Team BlackSheep Discovery Pro: Building A $3000 Quadcopter

[cangelini]

Is it any surprise that PC enthusiasts also dabble in other technology-driven hobbies? Our editorial team recently purchased a high-end quadcopter to gauge the accessibility of first-person-view flight. Follow along as we build and critique the process.

Team BlackSheep Discovery Pro: Building A $3000 Quadcopter : Read more

 

[blackmagnum]

Sunbathers beware! On another note: 3k dollars would build an awesome gaming machine, but getting some fresh air is all good.

 

[firefyte]

The page title is a bit off "Buikding And Flying..."

 

[Shankovich]

A company in Toronto called DreamQii made one that's around $1000 for the kit and is modular. A much better deal IMO, and it comes with a sturdier gimbal. Can you guys review that one? Kinda want one but not so sure about the whole thing.

 

[Bondfc11]

The radio in the photos is a dead match for the JR radio I use for flying my helicopter.

 

[g-unit1111]

Pretty sweet but if I had $3,000 to spend money on something, this would be like last on my list. :lol:

 

[qlum]

I have looked at quad copters quite often but every time I look I come to the same conclusion: To expensive for something I will get bored of pretty soon anyway.

Anyway the last time I was nervous about something I did was when I had to solder a serial connection on a bricked router. It was a first for me but all went far far smoother then I ever expected.

 

[geof2001]

please follow up with some video and first flight commentary

 

[d_kuhn]

Soo... while this looks like a very cool drone, if you're looking at your first buy you might want to look a bit more modest... like the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+... $1300 buys you a nice quadcopter with a stabilized camera. That's a lot less $$$ to lose when you auger in on your maiden flight.

 

[desert_beagle]

great article.. just expecting the delivery of my TBS Disco + Taranis today.. yes, it's expensive, but it's a lot of fun.. )

 

[quadcopterhq]

Really great overview of what it is like to build your own custom quadcopter, one of the most coherent and in-depth ones I've seen so far. To be honest, all the work makes me want to just recommend buying an off-the-shelf ready-to-fly option like the DJI Phantom! Of course, this model is much more capable and for any pro the customization is necessary (and enjoyable potentially too) to be able to get the video results required.

What kind of flying time does the rig have? And could you attach a larger, heavier camera if you swap in a different gimbal or are you limited to the GoPro line?

 

[cangelini]

@quadcopterhq: Thanks! I'm getting about 8 min. in the air and seeing around 17A of draw, which seems higher than it should be. Need to do some weight-shedding. The main reason I'd stick with the GoPro is for the 30-pin connector that feeds video into the system for switching sources mid-flight. I'd love to compare more turnkey solutions, though.

 

[Guest]

Pretty hard core build when you have solder everything on... for the cost i would expect something a little less... hard core (lack of a better word)

 

[videobear]

Reviews of cars, now quadcopters. Tom's use to be a site for computer homebuilders. It would be nice to see more material focused on that, and less on side issues.

 

[Darth_Indy]

Yours is the first article about drones that actually talked about responsible use of the drone. Thank you. Advanced drones are not lightweight toys any more, these things are getting heavy (think bowling ball and greater) and with this additional weight it means that collisions with a plane or someone on the ground could result in serious injury or even death. Flying one of these bigger drones over crowds of people or into shared airspace is not just a bad idea, it's potentially dangerous (sorry for the rant, I have a friend that had a near miss this year and safety must be discussed honestly).

 

[Jacob McIntosh]

These drones are awesome, but how long will it be before the FAA steps in?

 

[Bondfc11]

Southpark is on it!

 

[Guest]

Yours is the first article about drones that actually talked about responsible use of the drone. Thank you. Advanced drones are not lightweight toys any more, these things are getting heavy (think bowling ball and greater) and with this additional weight it means that collisions with a plane or someone on the ground could result in serious injury or even death. Flying one of these bigger drones over crowds of people or into shared airspace is not just a bad idea, it's potentially dangerous (sorry for the rant, I have a friend that had a near miss this year and safety must be discussed honestly).

Quick ground all aircraft, destroy all satellites, shoot down all balloons and burn all the kites.

 

[CaroH]

What is the legality limits on use of this copter for hobby purposes? Are there altitude restrictions, or requirements to keep craft in line of sight?

It would be bad if this article encourages people to break the law.

 

[Guest]

What is the legality limits on use of this copter for hobby purposes? Are there altitude restrictions, or requirements to keep craft in line of sight?

It would be bad if this article encourages people to break the law.

It would depend on the laws of your country/state same goes for RC helicopters and planes.

 

[shrapnel_indie]

Where I live, the FAA has put a ceiling on how high they can be flown: 400ft. It may be a good idea (here in the States) to check with the FAA for the rules in your area, or with the equivalent agency within your country.