Model UAV: RD16 (Codenamed: Rambo )
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Current Objectives for this Model
Model Components
Air Frame: Hoverthings VC-450
Flight Controller: OpenPilot CopterControl
This project *IS* powered by an OpenPilot CC
RD16 Update - Frame is in Canada
Yes The frame for RD16 aka Rambo has finally landed in Canada and has cleared customs, now I will wait for the week it will take to make its journey north to the sub-arctic wilds of Fort Smith.
Go go Canada Post!!!!
VC-450 Frame Arrives
The new VC-450 Frame made by Vic20owner sold at hoverthings.com has arrived. Right off the bat, these things impressed me:
- Arrived in an envelope
- heavy duty packaging even though its an envelope
- all pieces were intact
- its organized into sub packets
- Assembly manual with COLOR pictures????
Wow. So this is kind of what my kit looks like, but not exactlty, when I get home I will post a better pic. So far this has proven to be an awesome frame......
RD16 (RAMBO) Frame Construction
Overall I would have to say this build was a no-brainer. the instructions were bang on and the cut of the material was so well done that each hole held the screw for you while you picked up the tool to drive it home. Nicely done, I give this frame kit 10/10, I will be buying many more of them!!!
RD16 (Rambo) Build continues - Motors and Power Dist
After flying RD-3 with the CopterControl, I got excited about Rambo so moved on and go working on it. I dismantled the center, and installed the power distribution harness, then I installed the motors, but I installed the motor plates in reverse so that the motor is mounted further in, this will do 2 important things: 1: This will reduce the disturbance in the prop wash stabilizing the craft closer to the ground. Research has shown if you extend the arm out under the props the prop wash moves more evenly over the arm and that you get less erratic ground effect and a smoother thrust column beneath the props. 2: This will reduce the amount of prop exposed on the outer edge by 2 inches making it less dangerous and more able to navigate foliage without clipping. this will benefit FPV as well as making the model 2inches narrower for putting it in a case with props on 
RD-16 Build - Hello CopterControl
Using a small tuperware type container as a main building block, 
I tried several different permutations to make everything fit inside, but In the end I found that to be able to use the USB on the CopterControl I neede it to sit higher in the unit. 
I then mounted the RX on the outside of the left rear leg and the lipo alarm on the inside of the right rear leg, and velcro held the 3s lipo underneath. It flies like a dream!
RD16 gets a GoPro and bigger props
I will first go with using the live video out on the gopro, then later I might slap on a sony CCD or something.
I also changed the 8x6 3 blades out for 10 x 7 3 blades. it hops right up now with power to spare.
RD16 - FPV Gear installed and tested
this will only be the second model (ARDi was the first) that I ran FPV gear on.
I installed a 500mw Mondo Stinger 5.8 ghz VTX,
Eagletree OSD Pro
Eagletree E-logger V3 (Heavy Duty)
I am running the Live out of the GoPro, into the OSD pro out to the VTX.
At the groundstation I am using the Yellowjacket pro 5.8 Ghz split into the indash monitor of my car and into my FatShark Aviators.
RTF looks ok.
RD16 - New LEDs for Rear arms
I dug out my hobbyking led strips today and cut 2 for the rear arms, they are blue and will indicate rear.
RD16 LOS config
I stripped down RD16 for a camera mission today, I took all the gear off, and built another gopro mount.
This is how the 3s lipo mounts now
This is how the HUGE 4s mounts
In gereal it looks like this:
Modeling performance for RD16 (eCalc)
I decided to sit down with eCalc for multirotor and model all my lipos against all my props for this aircraft and I was very surprised to find that some combinations I would not have tried would actually be beneficial, I found quite a few sweet spots.
Summary of findings:
KEY:
| Danger Do Not Use | |
| Some Risk, avoid | |
| Some Concerns | |
| Suggested combo | |
| Optimal Combo | * |
COMBOS TO USE:
| Lipo | APC 8x3.8SF | EPP 10x4.5 | MAS 7x4 | MAS 8x6x3 | MAS 10x7x3 |
| [4S] 5000 (25-50C) | |||||
| (4S)2560(30-40C) | |||||
| (4S)2450(20-30C) | * | ||||
| (3S)2200(10-20C) | * | ||||
| (3S)2200(45-90C) | * | ||||
| (2S)5000(25-50C) | * | ||||
| (2S)5000(30-40C) | * | ||||
| (2S)2100(10-25C) | * | ||||
| 2 x (2S)2100(10-25C) | * |
| Lipo | Prop | APC8x3.8SF | EPP10x4.5 | MAS7x4 | MAS8x6x3 | MAS10x7x3 |
| [4S] 5000 (25-50C) | max time full power (mins) | 6.6 | 3.25 | 9.68 | 4.39 | 2.3 |
| max time @ hover (mins) | 19.15 | 21.92 | 17.71 | 20.22 | 22.9 | |
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 59.7 | 54.3 | 62.8 | 57.8 | 52.8 | |
| Hover throttle (%) | 50 | 24 | 71 | 33 | 16 | |
| Additional Payload (g) | 541 | 1694 | 127 | 1098 | 2456 | |
| Warnings | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! ** max. current over the limit of the controller * | |
| (4S)2560(30-40C) | max time full power (mins) | 3.79 | 1.95 | 5.44 | 2.59 | 1.46 |
| max time @ hover (mins) | 10.14 | 11.56 | 9.36 | 10.71 | 12.15 | |
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 60.6 | 55.2 | 63.6 | 58.4 | 52.9 | |
| Hover throttle (%) | 53 | 27 | 74 | 37 | 19 | |
| Additional Payload (g) | 450 | 1422 | 80 | 923 | 1982 | |
| Warnings | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | * The Motor Voltage is close to the Limit - please verify the max. allowed Motor Voltage ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | |
