First Tricopter

[MrLee411]

OK all i am in the market for my very first Tricopter. I need advice on which on to go with? Doe bigger mean more docile? Does smaller mean easier to fly? or are they all so great it does not matter?

[Kevin_Erik]

Well if your more of a sport flyer go with the Baby-Tri. If your into video then the V4 Tri or the Mini if your middle of the road.

I personally prefer the baby as it can fly Acro really well.

Edit: Bicopter is fun too but it’s not for the timid.

[Terje]

I would definitely go with the mini-tri. Small form factor, and nicely behaved 🙂

[gcanfpv]

Of these tricopters, V4, mini or baby, which one is the easiest to fly?? Are any of these a better learning platform then the other??

Geoffrey

[jihlein]

I’d stay away from the Baby for a learning platform, it’s the hardest to get tuned correctly. I have all three, the mini size is my all around favorite.

[jihlein]

If this helps, here’s the family for size comparisons.

The Baby is the only one flyable at the moment, the V3.5 (V4 precursor) and Mini are getting rebuilt with the new F4 controllers.

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[Kevin_Erik]

If you’ e never flown acro before, build a Quad first as the learning curve is easier. Afterwards a Tricopter should be alot easier to manage.

[gcanfpv]

Is a tricopter that much more difficult to fly than a quad?? What quad kit would you recommend. Couldn’t I learn to fly a tricopter in “non-acro” mode

Geoffrey

[jihlein]

I actually think tricopters are easier. Everybody is different, but I always lose orientation on a quad. Tri’s are much easier for me.

[Kevin_Erik]

Just saying that having the prior Quad experience does help a lot. Now as for whats easier to start, Quads do seam to have an signifigant edge. Just because there are more of them and the gear is pretty much designed with Quads in mind. Flight wise, in FPV both Quads and Tri’s are rock solid once properly tuned. Just with Quads, that tuning process is a bit easier as thats what Betaflight was created for. However past the flight and build learning curves, Tri’s are both fun and unique. Where as everyone has a Quad, your Tri will really stand out.

Now as for Quad frames I’d suggest the Amarttan Rooster 5”. Cant go wrong with this frame as its tried and true. Lifetime warrenty too.

[biggestRCEfan]

I started with tricopters 3 years ago as my first multi-rotor. Because I was a noob at flying and at tuning, I did a lot of repairs … It cost me a few arms, tail servos and even fc boards. If I would start knowing what I know now, I would start with a quad. Much more robust. When you have the quad down pat, the tri is much easier to fly.

Flying something that doesn’t break as easily allows for faster progression in skill, as you gain confidence by trying and succeeding in more risky manoeuvres.

[gcanfpv]

I really like the Amaratton rooster (ready to fly) looks like a good starting point. What size motor and what goggles do you recommend.

[Kevin_Erik]

Keep it simple by not going crazy or exotic. Go with whats known to work and with whats going to get you in the air with the least amount of fuss. After all your in this to fly, not tweek your build endlessly. Furthermore, avoid the latest and greatest as often its not the best. Plus your taking on a big risk with new tech thats very expensive vs last years gear which has been proven and is often cheeper.

Motors: 2300-2500kv, size 2205, 2306 or 2207 are very good, powerful and reliable. Emax is very good MFR but there are others that are in the same price range that offer similar or better performance. Google “ Mini Quad Test Bench” for specs and details on all the most popular motors. Keep in mind that you’ll want to stick to a 5” build or smaller. (Propeller size) Reason being that the copters are more durable and handle extremely well.

Note: Buy extra motors as odds are you’ll damage one and need to swap one out. Also purchasing motors in lots of four is often cheaper than singles.

ESC: Cant go wrong with BlHeli-32’s.

Goggles: Some swear to Fatshark but IMO It’s more about what works for you. Personaly i use a 7” FPV monitor as i like being able to swap to LOS (Line of sight) flight quickly if i get into trouble. Besides, most of the goggles I’ve seen have narrow diopters and thus dont fit well over my eyes. Often though, my biggest headaches come from the onboard video transmitter or its wiring being of poor quality. Stick with VTX’s that allow you to manually wre up everything to ensure you have a solid connection.

Props: IMO the best all around props for FPV Acro are DAL 5044 / 5045’s but try to avoid props with the pointed ends. While they’re more efficient, sharp / pointy props are noisy and tend to deform easier upon impact. There are other props which are also very good but they can be somewhat pricy, such as with some of the HQ props.

Flight Controllers: Any of the most common FC’s will do fine. Some have extra features but you’ll have to decide what it is your wanting your copter to do. Before you’ll be able to effectively choose one thats more specific for your needs. I have had allot of sucess with Maket and found it does most of what i want.

LiPo’s: Pick up 4-6 right off with a good standalone charger. Typically 4S 1000 – 1300 mAh are what you’ll use for most flights. There are some that recommend running 3S as its a bit slower / safer for those learning Acro.

Don’t forget to get a good soldering iron or preferably a soldering station. As it makes building a copter that much easier!

Once you feel comfortable building, tuning and flying Acro. You should have no problems settingup a Tricopter or Bicopter. Furthermore most of your gear is directly usable by a Tri / Bicopter.

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