Upgrades

[Peter Stempel]

The ground station, includes from left to right: receiver, video to USB device, battery for receiver, and 3dr radio. I used 3M dual lock (like velcro, but plastic) to mount the items. My ground station is just a very inexpensive windows laptop that's small enough to go into the toolbox (11.2").

I used the 3dr kit for the video transmitter and receiver: https://store.3drobotics.com/products/5-dot-8-ghz-light-weight-video-transmitter-kit

I bought the battery, the OSD board (overlays the data), and the camera elsewhere. The full 3dr kit is not unreasonable, it just comes with more than I needed. You only need the battery for the receiver (or another source of power), as the X8+ is prepared for the transmitter and OSD already.

Once you point mission planner to your capture device, the composite video shows in the MP screen with the flight data--so you only have one place to look other than the RC. Only problems I had initially were the drivers for the capture device, nothing to do with the OSD or transmitter.

The most challenging part of the entire affair has been (by far) tuning the gimbal so it does not vibrate when facing totally downward--that required a lot of tinkering--getting it to work straight ahead was a breeze, but the steep angle was a challenge to get right.

 

[Peter Stempel]

Couple more notes on FPV set up

--there are a lot of connections--so if something is not working, first thing to do is check that all is plugged in properly--the little stereo headphone plug on the receiver won't work if it's not in 100%. Every failure I've had with it is attributable to a loose wire.

--the OSD board gets hot, as does the transmitter. I typically unplug these if I'm working on something with the drone powered on for an extended period.

 

[Drone-Survey-Photography]

Thanks appreciate the info, once a couple of technical issues are resolved (and pilot issues) I am going to persue FPV, this will be helpfull, I need to start looking for parts, I have a camera from another quad, like you said I did not plan on another battery on the quad.

 

[Walter Mitch]

Hi Guys! Purchased a X8 from banggood yet some kind of perplexity out there. Don't have the foggiest idea about the operation SWA keys and SWB. I have not discovered this data on manual moreover. From where I got the position for stable flight GPS!!.

 

[Drone-Survey-Photography]

Congratulations on the X8, I really like mine it is can do a lot. GPS stable flight is when you put the mode switch in the LTR positions, top is STD standard, LTR Loiter, and Auto fly a mission. It is pretty stable in the STD mode but mine will drift a bit, very stable in the LTR mode.

I did my set up on Mission planner, would not fly out of the box, yours may already be setup and ready to fly.

I don't have all the terminology down so not sure what you are referring to as SWA and SWB

 

[Ricardo Sanjur]

I just cut the wires and soldered, works fine. No back to programming the camera, got my tuffwing cable this week, already have CHDK on the camera. Hope to get all set up for a survey next week (too hot this week).

Am I correct in assuming that you dont next the aux 5v, the pixhawk is configured to trigger the camera directly. I have the 5v cable if needed but would rather skip the extra install if possible. I plan to add a second camera so may want to add the extra power anyway just to be sure there is enough to trigger both cameras.

They are up to May 20 in granting FAA 333 exemptions, I filed mine May 31, getting close, I am excited by not sure why.

Thanks Peter for the detail, going into the notebook

Hi, did you install two cameras on your X8+? please let me know how to do it. Thanks!

 

[Drone-Survey-Photography]

Hi, did you install two cameras on your X8+? please let me know how to do it. Thanks!

Not yet just one, I plan to mount another and split the trigger signal and see if there are any issues, or are you talking about if there is enough space for two cameras, seem to be plenty I am ordering another mount to see if I can run two cameras, not sure when.

 

[rsimcox]

I purchased the FPV that 3DR sells for the X8+, it does provide excellent video. Drawbacks are it is heavy and the range, even in rural area without any interference is limited to only approx 80 yards. So this does not help if you are running long range mapping missions. I did not like the flight time reduction, I figured if I am mapping I am looking directly towards the ground so it does not really provide any benefit. The increase in flight time is far more valuable to me. IMO 3DR's FPV is not really worth the money for the range it offers and the additional weight, even though the Pixhawk can power the unit without adding the provided battery.

 

[Peter Stempel]

Hi, did you install two cameras on your X8+? please let me know how to do it. Thanks!

I created a plastic bracket for a fixed downward pointing camera using acrylic. This bracket cantilevers off the rear of the drone. That camera is fixed, and has it's own battery. I start it on the ground.

 

[apicasso]

I'm running both an FPV camera and the other accessories, no power problem. I'm not sure I understand the question, but, essentially if you plug the tuffwing cable into port 5, and use the stock config it will work with not additonal power--I've flight tested the configuration.

When I took apart the X8+ I did not unwire the arms, rather I left them together, so I did not trace where the wires went after they entered the arms. The ESCs are logically arrayed in terms of right and left, front and back, and held in by zip ties each set is faced so that the motor leads depart close to the arm they serve. Two of the fronts are very accessable, two completely burried. The rears are all pretty easily accessed, noting that the ones on the flanks are leaning on the power supply.

If I were in your position, I would begin by removing the leg, using the thumb screw, and then by removing the inner screw. The inner screw is tricky, because there is a double nut stack under the Pixhawk platform. You can undo the four nuts holding this platform, and shift it to the side. There is enough slack in the wires that you can reveal the power supply this way.

BTW: All the smarts are on the Pixhawk platform, the lower platform is just power supply, ESCs, and BEC (center front). There is power feed to Port 8 on back of Pixhawk from the BEC so you can pull your power from the middle row of pins--forgot to mention that when we were talking trigger.

With that platform shifted aside you can remove the double nut stack on the subject leg. I'd then loosen the motors, and give a tug to the impacted wire to see which ESC it is attached to. If your lucky, it's one that's more accessible. The hardest part would be restoring the zip ties you needed to cut to replace it.

If you do need to pull your X8+ appart:

I found that the 4 leg screws that also hold the upper platform are the king pins. The other screws and spacers can be easily restored by working your way around everything. To disassemble you can set the Pixhawk platform aside, leaving it wired on. Snip the front ESC zip ties that hold the body together, and remove the screws around the edge. Remove the double stack nuts, and the thumbscrews, and the whole thing will come appart. Before it does, note how the power supply is settled into the nest, so you can re-pack it. The reassembly process is to get the ESCs and power supply properly settled, and then get the king pins in, then the outer pins, and finally strap on the last two ESCs. I labled all my parts with a sharpie in terms of orientation, etc., though it's pretty obvious how it goes together.

I'm sorry I can't tell you which is upper and lower--I though I may have made some note that would tell me, but I did not. I'll try to keep an eye on the forum in case there is something I can help with. The good news about the lower body assembly is that it's pretty straight forward, just a lot of screws.

One other note, if you remove the fly bridge over PixHawk, take care with the plastic screws. I ended up buying extra screws of every type--it's easy to loose these. Those upper screws are plastic so as not to interfere with the sensitive stuff.....and should be replaced with the same.

hey man would you every post a video of how you took your drone apart to repair the motors I’m so confused