Welcome to FPVDronePilots!
Join our free FPV drone community today!
Sign up

DJI Phantom receiver in race quad

Andrewhylan

Member
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
6
Reaction score
5
Location
Austin TX
I posted this on the phantom forum as well and they referred me here.
(Original post
Hello all,
I have an old Phantom 2 vision+ I don’t use anymore (got a phantom 4) and I am also curious about getting into racing quads. I have taken apart my phantom 2 vision+ and was hoping to see a more standard RX. My goal is to use the transmitter from the phantom on a racing drone to avoid spending $$$ on a new transmitter and receiver. The Rx in the phantom has 2 antennas and 2 3pin ports. Does anyone know what each port is and if it will work with a standard flight controller. /note: I do not plan on using the NAZA module, as I want a fully acrobatic race quad. Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: rtkDarling
To add: I do not mind using a different receiver if it will bind with the phantom 2 remote. Also, I have both the old and the new phantom remote and am happy to use either with the quad, I just am avoiding buying a new remote to save $
 
Im pretty sure the old Phantoms use ppm recievers, since I have seen many ppl replace the original reciever with something better .
A ppm reciever should work with almost any modern FC, but may not be ideal because of the big latency.
The 3 pins are minus, plus (I guess 5V) and ppm signal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rtkDarling
This might work out for you if you knew how to fly acro and you weren't building your first quad. As it stands, you're not going to know how to diagnose your build because you don't know how to fly. The latency issue is very real; DJI AP rigs don't fly like FPV quads, so they don't need the connection speed we need. Chances are good that if this works at all it's going to take some skill and patience to build and fly it, and you're not likely to develop that skill with this project.

A jumper t12 controller is multiprotocol and less than $100.

Just because I don't think this is realistic doesn't mean you're not welcome around here. Please, hang out and ask questions. The kit I recommend for new pilots is about $100 for the controller, $100 for a set of goggles (ev800d) and a $100 micro brushless drone. So $300 - $350 you can be flying around your own home. After that another $200 or so will get you a full size race rig

This is that kit in the common area and gym of my old apartment
 
This might work out for you if you knew how to fly acro and you weren't building your first quad. As it stands, you're not going to know how to diagnose your build because you don't know how to fly. The latency issue is very real; DJI AP rigs don't fly like FPV quads, so they don't need the connection speed we need. Chances are good that if this works at all it's going to take some skill and patience to build and fly it, and you're not likely to develop that skill with this project.

A jumper t12 controller is multiprotocol and less than $100.

Just because I don't think this is realistic doesn't mean you're not welcome around here. Please, hang out and ask questions. The kit I recommend for new pilots is about $100 for the controller, $100 for a set of goggles (ev800d) and a $100 micro brushless drone. So $300 - $350 you can be flying around your own home. After that another $200 or so will get you a full size race rig

This is that kit in the common area and gym of my old apartment
I have spent substantial time in simulators and have been flying drones for years. I am also comfortable with PID controls and am not worried about tuning once it is paired. I mostly am just wanting to see if I will be able to use my transmitter with a 5inch quad. Thank you for your prompt response, but I am solely asking on the technical aspect.
 
I have spent substantial time in simulators and have been flying drones for years. I am also comfortable with PID controls and am not worried about tuning once it is paired. I mostly am just wanting to see if I will be able to use my transmitter with a 5inch quad. Thank you for your prompt response, but I am solely asking on the technical aspect.
Here are a couple of photos for reference
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    2.5 MB · Views: 5
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    2.2 MB · Views: 4
There is a BEC in the Phantom. Most likely the receiver needs 5V.

And from the image it does indeed looks like the reciever runs sbus which are compatible with any flight controller
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andrewhylan
Thank you both for your help, this is extremely helpful. I’ll dig through the manuals and find all of the voltage/ Lipo ratings for the electronics and will work from there. Maybe sometime soon I’ll be able to show off the result! Thanks y’all
 
  • Like
Reactions: rtkDarling
Thinking about this from a few other angles regarding using the DJI controller for FPV. With DJI, the left stick up and down is "altitude" (so the stick is centered). With FPV quads, the left stick is "throttle" and does not hold it's position. In fact, your FPV quad should not even arm if your left stick is not in the completely down position. The pic you posted of the transmitter shows the left stick centered in the middle position (which is where it springs to if it's like my Mavic controller). Since this is how the DJI drones are designed to be flown, I am not sure there would be a way to alter that left stick so it doesn't center. But doing so would be required in order to use that transmitter for FPV.

Also, you'll be jumping through all of these hoops to get your one receiver to work with that specific transmitter. While it's an interesting prospect, it's likely that you'll eventually crash in a way that damages that one receiver. Then, you are SOL, unless/until you can source another receiver. If you go with Frsky or Crossfire, receivers are readily available (when there's not a pandemic on) in the $14 to $30 range. Along these same lines, if you "get the bug," you're going to want more than just one quad. But your project only allows for one receiver/transmitter combo. Just s few other thoughts to consider.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HighTechPauper

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
6,012
Messages
44,355
Members
5,307
Latest member
Kodax