In the quest to extend the flight time of the AR.Drone David Homan has fitted a Zippy 2200mAh battery to his AR.Drone. This will take your flight time to roughly 30 minutes according to David. In his blog post (automatically translated) David explains that you need to take the extra weight into consideration while landing. He advises to bring the drone further down manually before hitting the landing button. He has some pictures in his blog post that show how he has attached the battery (which has a different form factor and weight) to his AR.Drone.
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I have also done something similar, except I found smaller cells from my RC Heli which are 11.1v at 2200mAh 15C fit better and I also made a change over cable so my cells work with my RC Heli, so my non-Parrot cells are Deans my Parrot cells are Mini-Tamia and they still work in the Drone.
Can you plz contact me, I need help with the change over cable.
Jsantanaa@gmail.com
Hi,
Great resource you have here. Any word on overheating the motors? I’d love to have more flight time, though with the unintended ascent that many are reporting, 30 minutes would be an awfully long, and harrowing wait for your drone to fall from high altitude…
-Scott
I have not heard about any overheating of the motors thus far.
Hi I’m deciding between the zippy or the 15c
Besides being smaller will it last the same as the zippy? Does it weights less than the zippy?
Can you make a video of how to make a change over cable?
Hi,
Should be a hack into firmware to reprogram it about weight problem to make it safe landing ?
The firmware would be the place to change the flight characteristics (like speed of descent). But I have not yet run across any firmware hacks and I doubt whether this can be done through the API.
Again I’m thinking in getting the 15c that are smaller, but first I need some answers I’m a newbie; ( saw the Ardrone at CES and I had to have it but I have never beer a
RC or Heli hobiest)
1. Does the 15c last the same as the zippy since both are 2200mAh?
2. Does the 15c weight the same or less than the zippy?
3. Both the zippy and 15c are 10-15$ on eBay and I want 3 of them, will they damage the motor?
4. Can someone plz do a how to make the chain over cable that way I have to do nothing to the batteries? (I have modded PC’s, xbox 36, etc.. But never a RC or Heli so I need help)
Thanks in advance for the reply, I’m new to your world!!
I think the ideal battery is the 2000mAh 3 cell, from Thunder Power RC,
Thunder Power RC Pro Lite MS 16C 2000mAh 11.1V 3 Cell LiPo 3SPL 2000 Lipo
A bit pricey but it weighs in at 122gr (stock battery is about ~100grams). Remove the large cage which saves you 40 grams, add this battery which doubles your flight time and only adds 20grams… so you’re almost at the same weight and twice the flight time.
thats how it works on my drone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxVL7upJi8Y
I would much rather buy a couple spare bateries that fit and match the drone. Not confortable with the added weight and strain on the motors.
A person can also run two smaller packs in parallel. For instance two 850 mah packs in parallel will give a total of 1700 mah but still fit in the stock battery well area. They will just be much taller. So they would have to extend the Velcro.
Hi Albert!
I’m thinking in use a ZIPPY 4000mAh 20C , its works? And about Ar.Drone charger….
hes charge my battery zippy 4000mAh 20c?
thanks.