FT Bronco VTOL

[jpot1]

I was inspired by another club member to learn more about flight controllers and VTOL capabilities. I wanted to do it as cheaply as possible and found the old FT video where Peter Sripol showed a brief clip of an FT bronco converted. This project leverages some 3D printed parts that I designed/modified for tilting front motors and a single rear motor. Speedybee F405wing with inav v8.1 was quite the learning curve from simple soldering to all of the programming. A lot of YouTube was watched in the process.

I’m using FT C pack equivalent motors with 40a escs and two 3s 2200 batteries.

1300g without batteries so a bit heavier than I wanted but the three motors should output ~3000g of thrust with current props.

So far first hover test was a huge success. Next up a longer hovering test at the field and hopefully a transition to forward flight.

 

[Mr Man]

Cool! Looks like it hovered nicely 👍

 

[jpot1]

Success today! 2 hovers transitioning to forward flight and back to hovering. Overall tricopter mode was the most challenging. It would start oscillating in the roll axis. Need to adjust PID for tuning. Time for more YouTube videos. Forward flight was rock steady!

 

[Mr Man]

Success today! 2 hovers transitioning to forward flight and back to hovering. Overall tricopter mode was the most challenging. It would start oscillating in the roll axis. Need to adjust PID for tuning. Time for more YouTube videos. Forward flight was rock steady!

Awesome!

 

[FlyerInStyle]

How did I miss this thread...

 

[tomlogan1]

I was inspired by another club member to learn more about flight controllers and VTOL capabilities. I wanted to do it as cheaply as possible and found the old FT video where Peter Sripol showed a brief clip of an FT bronco converted. This project leverages some 3D printed parts that I designed/modified for tilting front motors and a single rear motor. Speedybee F405wing with inav v8.1 was quite the learning curve from simple soldering to all of the programming. A lot of YouTube was watched in the process.

I’m using FT C pack equivalent motors with 40a escs and two 3s 2200 batteries.

1300g without batteries so a bit heavier than I wanted but the three motors should output ~3000g of thrust with current props.

So far first hover test was a huge success. Next up a longer hovering test at the field and hopefully a transition to forward flight.

Will you share the stl files? I tried another version from Thingiverse and never really got it to work consistently.

 

[FlyerInStyle]

Will you share the stl files? I tried another version from Thingiverse and never really got it to work consistently.

which version did you try? I used this: https://makerworld.com/en/models/78...ol-takeoff-print?from=search#profileId-723095 but with mini quad motors and it worked just fine on my boomin flerken VTOL. I did not use the wing mount though and mounted it directly to the motor mounts of the boomin flerken

 

[tomlogan1]

which version did you try? I used this: https://makerworld.com/en/models/78...ol-takeoff-print?from=search#profileId-723095 but with mini quad motors and it worked just fine on my boomin flerken VTOL. I did not use the wing mount though and mounted it directly to the motor mounts of the boomin flerken

This is what I tried https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3336223 and it just never worked well enough to work out the issues.

 

[tomlogan1]

which version did you try? I used this: https://makerworld.com/en/models/78...ol-takeoff-print?from=search#profileId-723095 but with mini quad motors and it worked just fine on my boomin flerken VTOL. I did not use the wing mount though and mounted it directly to the motor mounts of the boomin flerken

Interesting. Just downloaded the files and am printing. What servo size (9 gr?) did you use. Are you using a flight controller? I was planning on using differential thrust but the design I posted earlier was problematic at least in my version. Thanks for the link.

 

[jpot1]

@tomlogan1 here you go. I printed the motor mounts as solid in PETG. For the main piece, PLA and I used a modifier to increase the infill for the arm. Let me know if you have any questions. Please note, these are for the 17g servos I used. My initial post has pics that should help understand.

I'm rebuilding again right now and reinforcing the bronco with a wing spar and some extra foam on the booms.

 

[tomlogan1]

@tomlogan1 here you go. I printed the motor mounts as solid in PETG. For the main piece, PLA and I used a modifier to increase the infill for the arm. Let me know if you have any questions. Please note, these are for the 17g servos I used. My initial post has pics that should help understand.

I'm rebuilding again right now and reinforcing the bronco with a wing spar and some extra foam on the booms.

