Tricopter Scratchbuild!

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Hey guys,


I finally started my Tricopter Project over the winter which will hopefully succeed.

I just wanted to start this thread to inform you what is going on and make some kind of post everytime I do something with it and when stuff arrives and what I build and so on...

So yesterday evening I ordered the first parts:

3 x this motor
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8621
It says straight under it that it gives you 740g of thrust so in total a thrust of 2220g (with that used prop)
on 3 cells (which I am planning to use 3S 2200mAh)
Do you think those will do fine? I was concerned about choosing the right motors!

Second relevant part was this:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=19534
The KK Control Board.
I am going to flash it to get my needed Tricopter firmware into that little nice processor.

Then what I hope to be able to use are simple 18A ESC´s (which are sold in Germany but I heard that they are copies from the Turnigy Plush´s, which is good, because they can get along with the high PPM rates without shutting down the motor)

Yeah then I wanted to have a Hitec HS81MG on my tail motor for the yaw, but unfortunately I couldn´t orderthe system David Windestal ( his website) used in his build, which I try to be reasonably close to in terms of size and performance.

The only problem I still got is that I need a USB ISP to be able to flash the board. So I´ll just try to find one on Germany.

Does anyone already have a Tricopter and could probably manage me a bit along this?
Any further question/suggestions about the set up?
 

bbmagic

Junior Member
The motors will work. It is beneficial to try and stay with a low Kv motor. The 2213 from hobby king is another good choice but since you have already ordered don't sweat it.

The KK board will work fine with the proper firmware. They recently upgraded their boards with a processoor that can handle the code size of some of the newer firmware so you should have plenty to choose from. Be aware that the KK boards are gyro stabilized only so there is no auto leveling mode. It makes it a bit harder to learn on.

I got impatient when I got my servo, my tri was almost completed so I bought what was available a Hs225MG. A bit of overkill but it doesn't seem to have any adverse effect.

This past summer I completed mine so I'll help if I can. Are you going to base yours off of David's design? Mine is very close but I added a roll over plate to protect the flight controller, I'm using an open pilot copter control flight controller and I also changed the yaw mechanism just a bit.

I have a friend that is building his first also but he has documented his build. His site is tricopflyer.com check it out for ideas.

Good luck!!
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
The motors will work. It is beneficial to try and stay with a low Kv motor. The 2213 from hobby king is another good choice but since you have already ordered don't sweat it.

The KK board will work fine with the proper firmware. They recently upgraded their boards with a processoor that can handle the code size of some of the newer firmware so you should have plenty to choose from. Be aware that the KK boards are gyro stabilized only so there is no auto leveling mode. It makes it a bit harder to learn on.

I got impatient when I got my servo, my tri was almost completed so I bought what was available a Hs225MG. A bit of overkill but it doesn't seem to have any adverse effect.

This past summer I completed mine so I'll help if I can. Are you going to base yours off of David's design? Mine is very close but I added a roll over plate to protect the flight controller, I'm using an open pilot copter control flight controller and I also changed the yaw mechanism just a bit.

I have a friend that is building his first also but he has documented his build. His site is tricopflyer.com check it out for ideas.

Good luck!!

Thanks for you input first bbmagic!
Yeah I don´t want to crash but I think it will at least take a vast amount of practice to get used to controlling a Tricopter. I´ll give my best.

Haha yeah the HS225MG is kinda little too big. But just a little :D :D :D

Mhmm yeah, I thought I am going to keep it quite similar to Davids design. Also instead of using fiber glass I found some ABS with carbon look on it. That will look so cool, as both materials are quite similar ( I think)
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Just to let you know.

My order was shipped today! So hopefully in something around 2 weeks my stuff will arrive. I actually want to have all stuff together before I start doing Anything!
 

elemental

Member
i have motors similar to those only mine are 800kv...but they look identical!! I have my tri almost finished now im just waiting on my kk board!!
 

Johntra

Senior Member
I am also starting a tricopter build beginning probably in Jan. I'll be using Davids V2.5 with some modifications. I also am going to start off with the HK KK, but eventually going to upgrade to the Open Pilot CC when they get in stock and I have the money for it. Good luck can't wait to see how it turns out.
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
i have motors similar to those only mine are 800kv...but they look identical!! I have my tri almost finished now im just waiting on my kk board!!

What about you upload some pictures?

I still need some inspiration for the yaw servo... the mechanism David used is out of stock -.-'
 

bbmagic

Junior Member
I found some pics for you. You will recognize the layout! :D I changed the yaw mechanism a bit because of my large servo and my single plate for the yaw motor lowering the motor I experienced clearance problems with the prop compared to David's Ver 2.0. It was just too close for comfort (approx 3/4").
yaw.jpg
And an overall pic.
tri.jpg
Sorry for the colors and the lack of depth of field, the pics are indoors under incandescent light and it is difficult to adjust for. I hope these will help you get started.
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Nice! Yeah I made my decision about yaw servo steering I think.

Most of the pictures I saw which also had a decent look where done with those helicopter blade mounts. I think I will go for one of them. Just need to order that extra now ... but won´t keep me away from not building it Hahaha

Anyway thanks for your pictures. Helped me
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
The problem with that would be that the servo I want to use is 12mm wide but the actual rod only 10. So I would either have to sandpaper the servos housing by 2mm if that works or I would have to use some kind of 1mm thick plate to glue next to the rod to have the place filled.

But that is a nice option as well! The good thing about it is that you have a good protection for the mount and the servo which I wouldn´t have if I go for the glad grip option...

I´ll have to look what I can do when it comes to building them but very nice ideas upto now! If you keep that level up of quantitative and qualitative help my tri will be pretty easy to do!
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Yeah, why not use the servo arm directly?

I think that will be the way to go for the beginning because I know that I am most likely to crash especially as a newbee and I need my components protected for the start.

Also that way I wouldn´t need to make the extra order for the blade grip.

Thanks for the help in this guys.

But here comes my next question:

How were you´re experiences with flying tricopters so far?
Is it easy to learn? Or rather difficult? How much is different from it being flown like a heli or being flown like a normal plane?
 

Johntra

Senior Member
Ive only flown tri and quadcopters on simulators. The controls to me seem more like a plane then a copter which i like cause im not very good at the heli's. The main reason i want to get into multirotors is that they pretty much will fly anywhere.
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Ive only flown tri and quadcopters on simulators. The controls to me seem more like a plane then a copter which i like cause im not very good at the heli's. The main reason i want to get into multirotors is that they pretty much will fly anywhere.

Exactly and if you build it like David you can take it with you everywhere without it taking to too much because of the foldable arms
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
Okay,

I have never flown a heli before :/ The question I ask myself is: Will I be able to control it quickly without crashing often and risking to break stuff? What did you break in your first flights?

I don´t know much about helis; Well I know how they work and everything else.
I know basically all about them except the flybarless stuff.