Best rc battery chargers according to redditors

Yeah, your old plastic USB speaker, or the nylon holding case (not sure which you have it in), won't help much when that thing goes roman candle. Just get one of these or something like it.

When I charge lipos for my rc planes I do it in the garage in metal buckets. I've seen two lipos go. They didn't so much as explode as much as shoot out a jet of flame.

Hey everyone, here are the parts I used:

Emitter - Chanzon High Power Led Chip 100W... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DBZHTSQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Heatsink kit - TX Aluminium Heatsink Cooling... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D1LD68C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Lens kit - 44mm Lens + 50mm Reflector... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLBHLIA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Boost converter - GEREE 250W Boost Converter DC/DC... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019W4C5IE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

LiPo battery - 11.1V 2200mAh 3S Cell 30C-60C... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013TJO6SU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Battery meter/low voltage alarm - CAMWAY 5PCS 2in1 1-8s Lipo... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DC3LH9C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The rest of the frame was built from scratch with angle/flat aluminum, machine screws and rivets. I bought most of the parts at a local hardware store.

"Low voltage" according to the battery gauge is ~3.4V on the battery itself. That's still above the minimum "safe" voltage for a standard lipo cell.

In the RC world, you typically stop to recharge a lipo battery when it hits 3.3V/cell. There are alarm attachments that plug into the balance port on RC lipo batteries that are made specifically for this.

The built-in battery controller also isn't stupid, it's not gonna let the battery actually die. What you see when the battery "dies" (usually) is an automatic shutdown sequence triggered by the low voltage to avoid actually killing the battery.

It'll be fine.

I got an Eachine 250 racer about a month ago. It has been a lot of fun, but there are a lot of details. My next racer will probably be a smaller/lighter 180 frame.

For FPV goggles I have three ideas. One, is get the status quo Fatshark goggles at whatever level you can afford. Two, get the HeadPlay HD goggles I got. Three, get the Avegant Glyph, which has the really nice feature of letting you pop them up and down without a band. I do really like my HeadPlay HDs, but they are big and bulky. I haven't perfected how to adjust the straps to get them to stay on my head well.

Arms, managed to break one without breaking a prop.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016Y5U1JO/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Capacitors, they pop off very easily. I lost a capacitor at the same time I broke an arm. Or a hot glue gun, I Highly recommend putting hot glue over the caps next to each arm to help avoid the loss in the first place. You want a low temperature hot glue gun to not melt any plastic or traces. I consider the capacitor issue a design defect, but you can work around it with hot glue. The original revision seems to have lacked the capacitors, from pictures I have seen online.

Capacitors for Eachine 250 racer:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00W8YYMZA/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Youtube video exampling how to solder them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLYVZUpL0K0

Get a Taranis X9D Plus. It is a great transmitter. Also get a X4R-SB receiver, and use SBUS. The D4R won't let you control the lights too, because it can't do PPM and PWM at the same time. You can control them with the X4R-SB, SBUS+PWM. SBUS has great latency, 5-10ms. I was recently talking to a sponsored racer who told me that PPM, which is supposed to be 27ms with the D4R, is really more like 100ms. It averages the four last frames together. This link includes a case and X8R, which I think will work as well as the X4R, but you should do the research. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014IYSXL6/ref=mp_s_a_1_5

To do SBUS+PWM, requires a special bind procedure. You want channels 1-8 as SBUS, and 9+ as PWM. The most relevant part is "jump S1&S3: SBUS, 9, 10, 11 or jump S2&S3: SBUS, 9, 10, 11 (No telemetry)" Here is a link that talks about it.

http://www.frsky-rc.com/BBS/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6793

Small tie wraps like the ones already on the arms to hold the ESCs. You break an arm, and you will need to replace the tie wrap.

Soldering iron, solder, etc, because you have to desolder the ESC from the motor to replace an arm, and then resolder it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BRC2XU/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Qtips and rubbing alcohol for cleaning. Mix the alcohol 50/50 with water. The flying field was muddy after lots of rain.

Carrying case of some kind. You don't want it banged around in transport, and same with the transmitter. It is best to get the X9D with the case, because people price gouge on the case stand alone.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ABQS7YI/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Batteries, you can burn through them very fast. But watch out for their height. I bought some of the new "Graphene" 4S batteries, and they are really too tall to fit. Some people remove the back LEDs to make battery installation easier.

Battery charging/carrying bags to help with uncontrolled fires started by batteries. I have two, one for charging, and one for carrying.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005HTH78W/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A battery charger if you want to use 4S batteries. The included charger is 2S/3S only. I have a Hi-tech X1 which will only charge one battery at a time. You can also get the X4 which will do four at once.

Battery charger for 4S batteries:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005LH3392/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

XT60 banana plug cable for charging with the above charger:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XBSBYCG/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A V shaped antenna mount to get the receiver antennas up in the air. When over head the carbon fiber body blocks the signal well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WV04P62/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A voltage monitor so you know to land when your battery voltage is low. The video signal includes the battery voltage as part of the OSD, but I prefer LoS while learning to fly. It lets me keep an eye on where I am in relation to trees. On the other hand I have yet to find a good place to mount a voltage monitor. With the length of the balance cable on batteries you are likely going to need a balance cable extension for 3S and another for 4S.

Voltage monitor:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EXPPF80/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3S balance cable extension:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XP4IO88/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4S balance cable extension:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JBP1RGG/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Double sided tape to mount things on the top of the body, like the antenna mount and receiver.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009NP1JQC/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Small x-acto knife to help remove the double sided tape.

Electrical tape to tape down wires for lights and receiver.

Size 2.0 hex wrench for the frame screws. It will be needed to replace arms.

Scale that can measure grams. You want to knowing and control weight.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010HKEDPK/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sunglasses to avoid problems seeing on sunny days. Lets say you are flying LoS, and look into the direction of the sun. You can't see the quad well enough to control it, because of glare from the sun.

ESC flashing adapters to change/upgrade the firmware. I am not sure these are the right ones for the ESCs on the Eachine. I think they are, but I haven't tried it yet.

Atmel socket flashing tool:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00V2W467I/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Atmel USB programmer:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051SRZWC/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

USB cable to use with transmitters and simulators. It is best to learn the basics in a sim, instead of replacing lots of parts.

USB cable for simulators:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DFDTU9G/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Old post of mine on learning in a simulator:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Multicopter/comments/3zr8o0/cheap_fpv_acro_simulator_with_real_transmitters/

Be sure to set a fail-safe, which is very easy with the Taranis. I had a fly away with my first Eachine, because of a defective Spektrum DX6 and lack of fail-safe. After that I switched to the Taranis, which doesn't cost much more and has way more capacity.

Get a balance charger. You can charge them 6 at a time and it will monitor the condition of each cell.

I’m about two weeks ahead of you.

The Jumper is a solid choice, mostly for the reasons you mention. Here is the T16 thread. Everything you ever wanted to know.

As far as transmitter batteries, I’d suggest checking out this thread @ RCgroups. I’d have purchased the $35 in radio charging kit instead of the standard 18650 & charger.

I’ve also got a Tinyhawk S. Would highly recommend. This little thing is bulletproof. It’s currently getting 4 minutes flight time on a 450mah 1S (I bought 10 of them). Haven’t tried 2S yet, as it’s been quite windy outside. The charger shipped with it only charges two (1S) at a time, so I bought this 6 place charger from Amazon.

Can’t comment on the EV800, as I went all in on Fatshark HDO's & ImersionRC Rapidfire.

Yeah, the internal one is the ring charge, this is my external (you can get cheaper ones that work as wel)

Looks like the 7000 series. There's a 7000 (assembled by user), 7500 (same but comes preassembled), and 7800 (don't remember what difference this had). There may have been others in the series but those are all I know of. I'm guessing the 7500 because the wires are run through the tubes.

