Drones Archives

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August 2, 2024September 27, 2024

Drone Accessories

Grab Your Drones, Goggles and Transmitters – We Are Racing

New FrSky Taranis Q X7S, Quadcopter Blades, Batteries and Toggle Caps

Gear – Drone Accessories

Adding our at-home, indoor flight “program” (a little tongue-in-cheek), we have new accessories, transmitters and blades – let’s race!

With our Amazon order received, we have a mixed lot of parts and accessories. It’s time to break out the racing drones again, as we needed a few bits and parts to get them flying just right. A new transmitter, a second FrSky Taranis QX7S (Carbon Fiber) Remote for a second racing drone along with blades and batteries. The goal was to fix what needed fixing and get ready for racing.

And racing we shall! With side-by-side flight, using dual transmitters, we can race real-time, with similar nano drones for indoor racing games. I’ve added toggle caps/covers for those new to quad racing – these caps provide pilots and hobbyists with visual cues and help reinforce muscle memory for which toggles are active. This aids in remote usage and recognition during take off, flight, landing and crashes.

Lastly, we are in the process of turning over our battery collection, some of which are over 4 years old. A few have problems, but around 4 to 5 remain in good or optimal shape for flight. So, with a few extra batteries (8 in total, 2 packs of 4 batteries) we can enjoy 15 – 20 minutes of real racing time, assuming normal flight ranges and pilot skill.

Drone Accessories

FrSky Case

New Taranis Transmitter

Carbon Fiber Transmitter

Transmitter with Toggles

Ready 4 Flight

Toggle Covers

Avan Blades

EMAX LiPos

Racing Drone New Blades

Racing Drone

Dual Racing Drones

For those of you interested in learning more about the drone hobby, or wanting to see more. I have one more resource for you: the Drone Racing League. The league flies all around the world, but more specifically the race in Germany. The league race took place at DHL Tower – Race 6 (EU), where drones are reaching speeds over 100mph and race skyward over skyscrapers, performing flips beyound your wildest imagination. The race features super high-end drones and professional pilots running quadcopter and competing for money! It’s crazy tech in action.

Other Drone Resources

If you’re new to quadcopter(s) and are wondering what to buy – drones, drone accessories etc., FPV (First Person View) flight, check out @Bardwells YouTube channel for all kinds of tips and fixes (my goto for FC and BetaFlight help). Most videos are extremely detailed, with the goal of getting you hooked! Shout out to Joshua, he’s a legend as his videos played a pivotal role in getting the EMAX drones bound to the original Taranis transmitter via BetaFlight. For parts, check out our shopping list, where I’ll post links to the quadcopter(s) (drones), parts, accessories and more.

We also have a number of articles on the subject matter; including the Emax TH2, drone repair, full-sized drone operation, video in flight and more. Feel free to preview those any time. Interested in a full sized video drone? Check out the DJI Phantom Pro series as well.

Although it’s been months since we posted anything related to the Taranis Q RC transmitters, more can be found here. Also, if you’re interested in more Emax lab work this two part Emax Series – Part 1 and Part 2 is a great place to start. In order would be best to explore this content, or if you want to jump to the conclusion click on Part 2 for the fix.

Before we sign off, we have to plug our own shopping list, the drone accessories will be posted on the site shortly.

November 26, 2022September 27, 2024

AirMap by DroneUp

Take Flight, AirMap by DroneUp

AirMap for Drones, Setup and Flight App

Tech | Tools – Fly With Confidence – Airmaps

Get FAA approval to fly with AirMap by DroneUp… Are you looking for FAA compliant drone flight apps? Airmap makes flying easy and understandable. Fly with confidence while staying within legal requirements and having the knowledge to fly approved.

From installation to usage, AirMap by DroneUp for iOS or Airmap – for Android will help you understand what is happening in the airspace above you, how to fly with approved FAA flight status, log your flights, and more.

Airmaps iOS And Android

TFR

Welcome

Connect

FAA Plan

Zones

Restrictions

Brevard County

From t’s & c’s, to maps, flight logs and FAA approval to fly safely, make sure th get approved with FAA-approved flight requests. Check Kennedy Space Center to learn about the airspace above and around Kennedy. Familiarize yourself with the warnings and requirements, as well as the maps and flight restriction in and around the areas within your airspace.

Need more flight apps, or drone apps for flight approval? Leave us a comment below and we will find some additional drone apps for you. While you’re here take a look at other FAA related articles, FAA Hurricane Update from 10/1 and FAA Drone Safety from 4/19. Although these articles are now archived, it’s important to remember that drone flight rules are drone rules. Most importantly, make sure to stay compliant and safe while flying.

