Does Phantom need the motherboard?

[marcus_canada]

I don't even know why it took so long for me to think about this, but what with the Phantom having the upgrade board available to essentially support the Zenmuse, I was wondering is the Phantom even needs that big-old-board at all if we install a PMU... All the mainboard is doing after that is providing 11.1v to the ESC's right?
Couldn't we just rip the thing out entirely and distribute the 11.1v out more space efficiently?

I must be missing something, right? LOL

 

[phantomflyer]

I don't even know why it took so long for me to think about this, but what with the Phantom having the upgrade board available to essentially support the Zenmuse, I was wondering is the Phantom even needs that big-old-board at all if we install a PMU... All the mainboard is doing after that is providing 11.1v to the ESC's right?
Couldn't we just rip the thing out entirely and distribute the 11.1v out more space efficiently?

I must be missing something, right? LOL

Think its just easier for them to mount the Naza and distribute the power around it! Not sure if that's what your getting at?

 

[marcus_canada]

Yea I see it's easier for the factory to just drop the thing in there, but I figured as space is tight in there, it seems a no brainer to pull the thing out if you have a PMU in there anyway - ?

 

[phantomflyer]

Yea I see it's easier for the factory to just drop the thing in there, but I figured as space is tight in there, it seems a no brainer to pull the thing out if you have a PMU in there anyway - ?

Dont no much about electronics put learning a lot from the two Phantoms I have. I had to pull out the insides from one two the other that I had taken apart to upgrade motors and receiver because I crashed and broke the shell!

So I have one that I ordered a new shell and two ESC's for, I already have the upgraded motor's. I'll look into these PMU's and tell you how things turn out and if there is a way to mount the Naza to where it's facing the right way and wont move!!

 

[OI Photography]

Marcus, the NAZA needs to be mounted in-line with all three axis of the aircraft, so a board like that is the best way to achieve that. If you can create a workaround for that (in addition to the power distro wiring), you could remove the board.

 

[phantomflyer]

As I'm looking at it I see no way of mounting The Naza any where safe with out making some kind of mount on the upper shell and that would be in the way of getting to the GPS!

 

[ElGuano]

Interesting timing. I've been thinking about this as well, and it's the basis of one of my next mods...what I realized after I started was that it would have been a lot easier just to buy a spare and work from that one :/

 

[cptdarel]

Interesting timing. I've been thinking about this as well, and it's the basis of one of my next mods...what I realized after I started was that it would have been a lot easier just to buy a spare and work from that one :/

same here I have been thinking the same, I have another drone that I'm not happy with, Walkera q350, I am thinking of ripping out the reciever/controller and going NAZA-m lite, install ESCs and do all the firmware and run with it.

 

[DeweyAXD]

With a PMUv2 you 'could' indeed remover the board but as others have rightly said, you still have to find a mounting solution.

The Phantom is fundamentally an F330 with a pretty shell and custom shaped ESCs. The PMUv2 takes on the task of all the components on the original board with the exception of power distribution to the ESC's.

In an ideal world you create you own power distribution board around the NAZA using DIY techniques like this: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Pri ... uit-board/

If you are willing to sacrifice the ESC LED's you could replace them with 30a ones and low and behold you could then slap a 4s battery into it. Hell still some 4s capable ESC's and you could slap a 6s under it if you felt brave!

Assuming you are happy with 3s then a good option would be to create your own Mounting plate for the NAZA (I would suggest using plastic from a clear sandwhich box as it is light weight, rigid and see-through which helps marking out!).

Then buy something like this to handle taking power from the batts to the ESC's and mount it to the new mounting plate.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... board.html

As OI suggests you need to be careful about where you mount the NAZA. The NAZA Assistant lets you change where the GPS Puck is in comparison to the CG (where the NAZA is meant to be mounted) but remember the Phantom splits the 'puck' into two with the GPS in the shell and the compass on the legs so changes could have a really bad effect.

Great little project for those that like to tinker but very little to gain unless you do go the 4s route. When you factor in 4 new 30a Opto ESC's you will probably start asking yourself why you didn't buy a GPS puck and a 330, 450 or 550 ARTF kit.... or better still a full NAZA M lite ARTF kit so you can have two birds!

 

[ElGuano]

Even without the upgrade kit, the Phantom certainly doesn't need the ENTIRE motherboard