Not included items

This page lists some parts that are not included in the NXP Cup kit, but are required to use the rover.

LiPo batteries

Drones require batteries which can handle the high currents drawn by the motors. These lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries can be quite dangerous and there may be restrictions for shipping this kind of batteries. For this reason, there was no battery included in the kit. You will have to buy a decent LiPo battery yourself.‌

LiPo battery specification

The provided chassis, motors and ESCs are designed for a a LiPo battery with the following battery specifications:‌

  • 2S, which means a battery with 2 cells in series. This is often also indicated by the nominal voltage, which is 7.4 V for 2S batteries.

  • XT60 power connector (the big connector, usually yellow).

  • Capacity of 1800 mAh will give you a reasonable driving time.

  • 20C continuous discharge rating or higher is recommended. 20C means that the battery can supply a continuous current 20 times its capacity. For a 4000 mAh battery, that means it can continuously supply a current of 80 A. For a 3000 mAh battery you probably want to have at least a 25C rating.

Check electronics webshops such as Hobbyking or Conrad. NXP does not endorse any specific shop, we are merely suggesting some options.

We suggest a 2S, +/- 1800mAh battery with XT60 connector.

Handle LiPo batteries with care! These batteries can catch fire or explode when not handled in the right way. Read about the dangers of LiPo batteries and make sure you know how to safely charge and store LiPo batteries.

LiPo battery charger

A good LiPo battery charger is required to safely charge your LiPo batteries. This cannot be done with an ordinary power supply or battery charger! The kits already include a simple charger to get you started. However, these chargers are slow because they only charge through the balance connector.

Therefore, it is recommended that you buy a higher quality charger at some point. A good one charges the battery through its main connector and uses the balance connector only for cell balancing. A good battery charger should also be able to charge batteries with different cell configurations.

The same shops suggested for the LiPo batteries should also sell the right chargers. Have a look at DIY electronics shops or go to webshops such as HobbyKing, Conrad.

Again, this is not an endorsement of these specific shops, merely a suggestion.

UBEC for Servo motor or additional components

In the first revision of the DF Robot Chassis no UBEC is included but needed for controlling the Servo motor. A sample is available here:

Power Distribution Board

In the case that two motors and a Servo motor have to be connected to one power supply it is recommended to use a Power Distribution Board (PDB). This part is not included into the kits and has to bought separately.

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