F450 F550 Style Multicopter GoPro SJCam FPV Gimbal

thingiverse

The original design was a good starting point, but it fell short by essentially duplicating aluminum frames sold with gimbal kits, so I took it to the next level. My previous frame featured an aluminum base with an fpv camera zip tied to the bottom, surrounded by wires everywhere. The velcro piece that held the camera in place was frustrating and blocked most of the camera buttons and screen, among many other issues that I aimed to address. By no means is this design perfect, but it's a significant improvement over popular original aluminum frames out there. 1. Add an fpv camera ring underneath your HD action cam so you can see what you're shooting without relying on wifi on your camera, and for a stabilized fpv image. Wiring for the fpv camera goes through conduit to avoid interfering with gimbal operation. 2. Instead of using double-sided tape to hold your gyro/accelerometer to the gimbal, there's a pocket with screw holes that secure and protect the board, preventing components from breaking off on hard landings or crashes. 3. The middle bracket shape is changed to allow for pointing straight down while hovering, whereas the original style frame doesn't permit straight-down shooting without tangling up wires. 4. Combine the controller board and top arm so you don't need screws holding them together. 5. Combine the top board with dampened 10mm rod brackets so you no longer need aluminum brackets and adapters to hold your on 10mm rods. 6. Add an On/Off switch so you can turn off your gimbal when calibrating your magnetometer and accelerometer, which requires flipping your multicopter around in all directions while powered on, potentially frying your BGC board. 7. Add a hard stop for the middle bracket to prevent it from flipping over and tangling up wires. 8. Remove as much material as possible without compromising strength to reduce weight. Some necessary components include: * Mini FPV camera - https://amzn.to/2GKDOmY or similar * Action cam GoPro or SJCam or any of the clones that are all the same size * A landing system using 10mm tubes - https://amzn.to/2KR80iJ or similar * Thin silicone wire for FTP camera wiring - https://amzn.to/2x8LAr4 or similar * Aluminum frame 2-axis gimbal - https://amzn.to/2Lon3Br or similar * Mini switches - https://amzn.to/2xaehE8 or similar This build reuses rubber dampeners from landing gear and gimbal kits, so ensure you get the ones similar to the links above if you don't want to buy extra parts. That's an IR-blocked zoom lens with a UV filter on a $30 sjcam7000 clone, which works great. I use a fisheye for my FPV; most people like a normal lens but I prefer having a wide field of view when flying FPV. I bought my own 10mm rods, as the ones that come with these kits are fragile and too thick and heavy. I'm also working on a landing system based on this one that uses standard size carbon fiber rods and all 3D printed parts, with a modular battery box, adjustable center of gravity, and a mount for an F450/F550 style multicopter that's cleaner than using zip-ties or whatever these kits usually call for... stay tuned. UPDATE #1: This gimbal with motors, fpv camera, and motors is lighter than the old aluminum brackets without any components! UPDATE #2: Now included are 3 new files for V2 direct mount top bracket. This is if you use a different type of landing system or don't have rubber bushings for the top brackets. The dampers for the bottom plate are cheap and easy to find, but the top rubber bushings are nearly impossible to find and aren't really needed. So V2 addresses this issue since you can now use this system without those bushings, and since you're already using dampeners for the bottom plate, there's no need for them. This also makes it easier to remove and install the gimbal for maintenance or if you want to fly without it. I also moved the switch behind the plate so that it's more protected between the two 10MM tubes instead of being on the side.