Hey Guys, This is going to be my first EDF - FPV - ForceFly Jet. I'm going to try to keep track of my build here, taking images, asking questions and hopefully get a bit of help as I go along. I will be posting my first images tonight. Here is a bit of information to get started.

This is the set up I'm going to be building. All of the parts have arrived and am starting this build today.
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Plane: Banana Hobby 7ch f-16
Flight Control: Logitech G940(joystick, throttle and rudder peddles)
Camera: SN777
Transmitter: Hobbywireless FPV582X plug-n-play
Goggles: Fatshark Dominator Headset
ForceFly: FW:1.02

Very cool! I love VRFlyers F-16 FPV setup. Are you shooting for a realistic setup like his?

Totally! I'm trying to go as real as I can get it. This first pass will be to get all the equipment up and running and get a good electronics and flight hardware test. Then I'll maiden and begin the rest of the upgrades as close to fully functional cockpit, embedded sensors and readouts, head tracking etc.. I'll upload some pics of all the equipment tonight. I found out I may need a different receiver so I'll hit the hobby store some time tomorrow morning and hope they have what I need. Until then I'm going to sort out my build process.

Thanks for the interest! newbie here gonna need some support :/

More to come shortly!

Here are a few photos I snapped of the hardware so far. Nothing I haven't listed above. Sorry the images are not the best, I'll be sure to take better photo's and video as I move forward. In the mean time i have configured my Bixler to support the new video hardware so I'll be doing some test flights with the new video transmitter over the weekend weather permitting :/

All I was able to do today was... Pull the BEC cable from inside the body to the to the cockpit(not easy unfortunately), solder the power plug onto the battery for the fat sharks, and run into my first problem.

Problem 1:
My radio receiver does not have any BATT pins for an external BEC. I'll be making a trip to my local hobby store in the AM to see if they sell a compatible spectrum radio receiver.

Alternate Link to Parts Image


More tomorrow, Have a good night guys!

Not sure if anybody is reading this anyhow but here is the latest...

I didn't get to fly last weekend after all. I am waiting for a converter so i can plug my goggles into the video receiver. And to my misfortune it was mailed to the wrong address and once more it was signed for by some random Mofo... Part is on its way me now.

I learned I can use the Bind/Data pins or any other available pin sets on my receiver to power an external BEC! Shortly after learning this I was able to get the jet up and running in a few minutes with out a new receiver! After a very short electronics check all seemed to be operating ok, except on my second test of the landing gear operation the Rear-Left landing gear clevis broke. For Shame!

I still need to pick up a new clevis but I decided to start the building the rest of the plane. Its just about fully built now. The only things left for the build are...

1) Repair the landing gear
2) Install the Underbelly Stabilizers
3) Install FPV Gear (vTX, Camera, Battery)




Next Steps...
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Configure Electronics
-radio mixing
-ForceFly Configuration

Power System Test
-Basic Flight Control and Engine testing
-Extended Flight Control and Engine testing

Taxi Test
FPV Range/Stability Testing
Maiden Flight

More Soon! - Suuuuper excided to configure the force fly I'll try to post videos for the electronics and power system tests.

Beautiful, can't wait to see more

What are you plugging the FF into? Another remote or a LRS system. You'l love the FF once you get it setup. Playing back the flight throught it way cool. for example -

Joystick (5 min 47 sec)

Thanks guys! Cool video, I'm extatic to get this girl into the air but in taking my time with it. I will be connectimg Forcefly to my radio for now but ultimately would LOVE to get an LRS system up and running. I'm hoping to finish the build stuff today some time. I also quickly realized I don't have a charger for my 5s so I won't get far with out that one.

Whoa! Hold on, you're not planning on flying this beautiful bird FPV with 2.4ghz for control are you??

I am don't scare me! I'm not plannin to go BVR for some time. Should I be really worried?

Spektrum? Or FASST? Or some other?

Using a Spektrum DX7s radio on DSMX with a spektrum 6115 receiver.

I don't have any experience with the new DSMX, and as far as I know, nobody else here on the forum is using it for FPV (or if they are, they aren't reporting random crashes...heh). So that may be a good sign or a bad sign...

Anyway, if you MUST fly with Spektrum stuff, stay close. And make sure to physically seperate your Vtx as far as possible from your RC Rx.

And definitely report back here for us all to learn! I'm interested to see if possibly the new DSMX protocol is more robust/safer than their older garbage.

eeeeeek! Garbage? that kinda stings :/ I will definitely let you guys all know how it goes. I'll be doing all the testing of my new FPV gear on my older bixler to be sure everything is OK before installing it in the F-16 so we'll all find out together.

So far I'm getting good results but haven't done any in depth testing as I still have to fix the gear before the jet will stand on its own.

Just to be clear -> My control is 2.4ghz my FPV is 5.8ghz

I still recommend you fly FPV with a 72mhz system. They can be had for quite cheap (as everybody thinks they are "upgrading" by going 2.4ghz). 2.4ghz for control does NOT play nice with FPV, in part because its a true digital system, and for myraid other reasons. The fact is, many MANY posts exist here on RCG in the FPV section of crashes due to lockout. Spektrum stuff is generally fine for normal LOS flying, but once you add the video system (Re: RF NOISE) to the plane and begin attempting to fly farther than you can see, you will find its weaknesses.

That being said, if you stay close while you test your gear, your should be ok.