Field box for electric flight?

[kore99]

I know a field box is an important piece of gear for nitro flight, but what about for electric planes? Most everything I'm finding online is tailored to fuel pumps, glow plugs, etc.

So I'm going to build myself one soon. Here's what I'm thinking it should hold:

radio Tx
batteries
charger (I'll probably mount it and make a cord that'll reach my cigarette lighter or battery)
extra propellers
tools: knife, screwdrivers, tool for propellers, mini hot glue gun
glue
foam for repair
tape
rubberbands
control horns
skewers

I don't do FPV or autonomous flight yet, but that'd add some stuff.

Anyone have suggestions for more gear, or a field box you're proud of?

 

[JasonK]

I think you have everything that I bring to the field.

 

[sprzout]

I'd say to throw a bind plug in somewhere, as well as a set of allen wrenches; most of my control horn linkage stoppers use an allen key/hex screw to tighten it down.

Also, throw in some beanbags of some sort; as odd as that may sound, having something to help keep a wing down or keep your plane from blowing off the table when you're prepping your plane can be the difference from flying and having a stabilizer or something else broken.

 

[Bricks]

I'd say to throw a bind plug in somewhere, as well as a set of allen wrenches; most of my control horn linkage stoppers use an allen key/hex screw to tighten it down.

Also, throw in some beanbags of some sort; as odd as that may sound, having something to help keep a wing down or keep your plane from blowing off the table when you're prepping your plane can be the difference from flying and having a stabilizer or something else broken.

Sounds like something from personnel experience. NEVER happen to me.

 

[GliderFlyer]

I don't mean to be an advertiser here, but I do know of a field box that is found online that is tailored for electric aircraft. It is made by skybench aerotech, and comes as a kit.
(you might have come across this already)
https://www.skybench.com/skybox-flight-box-sailplane-electric
Just putting it out there. I don't know about you, but 60$ is a bit to pricey for me.
I just use a fruit crate as my field box.

 

[Headbang]

Field box will depend on how far ypu have to drive to fly. Longer the drive, the more you need. Field is 8mins from my door step, so I don't bother carrying much to do repairs. But for events I basically take a mobile plane workshop with me, and half a hobby store.

 

[kore99]

I don't mean to be an advertiser here, but I do know of a field box that is found online that is tailored for electric aircraft. It is made by skybench aerotech, and comes as a kit.
(you might have come across this already)
https://www.skybench.com/skybox-flight-box-sailplane-electric
Just putting it out there. I don't know about you, but 60$ is a bit to pricey for me.
I just use a fruit crate as my field box.

Thanks! Yeah, I don't want to spend that either, but I like the idea for inspiration.

 

[kore99]

I'd say to throw a bind plug in somewhere, as well as a set of allen wrenches; most of my control horn linkage stoppers use an allen key/hex screw to tighten it down.

Also, throw in some beanbags of some sort; as odd as that may sound, having something to help keep a wing down or keep your plane from blowing off the table when you're prepping your plane can be the difference from flying and having a stabilizer or something else broken.

Bean bags - thanks! I wouldn't have thought of that. I thought about making a cradle for the top, like the old gas ones sometimes had.

 

[sprzout]

Sounds like something from personnel experience. NEVER happen to me.

We get winds in the afternoon/evenings for our Monday night training sessions, and having some beanbags to hold the wings down while you’re trying to put a battery in an upside down Apprentice makes things a lot easier.

 

[kore99]

Do any of you guys put gel cell batteries or something in your field box for charging flight batteries away from a power source? It occurs to me my charger can both charge and be powered by a 12v lead acid battery.

 

[KubKade]

I know a field box is an important piece of gear for nitro flight, but what about for electric planes? Most everything I'm finding online is tailored to fuel pumps, glow plugs, etc.

So I'm going to build myself one soon. Here's what I'm thinking it should hold:

radio Tx
batteries
charger (I'll probably mount it and make a cord that'll reach my cigarette lighter or battery)
extra propellers
tools: knife, screwdrivers, tool for propellers, mini hot glue gun
glue
foam for repair
tape
rubberbands
control horns
skewers

I don't do FPV or autonomous flight yet, but that'd add some stuff.

Anyone have suggestions for more gear, or a field box you're proud of?

I just use a plastic Stanley tool box. Works fine for me...

 

[Headbang]

Do any of you guys put gel cell batteries or something in your field box for charging flight batteries away from a power source? It occurs to me my charger can both charge and be powered by a 12v lead acid battery.

I always carry a 100Ah agm 12v deep cycle for charging.

 

[L Edge]

I assume your charger is to charge batteries. If you going to use the glue gun, you need an inverter to convert DC to AC, Get at least 100 watts minimum.
For a 12V lead acid battery, first figure out how many flights you are going to take and what size battery you use. Using EDF's with 5000 mah , I drained the car battery and the other item I carry is jumper cables so a club member gave me a start. Ended up using a ATV battery(not a Gel) as a spare and charge it at noon time since I take many flights during the long day at the field.

 

[kore99]

I just use a plastic Stanley tool box. Works fine for me...

If I can find one that fits my transmitter nicely, I'll likely do the same.

 

[sprzout]

Do any of you guys put gel cell batteries or something in your field box for charging flight batteries away from a power source? It occurs to me my charger can both charge and be powered by a 12v lead acid battery.

I know people who have done that; I myself have not, since every field I have gone to has had a solar charging station. They pick up a solar panel from Harbor Freight and wire it in with a couple of gel cell batteries, and charge that way. It’s actually really nice, although we get people who try to push the charging and blow fuses in the system by trying to pull 15 amps for their big 6S batteries.

 

[Scrivner]

I just picked this up the other day at Walmart. It's a tool caddy and is just wide enough to fit my TXs. Also it's lined with pockets on both the inside and outside so plenty of storage. It I think it was just under $20.

 

[sprzout]

I just picked this up the other day at Walmart. It's a tool caddy and is just wide enough to fit my TXs. Also it's lined with pockets on both the inside and outside so plenty of storage. It I think it was just under $20.

View attachment 198486

Looks similar to something I originally had purchased from Harbor Freight when I first started out.

I found it didn’t work for me personally, but that’s because I needed something to carry my charger, lipo bag, FPV headset, tools, and props for my quad. I also had issues with knocking my screwdrivers out of the side pouches, so I kinda gave up on trying to use it and bought a tactical backpack, which gave me PLENTY of room. 😁

If it works for you, though, DEFINITELY keep using it. I see lots of people at the field who use one very similarly to that, so clearly it works for quite a few people. 😁👍

 

[kore99]

I remembered today that a friend of mine gave me an old toolbox. This works PERFECTLY for now. Because there's no drop-in tray on top, the transmitter fits great. And the drawers fit my propellers, tools, batteries and fit well too. The charger will fit too, just not nicely integrated like it might with a custom wood box.