Hex becomes Y

[rockynz]

Hi all,

thought I would post my build here

First my requirements are :- Must be able to fold and be suitable for backpacking into remote areas. Have a motor diameter 800-1000mm. Have six motors so if one motor or ESC fails I still have a chance of a safe landing? Be suitable for FPV and AP with a GoPro.

Running gear will be :- OpenPilot CC. FlyCam 450 motors. APC 10x4.7 s/f props. RC Timer 30amp ESC's. KK power board. FrSky telemetry r/x.

I really wanted a hexa but when I started building it I knew I'd never get it to fold as small as I'd like and also didn't give many options for a tidy ESC install. Also the tube I have for the arms made it rather heavy. By changing to Y6 configuration I immediately lost almost half the frame weight. Also the folded length came down to 695mm (1000mm motor dia. with props fitted) from the hex's 1010mm (800mm motor dia. with props fitted). The only thing I not sure I like about the Y6 is the lower motors! Hope my folding landing gear will take care of that though?

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Anyway here are some pics of my progress so far

 

[Bartman]

where is that tubing material from? is the house missing screen door this morning?

 

[rockynz]

Haha, no I got it from a guy who works next door to me! $15 NZ for 4.5 meters. 20x14x1mm section. Shame about the fixing web but I drilled most of it away. Landing gear from 19x19x1.2mm section! The whole frame cost me less than $10

 

[matwelli]

good ole NZ ingenuity - good stuff chris

 

[rockynz]

Thanks Mat,

much appreciated praise indeed as I not a real Kiwi Its how I like to work though, all the drawings are in my head. Sort out the problems as they arise. Also I think it would be near impossible to find a commercial frame to fulfill my requirements?

I have all the basic stuff done and am very happy with how its going! I now need to sort out a removable plate which will lock the arms in place for flight mode an also allow me to fit cameras and batteries to. Unfortunately the project has run out of funds for the short term, but all I need to get it flying is a few meters of 16AWG silicone wire and some shrink tube to recover the ESC's once I've extended their wires. We have some heat shrink at work so will ask my boss when he gets back from his holidays next week.

Hey do you use any loctite when fitting the prop collects that come with the FlyCam motors?