Mustang7302
Senior Member
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This is my second build log, even though the first (Bat Bone) build log was never completed. The first build was weeks and weeks in the making and patience got the best of me; I stopped documenting the build when I ran into issues and I clobbered things together in an attempt to get in the air. Little did I know at the time that the motor, prop, and battery combination was simply too much weight and power for the FliteTest parts; especially my lack of skill and experience. The sickening end to the whole thing was finally getting it in the air, though a little unstable, and my lack of pilot experience took it over a fence into mild traffic and the whole thing was run over seconds before I was able to run out and recover it.
Since then I had picked up new motors (NTM 800KV), ESCs (Turnigy Plush), and frame (Turnigy H.A.L Quad) determined that I would make the 4000mAh 4S battery and 10" propeller setup work. The extra weight tamed it down and it flew quite well. But it was ~1,800 grams of all up weight and any unintended returns to the ground was very prone to breaking something every time. Getting it back in the air turned into order after order for little things here and there. The FliteTest guys then debuted their Knuckles H Quad design and it inspired me to go lighter, simpler, and less dependent on manufactured parts. I stepped down to a 1800mAh 3S battery with the same motor and prop setup, built a couple of new H style frames from 1/2" dowel, and got my weight down to right around 900 grams. I could still get 10 minutes of flight time, versus the 15 minutes from the bigger/heaver H.A.L., and found I enjoyed the additional maneuverability and it was much more resistant to breakage in crashes. Even to this point I was still using FliteTest parts I had laying around like landing struts and G10 motor mounts; but alas I am out of replacements to have enough parts for a flying quadcopter.
With each rebuild of the frame making it simpler and lighter, I simply ran into the limitation of the heavy and low-ish KV motors carrying an extra 100 grams I didn't have too and the 10" props limiting how small I can make the frame. By this time the crashes and rebuilds have taken their toll on the components and its time to get new parts.
The iQuad Build Parts:
Keeping to the spirit of smaller, lighter, and simpler I took to SketchUp to visualize the layout and dimensions and settled on the rendering seen below. Frame assembly is simplified by using wood screws to join the motor booms to the support booms which reduces the need for at least 12 holes and M3x20 screws from similar designs; also less fidgeting to get everything lined up. Motors will bolt, using M3x20 bolts, directly to the boom with washers as spacers for clearance of the spindle which protrudes from the bottom of the motor slightly. The carbon sheet is broad enough with three screws on each side to stiffen the frame to torsional twisting. The use of the four in one ESC, Q Brain, will eliminate the need for a power harness and simplifies the amount of wiring clutting.
Forthcoming will be a file for the template used to cut and drill the carbon fiber sheet if anyone is interested.
I ordered the parts from HobbyKing International yesterday afternoon and was delighted to see notification that they're in the mail as of last night. Paid a little extra for the "EMS Express" shipping to the states, so we'll see if it beats the usual 2 1/2 week transit time. More updates to the thread as they're ready.
This is my second build log, even though the first (Bat Bone) build log was never completed. The first build was weeks and weeks in the making and patience got the best of me; I stopped documenting the build when I ran into issues and I clobbered things together in an attempt to get in the air. Little did I know at the time that the motor, prop, and battery combination was simply too much weight and power for the FliteTest parts; especially my lack of skill and experience. The sickening end to the whole thing was finally getting it in the air, though a little unstable, and my lack of pilot experience took it over a fence into mild traffic and the whole thing was run over seconds before I was able to run out and recover it.
Since then I had picked up new motors (NTM 800KV), ESCs (Turnigy Plush), and frame (Turnigy H.A.L Quad) determined that I would make the 4000mAh 4S battery and 10" propeller setup work. The extra weight tamed it down and it flew quite well. But it was ~1,800 grams of all up weight and any unintended returns to the ground was very prone to breaking something every time. Getting it back in the air turned into order after order for little things here and there. The FliteTest guys then debuted their Knuckles H Quad design and it inspired me to go lighter, simpler, and less dependent on manufactured parts. I stepped down to a 1800mAh 3S battery with the same motor and prop setup, built a couple of new H style frames from 1/2" dowel, and got my weight down to right around 900 grams. I could still get 10 minutes of flight time, versus the 15 minutes from the bigger/heaver H.A.L., and found I enjoyed the additional maneuverability and it was much more resistant to breakage in crashes. Even to this point I was still using FliteTest parts I had laying around like landing struts and G10 motor mounts; but alas I am out of replacements to have enough parts for a flying quadcopter.
With each rebuild of the frame making it simpler and lighter, I simply ran into the limitation of the heavy and low-ish KV motors carrying an extra 100 grams I didn't have too and the 10" props limiting how small I can make the frame. By this time the crashes and rebuilds have taken their toll on the components and its time to get new parts.
The iQuad Build Parts:
- Frame:
- 1/2" Square Wood Dowels - 10" Motor Booms & 9" Support Booms
- #6 1.25" Wood Screws
- Electronics Mount - 1.5mm Carbon Fiber Sheet
- Landing Gear - 3/8" Wide & 8.5" Long Lengths of Cut Up 36" Long Zip Ties
- M3x20mm Screws with Locknuts
- Nylon M3 41mm Stand Offs
- 4" Zip Ties
- Flight Controller:
- Powertrain:
- Battery:
Keeping to the spirit of smaller, lighter, and simpler I took to SketchUp to visualize the layout and dimensions and settled on the rendering seen below. Frame assembly is simplified by using wood screws to join the motor booms to the support booms which reduces the need for at least 12 holes and M3x20 screws from similar designs; also less fidgeting to get everything lined up. Motors will bolt, using M3x20 bolts, directly to the boom with washers as spacers for clearance of the spindle which protrudes from the bottom of the motor slightly. The carbon sheet is broad enough with three screws on each side to stiffen the frame to torsional twisting. The use of the four in one ESC, Q Brain, will eliminate the need for a power harness and simplifies the amount of wiring clutting.
Forthcoming will be a file for the template used to cut and drill the carbon fiber sheet if anyone is interested.
I ordered the parts from HobbyKing International yesterday afternoon and was delighted to see notification that they're in the mail as of last night. Paid a little extra for the "EMS Express" shipping to the states, so we'll see if it beats the usual 2 1/2 week transit time. More updates to the thread as they're ready.
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