BridgeInspector
Flite Test Groupie
That is a beauty Rasterize!
FT Mini Scout Build (Mighty Minis)
- Thread starter fliteadmin
- Start date
Great work on the skin Rasterize! I think I need to update the Scout plans. I have a feeling a lot more people are going to be building this one.
mrjdstewart
Legendary member
those look good man! i gotta make some guns for mine!
laters,
jason
laters,
jason
The FT Mighty Mini Scout plans have been digitally remastered by yours truly. You can get the updated version 1.1 plans here:
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?17136-SP0NZ-Plans-Index
I will check with the admins to get the links in this build thread updated as well.
Enjoy!
http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?17136-SP0NZ-Plans-Index
I will check with the admins to get the links in this build thread updated as well.
Enjoy!
Yenya
New member
Hello, all!
Let me present my Mini Scout "Hina":
(click the image for a short flight video)
My Mini Scout is built from 3mm XPS boards from a local hobby store (pinkish-orange), covered with 80 micron laminating film. I used a styrofoam glue UHU-Por instead of hot glue. I built it with removable wing and detachable landing gear, wheels are 3D printed from PET-G, as well as the motor firewall. I use 10A ESC, 800 mAh 2S battery, 2205-sized 2300KV motor, 6x4E propeller. The weight with battery is about 160 grams.
I have a question, though: I had to point the motor axle much more downwards than the original build video suggests, otherwise it would porpoise up and then stall on throttle increase. Currently the axle points few degrees more downwards than the front third of the wing. I use the same right thrust angle as the power pod in FT plans (about 4°).
What downwards motor angle do you use, measured from the top flat side of the fuselage?
Let me present my Mini Scout "Hina":
(click the image for a short flight video)
My Mini Scout is built from 3mm XPS boards from a local hobby store (pinkish-orange), covered with 80 micron laminating film. I used a styrofoam glue UHU-Por instead of hot glue. I built it with removable wing and detachable landing gear, wheels are 3D printed from PET-G, as well as the motor firewall. I use 10A ESC, 800 mAh 2S battery, 2205-sized 2300KV motor, 6x4E propeller. The weight with battery is about 160 grams.
I have a question, though: I had to point the motor axle much more downwards than the original build video suggests, otherwise it would porpoise up and then stall on throttle increase. Currently the axle points few degrees more downwards than the front third of the wing. I use the same right thrust angle as the power pod in FT plans (about 4°).
What downwards motor angle do you use, measured from the top flat side of the fuselage?
CapnBry
Elite member
I also made a Mini Scout this weekend. Build time was 3 hours, 9 minutes from hitting print on the tiled plans to having a finished airframe with no electronics coming in at 69 grams. I even ironed the leading edges of the stabilizers with the covering iron my Dad and I used when I was a kid to build models (and I'm 45 now). Would have done the wing edges too but I had already done the hot glue smear on them.
Took another 2 hours to get the electronics in. I had a difficult time because I used a 3D printed power pod which has fixed holes for the skewers to pass through and the chamfers on the corners meant that the thrust angle would be incorrect. It took a lot of head scratching and trial fitting to figure out where to poke them through. The thrust angle looks crazy-down but it still really likes to climb so I guess I didn't to too bad. I also need a little left rudder to make it go straight so it could use a little more left thrust angle (my prop spins clockwise). I'm also not sure how but my all-up weight is way high at 222g so I decided to not add the landing gear
1806 2280KV motor (19g)
T-Motor 18A ESC (21g*)
6x4 prop
950mAh 2S battery (47g*)
FlySky FS-iA6B receiver (18g*)
2x 5g eBay servos (10g)
It has plenty of power in this setup and could probably drop down to a 6x3 for a little longer flight time. I find it to be easier to fly than the Tiny Trainer with either wing just because it is so agile and I guess a little overpowered compared to my 320g+ TT setup. I flew for 15 minutes, 9 mins of throttle % time, and had about 25% battery left (3.69V).
I know it is way too late to respond to Yenya, but the down thrust angle is 4.6mm over about 55mm of the power pod so that's about 4.5-4.8 degrees. Much thanks to @SP0NZ for updating the plans too, the new style is so much easier to understand and reassemble from a tiled printout.
