How does the mini perform on 3S?

[wynnsquad]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has experience with the mini on 3S. Obviously it would have a lot less power and speed but does it still fly well? I have a friend who is considering the mini tri over a 250 quad and is wondering about 3S performance. If he buys, he’d like to use David’s stock electronics package.

Thanks all!

[LeoTheHuman]

As was discussed before, this setup is significantly underpowered on 3S and is definitely not ideal. You will need higher KV motors and higher amps escs to get this weight up with only 3 motors on 3S. It isn’t really worth doing in my opinion. It hovers at about 60% throttle with a 2200mAh 3S pack, which I find not great, especially taking into account that while yawing you have less thrust to play with.

I would recommend to go for either 4S batteries (which is basically all you need to add to the kit to get it up in the air) or with completely different electronics (like 2300KV motors that people put on 250 sized quads and ESCs that don’t fail that frequently).

I would definitely choose different electronics now, when I tested the mini. Too much issues with ESCs. But the motors look and feel really great!

[wynnsquad]

Sounds good. Thanks!

[Michael]

I run my mini on 3s quite often. More often than 4s. You need to run a 7×3.8 prop. My motors are T-motor MN2206 2000kv. Might need to try a 7×4.5 prop with Davids slightly lower kv motors. I have found that I get very similar flight times with my 3s 7×3.8 vs the 4s 6×4.5 combos. The difference is obviously the weight of the battery but also the top speed. The mini hauls the mail with the 4s battery combo. The 3s battery and the props that I use do slow the top speed down, but they improve the punch just off of hover. This is great for cruising around, and aerobatics. I do not fly fpv though, los only.

OH, I use the same speed controls that David sales in his store.

[Kesenheimer]

@Michael:
How long is your flight time with the 3s setup?
I want to build the Mini Tricopter too and I’m wondering if I can use my 3s 2200mAh batteries without losing to much flight time.

[Michael]

http://rcexplorer.se/forums/users/kesenheimer/
Well I get 11 minutes of aerobatics and cruising around with a 2200 pack. I also get 11 minutes with and 1800 HV pack. This is due to the lighter weight and the higher charge voltage. Please understand that I fly line of sight. I have not gotten into FPV yet due to the fact that I get nauseous when I put goggles on and I am reluctant to deal with the bulk of a ground station or a screen on my radio.

You also have to build your mini as light as possible. My mini with no battery weighs 312 grams. With a 3s 1300 pack 414 grams. 3s 1800HV pack 438 grams. 3s 2250 pack 512 grams.

My Mobius camera and mount (HK Trifecta mount) weighs 68 grams. I shorten my flights 1 minute when I have the camera mounted.

These flight time leave my batteries at around 20-25% charged. If I am flying harder I will shorten my flight 1 minute also. But if you are ripping around at full throttle a lot then you should consider landing around the 7-8 minute mark.

You will not be able to fit any 2200 pack into David’s FPV frame. But I have found the 1800 3s to fit a little easier than a 4s 1800.

I have built my mini with David’s FPV frame and I think it is pretty cool. But because I fly LOS I chose to go back to my 3 plate mini. This allows me to run any battery I want with or without my camera. It does however take away any and all protection for a battery or a camera.

I could also probably get under 300 grams frame weight if I were to remove the led’s, drill some holes in the top plate, and use a satellite receiver. But I fly at night an awful lot, and I am pretty happy with the way it is right now.

I almost forgot to tell you that I fly at 4500 ft above sea level. And I often take my mini camping and fishing at altitudes around 10000 ft above sea level.

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[Kesenheimer]

Wow, thank you Michael for your detailed reply. Ok, then I have to overthink my design, which I had in mind. David’s FPV frame looks great, but when I can’t put 3s 2200mAh batteries in it, it is useless for me. I have almost only 2200mAh batteries at home…

[Jan Paul]

Wait, I can fit a 3s 2200 in my mini without any pronlem. It dosn’t fly very good on 3s thou. I can even cramp my 4s 2200 in that thing, even if its really tight. And the flightperformance is worlds apart between these two. 3s is no fun at all. Btw, i run the stock power setup.

[Michael]

I could not get a 2200 on mine with the fpv frame. But its probably because of my receiver choice. I run a full range 6 channel receiver. Modified Spectrum AR610. As far as voltage goes. Try a 7 inch prop when you go down on voltage. It works wonders.

Also the center of gravity with a 2200 and the fpv frame would definitely be set reward with this large of a battery.

[Rotorblade]

The mini with David’s electronics pack and the 6×4.5 props I am able to switch between 3s and 4s and am able to perform aerobatics on both types of batteries just fine.

Batteries I’ve used on the mini tri:
4s 5200mah 10c multistar 430gram
3s 5100mah 8c 3dr 316 gram
3s 3300mah 25c nanotech 270gram
3s 2650mah 25c nanotech 210 gram
3s 1400mah 60c HV hyperion 110gram

Flight times range from 2 to 8+ minutes at fast continuous cruising speeds.

The mini with the 2208 1800s just doesn’t seem to care about how much it weighs.

My craft weight is 440gams with fpv and telemetry module.

Heaviest I’ve weighed it in at is 990 grams so far with the 4s 5200 on it.

I know non on those batteries are ideal however being it is a tricopter instead of a quad I feel he c rating on my batteries just barely fits with the setup. One more motor and my batteries wouldnt have enough c rating. I will grow my small pack collection over time. However now that I know this thing hauls ass and does aerobatics with whatever battery I put on it i now am in no hurry to buy a new fleet of batteries.

And the bigger batteries help it track better in heavy winds.

I hope this helps.

I think your 2200 3s will work fine as long a the c rating is decent. 3s isn’t ideal but it works well.

I am to lazy to swap props and just want to fly and he mini tricopter is the answer.

I’ll bet its pushing 70mph with the 5200 4s. It’d probably go faster when I get the right size smaller 4s to go with it.

[Rotorblade]

Every time I fly this mini it is a special experience with a 3s or 4s. The parts in David’s electronics kit offers an incredible flying experience! In my opinion it is on the edge of being innovative and smart. I know everyone is getting smaller with motors and now their starting to put big motor on the small frames. I would have liked to try 2206 2000kv motors, but I felt I should maybe stick to a recipe and try something different and holy hell is this mini tri fast!

[Michael]

Rotorblade,
I would like to see your mini with those huge batteries ;). Sorry I couldn’t help myself. Anyway I purchased a bunch of mn2206 motors earlier this year, and I do not regret it. I have had them on two different Quads, three different tricopter, and one Dragonfly. I have nine motors. And since my mini is the only multi I have now. I have six spare motors. After all of my experimenting and building I have found the perfect multipurpose platform. David’s mini is the best thing since sliced bread as far as I am concerned.

[Rotorblade]

http://rcexplorer.se/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/944gramsW5200_4s.jpg

[Michael]

That is freaking cool. It also shows once again that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[Author]

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