
I am trying to revive an old tricopter (mostly parts) and am searching for a suitable flight controller that can work with a tricopter. I know, not much out there for tricopters but I like how they look in the air. Maybe I am a romantic. Are there any suitable flight controllers and firmware out there in 2023? No bells and whistles, just needs to work and be available for purchase.
I'm not sure as tricopter building was never my thing. Sorry I can't help this time.. Best of luck
Hey! Can you do a review about the Matek H743-WING that launched in August 2020, thanks!
Video coming.. Stay tuned!
Hey Painless360
I have a bit of a challenging build. it's 250 quad but with a very small space to accommodate FC.. I have tgy i10 radio and three omnibus f4 flight controllers, two of them are pro versions from reputable eBay sellers. No matter what settings I put in betaflight or Inav. They won't connect. RX is fine as I had it connected to a different model and it worked just fine. Sbus or ppm just don't work. Been on it for a couple of weeks now and I feel that I had enough of omnibus boards. My last quad built on omnibus f4 pro v3 kept flipping at takeoff, spent weeks trying to solve it, and eventually got naza lite for it.
what board would you recommend for 250 easy going mini quad? not a racer just like to fly things.
Best regards
Rad
Thanks for producing this video series they are very informative. I do have a question, I intend to build a replica of the Avro Arrow and would like your advice on which would be the best controller system for this build. I want it to be able to follow waypoints, stablelise, and carry a cam. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your video series.
INAV or AuduPlane. Pros and cons for each. See my video on it.. Best of luck
thanks for this information :)
Dear @Painless, I build drone 7" Mateks F405 by Inav and TX1-RX1 (MSP) Telemetry to RX-TX Air Unit DJI. Added TX5-RX5 setting at DJI VTX but nothing OSD on display Gogle or recording automatic.
Are you fix it?
Check out my iNav and DJI setup in the Mini Drak series. I hope that helps.
I have a holybro discontinued now still brand new nearly took my mates head off while tuning it trying to find out why it was shaking ect .jyro was stupidly sensitive.wow .they did nothing about it for me so I'm stuck with it lol.could sofmount it and make a rubber frame maybe then it may work lol.
I've happily used Betaflight on Chinese Omnibus FCs before, but I'm new to the world of PX4, iNav, etc. and autonomous craft. The Arducopter website says that running on Omnibus or low power (F4?) FCs will mean that not all features are available. Is there a list of what won't run? Is there any reason then to pick an expensive FC like a pixhawk cube over something like a Matek? Is there any noticeable performance difference? Or is the difference really just the high quality, redundancy, thermal stability, ect. of the pixhawks? I'm working towards building a large (24 inch, 3-5 lb) hexacopter for camera and video work. So I don't want to risk some Chineseum part failing and my whole craft crashing and killing someone.
Most professional pilots I know use Ardupilot on Pixhawk Cube.. Best of luck
My favorite is the mateksys f722 wing. I am thinking of getting the f765
What do you think about the Matek F765 Wing Flight Controller?
I like the Matek Wing series.... Check out my builds. I've used a few of them... Happy flying
hi would I use Betaflight in my sky hunter racing aircraft or one of the others, cheers keep up the good work keeping us new pilots informed
See my plane builds. INav understands fixed wing far better than Betaflight... best of luck
hi, thank you for your video. A real newbie question. Are JR connectors, servo connectors and dupont connectors all the same thing? The clamps that go inside them, are they the same thing? Do you prefer soldering or connectors for the F765? thank you
Yep, same thing. :D
I got F405-wing on all of my planes running arduplane. Now looking to upgrade to F765 but currently, matek boards are quite expensive. I got a look at kakute F7 AIO board. A bit cheaper. Do you think the holybro option is feasible? Thanks!
I'd get the right flight controller for the job. The F405 is still a solid choice...
Hi Lee, I am getting back into the hobby after a few years break and a lot has changed, so the video was very helpful. I was planning an f405/ardupilot/wing build, but almost immediately have hit a problem. My laptop is a Mac, and mission planner is not available for Mac. According to the documentation, the best GCS for Mac is APMPLANNER but that ceased development mid 2018, and no longer runs on Mac OS Catalina. That leaves QGroundControl, but I don't see many tutorials for that, it seems a little off the beaten track, and i fear it's not as fully featured as mission planner. Any thoughts on using QGC or should I change tracks and go back to INAV? Cheers. Laurence.
