Difference between revisions of "X-UAV Mini Talon VTOL Project"

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(Project 3D Print Files)
 
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| align="left" valign="top" width="30%" | __TOC__  
 
| align="left" valign="top" width="30%" | __TOC__  
| align="right" valign="top" width="70%" | [[File:MTV01.JPG|600px]]
+
| align="right" valign="top" width="70%" | [[File:MTV01A.jpg|650px]]
 
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First, some acknowledgements-<br>
 
First, some acknowledgements-<br>
Many thanks to '''ATX_Heli''' from RCGroups and the APM dev team, '''Tridge''', also from RCG and the APM dev team and '''Greg Covey''' who did a really great write-up of his E-Flite Convergence conversion to APM. Their combined help and write-ups were invaluable to this project!<br><br>
+
Many thanks to '''ATX_Heli''' from RCGroups and the APM dev team, '''Greg Covey''' who did a really great write-up of his <u><b>[https://discuss.ardupilot.org/t/e-flite-convergence-using-matek-f405-wing/35810/3 E-Flite Convergence conversion to APM]</b></u> and'''Tridge''', also from RCG and the APM dev team with his excellent write up on <b><u>[https://discuss.ardupilot.org/t/tiltrotor-support-for-plane/8805/285 "Tiltrotor support for plane"]</u></b> and . Their combined help and write-ups were invaluable to this project!<br><br>
  
My MiniTalon #4 is getting long in the tooth after nearly 2-1/2 years and hundreds of flights so I decided to use it as a test platform for this project. (Please see <u>'''[[X-UAV Mini Talon Build Number 4]]'''</u> for any build information not found here.) I have been resisting doing a VTOL version of the Mini Talon because I knew it would be an all consuming project that would take some time. It has been!. It has also been a really fun and challenging project and hopefully the results will speak for themselves.<br>
+
My MiniTalon #4 was getting long in the tooth after nearly 2-1/2 years and hundreds of flights so I decided to use it as a test platform for this project. (Please see <u>'''[[X-UAV Mini Talon Build Number 4]]'''</u> for any build information not found here.) I have been resisting doing a VTOL version of the Mini Talon because I knew it would be an all consuming project that would take some time. It has been!. It has also been a really fun and challenging project and hopefully the results will speak for themselves.<br>
  
 
To begin, when I first started on this project I set up some simple design parameters to aim for:<br>
 
To begin, when I first started on this project I set up some simple design parameters to aim for:<br>
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:* Relatively light weight - <1750g with a 5200/4S Lipo pack
 
:* Relatively light weight - <1750g with a 5200/4S Lipo pack
 
:* Minimum Carbon Fiber components - To keep any RF interference low
 
:* Minimum Carbon Fiber components - To keep any RF interference low
 +
:* Minimum add to frontal area in fixed wing flight - Keeps drag low
 
:* Three-motor tilt rotor configuration - This should help with the weight
 
:* Three-motor tilt rotor configuration - This should help with the weight
 
:* Bolt-on rear motor mount - Keeps stock motor mount  
 
:* Bolt-on rear motor mount - Keeps stock motor mount  
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:* The ability to use the Matek F405-wing flight controller and all the flight control components already on the plane<br><br>
 
:* The ability to use the Matek F405-wing flight controller and all the flight control components already on the plane<br><br>
  
So far nearly all of this has been achieved with only one small (4.2g) support bracket in the fuse and a little extra weight above my initial parameter (+42g)
+
So far nearly all of this has been achieved with only one small (4.2g) support bracket in the fuse and a little extra weight above my initial parameter (+20g)
  
 
Below are my build notes, print files and a flight review of this new Mini Talon configuration.<br><br>
 
Below are my build notes, print files and a flight review of this new Mini Talon configuration.<br><br>
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'''Initial Build'''<br>
 
'''Initial Build'''<br>
Seller - '''[http://www.readymaderc.com/ ReadyMadeRC, USA]'''<br>Aircraft - X_UAV Mini Talon<br>Modification Date - October, 2019<br><br>
+
Seller - '''[http://www.readymaderc.com/ ReadyMadeRC, USA]'''<br>Aircraft - X_UAV Mini Talon<br>Modification Date - October, 2019<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Updates - 19 November, 2019<br><br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="900" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="900" align="center"
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| width="75" |  
 
| width="75" |  
 
| align="right" | All-Up Weight -&nbsp;
 
| align="right" | All-Up Weight -&nbsp;
| 63oz (1792g) w/ 4S/5200 Lipo Pack
+
| 62oz (1770g) w/ 4S/5200 Lipo Pack
 
|-
 
|-
 
| align="right" | Wingspan -&nbsp;
 
| align="right" | Wingspan -&nbsp;
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|  
 
