Need help with RC Kite project

myxiplx

Member
Hey everybody :)

My little girl has a kite project at school, so we figured why not try to build a foamboard RC kite. Now I know what I want to achieve, but I've never tried to scratch build anything before, so I'm hoping I can bounce some ideas off folks here.

What we're aiming for is loosely:
  • Gotta be able to prop hang / fly at a high alpha
  • Needs to knife edge well
  • Needs a ton of rudder authority to spin in the air like a kite
  • Must have enough power to drag a good length tail around
  • Shouldn't catch the tail during spins
My initial thoughts are a twin prop nutball in the shape of a kite, and with a profile centre section running the length of the model, and with a length of piano wire allowing me to attach the streamer at an offset to the main body of the model.

I'm loosely basing the design on a previous flying kite idea, and a twin motor nutball project I've seen:
I've a very rough initial sketch below, but questions I have are:
  • Should I design a dihederal angle into this?
  • Am I going to have enough aileron authority with these two tabs at the rear very close to the centre line?

RC kite.jpg
 
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myxiplx

Member
Ok, ordered some electronics. Decided to base it on Power Pack H from the FT Twin Sparrow. I've a ton of 850-1300mAh 3S packs so lets make this a mini kite :)

https://www.flitetest.com/articles/ft-twin-sparrow

On the way are:
  • BrotherHobby Returner R3 1106 5100KV Brushless Motor (2-3S)
  • Little Bee Spring 20A ESC with BLHeli_S, DSHOT (2-4S)
  • Mini 5V BEC 3A
  • Azure 3060 Tri Blade Props (Blue)
  • Emax ES08D II 8.5g Digital Servo
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. What you've got is awesome! What you want is a Nutball. Look at my avatar pic, I know nothing! Seriously, though the Nutball is a kite without a string.
 

myxiplx

Member
Well, I added the bottom piece of the fuselage and it flew... and crashed lol. Had a habit of nose diving into the ground, and although it's controllable I think I need much bigger control surfaces to hover.

20190317_212135.jpg


Happy enough for my first scratch build. :)

Any suggestions for improvements gratefully received.
 
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myxiplx

Member
And we have Kite V2. Needs some cutouts to reduce the weight, and adding some covering tomorrow. Should be ready for a re-maiden Monday evening.

20190324_002710.jpg
 
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myxiplx

Member
A little ugly, but not bad for a maiden. Need to solve the pitching up under throttle and fit some better servos, but she's alive :)

20190325_192108.jpg