That is a really nice video for one of your first times!! I am looking at getting a Matrix as well for my first quad. I have been told by so called experts that I should go with the Phantom or Disco Pro for the money for my first quad. Not too mention, little or no experience on my part as well. What are your thoughts... thanks!!
I suppose I should say that I do have "some" experience with smaller quads and am looking to make a big jump to the Matrix. That is where people are saying to me that they are too much money for what you get. Again, your thoughts on this and your flying experience will definitely help me with my decision as well... thank you!!
I looked and did as much research as I could before I bought it.... One... ya, its expensive... lol!! I guess the first question you need to ask yourself is, what are your really going to use it for? I purchased it as an investment, starting a small aerial video and photography business. If I was not doing that, I honestly would not have purchased it because of the price. But thats just me... and its just like any hobby, some people think its worth it, and some don't. In regards to flying it, I have NEVER flown an RC anything. I purchased a small $100 quad and practiced with it for about 3 weeks before flying the Matrix. The Matrix is Extremely easy to fly, I took it slow and have gotten better pretty quick. And that is testament to the Matrix and not my flying abilities..... lol! And like anything, you do get what you pay for. I was originally going to get a Phantom. This is not knocking it before anyone gets mad. But once I researched it, it was not going to do the job I needed. In other words, once you add a gimbal and GoPro the air time drops quite a bit from what they say is the original air time. And air time is usually graded with any quad, it hovering in one spot. So once you start flying it around, air time drops even more... That includes the Matrix... they have a video stating 25 minutes with a 8000mah battery.... and it does...... hovering. Once I do some real flying, I get around 19 to 21 minutes... and thats staying within the battery guidelines and not running it completely out which is still pretty good for quad flight time. Next.. things I didn't think about... BATTERIES and a GOOD charger. One 8000mah battery and a slow charger means, if your lucky you can fly twice, maybe three times in a day. The 601 charger they sell the Matrix with takes 3 HOURS TO CHARGE ONE 8000mah. To charge 8000mah batteries within about an hour, you need a powerful charger (dual) which is usually DC, which means I had to buy a power supply which would do 24v..... lets just say I ended up spending $1600.00 for a charger, power supply and 4 batteries..... I'm telling you this because it got real expensive real fast; things start to add up, even with a Phantom. You buy lots of batteries or a few batteries and spend on a serious charger. And maybe you have the means, so if you do... buy it... its REAL NICE!!! I found this video on YouTube about the Phantom... hope it helps...
Like you, I have done a "great deal" of research on multirotor copters (almost too much to be honest with you) and actually saw the different packages that Turbo Ace had to offer for the Matrix while looking at the TBS Discovery Pro and even the Phantom Pro. The cost on either one of those rigs (fully equipped) was around $2,500 - $3,000 dollars! I figured if I was going to spend that kind of money I should look into something a little better built (quality wise) like the Matrix! I currently have a photo/video business here in the Rocky Mountain region and am looking to expand what I can offer... I believe the Matrix can give me this. Just knowing that you had "absolutely no flying experience" is amazing too me! The Matrix looks like a HUGE copter that would be really difficult to fly! I mean, after watching all the videos out there (until I saw your video) I was really intimidated by it! The cost, well, that is another thing. I suppose as long as you look at it like an investment, it could be a little easier to handle! Not sure which package you purchased, but I am looking at getting this one package: http://www.wowhobbies.com/turboace_matrix-s_fpv_gyrox3_dx8-3.aspx of course, I am going to have to re-think the whole battery process! Thank you for all your valuable and insightful information, I am going to do a final check with my expenses and see if it is possible for me!! You have just made my day!!
