Intro to MultiCopters

Commonly referred to as Drones, these craft provide the pilot the ability to capture images from a new perspective. In this talk we will discuss the basic principles and technology that enable this gravity defying craft to fly.

We have flown these magical devices for a few hundred hours over the last two years. We have bought and built too many multi-copters (unfortunately also known as drones). Anyways, we would really love to share some of our most exciting and memorable experiences with you.

But be warned! You will leave the session, with the strong desire to acquire parts (you before didn't know existed) and build a mulit-copter of your own.

Transcript

1. © 2014 Tom Paulus Photo: Wolf Paulus Getting Started with MultiCopters Wolf Paulus @wolfpaulus http://wolfpaulus.com Tom Paulus @tompaulus http://tompaulus.com © 2014 Tom Paulus
2. © 2014 Tom Paulus What is a MultiCopter?
3. © 2014 Tom Paulus Build Vs. Buy How Do I Get One?
4. HUBSAN X4 H107C-HD Quadcopter with 2MP Video
 US$ 65
5. © 2014 Tom Paulus Build vs Buy
6. © 2014 Tom Paulus Frame Shape
7. © 2014 Tom Paulus
8. © 2014 Tom Paulus
9. © 2014 Tom Paulus Flight Controller • The MOST important component on your craft • Translates your inputs into changes in the motor speeds • There are 3 different classes of Flight Controller to choose from
10. © 2014 Tom Paulus Auto-Level Only KK 2.1 $30 Acro Naze 32 $25 Flip 1.5 $16* *Does NOT include the case
11. © 2014 Tom Paulus Altitude Holding Flip 1.5 $22* ** Naze 32 $52 **With the addition of the Pimp Your Flip Board ($7) *Does NOT include the case
12. © 2014 Tom Paulus GPS with AutoPilot Capabilities ArduPilot $300 DJI Naza Lite $175
13. © 2014 Tom Paulus Motors • RPM is measured in kV • 1 kV is 1 revolution per volt • Measure of the dimension of the stator • For Example, 2212 980kV Motors Photo: rcexplorer.se
14. © 2014 Tom Paulus Props Lets take a 10x4.5 Prop for Example 10 x 4.5 Diameter of the Prop Pitch of the Prop
15. © 2014 Tom Paulus ESCs Electronic Speed Controller Connects your Motors to your Battery and Flight Controller Motor Battery ESC Flight Controller Photo: HobbyKing
16. © 2014 Tom Paulus Batteries Voltage • 4s+ - High Voltage App. • 3S -11.1V (Most Common) • 2S - 7.4V Amperage Measured in C (Capacities) Diagram: Traxxas
17. © 2014 Tom Paulus Now What?
19. © 2014 Tom Paulus Mobius GoPro Camcorder DSLR 39g Camera: 74g (2.6oz) w/housing: 136g (4.8oz) approx. 350g approx. 1500g Payload
20. © 2014 Tom Paulus Payload Influencers • Frame Type • All-up Weight (without the camera) • Battery (3.7V per LiPO cell) • ESC (Max Amperage) • Motor • Propeller (Length and Pitch)
21. © 2014 Tom Paulus But how much power is needed to turn a propeller at a certain speed? Bob Boucher’s Electric Motor Handbook states that the following formula works well for most two-bladed propellers: • Propeller constant of APC propeller is 1.11 • Propeller diameter in feet = 10 * 0.0833 = 0.83 • Propeller pitch in feet = 4.5 * 0.0833 = 0.37 • Estimated RPM = 9000 / 1000 = 9 Power required to spin the propeller = 1.11 * 0.83^4 * 0.37 * 9^3 = 144 Watts 1 x4.5 APC props a. 9 rpm w = Kp × d4 × Pitch × RPM3
22. © 2014 Tom Paulus • 3 Rotors 10 x 4.5 • 2500 mAh 3 Cell Battery • Motors 980 rpm/V Motors • 1000g All-up Weight • Mixed Flight Time 7.7 min • Hover Flight Time 11 min • Hover at 49% Throttle input • Possible Payload 493 g • Max Speed 25.5 mph Baseline 120 W 100 F
23. © 2014 Tom Paulus • 3 Rotors 10 x 4.5 • 2500 mAh 4 Cell Battery • Motors 980 rpm/V Motors • 1000g All-up Weight • Mixed Flight Time 8.1 min • Hover Flight Time 14 min • Hover at 28% Throttle input • Theo. Payload 1300 g • Max Speed 38.5 mph 4 Cell Battery 225 W 127 F
24. © 2014 Tom Paulus • 3 Rotors 11 x 4.5 • 2500 mAh 3 Cell Battery • Motors 980 rpm/V Motors • 1000g All-up Weight • Mixed Flight Time 7.8 min • Hover Flight Time 12 min • Hover at 38% Throttle input • Possible Payload 812 g • Max Speed 26.7 mph 11’ Propeller 144 W 109 F
25. © 2014 Tom Paulus • 3 Rotors 10 x 4.5 • 2500 mAh 3 Cell Battery • Motors 980 rpm/V Motors • 1000g All-up Weight • Mixed Flight Time 7.7 min • Hover Flight Time 11 min • Hover at 49% Throttle input • Possible Payload 493 g • Max Speed 25.5 mph Baseline 120 W 100 F
26. © 2014 Tom Paulus • 3 Rotors 10 x 4.5 • 2500 mAh 3 Cell Battery • Motors 980 rpm/V Motors • 1350g All-up Weight • Mixed Flight Time 5.6 min • Hover Flight Time 7 min • Hover at 72% Throttle input • Possible Payload 143 g • Max Speed 14.9 mph Payload 120 W 100 F
27. © 2014 Tom Paulus Transmitter
28. © 2014 Tom Paulus Transmitter Altitude
29. © 2014 Tom Paulus Transmitter Forward Backward
30. © 2014 Tom Paulus Right Transmitter Left
31. © 2014 Tom Paulus Transmitter Spin Right Spin Left
32. © 2014 Tom Paulus Questions?
33. © 2014 Tom Paulus Summary We looked at… - Do I Build or Buy? - Various Components Essential to your Copter - What kind of payloads you can carry
34. © 2014 Tom Paulus Demo