Yes, but F745 has only 1MB flash, and I really want to run full ArduPilot. The only AIO 20mm or Whoop footprint option with support for the full Ardupilot feature set is the BeastH7, as far as I’m aware. The Matek H743 Mini, and MRo ControlZero boards are also possibilities (the MRo in particular is a great flight controller), at the cost of separate ESC board.
It’s great that this topic is getting some discussion happening!
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Unfortunately the Flywoo website is now advertising these as 512k flash which is not enough - they are not all like this, certainly the two I got have 1Mb flash, but unless we can get Flywoo to guarantee the part its a bit difficult to base a standard build on it.
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That’s unfortunate. Mine also has 1MB. I was able to build a sub 250g quad with it. I hope that Goku or some other will be able to offer more small AIO FC that is compatible with Ardupilot in near future.
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It is great to see this post and the interest it is building up(pun intended),with the dark cold nights ahead of us in uk any way an other very interesting project to look forward to and I see this as an other project to get more ardupilot users,so hope it gets the green light,
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Hi @james_pattison and hi all,
I had seen the IFlight Beast H7 too, but then in the wiki I read this and discarded this FC. Compass is obviously fundamental, how do you plan to solve it?
" This board has no compass and no way to connect an external compass. Applications requiring accurate heading information must rely on ArduPilots [Compass-less Operation]"
That frame does not seem suitable for me as a structure. All too compact in the center. Better to have more space to have more distance between components and less interference (see Andy with his GPS that doesn’t have a good fix).
In my project I was planning to insert a split cam to have full HD (or 4k) recording. It doesn’t seem possible with that frame.
In my tests the separate compass is quite immune to noise even on a small frame, on that frame it seems difficult to install a separate compass.
A 3s liion battery weighs 155 grams (approximately), about 100 grams remain for the rest of the quad that I remember must weigh max 249 grams and fly max 19m / sec to be in category C0.
My 3 “exists and already flies well for 15 minutes (max), weighs 219 grams at take off, why use a 4” that risks going over with the weight? What are the real advantages of 4 "?
The frame I proposed weighs 38 grams (35 TBS) but could use the caddx vista to have FPV in HD! Weights to be checked.
My current 3 ”(not optimized) weighs 219 g at take off and I have installed the TF luna lidar (5 grams 8 meters) with precision altimeter function. Tested, it read perfectly outdoors up to 8 meters. Unfortunately in copter 4.0.5 it introduced some strange behaviors. I crashed and asked for help on the forum but didn’t get much feedback (I’m afraid arducopter code problems). We should investigate more because with 10 grams of extra weight we could also have a precision altimeter and front or rear obstacle avoidance.
Attached is a screenshot of the log of the recent flight you saw. You can see the number of satellites being received (max 21 with Galileo!) And the very low value of the vibrations (rubber everywhere in the quad). These are two critical elements in a quad sub 250, can you do the same with that TBS 4" frame?
My 3s li ion 18650 vtc6 156gr!
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Here the problems with TF Luna lidar on my 3" copter
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Re compass on the Beast H7, my build list uses this GPS: http://www.mateksys.com/?portfolio=m8q-can which can output using MSP (serial), so GPS, compass and second baro all over a single uart. Being an AP_Periph node I can also use it to connect I2C devices (like some rangefinders) and also send over serial.
I don’t have a TF-Luna so can’t really help with that.
Re benefits of 4” over 3”: as per my earlier posts, there might not be any in the sub250 space, but we were already working on it. What it does give is flexibility. Basically sub250 is possible, but if you don’t need/want that restriction the quad is still highly useful and fun.
No decision has been made. I’ve ordered parts as per your build spec so we can look at both. It might even be that we don’t choose between the two, as they meet different needs.
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If there is a way to link a compass maybe the wiki needs to be corrected. In any case, putting on a sub 250 a gps 29 * 29 * 9.7 mm especially on that frame seems to me quite difficult.
