Author: errin

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Check Out My 3DR Solo Modifications!

3DR Solo Quadcopter & Mods

I just picked up my 3DR Solo this last week and have been flying it whenever I get the time. I also wanted to register with the FAA since it only costs $5 to do so. I am now licensed to fly legally, and will soon be getting my Part 107. You can contact us with questions here.

If you still hurry you might be able to purchase one from Best Buy or another local Computer store, if you already own a GoPro you should definitely pick up while you still can. I will upload some more mods as I do them, so far I plan on upgrading the GPS, HDMI cables, and adding some Moon gel.

You can use your cell phone to view the live video feed that is streamed from the 3DR back to you on the ground, but I decided to upgrade to a tablet instead. I decided I needed one with good battery life and it must have GPS in order for the “Smart Shots” to work. So I went with a Lenovo Tab from Amazon, it works really well and its much easier to plan out missions on. However there are many compatible tablets that can be used such as the ever popular iPad lineup

Time For some upgrades!

I decided to use my #Flashforge 3D Printer to print out some upgrade parts from Thingiverse. I went with a new Gimbal clips that prevents the GoPro from falling out of the Gimbal while your flying. The clip that comes installed from the factory requires that you remove the GoPro in order to remove your Micro Sd Card.

The picture shown on the bottom right shows a simple upgrade that can be 3D Printed if you know or have your own printer, it allows you access to your Micro Sd card without the need to remove your GoPro.

Carbon Fiber Gimbal Clip for the #GoPro on the 3DR Solo, download from thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1479896

If your running the 3DR Solo with a Gimbal like I am you might also want to consider some leg extensions, that will help your GoPro & Gimbal clear the Grass or any obstacles low to the ground. They are easily installed, all you need to do is remove the old clips and snap these in their place!

Made for the 3DR Solo
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Quadcopter Build On Father’s Day

So Father’s day was last week and I decided to build my Dad a new 250mm Quadcopter so we can finally race each other. I wanted to make a build video but went with a Time-lapse of the build and its pretty cool IMO. I still need to test fly it and finishing the PID tuning. So far I have some issues when trying to spool up the motors, I am going to troubleshoot it this week. Click HERE to find out more info on your own custom Quadcopter Build.

Using my Flashforge Creator Pro 3D Printer I was able to make some custom parts for this FPV Quadcopter, one of which is a low profile spacer that allows you to put all of the electronics inside the frame including the ESC’s which makes for a super clean build as show below.

The Flight Controller is running Cleanflight but I might switch it over to Betaflight, I still need to look into the recent changes of both Cleanflight and Betaflight.

Its running:

  • Skyline32 Flight Controller
  • FlySky TH-9 Transmitter
  • 2500mah LiPo Battery
  • Carbon Fiber 250mm Quadcopter Frame (ZMR250)
  • Power Distribution Board
  • 2000kV motors

Soon I will be posting a test flight video of this aircraft.

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Building A Sub 250g Carbon Fiber FPV Quadcopter

Most of you know that the FAA has stated that all multirotors that weigh more than 0.55 pounds must be registered in order to prevent fines upwards of $250,000. So there has been an increase in sub 250g Quadcopters and Tricopters. Well today we are gonna talk a little about my FPV Quadcopter and what they look like.

My personal FPV Racing Quadcopter that is under 250 grams!

The frame I chose for this build is an: LHI 210mm Carbon Fiber Frame : Overall I am very pleased with the quality of this frame, very sturdy and lightweight coming in at 70g with all the aluminum hardware. In the future I will be using my Flashforge Creator Pro to 3D print some much lighter spacers to replace the metal spacers that come with the LHI frame.

During this build all of the wiring was done in a minimalistic fashion, I would measure the wire bundles allowing just enough wire to go from A to B then add about an inch to allow for some slack.

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Anonabox | Stay Anonymous On The Internet

I am sure most of you have heard about the importance of remaining anonymous and keeping yourself protected while browsing from public Wi-Fi. Then you ask, well how am I supposed to do that?

Well today I want to talk a little bit about a device called “Anonabox” which is a tiny TOR embedded router that can help keep your anonymity safe while browsing the web. Its powered by 5v, supplied by a USB port found on almost every laptop & desktop or by most cell phone chargers via micro usb.

 

The Anonabox Pro Sitting atop a Macbook Pro

 

 

Once powered up you can connect to a wireless access point for internet or if you’d like to “hardwire” in you can do that as well with the supplied LAN/WAN connections. There are 4 models to choose from, the two most popular are The Original & The Pro versions of the Anonabox. Both offering different features for those who just need to use TOR or those who need a more advanced version like the PRO can access features like VPN, or .Onion Web Hosting. In the coming weeks there will be some updates published that allow for more services to be added.

