Hi there,

Been in RC car stuff for a while but now.. I'd like to build a quadcopter first time based on my requirements and would like to know how much it'd cost me for such stuff.
Basically a medium sized Quadcopter with FPV capability that runs for minimum 20-30 minutes in air solid.

Minimum 400-500ft above + long range capability.
Knowing that it takes hell lot of power to run that much long....

What kv motor should I use ? ESC ? Propellers ? FPV kit ( long range ) ? including weight for goPro or SJcam and battery ?
and for the main part.. what TX/RX is best for this ?

If you could give me some information such as model # and where I can get these things in India or China. That'd be great.

Looking forward to join with your guys with fully functional copter soon (:

Cheers!

I am not that experiences with the fpv part of it but I can recommend you some parts
Motor >> you need a low kv motor (people mostly use 450 kv motors but I don't think they are available in india)
For the tx/rx there are many suggestions out there many radios like turnigy 9xr or frsky  taranis  namely some popular ones
buddy 20 min flight is not easy you will need a Big battery
maybe you should give a look at this

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2072583

for the cost it would be around 20 k or more

Thanks for your reply, Darshan

If the flight time makes the cost higher.. I can kill couple of minutes to cut the cost. But tell me something.. how much flight time does 2200 - 6000mah LIPO offer ? I don't mind if it comes around 12-15 mins at least... ( keeping in mind.. I'll be using FPV kit with camera )

Also yeah, I heard some good reviews on frsky. Are they available in india ?

What frame kit do you guys suggest ? I'm thinking about carbon fiber but then again.. if that makes a huge difference in price. I can go with normal one with integrated PCB.

That depends upon the amp that the escs are drawing if the draw is more, then the flight time is less
If you want low cost build I would recommend a 250 Quad
You need 4 2000kv to 2400kv motors and 12 amp escs with 1500mah to 1800 mah battery with fpv you can get 7 - mins of flight time
If you want to build one just refer to this

http://blog.oscarliang.net/250-mini-quad-part-list-fpv/#motor

just make sure to get enough thrust of at least 2 times the copter weight

Since you are just starting off with multirotors, I would suggest you first build a basic platform and get familiar with it, and then proceed to adding FPV and such. 20-30 minutes is actually pretty long and will cost quite a bit. Such flight times are usually achieved by using lower kv motors spinning large props on higher cell count LiPos. Such builds are generally not recommended for beginners.

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 07:06:39 AM
If the flight time makes the cost higher.. I can kill couple of minutes to cut the cost. But tell me something.. how much flight time does 2200 - 6000mah LIPO offer ? I don't mind if it comes around 12-15 mins at least... ( keeping in mind.. I'll be using FPV kit with camera )

I get 10-12 minutes with a 4000 mAh Lipo. But this figure depends on a lot of factors such as your motors, flying style, all-up weight (AUW). And another thing is that you cannot increase flight time just by raising the battery capacity, since after a certain point, the battery will be so heavy that it negates any gains in the flight time.
The FrSky Taranis is available in India and if it fits in your budget, it is an excellent choice. Otherwise you could go for a 9XR/9XR pro with a FrSky module. What sort of range are you looking for though? The FrSky DJT module should give you 1.5 km and the XJT module with an L9R receiver should give you up to 3 km.

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 02:38:45 AM

Minimum 400-500ft above + long range capability.
Knowing that it takes hell lot of power to run that much long....

It is not really a matter of power. Rather, it is one of efficiency which is what really counts in longer flight times.

Nicely explained.

Can we ask what are your exact plans for a long range multicopter? There is a ban in place to fly even a simple an aeromodel for the matter within line of sight & you are talking beyond-line-of-sight, which is a tangible risk for the hobbyists at large.. Take it easy and slow initially, I know we all want the entire world as playground, but alas!!

Thanks for the reply guys. I'm thinking of using F450 frame kit version that comes with integrated PCB.
and looking for 1000kv brushless motors, Do you think that is good to start up with ? to take off all the weight I'm gonna install later, such as FPV kit, A gimbal ( not now, but maybe in future ) + SJcam or mobis cam

I don't mind to start up with 2200mAH and upgrade to 4000 or 6000mAH later in future. But Would I be able to do that with my current plan of stuff ? As mentioned above ?

