Attempt to build and fly a bi-copter VTOL

L Edge

Master member
After PIDiling and getting an understanding of it to make it hover by itself, made the trip to the cellar.

This project had kicked my butt badly in the past tries, butt today, I feel I got a handle on it.
Now I need room to try to have space so I can tune it.

For the tail sitter that does a hover, right aileron rolls the plane so the left wing moves to you, up elevator moves the plane's nose at you and right rudder slides the plane at an angle to the right. Throttle management is super critical. Just like a helicopter's throttle.
To help preventing destroying the apparatus, put training wheels under it to save props/servos/motors. I just ordered 12 APC props to cover damage for vibrations cause havoc with the FC.

Okay, got that, eh, real simple. So, unlearn flying and learn hover. Now, lifting from the ground, hope I do not have it unwind by the I factor. I did prepare by using a sim and tried hovering at it lifted off the ground.

Here is the result of three attempts:


Trim is the killer, you can't use the Tx, so you hope you get the right sign direction to get it right. I have no expo so the servo travel has to be adjusted. So I need free space and no wind to further my fun. Then comes the wind stuff, the plane is nothing more than a flat plate sheet.

Am I happy, heck yes!!!!!!!!!!!
 

L Edge

Master member
Today, very little wind. So, what needs to be done. Fly it as a tail sitter.

Head dialogue of flight:
Got it ,got it , what the heck is that, got it, yeah land:-----gust of wind turned it, drop by itself, going into building and on roof, got it , don't crash on car roof, got it, okay from building and car, got it, now about 30 ft high and lets back off throttle a miniscule, concentrate on controls and watch it drop, Turn as it descends and slow it about a foot from bottom, hover and land.

Result: no damage at all," it's a beautiful day in the neighbor hood"

Need to slow rate descent down and kickback due to PID"S, had no expo-add some, change travel of servo(going into fast forward flight and return) and so will have to start exploring big flat sheet of foam in wind!!!!


 

L Edge

Master member
Finally making progress and finished the PID's for hovering. Now back to the cellar to improve my skills of being able to hover and descend for landing. Training wheels are still on, so as I set up for the transition and forward flight portion and vice versa, have set the following things.

Before I fly VTOL, must be comfortable with:

1) Hovering in the wind and landing.(it's like a flat plate)
2) Descending from say 20 ft with wind under control.
3) With rudder moving it sideways, aileron rotates the animal, pushing moves with elevator forward(need to practice it facing me, it's like flying inverted) so I don't end in a crash. Very much like flying a heli. Climbs slow, but drops like a rock.