January 30, 2021September 27, 2024

ReFit EMAX FC

Cut, Fit & Refit

EMAX THS & Flight Controller Board

Lab Work – EMAX Flight Controller

ReFit EMAX FC

I thought we could revisit the EMAX FC repair on the EMAX THS. I’ve want to follow up on the previous post, focusing more on the specific, showing the repair process and refitting the EMAX FC. Along the way, I’ll share additional photos of the process as well (in case you come across this article and are in a similar situation with a failing FC). Let’s cover the entire process from start to finish – disassembly process, cutting soldering, and test flight. Once again, soldering/replacing the EMAX AIO FC. Enjoy the photos.

Drone Repair Photos

New Parts

THs

EMAX FC

Drone Frame

Add Connections

Reattach Power

Once you have all the parts, fitted, soldered and ready for flight, we will need to configure the FC. Rest, bind, configure and fly, in that order. Check out the EMAX FC and BetaFlight post for more information. You can also learn more about the repair, configuration process and in-flight troubleshooting. If you are having troubles, log into the EMAX Support Portal for assistance with your EMAX products. Lastly, I want to reiterate the steps to fix the FC – Support EMAX THS, remove EMAX FC screws from the Drone PC frame, Cut/Add Connection to Board, Re-Attach New Power Connector with the Battery Carrier”. Time has moved on since the original post, I wanted to share other Emax content where applicable. If you’re looking for Emax content, give these a shot (in reverse order from this postings date) – Emax Fix Part 1 and Part 2, Quadcopter Rewire, and the TinyHawk 2.

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

January 30, 2021September 27, 2024

EMAX FC and Betaflight

Update EMAX Flight Controller with BetaFlight

FIXED: EMAX & Configurators –

EMAX – Betaflight

Betaflight Config – Today, we (you and I) tackle some drone issues… make/model drone controller configs ((same drone, FRSKY controller profiles)), soldering/replacing EMAX AIO FC, and BETA config issues. Photos to follow.

In the meantime, sit back and relax, enjoy… enjoy the pain, the torment, cause I’ve been at this for days… Literally, days. Nothing but borrowed time; borrowed not wasted! Link above will get you your very own Betaflight configurator via Chrome extension.

FC And BetaFlight

Receiver/Modes

BetaFlight

PID Mode

BetaFlight Notes

Like most things, there are more ways to make your cake and eat it. The Chrome extension is helpful when bouncing back-and-forth between systems/releases/drones etc. I run Big Sur MacOS, Ubuntu Linux and a Win Server 7… it’s handy here, as the config remains the same, helps to maintain a certain sense of sanity. Especially when you’re a NOOB.

Two, from time to time, I run my Win7Server via MS Remote Desktop or Linux instance via Oracle’s Virtual Box. One advantage might be number of USB ports available… as you know, most MacBook Pros are limited to 3 of 4 USB-C ports. Unless you run usb ports, which I don’t care for (B.S. but that is for another day). Anyhow, regardless of how you run Betaflight, be aware of the nuances, versioning and pitfalls with each new iteration or release. T

ake notes, take screenshots, vlog about it… anything to help you remember the ‘deltas’ (change) over time. These will come in handy the next time you crash or repair your drones. Notes and support can be found here: Betaflight – Github Notes/Docs Moreover, issues came up when I swapped AIO boards, soldering power and reconfiguring modes. For more information, I posted more about the config, various configs like EmuFlight and BLHeli, look for 8/17/2020 post – Hack’r-A-Thon//

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

August 17, 2020September 27, 2024

EMAX Fix – Part 1

EMAX Repair Start

Hack-A-Thon Part 1

Lab Work – EMAX Fix – Part 1

On The Bench – TH2

Assess The Damage, Teardown

Back from the airfield, EMAX Fix – part 1. Be sure to check out the rebuild of in this series in the EMAX Quad Motor Rewire Video posted just before.

The airfield was clear, with no traffic, especially over in the helicopter and quadcopter area, so we were good to go. I unpacked the TH2 from its flight bag, got it out and up in the air with no problems. After a final check of the batteries and controller, we were ready to go. The weather was clear, and according to the flight radar, it was a clear day with mild temperatures and wind gusts of around 2-5mph. So, up we go!

