Aftermarket Accessories

Tpat591 · Sep 6, 2016

I get that the X-Star is relatively new to the market and Aftermarket Accessories will eventually come in time, however, it is frustrating to see all the accessories for DJI and know we really cannot safely use many of them. With an original Autel Battery charger retailing over $60, and the wait involved in charging mutiple batteries, the price point and functions of these DJI accessories are very attractive.

Accessories we would like to see available for X-Star:

12v Car Charger capable of Charging up to three batteries and remote in the field at reasonable price.
120v Home Charger capable of Charging up to three batteries and remote at reasonable price.
Multi bay Battery charger.

Tuned X-Star Extended Range Antennas & Signal Booster Accessory Kits (beginning to appear).

RJ_Make · Sep 6, 2016

I know, I can't wait until there is a multi-charger for the X-Star.

Quagmire LXIX · Sep 6, 2016

Tpat, you explain and then yet frustrate yourself about the problem, nearly suggesting you wish Autel made more of a clone than what people are suggesting it is. Give it some time brother, 3rd parties need to wait and see if the product takes hold before they invest. We now have multiple filter companies, it is just time and DJI has had a lot more of it for the 3rd parties and Autel to play with. Autel will undoubtedly be pleased in your eagerness and desire to charge so many batts at a time, the kind of excitement and need that will have them further investing.

RJ_Make said:
I know, I can't wait until there is a multi-charger for the X-Star.

This is hilarious, I can't fathom why you're even still here. I look forward to more of your 'why is my XSP so poor when my P3P is so perfect, but I'm going to use and invest in the XSP anyway, threads'. Good luck RJ.

paul holt · Sep 6, 2016

just wait 3rd party apps are coming soon .all I'm going to say

Tpat591 · Sep 7, 2016

Quagmire LXIX said:
Tpat, you explain and then yet frustrate yourself about the problem, nearly suggesting you wish Autel made more of a clone than what people are suggesting it is. Give it some time brother, 3rd parties need to wait and see if the product takes hold before they invest. We now have multiple filter companies, it is just time and DJI has had a lot more of it for the 3rd parties and Autel to play with. Autel will undoubtedly be pleased in your eagerness and desire to charge so many batts at a time, the kind of excitement and need that will have them further investing..

Actually I was under the impression that Autel Robotics was invited to visit the Forum and wanted to put the bug in their ear so they would have the opportunity to see that there is a market for these accessories. If we are running three to four batteries in the field with a 12v multi-charger in the parked vehicle, we could theoretically keep the X-Star flying all day long if we chose to with only short breaks to relax in between & service the craft during which the Remote Control could be topped off.

I do believe the batteries in a P3 and an X-Star are a lot more similar than you may realize though. After all they are still essentially 4S lipo hobby batteries that contain their own intelligent balance board that will be at 16.8v when fully charged. While a DJI charger does run at 17.4v & an Autel charger runs at 16.8v, I think it is pretty safe to say the 0.6 volt difference isn't going to matter an awful lot in the grand scheme of things, especially as with more than one battery charging, that voltage will drop under the charging load to around 16.8v or significantly lower anyway. The battery's balance board will shut down the charging circuit in the battery when the battery is fully charged, if it exceeds a set temperature, or if too much voltage is applied & prevent overcharging.

According to what I can figure out from internet searches, where the chargers differ greatly as I understand it is in the remote control charging socket and voltage on that line in particular. These aftermarket accessories are reported to supply 17.4v through a larger socket to the remote as well (which confuses me since DJI P3 remotes operate on 2S lipo cells @ 7.5v-8.6 max charge -- Perhaps DJI employs resistors in the remote itself to prevent overcharging with a 17.4v charger?) whereas an Autel Remote operates on a 1S 1400mah lipo Battery @ 3.7v-4.2v max charge. So long as the remote is not charged on that charger leg you should be fine using the existing accessory and that socket could be adapted for another battery to be placed on charge.

RJ_Make · Sep 7, 2016

I notice on the X-Star Charger they're connecting, what looks like a 6 pin data connection to the battery? Is this for the external fan or is the charging control logic incorporated into the charger?

