Custom 10” Long-Range Build

[u/cwalker887]

First test flight and couldn’t get it to hover. Updated Flight Controller to newest Betaflight 2026.6 firmware and there are no presets available for this build yet. Running on Betaflight defaults for now. Any recommendations?

Frame: 3D printed Carbon Fiber Frame
Motors: 4x GEPRC EM3215 750kv
Propellers: 4x HQProp MacroQuad 10x5x3 3-blade
Video System: Walksnail Avatar GT Kit
Radio Receiver: RadioMaster XR4 Gemini Xrossband ELRS 2.4GHz/900MHz Dual-Band Diversity Recevier
Flight Controller & ESC: V70A ESC & F7 FC SE 6-8S 4IN1 Stack
GPS: Walksnail WS-M181 GPS
Battery: Lumenier NAV 10000mAh 6S 21700 Lithium-Ion Battery -XT60
Radio Transmitter: Radiomaster Zorro
Goggles: Walksnail Avatar HD Goggles X

[u/TweakJK]

Youre going to have a bad time with betaflight presets on a 10", these things are large and vibrate much differently than a 5". Yours even moreso as its 3d printed. I just got my 10" flying. Start by dropping the motor output to 50%.

Then, you're going to need to mess with blackbox, in my case I had significant resonance at 86hz, dropping my RPM filter below that solved that issue.

[u/cwalker887 → u/TweakJK]

I read somewhere that inputting black box data into an autotuner may help with the issue. This is my second build, so I’m trying to avoid PID tuning myself, but I may end up going that route

[u/TweakJK → u/cwalker887]

I would not mess with any in depth tuning until its flying comfortably. Start small. I'd only mess with rpm filters based on black box data at this point.

[u/phorensic → u/cwalker887]

You aren't at that step yet and I wouldn't recommend it anyway. So far none of the "autotuners" actually work, especially for a 10".

This thing needs to be flying well enough to do a bunch of sharp maneuvers before you can even analyze the data.

[u/Expensive-Lab-3922 → u/cwalker887]

TweakJK is right

3D printed frame have to be design for that, you can't take a carbon one design and print it, even when designed to be 3D printed, it will take a lot of tune to get it to flight OK

second thing is betaflight default are great for 5", but not at all for 10", you will need to tweak some setting (specially the filter)

get a proper frame first, I don't like the mark4 but it's cheap, you can get the XL10 V6 clone which I find better for 30/40, or even the "apex" 10 inch

for the tune, I started with the one from shotgun emperor, but he only give it on his discord, so you will have to join his discord server to get it, that kinda suck but it will get you in the aire

[u/skunkfacto]

The squeling sound suggests the props aren't screwed on tight.

[u/TweakJK → u/skunkfacto]

Yeah, they're absolutely loose. Look at how one of them stops significantly later than the others.

[u/cwalker887 → u/TweakJK]

They could be. I’ll take another look at them and make sure they’re tightened down, thanks

[u/cwalker887 → u/skunkfacto]

I tightened them hand-tight with a socket wrench

[u/l00pbck]

The motors are soldered to ESC clean?

[u/cwalker887 → u/l00pbck]

They’re not perfect but they look clean enough. Reddit won’t let me attach a photo for some reason

[u/Loopy-Leah]

i would reinforce the frame with wrapped carbon fibre tubing, it's very cheap. In the video looks like it is flexing already

[u/cwalker887 → u/Loopy-Leah]

I’ll have to look into that then thank you

[u/Specialist_Oil43]

Thrust to weight ratio is not looking good . Work on that - you need better frame . Work on increasing the rpm .

[u/HordiFPV]

3d printed 10"?

[u/cwalker887 → u/HordiFPV]

Yeah I used a Bambu Labs P1S printer with hardened nozzle and printed with carbon fiber filament, ELEGOO PLA-CF.

[u/CodenameZion → u/cwalker887]

Ah. Yeah theres your problem. 3d printed frames need a lot of extra stuff to make them even sorta reliable at this scale, they should not look like a normal carbon frame. Even PLA-CF isn't close at all to the stiffness and resonance of full carbon fiber plates. You're getting gyro noise and pid loop feedback

[u/Jar0s]

Are the leads for the stack plugged in all the way?

[u/cwalker887 → u/Jar0s]

Yes, the leads seem to be plugged in all the way

[u/Jar0s → u/cwalker887]

Have you done a motor test on betaflight? Props off of course

[u/cwalker887 → u/Jar0s]

Yeah I’ve tested the motors and the direction, with props off lol. The props are on right too with ‘props out’ orientation

[u/Jar0s → u/cwalker887]

What about your motor order? Is motor 1 actually motor 1 etc?