Teardown

Reattach Antennae

Solder Antennae

Antennae Position

Lift is good, strong, and perhaps the easiest part of controlling the drone in flight. These drones when properly tuned , offer a smooth and vanilla flight experience. Be sure to check out the binding process using BetaFlight to bind/connect the flight controller to the remote.

There are a lot of things happening at once when flying the EMAX drones. You have to be mindful of your location, both as you ascend and descend. The flight went well, as planned/expected. I did a few loops, full power, turns, and hard bankings just to set the pace. Don’t forget to check the battery warning before your flight.

Power Leads, LED’s

Clip Leads

Resolder Leads

Clean Power Leads

Set Leads Properly

LED Seated

Now, at this point it was time to bring the TH2 home safely. As you can imagine, trouble came knocking. Damage report, minor issues included 2 LED strips out, severed antenna, severed power leads loose (+positive lead), and burned or malformed poly-frame. We fixed the issues by clipping and prepping for new wires, ordering new LED strips and poly frame, replacing the antenna, re-soldering leads, and shrink-wrapping wires where applicable.

Similar Emax status update, time has moved on since the original article and I wanted to share additional Emax content where applicable. If you’re looking for Emax content, give these a shot (in reverse order from this postings date) – ReFit Emax Flight Controller, Emax Fix Part 1 (this article) and Part 2, Quadcopter Rewire, and the TinyHawk 2.

Wrap Up Part 1

Find EMAX parts, and more, through our Amazon Affiliate links, or visit the EMAX – US Store. For additional reference, check out the UAV Performance software used to update and run the EMAX TH and FRSky Taranis QX7s controller or more from the devs of Betaflight. Own it and have fun!

August 16, 2020September 27, 2024

EMAX Fix – Part 2

TH2 Repair In Progress

eMax Fix – Hack-A-Thon Part 2

Lab Work – eMax Fix – Part 2

On The Bench – EMAX Tiny Hawk 2

In this case, we are addressing the second half of the build. Just to clarify or set the stage we have returned from the airfield with the eMax TinyHawk 2 in disparate need of repair. this is eMax Fix – Part 2. This is not the first time, nor the last time we will have this drone on the bench for repair. If you are interested in getting into drone flying, check out more EMAX Drone Kits, Drones and more here.

Total Damage, Repair

While difficult, soldering in new, nano-sized parts on these micro drones requires serious patience. Looking back, the drone may have encountered a gust of wind or air under the drone motor poly-frame; it’s hard to say. The crash wasn’t as severe as others, but the drone ended up sustaining more damage than usual. We’ve had to replace a fan blade, FC, or motor from time-to-time, but nothing like this.

Power On, Visual and Manual Checks, Power Down

LED’s Confirmed

Power On Chimes

Remove Battery

Read eMax Part 1 if you would like. Also, be sure to watch the successful rebuild video for this series EMAX Quad Motor Rewire Video which was posted just before the wrap-up article.

Additionally, similar Emax status update, time has moved on since the original article and I wanted to share additional Emax content where applicable. If you’re looking for Emax content, give these a shot (in reverse order from this postings date) – Drone Accessories, ReFit Emax Flight Controller, and TinyHawk 2.

Wrapping up the final steps, we encountered a few minor issues: 2 LED strips out, the antenna, replace positive and negative power leads, same for two of the motor wires, and a burnt out/malformed poly-frame. To fix these issues, we clipped and prepped for new wires, ordered new LED strips and a new poly frame, replace the antenna, re-soldered leads, and shrink-wrapped wires where applicable.

August 16, 2020September 27, 2024

Airfield Bound

Venice Airfield Bound

Drone and RC Airfield

Lab Work – PH4V2 Gimbal

Airfield Bound – PH4V2 FIXED

Fixed Gimbal, freshly removed from the DJI packaging and repacked in the field case. Off to the club airfield in Venice… We are off to fly the drones! Re-posted.

Fresh Upgrade

Refreshed

It’s nice to see the drone back in working order, taking to the sky. Two, completed the requirements to fly professionally, completing and passing FAA 108 test for Part 108 Licensing. Must do, if you plan to fly professionally, beyond a hobbyist, or to take in an income based on flight. In the meantime, let’s get the drone up and push it through its paces…

Those of you who are interested in videography and flying drones, check out the drone shot article below. I don’t normally call out manufactures content or help videos, however, added a few drone shots, The Reveal, Panning, Orbit and Overhead Flight. DJI has nice article on drone shots, and how you might incorporate those shots into your flying arsenal. For more Airfield Bound articles or information on the gimbal issues, or other airfield flight tests, learn more.