|  
 
| align="right" | Wing Load w/5.2-4S -&nbsp;
 
| align="right" | Wing Load w/5.2-4S -&nbsp;
| 19.5 oz/ft^2 (59g/dm^2)
+
| 19.3 oz/ft^2 (59g/dm^2)
 
|-
 
|-
 
| align="right" | Front Motors -&nbsp;
 
| align="right" | Front Motors -&nbsp;
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| align="center" | Racestar 2508 and Brotherhobby 2806.5
 
| align="center" | Racestar 2508 and Brotherhobby 2806.5
 
|}
 
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
On the rear motor, I started with a Cobra CPL2207-1800 which worked excellent but soon was made aware it is no longer available so I have replaced it here with an iFlight Tachyon T2207-1750 which I also run on my <u>[[Strix StratoSurfer Twin Conversion | Strix Stratosurfer Twin]]</u>.
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
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'''Power Parts'''<br>
 
'''Power Parts'''<br>
 
:* Front Motors - <u>[https://www.cyclonefpv.com/products/brotherhobby-avenger-2806-5-1300kv-1700kv?variant=21221780455483 Brotherhobby Avenger 2806.5-1300kv]</u>
 
:* Front Motors - <u>[https://www.cyclonefpv.com/products/brotherhobby-avenger-2806-5-1300kv-1700kv?variant=21221780455483 Brotherhobby Avenger 2806.5-1300kv]</u>
:* Rear Motors - <u>[https://innov8tivedesigns.com/cobra-cpl-2207-1800-champion-lite-series-multirotor-motor-kv-1800 Cobra CPL2207-1800kv]</u>
+
:* Rear Motor - <u>[https://www.getfpv.com/motors/mini-quad-motors/iflight-tachyon-2207-1750kv-motor.html iFlight T2207-1750kv]</u>
 
:* ESC - <u>[https://www.banggood.com/HGLRC-BS60A-60A-BLHeli_32-3-6S-ESC-Dshot1200-For-RC-Drone-FPV-Racing-Multi-Rotor-p-1240022.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN HGLRC T-Rex 60A BLHeli_32 ESC]</u>
 
:* ESC - <u>[https://www.banggood.com/HGLRC-BS60A-60A-BLHeli_32-3-6S-ESC-Dshot1200-For-RC-Drone-FPV-Racing-Multi-Rotor-p-1240022.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN HGLRC T-Rex 60A BLHeli_32 ESC]</u>
:* Left Front Prop - <u>[https://www.getfpv.com/hqprop-6x4-5r-cw-bullnose-propeller-black-carbon-composite-set-of-2.html HQProp 6 x 4.5 Bull Nose-CW]</u>
+
:* Left Front Prop - <u>[http://www.espritmodel.com/graupner-propellers-electric-e-prop-tractor-pusher.aspx Graupner E-Prop 8 x 5 CCW]</u>
:* Right Front Prop - <u>[https://www.getfpv.com/hqprop-6x4-5-ccw-bullnose-propeller-set-of-2-black.html HQProp 6 x 4.5 Bull Nose-CCW]</u>
+
:* Right Front Prop - <u>[http://www.espritmodel.com/graupner-propellers-electric-e-prop-tractor-pusher.aspx Graupner E-Prop 8 x 5 CW]</u>
 +
:* Rear Prop - <u>[https://www.getfpv.com/hqprop-6x4-5-ccw-bullnose-propeller-set-of-2-black.html HQProp 6 x 4.5 Bull Nose-CCW]</u>
 
:* Battery - Multistar 4S/5200, 10C, 438g<br><br>
 
:* Battery - Multistar 4S/5200, 10C, 438g<br><br>
  
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{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV12.jpg|600px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:SSMM08a.JPG|600px]]
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | Cobra specification
+
| align="center" | iFlight Tachyon specification
 
|}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
<br>
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{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV18.JPG|900px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV18b.JPG|800px]]
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
<br><br>
 +
 
 +
==== Servos ====
 +
 
 +
It is important to understand that the front tilt arms are designed to fit a TowerPro MG92B servo and while other servos may fit, they might not have enough torque and be robust enough for this job. The MG92B servos make 3.5kg*cm torque on 6v and they have all metal gearing with dual bearing support on the mainshaft. It is also important to note that TowerPro servos are widely counterfeighted so buyer beware and buy from an authorized site that guarantees original parts. I get mine from '''<u>[https://graysonhobby.com/ Grayson Hobby]</u>'''
 +
 
 +
When purchasing understand too there is a 360 degree robotic version of the MG92B servo. It is not a proportional servo (winch only) so it will not work. Here is a link to the TowerPro site for more information-
 +
<br>
 +
'''<u>[https://www.towerpro.com.tw/product/mg92b/ TowerPro MG92B Servo]</u>'''
 +
<br>
 +
 