 

 

The Anonabox Original and the Pro Versions

 

 

The two most popular Anonabox models, The “Original” is for those who needs are basic, a Plug n Play Design. While the “Pro” offers a more advanced user experience, offering more features like VPN access, Ad Blocking, .Onion Hosting & more!

 

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Xbox One Elite Controller Review

Its time for a review!

Xbox One Elite Controller Review

As of recently I started playing my computer games with an old modded Xbox 360 controller and for the most part I thought the controller I already had was great.. Until I bought the Xbox One Elite Controller. Everything about the Xbox One Elite Controller is well crafted, from the thumbsticks to the adjustable triggers. You can setup custom button mapping for your most played games and you also have a profile switch that allows you to switch back and forth between profiles directly saved on your Xbox One Elite Controller. If your running Windows 10 you can download the Xbox One Accessories app through the Windows App Store, which will allow you to customize the button layout, Xbox Button Brightness, Dead Zones for the triggers and so much more!!

So after spending $24 on a battery and another $20 on the wireless receiver I had a pretty sweet controller for my PC. Most of the games I play are on Steam which allows me to use “Big Picture” which is steams GUI for a PC based console “feel”. It makes navigating the Steam Interface much more intuitive when using a controller.

The first thing I noticed when removing the Xbox One Controller from the protective case is the weight. This controller is heavy! Even though its “heavy” I still have no issues holding this controller for hours at a time.

The rubber texture on the controller feels great and makes those long nights in front of the heavenly glow of your gaming monitor that much more bad ass!

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Smooth Thumb-sticks
  • Custom Button Mapping
  • Easily Interchangeable Thumb-sticks and D-Pad
  • Use Your Own Headphones
  • Comfortable Grip
Cons
  • Does Not Come With Rechargeable Battery
  • Does Not Come with Wireless Receiver for PC
  • $150 Price Tag
  • Heavy (due to metal and magnets)
  • Green Sync Button
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Intel Nuc – How to Install Memory and mSata SSD

Intel NUC RAM & Samsung 850 mSata SSD Installation

In this video you will see a basic installation of Corsair RAM plus a Samsung 850 mSata SSD

Tools You Will Need

  • Phillips Screwdriver
  • Flat Head Screwdriver
  • 10-15 minutes of time

Impressions on the NUC from Intel

So far I have been really impressed with the performance from my NUC. I setup one as a headless server and I couldn’t be any happier. The whole unit can fit in the palm of your hand and depending on which model you get can pack a serious punch. I opted to go with the Intel Celeron 847 Dual Core, I’ll explain further down why I went with this particular model.

In my experience the NUC runs quite cool, I used a R/C Engine thermometer to test the temperature and it came in at a cool temp of 88°F so I measured my smartphone with the same thermal temperature sensor just to compare and my phone measured 85°F.

I have been looking for a solution to my server needs and this Intel NUC was up to the task. I needed something that was small and compact so at first I tried using a Raspberry Pi which is a great computer but just didn’t have the horsepower I needed and most of all a gigabit NIC. So after quite a few open source computer purchases with the latest being a bananaPi by LeMaker, I just couldn’t find a suitable piece of equipment that would fit my requirements.

The Banana Pi is another fantastic piece of hardware, it even sports a full size SATA port, which is great considering I was using it for a server. However the SATA speeds were not as I had hoped. The average transfer speed over a gigabit network was around 40 MB/s which is about average for most NFS systems. I personally prefer faster speeds, like around 110 MB/s which is exactly what I can expect from the NUC.

Reasons Why I Purchased the NUC
  1. Low Power Consumption (17 Watts) !!
  2. Runs Extremely Cool
  3. Completely Silent Operation
  4. Small Footprint
  5. VESA Mountable
  6. Very Affordable
  7. Gigabit Ethernet
Specs
  1. Intel Celeron Dual Core 847
  2. Max 16GB RAM
  3. Dual HDMI Ports
  4. 7.1 Surround through HDMI
  5. 5 Total USB Connections (3 external & 2 via internal header
  6. 3 Year Limited Warranty
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San Antonio Quadcopter Builds

Quadcopters in San Antonio

Offering custom Quadcopter build services in San Antonio, Texas and the surrounding Austin, Houston and Dallas areas.

Depending on the amount of requests, I might start offering a bring your own parts program and have an expert assemble them for you.