In my opinion, to eliminate esc4in1 there are too many limitations with that FC. In general the porting of the ardupilot code on the rare FC 20 * 20 with baro should be expanded. I put esc HAKRC on my list because I wanted to experience something very important. Exclude via jumper, the esc voltage regulator in order to exclude the low voltage cutoff of the esc and use the 18650 up to 2.8V and extend the flight time in 2S mode (only possibility sub 250 liion).
If there are no weight limitations, but you just want a small quadcopter, I would look at the DIATONE ROMA frames. In my list I did not select those because of the cost (I tried to keep the price low), or for reasons of weight. But in any case there are Rome 3 “4” 5 "frames.
For small quads, ardupilot porting is also useful for F4 cards with less than 2MB. Even if the code will not be complete, with the new server allowing you to insert only the required features (often few on small quads), even the old F4s can still be very useful, in my opinion.
You could also do a low budget sub 250 configuration, only analog FPV (no recording HD), with Kakute F4, GPS BN220, compass.
In any case it is useful to remember what DJI did with his FPV drone (750 grams not sub 250gr). He created an easy-to-fly FPV drone (with gps assistance). With a sub 250, we can do something similar, with the advantage of the sub 250 (no license, flight in an urban area).
DJI is probably already thinking about it
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Hi Alberto,ive just ordered the Roma 3 inch frame the other one that interests me is the hollybro 3 inch Kolpis,I will use a Matek H743mini fc,Aikon 40 amp 4 in 1 escam undecided yet on camera and vtx,will probably use crossfire radio but would love to squeeze a RFD micro 868 onto this,GPS will be matek,will also as time goes by fit opti flow and a lidar and finally 21700 2s li-on batts this will keep me busy through the winter what a great project
Hi Marty, if your target is a sub 250, carefully consider the weights. The 21700s are heavy enough for a 3 "and maybe 3s 18650 would be better to be able to drop with the cell voltage at around 2.5V.
I still think that 3 "and 2s 18650 Vtc6 is the winning combination for the sub 250. Possibly with esc capable of going below 3V per cell
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o/k and thank you,ile order 18650 cells,what esc would you recommend please 20x20 stack
I would take this ( 20A version). It is compatible with arducopter and maybe it can be modified to discharge 18650 cells below 3V, however I have never tried and had to be experimented with this proposal.
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The Flywoo listing has been incorrect since they were released. Credit to @LavaChemist for discovering this. I now have every version of the Flywoo F745 FCs and have verified they have 1MB flash.
https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-flywoo-f745.html
The Flywoo F745 Nano 16x16 FC is only 2.3g, and the companion 4-in-1 ESCs are 2.3-2.5g depending on amp rating. I think it’s pretty amazing a 2.3g FC can have an F745, 7 full UARTs, I2C, on-board barometer, OSD, 8M blackbox, 2 ADCs, and 8 motor/PWM outputs.
For RC/telemetry, I think the Siyi FM30 with a FR mini RX is worth a look. The receiver is only 1.5g, but is capable of 100mW telemetry output and works well with Mavlink and MP/QGC via BT built into the TX. It uses the same SX1280 RF chip as the ELRS project (and can be flashed to ELRS fw).
Regarding the 2s Li-ion low -voltage issue, here is a helpful video on modifying a 2s+ ESC to be able to work at <6V:
I’ve had the best luck with Sony VTC6 cells, and found that adding a decent sized electrolytic capacitor on the power pads of the FC/ESC makes a big difference in stability and system performance when the voltage gets low.
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Unfortunately this is no longer true - someone on discord verified that the flywoo they received was indeed 512K
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Good to know! Do you know which model specifically?
I don’t know, but:
STM32F745VG - 1MB
STM32F745VE - 512K
So probably depends on their stock of parts and what they put on since they pin compatible
I posted on here: GOKU HD 745 EVO 40A AIO BL_32 DJI PLUS & PLAY （20mm X 20mm ） – FLYWOO - it would probably help if others did the same, maybe they will get the message!
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I found the discussion on Discord, looks like you’re way ahead of me! Have you also emailed Flywoo directly?
A note should probably be added to the Flywoo F745 hardware pages in the documentation.
done, we hope it serves something
What is every ones thoughts on the Matek H 743 mini board please,many thanks