It's discontinued and there's very little support available, though they do respond to email at [email protected]. I tried to get a replacement motor and they told me they don't sell them. So if you want to sell me one of your motors, I'll buy it!

Battery is a LiPo. I bought this charger for it:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005LH3392

You could get something cheaper nowadays. But you have to unwrap the battery to see what its specs are to charge it properly. If it's 5000mAh (or some other number) it requires a different setting on the charger than the more common 2500mAh. That's one's PROBABLY a 2500mAh. Get a LiPo charger with a "Deans" connector, and read up carefully about charging it properly so it doesn't explode. If you know what mAh it is and how many cells it has, you can buy a cheapo charger that's hard-coded to that one exact combination. Or you can buy an expensive one like I linked to above to be able to charge multiple types.

It's an old, finicky gimbal that's hard to balance and charge, so if you give up, PM me and I'll buy a motor off of it because we still use one at a school I teach at.

Any lipo charger will charge it with a balance board. Just get a charger thats low enough to do a 1C charge on a 200mah battery.

Personally I would just get a cheap balance board capable lipo charger. Can be had for $20+ for a decent one capable of charging that battery I would think.

Something like this will charge from .1A - 5A and has the balance ports built in. Just set it for .2A and let it go it will cut off when the lipo hits 11.1V. Just make sure you get some 4mm banana plug adapters that fit your battery or make one you can use with the gator clips.

Nothing special about them. Just follow the same rules you follow for your big lipos.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitec-RCD-Micro-1-Cell-Charger/dp/B00FYL2INM/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1467398087&sr=1-3&keywords=hitech+charger

Try this lot's of people seem to use this or have a balance board that can charge a lot of different batteries.

Replace it with a charger that didn't cost less than your batteries?

Seriously, though, those things look pretty sketchy, and as I recall you can't even set the charge current, which would be a deal breaker for me, personally. It sounds like yours has bit the dust, so you should probably just replace it anyhow. ISDT makes pretty good chargers, this one is probably the cheapest. I have a D2, which is super nice since it has 2 channels and runs directly off AC power, but it's about 10x the price of your Charsoon charger.

On my phone so the formatting is wack, but saw this in the recommended on that same page... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074M77J5M/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_qrIACb25GB14S

Those hubsan multi-chargers are hit and miss. Some are great, some aren't. It's nearly impossible to tell which brand is good or not. If you're willing to spend a some more money on a solid charger, get the Hitec X4 micro ac/dc charger.

Specs:

• 2x 6374 180kv motors
  
  
• MBS all-terrain wheels
  
  
• 2x pulley kit (36:13)
  
  
• 2x motor mounts
  
  
• Caliber II Trucks (I have wider Torqueboard 218 trucks coming so I can mount both motors inside)
  
  
• Antispark switch
  
  
• FSESC 200A
  
  
• 2x 6s 6000mAh Lipos
  
  
• Deck from a longboard I bought like 4 years ago
  
  
• Both enclosures were 3d printed with ProtoPasta carbon fiber and TPU washers that vary in thickness to compensate for the contours of the board (my own design).
  
  
• bearings
  
  
• Dual charger
  
  
• other various screws, nuts, wires, connectors, solder, etc
  
  
  Total Cost: Approx. $1200
  
  
  Additional notes:
  
  
• This was my first time using this brand of carbon fiber filament and I have to say its insanely strong, knocking on the back of the case, which is only 5mm thick, feels like knocking on a brick wall, its nothing like any filament i've ever used before and prints surprisingly well but will destroy brass nozzles (which cost pennies anyways).
  
  
• I've gotten it up to 26mph so far, with plenty of throttle left to go (I'd honestly say I didn't hit over 50% throttle). It's been about 2 years since I've rode my longboard, and I've only tried a friends boosted board once about a year ago, so I still need to build up to going fast. A more experienced rider got it up to 29mph and said he still had throttle to spare. So so far no one has been willing to top it off, I'll report back once I get some numbers. I will say that it accelerates faster than most if not all brand name boards.
  
  
• Yes I am aware that I fucked up my rear motor, I have since fixed the issue... Whoops.

Here is my setup. I have most of my parts here (just waiting on the motors, esc, and frame). If you have any feedback, I would love to hear it. Also, why 3 blade props? I don't see many of those.

Goggles: FatShark Predator V2 Video Glasses w/Transmitter and Camera

Antenna: ImmersionRC 5.8 GHz SpiroNET Antenna Set LHCP

Transmitter: Turnigy 9x

DragonFly32 PRO

Motors: 4 Sunnysky X2204S X2204 2300KV Brushless Motor CW For RC Model

ESC: Emax Simon 12A Brushless ESC Electronic Governor Supports 1-3S Small Axis

Frame Kit: LS4G H250 ZMR250 250mm Carbon Fiber Mini Quadcopter Micro Multicopter Frame Kit

Props: 5030 Airplane 2-blade Propeller Props 50x3 CW Multi-Copter Quad-Rotor 2-Pairs

Battery Charger: ORIGINAL SkyRC iMax B6 Super Multi Charger Balancer for Lithium (Li-po,), Ni-cd, Ni-mh, and Pb Battery

Battery: FLOUREON® 2 New 3S Lipo Battery 11.1V 2200mAh 25C RC Rechargeable Battery Pack with XT60 Plug for DJI Phantom Quadcopter, DJI Phantom FC40 Spare, Walkera E22RC, RC Helicopter, RC Airplane RC Hobby DIY Red

If you fly with 1s batteries a balance charger might not ever be worth it. (You can't balance a 1s battery) I use the IMAX b6ac but I have 2 other quadcopters that run 4s.

It's nice being able to parallel charge 6 batteries at a time, and makes batteries last longer being able to storage charge. Which both likely do. You'd need a paraboard to do more than one Inductrix battery
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID6U4LC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vpKEybSJESZA6

Something like this will get the job done.

You can also get a charger that you'd use for larger LiPos, but things get a more complicated since you'll need to learn about parallel and balance charging. I wouldn't go this route unless you know what you're getting into.

The tldr of 1S LiPo like you have. Stop flying somewhere between 3.6 and 3.8V. Store batteries at 3.85V or as close as you can get them. Storing batteries full is dangerous and bad for them, and storing them at low voltage can hurt them too.

The Gens Ace battery I bought is a 2s 5000mah 50c. I'm not a lipo expert but I have had different lipos with different c ratings. Im not sure what impact it has on the battery. But don't worry about it. I would try to get something between 20 and 50c, you should be fine.

And yes, you will need a charger. When I bought my first lipo I almost made the mistake by charging it with the stock wall charger

Here are some links to Amazon. I have owned all these battery's and charger

This is my Gens Ace lipo, just bought it a week ago. Seems fine:

Traxxas 5000mAh 7.4V 2S 50C LiPo Battery Pack by Gens ace https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JCS7QPC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_ruiTVGqT7plCC

This is my venom lipo. Great brand, just pretty expensive:

Venom 25C 2S 5000mAh 7.4V Hard Case LiPo Battery with Universal Plug (EC3/Deans/Traxxas/Tamiya) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YNQXGO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jf7DybTY2S501

This is my charger. Great charger, kinda out dated but works fine:

HiTec 44165 X1 AC Plus Single Port 6 Amp AC/DC Charger (NiCd/NiMH/LiPo) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LH3392/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_og7DybJFYKT6C

I would also recommend getting a lipo bag. Lipo batteries tend to do catch on fire, but none of mine have. I would still get one just in case. Just out your battery in it when you charge it and store it. Here's the link for one:

Generic CoBean Silver Large Size Lipo Battery Guard Sleeve/Bag for Charge & Storage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HTH78W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4h7DybR76NC3S

Other than that, post when you get your battery and charger so we can help you out on setting everything up. Just make sure you get a 2s. 3s is crazy. Also if your going to be driving on the street, make sure you got a pair of road tires because the battery will tear up your off road tires. Other than that, have fun!

