Author: Jay Smith
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/12
Page Numbers: 47,48,49,50
,
,
,

DJI FLAME WHEEL F550 WITH NAZA AND GPS - 2012/12

Multirotor helicopters have become one of the most exciting developments in all of RC. Some hobby shop owners and online retailers have noted that this segment is outselling any other type of RC product. After my first flight with a microsize quadcopter, I had a better understanding of what the excitement was about.

My second flight was on a friend's Dajiang Innovations Technology (DJI) Flame Wheel F550 outfitted with the NAZA controller and GPS. I knew I had to have one. It was apparent to me that it was not only fun to fly, but also provided a stable platform for recreational photography or videography. (If used for photography or videography, keep in mind others' rights of privacy before taking photos or videos.)

Assembly

The DJI Flame Wheel F550 ARF kit includes one complete frame, six motors, six ESCs, and 16 propellers.

  • Use 10-inch propellers for 3S battery packs and 8-inch propellers for 4S battery packs.
  • Included hardware: M3 x 8 screws for mounting the motors, M2.5 x 5 screws for attaching the arms, hook-and-loop material, a battery strap, and a set of power leads. DJI also provides additional screws and two extra propellers of each size.

Assembly requires much soldering, so be sure you have a fine-tip soldering iron, solder, and flux on hand. The bottom frame uses integrated printed-circuit-board (PCB) wiring so power is distributed from one power connection to all six speed controllers. The board is well marked and the instructions clearly show where the connections are made. It is important that all solder connections provide a solid joint, so be sure to test each one before continuing.

If using the NAZA controller, 12 solder joints connect the six ESCs, two more are for power, and two more are for the Versatile Unit (VU) at the power connections. When the soldering is complete, mount the motors to the legs of the Flame Wheel. I used medium-strength threadlock from Bob Smith Industries to help ensure the screws stay put.

Attach the legs to the bottom board where all the solder connections were made using the included screws. Plug the motors into the ESCs and mount the NAZA controller in the center of the bottom board. Placement should be as close to center as possible and oriented correctly, with receiver inputs facing the rear. Mount your receiver of choice next to the NAZA controller.

Included with the NAZA are eight three-pin servo connectors to connect the NAZA and the receiver. Futaba S-Bus is also supported. I mounted the NAZA and receiver using double-sided tape. After the GPS, compass, and VU were connected to the NAZA, I connected the VU to the PC using the included USB cable.

I downloaded the latest software from the DJI website and was prompted to update the firmware to version 2.01. When I confirmed that everything was properly working, I attached the top board so that the GPS and battery could be mounted. Check that the motors are turning in the proper directions — the instructions show the alternating directions of the motors.

Setting up the NAZA controller and GPS using the software is not difficult, but requires the use of the 41-page user manual, which can be downloaded from the DJI website. When mounting the GPS on the bracket and attaching it to the top board, measure the distance from the center point (in centimeters) of all three axes and input them as positive or negative as instructed on the diagram.

When all settings are complete, and before the first flight, calibrate the digital compass. Power the model and quickly flip the position switch that was assigned for Control Mode six to ten times. The LED indicator will be yellow. Rotate the Flame Wheel horizontally until the LED changes to green, then calibrate vertically by rotating the Flame Wheel vertically until the LED goes off, confirming successful calibration.

Flying

When the flight battery is connected, the LED located on the VU provides status on the GPS connection as well as the battery. It takes approximately five seconds for the GPS to initialize. I programmed the LED to go yellow when the battery is getting low during flight, and then red when it is time to land.

The NAZA start sequence requires both transmitter sticks to be pushed to the bottom corners of the transmitter. The motors will start for three seconds, awaiting throttle input from the pilot. If no input is given, the motors will stop. This excellent safety feature ensures that accidentally bumping the throttle will not start the motors.

The NAZA-controlled DJI Flame Wheel F550 has three flight control modes: GPS Atti., Atti., and Manual Mode. In any of the flight modes, user input overrides the self-correction.

