FT versa wing and a 5000 mAh battery .. Will it Fly? What motor/prop ? Advice welcome

[Enea]

Hi guys,
With a friend we are going to build our first fpv foam plane and we decided to buy the airframe from flitetest to help support the show. Following Josh’s advice we are going to be cheap on the airframe but not on the plane’s brains. So we would like to buy a FT versa wing and to build it as a pusher.

However … will it fly with this list of future embedded components???

Apm 2.8 + GPS module
433 MHz OpenLRS 1W TX/RX module
433 MHz 1/4 dipole antenna
Dc/Dc converter (just 40gr to get the 5.5V for the OpenLRS module)
800 TVL camera + gimbal
Mini OSD
GoPro "Style" Camera (we are as cheap as we can afford to be)
900Mhz 1.5W video transmitter (yeah overkilled but was a gift so why don't use it?)
900 MHz Cloverfield antenna
Turnigy dual SBEC 5V/12V
2 servos
HK 30A esc (can be changed according the motor’s choice)
4s 5000 mAh battery (or a 2 3s 2200mAh batteries … still unclear about it … we would like to ask you for guidance in this choice. We aim to the maximum fly time)

Plus of course a know unkown yet to choose … The motor and the propeller …

Which motor/prop would you recommend for such configuration???
Will the FT versa wing fly so loaded????

We could not care less of speed or nothing different than a quite fly around, filming the highest active volcano in Europe (the Etna, here in Sicily, Italy)

 

[makattack]

I pretty much have my Blunt Nose Versa Wing setup that way and it's a great platform. The largest battery I've put in it is a low discharge (10C) 4000A 3S, specifically to maximize flight time (I can get about 45 minutes with 50% or less cruising throttle.

I use a 9x4 prop with a motor similar to this:
http://lazertoyz.com/FT-Versa-Wing-Powerelectronics-pack-THE-BEEF-2_p_468.html

This looks similar and could allow for a larger prop but would definitely need a large battery:
https://store.flitetest.com/emax-gt2215-1100kv-motor/

One of my recommendations would be to invest in a stronger servo -- think of a digital metal gear servo so that you can ensure that the APM flight controller won't burn out weaker servos if it needs to issue a lot of corrections for whatever reason.

 

[Enea]

Advice notice ... Digital metal gear servo added.

What about the motor? Why a 22 and not a 28 for example 900 KV?

 

[makattack]

I suspect a larger motor will work, but you may need to add more weight to the nose. Since you have plans for a gimbal of some sort, I suppose that might offset the weight. Anyway, the Versa wing builds with a pusher setup tend to build very tail heavy and requires quite a bit of nose weight. If you enlarge the nose to accommodate a larger battery in a forward position, that should work out.

 

[WombatControl]

That's going to be a very heavy plane... so I would build strong and light. If you can get something like Gorilla Glue in your area, use that instead of hot glue on the leading edge. It will foam up, so you'll need to use hot glue and some sandbags to keep it from pulling your joints apart. But it will add lots of strength and only a little weight.

I would also not use a foam spar - reinforce it with some carbon fiber for strength. You want to make sure your spar doesn't break and cause all that expensive equipment to crash!

I'd go for the two battery solution. For one, that gives you extra protection in case of a battery failure. It also gives you more options for battery placement. I'd go with the Zippy Compact lipos- those are easier to fit in the very small space on a Versa.

I would use wood blocks as mass simulators for the camera and FPV equipment on the first few flights. The thought of losing expensive equipment on a maiden is not a good one!

 

[Enea]

Hi guys,
many thanks for your answers. We were thinking to use a non foam made spar already and will take a look on a stronger glue than the hot glue. Also i think will take the blunte nose kit as well just to have more space for the gears.

The doubt however is always the same ... will be too heavy for a decent fly? Will it lunch just by hands?? I guess we will have to try

 

[xMeox]

Hm to be honest I wouldnd worry about the glue. I would worry about the paper peeling of. But To be honest I dont think that there will be any big problem if you use 2 extra carbon spares. I wouldnd do thight flips with full throttle though

 

[Enea]

So extra carbon spares have been added to the shopping list at this point ... Last questions standing now is what size for the carbon spares and still undecided about the motor's size !! Don't be shy, every 2 cents matters !!!

 

[xMeox]

Well I would use any c pack like motor you have lying around. If you are in need for more speed, you dan upgrade later. For prooving that the concept works I wouldnd go shopping if not necessary