That is the one I purchased also, but I added The iOSDmini; I would advise you to add that. It will send distance from takeoff point, height, current battery voltage and direction home. I'm so glad I added that because distance and height perception from a distance is hard to gage, even a bit hard to gage looking at the screen. But MOST importantly, it gives you your up to date voltage reading..... which you want, because it WILL drop straight out of the air if you go past the point of no return...lol!! Also, it will help you not ruin your batteries. Maybe you can ask them to give you credit for the 601 charger. Its probably a good charger for smaller batteries.... but NOT for 8000mah. Even the small 2200mah take about an hour to charge. I purchased Hyperion EOS 720i SuperDUO3 500x2 watts which is DC. So I purchased eFuel Power Supply (1200watt, 60amp). It will charge two 8000mah at the same time in about 1 hour 20 to 30 minutes and two 2200mah in about 20 minutes. The 2200mah batteries; you have two. One on the monitor and a second on the Matrix; they will last for two cycles of the 8000mah. Other things, extra battery charging connectors, I bought a small gun case for the FPV monitor, a nice tool bag to carry the chargers, batteries etc...... Just an FYI so you know what you are looking at.... Total investment was about $5,300, with everything.. But, Im going to buy 2 more 2200mah batteries so I have 4 full 8000mah cycles without having to charge anything. Oh, I already had the GoPro3, add that and it is a bit more. Tonight I'm going to post a video I did of a Monastery and I used 8 cycles, thats were I learned I needed two more 2200mah (total of 4) to be a bit more efficient.
Once again, very useful information... thank you! I do have a couple more questions for you; did you purchase the separate fpv camera or are you viewing through your GoPro camera? Also, are you using the monitor or goggles to view with? I am glad you also said what the total cost is going to be! I had a ballpark figure in my head (less the batteries and chargers) and now I know from your experience what I need to get as well. Thank you so much for being so helpful with all this information! I look forward to seeing your next video!!!!
I just use the GoPro as the FPV camera, that way I see exactly what I'm capturing. And I use the monitor, only because if you have to physically look at the quad you can just look up and then back to the screen quick, which I have had to do. With the goggles you have to take your hands off the controller, move the goggles... blah, blah, blah... you get the point... only my opinion.... lol. And do you have a site for your photography business I can go to?
I agree with you about the monitor / goggle situation. It seems to me (unless you are doing competitive flying) that a monitor works the best. Did you get the monitor that came with the package or upgrade? Is it easy to see the monitor even in the sun? I also like the idea about the GoPro as an fpv viewing camera. My only concern was delay (real time video wise) with the GoPro and if your copter got off kilter you would not necessarily know this because of the gimbal! Your thoughts, please! Here is a link to my web site, enjoy! http://kurtdbrownphoto.com/
I got the 8in monitor they sell, you can see fine in the sun....There is ZERO video delay from the GoPro, and as long as you don't put it in manual mode (NEVER PUT IT IN MANUAL MODE!!!! LOL!!) you CAN'T flip it if you wanted to, the system won't let you.... In Manual mode, it WILL FLIP OVER. And I just noticed it comes with NAZA M Lite, up grade to NAZA V2... it is a better flight controller. I forgot, that was the other upgrade I did. The NAZA is like your mother board on your computer.
Thank you, thank you!! Please let me know when you post your other video if you do not post it to this thread! You have been most helpful with all your information... it is going to make my purchase (less the overall cost-YIKES) a little easier to deal with!!
Your welcome... And one last note in regards to the charging system, There might be something else out there, I don't know. But a local hobby shop helped me and they said it's the most powerful RC battery charger combo set up they could find me. Plus, if I make a mobile charging station I can still use the Hyperion since it's DC. Anyway, my name is David, I will connect with you thru your site so we can stay in touch. I do photography as a hobby already...
So I'm going to have to retracted a statement I made above for the good..... The charging time for an 8000mah with the set up I now have is NOT an 1 hour and 20/30 minutes. I actually had the wrong setup settings and not letting full AMPs in. Charge time is now approximately 40 minutes, for two batteries at the same time... huge improvement!! I had max AMPs set at 10 instead of 20.....
Thank you again for all your information, David! As you can see through my web site,my name is Kurt and please feel free to contact me! I am in the process of spending money on computers and software so the Matrix is taking a "little bit" of a back seat at this moment but only for a few weeks until I can free up some funds!! I am sure once I get ready to make my purchase, I would like to be able to contact you with any other questions I might have if that is OK with you! As I mentioned before, please contact me through my web site. Thanks again for all your information and help. BTW... did you ever post the other video you were going to do? I have been (and still am) very busy and have had no time to be on this site. Please let me know when you have the opportunity... THX!!