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV95.jpg|450px]]
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | MG92B Servo
 
|}
 
|}
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
  
==== Front Motor Mounts ====
+
==== Front Motor Mount Evolution ====
  
This design has had many revisions to date and likely will have a few more. Again my goal was to make it light, simple and strong.<br>
+
This design had many revisions through the life of this project! Again my goal was to make it light, simple and strong.<br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="900" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="900" align="center"
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<br>
 
<br>
  
While I won't show all the versions and revisions of the front mounts, here are a few:<br>
+
While I won't show all the versions and revisions of the front mounts, below are a few:<br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
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<br>
 
<br>
  
The current version (6) uses the main mount piece from V4 and a straight motor mount together with an 8mm x 135mm CF tube to get the moment forces spread across more of the wing.<br>
+
The first flight tested version (V6) used the main mount arm from V4 and a straight motor mount together with an 8mm x 135mm CF tube to get the moment forces spread across more of the wing.<br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV30.jpg|800px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV30.jpg|600px]]
|-
+
| align="center" | Current Set-up
+
 
|}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
 +
The latest version eliminates the need for the CF tube by using a longer arm that is ribbed to get the strength way up
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV66.JPG|600px]]
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | Current arm design
 +
|}
 +
<br><br>
  
 
===== Front Motor Mounts Assembly =====
 
===== Front Motor Mounts Assembly =====
 +
<br>
 +
'''First - Glue!!'''
 +
<br>
 +
For this project I have used <u>[https://www.gorillatough.com/product/gorilla-clear-grip/?mkwid=swlUTPW4Y_dc&pcrid=245270296749&pmt=b&pkw=clear%20%2Bcontact%20%2Badhesive&mslid=&pgrid=45386834567&ptaid=kwd-323346362794&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtf_tBRDtARIsAIbAKe1y4tqVZcLCoRYj4NywrmfSW57-nMXceKCj74ds3yjXRgtABn-T_HwaAtr7EALw_wcB Gorilla Clear Grip Contact Adhesive]</u> which is very similar to E6000, UHU-Por and other thick flexible foam glues. Generally, E6000 is my favorite but it does soften the foam for the first few hours and can cause problems when parts need critical alignments. So I went with the Gorilla.
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:gorilla.jpg|500px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
  
The front assemblies are identical for left and right with only the routing of the motor wires being different. The main structure consists of an arm with a support tube and a motor mount bracket which is supported by the servo on one side and a ball bearing on the opposite side. The support tube is in alignment with the center of the motor. There is also a bottom cover which hide and protect wiring and a top cover which helps secure the arm to the top of the wing.
+
The front assemblies are not identical for the left and right wings. There are separate prints for left and right arms and left and right motor mounts. When mounted correctly, the servo opening faces in the direction of the wingtip as shown in the layout picture below. The main structure consists of a full length arm and a motor mount bracket which is supported by the servo on one side and a ball bearing on the opposite side. There is a bottom cover which hides and protects wiring and a top cover which helps secure the arm to the top of the wing.  
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
Below is an image of one motor/arm assembly:<br>
+
Below is an image of the right side motor/arm assembly:<br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV34.JPG|800px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV34B.JPG|800px]]
 
|}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="900" align="center"
+
Complete parts list for <u>one</u> right front assembly:
|-
+
| valign="top" |
+
Complete parts list for <u>one</u> front assembly:
+
 
<br>
 
<br>
{| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="350" align="left"
+
{| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="350" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! align="left" style="background-color:#7F92FF;" | DESCRIPTION
 
! align="left" style="background-color:#7F92FF;" | DESCRIPTION
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| align="center" | 1
 
| align="center" | 1
 
|-
 
|-
| align="left" | SHCS M2 x 5mm, Steel
+
| align="left" | SHCS M2 x 10mm, Steel
 
| align="center" | 2
 
| align="center" | 2
 
|-
 
|-
| align="left" | SHCS M2 x 8mm, Steel
+
| align="left" | FHMS M2 x 8mm, Steel
 +
| align="center" | 2
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | M3 Hex Nut, Steel
 +
| align="center" | 1
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | M2 Hex Nut, Steel
 +
| align="center" | 2
 +
|-
 +
| align="left" | M2 Nyloc Nut, Steel
 
| align="center" | 2
 
| align="center" | 2
 
|-
 
|-
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|-
 
|-
 
| align="left" | M2 Flat Washer, Steel
 
| align="left" | M2 Flat Washer, Steel
| align="center" | 2
+
| align="center" | 4
 