I use Mission Planner in the series because it works. A lot of the issues I see with setups are down to QGC. It depends on what you are planning to use the wing for and what you need but INAV is my go-to for almost every fixed wing build..
@@Painless360 thanks Lee.
Thanks for the update. Is the ET Vector still in the running or is the BrainFPV a better board now? 👍
The ET Vector is a nice flight controller but hasn't been updated for many years. It doesn't support the latest protocols and standards in the hobby but if you can overlook that it's still a choice.
@@Painless360 Eagle Tree Going out of business www.eagletreesystems.com/index.php
Awesome vid! Is it recommended to use the F765 Wing FC on a quadcopter build?
If it's ArduCopter, possibly. If it's not then the HolyBro, CLRacing or BrainFPV systems would be my choice..
@@Painless360 Sweet! Thanks for the information.
Well done! Thanks.
Hey yo painless dude. I am experimenting with various flight controllers and recently followed your lead to install a f405 wing into an aircraft with Ardupilot firmware.
My question is why I am getting a cut down parameter set in Mission Planner. For example, I see in your vid that you have the ‘orientation’ option in the parameter list. I would like to turn the ‘405 through 180 degrees but AHRS ORIENTATION simply doesn’t exist in my parameter list.
And I have been flying a mini pixhawk from Radiolink. It flies extremely well, and I notice that Radiolink has a rapidly growing presence. Are you considering doing a review?
I've covered so many Pixhawks already on the channel so no plans for that one - at the moment. Is Mission Planner in basic or expert mode?
Thank you for the hard work in putting this together I fancy an f7, is there a decent all in one?, but if I’m buying just a flight controller I’m not sure which esc will suit, do they all match?is there a simple shopping list? Still struggling thru this hobby, would love to build a gps fpv quad (inav) but I’m getting more and more confused
Loads of choice for a new build and it depends on what you want. Something like the Matek F722-SE AIO or the HolyBro Kakute F7 are solid. The Kakute also has a companion 4-in-1 ESC board too.. Best of luck!
@@Painless360 thank you. Really appreciate the reply. Please keep up the good work
How about a video comparing how ArduPilot and iNav stand these days? In the past I have always gone for ArduPilot for fixed wing but that was based on maybe some out of date ideas about iNav. Is it still a worthwhile option to use, say, a Matek board with ArduPilot or are the capabilities of iNav up there? What will I be missing if iNav was used instead? Obviously using Pixhawk hardware brings other advantages such as hardware redundancy - but other than that...?
ua-cam.com/video/te4D_fjBVfM/v-deo.html still captures it nicely.. Happy flying
Do I need a flight controller for a drone or cvan I fly it like an rc plane with just the receiver?
Rc fixed wings don't need a flight controller to fly. Pilots add then for OSD, RTH and stabilisation functions.. Happy flying
Very informative, thanks for sharing I subscribe to you thanks again 😎
How would I wire this on holybro PX4? RealPit VTX Power Switch
Ardupilot isn't supported at the moment. Best of luck
I love apm
Hi I am currently building a VTOL fixed wing aircraft. The motors are thrust vectored. I have two motors in front and just one in the back so I suppose its a slightly bit unconventional and might have to provide much more power in the back than in the front. So I think I may need to modify the controller code a bit. What flight controller would you recommend?
I'm not sure. For Vtol, Ardupilot on a supported flight controller would be my starting point... best of luck
@@Painless360 Thank you. (y)
Is there a F7 controller for a wing that already has the pins soldered? I am not really interested in learning a skill like soldering. Thanks in advance.
Not that I've seen..
Thank you Painless
Hi, is the F10 wing board on Banggood some kind of clone? What do you think of it?
I've not tried one of the F10 here. Best of luck with it..
Need help! Can I use FlySky FS-i6 Controller with my SG 906 Pro Drone instead of the one provided with the Drone by manufacturer.
Yes, you'll need a receiver that will talk to the radio and provide the input the drone needs... Best of luck!