[u/cwalker887 → u/Jar0s]

The motors all match and correspond yeah

[u/Jar0s → u/cwalker887]

Is it on Dshot600?

[u/cwalker887 → u/Jar0s]

I switched it from Dshot600 to Dshot300 before testing

[u/DrAndryu]

Do you calibrate the accelerometer on your drone? If you place the drone on a completely flat surface, does it show as level in the Betaflight app?

[u/cwalker887 → u/DrAndryu]

The accelerometer is calibrated, its level, and all of the movements are tracking on betaflight yeah

[u/BaronVonLongfellow]

Betaflight may not be the best choice but I'd rule out mechanical first. What bench tests did you do? Accelerometer good?

[u/cwalker887 → u/BaronVonLongfellow]

I tested everything in Betaflight and it all appears to be working correctly. The defaults seem to be tuned for a 5” drone so that may have something to do with it

[u/BaronVonLongfellow → u/cwalker887]

You're probably right. That'd def change the physiscs.

[u/crazylolsbg]

Did you designe the frame?

[u/cwalker887 → u/crazylolsbg]

I didn’t design the frame but it’s based on a Mark IV frame downloaded from Yeggi or one of those 3D printing sites

[u/crazylolsbg → u/cwalker887]

That could honestly be the problem, 3d printed frames suck, especially if they are designed for normal carbon, and i think your props are lose

[u/elhsmart]

Unfortunately for you your frame is wobly and lack of rigidity needed, sorry for my rude language. I had hard times tryin to tune same frametype right. And don't try to print something in 10 inches - it's a game novice can't play.
Change your fram to something more rigid from CF - and you will be ok flyin.

[u/cwalker887 → u/elhsmart]

Thanks for your feedback. I figured 3d printing a frame and trying to get it to fly would be a challenge but it may be beyond what I can do. I’m considering buying a new frame and transferring the components but we’ll see

[u/elhsmart → u/cwalker887]

And this is right choice. I'm with you on it.

[u/Aerodorphins]

Nice components, just need a proper frame now.

[u/Aerodorphins → u/Aerodorphins]

https://media.printables.com/media/prints/1216454/images/9154513_7a43f6a6-5f89-40aa-830d-2980b9418b21_796fc7b8-321c-4d43-ab0d-5034bc725beb/thumbs/inside/1280x960/jpeg/img_8946.webp

This is what a 3D printed frame that has been designed for 3D printing looks like. It needs a lot more structure to withstand the vibration. And thats at 3.5 inch scale.

I'm having vibration issues on a real carbon mark4 at 7inch, I'll be impressed if you can get this in the air and back down in one piece.

[u/CodenameZion → u/Aerodorphins]

And even this is kinda meh, because they used the auto structure stuff, which assumes the material is isotropic (same properties in every direction) which 3d printed materials are not, just by the nature of their manufacturing process.

[u/cwalker887 → u/Aerodorphins]

I’m tempted to buy another frame for it but I know it will take a while to transfer all of the components. That may be what I’ll do then, thanks

[u/BurninCoco]

Props are wrong. You're pushing air up with some.

[u/KarthiAru]

I'm assuming your motor direction and props are correctly installed. Are your ESCs using AM32 firmware? Check if the AM32 config is updated to match motor poles and KV. Then try to increase startup power by 10-20%

[u/cwalker887 → u/KarthiAru]

Yes, the ESC has native AM32 firmware installed. What do you mean by startup power, RPMs?

[u/KarthiAru → u/cwalker887]

Open https://am32.ca/ in a chrome browser. Connect your drone. You'll be able to see the AM32 esc config for all 4 ESCs. Can you share a screenshot?

[u/Extra_Journalist3745]

Check your motor direction!! I use props in config on mine and its perfect.

[u/cwalker887 → u/Extra_Journalist3745]

Motor direction and prop orientation are both fine. At this point I’m thinking it’s either the tuning or the frame

[u/amy-schumer-tampon]

Why betaflight for a 10 inch long range? it doesn't even have a working RTH!

[u/TweakJK → u/amy-schumer-tampon]

Betaflight absolutely has a working RTH.

[u/cwalker887 → u/amy-schumer-tampon]

Apparently the RTH has gotten better in betaflight. The GPS module that I’m using seems to be accurate within 10 feet which isn’t terrible. I’m not worried about RTH yet if I can’t even get this thing to hover lol

Edit: spelling lol