|-
 
|-
 
| align="left" | PHS M3 x 6mm, Nylon
 
| align="left" | PHS M3 x 6mm, Nylon
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| align="center" | 1
 
| align="center" | 1
 
|-
 
|-
| align="left" | Carbon Fiber Tube, 8mm x 6mm x 135mm
+
| align="left" | 52227, VTOL Right Front Arm, 80mm
 
| align="center" | 1
 
| align="center" | 1
 
|-
 
|-
| align="left" | 52220, VTOL Front Arm, 80mm
+
| align="left" | 52229, VTOL Right Motor Mount Bracket
| align="center" | 1
+
|-
+
| align="left" | 52221, VTOL Motor Mount Bracket
+
 
| align="center" | 1
 
| align="center" | 1
 
|-
 
|-
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| align="center" | 1
 
| align="center" | 1
 
|}
 
|}
| valign="top" width="50" | &nbsp;
+
{{Clear}}
| valign="top" align="left" |
+
 
To assemble the arm on a wing, a groove must be dug into the wing lower surface to accommodate the CF support tube.
+
After printing the arm, install the two M2 and one M3 nuts into the holes in the servo bay. If the nuts seem tight, heat them up with a lighter before pushing them into position. Next, tap the two cover mount bosses to M3.
 
<br>
 
<br>
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="500" align="Left"
+
 
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" valign="top" | [[File:MTV23.JPG|409px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV61.jpg|850px]]
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | Groove tool detail
+
| align="center" | Arm prep
|}
+
 
|}
 
|}
{{Clear}}
+
<br>
  
The groove represents the center-line of the motor so they are equidistant from the edge of the wing panel. In my case I cut them with centers at 125mm which is enough clearance for a 9" prop.
+
The arm is glued into the position shown in the picture below. Be careful to get the 90° angle correct and also that there is no "twist" relative to the leading edge.
 +
<br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV20.jpg|600px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV20A.jpg|750px]]
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | Groove position
+
| align="center" | Wing layout
 
|}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="900" align="center"
+
After Printing the motor mount, clean up the servo side hole with a 7mm drill bit and the bearing hole with an 8mm drill bit. This should be done by-hand and not with a power drill. The bearing should push into the hole with a small amount of resistance, if it is too tight it could potentially split the part so use the drill to ream it out until it is just a light push fit.
 +
<br>
 +
 
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| valign="top" |
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV65.jpg|600px]]
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="475" align="center"
+
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV24.JPG|450px]]
+
| align="center" | Motor mount prep
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | Hand cutting with the groove tool
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV46.jpg|900px]]
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | Mount details
 
|}
 
|}
| valign="top" width="50" | &nbsp;
+
<br>
| valign="top" align="left" |
+
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="475" align="center"
+
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV25.JPG|450px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV47.jpg|700px]]
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | Finished groove
+
| align="center" | Tilt up detail
 
|}
 
|}
|}
+
<br>
{{Clear}}
+
 
 +
Using the assembly image, install all the parts onto the arm.
 +
<br>
  
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV26.JPG|500px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV26A.JPG|500px]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| align="center" | Mounted!
 
| align="center" | Mounted!
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Rear mount assembly parts:<br>
 
Rear mount assembly parts:<br>
  
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="1000" align="left"
+
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="1000" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
| valign="top" |
 
| valign="top" |
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<br><br>
 
<br><br>
  
== Flight Control ==
+
== Project 3D Print Files ==
 
+
For flight control I stayed with the Matek F405-wing with Chibios/Arduplane running with Q_Plane parameters enabled. For the initial vertical flight test I ran it with all default parameters on the flight control parts. The only adjustments (to the parameters) were the motor tilt angles needing needing to be set-up at 0 and 90 degrees. For the first flight shown in the Transition video, I changed the parameter which controls pitch trim between vertical and forward flight, a couple of recommended yaw parameters and I added a little expo to my transmitter to soften up response in vertical flight.
+
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
Of course with adding two motors, two servos and a mag compass there are a few more wires to deal with! THe Matek board does a great job in keeping the wiring simple and manageable.
 
