RadicalRC lasercut tricopter frames: the prototype

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
Hey guys,

I just finished the quick-build of the RadicalRC lasercut tricopter. This is the firts one for testing. When ok, our club will build more (larger and smaller ones) with all the correct length wiring etc.

These kits from www.radicalrc.com are great !
The base plates with the motor mounts and the yaw mechanism provide a very good base for designing your own tricopters. All you need is some 10x10cm tubes, your standard RC-gear and some spare hours to build them. See another build review on the RadicalRC website:
http://www.radicalrc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Stinger_Tri-Copter_Build1.pdf
You can even mod your tricopter with special landing gear, tail fins, bumpers, camera trays, etc.

I used the following parts:
* 10x10cm carbon tubes (50cm length).
Normal wooden sticks will give somewhat more flex to absorb vibrations I guess, we will test this later.
* Hacker Style 20-22L bruschless 924kv motors
* 30amp turnigy plush esc's (little overkill, 18A or 25A would also be possible)
* HK V1 control board (will compare the KK blackboard later)
* Hitec HS-82MG yaw servo (the best ! and fits perfectly on this mechasism)
* OrangeRX R410 DSM2 4ch RX
* 3S 2200 25c flightmax xthin lipo
* El cheapo 10x3.8 props
* 450 size heli canopy for orientation

It took me 3 hours to build.
First flight was stable with just a little trimming.
Real maiden follows later.
If you have any advise, comments or questions please, let me know !


Top_1.jpg Top_2.jpg Top_3.jpg Yaw_1.jpg Yaw_2.jpg Yaw_3.jpg Contr_Board_Top.jpg Landing_stud.jpg
 

PTRogers85

One 2 FLY
Hey Looks Great Burg! Yeah I don't think you will have a problem with your orientation with the bright yellow canopy lol, I don't know how I could ever fly mine without my canopy. I'm glad you like your Radical RC kit, ill have to show the guys pics of your tricopter next time I'm in Dayton, OH. I'm really happy with my Yaw plate, i bought one from them to use on my next Tricopter build. Hope you shoot some Video of it Flying
Good Luck and Happy Flying!
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
Nice build and photolog! Though I think you mean the 10 x 10 mm tubes. :)

The yaw mechanism looks very compact!
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Nice build you have there!

Would love too see a flying video of it.

I am about to build mine soon. Got some stuff ordered already from HK. Also the HK KK V2 board!
 

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
Thanks guys,

@Colorex : eehm yes, 10x10mm ;)

You might have seen that this is a 90-135-135 degrees boom setup.
With this tricopter I used the radicalrc quadcopter frame.
The actual 120-120-120 tricopter frame being build now (shorter booms).

I am having some trouble setting up the TX in 90-135-135 configuration.
A standard 120-120-120 is easy (=plane setup) but I sure can use a little help with this layout.
The tricopter is quite stable but does someone have advice setting up in heli-mode ?

Appreciate it ..
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Why do ou want to set it up in heli mode?

As far as I know the KK board is simply used with a aeroplane mode of the TX.

The board does everything for you and that is why you don´t need that type of set up.


Or I might have gotten you wrong and due to your 90-135-135 configuration you have to do this in heli mode?
Why couldn´t you just increase the pots on the board?
 

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
@Anas
Thanks.

I would think so too as the angles are not so much different.
Still it feels like she intends to flip sideways more quicker.
And when she goes, she goes ..
Maybe because the width is less then with 120-120-120

I have to test the response when adjusting the pots.
In the mean time the original radicalrc tricopter will be completed and I can verify the difference.

As you can see I had to move the lipo backwards to get the cg richt in the middle of the contr board.
Because the 90 degree front boom angle brings the cg more forward.

I'll have to order some more tri-kits for other club members, I'll ask Dave from radicalrc for some advise.
 

PTRogers85

One 2 FLY
Hey Burg as far as your Swash set up, I also have. HK board V1 and have my Tri in heli mode on my TX but I'm only using it in Single Servo Swash mode, bc I had problems when I put it 120 and it flew way better after I switch back to 1 servo Swash settings and it still flies super stable with that set up.
 

RadicalRC

Junior Member
Burg,

Looks great. Your took a novel path with the landing gear loops. That looks like a better idea than the wire bending plan I give with the kit. ;-) They look bent around too short a radius to be carbon. I notice your not retaining it with wheel collars. Is it just music wire with black heat shrink? I might have to add your idea to the kit.

For my current machine, I'm using the heli gear with the heli gear mount set.

Copter looks great!

Dave
Radical RC
 

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
Dave,

The landing gear wire loops are just a (heavier) quick fix. It is simple M2 x 300 metal push wiring. I noticed that your motor mounts are pre-cut for securing this solution with wheel collars (nice!) But the wire loops are very tight the way they are now. Will secure them later with wheel collars if this prooves to be working.

I agree with you that a 450-600 size heli gear looks better, but it's less stable. When the radicalrc tricopter that we are building now is completed and trimmed ok, we will deff fit such heli gear ;-)

Let's ask the others here what they would like to see different or modified with your laser cut kits. I understood that there was a request for smaller servo yaw mounts. I suppose for small / micro tricopters ?
 

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
Hi guys,

FINALLY some good weather to maiden the RadicalRC tricopter.
Here are 4 short vids to show you the stability of this frame !

Flycam KK Black board with tricopter v2.5 firmware
All pods at 50% ..
Just 70% dual rates on the ail and elev.

Prototype is approved ;-)
Next projects :
1) a larger and lighter version
2) a small version !





Please, subscribe and comment !
 

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
Bit tricky, but why not ?
Three single floats from a MPX easy- or funcub onder each arm ?
Haven't seen this mod yet ..
Can't see the benefit eighter but hey, I see a challenge here ;-)
 

themajik1

Monkey/Bear Poker
Mentor
Okay, this looks like it flies great and easy, are tri and quads easy to fly?

I have been flying planes about a year now, and have played with some cheap helicopters. I do fly helis on Clearview FS. This one looks really stable. What is the difference in flight characteristics between a tri and quad?

Thanks in advance!
 

Shadow74

Multi-rotor madman
Hey Burg! great videos! and some very nice landings! I love the wheels too.....that is a very cool idea. :)

Eric
 

Shadow74

Multi-rotor madman
Okay, this looks like it flies great and easy, are tri and quads easy to fly?

I have been flying planes about a year now, and have played with some cheap helicopters. I do fly helis on Clearview FS. This one looks really stable. What is the difference in flight characteristics between a tri and quad?

Thanks in advance!

Hey majik,

tri-copter and quad-copters are both WAY more stable than most heli traditional helis. As far as multi-rotors go, it seems the more props, the more stable. The biggest difference that I noticed between tri & quad is that the tri-copter will yaw quicker because of the vectoring tail. Tri's are a little bit less stable than a quad when it comes to gathering really smooth video from an onboard camera, for instance, when you try to "park" a tricopter in a perfect hover it tends to not stay as still as a quad. You can do really nice stuff from a tri, but the quad in my humble opinion seems to be a tad bit smoother. Could just be me though. For FPV, they both do a great job. Hope this helps.....there is a ton of info on here about tri-copters. I am going to start a thread on my quad here pretty soon. :)

Eric
 

Burg

Never catch a multirotor
Hey Burg! great videos! and some very nice landings! I love the wheels too.....that is a very cool idea. :)
Eric

Thanks Eric!
These are optional that suit these quad-/tricopter kits.
Very easy and very solid, i love them.
See this pic :

LGear.jpg