Experimental Airlines style 80" FPV GoPro plane - BUILD

[JamesWhom]

As long as I have been flying and building RC planes, which isn't too long, I have always wanted to put a camera into the sky. Up until now I've been focusing on smaller projects, but now I think is the time, the time to go all out... and build an 80" wingspan beast of an aircraft.


My design is based on Ed from Experimental Airlines' OZONE plane, although this one I want to call the 'DEFENDER', because its intended to be the flying equivalent of a Land Rover, square, tough, and dependable. It is meant to be a 'proper' plane, not a model of one, but an actual aircraft. The construction techniques are not the same in the main fuselage, although the booms will likely be the rounded box shape that Ed shows how to make in his excellent videos.


Here is the OZONE video.

And here's how far I've gotten with my build.





The fuselage will contain the camera and batteries. It may contain the radio gear too.



The wing is 80" long, the chord is 7" wide with a 2" control surface. The control surface from the middle section will be removed.



It splits into separate sections





The motor is a Turnegy 1100kv at 300 watts. Hopefully it will be powerful enough. I think it was something like 1200g of thrust with a 10/6 prop. Maybe I should have gone with something bigger?



The mount is reinforced with lots of hot glue and is mostly a plywood former.


Let me know what you think!

 

[Rcgary24]

looks good! with that motor you might not get unlimited vertical but i think it will be plenty to fly , im interested in seeing this one complete! you going to paint it or cover it in colored tape?

 

[JamesWhom]

looks good! with that motor you might not get unlimited vertical but i think it will be plenty to fly , im interested in seeing this one complete! you going to paint it or cover it in colored tape?

Thanks man! Yeah thats what I was thinking, thanks for the advise. As long as it's not severally underpowered thats the main thing. Going down the coloured tape route! Practical and waterproof! Blue and Yellow

 

[Scottie]

Thanks man! Yeah thats what I was thinking, thanks for the advise. As long as it's not severally underpowered thats the main thing. Going down the coloured tape route! Practical and waterproof! Blue and Yellow

View attachment 26239

Not red then no ???
Is that for something else ??
Perhaps a Vampire

cheers

 

[TEAJR66]

I like what you have going there. Let us know how it all works out. I built and flew something similar late last year. Tapered fuse down to the firewall, and a big boxy front end. Great way to get a camera in the air.

Be safe and have fun,
Tommy

 

[JamesWhom]

Not red then no ???
Is that for something else ??
Perhaps a Vampire

cheers

Haha maybe! I just got the three primary colours at the same time. The Vampire will be making progress soon though don't worry.

 

[JamesWhom]

I like what you have going there. Let us know how it all works out. I built and flew something similar late last year. Tapered fuse down to the firewall, and a big boxy front end. Great way to get a camera in the air.

Be safe and have fun,
Tommy

Thank you. Yeah that looks like a nice flyer you have there. The boxiness does seem like a good simple way to build camera platforms I agree.

Thanks for taking an interest.

 

[JamesWhom]

Okay so a lot of work has been going on with the build, but I've not been posting many updates. Sorry about that but I've been in London for the week which was fun.

The wing was covered to begin with. It was surprisingly simple with the techniques shown by Experimental Airlines.



The tail has made progress.



Here is a mock up picture with all the parts in place (apart from the landing gear).



I have a few problems however...

I haven't been able to make removable everything, like removable booms, as I have no Nylon bolds and nuts. It is a bit complicated to do so, therefore I am just using hot glue. I think it will fold up enough to be practical anyway what with the removable wings and fuselage pod. Any alternatives though?

I also had to glue the vertical stabilisers too as they were too weak with the small bolts I used.

Problem two is the rigidity of the tail. It all seems a bit wobbly. Maybe this is because the booms are fairly small in width and hight, meaning there is not much surface area. Should I glue some triangle pieces around the tail area? Maybe it will be fine when the rest of the thing is glued. I'll see.

Problem three I have been wondering about for a while. I haven't used carbon spars, but have put big wooden screwable together strips in to connect the wings (see pictures earlier on in the thread). Will this be enough?

Cheers!

 

[TEAJR66]

Make the booms about an inch longer past the Leading edge. Then use dowels cross ways through the spars like traditional wing hold downs.

Just an idea.

Be safe and have fun,
Tommy