I’m new to drones … this may be a simple question. I attempted to order Hubsan FPV x4 Mini Quadcopter 3.7V 380mAh LiPo batteries for the Hunter VTail 400 drones I’m ordering for my robotics lab in West Africa. But they’re lithium so they cannot be shipped here … and no ground delivery to Africa. I don’t know what the essential characteristics of the battery are for the drone so I’m afraid to just try some replacement at random. Preferably RobotShop would have a non-lithium alternative that I can order … it is very difficult to find any kind of technical equipment here.
By the way, here is what I tried to order … having never worked with drones I’m not 100% sure that this is all that I need to have working drones. It seems that the order takers at RobotShop only take orders, my request for advice did not receive any response or acknowledgement.
RB-Lyn-826 Lynxmotion Quadrino Nano Drone/UAV Flight Controller (with GPS)
RB-Lyn-701 Lynxmotion Hunter VTail 400 Drone (T-Motor Combo Kit)
RB-Hub-15 Hubsan FPV x4 Mini Quadcopter 3.7V 380mAh LiPo Battery
RB-Hui-05 B6AC LiPo Battery Charger 80W (US) 4 45.00 180.00
RB-Rlk-12 RadioLink AT9S 2.4GHz 10CH Transmitter w/R9DS 9CH Receiver
Thanks kindly for any help.
Hi rusyazik,
Unfortunately even if we try to send you the LiPo batteries, they will probably get stopped by the carrier and destroyed.
This can be done but it will imply some more charges and might not arrive.
There are no alternatives to LiPo in the drone industry (multirotor) as other batteries are too heavy.
The RB-Hub-15 is not really suited for the VTail 400 you would need a 2000mAh to 3000mAh 11.1V battery.
All the best,
Thank you kindly for your reply. After a bit of research, I believe I can find a compatible battery in Europe, with the possibility to ground ship to Africa. Thank you also for pointing out that I was ordering the wrong battery. Might be able to point me to a suitable battery in the RobotShop catalog? I really don’t want to go to extraordinary measures to get batteries here only to find I don’t have right ones.
Michael
Hi Michael,
The VTail 400 will require a 3S LiPo battery with a voltage of 11.1V (that’s 3 cells or commonly wrote 3s).
On the connector side, we use Deans connectors so either you find a battery already using this or buy a connector to solder on your battery.
Here is our usual suggestion for the platform:
11.1V, 2500mAh, 30C LiPo Battery
On a side note, what’s the plan to be done with the VTail’s ? We noticed you were from the UNESCO.
All the best,
Thank you again for your help Eric.
I’m working with UNESCO and the Malian government as a techinical consultant and as a robotics teacher. The Malian government is creating a center of robotics education in the new university city of Kabala in Bamako and UNESCO is funding purchase of equipment and some of the start-up costs. The first of two main activites of the center will be develop robotics and other advanced technology education for all levels from elementary through graduate school. The second activity is to be a incubator and resource for technology entrepreneurs. If I may editorialize for a moment, the tech world is 99.8% focused on the “problems” of the highly developed world while here in Africa, where technology could address grave problems and enable us to catch up with the rest of the world, there is almost no R&D. I do not know yet what the drones will be used for, only that there are many interesting potential applications in Mali. Our objective at this moment is to provide some equipment and other support to the students, researchers, and entrepreneurs that will develop prototypes with them.
As this isn’t my area of expertise, I would grateful for suggestions on what I might best do with my modest resources if not to buy the 4 or 5 VTail 400’s I’ve specified. I am buying much cheaper drones more for purely educational ends but I thought these might have the potential to serve for building prototypes of industrial applications.
Best regards,
Michael Leventhal
Hi Michael,
Being the designer behind the VTail 400/500 platforms i would probably not recommend theses for Robotic or Learning purpose.
They are less efficient than standard “Quadcopter” as the rear motor still have the same weight but produce less vertical thrust. They are, however, very fun to fly and get a lot of turning power.
The HQuad500 (Lynxmotion / RobotShop) might be a better platform for your needs.
