School-project, making FT - swappable

[bjornendre]

I am planing to start a class next school year (from august) where we will have focus on RC-airplanes, and building the swappable series. I have been dreaming about this for a long time, and now that Flitetest came out with the swappable, I finally have a platform to start from! Thank you Flitetest!

Since I am located in Norway, buing the Speed Build Kit is not an option (to expensive shipping), so we will cut them out our self, and I think we will be using depron, since thats available in my city. If anyone know of a cheap place to buy foam board in Norway, or an international reseller who ships cheap to Norway, I will be happy!

I am now putting together a parts list for the class. It`s a class of around twenty 12-13years old students, and I am planing on building 5 powerpods and letting the students build their own set of wings. Flying-instructions will be given with the wireless buddy box, so that I can buy cheap hobbyking-transmitters for the students. What parts will you recommend for my project? Keep in mind that I need all the equipment, and I am not going to use any of my personal stuff for this. So if you have suggestions for tools pleace give them also! I will update my partslist as soon as I get a suggestion I need.

Suggestions for lessons in RC is also welcome! The flitetest videos is of course the best, but I think the english is a bit to hard for the students. I will therefor translate some lessons to Norwegian for the students. The students have no experience in RC. Some of them have a RC-car maybe, but no deeper understanding in servos, ESC etc.

Partslist:
Start electronics and accessories:
2x Turnigy 2S 3S Balance Charger
2x HobbyKing HK6S 2.4Ghz FHSS 6Ch Tx & Rx (Mode 2) (student)
4x HobbyKing HK6DF 6 Channel 2.4ghz Channel Receiver
1x Turnigy 9X 9Ch Transmitter w/ Module & 8ch Receiver (Mode 2) (v2 Firmware) (teacher)
2x Turnigy 9X 2.4GHz 8Ch Receiver (V2)
2x Wireless Buddy Box System 4CH (Dual RX Controller)
1x HobbyKing HK-010 Wattmeter & Voltage Analyzer
1x TURNIGY Programming Card
5x Turnigy Transmitter Strap

Power pod electronics:
5x D2822/14 Brushless Outrunner 1450kv
5x TURNIGY Plush 30amp Speed Controller
30x Turnigy TG9e servo
5x Turnigy nano-tech 1300mah 2S
5x Turnigy nano-tech 1300mah 3S

Tools and hardware
10x Linkage Stopper M3x2xL11.2mm
3x Polyester Velcro Peel-n-stick adhesive side V-STRONG (1mtr)
2x LiPo-bag JUMBO
4x LiPo-alarm
2x Z-bend Pliers
4x 3.5mm Gold Connectors
1x Heat Shrink Tube; 3mm red, 3mm black, 4mm red, 4mm black, 5mm red, 5mm black
2x Battery Powered Hot Glue Gun
5x Control horn
1x Simple Hand Propeller Balancer Alloy
20x Precision knife
10x Spare SK-5 Steel blades
25x 5 inch long neck pliers with cutter

Local hardware store or hobbyking:
Pushrod or 2mm pianowire
Hot Melt Glue gun
Stainles steel ruler (Couldn´t find any at hobbyking, but found a short one at dx.com)
Extreme packing tape



More will be added.

Credit to flitetest, you guys replying to my post, and electricrcaircraftguru for this list!

 

[earthsciteach]

This is fantastic! So happy to see this done for the kids! I wonder if I can sell a class to the school where I teach. I am going to run an RC club next year where we will be doing pretty much what you plan. Let's definitely keep up an exchange of ideas and track of what works and doesn't!

 

[eagle4]

you'll also need things like wire for pushrods
hot glue gun, hobbyking sells one that can be run off a flight battery, might be handy for repairs in the field

 

[Craftydan]

Horray! Chance to spend someone else's money!

Are you planning to *only* fly buddy-box? If so, you only need receivers for you 9x, but you'll need a classroom set quantity.

Props!!!! (get a a few of several sizes, but pick an all-around good size to buy A LOT of -- see the watt meter below)

Consider getting a matching Prop saver and finding a source for "Thera-band" brand blue latex tube. A meter of this tube, sliced into 5mm bands will probably last the year and save both props and motor shafts. Check a nearby physical rehab/therapy place (don't know what you call it in Norway, but you must have them, right?!?!).

Z-bend pliers for the control horn side of the push-rods -- very handy!

Control horns (yes, teach them to make their own, but multi-hole horns are hard to make and a small set can be used to teach mechanical advantage.)

HK-010 Watt meter - can check/balance batteries, but you can use it to measure throttle/current profiles.

Add a small electronic scale and a testing rig to the watt meter and you can compare throttle/current/thrust on various props to find which combinations are better suited for what types of flying.

Look into a prop balancer (useful to demonstrate reducing vibrations), but avoid HK's magnetic balancer - the shafts aren't balanced, so you'll never balance a plastic prop.

Since your class power-pod count is 5, might want to get 5 chargers.

Might also want to buy one spare of everything that might break, because it will.

None of the Transmitters say they come with neck straps. Unless you know they do, you need 1 per Tx.

Check their prices on cutting tools. might want local purchase instead, depending on cost+ship

ESC Programmer card - can use to show features on the ESC (brake, slow start, cuttoff).

Bullet connectors - looks like your motor comes with male connectors, but the plush ESC almost certainly comes w/ bare wire -- also heat shrink tube.

Extreme packing tape (dual-direction fiberglass re-enforced packing tape/ don't know if HK caries this or something similar, but its good for fixing minor damage or field repairing hinges)

Extra servo wire and servo plugs/sockets (to make extensions, in case you need them for any designs)

1 gyro or flight stabilizer with an aero mode (use to demo what a stabilizer module can do, and how they can be set up right/wrong - can teach "feedback")


Sounds like you've got a fun-but-challenging year ahead of you. Can't wait to hear how it's turning out!

 

[bjornendre]

Thank you for your reply! I will definitely update you on how it goes!
My budget is limited (800-900$), but my boss is quite happy for my idea, and he has already done a lot for me to make this happen! If all goes as planed we get our own room, where we can build workbench, and store all our equipment. Right outside the door we have a big open area where I plan to fly the airplanes.

The buddy box is only for startup, if the kids want me to take of, and land for them. I hope that the kids will be able to fly by them self after a bit of training. I will be using the wireless buddy box from hobbyking for this.

Thank you CraftyDan for your reply! You gave me plenty of good ideas! I will update my partslist with your recommendations.

 

[earthsciteach]

If your kids play video games, they may be flying circles around you in no time! Last night I got together with a couple of kids from my middle school club I had two years ago. One kid has really stuck with it. He's scratch building and modifying the heck out of some planes. Even has a flying wing all decked out in LEDs for night flying. Its awesome to see the positive influence its had on him.

 

[Craftydan]

Bjorn,

You might also want to chat w/ HK's sales staff. Since this is a school project, they may be interested in "sponsoring" it for the 20 new customers per year it will generate and any lesson plans you generate that make more classes like this. Requirments on your end of the sponsorship might be minimal since everything you're planning on buying has one of their name brands stamped on it already.

A good sales pitch to HK might get at least a discount, if not some sponsored items to try out.

 

[bjornendre]

Contacting HK was not a bad idea! Does any of you know who to contact at HK?
I have updates my list, with links, so It's easy to use for others that may start A class like this. Out of inspiration from MESA, I really whant to spread the word, and if not make a video blog, at least make a blog with pictures. I can not guarantee that it will be in english, but maybe i can ask the english-teacher if their class can translate blog-posts as part of their class. It's a wild shot, and I dont think they will agree, but hey, why not trye?