The micro FPV thread

[DebianDave]

I know there are at least two others on here experimenting with bare modules for really small and light set ups. I';ve bought a couple of the 5813 10mw modules from BG recently with the aim of building a micro fpv quad for the winter. Tied into this, I';ve been making CP antenna. My first attempt is ~2g with antenna (but minus power, video and gnd wires). My scales are less than 100% spot on but we';re moving in the right direction! Most importantly, it works really well. My usual range test is to leave it on my desk and take my goggles for a stroll into the gargen, so thats down one floor and about 30m away, with walls than the usual noise you expect in the urban jungle. This setup works at least as well as the Boscam 200mw kit I have, longer range yet to be seen...


Excuse the mess, it';s organised chaos, I swear

So, what';s your setup and what you flying?

This guy has done more or less what I am doing. The idea to use a bare 808 #16 for FPV and live video is integrating and warrants further investigation! He';s also in the UK, but I don';t think he posts here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puH8SAsubB4

[Chippercheese]

You';re playing my song!

I am still waiting for the mail fairy to bring my module! Then I';ll be attaching it to my 600mm wing along with a 2g nano cam that I have lying around.

Fortunately, due to the size of the craft I don';t have to be quite so economical with weight, it should be fairly forgiving.

[DebianDave]

Cool! Looking forward to seeing how it goes for you range wise! As mentioned before, I';m not using any smoothing caps or regulators. Had it beaming from my Mobius for about 30 minutes on a fresh 1s lipo and it only got warm to the touch, so I reckon voltage won';t be an issue. Noise, however, remains to be seen

[nub]

interesting i wouldn';t mind a small FPV setup for about the house on really bad days, shall be keeping an eye on this thread.

your vape gear i got to ask Sentinel M16 + Trident?

[DebianDave]

interesting i wouldn';t mind a small FPV setup for about the house on really bad days, shall be keeping an eye on this thread.

your vape gear i got to ask Sentinel M16 + Trident?

You know, I';ve tried a lot of setups. Tanks, cartos, genesis style... and they all fall down somewhere. One day, after the zombie apocalypse and inevitable nuclear reaction, when there is nothing left but talking cockroaches, there will be working clone brass M16 and steel Trident atomisers

[Chippercheese]

You know, I';ve tried a lot of setups. Tanks, cartos, genesis style... and they all fall down somewhere. One day, after the zombie apocalypse and inevitable nuclear reaction, when there is nothing left but talking cockroaches, there will be working clone brass M16 and steel Trident atomisers

I still fall back on my trusty IGO-L when times get tough, don';tya know!

[DebianDave]

 By the looks of it, the ideal channel for this antenna is all of the pins to ground (5945mhz), so potentially can lose the dip switch and ground them all with solder...

Edit: For an idea of the scale

[barneyg]

I';m planning on using a simple bit of single core mains wire cut to 1/4 or 1/2 wave for my initial testing ... I wonder what the range impacts would be compared to the CP

[DebianDave]

Range should be similar assuming your measurements are correct. The lobes of the antenna are only useful for reducing multipathing and making the antenna less directional

[Chippercheese]

My TX arrived!

Wired up and ready to go - can';t wait to test it

[flybywire]

My TX arrived!

Wired up and ready to go - can';t wait to test it

Nice one CC!  I had one of those micro cams from BG, but it was DOA.  Sad!  Like to hear what they';re like, as I may get another sometime. 

[Empee]

This looks good!

http://www.horizonhobby.co.uk/aeroonline/e13_blade/blh7200/fpv-nano.html

[Chippercheese]

Nice one CC!  I had one of those micro cams from BG, but it was DOA.  Sad!  Like to hear what they';re like, as I may get another sometime.

This one';s from firstpersonview.co.uk (bought it many, many moons ago while I was but a whelp in need of a 5v fpv cam and had no better ideas), probably the same one but 200% more expensive - glad I can finally find a use for it TBH! Pictures a bit pants, but it will do for proximity buzzing on my little wing

[DebianDave]

The camera is a particular problem for me. I am hovering over the buy button on a FPVHobby 1g camera, but I am all spent out! I have looked high and low but cant find anything as appropriate for similar or less cost.

[DebianDave]

Ordered some bits for my first micro FPV platform. Was seriously tempted with a H107D bnf kit from BG, it';s only £50 delivered but it';s just far too limited frequency and camera wise. My first choice for a frame is a micro carbon H from Micro Motor Warehouse

http://micro-motor-warehouse.com/collections/frames/products/carbon-micro-h

It looks lovely and I think it would sit perfectly next to my ZMR 250 rig  However, I am still in the early learning stage of micro fpv so decided to go with something entirely less expensive. Enter the H107D shell from BG. Weighing in at a princely sum of £2.33, it';s a no brainier. Also picked up a set of motors and a 107C FC board.