<br>
 
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 
|-
 
|-
| align="center" | [[File:MTV54.jpg|900px]]
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV62.JPG|700px]]
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | '''LOTS''' of prototype pieces were done for this project!!
 
|}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
Below are the Matek board pin-outs I used, what they are connected to and any APM parameter change made to get the assignment correct.
+
All prints are setup with 40%-90% infill and a 0.8mm to 1mm shell thickness using Hatchbox ABS filament. Weights are shown as printed. See the bottom of this section for more print information.
<br>
+
 
+
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
+
|-
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV57.JPG|700px]]
+
|}
+
<br><br>
+
 
+
== First Flight! ==
+
 
+
19 October, 2019<br>
+
So, in a word AWESOME!! Going from a hover to forward flight was a little nerve racking but when I finally threw the switch it blew my mind how fast and stable the plane was. The video below does not do the acceleration justice! I threw the switch when the plane was at about 20ft altitude and then stood there in complete shock watching it effortlessly rocket away. In forward flight it is a little harder to turn sharply and this may be due to the position of the forward props and also I have the max-roll setting quite low in Arduplane. It flew very much like my last twin did so very stable and extremely quiet. It would cruise easily at ~4-4.2A although the plane speed was a bit low. I'll have to try some different props going forward.
+
 
+
Unfortunately I never got to switch it back to hover mode because I wasn't paying attention to forward speed when I turned into the wind for a landing, I got impatient and cranked the rudder to turn more sharply and she snap rolled/tip stalled without enough altitude to recover. This would be unusual in any of my standard Mini Talons and I'll have to check the rudder settings to see if I have them over saturated (likely).
+
 
+
Anyway, even though I stuffed it, I'm extremely happy with how it performed and will get it back together very soon.<br><br>
+
 
+
'''Video'''<br>
+
 
+
<plainhtml>
+
<table align="center" width="900" border="0"><tr><td align="center">
+
<iframe width="853" height="488" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ge0AJW8icyw" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
+
<p>First Flight! - 1 February, 2019</p>
+
</td></tr></table>
+
</plainhtml>
+
<br><br>
+
 
+
=== Parting Shot ===
+
 
+
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
+
|-
+
| align="center" | [[File:MTV43.JPG|900px]]
+
|-
+
| align="center" | Take-off ready!
+
|}
+
<br><br>
+
 
+
== Project 3D Print Files ==
+
<br>
+
All prints are setup with 50%-90% infill and a 1mm shell thickness. Weights are shown as printed in Hatchbox ABS.
+
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
Line 515: Line 528:
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''Compatibility Notes'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''Compatibility Notes'''
 
|-
 
|-
| align="Left" | [[File:52220sm.JPG]]
+
| align="Left" | [[File:52226sm.JPG]]
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52220'''
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52226'''
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Front Arm 80mm
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Left Front Arm 80mm
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;15.7g/90%
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;15.7g/90%
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52220.STL 52220.STL]
+
| align="Center" | &nbsp; [https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52226.STL 52226.STL]
| align="Left" | &nbsp;80mm Front Motor Arm
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;80mm Left Front Motor Arm
 
|-
 
|-
| align="Left" | [[File:52221sm.JPG]]
+
| align="Left" | [[File:52227sm.JPG]]
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52221'''
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52227'''
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Motor Mount Bracket
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Right Front Arm 80mm
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;15.7g/90%
 +
| align="Center" | &nbsp; [https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52227.STL 52227.STL]
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;80mm Right Front Motor Arm
 +
|-
 +
| align="Left" | [[File:52228sm.JPG]]
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52228'''
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT Left VTOL Motor Mount Bracket
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;8.2g/90%
 +
| align="Center" | &nbsp; [https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52228.STL 52228.STL]
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Fits motors with 16mm to 19mm mount holes
 +
|-
 +
| align="Left" | [[File:52229sm.JPG]]
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52229'''
 +
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT Right VTOL Motor Mount Bracket
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;8.2g/90%
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;8.2g/90%
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52221.STL 52221.STL]
+
| align="Center" | &nbsp; [https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52229.STL 52229.STL]
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Fits motors with 16-19mm mount holes
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Fits motors with 16mm to 19mm mount holes
 
|-
 
|-
 
| align="Left" | [[File:52222sm.JPG]]
 
| align="Left" | [[File:52222sm.JPG]]
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52222'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52222'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Front Lower Assembly Cover
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Front Lower Assembly Cover
| align="Left" | &nbsp;3.4g/50%
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;3.4g/40%
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52222.STL 52222.STL]
+
| align="Center" | &nbsp; [https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52222.STL 52222.STL]
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Wiring cover for the front wing mount
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Wiring cover for the front wing mount
 
|-
 
|-
Line 539: Line 566:
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52223'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52223'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Front Upper Assembly Cover
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Front Upper Assembly Cover
| align="Left" | &nbsp;2.2g/50%
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;2.2g/40%
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52223.STL 52223.STL]
+
| align="Center" | &nbsp; [https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52223.STL 52223.STL]
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Clamping cover for the front wing mount
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Clamping cover for the front wing mount
 
|-
 
|-
Line 547: Line 574:
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Rear Motor mount Forward Support Bracket
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Rear Motor mount Forward Support Bracket
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;4.2g/80%
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;4.2g/80%
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52224.STL 52224.STL]
+
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52224.STL 52224.STL]
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Front support for the 12mm CF tube
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Front support for the 12mm CF tube
 