Took another 2 hours to get the electronics in. I had a difficult time because I used a 3D printed power pod which has fixed holes for the skewers to pass through and the chamfers on the corners meant that the thrust angle would be incorrect. It took a lot of head scratching and trial fitting to figure out where to poke them through. The thrust angle looks crazy-down but it still really likes to climb so I guess I didn't to too bad. I also need a little left rudder to make it go straight so it could use a little more left thrust angle (my prop spins clockwise). I'm also not sure how but my all-up weight is way high at 222g so I decided to not add the landing gear
1806 2280KV motor (19g)
T-Motor 18A ESC (21g*)
6x4 prop
950mAh 2S battery (47g*)
FlySky FS-iA6B receiver (18g*)
2x 5g eBay servos (10g)
It has plenty of power in this setup and could probably drop down to a 6x3 for a little longer flight time. I find it to be easier to fly than the Tiny Trainer with either wing just because it is so agile and I guess a little overpowered compared to my 320g+ TT setup. I flew for 15 minutes, 9 mins of throttle % time, and had about 25% battery left (3.69V).
I know it is way too late to respond to Yenya, but the down thrust angle is 4.6mm over about 55mm of the power pod so that's about 4.5-4.8 degrees. Much thanks to @SP0NZ for updating the plans too, the new style is so much easier to understand and reassemble from a tiled printout.
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CapnBry
Elite member
I did my first FPV flight! Strapped an Amazon-special $16 AIO camera on top and got to use the Eachine EV800D goggles I bought myself for New Year's. I even flew the Scout inverted, although when I flipped upside down I had a complete loss of signal for a split second which is more disorienting than I could have imagined. For some reason the video doesn't have the gap, which is when I looped to inverted.
I sort of blew it with the camera placement, mounted right in front of the cockpit. I should have mounted it further forward so at least the wings aren't visible. When flying straight and level it is pretty difficult to tell where I am. I'm sure I'll break it off in a crash at some point and get a second change at mounting it. I'd recommend if people think they'll be doing this to add another former under the turtle deck where the camera is going to go so there's something solid underneath to support it. It would also be a good idea to paint a black stripe across the top to cut down on the brightness of the plane affecting the camera exposure so much.
EDIT: Aaaaand on my fifth FPV flight I got a little too far away and started to lose the video feed. As I started my turn home I lost it completely and got disoriented when it came back. Reviewing the footage I circled twice and tried to return but was headed almost tangential to my position and the receiver went into failsafe and cut the throttle. Drove down the street until I had a telemetry signal on the transmitter and honed in on it by traipsing through the Florida swamp in 50F temperatures and using the FPV panel antenna combined with low power TX mode and finally range check TX mode.
Fairly intact except for a broken wing about 10-15m up a tree. Luck was on my side though as the prop was free so a few throttle pulses got it rocking until it fell out.
It also soaked up quite a bit of water after I got it out of the tree because it fell on the other side of some treebushes but I think all the electronics will still work. The airframe is in the oven on dehydrate and hopefully that will allow it to be reused. Still, quite a disheartening early morning flight.
I sort of blew it with the camera placement, mounted right in front of the cockpit. I should have mounted it further forward so at least the wings aren't visible. When flying straight and level it is pretty difficult to tell where I am. I'm sure I'll break it off in a crash at some point and get a second change at mounting it. I'd recommend if people think they'll be doing this to add another former under the turtle deck where the camera is going to go so there's something solid underneath to support it. It would also be a good idea to paint a black stripe across the top to cut down on the brightness of the plane affecting the camera exposure so much.
EDIT: Aaaaand on my fifth FPV flight I got a little too far away and started to lose the video feed. As I started my turn home I lost it completely and got disoriented when it came back. Reviewing the footage I circled twice and tried to return but was headed almost tangential to my position and the receiver went into failsafe and cut the throttle. Drove down the street until I had a telemetry signal on the transmitter and honed in on it by traipsing through the Florida swamp in 50F temperatures and using the FPV panel antenna combined with low power TX mode and finally range check TX mode.
Fairly intact except for a broken wing about 10-15m up a tree. Luck was on my side though as the prop was free so a few throttle pulses got it rocking until it fell out.
It also soaked up quite a bit of water after I got it out of the tree because it fell on the other side of some treebushes but I think all the electronics will still work. The airframe is in the oven on dehydrate and hopefully that will allow it to be reused. Still, quite a disheartening early morning flight.
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JakeTheSloth
Active member
Here's my upgraded scout. 110% size to perfectly fit 6mm XPS floor insulation. I also increased wing span by 20cm and added some surface to rudder. It's powered by 1806 motor and 2s 520mAh gens Ace lipo with 12A BLheli ESC. It flies, but it's really windy in central EU today therefore I can't say how well 😂 I made it for my brother as a trainer, I hope he'll like it
Attachments
Michael9865
Elite member
I decided to cut out a Micro Mini Scout, 415mm wingspan (roughly 68%), to try for this years indoor season. I am going to use the electronics from an old UMX airplane. It will not be ready for tomorrow’s session, so 14 Dec is my goal.
