My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest ideas

[combat squirrel]

Hi All !!

1st time I have posted my phantom setup!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25870/DJI/DJI (1).jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25870/DJI/DJI (3).jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25870/DJI/DJI (4).jpg

- It is modded with new landing gear (carbon fibre and plastic) to give more room for the gimbal
- Carbon Fibre balanced blades
- The Digital compass is on a 'cut off' origonal landing gear strut to keep its orientation proper - I intend to install it on the other landing gear once I figure out a good way to make sure its vertical - Does anyone have an idea on how to best do this?
- It has a GPS tracking device attached to the rear left landing leg incase my phantom decided to take off over the horizon.

I am currently installing FPV video transmitter etc, I will report back on how I go. Future upgrades this week will be 9" Carbon Fibre blades for more lift

Current take off weight fully loaded with battery and FPV and GPS tracker, cameras, gimbals etc is 1310g

I WOULD LOVE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE MY PHANTOM, PLEASE SUGGEST !!

EDIT: For some reason the pics won't centre so links added.

 

[telecaster]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Impressing!!
But be careful, dont throw in too much money into the Phantom, if you are
serious about Video from the air, move to a better platform and keep the
Phantom as a training device and a toy, which really is what it is

By the way, the pictures are a bit too large for this forum, thats why
they dont center, reduce them to ca 800 and they will be fine

 

[ResDog70]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Nice rig!

You should see more pep with the CF props, but be sure to adjust your gain accordingly!

What GPS tracker are you using?

 

[howardmaryon]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Clever adaptation, the compass leg is a good idea, it demands to be away from the rest of the elecronics and needs to be as near vertical in mounting as possible. I would leave it alone.

What camera do you intend to use? I see you have a wide platform so you are not restricted to GoPro, but you could do a lot worse, I have crashed mine an embarrassing number of times and, in the waterproof case they are almost bulletproof. I dont think I would like to mount anything heavier than a small point and shoot under a Phantom, with the extra gear you have put on it already, it is getting close to its safe lift limit. Like Telecaster says, dont expect too much from the Phantom, it is a fabulous piece of kit and can go places even a bigger hexacopter wouldnt go, but it is intended to be a trainer before you get a bigger and more powerful copter. Your legs and gimbal will go perfectly with a dji 450 flamewheel or even a 550, so your investment is protected, so to speak, if you decide to upgrade.
I am a pro photographer and video cam operator, so from my point of view the best advice I can offer is use a light camera like a Panasonic or my own choice, a Sony with a wide angle lens (essential 24mm equivalent or similar). There is no point trying a heavy video camera, the craft is not big or powerful enough to give you steady video even with your gimbal. Hope this helps.

 

[fasteddie]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Nice upgrades! What landing gear is this and what did you do to mount it?

 

[combat squirrel]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Hey all ! so sorry to just reply! been so so busy!

ok well to the questions:

(1)

resdog - this is the tracker i am using:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Smallest-GPS-Ve ... 460fe6adbc

Works brilliantly, just phone the tracker and it sends me its location and a google maps link back to my mobile - perfect couldnt ask for more, seems accurate to within 5m to me.

Also what gains should I change ? am on firmware 3.12 now with 9" CF blades - tbh it flys beautifully.

(2) howardmaryon

Thanks , I have left it alone for now and it seems to be working fine - I will take your advice and leave it.

Yeah using the go pro 2, and its awesome, got this picture recently:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25870/Kaya-2.jpg

I do 50/50 shots and video, but looking at the go pro 3, I use it on medium POV so its not so wide it gets distorted.

I like your points about being able to use that landing gear on larger craft, I intend to transfer all the phantom electronics to one some time later in the year.

(3)

Fasteddie, just a carbon fibre fpv landing gear off ebay, i think if u type f450 landing gear in, it will come up, about £20 delivered.

Attached it by taking the phantom apart and simply drilling holes in the bottom of the phantom and bolting it on, I then insulted the screws and laid down 1 layer of duct tape over the top for the battery to sit on. Works beautifully and the tape has given the battery bay a 'soft' floor for the battery.




I only have 4 questions now.........

ONE - what gimbel settings do you guys use for best results with your phantoms?

TWO - when i lower the altitude of the phantom from height, at any noticeable speed, the craft 'shimmies' down, rocking from side to side, it only does this decreasing altitude, worse in gps mode. When gaining altitude its fine as it is flying around, I assume it 'has' to do this to drop height, any ideas on how to stop it/reduce it ?

THREE - the gps tracker is mounted mid back now on cable ties (strong and light), any more...elegent ways of doing this? as the water proof bag with the tracker in kind of wobbles about as it flys

FOUR - I am going to cut the carbon fibre landing 'rails' shorter as the poke into camera shot on the go pro....safe to do this? I was thinking leaving 1.5 inches or so front and back from the support legs, alot closer in size/shape to the origonal landing gear now but still have the height advantage i currently have, wont affect it much ? any info?

THANK YOU

 

[Racklefratz]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

It has a GPS tracking device attached to the rear left landing leg incase my phantom decided to take off over the horizon. ... I am currently installing FPV video transmitter etc, I will report back on how I go. Future upgrades this week will be 9" Carbon Fibre blades for more lift ... Current take off weight fully loaded with battery and FPV and GPS tracker, cameras, gimbals etc is 1310g

I WOULD LOVE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE MY PHANTOM, PLEASE SUGGEST !!

Wow. That's a lot of "stuff" on that thang. How'zit fly with all the extra weight?

It's accepted that adding weight reduces flight time and stability. DJI's published max gross for the Phantom is 1200 grams, so now, you're 110 grams over max gross weight. The added weight of FPV stuff will exacerbate the situation. And remember, adding bigger props for added lift doesn't add any more power to turn those props.

Good luck, combat squirrel.

 

[combat squirrel]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Good point on that ! tbh it fly's beautifully better than it did stock, I guess the weight keeps her steady, I just posted 15 pics on my photography page here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ben-Walker-Photography/132437803506234

I am curious now, I have been doing more work on it since I originally posted, I am going to weigh it now, I will report back

 

[combat squirrel]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Not even joking, its 1220g on a non digital scale, I will try on a digital one when im home, currently at parents, id guess it wouldn't be that far out, either way plenty light enough with 9" CF props , the motors won't have to work LOADS harder to lift that

 

[FangsCPO]

Re: My Phantom Modded For Video - Please review & suggest id

Looks great but it would seem you are putting alot of stress on your motors with that additional weight. My concern would be if guys are finding cracks in their Phantom Bodies just flying around carrying nothing, don't you think eventually you will develop cracks carrying that additional weight? Just saying. Once again, it looks really great. Can't wait to see the footage.