|-
 
|-
Line 553: Line 580:
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52225'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;'''52225'''
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Rear Motor Mount Support  
 
| align="Left" | &nbsp;MT VTOL Rear Motor Mount Support  
| align="Left" | &nbsp;5.3g/70%
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;5.3g/75%
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[http://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52225.STL 52225.STL]
+
| align="Center" | &nbsp;[https://www.itsqv.com/QVM/files/parts/52225.STL 52225.STL]
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Rear support for the 12mm CF tube UPDATE - Now fits 33mm & 34mm mounts
+
| align="Left" | &nbsp;Rear support for the 12mm CF tube UPDATE - Fits 33mm & 34mm mounts
 
|}
 
|}
 
{{Clear1}}
 
{{Clear1}}
 +
 +
'''Print Recommendations'''<br>
 +
<br>
 +
 +
Below is a list of the parts with some print parameters I used. All prints for this project were printed using Hatchbox ABS filament and all prints should load automatically in the correct orientation.
 +
<br>
 +
 +
:* Front arms are printed upside-down with support fill. Main part infill is 90% - 100%, support is 24% and support type is "Everywhere".
 +
:* Motor mounts are printed with the bottom edge against the print platform, '''Do NOT print these with the motor face down'''. Quality should be .1mm to .2mm, speed - slow and main part infill 90% - 100%. Support should not be needed.
 +
:* The front top cover is printed with the forward plate against the print platform. Main part infill is 40% or more for strength.
 +
:* The front bottom cover is printed with the flat side down. Main part infill is 40% or more.
 +
:* The rear-mount forward bracket is printed with the bottom edge down. Infill is 50% or more.
 +
:* The rear-mount rear support is printed with the motor face down. Infill is 75% or more.
 +
<br><br>
 +
 +
== Flight Control ==
 +
 +
For flight control I stayed with the Matek F405-wing with Arduplane/Chibios firmware running with Q_Plane parameters enabled. For the initial vertical flight test I ran it with all default parameters on the flight control parts. The only adjustments (to the parameters) were the motor tilt angles needing to be set-up at 0 and 90 degrees. For the first flight shown in the Transition video, I changed the parameter which controls pitch trim between vertical and forward flight, a couple of recommended yaw parameters and I added a little expo to my transmitter to soften up response during vertical flight.
 +
<br>
 +
 +
Of course with adding two motors, two servos and a mag compass there are a few more wires to deal with! The Matek board does a great job in keeping the wiring simple and manageable.
 +
<br>
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV54.jpg|900px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
Below are the Matek board pin-outs I used, what they are connected to and any APM parameter change made to get the assignment correct.
 +
<br>
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV57.JPG|700px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV59b.jpg|800px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
=== APM Parameter Changes ===
 +
 +
I assume anyone following/copying this build knows something about APM and how to set-up parameters for normal fixed wing flight. If you have no experience with APM, it may seem overwhelming so take your time and ask a lot of questions! A great place to get questions searched and answered is the RC-Groups thread for Arduplane/Chibios.
 +
<br>
 +
 +
RC-Groups Thread - '''<u>[https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?3102183-Most-Integrated-Ardupilot-Flight-Controller-%28ChiBios%29 Most Integrated Ardupilot Flight Controller (ChiBios)]</u>'''
 +
<br>
 +
 +
Another great place is the Arduplane Wiki which can be found on the ardupilot.org site. Here are a couple key pages:<br>
 +
 +
: '''<u>[http://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/parameters.html Arduplane Wiki Documentation]</u>'''
 +
: '''<u>[http://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/miniTalon-build.html A Long Range FPV Plane]</u>'''
 +
 +
With that, below are two lists of some of the parameters I changed to get the results I wanted. The first list shows some of the standard parameter changes made to help with safety and stability. Pay attention to the flight mode list as it is important you start out arming the plane in QSTABILIZE mode.<br>
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV93.jpg|900px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
The second list shows changes I made to the Quadplane or "Q" parameters. A couple of important ones here are the Q_ASSIST angle and speed parameters. If you decide to use Q_ASSIST, which can help with plane stability in bad fixed wing attitude situations, it is necessary to make sure the Q_ASSIST_ANGLE is quite a bit more than the LIM_ROLL_CD (maximum roll angle) in FBWA. I have mine set at 10 degrees more. The Q_ASSIST_SPEED parameter should be less than your minimum flight speed, close to stall speed.
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV91.JPG|900px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
=== Tilt Set-up ===
 +
 +
'''NOTE: It is very important to get the vertical and forward angles adjusted correctly and matched from one side to the other. If there is any difference in angle while in forward flight, the plane will continuously roll. When switching from VTOL flight to forward flight each tilt is sent first to 45 degrees so if the forward and VTOL angles are not matched from side to side, the plane may roll violently on the transition.'''
 +
<br>
 +
 +
To get the forward flight and vertical flight tilt angles dialed in, I used a pair of thin CF rods clamped to the prop face with a washer and nut then visually used these to get everything aligned side to side. For forward flight I set the plane level so that the wings had about a 2.5° angle of attack then trimmed the tilt servos for a 0 thrust angle. For the vertical flight I then leveled the plane so that pitch showed as zero in Mission Planner when in Q_HOVER mode (-2.5°) then trimmed each tilt servo to match a bubble level.
 +
<br>
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV83.jpg|800px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br><br>
 +
 +
== First Flights! ==
 +
<br>
 +
 +
'''19 October, 2019'''<br>
 +
On my first flight, in a word AWESOME!! Going from a hover to forward flight was a little nerve racking but when I finally threw the switch it blew my mind how fast and stable the plane was. I threw the switch when the plane was at about 20ft altitude and then stood there in complete shock watching it effortlessly rocket away. In forward flight it is a little harder to turn sharply and this may be due to the position of the forward props and also I have the max-roll setting quite low in Arduplane. It flew very much like my last twin did so very stable and extremely quiet. It would cruise easily at ~4-4.2A although the plane speed was a bit low. I'll have to try some different props going forward.
 +
 +
Unfortunately, during this first flight, I never got to switch it back to hover mode because I wasn't paying attention to forward speed when I turned into the wind for a landing, I got impatient and cranked the rudder to turn more sharply and she snap rolled/tip stalled without enough altitude to recover. This would be unusual in any of my standard Mini Talons but such is flying :).
 +
 +
Anyway, even though I stuffed it, I'm extremely happy with how it performed and will get it back together very soon.<br>
 +
 +
'''18 November, 2019'''<br>
 +
The video below is my 4th time out after learning a few new things about Arduplane quadplane set-ups. I can report the plane is fantastic in flight. As a plane it is (now) only slightly less responsive than a standard Mini Talon. In VTOL flight it flies like a solid (large) multirotor and it is amazingly stable. The transitions are now complete no-brainers and just wicked fun to watch!
 +
<br>
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV43.JPG|900px]]
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | Take-off ready!
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
'''Video'''<br>
 +
 +
<plainhtml>
 +
<table align="center" width="900" border="0"><tr><td align="center">
 +
<iframe width="853" height="488" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RWvIy8gmf88" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 +
<p>Success! November 18, 2019</p>
 +
</td></tr></table>
 +
</plainhtml>
 +
<br><br>
 +
 +
=== Parting Shots ===
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV48.JPG|800px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br>
 +
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="800" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
| align="center" | [[File:MTV49.JPG|800px]]
 +
|}
 +
<br><br>
  
