1st [almost] Flight test

Post date: 16-Sep-2011 21:28:00

After some minor software issues, including removing some debug code. The fact that the throttle was reversed made a fairly nervous moment even more exciting.

At full throttle TriRot was sort of just leaning upwards but not actually lifting off. At least it gave me a chance to test the rest of the controls. I seem to be reading the Radio control pretty well and everything else seems good.

I have a couple of ideas in mind some of which are already in progress:

1. Replace the triple rotor 5x3 GWS props with 6x3 props. This adds a substantial amount of trust without exceeding the motor and ESC current. Under some earlier testing, the total current drawn from the battery was less than 1 amp. (I’ve ordered these already and they should be arriving on Monday)

2. Replace all steel nuts and bolts with nylon versions. From some basic (online) checking they seem to be roughly half the weight. I’m estimating that this should save roughly 50g. I ordered these today and they should be arriving next week.

3. Replace the 190g 2200mAh battery with a 96g 1050mAh version. This would give me reduced flight time but also drop close to 100g off the total weight.

4. Rebuild the motor mounts so that I can fit a propeller to the top and bottom of the motors effectively adding 3 more blades to every motor. (Initial calculations indicate a marginal increase in thrust though.) I’ve seen some commercial UAV’s that are built like this.

I’m hoping that dropping roughly 150g (28%) in addition to the additional thrust produced by bigger (and/or) more propellers will get it off the ground.