Intro to MultiCopters

© 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

© 2014 Tom Paulus

What is a MultiCopter?

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Build Vs. Buy

How Do I Get One?

HUBSAN X4 H107C-HD Quadcopter with 2MP VideoUS$ 65

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Build vs Buy

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Frame Shape

© 2014 Tom Paulus

© 2014 Tom Paulus

© 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

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Auto-Level Only

KK 2.1 $30

Acro Naze 32 $25

Flip 1.5 $16*

*Does NOT include the case

© 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

© 2014 Tom Paulus

GPS with AutoPilot Capabilities

ArduPilot $300

DJI Naza Lite

$175

© 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

© 2014 Tom Paulus

PropsLets take a 10x4.5 Prop for Example

10 x 4.5

Diameter of the Prop

Pitch of the Prop

© 2014 Tom Paulus

ESCsElectronic Speed Controller

Connects your Motors to your Battery and Flight Controller

Motor

Battery

ESC

Flight Controller

Photo: HobbyKing

© 2014 Tom Paulus

BatteriesVoltage

• 4s+ - High Voltage App. • 3S -11.1V (Most Common) • 2S - 7.4V

AmperageMeasured in C (Capacities)

Diagram: Traxxas

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Now What?

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Mobius GoPro Camcorder DSLR

39g Camera: 74g (2.6oz) w/housing: 136g (4.8oz) approx. 350g approx. 1500g

Payload

© 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)

© 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

© 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

© 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

© 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

© 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

© 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

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Transmitter

© 2014 Tom Paulus

TransmitterAltitude

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TransmitterForward

Backward

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Right

Transmitter

Left

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Transmitter

SpinRight

SpinLeft

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Questions?

© 2014 Tom Paulus

SummaryWe looked at…

- Do I Build or Buy?

- Various Components Essential to your Copter

- What kind of payloads you can carry

© 2014 Tom Paulus

Demo