 
== See Also  ==
 
== See Also  ==
Line 572: Line 730:
  
 
: [https://www.readymaderc.com/ ReadyMadeRC]
 
: [https://www.readymaderc.com/ ReadyMadeRC]
 +
: [https://graysonhobby.com/ Grayson Hobby]
 
: [https://www.getfpv.com/ GetFPV]
 
: [https://www.getfpv.com/ GetFPV]
 
: [https://www.alofthobbies.com Aloft Hobbies]
 
: [https://www.alofthobbies.com Aloft Hobbies]
 
: [https://www.cyclonefpv.com Cyclone FPV]
 
: [https://www.cyclonefpv.com Cyclone FPV]
<br>
 
 
=== Comments? Questions? ===
 
 
:'''<u>[mailto:qmar80@hotmail.com?Subject=About%20The%20VTOL%20MiniTalon&body=Question? email me!]</u>'''
 
  
 
<br><br><br>
 
<br><br><br>

Latest revision as of 13:44, 11 November 2024

AIRCRAFT
© Mark Qvale - October, 2019

MTV01A.jpg
  Ready for lift-off!


Introduction

First, some acknowledgements-
Many thanks to ATX_Heli from RCGroups and the APM dev team, Greg Covey who did a really great write-up of his E-Flite Convergence conversion to APM andTridge, also from RCG and the APM dev team with his excellent write up on "Tiltrotor support for plane" and . Their combined help and write-ups were invaluable to this project!

My MiniTalon #4 was getting long in the tooth after nearly 2-1/2 years and hundreds of flights so I decided to use it as a test platform for this project. (Please see X-UAV Mini Talon Build Number 4 for any build information not found here.) I have been resisting doing a VTOL version of the Mini Talon because I knew it would be an all consuming project that would take some time. It has been!. It has also been a really fun and challenging project and hopefully the results will speak for themselves.