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

August 16, 2020December 16, 2024

eMax Quad Rewire Video

eMax Quad Rewire, A Resolder & Power On

Patching Up the eMax Quad – eMax TH2

Lab Work – eMax Quad Rewire Video

We cover the eMax Quad Rewire Video for future reference… following the crash, a few activities are in store… time to replace the eMax TH2 air frame, Flight Controller (FC) or FC Board, motors, motor wires and fan blades. A quick peek underneath, revealed a few more items, copper leads, LED’s, alarm and flash FC board data to get the drone back to working condition (or as expected). This post really celebrates the fix itself, showing the motors work properly, alarm for arming/disarming the drone for flight and visual confirmation the LED’s do in fact work as expected.

The video, although short, helps to describe working condition, press play to reveal post soldering work on the bench and FC updates via BetaFlight. Time has moved on since this original video/video post, however, I wanted to share other eMax content where applicable. In fact below, there are a few links to see the work in progress or the actual fix while on the bench (which is a three part project). So, give those a look for more background or context for the final post here.

If you’re looking for eMax content, give these a shot (in reverse order from this postings date) – eMax FC, eMax Fix Part 1 and Part 2, Quadcopter Rewire video (this post), and the TinyHawk 2 mini project. More to come, stay tuned.

August 14, 2020September 26, 2024

FRSky Taranis Q

FrSky Taranis Q Transmitters

Taranis QX7S

Tech | Tools – FrSky Taranis QX7S

FrSKY TARANIS QX7S

First, I picked up the FrSky Taranis Q series transmitter after spending some time at the @GetFPV shop in Sarasota, Fl. I always appreciate the help from the good people there and the endless options for drone hobbyist and enthusiasts. After a few clicks, a few questions, and some tinkering around. I added the @FrSkyRC Taranis Q X7S + Hall Sensor Gimbals to my drone arsenal.

Secondly, after dropping the remote (bummer). I added a new switch pretty easily by buying a switch removal/replacement kit. I also purchased a few extra Ni-MH remote batteries for this particular model. The remote comes with a battery and Ni-MH charger and the QX7S specifically has a charging port on board. This allows access to the battery through the remote or transmitter housing without having to remove the battery.

By avoiding accidents and not needing to remove the battery pack to charge it, I can keep the battery protected at all times. This is really handy and reduces the risk of accidents occurring between charges. It was a bummer to have to fix the switch, but it was good to get under the ‘hood’ and take care of it. If you need to tighten or loosen the gimbal pressure clips, you might want to do that while the cover is off.

Taranis

Remote Transmitter

Repair Toggle

Finally, our goal is to achieve price, serviceability, and scalability for 1-to-many, fixed wing and hybrid drones, including the – FV-31 Cypher micro quads from EMAX. There may also be other options such as Diatone Cinewhoop, tiny whoops or quadcopters that you can bind to this remote. With the success of our goal, the FRSky Taranis Q has been repaired, and now it’s time to fly. Although it’s been months since we posted anything related to the Taranis Q RC transmitters… Let’s check out the latest Drone Updates – Taranis Q Camo, Drone accessories and more Also, if you’re interested in more Emax lab work this two part Emax Series – Part 1 and Part 2 is a great place to start. In order would be best to explore this content, or if you want to jump to the conclusion click on Part 2 for the fix. Enjoy.

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?

August 14, 2020September 27, 2024

Flight Test

PH4 On The Bench

Full Flight Test, Gimbal Fixed, New Lens Filters

Lab Work – Gimbal Issues

DJI Gimbal FIXED

Quiet morning, a great day for a flight test. We are here at the airfield to see if the recently fixed gimbal passes the test. Pop opened the box, placed a battery, retrieved the transmitter and headed to the launch pad. The goal is push this Phantom 4Pro, test the gimbal mechanics at flight speed and put the drone through its paces. We take the DJI Phantom 4 out for test run following its time ‘in the DJI shop’ for repair. See our previous post specifically on the gimbal issues. Unfortunately we were not able to capture video of the gimbal issues.

Drone Shots At The Airfield

Lens Installed

Take Off

45 Degree Angle

Air Strip

Flight Pad

Let’s move on. Here are a few photos that will have to do in lieu of the video. The same goes for a quick snap of the new lens filters. You can find information on PolarPro and specs on those here. Anyhow, if you have similar issues, its best to reach out to DJI if the device is still under warranty. If not, give me a shout.

As usual leave a comment below, let us know what you’re thinking?