TBS Discovery

The Team BlackSheep (TBS) Discovery is a purpose made FPV platform based on the DJI Flame Wheel F450 frame base.

It has a asymmetric structure to offer a propeller free view, incorporates traces on the central core plates to minimize wiring, has space for both a flight camera and HD recording camera (GoPro) in the front and a protective cage for a high capacity LiPo battery in the back.

• Back to RC Helicopters index

Researched only

Specifications

• Released:
  • DJI Flame Wheel: November 2011
  • TBS Discovery: June 2012
• Type: Spider quadrotor
• Airframe: Caron fiber reinforced
• Diameter: 450 mm - Flame Wheel, Discovery is a bit wider
• Height: xx mm
• Weight: 460 grams [1]
• Takeoff weight: 800 grams to 1600 grams
• Propellers: 10 × 4.5 in or 8 × 4.5 in
• Battery: 3S-4S LiPo
• Motor: 22×12 mm or 22×15 mm
• ESC: 30A switched
• Recommended flying area: 25x25 meters
• Product pages:
• Clone models: HJ450, RM450 and Q450 [2]
  • DJI Hobby - Flame Wheel kits and NAZA flight control
  • Team BlackSheep - TBS Discovery FPV specific base

Frame kit

The quad is build using separate base plates and frame arms. In other words, it is a purpose built kit using the DJI Flame Wheel arms for structural support and TBS Discovery plates for the central core and electronics installation.

• 1x DJI F450 Motor+Propellers+ESC+NAZA kit - from Flying-Hobby
• Alternatively:
  • 2x DJI F450 Flame Wheel black arm - from Flying-Hobby
  • 2x DJI F450 Flame Wheel white arm - from Flying-Hobby
• 1x TBS Discovery top and bottom plate including screws and damping tape - from TBS
• 1x TBS CORE video power distribution and OSD system - from TBS
• 1x TBS 100A current sensor - from TBS
• 1x TBS RF Tin Shield for TBS CORE - from TBS

My setup

Base setup

This is the basis for the quad and makes for a perfect platform to start testing equipment.

• Motor: RCTimer 2830-14 750 Kv outrunner motor with 5.0 mm collet adaptor for 3.17 mm shaft [3]
• Propellers: Graupner E-Prop 10x5 inch propeller set [4]
  • Alternate propellers: Gaui G-222800 10-inch propeller set (for GAUI 500X quad) [5]
• ESC (4x): Hobby King F-30A Brushless Programmable ESC with bare leads - reprogrammed with RapidESC firmware
  • Alternate ESC: RCTimer 30A Brushless Programmable ESC with bare leads, internal oscillator (not optimal) - reprogrammed with RapidESC firmware
• Flight Controller: DJI NAZA no-GPS flight controller
• Receiver: FrSky D6FR 2.4 GHz ACCST 6 channel two-way receiver
• Transmitter: Spektrum DX7 radio with FrSky DHT 2.4 GHz 60mW transmitter
• Battery: Turnigy nano-tech 3300mah 35~70C 4SP1 14.8V Lithium-ion Polymer xx grams battery

Upgraded setup

• Motor: RCTimer 2830-14 750 Kv outrunner motor [6]
• Receiver: ImmersionRC EzUHF Lite 8 channel 433 MHz receiver with Sander Style UHF antennas
• Transmitter: Spektrum DX7 radio with ImmersionRC EzUHF 433 MHz transmitter
• Flight Controller: OpenPilot CopterControl flight control - limited availability

Motor combinations

This is a list of verified setup from people who has built their Diso.

• RCTimer 2830-14 750 Kv 185W outrunner motor
  • Suggested setup: Gaui 500X 10-inch set, Hobby King F-30A 30A ESC Simon flashed, Nano-tech 4S 2200mAh, OpenPilot CC [7] [8]
• NTM 28-30A 750 Kv 140W prop drive series motor
  • Suggested setup: Gaui 500X 10-inch set, Turnigy Plush 25A ESC Simon flashed, Nano-tech 4S 1800mAh [9] [10]
  • Suggested setup: Graupner E-Prop 10x5 set, Nano-tech 4S 3300mAh, 1420g with GoPro, 14 min flight time [11]
• NTM 28-26A 1200 Kv 250W prop drive series motor
  • Suggested setup: APC 8x3.8 propellers, Turnigy Plush 30A ESC, Nano-tech 4S 3300mAh, OpenPilot CC [12]
  • Suggested setup: APC 10x4.5 propellers, Hobby King F-30A 30A ESC Simon flashed [13]
  • Suggested setup: APC 10x4.75 propellers, Hobby King F-30A 30A ESC Simon flashed, 4S battery [14]
• DJI 2212 920 Kv 144W brushless motor [15]
  • Suggested setup: Gaui 8-inch set, DJI OPTO 30A ESC [16]
  • Suggested setup: Graupner E-Prop 10x5 set, DJI NAZA controller [17]
• Suppo 2810/12 1000 Kv 225W brushless motor
  • Suggested setup: Graupner E-Prop 10x5 set, DJI OPTO 30A ESCs, DJI NAZA controller [18]
• Suppo 2814/8 1000 Kv 380W brushless motor
  • Suggested setup: Graupner E-Prop 9x5 set, DJI OPTO 30A ESCs, 4S 3000mAh+1800mAh, DJI NAZA controller [19]
• Tiger MT-4006-13 740 Kv motor - no punch, vibration free
  • Suggested setup: 11-inch propellers, 4S battery, DJI NAZA controller [20] [21] [22]
• Graupner Compact 300 740 Kv 9.6V - expensive
  • Suggested setup: Graupner ESC 18-SC, DJI NAZA controller, Nano-tech 4S 3300mAh [23]

