The Multi-rotor revolution is upon us. The advent of newer technology (in particular cell phones and video game systems) has led to this new age of FPV multi rotors.
I had one of the first multirotor quadcopters 10 years ago. It was called a Draganflyer and was very similar to this one:
a Draganflyer
The Draganflyer was a cute little quad with tiny dc motors and a unique control board that auto leveled based on the temperature difference between the ground and the sky. It used an FM radio and flew like total garbage. Propellers were expensive PVC that were brittle and the entire thing was wonky and weak. One crash would take the copter out for weeks. 1 3s Lipo battery back then cost $50 or more. I got out of the hobby in 2004 because it was so expensive and difficult to make these quads work.
Fast forward to 2014…..
I ran into a friend with a cheap Chinese quadcopter and it was amazing. He told me that he spent 40 dollars on it at Costco and that it was a blast to fly. I flew it and albeit the controls being backwards (mode 1) it was actually really fun to fly. A gyro only copter with a special button that you can press to make the copter do a front flip. Impressive.
heliquad 2.4
seeing that copter, cheap, flying better than the Draganflyer ever flew reopened my mind and made me get back into the hobby. The obsession that followed consumed me.
It dawned on me that technology has advanced beyond my wildest dreams.
I realized that A/C brushless motors and Electronic Speed controllers are now so cheap, that you can afford to put them on a mini rotor and still have money left over for carbon fiber propellers.
I realized that cellular technology has lead to amazing processors and sensors that make extremely advanced flight control easy. We now have quads with gyros, barometers, accelerometers, compasses, gps, sonar, temperature sensing and more on a tiny board, and absolutely affordable.
The best 3s batteries now cost around 10 dollars.
First person view technology has also evolved to the point of being affordable and available.
hd cameras are microscopic and flyable!
Now, we are to the point where we can pack this technology onto a multirotor flying machine and actually fly affordably! It is incredible.
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[wolf_col_6 class=”last”]Now, we are to the point where we can pack this technology onto a flying machine and actually fly affordably! It is incredible. [/wolf_col_6]
Control of these machines is now possible to do with a great precision of accuracy. It is possible to pilot them as though you are sitting in the cockpit. Without the technological advancement that has taken place over the last few years, these machines would not be possible at all.
All of this innovation and technology has lead to one major problem:
There is so much information about how to build multirotors on the internet. That is coupled with the fact that most of the opinions out there are just that: opinions, with no statistical evidence or even experience to back up these opinions.
It is my opinion that these opinions have made this hobby a very difficult thing to get into. Something as simple as picking the right motor for a quadcopter is convoluted and full of options and opinions. Even the most popular motors are crap. I don’t know why people choose to purchase the components that they do.
All of the bad advice on the internet has lead me to create this website. This is my way of making your choices easier. Not because of my opinions, but because of my actual experiences.
Hopefully the site will help save you some time shifting through pages and pages of forums. I plan on making a question and answer section as well to help people get the answers that they are looking for.
I have decided to open a store to sell only the components that I find work the best. I am excited to see where the future of this hobby goes.