I dislike that the matek doesnt support a hardware arming switch. Its led to an issue with my escs arming. I run dual on the nimbus and only one arms unless i unplug and replug the pwm. For a cheaper option i like the pixhack stuff. Thanks for the vids
Jacob, I personally don't understand the hardware arming switch you mentioned, like the one on the Pixhawk. It's really easy to solve the "ESC's arming" problem with the Matek FC's. There are several solutions if you want to be able to plug in your drone or fixed-wing...Some people setup a multiple switch arming on their radios so you physically have to move two switches to a specific configuration before arming will occur. You can think of it this way...you're moving that hardware arming switch from the sometimes unpredictable flying circle-saw, to your transmitter/radio which is already in your hands and much much safer to our limbs/extremities. Why would you want to walk up to a plugged in copter/plane and have to stick your delicate finger near it? Finally, imagine the XT60 on the battery is a button...The way you push it, is by simply inserting it in the XT60 on your rig. That's just like a hardware arming switch. I promise your ESC's won't arm unless you plug your battery in :) That's my perspective. To each his own though. Happy flying.
Hi Lee, got the AKK F4 board for an inav 7" long range build with gps. Should I trust a better board like the matek ??
If it's working fine and has all the connections you need then I'd try it. There are good and bad examples of almost everything in the hobby.. Best of luck!
Cheers, will give it a try.
what’s your pick for a flight controller for a large quadcopter now?
Depends on the firmware. Durandal or Pixhawk cube for Arducopter or one of the Matek boards for betaflight or INAV..
@@Painless360 Thanks for that. Thoughts on what firmware work be better for slow moving filming quad? I’m rebuilding my Tarot 650 with low kV motors.
Ardupilot.
@@Painless360 thanks for that.
hello @Painless360.... what is ur opinion about Naza M lite...?? is it good fc... i can't afford some of the fc that u had mentioned at the video... 😅😅😅
I dont use them. There are very good reasons I use the flight controllers I've mentioned but others are available.. best of luck
For matek f765 wing, is the battery only for 3-6s? What if I want to use 2s? Additionally can soldering be avoided?
Details on the Matek website. 3-6s. Sadly soldering is part of it. Either pins or the wires themselves.. Happy flying
@@Painless360 where can I find the soldering guide for the pins? Do I need to solder all the pins or just the one I need?
Can you please advise.
I fly radio controlled gliders and on a few occasions have nearly lost a glider due to loosing sight.
I would like to look at a flight controller with a RTH facility.
Could you please advise possible solutions that would be compatible with my spectrum radio and receiver system.
My spectrum radio has built in telemetry.
Looking forward to your help.
Kind regards
Warren Massey Durban South Africa
If you don't want a full flight controller that can rescue you then check out the ZOHD Kopilot series on the channel..
Painless360 many thanks. 👍👍🙏🏻🙏🏻
What flight controllers can support Y4 and Y6??
Not sure, I've never made one of those model types here. Let me know what you end up using!
Very nice information .... well detailed... thanks for distributing knowledge and experience ... please share your name in your videos ...
Sounds like you are new to the channel. Welcome!
Imliving a flight controler hell. I have 3 bricked Naze 32, and cc3d that worked but I could not get isolation under control and it crashed throwing blade into the board breaking the tiny connector pins.
I can not find any real info on what control boards are supported by what software and how to configure the p I ds.
I'm thinking about a betaflight f4 seeing as the software betaflight supports it, is it worth it?
All my recommendations are in the video. Don't use older ones now.
You are the best! Tks
Hi Lee, There is a growing third type of flying machine VTOLS. would you care to comment on what type of controller is suitable for this class
Ardupilot capable ones. Check out the wiki... Best of luck
What makes the Pixhawk unsuitable for FPV? I want to go FPV, but not for racing, more like freestyle, but at a more sedate pace...
You can use it for FPV but if you want an OSD you will need an extra Minimosd style board too.. video about FPV on Pixhawk coming soon... stay tuned
Can i use a matek 405 wing for a tailsitter vtol aircraft?
Probably, it would run Ardupilot Qplane and support two motors.. best of luck
@@Painless360 Thanks
Anything wrong with using the Pixhawk 4 instead of the cube to save some bucks on a fix wing?
If you are going to do that then I'd look at the Matek wing boards - see my videos on the fixed wing builds with one..
@@Painless360 I don’t see where the Matek 722/765 boards have Sbus out like the pixgawk does?
Thank you sir
Is it practical to build your own flight controller ?
Only as an exercise in design and coding. There are so many excellent choices about now off the shelf..
@@Painless360 question , if i bought flight control and build a drone then sell it as a product would that be ok or is it illegal
No idea, I am not a lawyer...
