Added Camera/xmiter and LED lights

Siam · Sep 22, 2019

Nothing that has not been done before. I have noticed that the Tello actually fly more stable and hovers better with the extra weight.

I am definitly tasking the Tello with the additions.

Camera/xmiter: Spotter V2 Micro with OSD (9G)
Battery: 2S 7.4V battery (280 mAh) (15g)

3 LED lights (3 LED's each, one on bottom, 2 on front) powered from USB connector on Tello(I might wire them to the external battery)

ZWActual · Sep 22, 2019

@Siam

That is awesome. I have the same bar stool.

What's the flight time with the additonal cam?

Siam · Sep 22, 2019

ZWActual said:
@Siam

That is awesome. I have the same bar stool.

What's the flight time with the additonal cam?

I only did two test runs of 3:30 each. I am hoping for longer. The xmitter at 200 mw will go through its battery almost as quick as the Tello will on its.

I just need to play with the power settings on the xmitter. (20-200 mw) and see what that gets me.

ZWActual · Sep 22, 2019

Most cool.

Appears the specs can do a 2S-4S LiPo with more penalty on the Tello's battery using a 4S naturally.

Lose the prop guards as it does help shave the weight. Saw anywhere from 2-3 minute reduction with the guards on. Just my experience.

Siam · Sep 22, 2019

ZWActual said:
Most cool.

Appears the specs can do a 2S-4S LiPo with more penalty on the Tello's battery using a 4S naturally.

Lose the prop guards as it does help shave the weight. Saw anywhere from 2-3 minute reduction with the guards on. Just my experience.

I don't have to worry about the prop guards anymore LOL. I was going to take them off after this last test flight.

Anyway, I took off just fine and was cruising around. I was going up in altitude and a gust of wind came. I could not get the drone to move fast enough and it got hung up in a tree.

I had to climb up about 15 feet where it was hanging.It had hit about 25 feet up fell until it hit a branch. When I retrieved it only 2 prop guards were on it.

I had 6:45 seconds timed when it crashed. Amazingly, the camera/xmiter and battery were only held down by clear 3M double-sided tape and they did not move.

I put the Tello back on the ground and flew for another 2 minutes. I brought it in early because the video was only working for about 50 feet before getting snowy. I found out AFTER that I forgot to put the mushroom antenna on my Fat Sharks!!!

I will try another test this afternoon for a final battery test. I did have video of the crash. On my andriod it shows the file but says I cannot play it.In fact, it says that for all 4 vids I shot today. Any ideas?

BTW: On a cool note: I was flying my UMX Timber yesterday and the wing clipped the ground and kept flying so I was not concerned about it. I was noticed that the wing tip was missing about a 1/2 inch of foam. I was going to repair it this afternoon. Guess what I found as I was getting ready to climb the tree? I found the broken-off piece of wing!

ZWActual · Sep 23, 2019

@Siam

Sounds like you had quite an interesting day.

Not sure which app you're using (TelloFPV here) but I have my (PS3) controller mapped to the L1 button which switches the Tello from Video to Sport (Fast) mode on the fly.

In those gusts of wind instances, I switch to Sport mode (and ascend > 2m, if necessary) which puts the attitude angle at the max, which most of the time, helps to combat the wind.

What app are you using to view the files? Using VLC for Android for video and audio files on mine.

radioguy · Sep 24, 2019

Siam said:
Nothing that has not been done before. I have noticed that the Tello actually fly more stable and hovers better with the extra weight.

I am definitly tasking the Tello with the additions.

Camera/xmiter: Spotter V2 Micro with OSD (9G)
Battery: 2S 7.4V battery (280 mAh) (15g)

3 LED lights (3 LED's each, one on bottom, 2 on front) powered from USB connector on Tello(I might wire them to the external battery)

View attachment 4665 View attachment 4665 View attachment 4666 View attachment 4667 View attachment 4668

Where did you buy the camera from? And what size 2S battery did you get? Looks like a neat, and relatively painless mod. I love the drone, but hate the latency I get when using wifi for video.

ZWActual · Sep 24, 2019

@radioguy
Can get the camera here:

Amazon.com: Crazepony Spotter V2 Micro FPV AIO Camera 5.8G with OSD Integrated Mic FOV170 Degree 700TVL Video Transmitter 40CH 20MW-200MW Adjustable VTX for Mini FPV RC Drone : Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

@Siam can elaborate on the specific battery but based on size, looks to be about a 300-800mAh battery.

radioguy · Sep 24, 2019

ZWActual said:
@radioguy
Can get the camera here:

Amazon.com: Crazepony Spotter V2 Micro FPV AIO Camera 5.8G with OSD Integrated Mic FOV170 Degree 700TVL Video Transmitter 40CH 20MW-200MW Adjustable VTX for Mini FPV RC Drone : Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Crazepony Spotter V2 Micro FPV AIO Camera 5.8G with OSD Integrated Mic FOV170 Degree 700TVL Video Transmitter 40CH 20MW-200MW Adjustable VTX for Mini FPV RC Drone : Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

@Siam can elaborate on the specific battery but based on size, looks to be about a 300-800mAh battery.