Attachments
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I set out to build a STOL FT Mini Scout, similar in spirit to the UMX Turbo Timber. This was motivated by the fact that the only place I can fly during COVID-19 lockdown is a small baseball field near my house. I was tempted to buy a UMX Timber to have a small-field STOL plane, but instead decided to build a STOL FT Mini Scout with flaps and ailerons.
I also have the "big FT Scout," I fly it with flaperons, which are okay (they are a great help to add lift with pontoons on!), but I don't love the feel of flaperons, and wanted a plane with true, separate flaps.
AUW ended up at 195g (164g airframe with electronics and landing gear + 31g battery)
Maidened it today, with a total of 5 flights (no video unfortunately). It seemed to fly well. The flaps indeed help slow it down to a crawl, and it was no problem to fly it on the small field, but I haven't had a chance to tune the flaps to achieve full STOL capability.
6 min flight times were about right, flying with mix of mid-range throttle, WOT, and multiple touch and goes.
Time to give it some color....
Build details:
I also have the "big FT Scout," I fly it with flaperons, which are okay (they are a great help to add lift with pontoons on!), but I don't love the feel of flaperons, and wanted a plane with true, separate flaps.
AUW ended up at 195g (164g airframe with electronics and landing gear + 31g battery)
Maidened it today, with a total of 5 flights (no video unfortunately). It seemed to fly well. The flaps indeed help slow it down to a crawl, and it was no problem to fly it on the small field, but I haven't had a chance to tune the flaps to achieve full STOL capability.
6 min flight times were about right, flying with mix of mid-range throttle, WOT, and multiple touch and goes.
Time to give it some color....
Build details:
- Slightly decreased wing dihedral angle, given the ailerons and flaps.
- Six 5g FliteTest servos
- A-Pack 1806 Emax motor
- 5 x 4.5 x 3 prop
- 10A Turnigy ESC
- 2S 450mAh battery
- Flap servos recessed into wing by cutting out foam (but careful not to cut the top-of-wing paper). This is much more secure than surface-mounting the servos, as I did for the ailerons. I'll likely modify the aileron servo installation to embed them in the wing as well.
- 6ch Rx: ailerons y'd together (otherwise it'd be a 7ch plane), flaps on separate Rz channels so I can match L/R flap travel
Attachments
CapnBry
Elite member
My little Mini Scout has been sitting on the dining room table for over a year now and hasn't gotten much action. I decided this morning I'd take it out for a couple last flights then break it down for parts and throw it out. Problem: this little plane is too cute and fun to fly and now I don't want to break it down for parts any more. It doesn't like much wind though, so maybe I'll have to take it out in bad conditions to remind me of why I don't get to fly it very often.
MrMonoWheel
New member
Reviving an old thread to discuss a still-relevant little plane. I have been flying a Carbon Cub S2 but haven't really grown comfortable with unassisted flight as I am too concerned about trashing a 350 dollar plane. I am planning on building a mini scout as a fun little park flyer that I can mess with and learn on, then move to a 4 channel when I understand flight characteristics better.
My current parts on order:
- 30A SimonK ESC
- 1806 2280kv CCW motor
- Gemfan 6030 props
- FS2A 4ch receiver
- Liperior 2S 850mah 25c battery packs
I know the 30a esc is probably a bit overkill but I have hope that it will serve well for future builds. From those who have done this build before, does everything look like it will work out? For the transmitter I plan to use the DXS that was supplied with my carbon cub, but I am unsure if it will bind with the FS2A I ordered.
My current parts on order:
- 30A SimonK ESC
- 1806 2280kv CCW motor
- Gemfan 6030 props
- FS2A 4ch receiver
- Liperior 2S 850mah 25c battery packs
I know the 30a esc is probably a bit overkill but I have hope that it will serve well for future builds. From those who have done this build before, does everything look like it will work out? For the transmitter I plan to use the DXS that was supplied with my carbon cub, but I am unsure if it will bind with the FS2A I ordered.
MrMonoWheel
New member
Since posting that I have learned more about this stuff and have realized a few things. First, the ESC is way too much for this plane, so I am getting a 12A esc that should weigh around 11.5 grams. Second, the receiver will not work with my DSX transmitter, so I am getting one that will be compatible off amazon. I also realize that the CCW option I selected for the motor actually refers to the threads so I should have gotten CW for a prop that spins CCW. Oh well, I will use some loctite.
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