The Tricopter is a regular GYRO-based Tricopter but can easily be converted into a MultiWii if that is what you want. (if you go for MultiWii – exclude all gyros and add Arduino+sensors)
Here is the part list for my tricopter so far (might be updated) and the new items are linked
3 Motors:
TR 35-30C 1100kv Brushless Outrunner (Eq AXi 2808)
4 Gyros:
Hobby King 401B AVCS Digital Head Lock Gyro
3 ESC’s:
TURNIGY Plush 30amp Speed Controller
Propellers:(many)
TP Slow Fly propeller 1047 (10×4.7) GWS style
6 Batteries:
ZIPPY Flightmax 2200mAh 3S1P 20C
(and 5000Mah batteries)
1 Receiver:
Spektrum AR6100
1 BEC:
TURNIGY 3A UBEC w/ Noise Reduction
1 Battery monitor:
Hobby King Battery Monitor 3S
1 Yaw servo:
Turnigy S3317B Servo 19g / 2.5kg / .14sec
And some aluminium and hardware for frame and yaw construction.
(and soon some landing gear)
All parts come in at about $170.- from Hobbycity…so far…
Add to this the FPV gear
1 Eagletree OSD + Logger
1 1.2/1.3Ghz videolink
1 Camera
1 Goggles
Radio
1 Spektrum DX7
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18 comments
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Björn
October 28, 2010 at 11:41 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Got any suggestions on a even larger platform that might work?
thinking on Motor/prop/ESC combo then.
I would like to build large Tricopter, built around 14×4.7 props or so, able to lift heavy loads any input about this?
I have been looking at different motor/ESC options available from HobbyKing, but interested in more input if there is any I don’t know about, or didn’t think about. Before ordering. Would be great full for any input about this.
UndCon
October 28, 2010 at 13:35 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
As long as your ESC’s can handle the Amps the motors draw AND your LIPO can handle the combined AMP’s you should be fine
As long as you are using parts no one else has you are literally on your own – a bit trial and error…
I have not seen anybody else use the motor’s I have – and my Tricopter flies great with some initial tuning.
How much do you want to lift? – my setup could fly with 1.5Kg at 80% throttle – BUT the Lipo’s was on their limit
example
a 2200Mah 30C lipo can handle
2200*30 = 66000Mah
66000/1000 == 66Amp’s Constant load
If your LIPO has 45C burst
2200*45 = 99000Mah
99000/1000 == 99Amps PEAK (warning)
divide all this by 3 motors and you have 22Amp/ motor constant and 33Amp PEAK
now this is only for your motors – make sure your wires can handle the Amps as well as your solders/connectors
add some mah for gyros, RX, yaw-servo, LED’s and so on…
finally add some saftey marginal. to avoid stress
//UndCon
omid
May 7, 2011 at 20:50 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
i need your help.. i am first time rookie i am very motivate of tricoper i read your subjects…but i feel like which one is more easier to transmitter tx. and i decide to make my own custom medium look like big tricopter equipments. do you think is that okay with my custom tricopter. my goal will flight very smooth and longer flight mins i plan to thinking of sony camera for hd picture in the future…anyway..
i give you details of this
1 x wmp and nun-chuck and Arduino Pro Mini
3 x KDA20-20L – hacker Style Brushless Outrunner 20-20L
3 x HK-SS30A – Hobbyking SS Series 25-30A ESC
3 x TP_1047 – TP Slow Fly propeller 1047 (10×4.7) GWS
1 x TGY-S3317B – Turnigy S3317B Servo 19g / 2.5kg / .14s..
1 x T4000.3S.30 – Turnigy 4000mAh 3S 30C Lipo Pack
1 x Hobby King Battery Monitor 3S
1 x TR_PC – TURNIGY BESC Programming Card
1 x SBEC-26V – Turnigy 5A (8-26v) SBEC for Lipo
1 x remote tx (turnigy 9 ch mode 2 or Hobby King 2.4Ghz 6Ch Tx & Rx V2 (Mode 2)
i don’t know which one is more easier transmitter rx i dont want to mistake to order like waste the shipping billing… i like to hear your adviser before i will order this…
thank
omid
UndCon
May 8, 2011 at 06:46 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hello Omid!
The setup you have listed is like a Tricopter with the motors I use for my Quadcopter.
That setup will also work – the difference is the motors and I think you will get a little bit less thrust than in my setup.
Besides that I think you will be just fine with that part list.
A friend of mine also has the Turnigy Radio and it is quite OK – he opened it up just to verify all connectors were properly seated – some were not.
The MultiWii is a trusted platform and performs very well – I helped a friend assembling a Hexacopter with MultiWi recently.
Good luck – UndCon
omid
May 9, 2011 at 06:43 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hi undcon,
thank you for answer. i will be happy to hear that i will plan to order this.. don’t you mind i ask you 2 questions…
1) how to set up Turnigy 9X 9Ch Transmitter on tricopter?
2) how to led lights put into the tricoper? i cant find on research on any website.
that is all i hope i feel like cross my finger lol
omid
UndCon
May 9, 2011 at 08:01 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hello Omid!
To begin you do not need any specific programming for your radio. A multiwii is connected like an airplane and you should start with neutral trim.
In the GUI you find:
RC RATE
RC EXPO
to tweak sensitivity you use RC RATE lower means less aggressive.
RC EXPO means less sensitivity near center of stick.
To connect the LED’s
I connect them to the balance port of my LIPO. I used to have a Turnigy Receiver Controlled Switch so I could turn LED on / off from radio
Now I remove some of the LED’s and only use them for orientation.
//UndCon
omid
May 12, 2011 at 05:30 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
hi undcon,
i finish my order but but one thing is missing.. what is about Turnigy Pure-Silicone Wirewire to esc what number of awg? and can i use any general of flax paste and what size of solder melt for this?