Due to costs, the camera is going to have to come later. It will give me a chance to dry fit the vtx kit and test for motor noise!

BOM so far:

Frame: Hubsan 107d frame @ £2.33
Motors: 4x Hubsan 107c/d motors @ £7.03
FC: Hubsan 107c control board @ £8.22
VTX: 5813 module @ £5.24
Antenna: home made circular polarised @ burnt fingers
Power smoothing: 5v DC/DC step up @ £0.95 (might not use if I can get away without)
Power: 500ma 1s batteries @ £2.65
Props: Hubsan X4 white and red @ £0.84


Total so far is £23.77 excluding batteries and props (these are from my stash of hubsan stuff ). Expecting to spend about the same again if not a bit more on a good camera, so an FPV platform for ~£50ish which should outperform the 107d in every way

[nub]

wow the carbon mini H is well

[DebianDave]

My TX arrived!

Wired up and ready to go - can';t wait to test it

CC, have you tried to drive this camera on less than 5v? I know it has a 5v reg in line (in the plastic wire wart) but I am guessing/hoping camera itself will run at ~3.3v

[Chippercheese]

CC, have you tried to drive this camera on less than 5v? I know it has a 5v reg in line (in the plastic wire wart) but I am guessing/hoping camera itself will run at ~3.3v

Yup - I';ve been running it at 3.3v when testing. :)

[DebianDave]

Yup - I';ve been running it at 3.3v when testing. :)

Nice! Looks like the same kind of lens assembly, so a 120 degree lens might be an easy mod: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6wftePa94

[Chippercheese]

Got the final part of the puzzle - 3.3v regulator to splice in (previously testing with 3.3v power from an arduino). Can';t wait to get this little bugger in the air!

[DebianDave]

Got the final part of the puzzle - 3.3v regulator to splice in (previously testing with 3.3v power from an arduino). Can';t wait to get this little bugger in the air!

Macro pics pls Is it a switching DC/DC reg?

[Chippercheese]

Macro pics pls Is it a switching DC/DC reg?

Its the pololu 3.3v switching stepdown. Will snap some pics when I get home and finish the job :)

[DebianDave]

What battery are you going to be running? In my setup, I';ll be using pretty limited 1s batteries initially, so probably looking at a 3.3v step up/down regulator. Will try "bareback" as all the kit should handle 4.2v and less. I do wonder if I';ll get FPV brownouts on high throttle/less than fresh 1s lipo...

Ahh, the fortnight wait for gifts from China

[Chippercheese]

What battery are you going to be running? In my setup, I';ll be using pretty limited 1s batteries initially, so probably looking at a 3.3v step up/down regulator. Will try "bareback" as all the kit should handle 4.2v and less. I do wonder if I';ll get FPV brownouts on high throttle/less than fresh 1s lipo...

Ahh, the fortnight wait for gifts from China

I';ll be using the wings 350mah 3cell flight battery with the reg spliced in directly to the ESC cables

[DebianDave]

Everyone is getting in on the micro FPV buzz 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt6kYWbMQIM

[Trev2971]

nothing special but had a blast (8 batts lol) of fpv with my dominators and a 107D around the house

can get to the kitchen through 2 walls (signal) so shouldn';t be to bad outside , upstairs and almost into the attic conversion ...! 

Doms have one of Gav';s skews so cant wait to try outside

[DebianDave]

Think I';ve found my FPV camera, Banggood have begun stocking a 3g camera with 90 degree lens out of the box. The listing claims 1g with no case, not sure I believe either weight but it';s light and has a usable viewing angle. 55d of the stock FPVHobby 1g cam wont cut it and the combined price of nearly £50 inc shipping is unpalatable for me.

Picking up my base bits (case, motors, FC and spares) from the post office tomorrow morning! In the mean time, testing a H107C with cam board stripped out and a 2p coin taped on to simulate weight...

[DebianDave]

MultiWii on Hubsan X4 flight controllers? Oh, yes! Kind of sad I smuggled in an AlienWii now. It';ll see use, but hopefully the BradWii project can realise the potential of the sensors on these $8 boards!

[DebianDave]

Picked up my box of bits from China

Board and motors fitted pre-soldering


Breaking in motors, ran a whole pack through at quarter throttle


It flies BEAUTIFULLY, even weighted down with coins (to simulate weight of FPV gear) it';s really smooth and quiet Now, back to the chores 

[DebianDave]

Made a bit of progress this evening. Cut away more of the bottom shell (with nail clippers lol) to accomodate the VTX, built a cloverleaf with a 90 degree bend in the coax and also soldered in power for the whole setup from the FC board. Just the agonising wait for yet another box from China