I think I left it set at the default voltage.

I put a voltage alarm on most of my larger aircraft. Like this: http://www.amazon.com/BlueMart-Battery-Checker-Voltage-Buzzer/dp/B00EXPPF80/

I like this style because you can set the alarm voltage they are cheap. all you do is hang it off of the balance cable on your battery. They are also EXTREMELY loud. You can hear it from a pretty good distance.

EZPeak is like $140 on Amazon

You can get iMax clones for $18

Hello, I was just about to order a couple days ago, then figured I should ask you all here on /r/Multicopter if you have any recommendations for changes. I can solder and have tools, is there anything that I am missing here for a complete setup? Oh I also already own a Spektrum DX6i with two Spektrum AR610 receivers.

item | link | price
-|-|-
AV transmitter/receiver | Boscam 32Ch 5.8G 600mw 5km Wireless AV Transmitter TS832 Receiver RC832 for FPV | $35.63
Charger | Genuine SKYRC iMAX B6 Mini Dual Power 6Amps 60Watts Profess​ional RC Balancing Battery Charger & Disc​harger (Version RCLITE) w/ Micro USB Port For RC Lipo Battery Cherge, Temperature Port | $36.58
Heat shrink | uxcell® 1 Meter 50mm Dia Ratio 2:1 Heat Shrinkable Shrinking Tube Black | $6.66
Flight Controller | AbuseMark Acro Naze32 Rev 6 Flight Controller W/ Straight / Bent Pin Headers, Breakout Cable, & Apex RC Products Nylon Standoffs | $39.99
Frame | YKS DIY Full Carbon Fiber Mini C250 Quadcopter Frame Kit for FPV Mini Quadcopter Part | $37.99
Motors | 4pcs EMAX RS2205 2300KV Brushless Motor 2CW 2CCW for QAV250 QAV300 FPV Racing Quadcopter | $78.79
ESC's | Crazepony 4pcs Littlebee 20A Mini ESC Oneshot125 Electronic Speed Controller 2-4S Brushless for FPV Multicopter Quadcopter | $39.99
Props | Hooshion® 16 pcs 8 pairs GemFan HD HQ 5030 5x3 CW CCW Propeller for Mini QAV250 Quadcopter (Black+Orange) | $12.59
Connectors | XT60 Drone Connectors 5 Pairs (5 Male and 5 Female) | $2.96
Battery | Turnigy 2200mAh 3S 20C Lipo Pack | $16.70
AV Antenna | Anbee® FPV 5.8Ghz Circular Polarized Clover Leaf Antenna High Gain Aerial Set w/RP-SMA Plug | $10.98
Camera | SC2000 600TVL D-WDR DNR Board Camera SONY Super HAD CCD for FPV, 2.8mm Lens, IR Blocked Filter | $33.99
| total | $352.85

I use https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005OTX7LG/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for track day and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LH3392/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ov3lxb02YPP5E for other use, including charging to storage mode. Though I was able to find them much cheaper than they're listed here.

I personally am afraid of getting what I pay for when it comes to chargers and batteries so I do t go for the cheapest.

Is Imax and Tenergy about the same reliability do you know? I can get a Tenergy one with built in power for about $20 more and it comes with a couple more leads. http://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-TB6AC-Power-Balancing-Charger/dp/B00466LEMC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1412569389&sr=8-3&keywords=Tenergy+TB6-ac+Balance

I want to keep it compact so I can use it when I go out camping and hiking. I have a converter for my Jeep and a solar generator that can power the charger and it would be nice to not have to have an extra brick to carry and cut on weight.

The Blade nQX FPV was my first quad and I love it. I got the RTF which included transmitter and fat sharks. As I started to get serious I got myself a Spektrum DX6i and a USB dongle for flying simulators, which accelerated my skills in very short time.

I have 5 batteries but that's only around 30 mins flying, before 3-4 hours of recharging. Unless you get yourself a multi-slot charger to cut recharge times down.

In the past 3 months I've gone through 2 or 3 sets of motors, about 4 or 5 sets of props, a new 4-in-1 flight controller and replaced the canopy with half a ping pong ball. Also, as you'll see in my image below, I've done some repairs on the feet because the frame tends to crack after many heavy landings.

Twice now, after nasty crashes the camera's power leads came loose and I had to resolder them, but a few days ago the camera died altogether, so a new one is on its way. Thankfully removing the camera reduces weight to increase flight times as I fly it line of sight indoors and out.

So it's obvious that I'm addicted enough to continuously replace parts. It has taken a beating as I learned to fly, and the parts are not expensive.

Here's what it currently looks like, without a camera. I originally made those little antennae from cable ties to protect the FPV cloverleaf antenna when it lands upside-down, but they are also visually useful for LOS flying.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074M77J5M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Has a very bright green led when charging so it's pretty noticeable in a dark room

the usual cheap voltage alarms require attaching to the balance port. that way they can monitor the voltage of each individual cell.

I would go ahead and pick up one of these up. it is critical that you always have a way to know how your voltage is doing. That alarm should be set to start beeping as soon as a cells voltage gets to 3.5v.

pro tip, your individual cells should never go more than .05 of a volt different. so your 3s when fully charged should be 4.20, 4.20 and 4.20, and when you are done flying it should be no lower than 3.50, 3.50, 3.50. if you fly hard it might not evenly discharge your battery so you might end up with something like 3.55, 3.58, 3.60. In theory you could just charge this battery again and get one or two more flights out of it before balancing it but its better to balance quickly before charging again.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

But I'm the one who tells people not to shop on ebay or amazon. Fuck it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GCHBQJS/

I like these rectangle shaped box ones cause it looks like I could leave it propped open. And they fold flat for travel. There are some bag or pouch type ones and bigger lunchbox or cooler shaped ones too. And there are a bunch of brands but they seem to range from about $4-14 each.

Something like that should work in theory, but you should probably look for some reviews for what looks like really cheap Chinese electronics. I've got the Hitec x4 Micro, which is twice the price, but really nice.

http://www.amazon.com/X4-Micro-AC-LiPo-Charger/dp/B00FYL2INM

I use this charger for example HTRC Lipo Charger 1-6S Touch Screen Dual Discharger AC150W DC240W 10A T240 Fast Balance Battery Charger for RC Li-ion Life NiCd NiMH LiHV PB Smart Battery
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P863S9D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sZ7NDbWYZW4PJ.

If you see the front it has a connector for the balance lead and the banana connectors

That was quick ! :)

So being a Horizon Hobby BNF (Bind n Fly) it only works with Spektrum transmitters. That's not a bad thing as 8 out of 10 pilots I know or have traded with and myself included fly Spektrum. Just to throw this out there, asking about radios in the RC community is like asking what the best mfg. of trucks is.

That said, the basic Spektrum radio is a DXe, that will more than get the job done for the Radian UMX. If you think you will want to stick around the hobby for a bit and get larger sailplanes or might be interested in other types of planes then I would highly recommend the DX8e. There is a large price difference in the two radios I just mentioned but the DX8e can store up to 250 model configs and program right on the radio. So one radio for all your planes, and if you want to try heli's or fpv/racing quads down the road it will work perfectly for those as well.

Beyond a Spektrum transmitter you might look at getting a USB Balance board so you can charge multiple batteries on the go and some 1S 45C 220Mah batteries. It balances and fly's fine with the slightly larger battery for additional flight time and the extra discharge capability (45C vs 25C) will give you a noticeable difference in power.

If it's useful, I too just got started, and built a similar drone. When it came to charging, I had to read a ton of stuff. Here's what I did (all non-referral Amazon links. you may find cheaper on banggood if you want to wait forever):

ISDT Charger

12v Power Supply

Balance Charger

To connect these up, it may be useful to have some extra XT60 plugs since the power supply won't have XT60, and neither does the balance charger.