| (4S)2450(20-30C) | max time full power (mins) | 3.65 | 1.96 | 5.18 | 2.53 | 1.47 |
| max time @ hover (mins) | 9.36 | 10.75 | 8.64 | 9.9 | 11.23 | |
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 61 | 55.3 | 64 | 58.8 | 53.3 | |
| Hover throttle (%) | 55 | 29 | 76 | 39 | 21 | |
| Additional Payload (g) | 405 | 1277 | 56 | 839 | 1777 | |
| Warnings | * max. current over the limit of the battery ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | * max. current over the limit of the battery ** max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | ||||
| (3S)2200(10-20C) | max time full power (mins) | 6.39 | 3.27 | 4.35 | 2.63 | |
| max time @ hover (mins) | 6.88 | 8.34 | 7.43 | 8.89 | ||
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 76.9 | 73 | 75.4 | 71.5 | ||
| Hover throttle (%) | 96 | 56 | 75 | 40 | ||
| Additional Payload (g) | -211 | 387 | 72 | 766 | ||
| Warnings | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * max. current over the limit of the battery * | |||
| (3S)2200(45-90C) | max time full power (mins) | 4.7 | 2.19 | 6.94 | 3.05 | 1.48 |
| max time @ hover (mins) | 7.64 | 9.05 | 6.94 | 8.17 | 9.57 | |
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 72.3 | 67.9 | 74.5 | 70.7 | 66.2 | |
| Hover throttle (%) | 77 | 37 | 98 | 53 | 25 | |
| Additional Payload (g) | 39 | 955 | -259 | 463 | 1627 | |
| Warnings | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | * max. power over the limit of the motor. Please check the limits! * | ||||
| (2S)5000(25-50C) | max time full power (mins) | 9.81 | 13.81 | 6.42 | ||
| max time @ hover (mins) | 15.79 | 13.94 | 16.93 | |||
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 78.7 | 80.2 | 82.9 | |||
| Hover throttle (%) | 78 | 98 | 54 | |||
| Additional Payload (g) | 32 | -253 | 443 | |||
| Warnings | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | |||
| (2S)5000(30-40C) | max time full power (mins) | 9.92 | 13.92 | 6.52 | ||
| max time @ hover (mins) | 15.75 | 13.89 | 16.89 | |||
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 78.8 | 80.2 | 77.8 | |||
| Hover throttle (%) | 78 | 98 | 55 | |||
| Additional Payload (g) | 22 | -258 | 423 | |||
| Warnings | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | |||
| (2S)2100(10-25C) | max time full power (mins) | 4.59 | 6.27 | 3.14 | ||
| max time @ hover (mins) | 6.52 | 5.62 | 6.9 | |||
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 79.1 | 80.5 | 78.2 | |||
| Hover throttle (%) | 85 | 100 | 62 | |||
| Additional Payload (g) | -60 | -304 | 262 | |||
| Warnings | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | ||
| 2 x (2S)2100(10-25C) | max time full power (mins) | 8.54 | 11.91 | 5.68 | ||
| max time @ hover (mins) | 13.14 | 11.57 | 14.09 | |||
| Hover Efficiency (%) | 78.9 | 80.3 | 77.9 | |||
| Hover throttle (%) | 80 | 98 | 57 | |||
| Additional Payload (g) | 0 | -270 | 377 | |||
| Warnings | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * The Power is not sufficient to hover * | * For good maneuverability you need Throttle of less than 80% * | |||
| Note: some lipo batteries that have a higher or lower discharge rate than eCalc provides, To model them, I did linear regression to derive the resistance values. To model MAS 2blade, I chose APC E SPEED, to model MAS triblades I used APC Electric and lowered the pitch value by 1. | ||||||
RD16 aka Rambo gets a new lighting system
Well, dont let it be said that I take the easy way for things, I decided to retrofit this CC powered VC-450 with a lighting system including front rear and side ideantifying LED strips and an RC channel controlled switch. THis was not easy and required a solid 4.5 hours of bench time soldering, weaving wires and zipties gallore.
Here is Rambo in the light with lights on.
In the dark, from the front, we have two yellow strips indicating head-on (nose-in) flight.
from the left, we have a blue strip to the front and red to the rear
from behind, we have two red strips indicating tail lights (nose-out) flight.
and last from the right, we have a blue strip to the front and red to the rear.
RD16 gets bluetooth
I fed up with taking the lid off and plugging in the USB cable so I hooked up a bluetooth adapter to the Copter control board. It was worth the effort, but the range was pretty limited.
Rambo gets Xbee Telemetry
after enjoying the Bluetooth ability of RD16 I decided to install a set of 900 mhz Xbee modems for long range telemetry.
Model Flight Logs
Newest at the top, oldest at the bottom.
Test flown in the driveway at -20C light wind - strange behaviour as an imbalance built up. all the directional compensation cost me flight time....
stripped down for LOS filming, testing flight time on 4s 5000 mAh
Stripped down to basic LOS quad with gopro. Flight test
Indoor test flight without gorpo on board 3s
this flight went much better, 3s is definitly the way to go with this rig. Hover amps of this rig is about 26A Motors temps were at about 40-50C after the flight esc temp normal pack temps warm Voltage test on the packs show: 21:11.1v 22:11.1v I landed immediately upon first lipo alarm
Just a quick indoor test flight to prove what I already knew, that this model with a CopterControl for flight controller would fly perfectly, and it did.
This fellow, Jus from Australia, is doing FPV with this frame, powered by the OpenPilot CopterControl board.
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