If I have a Li-Po battery connected to four quadricopter motors...

[SimonLong13]

If I have a Li-Po battery connected to four quadricopter motors through a power distributor, can I control the amount of power the battery is giving the motors? This is very urgent and if you can answer it please do ASAP.

 

[(*steve*)]

PWM?

 

[SimonLong13]

PWM?

What do you mean by that

 

[(*steve*)]

Pulse width modulation

 

[SimonLong13]

Pulse width modulation

I know very little about electronics, how would I set it up?

 

[Audioguru]

Simply read about pulse-width-modulation in Google. Most radio controlled models use PWM for motor speed control and full size cars, trucks and buses use PWM for LED dimming.

 

[SimonLong13]

Simply read about pulse-width-modulation in Google. Most radio controlled models use PWM for motor speed control and full size cars, trucks and buses use PWM for LED dimming.

Two more things. How would I program, or set the PWM to a certain output? And, if the motors had wires coming out of them, would I need anything to connect the wires? Or could I do it the old fashioned way with tape.

 

[Bluejets]

Or could I do it the old fashioned way with tape.

I thought they only do that in Thailand.

 

[Audioguru]

Buy a quadcopter and look inside to see how it is made. It has a custom IC that is a microcontroller with a memory and a program stored in it. Frequently a quadcopter has gyroscopes for stability and uses a GPS device for its location.

We solder wires together, we do not tape them.

 

[SimonLong13]

Buy a quadcopter and look inside to see how it is made. It has a custom IC that is a microcontroller with a memory and a program stored in it. Frequently a quadcopter has gyroscopes for stability and uses a GPS device for its location.

We solder wires together, we do not tape them.

What I am trying to do is make it hover, hands-free. I just need to know how to modulate how much energy goes into the motors to make it hover.

 

[Alec_t]

To make it hover hands-free you will need a control circuit which gets feedback from a 3-axis gyro, otherwise slight differences in power output from the motors will cause the drone to drift up or down or even tip over.

 

[Audioguru]

My quadcopter hovers pretty well because its heaviest part, the battery, is on the bottom so gravity keeps it stable unless I control its direction.

 

[Alec_t]

That's certainly simpler than a gyro .

 

[Gryd3]

What I am trying to do is make it hover, hands-free. I just need to know how to modulate how much energy goes into the motors to make it hover.

Please explain which QuadCopter you have, or if you have custom built it...
If built with small brushed motors, you typically find custom designed PCB inside that controls the power to the motors via 'PWM'.
If it's built with larger brushless motors, then you will often find an 'ESC' (Electronic Speed Controller)
This controller takes a small 'pulse' or 'pwm' signal from the controller or radio receiver and controls the motor/speed.
If you are asking how to control the power to the motor, then it would almost seem like you are building it yourself... otherwise, simply move the left thumb-stick up and down a little until you find the sweet spot to make the craft hover.

 

[SimonLong13]

Please explain which QuadCopter you have, or if you have custom built it...
If built with small brushed motors, you typically find custom designed PCB inside that controls the power to the motors via 'PWM'.
If it's built with larger brushless motors, then you will often find an 'ESC' (Electronic Speed Controller)
This controller takes a small 'pulse' or 'pwm' signal from the controller or radio receiver and controls the motor/speed.
If you are asking how to control the power to the motor, then it would almost seem like you are building it yourself... otherwise, simply move the left thumb-stick up and down a little until you find the sweet spot to make the craft hover.

I am building it myself. Just know that I know like, nothing about any of this. I need you guys to talk to me like I'm five, so I understand some of this

 

[(*steve*)]

First you need to locate some petalite. You can extract lithium from this to make your batteries.

For making the semiconductors, you can start from sand.

Frankly, it may be easier to purchase some of the modules you'll need. Unless you have a really good reason, and have significant experience, I'd be purchasing the controllers.

 

[Gryd3]

I am building it myself. Just know that I know like, nothing about any of this. I need you guys to talk to me like I'm five, so I understand some of this

You are walking into a world of fun tiny wires, a large handful of different flight controllers, radio transmitters/receiver combos, motor controllers, and an assortment of firmware that can be installed on the flight/motor controllers.
What kind of drone are you looking to build, and what kind of experience do you have with them thus far?


Here's a small check-list for you
Drone Type : Race or Photography drone.
Drone Size : From corner to corner.
- First Person Camera Capable?
Budget :

Would you be happy with pre-made drones or pre-made assemblies or are you looking to build something completely from the ground up?

