Model UAV: RD10 (Codenamed: Aqua )
|
+1 this on Google |
 Share this Model using Facebook |
 Follow this Model using RSS |
Current Objectives for this Model
Stabilize flight (remove oscillations)
Mount a Waterproof GoPro for AP/AV
Waterproof this model for use in lakes and rivers
Model Components
Air Frame: Dex models X quad - 500mm
Flight Controller: TMF AQ50D Pro aka FH-X46
This will be a water sports quad, for flying in and around water,
AUW with 3s2200mah lipo, no camera is 1031 grams, with camera 1220 grams
RD10 (AQUA) Airframe shipped.
The new water airframe for RD10 aka Aqua, was shipped on July 12th out of Croatia and arrived on Canadian soil only 2 days later on the 14th, and released from customs on the 15th.
This frame, is a 50CM class Quadcopter "X" Frame and was designed and hand made by Dennis aka Dex of dexmodels.com
This airframe, if it survives WWVi testing, will become the staple UAV for water proximity missions. it can lift off, land on, cruise (like a boat) on water, and can easily sustain a 50m freefall into water.
Aqua will hopefully get to test its water wings in a summer North Nahanni adventure, similar to the North Nahanni Winter Adventure with ARDi. Future link to ARDi-Nahanni story
This will pave the way for serious whitewater testing at 2011 Paddlefest, the annual white water kyaking festival held on the mighty Slave River in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada. Last year, ARDi flew paddlefest. Future link to ARDi-Paddlefest story.
First Test flights
During the mad scramble to build and test "Aqua" before the Summer Nahanni trip and Paddlefest 2011, we assembled RD10 and tested it with a variety of flight controllers including:
Aqua did not fly well with any of these FCs installed and we decided to forego Paddlefest as it was raining. We then took ARDi into the Nahanni instead. With the fall of ARDI on Aug 7, it is possible that the Mikrokopter electronics that survived the ARDi crash will make their way into Aqua.
Another try with AQ2.5 and the AQ mini.
Despite all attempts to get there, I rebuilt the DeX with the same Hobbyking ESCs which I will not buy again.
These I will not buy again:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__15205__Hobby_King_30A_ESC_3A_...
These I will buy again at double the price of those above
http://www.quadroufo.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_6&products_id=37&osCsi...
So much grief for something thats supposed to more beneficial.
Moving on, I painfully re calibrated all 4 ESCs and installed the AQ Mini FC and one of my newer FrSky D8R Rx. Either my mini FC is indeed fried. or it just wont work well with the ESCs.
I have yet to get it in the air like this.
RD-10 The Conversion Begins
I have begun trying to migrate the mikrokopter hardware into the Dex Body.
Step 1: replace the motors
Before:
After:
And when all the motors have been changed we have:
RD-10 Soldering the BL-CTRL MK ESCs
On ARDi, the bl-ctrls were soldered directly to the motors, but for the amount of times I have to rebuild these things, I tend to put connectors on them
RD10 Rebuild complete
The Dex quad is now running on mikrokopter parts. Tuning is now required.
RD10 another AQ50 Pro WIN!
Just for fun, I decided to install the AQ50 in my most troublesome quad, the Dex quad, proving the problem was my mikrokopter electronics. I am beginning to think you can attache the AQ50 Pro to just about anything and fly it.
In short it flew amazing, considering that it was not configured, and the frame was just taped together with electrical tape. The electronics were not installed in any postive way, it was imbalanced. I took it outside and flew it in -15 with no time for adjusting to temperature, and I flew till my cold hands hurt. it flew perfect except for the occasional mico oscilation which I expected since one prop adapter was coming loos and one motor is a bit askew.
The FC is mounted on an old rev 7 plate
Once inside, the plate is sitting on tope the ESC and the Power Distribution harness and a bunch of peices of scrap foam I had littering the bench.
With just enough room to throw a battery in there....
here you can see how imbalanced everything is:
Model Flight Logs
Newest at the top, oldest at the bottom.
testing 2s capability
I was desperate for some fun flight, so I
Just a quick proof of stable flight
flew till my hands hurt, -15C no wind
test flight, it needs tuning, it oscillates as soon as its airborne.
We Love Wikipedia
Advertisement:
|
|
 |
|---|