With these optional parts, I was able to make a nice looking (and more safe) charger from the power supply, along with a 3d print available here


Voltmeter

Power plug

I found this to be a pretty fun project, and wasn't as expensive as some options I saw on HobbyKing or everywhere else. To be fair, it wasn't the cheapest option either.

Hey you're doing better than i did when i started. Built my first quad before i got goggles, too excited when it was finally done so i maiden flew it at dusk, did a punchout, lost orientation, gone forever over the woods :( lol so that epic fail drove me mad until i would finally get good at flying.

Good goggles are definitely high on the priority list!

This is a newer charger that is very impressive. $60 which is pretty low for a good charger, and it can output 300w/14A. Im thinking of getting one just because its so awesome.

Here is another popular one which is cheaper, but only outputs 50w/5A.

The output wattage is going to matter when you have multiple packs charging at the same time. I use a parallel balance board and charge 6 at a time. That would take hours at 50w.

I just bought a Makerfire RTF FPV, yay!

I saw the Makerfire team recommended these batteries in their Q/A on Amazon:

Crazepony 4pcs 250mAh 1S 3.7V 35C Blade Inductrix Lipo Battery with 4pcs Plastic Tubes

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSLAA9W

***note: They actually said 220mah when they posted the link to 250mAh, so I don't know which is wrong -- the link, or 220mah recommendation? What battery should I go with?

And this, to charge it:

Crazepony 1S Lipo Battery Charging Board Blade Inductrix Ultra Micro JST-PH Parallel Connect Plate mCX mCPX
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID6U4LC


Now for my question:

Don't I need some kind of special apparatus to plug this into my wall?

Is that what this is thing is?:
Crazepony SkyRC Quattro 1-Cell 1S Lipo Battery Charger Blade Inductrix Discharger MX mCPX E-flite Connector

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IGK5RSA/ref=psdc_2234135011_t1_B01ID6U4LC

Is that $49 thing good enough? Overkill? Just right?

Thanks!

Hey

Disclaimer: I do not own a nano cp s nor a dx6i, and english is my second language so…

I did a bit of research about collective pitch heli, so I might be able to answer some of your questions so:

First, Single transmitter versus AR610 receiver: the one with the AR610 receiver, it's if you want to use it in boat/planes/car or even bigger helicopter. If you only plan to fly the cp s it is not need to buy (for now, flying is addictive).

Mode 2 is a good idea for helicopter, so you have your cyclic on the same stick (right one).

You do not need anything else to fly with nano, only the transmiter. It would be a very good idea to get more batteries and a charger unless you plan to fly 6/7min and wait more than half an hour to fly again for your battery to charge (and it's a good idea to wait for the battery to cool down after flying and after charging (and for cp s motor too unless they will burn very fast too)).

You'll need a charger, two ways of going:

1s charger

Charger and parallel harness/board, more hassle than the 1s one, but if you plan to fly something bigger someday, you would have to buy one anyway.

If you only want a 1s charger, looks like something like this http://www.amazon.com/E-Flite-Celectra-4-Port-Battery-Charger/dp/B001XIMGP0/ref=pd_bxgy_21_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1B607A3B3CNZK8RSK8R9 or Hitec X4 (I think) would be a good buy.

For the battery, as the horizon hobby website show, it uses the same as Nano qx so:

http://www.amazon.com/4-Pack-Lectron-Pro-3-7-volt/dp/B0088W63AS/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41r%2BuA5GizL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_SL500_SR135%2C135_&refRID=0F6HY90N2525TFX3XDWA (I didnt test those mysef)

Mylipo.De 205mah (didnt test those myself too)

I tested those for nano Qx: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__38358__Turnigy_nano_tech_160mah_1S_25_40C_Lipo_Kyosho_E_flite_Nano_CP_X_Parkzone_Etc_EU_Warehouse_.html but they were a bit bigger than the original battery, had to use a dremel to make it fit, not that of a good idea. (edit: they are not high quality battery, they are standard, cheap, but you get what you pay for. For me at least, couple of them already show increased resistance (might be because of the shitty plug))

For sim:

I'm using this one everyday:
http://www.heli-x.info/cms/ it even have a mac version!

Now, for the cable, I have no idea since I dont have a dx6i.
But google said:
Heli-X DX6I and Mac

I suggest you ask your question on:
Helifreak They have a section special cp s

Some very interesting reading:

Newbies guide to the DX6i for RC helicopters how to set up the dx6i to calm down the helicopter
From tail-in to all 8s and funnels in 6 months. Plan to learn 3d flying ? Read that post, very interesting.

Why the nano cp s and dx6i combo by the way ?

Well, went longer than expected … heh

If you have the brushless model, the Dynamite Taser ESC has a LVA onboard. It will cut the power when the lipo reaches a user defined threshold. Also when a Lipo is getting CLOSE to 50% used (and I've noticed this in my Ruckus) There is a VERY noticable drop in launching power. Regardless, this is the standard for LIPO alarms. If it looks like this, its the same thing, brand isnt important. and they are retarded-ly loud.

compare that traxxas charger to this one I think they are the same one...

Hitec X1

Edit: looks like the traxxas is rated for 80 Watts the hitec for 55. Both for 6 Amps

I also have H107L, and have been super happy with these batteries. They are 380 mAh, which I wanted to try before jumping to 500 mAh. I have been super happy with them. I haven't timed it, but it does feel like I get quite a bit more flying time. But of course, the main thing that makes a difference is having five of them :)

Obviously you'll also want a charger. I was going to get the same combo that /u/jackthecat53 mentioned, but some of the reviews made it sound like the charger wasn't that good. So I got a separate charger, which seems to be doing the job, but it feels super cheap, it turns out.

At any rate, I am super stoked about these batteries, and the way-improved flight time I'm able to get.

I don't have time to write a book, but here are a couple of things I can share. I boxed up my stuff 20-25 years ago. We all ran RC 10s with NiCads. We all used Novak ESCs (T1 and T4). Futaba and KO Propo for radio.

Motors - Look at the motor/ESC combos that are available.

ESCs - Again look at the combos. Castle makes some nice stuff and they have software so you can program the ESC from your computer. It is very annoying to program an ESC based on flashing lights and beeps. http://www.castlecreations.com/products/castle_link.html

Receivers - I tried to use my old Novak receiver and Futaba, but it wasn't reliable. I broke down and just got a new Futaba set. There is a company called Fly Sky that makes very inexpensive transmitters that I hear are not that bad.

Servos - The big thing here is more power and strength due to the rock crawler crowd. A lot more options now.

Batteries - I tried to use NiMH and now realize I should have just gone straight to LiPo. LiPos supposedly are a little volatile and should be stored in a liPo sack to prevent against fire. I bet you have to do something really stupid to make them dangerous though. They also need to be put into storage mode if they are not going to be used for a while. This just means they need to be charged to a certain amount. I do what is called a balanced charge each time I charge them. This means that each section of the battery is at the same voltage. I have been using this charger and it works well. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00466LEMC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003EJD8HG&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0XZERFQM3FBSQ820RX7E

Chassis - Correct, not much difference here especially when you look at brands like Team Associated or Tamiya. There are some new brands out there that make some nice stuff like Axial.

Hopefully someone with more time can elaborate . . . . especially on the battery stuff because it is a bit complicated.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B018VP8P4S/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1467906291&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=lipo+charger&dpPl=1&dpID=513zE98Qv3L&ref=plSrch

I use this charger and it hasn't given me any problems. It does not come with a power supply, though.

I'm not familiar with using those connectors but I have the same charger. I use a balance board. so I can charge a few at a time. If you were to do that, then something like this would work

Otherwise just an ec5 to banana plug should work.

More batteries, more SD cards. I'd suggest at least 2 of each.