Mostly ready to fly : http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Wiz...8CH-200MW-VTX-ARF-p-1085802.html?rmmds=search

If you are building from the ground up... Here is a parts list.
- Radio Transmitter
- Radio Receiver (Try to find a bundle with the transmitter)
- Flight Controller
- ESC (Multi ESC units available... ie, 4x ESC on a single board. One needed for each brushless motor)
- Motors . Two Clockwise rotation and two Counter-clockwise
- Battery
- Charger
- Frame
- Misc. accessories. heat-shrink tubing, battery terminals, velcro strap, tape
- Camera (Optional. GoPro and HD cameras required for film, NTSC/PAL low resolution required for racing)
- Video transmitter (Optional)
- Video receiver (Optional)
- Video display (Optional, small monitor or HUD)


I'm working on a medium sized 250mm drone and am being blind-sided finding all the little things I am forgetting. My flight controller needs a 5V source, although the rest of my components can operate directly from the battery. The flight controller I have is based on a Naze32 controller but is a clone with limited compatibility with the tools for Naze controllers. I've rebuilt my drone 3 times so far trying to fit the components in nicely as the parts arrive and I still need to sit down and solder various wiring pig-tails together to connect the various components to each other because nothing aside from the flight controller and radio receiver seem to be capable of plugging into each other.
If you have the patients, certainly build it from the ground up. I don't suggest building your own flight controller. Buy a 'common' controller that has lots of support and ensure that it supports something like cleanflight or baseflight as you can find support for it in lots of locations.

You have to let us know exactly what you want to try to do. Asking generic questions about how a specific part of a drone won't get you the information you need... As I covered in my last post, we could have replied with a very generic 'push the left thumb-stick forward' or we could answer with a detailed explanation about how the radio receiver may send a PPM or PWM signal to a flight controller which does some math and calculations before sending a PWM signal to a motor controller with will vary the rate and power being delivered to a 3-phase brushless motor...
If we don't know, we either assume and waste time or some of us will make silly comments.

Give my post a good read or two and decide which path you want to take, and we can do our best to guide you in the part selection, product selection, or planning stages if you want to build from the ground-up. Just be warned that building a flight controller may be an overwhelming task for a beginner.

 

[SimonLong13]

You are walking into a world of fun tiny wires, a large handful of different flight controllers, radio transmitters/receiver combos, motor controllers, and an assortment of firmware that can be installed on the flight/motor controllers.
What kind of drone are you looking to build, and what kind of experience do you have with them thus far?


Here's a small check-list for you
Drone Type : Race or Photography drone.
Drone Size : From corner to corner.
- First Person Camera Capable?
Budget :

Would you be happy with pre-made drones or pre-made assemblies or are you looking to build something completely from the ground up?

Mostly ready to fly : http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Wiz...8CH-200MW-VTX-ARF-p-1085802.html?rmmds=search

If you are building from the ground up... Here is a parts list.
- Radio Transmitter
- Radio Receiver (Try to find a bundle with the transmitter)
- Flight Controller
- ESC (Multi ESC units available... ie, 4x ESC on a single board. One needed for each brushless motor)
- Motors . Two Clockwise rotation and two Counter-clockwise
- Battery
- Charger
- Frame
- Misc. accessories. heat-shrink tubing, battery terminals, velcro strap, tape
- Camera (Optional. GoPro and HD cameras required for film, NTSC/PAL low resolution required for racing)
- Video transmitter (Optional)
- Video receiver (Optional)
- Video display (Optional, small monitor or HUD)


I'm working on a medium sized 250mm drone and am being blind-sided finding all the little things I am forgetting. My flight controller needs a 5V source, although the rest of my components can operate directly from the battery. The flight controller I have is based on a Naze32 controller but is a clone with limited compatibility with the tools for Naze controllers. I've rebuilt my drone 3 times so far trying to fit the components in nicely as the parts arrive and I still need to sit down and solder various wiring pig-tails together to connect the various components to each other because nothing aside from the flight controller and radio receiver seem to be capable of plugging into each other.
If you have the patients, certainly build it from the ground up. I don't suggest building your own flight controller. Buy a 'common' controller that has lots of support and ensure that it supports something like cleanflight or baseflight as you can find support for it in lots of locations.

