Operation Manual

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5) XT-30 Battery Connector

In order to reduce weight (and to arrive below the 250g weight limit for un-registered drones in the

USA, and other countries) XT-30 Battery connectors are used instead of the more popular XT-60s. It is

highly recommended to stick with this connector, and purchase batteries with XT-30s pre-installed. .

Note 1: Pay EXTREME attention to the polarity of batteries connected to this connector, especially

those soldered ‘DIY’. A reverse-polarity connection, even for a fraction of a second will let out the

‘magic smoke’ and destroy most of the electronics in the Vortex Mini.

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Note 2: When unplugging the battery, especially one with a new, and rather tight connector, take

care to hold the cables, and avoid unnecessary strain on the Vortex PDB. Pulling these cables too

hard may pull the traces off of the PCB.

Note 2: When unplugging the battery, especially one with a new, and rather tight connector, take

care to hold the cables, and avoid unnecessary strain on the Vortex PDB. Pulling these cables too

hard may pull the traces off of the PCB.

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Note 3: XT-30 connectors are a lot less robust than their XT-60 cousins. Be careful not to force them

together with incorrect polarity. With enough force, the plastic shell will crack, and result in a

destroyed quad!

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Connector Part Numbers and Sources

If any of the connectors on the Vortex 150/180 Mini are damaged, or if 3rd party components are to be

integrated into the system, the following list of connectors and pre-crimped wires should be useful.

Cable

Description

Manufacturer’s PN

Digikey PN

FUN/GPS Signal Connector

Picoblade 5 pin

0510210500 

WM1723-ND

Camera Signal Connector

Picoblade 3 pin

0510210300 

WM1721-ND

Picoblade Signal Wires

(all Picoblade connectors)

Picoblade

0006660013

WM2320-ND

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