Protect the batteries and READ the manual. These are not like normal batteries. I personally recommend you store them in a LiPo bag like this. It's rare they explode or start fire but it's better to be paranoid. Don't store them long term in smaller bags or anything sealed as they will generate heat as they automatically discharge over time.

Keep your drone away from sand at all costs... be sure you have a large, stable, clean landing area.

Hands down best bang for your buck. Comes with all cables and connectors needed

I have had one for 6 months and just ordered my 2nd

Tenergy TB6AC

The Blade Nano is way fun and can easily be flown indoors or out (barring strong winds.) I have replaced literally every part on mine (frame, controller, props, engines) as I learned and when one got stuck in a try I was back to flying for $70 to get a BNF (bind and fly- meaning I just bought the quad, not a controller with it.) I bought this charger which lets me juice up 4 batteries at a time for pretty much non-stop flying.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FYL2INM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00


This thing is awesome!

Just bought this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001XIMGP0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1420214353&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

Those batteries are a little chunky for a 250. I have some and they are slightly bigger and heavier than my 2200mAh zippy compact but I like to fly 1500 zippy the best on mine. I got the 2206 motors on my h250cf 3k pro and just added 20a esc and 6040 props to it last night. It's a beast! I use that same charger and it's great. I say go with the 99$ kit h250cf pro kit.
I would also not recommended the flysky fs-t6 I was seeing brown outs with it and left negative review on Amazon for the product. I now use a taranis and it really is amazing! Here is my speed run this weekend. I need to tilt my fpv camera so I can go faster and see where I'm going. This isn't all she has by any means. This was warm up before I went tree cruising
RCX H250CF 3K Pro 3/1/15: http://youtu.be/p6pV1zKdQTw

>Thanks for the response! Which 1300mah batteries did you purchase?

>I have a chunk of amazon credit that I'd like to use to get the rest of my stuff (even if it comes at a slight premium), so I plan on getting my prop balancer, charger, etc from there if possible.

>This is the charger

>And I'm considering a few of these batteries

That may be the case, which would suck. Look into one of these. You can charge 1-6 batteries and it treats them as a single one cell battery. More convenient and less convoluted if you ask me.

2- If you are just starting out, get 3s bats. They are a little more tame than the 4s bats. I'd get a minimum of 4. It's what i have currently, and it's fine if I'm just messing around in my yard, but as I make an afternoon with friends, I'm left out because I'm trying to use my batteries sparingly.

I don't plan on getting 4s until I'm in control of my quad with high rates on 3s.

3- Get something that is 60+watts. I have an 80W, and with that I have a balance board with it. You can then charge more than one at a time. http://amzn.com/B014ERISDK

I"m happy with this charger. http://www.amainhobbies.com/rc-airplanes/protek-rc-prodigy-touch-680-ac-lipo-life-nimh-ac-dc-battery-charger-6s-8a-80w-ptk-8513/p260579

I have the same fan problems with two Traxxas 2933 EZ-Peak Plus units (older models, prior to Traxxas battery ID plugs). They have the same overall shape, display and button layout as the Hitec X1 so I wouldn't be surprised if they were all made by the same supplier.

It is a typical small case fan issue (straining noises and low speed) but like you they still work. I usually blow out the fan area with canned air every so often and it seems to help. One day I'll add some oil to see if it solves it, but might have to take it apart to get to the bearing.

The charger claims to work with
>Any other RC 3.7V 1S LiPo battery with JST


The batteries are Micro JST 1.25, so not sure if the charger will work. I use this one to charge mine

The batteries you linked are the correct ones, yes.

Do you not want to solder or you dont know how? you can build one with an F3 board so you can add beta flight for a little more (if you have a transmitter already that is)

I use the "Newbie Drone" parallel charger. It gives you 12 ports to parallel charge on. It is designed for the smaller connectors, but you could easily make a cable. $20, maybe another $5-$10 to make adapters. I use an iMax b6 charger with this board (about $30-$40) and it works pretty well.

For a lot less ($4) you can get a 6 port parallel charger from RMRC. This would also need an adapter cable similar to above.

Other non-parallel options:
4 port Hitec Serial Charger. Works well, lets you charge up to 1A, and has the connector you need.

RMRC also just announced a 6 port, individual charging, for $19. It requires an XT60 cable to power it, which you could use a 3S or 4S battery, or plug in a 12v DC charger. You'd also need to make a cable for this one.

Hey, I purchased a Taranis X9D today with the intent of buying a micro as my first decent quad (I've trashed a few cheap ones learning how to fly). Once the radio arrives I plan on practicing with a sim while the (unpurchased yet) quad is in the mail.

I realise it's expensive, but the MOSKITO 70 is the frontrunner on my my micro shopping list right now. If my understanding is correct, the brushed motors on the three linked quads will wear out after a while, unlike the MOSKITO, correct?

On the Multicopter sidebar, the sidebars Batteries and Charging has some great info, however I'm still a little unclear on:

1. The difference between batteries. Looking at banggoods "1s lipo battery" page, there are all manner of mAh ratings for each battery. Can any of these be used on the micro quads listed above? Is a higher C-Rating always better?
   
2. A 1S battery doesn't have multiple cells to be balanced, so the recommended Hitec RCD 44212 X4 is a simple buy. But if I were to move onto 2S or greater, would I need to choose between a Balance Charger or a Parallel Charger?

That one would work, however it is made for NimH batteries, so if you ever switch over to a LiPo battery in your gun you will have to get a different one.

https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-TB6AC-Power-Balancing-Charger/dp/B00466LEMC/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1483824779&sr=1-3&keywords=smart+charger+lipo+nimh

This one is a little more expensive but it will make sure you are able to use any battery on it. Really depends on how much money you are willing to spend. :P

I second this, but I though it came with a wall charger?

Edit: never mind I'm dumb, the DC wall adapter is separate from the actual charger E-flite Celectra 4-Port 1-Cell 3.7V 0.3A DC Li-Po Charger

After some more research, I think something like this charger should work plus it works on AC, too.

Okay, here goes.

1. I've not even seen as high as 5000mah, like I said the highest ones I used to have were 3000.
   
2. Yeah, don't use too much amps to charge them, they will heat up too much and greatly lower the service life of the batteries. I'd say 2-3 amps at the max. But just keep an eye on them while charging, they shouldn't get over 120 F or so while charging. General rule of thumb is no more than 1 Amp per 1000 mah of the battery, but heat is the limiter.
   
3. Most boards should split the load equally, yes.
   
4. I am really not sure. I'd consult the manual. I've got a Turnigy charger and it has a Nimh mode.
   
5. Lipos are about the same price, maybe a smidge cheaper. I get my 5200 mah 8.4v packs for 29 USD at the local Hobbytown. 2S lipos run anywhere from 20 to 40 each. I've always used cheap ones and have had great luck with the Turnigy, Gen's Ace, SMC and Rage RC brands. For your amp, I'd get something like this. That lasted about 30-40 minutes in mine, depending on driving style. More after I went brushless.
   
6. My 2S Lipos generally charge to full in around 25-40 minutes, depending on how drained they were. The Lipo's you would use in an AMP is a 2S lipo. It means 2 LIPO Cells in Series. Voltage is at 8.4v once fully charged, down to 6.8v when run down. You never want your batteries to go below 3.2V per cell.
   