Custom FPV Quadcopter Built by Errin @ errinlyons.com
Printed this out for @mayhemvapor and its awesome!

Each Quadcopter is built to order, and can be ready within a few days.

  • Custom Builds
  • 3D Printed Quadcopter Frames & Parts
  • FPV Setup
  • Flight Controller Programming
  • Upgrades
  • Repairs
  • Soldering

Safety Classes

Learn How to Fly Safely & Have Fun

Did you know most crashes happen due to pilot error? Well believe it or not, most of the time when you crash your Multirotor it could have been prevented.

  1. Check Your Props – Make sure they are tight & secure
  2. Check Your Battery Voltage – Use a simple battery cell checker
  3. Check Your Transmitter Batteries – Just replace or recharge if drained

If you want more tips and tricks download our PDF for FREE!

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Quadcopter Mini 250mm | Flashforge Creator Pro

Cyantechio 3D Printed Multirotor 250mm
Cyantechio 3D Printed Multirotor 250mm

3D FPV Quadcopters

I have yet to actually fly FPV… I don’t trust myself with my eyes off the aircraft flying at over 45mph!

The Hardware

Flight Controller

Almost all of my 250mm Quadcopter builds use a Naze32 Flight controller which are great boards in my opinion. You can easily update the firmware and make changes using Baseflight or Cleanflight depending on your personal preferences. I personally prefer Cleanflight, it is always getting updates and having things added plus I just like the way my Quads fly when using Cleanflight.

Motors

I am using 2200KV motors made by DYS, I have about 4 sets on different Quads and I think they are pretty good. I’m sure you can get much better motors but these work great and I haven’t had any issues with these motors.

ESC’s

For ESC’s I have decided to go with a set of Hobbypower 12amp Esc’s that have been flashed with Simon K firmware. I am able to get pretty good flights from these esc’s, they don’t get hot and seem to work very well.

The Frame

One of the problems when looking for a Quadcopter frame is finding one that is light, strong and cheap. Which is why I have decided to use 3D printed Quadcopter frames. They are cheap, lightweight, strong and when they break you can just make another one!

Mine is made from PLA which is strong and rigid, comes in many different colors and is much easier to work with that other materials like ABS. A normal frame can be printed in about 8-12 hours depending on the particular settings for that print.

Transmitter

When I comes to R/C Transmitters I prefer Futaba ever since I was little that name has been a common word. Since I have several aircraft like the DJI S900 I needed something with a lot of channels so I decided to go with the Futaba 14sg. It allows you to use up to 14 channels with the correct hardware and settings.

Accessories

So most of you reading this probably know what FPV is, for those of you reading that don’t know what FPV is, let me explain.

FPV

FPV or First Person View allows you to see from the perspective of a pilot sitting in a aircraft. Its like your sitting in the Quadcopter flying, it is quite an experience. In order to fly FPV you need a few things like a mini camera, video transmitter/receiver, batteries to power everything and antennas for your transmitters and receivers.

Most people will have two cameras: one to view FPV and the other to record the flight in HD.
I personally use a Sony CCTV camera with a Fatshark 250mw transmitter.

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How To Tune Your Quadcopter

Well first there are some things you need to check before you try to fly your quad for your first time.

Remember when working with your Quadcopter to always make sure you remove the blades before you do any work.

Number one. You need to make sure all of your wiring is correct. That means checking all your soldering work and crimps to make sure there are no loose connections. Once you have double checked your wiring and are sure you have no loose wires, the next step is to set all of your Gyro Pots to 50%.

Then you will want to power up your quad by plugging in the battery. Once your quad has gone through its startup procedure you can now try to arm you board. When your board is correctly armed a small blue led will turn solid blue indicating that you have successfully armed your KK board. Once your board has been armed you can test the direction of the gyros as well as the rotation of the 4 motors.

The steps to test if your motors are spinning correctly are as follows.
(this procedure may vary between different Flight Control Boards)

1. Make sure you have no props mounted (For Safety)
2. Turn on your transmitter first
3. Plug your battery into your Quadcopter
4. Arm the Flight Control Board
5. Apply only 25% throttle and check the rotation of each motor (see diagram for motor direction)

The steps to test your gyro direction are as follows.

1. Make sure you have no props mounted (For Safety)
2. With the throttle at 25% pick up the Quadcopter and check that the gyros are working correctly
3. If you tilt the aircraft forward the front motors should speed up and if you tilt in reverse the back motors should speed up. (you can use tape or a zip tie mounted on the motor shaft to check direction)

4. If you tilt the aircraft to the left the left motors should speed up
5. If you tilt the aircraft to the right the right motors should speed up