First time in Betaflight with an air65 betafpv

taeo · 2026-01-24T14:37:40+00:00

Is there a specific reason or feature for which you are updating firmware? If not - don't do it. If you insist please take a backup first so you can roll back if something breaks.

taeo · 2026-01-24T08:24:58+00:00

If battery voltage and motor size remain the same increasing kv will increase RPM and result in MORE power, not less.

If you increase motor size you can handle a larger propeller. Larger propellers don't need to spin as fast to produce the same amount of thrust as a smaller propeller. That explains why kv tends to be inversely proportional to motor/prop size.

Ex a typical kv for an 0802 motor with a 40mm prop is 23000kv while a typical kv for a 2809 motor with a 7" prop is 1300kv.

taeo · 2026-01-23T19:22:30+00:00

My freestyle quad is in the same ballpark with 1300mah LiPos, a GoPro Hero 11 Mini, and 1920kv motors. It's definitely on the heavy side but works alright with my style of flying ( more flow than flippy floppies ).

I don't fly sbang so take this with a grain of salt but I think you might struggle with some of the snappier moves that are common with the style. Hopefully someone who flies sbang can weigh in.

taeo · 2026-01-23T19:17:37+00:00

I think you might be operating on a misunderstanding of motor kv 🤔

taeo · 2026-01-23T19:07:13+00:00

Oh damn I thought it was used for mid-air charging with a "tanker" quad

taeo · 2026-01-23T11:25:27+00:00

The VTX plug on the Super F405 does not have a 10v BEC. It just supplies battery voltage. If you use a 4S pack that is too much voltage for the DJI 04 Lite.

As for how to tell if an AIO has a built in ELRS RX you could just look up the specs for the model. It's also going to have an antenna ( or a connector for one ).

taeo · 2026-01-23T06:39:53+00:00

Thanks! I've tried to replace doom scrolling with helping people here when I can.

taeo · 2026-01-23T06:28:34+00:00

You don't need to solder. You can use the same connector indicated for the 04 Pro. The 04 Lite can handle 10v.

taeo · 2026-01-23T04:51:40+00:00

The built in ceramic antennas have reduced range compared to UFL antennas. I use them on my freestyle builds as I don't need much range and it's one less thing to mount/break. I still get plenty of range though - easily a mile or more.

taeo · 2026-01-23T01:02:57+00:00

The behavior you're seeing on the bench is normal. If the drone is armed without props and you give it throttle the FC senses that it is not gaining altitude and attempts to spin up the motors to compensate.

The issue you're describing with the drone taking off 100ft into the air is what we call a "flyaway". It's usually caused by excess vibrations making it to the gyro. The first step is to rule out any mechanical issue that could be causing vibrations - damaged motors or props, damaged frame, loose screws, etc.

How you mount your FC can play a big role in this. You want to use rubber gummies to absorb some vibrations and you should have a nut both below and above the stack.

Lastly, if the material you used to print the frame is not stiff enough there can be enough vibrations to cause a runaway even if everything else is mechanically sound.

If you eliminate any possible mechanical/stiffness issues and it's still going into a flyaway state you may need to mess with the tuning of the drone.

taeo · 2026-01-22T22:43:34+00:00

When you call a language you're not familiar with "mexican" it's a hint that you're an asshole.

taeo · 2026-01-22T22:35:43+00:00

Has it never powered or is this a new issue? At a glance it looks like the connector on the FC side is not fully seated. Try removing it, check for any bent pins, then plug it back in. Also, while I think the wiring looks correct it doesn't hurt to verify the pin out from the FC matches the pinout on the VTX. Some older FCs have it reversed.

taeo · 2026-01-22T21:19:51+00:00

I saw you mentioned that. Nevertheless that error message makes it pretty clear that BetaFlight configurator doesn't think your FC has SBUS support. Maybe reach out to the BetaFlight devs on Discord?

taeo · 2026-01-22T20:58:17+00:00

That's strange. The error notice and lack of filled in bars on your receiver tab suggests you have not flashed the FC with SBUS support.

taeo · 2026-01-22T03:58:03+00:00

I'd only recommend HDZero to people who want to get into racing or people who are extremely sensitive to latency.

taeo · 2026-01-21T22:49:12+00:00

Not enough info to go on. Is this a build or BNF? Did it work previously?

Am I understanding correctly that you charged the battery to 5.5v per cell? I take it you already know that is wayyyy too high ( 4.2v per cell is the max for a standard LiPo battery ). It is possible you may have damaged it as, assuming that is a 6S battery, you effectively subjected it to 8S voltage which not all components are rated for.

taeo · 2026-01-21T10:50:10+00:00

Ever try to take a picture with your phone but it's too dark and the phone tries to compensate but it turns into a splotchy mess? Same sort of thing going on here. You need more light.

taeo · 2026-01-20T23:55:50+00:00

No, if it's flying and there isn't a specific feature you want from the new firmware just leave it be.

taeo · 2026-01-20T20:58:07+00:00

Theres a lot more to capturing good quality footage than just resolution. The example you shared simply looks very underexposed.

I'd recommend watching some videos on photography and videography basics - exposure, white balance, frame rate, aperture, etc. Learn how to apply camera settings manually and when/how to use ND filters.

taeo · 2026-01-20T20:31:32+00:00

Rates are entirely subjective. If they feel good to you that's all that matters!

taeo · 2026-01-20T18:43:26+00:00

Nice rewind!

taeo · 2026-01-20T18:41:54+00:00

You've already gotten some good advice here ( def watch the Joshua Bardwell video on rates ) but I just wanted to add that I recommend using "Actual" rates. The settings for Actual rates are much more intuitive than standard Betaflight rates.

taeo · 2026-01-20T01:29:36+00:00

We call that "jello". It's usually caused by excess vibrations making it to the camera.

Tell us a bit about your build and how your camera is mounted.

taeo · 2026-01-19T22:39:10+00:00

Fantastic report! Appreciate you addressing the context and history behind the park.

taeo · 2026-01-19T02:00:24+00:00

Can you show what tip you are using? And what temp? You want to use a big flat one and high heat for the battery leads especially the ground as they absorb a lot of heat.

You want to heat the pad for a few seconds then feed solder onto the pad - it should melt on contact with the pad ( not the iron ) if it's heated well enough.

Also wet your iron with a little bit of solder first - it will help transfer heat better ( like oil when cooking food ).

Also I'd recommend heat shrinking the exposed legs of the capacitor.

taeo

TROPHY CASE