I have been messing around with multi rotor design, and came up with some designs that I think are quite unique and innovative.
The designs both use extruded aluminum frames, commonly known as bicycle rims. In this case I am using a Mavic 700c M319 disc rim.
The disc rim has an overall weight (505g) mostly due to the use of 6061 alloy and the lack of a metallic braking surface. Most 700c road rims are used with clincher style brakes, which require more metal, or they crush the rim.
For those of you looking to make one of these, try to find a rim that is intended for disc brakes, or is made of lightweight material. Steel rims are obviously not going to work.... carbon rims can be had.
The ring has an interesting set of advantages over other type of muti rotor frames. The most striking is the simplicity of it. A single component. Elegant.
A quick look at the weight and component count of most multi's in the + 500mm size shows that the rim weights less, and has a greater overall integrity than any other frame I have seen to date.
I am not an expert, and have only a limited experience with multi rotors. I am not claiming anything which I have not observed or tested myself. the truth is, hands down, the ring is the finest, most responsive, best behaved multi I have ever flown.
The purpose of this thread is to inspire some of you to try this design. If possible, I would appreciate it if the topic was to stick to rim style multi rotors. I know there are a few other folks who have been messing with rims, and hoops and carbon rings.... I am almost certain that this ring will impress any multi rotor fan.
If there is a single detraction, a flaw that I have missed... please share !
I contend that the ring offers the simplest, most versatile, highest performance frame available. For $40 it will be very hard to beat.
The Multi Ring.
I am calling this design the Multi ring, for lack of a better name. The ring is a multi.. and has multiple configurations. Due to the nature of the frame, the multi ring can be changed from X quad to flat hex to Y6 hex to octo and beyond.. with out any additional modification to the frame.
The motor mounts I use allow me to simply loosen the bottom plate, and slide th motor to its new location. The base plate for the motor is an x mount adapter, and allows for coaxial motor placement.
In my build, I decided to use dual quattro 25A ESC's, offering built in redundancy for quad and hex, with the option of Octo. The quatto ESC greatly reduce the complication of power distribution, making a very clean looking build.
For this design I selected the 42/15 650Kv motor from RCX on 15" prop / 4s
of course, many of you will already have motors / speed controllers. this is just what I choose to use.
No matter the motor you choose, the frame will accommodate upto a 17" prop.
For mounting the motor, I choose to use 25mm CF tubes, clamps and CF plates.
Rimcopters come in a few flavors... the original unbroken rim, or the "ARCx" which is a rim cut in half, or third's
Cutting the rim allows you to make it fold, for portability, as well as make the rim larger, by extending CF tubes from the rim.
here are some photos .... feel free to ask any questions... and please, feel free to build your own!!!
The designs both use extruded aluminum frames, commonly known as bicycle rims. In this case I am using a Mavic 700c M319 disc rim.
The disc rim has an overall weight (505g) mostly due to the use of 6061 alloy and the lack of a metallic braking surface. Most 700c road rims are used with clincher style brakes, which require more metal, or they crush the rim.
For those of you looking to make one of these, try to find a rim that is intended for disc brakes, or is made of lightweight material. Steel rims are obviously not going to work.... carbon rims can be had.
The ring has an interesting set of advantages over other type of muti rotor frames. The most striking is the simplicity of it. A single component. Elegant.
A quick look at the weight and component count of most multi's in the + 500mm size shows that the rim weights less, and has a greater overall integrity than any other frame I have seen to date.
I am not an expert, and have only a limited experience with multi rotors. I am not claiming anything which I have not observed or tested myself. the truth is, hands down, the ring is the finest, most responsive, best behaved multi I have ever flown.
The purpose of this thread is to inspire some of you to try this design. If possible, I would appreciate it if the topic was to stick to rim style multi rotors. I know there are a few other folks who have been messing with rims, and hoops and carbon rings.... I am almost certain that this ring will impress any multi rotor fan.
If there is a single detraction, a flaw that I have missed... please share !
I contend that the ring offers the simplest, most versatile, highest performance frame available. For $40 it will be very hard to beat.
The Multi Ring.
I am calling this design the Multi ring, for lack of a better name. The ring is a multi.. and has multiple configurations. Due to the nature of the frame, the multi ring can be changed from X quad to flat hex to Y6 hex to octo and beyond.. with out any additional modification to the frame.
The motor mounts I use allow me to simply loosen the bottom plate, and slide th motor to its new location. The base plate for the motor is an x mount adapter, and allows for coaxial motor placement.
In my build, I decided to use dual quattro 25A ESC's, offering built in redundancy for quad and hex, with the option of Octo. The quatto ESC greatly reduce the complication of power distribution, making a very clean looking build.
For this design I selected the 42/15 650Kv motor from RCX on 15" prop / 4s
of course, many of you will already have motors / speed controllers. this is just what I choose to use.
No matter the motor you choose, the frame will accommodate upto a 17" prop.
For mounting the motor, I choose to use 25mm CF tubes, clamps and CF plates.
Rimcopters come in a few flavors... the original unbroken rim, or the "ARCx" which is a rim cut in half, or third's
Cutting the rim allows you to make it fold, for portability, as well as make the rim larger, by extending CF tubes from the rim.
here are some photos .... feel free to ask any questions... and please, feel free to build your own!!!
