Micro Tricopter built from UMX parts and DC motors from servos?

[BrokenPropeller]

Hello all.

I've been toying with an idea of taking the DC motors from broken servos that I have and splicing them into the motor wires on the control board from the Champ (UMX board). Then, I would let the "elevator" servo rotate the front boom that the 2 front motors are attached to and somehow use the other linear servo to rotate the tail motor. In theory, this would allow the tricopter to go up and down using the throttle, rotate with the rear tail motor like a normal tricopter, and then go forward and back by rotating the front boom. It SHOULD work..... I'll make a brief schematic of it to explain this pretty wacky idea, but in the meantime let me know your guys thoughts!

-BrokenProp

 

[LitterBug]

Sound's like an awesome idea! Show us your progress along the way!

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[BrokenPropeller]

Thanks!

So I kinda just realized that ..... drumroll plz..... this is not at all limited to using UMX parts and recycled servo motors. This can be used with a normal fixed wing setup. As long as you have 3 motors, you can set up the tail like a normal tricopter and then rotate the boom that the front to motors are mounted to with another servo.

Hmmmmm.... in light of that, if I can kind find the time to order another motor and ESC (I only have two right now), I can upscale this project to a more conventional size. In the meantime, I'll continue the "UMX Tricopter" experiment.

The plot thickens.

- BP

 

[LitterBug]

I had planned on building a 3D printed nano tricopter over the winter with 1102 brushless motors and 2" props. Never got around to it. I never even thought to go down the brushless route. I may have to revisit my ultra-nano sized tricopter thoughts again next winter for indoor flying. For now I am working on my RCExplorer Baby and mini tricopter fleet. Also have a mega-jumbo sized (ie 550mm-ish) HobbyKing Y-3. Planning on bringing the "Y" fleet to FliteFest East.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[BrokenPropeller]

Unfortunately, I was messing with the board from my RTF Champ to plan out the wiring for the motors and how to connect the linear servos to the moving parts when I accidentally broke off the connector on the board for the motors, and the pads are way too small for my soldering iron.... Additionally, I opened a servo and I realized that the DC motors are just too small. I don't really think that the UMX tricopter is feasible for me, but it would be really cool to see a tricopter counterpart to the Tiny Whoop!

I think I'll instead try my same idea with the normal sized electronics. Plus, it's a good excuse to get the third motor ESC.