Is there any way to power the drone without having to use the battery, meaning an electrical hookup.
Power available without battery?
- Thread starter pmaubo
- Start date
N017RW
Premium Pilot
The problem with all phantoms since the P2 is the serial comm with the battery. Therefore a battery or some hack to simulate the comm from a batt is required. I have no knowledge of any such hack.
Not one that is price conscious for personal use. There is such a thing as a "Tethered Power Source" but they are only for specific aircraft and insanely expensive. They are designed to allow very long flights (time wise) for things like "Special Events" and such.
Here's but one example:
Tethered Drone Systems - Aeromana - Tethered Solutions for Drones
I have considered making up an adapter using a connector similar to the connection on the battery and furnishing the correct voltage furnished by a regulated power supply to the proper pins. This adapter would be inserted into the battery cavity and plugged into the drone’s Power input. I had considered this device to allow configuring the Phantom and also heating the IMU before a long flight and avoid using any battery power until ready to fly. The outboard power could be turned off, remove device and insert battery to finish up powering up and flying
I don’t know if this would work as described but I haven’t convinced myself that it would not. Someone else may have already tried this.
Good luck
Jim
WA5TEF
I don’t know if this would work as described but I haven’t convinced myself that it would not. Someone else may have already tried this.
Good luck
Jim
WA5TEF
I had a crashed P3 and didn't want to put money into a battery if it was shot. My p3 was under water for 3 days. Battery was shot. Only had 1 battery, so I hooked up the charger to the P3 with clips. It would start up, but then shut off because it didn't recognize the battery,( the charger.) I hooked up the charger and this time hooked up the board the was on the battery. Everything worked, even the P3. Was I surprised. The gimbal, camera and the props. It still worked even though it was under a water fall for 3 days. I came home and flushed out the brown silt that was in it with the water hose. What could I hurt? That was in Sept. I got my P4 and haven't touched my P3 since. I thought about selling my P3 , but the hell it went through and it ain't pretty. I even made a video of my setup with it running.
Here is my thoughts about designing one. Airborne weight is critical, so I would:
1) use small two wire cable from ground to AC (bird) and solder it to the battery terminals
2) Install a factory battery in the bird
3) For example use 18 gauge copper teflon insulated twisted pair
4) 800 feet of wire will allow bird to go 400 feet high
5) 800 feet of 18 gauge copper wire weights 4 pounds. (without insulation so it will weight more)
6) 800 feet of 18 gauge copper wire has 5.7 ohms resistance
7) If the bird needs 10 amps steady state to maintain flight, this will mean 57 volt drop across the 800 foot of wire.
8) Add in the 15 volts at the battery and thus you need to produce 57 + 15 = 72 volts DC at the ground end of the wire.
9) Use the DJI Go app to measure the actual battery voltage, and then adjust the ground end voltage necessary to provide the required current thru the small wire to keep the battery from running down., or being overcharged.
10) Design a switching power supply to produce this voltage from your 12 volt DC car battery, and keep the engine running, because you are drawing over 720 watts from the car battery. That's about 60 amps draw on the car battery. But that power is free -Ha Ha.
11) The next calculation needs to be to see how hot the 18 gauge wire runs carrying 10 amps. Remember the air will cool the wire too.
I just did these calculation in the last 10 minutes as food for some more thought. Don't forget about the aerodynamics with a long wire hanging below the aircraft!
Have fun.
Joe
KC7GHT
1) use small two wire cable from ground to AC (bird) and solder it to the battery terminals
2) Install a factory battery in the bird
3) For example use 18 gauge copper teflon insulated twisted pair
4) 800 feet of wire will allow bird to go 400 feet high
5) 800 feet of 18 gauge copper wire weights 4 pounds. (without insulation so it will weight more)
6) 800 feet of 18 gauge copper wire has 5.7 ohms resistance
7) If the bird needs 10 amps steady state to maintain flight, this will mean 57 volt drop across the 800 foot of wire.
8) Add in the 15 volts at the battery and thus you need to produce 57 + 15 = 72 volts DC at the ground end of the wire.
9) Use the DJI Go app to measure the actual battery voltage, and then adjust the ground end voltage necessary to provide the required current thru the small wire to keep the battery from running down., or being overcharged.
10) Design a switching power supply to produce this voltage from your 12 volt DC car battery, and keep the engine running, because you are drawing over 720 watts from the car battery. That's about 60 amps draw on the car battery. But that power is free -Ha Ha.
11) The next calculation needs to be to see how hot the 18 gauge wire runs carrying 10 amps. Remember the air will cool the wire too.
I just did these calculation in the last 10 minutes as food for some more thought. Don't forget about the aerodynamics with a long wire hanging below the aircraft!
Have fun.
Joe
KC7GHT
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Search for "tethered drones". There are many out there, but as far as i see none that are inexpensive.
I am currently looking for a tether system for my P4, but i imagine it will be too expensive to be worth it.
There are setups for M600, M200 that are around $10000.
This sounds like it just might work, Joe!!! It sounds like you've tested this and have worked out all the bugs. I just want to make sure that you did before I invest in all that wire.
How would the various systems react to a power source other than what passes through the smart board ? Wouldn't the smart board be looking for individual cells as well ?
Watching the 'Lifeline' video - appears that the 'block' inserted into the battery slot may be mimicking the original Smart battery for that reason ?
Interesting the quick view of the 'power box' and all those XT60's being plugged in .... if they are all 4S LiHV packs !
Watching the 'Lifeline' video - appears that the 'block' inserted into the battery slot may be mimicking the original Smart battery for that reason ?
Interesting the quick view of the 'power box' and all those XT60's being plugged in .... if they are all 4S LiHV packs !
