RCExplorer.se Baby Tricopter Kit Build Log

[PsyBorg]

I have to start thinking the same about this Alien. Its so darn tiny I will surely need some sort of reference for orientation if I keep flying LOS unless I do all my LOS within like 25-30 feet of my face hehe. Much past that it shrinks exponentially very quickly.

A beeper you can turn on and off at will is a must IMO. I still need to work that out as it was hard as heck to see in tall grass even when I knew exactly where it went down less then 10 feet away from me. That's why I love the field next to my complex. Its all grass and stuff they cut a few times a year and roll into bails for feeding cows.

The best part is I NEVER crash out there. I only make crop circles

 

[ElectriSean]

Definitely put a beeper in it... I nearly lost my mini tri today in a wheat field, it would still be there if not for the beeper.

 

[LitterBug]

Definitely put a beeper in it... I nearly lost my mini tri today in a wheat field, it would still be there if not for the beeper.

Must have spent 20 minutes searching for my hellbender in tall grass two weeks ago. Had a beeper, leds, etc... but the beeper was disabled cuz it would sound non-stop on USB and forgot to re-enable it before heading out to the field. It landed upside down blocking the VTX antenna, so I was able to use my FPV goggles to search for the strongest signal to locate it.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

READY TO LOS!

Ready to LOS test and FPV not far behind


Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say anyone who see's this fly will say it looks and sounds like a bee. Nice build mate GL with the maiden.
I was Los tuning this morning. The videos are uploading as we speak. Maybe we race n see who gets tuned first.

Don't forget the video, good or bad inquiring minds wanna know.

 

[ElectriSean]

Ready to LOS test and FPV not far behind
View attachment 74594

Cheers!
LitterBug

Looks great

 

[cranialrectosis]

Beautiful copter!

 

[LitterBug]

Got Baby out to the field tonight too.


All new gear and was just kinda feeling her out LOS. The FPV camera was out of focus and the shadows were getting long by the time I got around to putting her in the air so no FPV flying. DVRed the flight, but being out of focus, and really not going to bore y'all with some really really lame footage. Gotta get the FPV setup fixed before the next outing.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

Awww why not. I post a lot of my crappy flying. After all this is a site about sharing. They never specified pain or pleasure.. just sayin.

That does look pretty sexy though.

 

[LitterBug]

Ok, Here it is, RAW, really bad audio, out of focus, completely untuned.
Roll Wiggles, Pitch jiggles, yaws, punchouts, and even a flip thrown in. No flying grass...

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

First FPV Acro flight on the RCExplorer Baby Tricopter. Comfortable flyer. Needs tuned. A bit of tail waggle using the recommended settings. May go back to default TriFlight PIDs. Seemed less waggly.

Cheers!
LitterBug



Shut Up and Fly!

 

[PsyBorg]

Darn.. I was going to use the Weebles wobble but they don't fall down theme song until the very last second of the video.. Glad to see you out and flying before the weather gets to wonky. Isn't there like an auto tune feature for the tails on the tri copter software? I could have sworn I saw a recent Tri flight where some one was using it on their maiden.

That little thing boogies though for sure. Will be interesting to see it tuned and doing more stuff for sure.

Rain is ending here in the next 12 hours for a few days before what ever makes its way here from that hurricane in the Caribbean later this week so I will be able to go fly again. I managed to get two batteries in today between showers at least.

 

[LitterBug]

@Psyborg,
You are 100% correct. I did not re-run the tail tune after putting the "recommended" tuning in and that will fix the waggle. I am so done with yellow props. Nothing but bad news. They bend quicker than any other prop. LOL Picture the baby tri with red props now.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

I love the DALs but yeah they tend to bend and not break which is just as frustrating as breaking them. I have made more then a few three legged octopi with these props in multiple colors. Purple, rred, green, black...

 

[LitterBug]

Had yellow props on the Trifecta, and almost every flight ended badly. Switched to Yellow on the Hellbender.... Bent frame. Yellow on Baby tri.... well I got a little careless. LOL. But now that I am out of yellow props, only good can come of it!

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[PsyBorg]

Just sayin....

Also thought it appropriate if you fly like me and do the Stevie Wonder bob n weave as you fly

 

[LitterBug]

I never have been superstitious, but I am totally out of yellow props and all the other colors seem to be doing just fine.... (except maybe the black ones I was using before the yellow ones.) LOL

Anyway, going to tailtune at the field tonight. Should be looking and flying better with "RED" props tonight.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[LitterBug]

Nutz.... tried to re-run the tail-tune and it didn't seem to want to do it. Got the starting beeps, but it didn't do anything or give the completed beeps. Will try again another day. (Hopefully tomorrow)

Just not my night, but at least no bent props, bent frames, or blood.... (even left 1 yellow one on just for PB!)

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Habakkukk]

About 4 months ago I built a 5" tri based off the mini tri Carbon bottom plate (before the baby tri frame was released.) the tuning experience was rough. it took a loooong time to get it locked in (comparing this to the feel of a standard x-frame, using tri flight on an f3 board with servo feedback wire/tail tune). my wobbles did go away with increasing the yaw d term though.

 

[LitterBug]

Yeah, it's weird. When I was running the default TriFlight PIDs, it went into tailtune and completed right away. I was trying out the "recommended" settings for the Baby Tri, and it won't complete. Maybe it was that remaining Yellow prop PB! Going to hit the forum and see what I can see....

Cheers!
LitterBug