Not sure, what ESC should I use for 1000kv motors. ( I'm new at this ) Any ideas ?

Also, I checked on the Turnigy 9XR Transmitter and looks good to start up with.
What module would be best for this ?


The reason I asked for long range is to make sure I don't loose control and enjoy flying over beach/water ( where there is no crowd ). Which I think its safe for people, but obviously not for me I know. cause if anything fails... probably end up a lunch for sea creatures. But yeah, Its not like I'm going to fly towards indian borders. I don't want that much range. Just enough range to not be visible from line of sight. Cause I don't want people's attention on me. I don't want them to surround and stare at me while I'm piloting the copter. It'd completely distract my attention ( if you know what I mean ). And Not to mention, But there is plenty of place at OMR, Chennai with lots of urban plain land surround by no one. So, yeah this should also be a good spot.

I respect and follow people's privacy and Yeah I heard there is certain limitations to fly these things, But not sure about the Ban. It's not like I'm going to take my copter for a spin from this city to next city lol. Just wanted to make sure I have enough range to control from where I'm flying. Cause, I'll be using FPV kit + fullHD camera to take aerial videos of beach. And if it fails due to lack of range. That'd be total waste of investment for me.

PS:
1. I assume we're allowed to fly at beach ? no ?
2. any recommendations for FPV kit ? Heard Boscam is pretty good but they do cost a bit though. Any alternatives ?

This is going to be a long post with a lot of quotes...

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 10:53:25 PM
Thanks for the reply guys. I'm thinking of using F450 frame kit version that comes with integrated PCB.
and looking for 1000kv brushless motors, Do you think that is good to start up with ? to take off all the weight I'm gonna install later, such as FPV kit, A gimbal ( not now, but maybe in future ) + SJcam or mobis cam

Generally, to get more thrust you use lower kv motors spinning larger props (sometimes even with higher LiPo cell counts). A good rule of thumb is to have twice as much thrust as the total weight of your quad. If, for example, your quad weighs 1500g, the total thrust of all 4 motors should be around 3000g. Once you estimate how much all the parts are going to weigh, you can choose the motors. Anywhere from 800-1000kv ought to work but you nee dto check the thrust data and ensure that your quad arms support the size of propellor necessary.

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 10:53:25 PM
I don't mind to start up with 2200mAH and upgrade to 4000 or 6000mAH later in future. But Would I be able to do that with my current plan of stuff ? As mentioned above ?

This again depends on whether you have enough thrust available to lift the larger batteries. And whether your frame has enough space for a large battery. Just increasing the battery capacity will increase flight time only up to a point, after which the additional weight will be a hindrance. Also, smaller batteries will need to have a higher discharge C rating to be able to supply enough current as compared to larger batteries. For example, a 2200 mAh battery will need a 25C rating to supply 55A whereas a 6000 mAh battery will need only a 10C rating. (the formula is max. discharge current= capacity in Ah x discharge rating). Make sure that the battery is capable of discharging quite a bit more than your max estimated current to ensure it has a long life and doesn't heat up.

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 10:53:25 PM
Not sure, what ESC should I use for 1000kv motors. ( I'm new at this ) Any ideas ?

The rule here is to check the maximum current draw of your motor and choose an ESC that is rated at least 5A higher as a safety margin. ESCs are generally made in some standard values though- 6/12/16/20/30 Amps. You will also have to choose between SimonK and BLHeli firmware.

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 10:53:25 PM
Also, I checked on the Turnigy 9XR Transmitter and looks good to start up with.
What module would be best for this ?

The FrSky DJT with D8R telemetry capable receiver is a good choice. You could also look at Orange DSM modules. There is also a Turnigy DSSS module if you want FlySky protocol.

Quote from: rshnk90 on June 07, 2015, 10:53:25 PM

PS: 1. I assume we're allowed to fly at beach ? no ?
2. any recommendations for FPV kit ? Heard Boscam is pretty good but they do cost a bit though. Any alternatives ?

It should be OK as long as there are no people around. I'm not sure about the FPV kit. There are options like DAL, Eachine, Skyzone which may work for you