Tpat591 · Sep 7, 2016

Normally I would consider it a balance connector for a smart charger to balance the Lipo's individual cells, but I believe the battery is smarter than the charger in this instance and that connector is used for the battery to initiate charging with the charger as the charger does not appear to pass a voltage on the +&- Spade Terminals unless it is connected to a battery and it must also be used to start & stop the fan as necessary.

Here a dumb charger connected to the +&- on a P3 Battery will not initiate a charge cycle on its own.
The user will have to push the button on the battery to initiate the charging cycle of the DJI Smart battery with the dumb charger .

I'm willing to bet that X-Star Batteries will perform in same manner and will terminate the charge cycle when the board in the battery has properly balanced the battery cells, & disconnects itself from the dumb charger.

paul holt · Sep 7, 2016

gimbal guards are out now Autel XSTAR, XSTAR Premium Gimbal Camera Lock Replacement

msinger · Sep 7, 2016

paul holt said:
gimbal guards are out now

That looks like Arthur Brutter's handywork.

paul holt · Sep 7, 2016

msinger said:
That looks like Arthur Brutter's handywork.

looks nice kinda pricey have to be really nice to frank maybe he will send me one lol

msinger · Sep 7, 2016

Sure -- two people are getting a cut of that action. Plus, it takes a lot of time to make a part like that. People who don't own 3D printers cannot really appreciate that part of the process.

paul holt · Sep 7, 2016

msinger said:
Sure -- two people are getting a cut of that action. Plus, it takes a lot of time to make a part like that. People who don't own 3D printers cannot really appreciate that part of the process.

I'm happy with the ones rj made on his printer work great

RJ_Make · Sep 7, 2016

paul holt said:
gimbal guards are out now Autel XSTAR, XSTAR Premium Gimbal Camera Lock Replacement
View attachment 38 View attachment 38

That's a nice design, I like the contouring around the gimbal. Should provide a massive amount of support.

paul holt · Sep 7, 2016

RJ_Make said:
That's a nice design, I like the contouring around the gimbal. Should provide a massive amount of support.

I really don't care cause I already have a real nice one .just thought I would share it

Jim Jenkins · Sep 8, 2016

Not fancy but fits over frewell filters

Tpat591 · Sep 8, 2016

Any chance of posting acquisition links to to the accessories you guys are posting in case another user wants to get one?

LuvMyTJ · Sep 16, 2016

It seems there are a few members fortunate enough to have 3D printers. Maybe a thread in the Classifieds with products for sale by members? I am not talking about store owners but hobby guys trying to help out.

If you do have a store or large scale production facility there are also forum sponsorships available to sell here as a vendor - Advertise with Us | DronePilots.zone

Thoughts on this?

RJ_Make · Sep 16, 2016

LuvMyTJ said:
It seems there are a few members fortunate enough to have 3D printers. Maybe a thread in the Classifieds with products for sale by members? I am not talking about store owners but hobby guys trying to help out.

If you do have a store or large scale production facility there are also forum sponsorships available to sell here as a vendor - Advertise with Us | DronePilots.zone

Thoughts on this?

I didn't post anything about my gimbal brace because I thought It might step on the boards TOU rules. Maybe not??

LuvMyTJ · Sep 16, 2016

RJ_Make said:
I didn't post anything about my gimbal brace because I thought It might step on the boards TOU rules. Maybe not??

While advertising here is considered spam unless you are a sponsor or a member selling their own used items in the classifieds, we do allow hobbyist who are making things on a small, non-commercial scale to advertise items in the classifieds. We know sponsorship cost money and if you are making a few dozen 3D printed items sponsorship is unrealistic so as a courtesy to members it is allowed on a limited basis.

paul holt · Sep 16, 2016

LuvMyTJ said:
It seems there are a few members fortunate enough to have 3D printers. Maybe a thread in the Classifieds with products for sale by members? I am not talking about store owners but hobby guys trying to help out.

If you do have a store or large scale production facility there are also forum sponsorships available to sell here as a vendor - Advertise with Us | DronePilots.zone

Thoughts on this?

that is a wonderfull thought should help out members