UndCon
May 12, 2011 at 06:05 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
I used 15CM Servo Lead Extention (JR) 26AWG (10pcs/bag) as I had a bag at home. They are cheap and easy to solder.
For cables between Arduino and sensors I use what I have available – thin flexible wire(not silicone)
Best Regards – UndCon
omid
May 12, 2011 at 07:11 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
noooo not that… i mean like motor to esc to xt60 battery you know what i mean like black and red wire for Turnigy Pure-Silicone Wire.. like 10awg or 14 or 16 or 20 or 30 that is why i feel confused…i want to know cuz of high 30amp Speed Controller
you know what i mean.. i guess that is my bad grammer haha i hate english composition in my higher college long time ago. lol
UndCon
May 12, 2011 at 08:51 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hi Omid!
I understand what you mean – sorry for my mistake earlier. I think the ones I used are ~1,5 mm2 (15AWG)
See translation chart here
Best Regards – UndCon
Graham
February 27, 2013 at 07:23 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hello UndCon, your site is great I have learned quite allot since discovering you. I was hoping you could take a second to review my proposed Diy kit. It is my first time but I am very DIY and Electronic Savvy.
I plan on making a Tricopter that will be upgrade to a Y6 when I need to add more survey equipment, So I want the Esc’s to be over kill in the first version so I don’t have to replace them (just add to them ) when i upgrade.
Arial Survey Try copter with a future upgrade to Y6 when load requirements and funds increase
Proposed Kit
1 x ArduFlyer APM 2.5
1 x Ublox6M GPS
1 x
3 x hexTronik DT750 Brushless Outrunner 750kv
3 x Lan Yu 40A ESC /speed controller For brushless Motor 8.32 ea
or
3 x TURNIGY Plush 25amp Speed Controlle 12.48ea
1 x TR_PC – TURNIGY BESC Programming Card
1 x Turnigy 2200mAh 3S 20C Lipo
3 x OEM APC 12X3.8 props
1 x Hobbywing 3A UBEC 5V 6V Lowest RF Noise BEC
1 x 1-8S Lipo/Li-ion/Fe Battery Voltage 2IN1 Tester Low Voltage Buzzer Alarm
1 x FrSky Diy 2.4ghz Module
Some specific Questions I Have:
Have you ever herd of the Lan Yu ESC’s They are pretty cheap and I am on a tight budget. the specs look good but I am not sure if they are compatible with a Tricopter? http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Lan-Yu-40A-ESC-speed-controller-For-brushless-Motor-free-shipping-2pcs-lot-S908/563904168.html
How do I know what props the DT 750′s can swing? i have seen people suggest 12x 3.8 but i plan to upgrade them to 13 or 14 if i need the thrust what do you think?
and finally I have an old sony cybershot that I want to take apart and use the video as fpv? do you know any resources on this? otherwise i am flying blind… excuse the pun.
UndCon
February 27, 2013 at 10:50 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
HI!
If you put a big prop on your motor it is not sure it can handle it. Amp’s goes up as well…
Your 2200mAh 20C LIPOs will not handle the load safely.
(2200*20C = 44.000mAh (44A)
You look at 25A ESC’s – a Tricopter needs 3 so that is 3*25A at worst case…75A
Now – DT-motors does not consume that much so you will most likely be happy.
(I only want you to know about the calculations)
I only have Turnigy ( and other labels) but it is the same ESC’s so I really cannot tell anything about yours.
I know lots of people using DT-motors and they seems happy with them – i never tried them.
BR
UndCon
Graham
March 1, 2013 at 09:48 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hey UndCon, Thanks for the info,
So i should get 22oo*30A ? will that be enough?
and I do want to use big props 13-14″ so what kind of prop do I need? Lower KV? 650kv?
Cheers
UndCon
March 2, 2013 at 00:14 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
HI!
I am using smaller LIPO’s on my Quad – but I use a cable to connect them in parallel.
2 or 3 1300mAh 3S LIPO that are speced to 90A at peak
For the Tricopter I would get at least 45C to be sure they do not break (all my 2200mAh are swollen)
To swing big props you need motors with really low KV – like the multi-rotor motors that appeared – like this:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17924__NX_4008_620kv_Brushless_Quadcopter_Motor.html
Graham
March 26, 2013 at 08:45 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Hi UndCon,
I have begun the purchase of my parts list.
My new list is below can you give it a check for me?
Proposed Kit
1 x ArduFlyer APM 2.5 **Purchased**
1 x Ublox6M GPS **Purchased**
4 x hexTronik DT700 Brushless Outrunner 700kv **Purchased** (1 Spare)
2 x ZIPPY Flightmax 2200mAh 3S1P 45C (one backup)
4 x F-30A – Hobby King 30A ESC 3A UBEC Speed Controller (1 Spare)
8 x OEM APC 12X3.8 props (many spares)
What do you think?
Graham
March 27, 2013 at 08:32 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
I am actually considering getting the
Turnigy nano-tech 2650mah 3S 25~50C Lipo Pack
with 3X F-30A – Hobby King 30A ESC 3A UBEC Speed Controller
i think it should work.
I have read that it is good to have the high burst to protect the pack but your constant C does not need to be high?
let me know what you think
Cheers
UndCon
March 27, 2013 at 08:47 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
HI!
Your constant C needs to be higher than the motors can consume so if your 3 motors are speced to 15A at peak you should be safe with a LIPO that has 45C constant.
I think you will be happy with your LIPO.
//UndCon
UndCon
March 27, 2013 at 08:48 (UTC 2) Link to this comment
HI!
Your Tricopter will work just fine. Spare parts are always handy.
//UndCon