7. [Alarm is here] (https://www.amazon.com/CAMWAY-Battery-Voltage-Monitor-Checker/dp/B07DC3LH9C/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=lipo+alarm&qid=1566857311&s=gateway&sr=8-3)
   
8. Yeah you can have a fire, just plug it in backwards and charge it, puncture it with something large and sharp, or overcharge it at a ridiculous amp load . If you are smart with them, the risk is minimal. I charge mine in an old ammo can, and then store them in a Lipo bag, but I've never had a single problem. Just read a guide on Lipo safety before you get started and you'll be fine.

https://www.getfpv.com/dtn-pico-ph2-micro-paraboard.html (more on the way)

https://www.amazon.com/Crazepony-Battery-Charging-Inductrix-Parallel/dp/B01ID6U4LC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510939122&sr=8-3&keywords=crazepony+parallel+board&dpID=41fwQN1hWpL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch (cause this is an unofficial account and I'm not here to just promote this company)

I'm looking at getting this charger
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01NB9A36R?psc=1

And a couple of these batteries
Tattu LiPo Battery Pack 1550mAh 75C 4S 14.8V with XT60 Plug for RC Boat Heli Airplane UAV Drone FPV https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FFD98AE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_s6reAb31RJQBW

I'm seeing a lot in chargers and programming them. Would this be a good combo?

You can easily make a harness if you have several charging leads. When connecting source to output, it's a simple one-to-many connection. All the positives go together, and all the negatives go together.

HOWEVER

1. All of your batteries should be within 0.1 volts of each other BEFORE you connect them together. Failing to follow this will result in the battery with the higher charge dumping current into a lower charge battery at it's full discharge rate. As this can be anywhere between 20-50C, and these guys typically can't accept a charge at more than 1-2C, this can cause damage, swelling, or bursting batteries and fire. ALWAYS check voltages before connecting parallel batteries.
   
   
   
2. You won't really save any time unless you are using a charger with decent wattage and you're doing a lot of cells, and most 1S chargers don't push high wattages anyway.
   
   
3. If you have a multicell charger, you can also build a serial rig. In this case it's not as critical (but is still strongly advised) to have all the cells reading the same as it will balance them. A 3S to 1S serial rig would look like this. (final form)
   
   If you do lots of 1S stuff, save yourself a lot of hassle and invest in one of these Hitech chargers. It's worth every penny!! Let's you do 4 batteries at once, at independent charge rates, and tells you exactly what's going on with each. Only downside is if you're using JST, you'll have to build or buy a few more adapters. Again, well worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018VP8P4S

There you go....

I bought this: Traxxis 6AMP but I'm pretty sure this is the same thing, just rebranded and cheaper: HiTec 6AMP

Its got a decent range for batteries (2cell - 6cell), charges different batteries other than LiPo and has a nice read out as well as a wall plug and car battery leads for field charging.

Edit: after looking at that turnigy accucell, it looks like I got hosed pretty good :/

Thanks Raider, here is the charger I have. It charges faster than the stock charger, but I have been logging the charges before and after charging, and the batteries have been pretty consistent charges.

As long as it can charge generic lipo batteries, and can make sure you aren't charging too fast, you're good to go.

I use this charger. It comes with a variety of connectors, charges lipo, liion, NIMH, nicd, lead acid. It also has a built power supply l, or you can use DC power. https://www.amazon.com/HTRC-Charger-Discharger-Balance-Battery/dp/B07P863S9D/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=lipo+charger&qid=1563910467&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Here is the link to the parallel charger:https://www.amazon.com/Crazepony-Battery-Charging-Inductrix-Parallel/dp/B01ID6U4LC

And here is my lipo charger(works fine with all other lipos):
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/imax-b6ac-v2-professional-balance-charger-discharger.html
 

Thank you!! I'd never heard of these bags but now I'll be ordering some.

On chargers, amazon is your friend I found this in two minutes (and it's also the one I use personally). On lipos, Intellect/Firefox are a go-to for me.
P.S. You shouldn't be using an 11.1v without a mosfet.

I'm no expert but I would recommend starting with a tiny whoop. Also, I use the ISDT SC-608 to charge batteries.

You are talking about that clone: https://www.amazon.com/HOBBYMATE-Battery-Balance-Charger-Adapter/dp/B01NB9A36R or better to get that https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-Balance-Charger-Discharger-Connectors/dp/B00466PKE0/ ?

The best option I found was this Celectra 4-Port 1S 3.7V 0.3A DC Li-Po Charger but I just cant justify buying it when it cost almost as much or in my case more then what I paid for my Quad. Also the AC cord is optional and it uses D batteries.

I just use 2 USB chargers with my 5 batteries and get almost an hour before I have to wait for them to charge. Find that works for me.

call it insurance, if you will.

lipo bags aren't over the top expensive.
https://www.amazon.com/DerBlue-Fireproof-Explosionproof-Battery-Bag-185x75x60mm/dp/B01GCHBQJS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1497995186&sr=8-3&keywords=lipo+fireproof+bag



some will go as far as putting a few bags in one of these
https://www.amazon.com/New-Solid-Tactical-Metal-Ammo/dp/B01M0XEJBM/ref=sr_1_1?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1497995275&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=ammo+can&psc=1

Yes, should be fine. Something like this: https://smile.amazon.com/GoolRC-Professional-Balance-Charger-Discharger/dp/B01HXHGARY/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1542915896&sr=8-15&keywords=lithium+charger

would also work.

DON'T get that kit - the pieces are ancient and on a 2200mAh battery that thing will barely fly.

Here's a suggestion: instead of a 5-inch, build a Whoop. The advantage of doing that is 1) it's much, much cheaper, and 2) you could fly the thing in the classroom if you wanted.

Shipping won't be a problem - we're getting everything from Amazon prime.

BetaFPV F4 FC - We start with this. My first thought was to use the much cheaper Silverware-based Lite board. However, the problem with that is getting a transmitter that works with it. So instead we're going to go with a Betaflight board. Part of what you can do is use the Project Mockingbird tune on it and explain how the settings impact flight.

Beta65S Frame (Package of 2) - Ideally, we would use the set that includes the frame and motors, but sadly that's currently out of stock so we're going to have to buy the frame and motors separately.

These 7x16 motors - The BetaFPV motors are better, but those are out of stock at the moment. Plus, you're not going to be racing this thing, so we're not going to worry about great motors for this project.

FPV Camera and VTX - Again, we're not going for the greatest quality here, just something that will work. If you have access to a 3D printer, you can print off a mount. Otherwise, we're going to secure this to the board with some outdoor mounting tape and small rubber band hair ties.

Props - We're going with 4-blade for thrust - You get 16 of them, so 4 pairs.

Now you have a quad. What's our total price (as of today on Amazon, all with Prime shipping)?

$87.94 - Yup, you have a Betaflight enabled quad with OSD for less than $100. And this quad will actually be a decent flying one too. The only thing you will need to solder are the power wires to the camera.

We also need batteries and a charger. For the charger we're going to go with a basic USB charger. Nothing fancy, but it will do. For batteries, these batteries will be fine for your purposes. And we get 4 of them. We're at $108.92, with Prime shipping.

Now we have our aircraft, battery, and charger. We still need a transmitter and some FPV gear. This is where stuff gets really expensive, but we have some options that will work for your project.

First, BETAFPV sells a really basic transmitter that uses FrSKY for $39. Normally, I'd say get a QX7, but we're artificially restricting ourselves to Amazon Prime for this. This really is a no-frills, toy-grade transmitter, but it works. And now our total cost is at $150.

For FPV, you have two options. The first is a bargain-basement headset. Here's one for $50. Is it going to be a great headset? Heck no! But it will work just fine.

The other option is to display the FPV feed on a TV. If you're going to do an in-class presentation, I'd go that way. Make sure you have a TV with an analog input though! Here's a cheap FPV receiver with analog output. $16! You don't get diversity, you don't get a great antenna, but again, we're just going for the basics. This receiver requires a 12V power supply, which could either be a 3S LiPo or a plug-in one. Since you don't have any LiPos, let's just go with a wall power supply. $13.

Either way, you're at under $200 all-in. For your project, you can show how to install Betaflight, show how different tuning parameters affect flight, and even fly indoors for an in-class demonstration! Plus, if you decide to get into the hobby, you can get yourself a QX7 and a better set of FPV goggles and have a decent quad for indoor flying.