Thanks for the stl files. I really want to get this going and wonder if my Hobby Eagle A3 Gyro will work in lieu of a flight controller? Working on printing the first piece just now. Like all Broncos, it's a mass of wires but with the flight controller, where did you put the battery?

 

[FlyerInStyle]

Thanks for the stl files. I really want to get this going and wonder if my Hobby Eagle A3 Gyro will work in lieu of a flight controller? Working on printing the first piece just now. Like all Broncos, it's a mass of wires but with the flight controller, where did you put the battery?

It will not in fact work as an FC, you would have to use one of the above as far as I know: Inav (something like the speedybee f405 wing, etc), Ardupilot, same fcs generally, will give you more autonomous features than INAV, but more complicated to use. Then there is Madflight/ DrehmFlight, which gives you the most customization, which is why i chose it for my next vtol, but is purely code based, so you have to knwo how to read C++, although it is pretty readable, and the DIY flight controllers are much, much cheaper. That is about all of the software choices. If you use a drone FC (compatible with ardupilot and INAV), keep in mind that you have to check if htey have enough pads for pwm outputs, some do not, only 4in1 esc outputs. I have never used Ardupilot properly, but I can help with INAV setup and madflight as well. As a side note, usuing something old like a KK2 is theoretically possible but realistically, not doable, it will be slow, less responsive, and about as expensive if not more expensive.

 

[FlyerInStyle]

Interesting. Just downloaded the files and am printing. What servo size (9 gr?) did you use. Are you using a flight controller? I was planning on using differential thrust but the design I posted earlier was problematic at least in my version. Thanks for the link.

I used 12g emax servos, but they were a bit weak, I snapped one, I would suggest using something stronger like 17g or 20g, although 12g high torque may work too.

 

[jpot1]

Thanks for the stl files. I really want to get this going and wonder if my Hobby Eagle A3 Gyro will work in lieu of a flight controller? Working on printing the first piece just now. Like all Broncos, it's a mass of wires but with the flight controller, where did you put the battery?

Definitely a mess of wires. I followed an inav video on YouTube to help figure everything out. You definitely need an FC like what Flyerinstyle says. I used two 3s 2200 batteries. One was mounted under the FC and the other through the rear of the center pod. Hovering uses a lot of battery which is why I used the two.

 

[tomlogan1]

Had to order some servos and went with 17 gram from Amazon. Motor mounts printed @ 100%, others @ 50%. Should be interesting getting it assembled and wired up. Still thinking about a 3000k battery in lieu of 2x2200 but will maiden with what's on hand. Thanks for all the input and encouragement. I'll take all I can get.

 

[tomlogan1]

Looking at this FC does it appear to provide what would work? Not needing GPS or camera.

SpeedyBee F405 WING APP Fixed Wing Flight Controller

Simplify FPV drone racing!

www.speedybee.com

 

[FlyerInStyle]

Looking at this FC does it appear to provide what would work? Not needing GPS or camera.

SpeedyBee F405 WING APP Fixed Wing Flight Controller

Simplify FPV drone racing!

www.speedybee.com

yeah, it should work, but in my experience it isnt the best. I had one die on me for no reason

 

[tomlogan1]

yeah, it should work, but in my experience it isnt the best. I had one die on me for no reason

Suggestions? I'm new to Flight Controllers.

 

[FlyerInStyle]

Suggestions? I'm new to Flight Controllers.

the speedybee f405 mini seems to be working well for @jpot1 , I used the micoair f405 v2 for a while, but had to solder some custom stuff, and now it jut refuses to connect to usb, and the soldered connectors are falling off, it may just be my bad luck, I don't know. I also heard that if you can afford it matek makes practically the best possible plane FCs. If you do buy speedybee stuff, just make sure you buy from them, or from a good reseller like getfpv. A lot of resellers just brand their stuff as speedybee and its much lower quality. That is the reason I am trying madflight with an esp32 right now, it is just much easier to swap out components and its cheaper to replace. I do not recommend it though, unless you have programming experience and are fine jsut reading straight lines of code

 

[LitterBug]

Looking at this FC does it appear to provide what would work? Not needing GPS or camera.

SpeedyBee F405 WING APP Fixed Wing Flight Controller

Simplify FPV drone racing!

www.speedybee.com

You need GPS and a compass for the VTOL/hover to work best.

I have plenty of both the Matek AND speedybee boards and have never had issues with either. If you have wires falling off, you did not solder them up correctly.