The new QAV500 FPV Quadcopter frame by fpvmanuals

[timnilson]

View this video on YouTube

This is the pre-release information of the new QAV500 FPV Quadcopter Frame by fpvmanuals. This frame is unique from other FPV focused quad frames for a number of reasons:

Vibration Isolation Design -- The QAV500 is separated into 2 parts: a "dirty" section and a "clean" section. All electronics including flight camera, HD cameras, flight controller, etc. are located on the "clean" part of the frame and are isolated from the "dirty" motor/prop section by custom developed vibration bobbins. Reducing vibrations to the Flight Controller results in smoother flight performance. Reducing vibrations to the cameras results in smoother video quality.

3-Camera Mounts -- The frame accommodates 3 cameras: a forward facing HD cam (GoPro), a forward facing flight cam, and a downward facing HD cam (GoPro). The frame can be flown with all 3 cameras in operation at the same time due to a large and unique Lipo mounting area to optimize the CG.

Prop Free Video -- None of the cameras have any props in view even with 10" props.
Power and endurance -- The kit is designed to accommodate large multi-rotor motors in the 40mm stator diameter class like the Tiger MT-4006-13 or HK NX-4008. These motors require a 25x25mm and 19x19mm mounting hole pattern or a unique triangular mounting pattern. The kit is intended to be flown with large 4s Lipos. This power train provides lots of lift and long flight times. These motors and 10" props provide a hover time of 12 minutes with a 3300mah 4s Lipo while still landing the Lipo with 14.2 volts remaining under load (measured prior to landing).

Symmetrical Design -- Unlike other FPV focused quadcopters, the QAV500 is perfectly symmetrical. The motors are 500mm diagonal from motor shaft to motor shaft and the flight controller is centered at the CG point in the middle of the frame. This ensures that the motors/escs work equally hard and that the FC can apply consistant power to level the frame.

Read more about this kit at http://fpvmanuals.com/qav500

Let me know what you think! Please provide feedback -- it will be considered in the eventual release of this frame.

[kenkos68]

Looks great! I guess its time to start buying parts.

[timnilson]

Looks great! I guess its time to start buying parts.

Ha ha... thanks! One of the nice things, I think, is that this quad fully supports the new type of multi-rotor motors with a large diameter of 45mm (40mm stator)... keep that in mind when your buying your motors

[imdone]

it looks bad ass! you should make the arms fold. price?

[timnilson]

it looks bad ass! you should make the arms fold. price?

Price is still TBD... but it's safe to say that the price will be higher then the HT FPV frame. To keep the structure super stiff, I decided not to make the arms fold. It's not that big of a frame (500 size) so can fit in a case, if that's needed.

[imdone]

are those the tiger 4006 motors in the pics? how do they compare to the nx 4008?

[timnilson]

or thos the tiger 4006 motors in the pics? how do they compare to the nx 4008?

Yes, the pics show the Tiger 4006 motors. The tiger motors are the higher end version of the NX-4008 and are almost twice the cost. They are a bit better made and run very true. Still for the price, the NX-4008 are great and I fly them all the time. I just wanted to eliminate any performance issues when testing my kit -- so I got the best motors I could find and just added Graupner E-Props as well.

[TPAPhotog]

My question would be quad or tricopter. I was planning to buy your Delrin Tricopter kit but now that I see this I'm not sure.

[timnilson]

My question would be quad or tricopter. I was planning to buy your Delrin Tricopter kit but now that I see this I'm not sure.

They fly very differently. I love my tricopter and so do most people that have one (which is a LOT of people). A tricopter is much more precise for Yawing due to the mechanical yaw versus just prop torque. This quad will be considerably more expensive than the Tri plus you'll need an extra motor and ESC. This quad was not mean to be a cheap frame -- it was meant to be the best possible FPV frame I could come up with. Using machined aluminum arms (that start out as solid block of aluminum) is not the budget conscious thing to do.

[Enthlapy]

Looks HAWT non the less Tim, welcome to the dark side