I haven't included any soldering equipment - for this, you just need a fine-tip soldering iron. You just need to attach the four lines of the FPV camera to the board - red to positive, black to negative, the camera output to the camera input on the board, and the board video output to the VTX input on the camera. The connections will be VERY small, so this is where getting help would be a good idea.

For the camera mount, there are any number of them on Thingiverse that would work just fine. Otherwise, get some 3M mounting tape and the small rubber bands used for kid's hair. Put the mounting tape on the board and use the rubber band between the tiny little nubs on the side of the frame to secure the camera down. If you have access to a 3D printer, this camera mount will work just fine. 3D printing the parts can be part of your class project.

This would give you literally everything you need to fly, some opportunities to set up Betaflight and tune things, and is something you could actually use if you decide to fly FPV when the project is done. Plus, everything's on Amazon Prime so the shipping should not be a problem.

Wow, this is great timing. I wasn't aware of this thread, but could certainly use some tech help regarding batteries/chargers. I recently bought a ISDT SC-608 LiPo smart charger. I bought a power supply off Amazon that had an XT-60 adapter and made an adapter to go from my Valken 7.4v 1300 maH batteries mini-tamiya to XT-60. Today however I received my power supply and plugged it into the wall. Its red light went on and I plugged it into my 608. The 608 turned on for a moment, then off again. The power supply light turned off and now just makes a high pitched noise. It seems that the power supply is broken, but I leave tomorrow afternoon and need a power supply for my charger. I was wondering if I could take a Lenovo laptop AC to DC cable, cut the Lenovo end off and solder on a XT-60 connector and it would work. The Lenovo charger is 20V 3.25 Amp (65 W?) and my charger can take 150W and 9V - 32V so I think it could work, but I dont want to break anything.

Broken power supply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XQW36BL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_JZJ4BbPT3YZJJ

608 charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072PRF3ND/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_I0J4Bb7MWRV4N

Valken 7.4v Lipo 1300 maH battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TS7KONE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_l1J4BbD71A2HZ

The Lenovo power supply is just one I found at goodwill

I hope this was enough information and I appreciate any help you can give.

Edit: The battery is for a CM16 AEG, so I posted this here. Besides, I cant really find a subreddit more active than this that it would be relevant in.

Yep and get a decent smart charger as well, or else I fear bye battery will die before your trigger contacts do, skyrc B6AC will serve you well

https://www.amazon.com/HOBBYMATE-Battery-Balance-Charger-Adapter/dp/B01NB9A36R

Just get a 1s balanceparallel board, make sure the plugs match the batteries you have and follow the normal rules of all batteries at very close to the same voltage and such when using it.

Looks like it will do the job. You might want to probe the pins on the board and the battery to make sure they match +/-.

BTW, your link contains a lot of tracking strings. For future, try this:

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Charger-Channel-Inductrix-Connectors/dp/B074M77J5M/

Thank you for all that! That was a useful YouTube video, too.

I had to make the purchases yesterday, since I'll be playing with actors in the studio on Monday. That said, I still have time to buy some things.

It's a comfort that I seem to be on the right track. The biggest difference between what I bought and your suggestions is that you suggested I buy the Dock-Kings and other pricier receiver/converting gear. I'd appreciate if you could look at my list of purchased items to determine if you think it will work, or if you see some some red flags.

I suppose in the long run, if this theatre show concept shows promise, we would then invest in more reliable gear, such as no-compression wireless HDMI tx/rx. For now, here it is:

​

4 cameras:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y5D8SPZ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (1S LiPo)

2 x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y56RL5P/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (1S LiPo)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0184DVN4G/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (2S or 3S LiPo)

​

3 receivers (should I buy different antennae?):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0774SMGQN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2 x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H36AIGY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

3 AC/DC adapters for the receivers:

3 x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ISM267G/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

3S LiPo (for 3S LiPo camera and try battery-powered Receiver)

2 x https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GF63645/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Battery chargers

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00466PKE0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Charger-Channel-Inductrix-Connectors/dp/B074M6G2MD

​

Each receiver has an AV output + AV RCA cable. I'll plug in the RCAs from 2 or 3 receivers into this Switcher:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KXVBB7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Using an RCA cable, connect the Switcher's Output to this RCA to HDMI converter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KTDG177/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Then HDMI to projector.

​

Ta-da?

just so you know, this is the quality of an FPV camera and you will be getting breakup lines like this as bodies and stuff getting in the way will cause signal loss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU96HLe-hcs

​

​

Here is stuff you can use from Amazon for the AIO Fpv Camera

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https://www.amazon.com/Wolfwhoop-WT05-Transmitter-Antenna-Quadcopter/dp/B06XJMQQ6Y/

​

https://www.amazon.com/Crazepony-230mAh-Battery-Inductrix-Connector/dp/B01N0Z0ME2

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https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Charger-Channel-Inductrix-Connectors/dp/B074M6G2MD

​

Here is how to hook it up to a battery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOcxdVX6zYk

​

On the receving end, I assume you will then want to output to HDMI? The best/easiest way to do this is to buy two of these dock kings and hdmi adapters, one for each camera. If you have power nearby you can use a regular 5.5mm DC jack power adapter like for laptops. Or you can buy the battery packs for them. You will also want at least 2 antennas on each receiver, 1 omni and 1 patch antenna pointing in the direction of the actors

​

https://furiousfpv.com/product_info.php?cPath=56&products_id=669

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https://furiousfpv.com/product_info.php?products_id=704

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https://furiousfpv.com/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=687

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https://www.amazon.com/Crazepony-Antenna-Protective-Covering-Multicopter/dp/B01N9QM409

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https://www.amazon.com/RCmall-Accuracy-Directional-Circularly-Polarized/dp/B0772WJB5R

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You will have to learn/read instructions on how to set each camera and receiver to their matching frequency bands


​

​

I think that a lot of chargers already have a discharge feature. At least mine does (it's a bit of a cheap one). It gets pretty hot, and only discharges at about 500mA after it warms up, but it can be set to discharge to storage level or to 3V per cell to do a full cycle/capacity test. IIRC, it was this charger. It's pretty bad, but it gets me by. Having at least SOME discharge functionality is better than none.

Hitech make a charger but its a little expensive. Probably pretty high quality though.

http://www.amazon.com/X4-Micro-AC-LiPo-Charger/dp/B00FYL2INM

So I found this guy: Traxxas 2933 EZ-Peak Plus

Ok thank you for the info I think I'm going with this charger instead
https://www.amazon.com/HTRC-Charger-Discharger-Balance-Battery/dp/B07P863S9D?ref_=ast_sto_dp

What do you think about this instead?

Lipo Alarm - https://www.amazon.com/CAMWAY-Battery-Voltage-Monitor-Checker/dp/B07DC3LH9C/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=lipo+alarm&qid=1573764772&sr=8-4

Set it to 3.6 and just make sure you fly within a hundred feet of yourself every once in a while. You'll hear it. They're crazy loud.

I run this one for those type of batteries. I got it with my MSR I bought a few years ago. It will shut off when each battery is full.

https://www.amazon.com/E-flite-Celectra-4-Port-1-Cell-Charger/dp/B001XIMGP0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480811429&sr=8-1&keywords=e-flite+4+port+charger

The multi-charger I bought is just over $10! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHUONLE/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_UNiHwbS7PXR9J

I think it'll definitely come in handy. Everything is set to come tomorrow. I'm excited to try it out!

Thanks for replying :) I was thinking / hoping for something a lot cheaper actually, but I've seen that product name tossed around before. Which one of these should I buy?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hitec-X4-Micro-Ac-Dc-1-Cell-Lipo-Charger-44212/351576886028?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140602152332%26meid%3D06b9f86079364a21be29e7518acc96d0%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D171987244306

or

http://www.amazon.com/Hitec-RCD-Micro-1-Cell-Charger/dp/B00FYL2INM

Do you know if there any notable difference bwtween them?

