DTFB FPV Platform

[FunktheEngineer]

Good evening Community.

I'm working on a new fpv platform based off of a design I found in an article on FT by dharkless.

http://flitetest.com/articles/one-sheet-no-waste-twin-tail-boom-3-build

It has a 60in wingspan and is designed to house a 2-axis gimbal up underneath the nose for my GoPro. This should give it an unobstructed view forward and down.

I plan on using 3S batteries but haven't settled on a motor/prop/esc combo. I have a few used motors and esc's in my arsenal but I'm just not sure about any of them. Any thoughts would be appreciated. The goal is to have a nice, steady, slow platform.

Below is a picture of the fuselage, wing and tail. I will be using .5" diameter carbon rods for the twin tail booms but haven't mounted those yet.



Thanks for looking and good luck building.

 

[Raptortech]

Sweet! That's a TON of wing area right there! Are you going to put landing gear on it so you're not landing on the gimbal?

 

[FunktheEngineer]

Yes - I am planning on two fixed wheels near the front of the booms and then BBQ skewers on the vertical stabilizers. They will mostly be used for landing. It works in my head but we'll see how real life treats me. Thanks for the comment.

 

[Maingear]

You nailed the lines on the fuselage, taper wings look nice - great job! Can you flip it over and get a pic? Where are you thinking about placing the batteries?

I would like to build your plane with the fuselage flipped and try it as a high wing with the gimble on top.

More pics!!!?

Justin

 

[FunktheEngineer]

So its been a little while but I finally got my plane finished and to a point where I thought I was ready to maiden. I'm sure that I'm not that only one but the closer I get to being done the more that I want to go and fly it. So I have been checking out some of the old podcasts recently and even some of the new ones and Josh and David always harp on CG and how important it is. Being an engineer, you'd think I'd know that myself and double and triple check and not go out until I was sure it was right. But remember what I said about getting close to being done and hurrying. "That's probably close enough" definitely crossed my mind.

I tried to take off using the landing gear but I just couldn't get enough speed up to get airborne. Instead of taking that as a sign, I picked up and went for a hand launch. Well it took off and went straight up until it ran out of speed - maybe 50 feet up. I fought it for about 30 seconds and managed to pull up out of a nose dive about 4 ft off the deck and dropped on what turned out to be a reasonable 4-point landing. Nothing was damaged but the CG is way too far back.

I had 2 extra batteries down in the belly in front of where the CG should be but as today's episode about F1D pointed out, its way easier to add a little weight in the tail than have to add a lot of weight up front. I have a few ideas and I don't think it will be that hard of a fix.

When I get it right, I'll see about posting a video. The good thing is that it does fly and should be quite stable once the weight and balance issues are squared away.

Thanks for looking and here are a few photos before take-off this weekend.

 

[Raptortech]

Sorry the maiden didn't go so well. Don't forget to include the weight of the camera and gimbal! I would just tape something under the nose that weighs an equal amount, and that should help bringing the CG forward.

 

[Maingear]

Looks fantastic! I take back flipping the fuselage over.

*2 What RT said about ballast weight.

Justin