@@Painless360 ahaha ok lol tnx 😂
so F405 and F765-Wing is just as good for using ArduPilot as PixHawk or PixHawk clone ..?
Not quite. No redundancy and IMU warming or vibration isolation.. See my Pixhawk 2020 series ..
Can a fualty FC cause batteries to drain quicker they should? Only casual flying with no extreme punchouts or flips and rolls.
Interesting question. Has it always done this ir is this a new thing you've noticed with the model? If it's new - what changed?
There could be ways that a faulty AIO FC could cause power issues or maybe a PID setup is to aggressive.. Could be a few things but more likely to be something more basic..
@@Painless360 its not always been like this i used to get good flight times, I have change anything for a while although before the lockdown I noticed the frame was getting warm but couldn't find any shorts on the frame.
I'd also suspect the battery is past it's best - what type is it and what internal resistance does it have?
@@Painless360 have 2 5s tattu and a 6s graphine. I have just ordered a new one to test.
I have another question about battery drainage. Do you think a bad capacitor can cause the lipo to drain quicker?
Good video, question, can you help me find a module to covert my JR652 72meg to 2.4 gig?
Lots of options for radios with a JR bay... Does it have one?
No not for an external mod but I can replace the original tx, or switch and use both. Just cant find a mod anmore.
Which flight controller can be used for a tiltrotor uav
Depends on the flight control software you want to use. Ardupilot would be my choice... best of luck
Which ones supports SBus?
All of them. See the manuals for them and my build videos.. Best of luck
Can you use a arducopter in a wing?
No, you use ArduPlane - see my video on it...
@@Painless360 ok thank you. I have a cyclops storm also that I have not used before, so will put that in my wing for the mean time. See how that goes. Thanks
Also, just out of curiosity, where does the painless360 moniker come from?
Ah ha! That's a question that I've not had for a while. I'm guessing you're not a regular viewer or only started watching in the last few years. I cover this in the 100K subs video from August 2108: ua-cam.com/video/3hZyJcdEg2A/v-deo.html
@@Painless360 hehheh ok I'll check it out. :). (but I have to go fly my Zohd dart and quad at sunrise in a minute first lol)
Happy flying!
@@Painless360 It was a great flying session. Got the Zohd Dart 250g tuned just right. It really flies great.
Ok gonna go watch your 100k video. Have a great day.
@@Painless360 I always suspected you were from the future.
Hi greetings from Denmark, I have a Mavic 2 pro for my drone company, If i want to start Fpv on the side, What is a good start set?, i dont have any controller or googles
Are you wanting to FPV with the DJI model?
@@Painless360 dont need to
Then I'd check out the 'Introduction to FPV' playlist. Loads of great options for BNF quads (see the reviews playlist) and for goggles you can't go far wring with FatShark..
is the Vector by Eagle Tree still relevant? I don't see much YT content featuring the Vector these days.
It's a great system, see my series on it. It's not something I consider for new builds as it's not had any serious investment for a long time. It doesn't support the latest standards for recievers, cameras, telemetry and VTX control..
@@Painless360 It is also, discontinued :( No more Vector :(
Why you never cover PX4 for fixed wings?
Check out my PixHawk 2020 series for planes...
can you recommend an fc for an airplane?
Yep, in this video. Matek mainly now..
What's the story on the Matek F722 nobody mentions it.
It was released after this video - see my caveats at the start ;) The current Nano Drak Build on the channel is using one.. Check it out.
@@Painless360 Thank you, I thought the 722 was first and then the 765.
do you have advice for a gps module for about 10 ~ 20 dollers?
Google M8N. It's what I use in the builds..Happy flying
@@Painless360 do you know how it compare to a bn-800
I've used those too but M8N seems to lock faster and find more sats..
so the only difference inav and ardupilot is the name
Nope. Check out my builds on the channel using them to see how different they are. Best of luck
Hey
I have a qq pro flight controller with me..i want to use it as a stabilizer for my rc wing can u plz help me...
I've never played with one of those - sorry..
there's no help for those..Thro it away.
@@Painless360 hmm tnx
@@davidsettles5706 tnx
j
Eagle Tree Vector?
I've used them in the past and they work well (See my series on them) but not one I go to for new builds..
What about Kiss?
Not on my list...
@@Painless360 may I ask why? I was thinking of doing a Kiss build for my first DIY drone. Especially with Ethix pushing it.