You have to let us know exactly what you want to try to do. Asking generic questions about how a specific part of a drone won't get you the information you need... As I covered in my last post, we could have replied with a very generic 'push the left thumb-stick forward' or we could answer with a detailed explanation about how the radio receiver may send a PPM or PWM signal to a flight controller which does some math and calculations before sending a PWM signal to a motor controller with will vary the rate and power being delivered to a 3-phase brushless motor...
If we don't know, we either assume and waste time or some of us will make silly comments.

Give my post a good read or two and decide which path you want to take, and we can do our best to guide you in the part selection, product selection, or planning stages if you want to build from the ground-up. Just be warned that building a flight controller may be an overwhelming task for a beginner.

Wow, this is extremely helpful. Give me a little bit to read over this and decide some stuff. Just know this is for a school project, and has to be done ground up

 

[SimonLong13]

You are walking into a world of fun tiny wires, a large handful of different flight controllers, radio transmitters/receiver combos, motor controllers, and an assortment of firmware that can be installed on the flight/motor controllers.
What kind of drone are you looking to build, and what kind of experience do you have with them thus far?


Here's a small check-list for you
Drone Type : Race or Photography drone.
Drone Size : From corner to corner.
- First Person Camera Capable?
Budget :

Would you be happy with pre-made drones or pre-made assemblies or are you looking to build something completely from the ground up?

Mostly ready to fly : http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Wiz...8CH-200MW-VTX-ARF-p-1085802.html?rmmds=search

If you are building from the ground up... Here is a parts list.
- Radio Transmitter
- Radio Receiver (Try to find a bundle with the transmitter)
- Flight Controller
- ESC (Multi ESC units available... ie, 4x ESC on a single board. One needed for each brushless motor)
- Motors . Two Clockwise rotation and two Counter-clockwise
- Battery
- Charger
- Frame
- Misc. accessories. heat-shrink tubing, battery terminals, velcro strap, tape
- Camera (Optional. GoPro and HD cameras required for film, NTSC/PAL low resolution required for racing)
- Video transmitter (Optional)
- Video receiver (Optional)
- Video display (Optional, small monitor or HUD)


I'm working on a medium sized 250mm drone and am being blind-sided finding all the little things I am forgetting. My flight controller needs a 5V source, although the rest of my components can operate directly from the battery. The flight controller I have is based on a Naze32 controller but is a clone with limited compatibility with the tools for Naze controllers. I've rebuilt my drone 3 times so far trying to fit the components in nicely as the parts arrive and I still need to sit down and solder various wiring pig-tails together to connect the various components to each other because nothing aside from the flight controller and radio receiver seem to be capable of plugging into each other.
If you have the patients, certainly build it from the ground up. I don't suggest building your own flight controller. Buy a 'common' controller that has lots of support and ensure that it supports something like cleanflight or baseflight as you can find support for it in lots of locations.

You have to let us know exactly what you want to try to do. Asking generic questions about how a specific part of a drone won't get you the information you need... As I covered in my last post, we could have replied with a very generic 'push the left thumb-stick forward' or we could answer with a detailed explanation about how the radio receiver may send a PPM or PWM signal to a flight controller which does some math and calculations before sending a PWM signal to a motor controller with will vary the rate and power being delivered to a 3-phase brushless motor...
If we don't know, we either assume and waste time or some of us will make silly comments.

Give my post a good read or two and decide which path you want to take, and we can do our best to guide you in the part selection, product selection, or planning stages if you want to build from the ground-up. Just be warned that building a flight controller may be an overwhelming task for a beginner.

Alright, I see. What I want to build is technically a hovercraft, but as a drone. What I mean is skip all the crazy complicated drone stuff. I want to make it so I can switch it on, and have it hover.

 

[(*steve*)]

Alright, I see. What I want to build is technically a hovercraft, but as a drone. What I mean is skip all the crazy complicated drone stuff. I want to make it so I can switch it on, and have it hover.

"Just having it hover" is kinda the hard part.

Sure, many can do it, but it involves feedback from various sensors that are each pretty complex.

If you just set all the motors to run at the right speed to get it to hover in some environment didn't mean you can give in another. Change the temperature, add a bit of wind, do it at a higher altitude, change a propeller, move the battery slightly, etc., etc. and it will no longer hover.

Making it hover in ground effect is much easier though. If flying only a few cm above the ground is OK, then your job is much easier.