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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

MJX X101 Camera Stabilization Mod

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The MJX X101 is an affordable toy-grade quadcopter primarily designed to carry a camera. The standard package includes a battery/camera mount that is attached under the center of the canopy via screws and uses damping balls to compensate vibration. Although the design is sane, the way the battery cradle is mounted makes the whole construction vibrate to the horizontal axis; the vibration is especially noticeable when yaw is applied, as shown in the following video.
MJX X101 standard camera mount (without the mod)

The mod is very simple. By using two small pieces of thermal insulation tube, we are effectively limiting the amount of vibration in the horizontal axis without making the cradle stiff, which will  render the damping balls useless. Each thermal insulation tube piece length is 5.8mm and with a diameter no more than 5.5mm.
pad_lengthpad_diameter
To install each tube, unscrew each side-way screw to the battery cradle and place the tube between the plastic where the screw is mounted and the base of the cradle, as shown in the next pictures. Put the screws back in place, try not to over-tight them.
before_installationafter_installation
To mount the camera (a Mobius C2 in my case), I’ve used some Velcro tape on the underside of the camera and the cradle.
Mobius_X101_mount
X101_Mobius1
X101_Mobius2
The cradle now does not vibrate as much as without the insulation tube and this is evident in the video.
Test flight with camera mod

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