Fuck it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GCHBQJS/. I like these because they are CHEAP and Effective.

what do you think of keeping an inverter in a fire safe bag like this?

https://www.amazon.com/COLCASE-Fireproof-Explosionproof-Charging-198x150x135mm/dp/B0719H46PF

Here is the desktop version of your link

Why don't you list out the features you need or want. And also desired and acceptable flight times.

Some things to think about...

• Carrying Capacity? How heavy are the cameras you want to lift? Pretty simple if you stick to the GoPro standard anything above a 250 quad can carry a GoPro and simple 2-axis gimbal. If you want to carry a DSLR or new mirrorless 4/3 camera... you'll need something on the larger size for enough lift.
  
• Follow Me - Will require GPS, an advanced AutoPiloting flight controller, and a compatible tracking/GPS device on the Follow Me subject.
  
• Rotor redundancy. If a single motor/prop fails do you accept that it will fall from the sky like a brick? or do you need something that will have a slow/controlled crash with a single motor/prop failure?
  
• Do you want a live feed from the camera? How do you want to view the feed? Monitor attached to the radio controller? or a goggle system?
  
• Do you want telemetry? Data reporting back to your radio controller, computer, tablet or overlayed on your video feed? Data that can be reported back... health of GPS connections, coordinates, Battery levels, altitude, distance from "home" location.
  
• Budget... probably should have listed this first. Where's the fun in that?
  
  
  Example Hex... Little under the cost of a Quad Phantom 2 V+ and a good bit under the Quad Iris+ while giving you some protection against a single motor/prop failure.
  
  
• $60-$100 - F550 or S550 Hex frame
  
• $230 - Tuned Propulsion Kit - DJI E310 (Makes picking motors, props size, esc size easy for an F550 or S550 frame).
  
• $130 - PixHawk Clone
  
• $50 - GPS (Works with both US/EU GPS systems)
  
• $40-$75 Pixhawk ground station/mission planner/telemetry connectivity (No link as it depends on connection type i.e. PC/Tablet/Phone)
  
• $55 - 4S 6000mah battery (probably want 2 or 3)
  
• $65 Battery charger
  
• $70 - Cheap 2-Axis GoPro Gimbal
  
• $250 - FrSky Taranis Radio Controller and Receiver Combo (Cheaper options exist for around $150. $60 Turnigy 9X Transmitter / $40 FrSky TX Module / $40 FrSky Receiver)
  
• $30-$70 Video transmitter - Depends on if you want fatshark goggle compatibility (ImmersionRC or the Generic 32Ch variety)
  
• $120-$220 7" Video Receiver Monitor combo. (Depends on the Video transmitter and if you want dual antenna setup.)
  
• $$$ GoPro
  
• @ $50+ in Misc servo cables, battery connectors, Hot glue, double sided tape, velcro scrips, solder and cheap soldering iron. Some of which you'll likely already have, but some you'll need as the build progresses.
  

Some seller on amazon has them for $70 shipped, a bit too much.

http://www.amazon.com/X4-Micro-AC-LiPo-Charger/dp/B00FYL2INM/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1426032661&sr=1-1&keywords=Hitec+X4+Micro

To use the telemetry you need the proper Frsky receiver and transmitter module. Then it looks like you plug the telemetry module into the buddy box port on the radio. There are some good videos of how to set up the telemetry that go through everything you need.

I use the 9xr with the frsky transmitter or the Immersion Rc long range module and have never felt a need for telemetry. The radio already has a stopwatch and timer on it, the long black receiver with 2 antennas has RSSI built in (on low signal it beeps the radio) and to monitor voltage I use a lipo alarm that also displays voltage. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EXPPF80/ref=pd_aw_sbs_7?pi=SL500_SY115&simLd=1

It beeps loud enough to be heard anywhere within LOS. I have also never lost control signal of a multirotor when flying LOS. Although, the module is pretty cool and takes care of all those issues in a small package.

Here is the mobile version of your link

> I would like recommendations on circuits to charge the 18650s in parallel

Ehh, you want recommendations for a DIY multi-channel Li-Ion charger design?

Unless you're planning to burn something down, just wire the 4 cells up to a balanced 5 pin header and buy yourself an off-the-shelf balanced Li-Ion charger. There are a few that work off 12V, including the one I linked as an example.

You might be right. A multimeter would really be handy, to confirm, but you might be on the right track there.

Actually.... stay tuned...

edit: Tested on my lipo balance charger and sure enough, on NiMH/NiCd mode, it does provide a constant voltage, according to my multimeter.

I just ordered this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HXHGARY/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I literally only own the truck, reciever and 2 batteries that I'm not too sure about. I ordered that charger earlier, hopefully it's ok.

I also ordered a 5000mah 40c-50c battery: http://www.ebay.com/itm/282202973455?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

After spending another $60 on this thing I think I'm tapped out on my impulse buy. Hoping not to need anything else for a few weeks...

Yes that is the one I currently have. I also believe based on the current running of the 1800MaH battery pack that it wont be able to handle a LiPo battery. It takes 2 hours because its the standard crappy wall charger that came with the car, so I know I need a new charger. I see alot of recommendations to get one of these http://amzn.to/1rpiWDq . Is there a reason to not go big on the LiPo right now? I want something that can be used on a future RC car, and if I can get something decent now I wouldnt mind. Is there specific ESC you might recommend to run on this buggy with a LiPo battery and a brushed motor? I just want to be able to upgrade in the future and any purchases I make on this just transfer them over. I should have gone brushless (DOH).

was thinking of going with this ESC : http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__32025__HobbyKing_X_Car_45A_Brushed_Car_ESC.html.
Is there something I can get that would allow me to run a slightly bigger battery since I am limited to 7.4v-2s?
Can you help me choose a battery with power and long run time?

Thanks for the info! Yes, these are Li-ion cells. The pack is used in an uplighting fixture. I've taken on the task of replacing the packs which are not lasting long enough: http://www.makystagelight.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=2&id=9

I believe ElectricNed is correct about the type of charger: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HXHGARY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Mode 1 right throttle, mode 2 left throttle. i think most use mode 2?


Turnigy 9XR doesn't come with a module (tx and rx), so you need a set of those.


If you are trying to save money, maybe something like this?


If looking for something to use with other stuff in the future, I would get something like this. it comes with the tx/rx


I got one of these for a charger.

disclaimer: I am a noob at this (2 months) so take with grain of salt!! -lol

Thanks for the response! Which 1300mah batteries did you purchase?

I have a chunk of amazon credit that I'd like to use to get the rest of my stuff (even if it comes at a slight premium), so I plan on getting my prop balancer, charger, etc from there if possible.

This is the charger

And I'm considering a few of these batteries

You're going to need this power cord for the imax b6 charger, for whatever reason they don't sell the power cord with the charger. http://amzn.com/B009VDPNXQ

You should also get this battery for your transmitter http://amzn.com/B00JERJZSS

Definitely invest in a voltage checker, this thing is invaluable in the field, if you discharge your batteries beyond a certain point they go bad, I've had two die on me so far because I let the voltage get too low. http://amzn.com/B00EXPPF80

You need some kind of power distribution board, to distribute power from your battery to the rest of the craft, something like this http://amzn.com/B00GQOZZUY

You will need these servo wires to connect your receiver to the kk2 http://amzn.com/B00P6JJFIS

These nylon standoffs will be really handy when you mount your flight controller and PDB (power distribution board) to the frame http://amzn.com/B00LGB2N1Q

Random stuff from the hardware store: Liquid tape, electric tape, big zip ties, little zip ties, velcro

That's probably not everything but you will be flying a lot sooner with all of this stuff

Get a [LiPo bag] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719H46PF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3QqYBbSZZ85YS) and practice safe charging.