Thanks very much! I’ll be ordering the parts this week.

ZWActual · Sep 24, 2019

radioguy said:
Thanks very much! I’ll be ordering the parts this week.

Actually, I failed at reading. He listed the specs in the initial post:
Battery: 2S 7.4V battery (280 mAh)

radioguy · Sep 27, 2019

ZWActual said:
Actually, I failed at reading. He listed the specs in the initial post:
Battery: 2S 7.4V battery (280 mAh)

Okay..got the camera and the lipo (this one came from Eflite/Horizon) and it looks like the combo will fit beautifully. Now all I have to do is figure out how to come up with a connector that will match up with the insanely tiny white balance connector on the lipo. None of my chargers will mate up with this. In my limited experience, I've not run across a balance connector so small. What did you guys do? Cut off the connector and solder something on?

ZWActual · Sep 27, 2019

@radioguy

Cool. Which battery did you get?

What connector(s) does your charger have?

Used to splice/solder Deans connectors on my helos.

radioguy · Sep 28, 2019

It's an Eflite 2S 7.4V 280 mAh lipo, PN# EFL82802S30. It's got a very tiny white 3 conductor balance plug, but the plug's smaller than anything I currently have to mate up with. I'll swing my my local hobby shop and see if they have anything that I can use. If not, then it's time to troll the internet.

radioguy · Sep 28, 2019

I found something at my hobby shop-it's an E-flite RFLA700UM "charger plug adapter EFL" which goes from the white plug to a pair of banana jacks so I can charge the battery. Now all I need is an adapter to go from the battery plug to the JST plug that's on the camera/VTX.

SleepyRobo · Nov 10, 2019

where did you get the lights from on the tello? and that camera vtx combo ive looked at before, but i was looking for something with sd card ability so i can record flights in hd on the tello, so i can get better video, recording snow is not fun.

ZWActual · Nov 10, 2019

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SleepyRobo · Nov 10, 2019

Thx this is a great idea will order ?

SleepyRobo · Nov 11, 2019

Siam said:
I don't have to worry about the prop guards anymore LOL. I was going to take them off after this last test flight.

Anyway, I took off just fine and was cruising around. I was going up in altitude and a gust of wind came. I could not get the drone to move fast enough and it got hung up in a tree.

I had to climb up about 15 feet where it was hanging.It had hit about 25 feet up fell until it hit a branch. When I retrieved it only 2 prop guards were on it.

I had 6:45 seconds timed when it crashed. Amazingly, the camera/xmiter and battery were only held down by clear 3M double-sided tape and they did not move.

I put the Tello back on the ground and flew for another 2 minutes. I brought it in early because the video was only working for about 50 feet before getting snowy. I found out AFTER that I forgot to put the mushroom antenna on my Fat Sharks!!!

I will try another test this afternoon for a final battery test. I did have video of the crash. On my andriod it shows the file but says I cannot play it.In fact, it says that for all 4 vids I shot today. Any ideas?

BTW: On a cool note: I was flying my UMX Timber yesterday and the wing clipped the ground and kept flying so I was not concerned about it. I was noticed that the wing tip was missing about a 1/2 inch of foam. I was going to repair it this afternoon. Guess what I found as I was getting ready to climb the tree? I found the broken-off piece of wing!

You may want to try and find a tri-blade 3inch that will fit. Just remember you want to keep the pitch low on what ever props you get, that should help with your added weight in wind at higher altitudes. Yes flight time will be lower due to more amps needed at the motors but it may be a good trade off.

Siam · Nov 12, 2019

SleepyRobo said:
You may want to try and find a tri-blade 3inch that will fit. Just remember you want to keep the pitch low on what ever props you get, that should help with your added weight in wind at higher altitudes. Yes flight time will be lower due to more amps needed at the motors but it may be a good trade off.

I never thought about a tri-blade hmm. Something to consider. Since my last post I have done the following to reduce weight.

1: Removed casing from camera/VTX
2: Went from 22ga to 28 ga wire
3: removed the landing pads and put on a scraps of carbon fiber left over from another project
4: Cut off the "grill" at the bottom of the Tello.

Savings is about 7 grams (conservative) I get more flight time and no warnings about overheat