Potential other candidates:

• TorxPower MC2216 Pro 900 Kv 210W brushless motor [24]
• NTM 28-26 1350 Kv 310W prop drive series motor [25]

Accessories

• USBasp AVR Programming Device for Atmel controllers - Hobby King
• 3M Double-sided tape pack - Hobby King

Tips and tricks

• To get rid of vibrationse, use only good quality propellers, e.g. Graupner [26] [27]
• For longer flight times, use low Kv motors and large propellers but watch the power usage
• To avoid propellers in the GoPro view, use Wide setting for 8-inch propellers and Medium for 10-inch propellers
• A 25A ESC is more than enough for this frame, max. 60A full throttle for all four controllers equals 15A per ESC, 10A margin [28]
• To a clean ESC install, solder the 3.5 mm socket motor connectors directly on the controller board [29]
• The standard DJI motor and propellers use a 8 mm shaft/bell, APC props are 6 mm and has to be adjusted, Graupner is 8 mm [30]
• Program the ESCs to be set up with Break off, Battery type NiMh (to turn off LiPo voltage cut-off), Cut-off type: soft cut, Cut-off voltage low, Aircraft type airplane, Start mode normal, Timing/response mode high (400 Hz), Governor off and everything else off [31] [32]
• Calibrate the throttle range for each ESC individually by setting the throttle stick high on power on and then low until a confirmation beep is heard
• Consider upgrading the ESC firmware to SimonK version get the full refresh rate needed for multirotors, RapidESC database shows all capable controllers
• Propeller thrust is only the amount a motor can carry/load, not at which speed, so therefore thrust determines the acceleration, kV determines the speed range [33]
• Only connect one BEC 5V power supply from a single ESC, disconnect the red power lead from the other three ESCs [34]
• On the flight controller, set Kp (instantaneously proportional error correction) to a high value to make the quad responsive and decrease 20% when it oscillates/nags, set Ki (integral/sum errors over time) to a high value to make it steady in windy, improper center of gravity, fast forward or long dives/turns, situations where the quad is off level for a fairly long period, decrease 20% when long slow oscillations occur [35]
• Since the front two arms are asymmetric, increase pitch Kp and Ki with 1/3 of the value for roll (for OpenPilot) [36]
• On NAZA, set up signal loss fail-safe so that throttle is above 10% and that flight mode is put to 70% or the position NAZA will go into fail-safe mode, one less fall from the sky to worry about [37]
• In a dive the back-end of the Discovery might not fall as quick as the front, a way to counter this might be to set Ki for pitch (OpenPilot) to higher value to correct for the lack of power to the front motors [38]

Build logs

For details on building and setting up the Discovery, take a look at the pages below for an idea.

• juz' OpenPilot build log
• Enthlapy's OpenPilot build log
• meme's build log
• Rensen's DJI Build Log
• Traveller's Disco build adventure
• kloner's TBS Discovery build log
• olivier30900 NAZA GPS build log

Also follow TBS Discovery quadcopter thread on FPVLab.

Tools

•  eCalc - find the optimal propeller+motor combination

Shops

• teamblack-sheep.com - Home of TBS Zephyr I & II, Discovery and CORE, AU
• rctimer.com - Lots of motors, ESCs and clone Flame wheel, CN
• flying-hobby.com - Good selection of DJI items and great prices, HK
• goodluckbuy.com - DJI items and a lot of other accessories, HK
• uavproducts.com - Source for DJI kits and frames, US
• hobbyking.com - Motors, ESCs, batteries and a lot more, HK
• hobby-wing.com - DJI parts and clones, HK
• globe-flight.de - Multicopter items, FPV equipment, propellers, DE
• servocity.com - Pan and tilt systems
• addictiverc.com - Source of Graupner propellers, US
• elecricwingman.com - Another source of Graupner propellers, good prices, UK
• gothelirc.com - APC, Gaui, Graupner propellers, US

Video

This is the official Team BlackSheep video of the final production frame.

References

• TBS DISCOVERY - New quadrocopter frame