  • GPS Atti. Mode locks the position of the Flame Wheel and provides self-correction to maintain its current location and attitude. This is the best setting for photography or videography.
  • Atti. Mode provides attitude stabilization and is best used for "sport flying."
  • Manual Mode provides no attitude-angle limitation or position locking.

After one quick flight to confirm that everything was working, I strapped my Watt's Up wattmeter to the Flame Wheel to get an idea of what the power system draws in flight. The wattmeter displays the highest readings until the battery is disconnected. With a short, three-minute flight, including hovering and basic flight, the peak draw was only 322.3 watts and 20.65 amps.

All of my flying has been in either GPS Atti. or Atti. Mode, allowing me to become more comfortable with the flying capability of the Flame Wheel.

NAZA FEATURES: Intelligent Orientation Control and Fail-Safe

The NAZA controller supports Intelligent Orientation Control, which allows the Flame Wheel to be flown in Course Lock or Home Lock.

  • Course Lock: Inputs of forward, back, left, and right are not affected by the direction the Flame Wheel is pointing. So left is left no matter if the front is pointed toward you or away from you.
  • Home Lock: Controls correspond as if the Flame Wheel were connected to the home location on a tether. For example, backward input will fly the Flame Wheel backward toward the home point.

Although the hexacopter is capable of looping, that maneuver requires Manual Mode and high altitude. Those who have tried it were successful.

Another excellent feature of the NAZA controller with GPS is Fail-Safe Mode. This can be set so that the Flame Wheel either lands at its current location or returns to its home point and lands. Fail-Safe can be triggered by loss of signal from the transmitter, if one of the controls is no longer responding, a low battery, or if activated by the pilot.

My Fail-Safe is set to return to home. When activated, the Flame Wheel will hover in its current position for three seconds and then fly toward home at its current altitude if higher than 20 meters. If below 20 meters, it will climb to 20 meters and return. Once at the home point, the NAZA controller instructs the Flame Wheel to hover for 15 seconds at 20 meters and then slowly descend to land.

It would be impossible to describe all the features and settings the NAZA controller with GPS provides within this review. For more details, download the manual from the DJI website listed in the "Sources" section.

AT A GLANCE ...

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Model type: Hexacopter ARF
  • Skill level: Intermediate builder; intermediate pilot
  • Diagonal wheelbase: 550 mm
  • Weight: 42.3 to 84.6 ounces
  • Power system: Six 2212/920 Kv brushless outrunners (included), six 30-amp ESCs (included)
  • Radio: Four-channel minimum; six-channel recommended
  • Street price: ARF $318; DJI NAZA controller with GPS/compass $399

TEST-MODEL DETAILS

  • Motor used: Six DJI 2212/920 Kv
  • Battery: Thunder Power 4S 5000 mAh 45C
  • Propeller: DJI 8 x 4.5
  • Radio system: Futaba 8FG radio, Futaba R6008HS receiver
  • Ready-to-fly weight: 3 pounds, 11 ounces
  • Flight duration: 10 to 12 minutes
  • Amps: 20.65
  • Watts: 322.3

PLUSES

  • Everything is included to assemble the ARF
  • Power system is a good match
  • Quality hardware provided
  • LED provides status at all times
  • Integrated safety features

MINUSES

  • Manual is not included and must be downloaded

Conclusion

The DJI Flame Wheel F550 combined with the NAZA controller with GPS provides an intuitive, stable platform for pilots looking for a multirotor helicopter capable of flying within a small area. It also provides a great platform for recreational aerial photography and videography.

I was impressed with the safety features incorporated in the NAZA controller, such as the start-up procedure and the return-to-home fail-safe. These features, combined with the ability to program the controller via a computer and the completeness of the hardware and components included with the ARF, should help ensure success in assembling and piloting this exciting multirotor offering.

— Jay Smith [email protected]

MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR

SOURCES

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.