To begin, when I first started on this project I set up some simple design parameters to aim for:

  • Relatively light weight - <1750g with a 5200/4S Lipo pack
  • Minimum Carbon Fiber components - To keep any RF interference low
  • Minimum add to frontal area in fixed wing flight - Keeps drag low
  • Three-motor tilt rotor configuration - This should help with the weight
  • Bolt-on rear motor mount - Keeps stock motor mount
  • No additional booms or struts added to the fuselage (modified wings only)
  • The ability to use the Matek F405-wing flight controller and all the flight control components already on the plane

So far nearly all of this has been achieved with only one small (4.2g) support bracket in the fuse and a little extra weight above my initial parameter (+20g)

Below are my build notes, print files and a flight review of this new Mini Talon configuration.

General Specifications

Initial Build
Seller - ReadyMadeRC, USA
Aircraft - X_UAV Mini Talon
Modification Date - October, 2019
   Updates - 19 November, 2019

Airframe Type -  Top Wing V-Tail FPV Specialist All-Up Weight -  62oz (1770g) w/ 4S/5200 Lipo Pack
Wingspan -  51 inches (1300mm) Length -  38 inches (965mm)
Wing Area -  3.23 ft^2 (30dm^2) Wing Load w/5.2-4S -  19.3 oz/ft^2 (59g/dm^2)
Front Motors -  BrotherHobby 2806.5-1300kv Rear Motor -  Cobra CPL2207-1800kv
Front Propellers -  Graupner 8x5 E-Prop (4S) Rear Propeller -  HQProp 6x4.5 Bull Nose
*Lifting Static Thrust -  3365g *Forward Static Thrust -  2744g
Lifting Static Thrust:Weight -  1.9 Forward Static Thrust:Weight -  1.5
Max Continuous Power (4S) -  1175 watts continuous (4S) Max Forward Flight Power -  874 watts continuous (4S)
Battery Type -  4S1P 5.2Ah Multistar Lipo In-Flight Battery Capacity -  4400mah/10C (85%)
In flight efficiency -  TBA Flight Time -  TBA
COG -  60mm @ Wing root (Stock) *Static Test Conditions  @ 2550ft ASL 


Components/Flight Gear

Power Set-up

To determine front and rear motor sizes I first looked at how the weight of the plane would be distributed with respect to the three lift points and a CG of 60mm from the leading edge. The image below shows the weight mapping for the current 1792g AUW:

MTV15.jpg


From this picture I determined the front motors need to lift 709 grams each and the rear motor, 374 grams for a theoretical stable hover. What I then did was look for motors as light as possible that could produce near these thrust numbers at 60% or less throttle.

With this information, I started with Racestar 2508-1275 motors on the front and a Cobra CPL2207-1800 motor on the rear. The Racestar motors worked well enough for my initial hover tests but I felt I needed a little more power and so they were replaced with Brotherhobby 2806.5-1300 units to get a bit more lift power and more headroom on the motor current.

MTV14.jpg
Racestar 2508 and Brotherhobby 2806.5


On the rear motor, I started with a Cobra CPL2207-1800 which worked excellent but soon was made aware it is no longer available so I have replaced it here with an iFlight Tachyon T2207-1750 which I also run on my Strix Stratosurfer Twin.

For motor control I have chosen HGLRC Trex 60A, BLHeli_32 Opto ESC's with Active Freewheeling enabled. On all three motors I am using MR30, 3 pin connectors so they can easily be changed or reversed. Props were determined from bench testing with a 4S pack. The 8x5 Graupner front props are one of my favorite 8" Multirotor props and they also work extremely well on fixed wing.

Power Parts

MTV13.jpg
Brotherhobby specification


MTV11.jpg



SSMM08a.JPG
iFlight Tachyon specification


MTV18b.JPG



Servos

It is important to understand that the front tilt arms are designed to fit a TowerPro MG92B servo and while other servos may fit, they might not have enough torque and be robust enough for this job. The MG92B servos make 3.5kg*cm torque on 6v and they have all metal gearing with dual bearing support on the mainshaft. It is also important to note that TowerPro servos are widely counterfeighted so buyer beware and buy from an authorized site that guarantees original parts. I get mine from Grayson Hobby

When purchasing understand too there is a 360 degree robotic version of the MG92B servo. It is not a proportional servo (winch only) so it will not work. Here is a link to the TowerPro site for more information-
TowerPro MG92B Servo

MTV95.jpg
MG92B Servo



Front Motor Mount Evolution

This design had many revisions through the life of this project! Again my goal was to make it light, simple and strong.

MTV19.jpg


While I won't show all the versions and revisions of the front mounts, below are a few:

MTV27a.jpg
Version 1/2


Version 3 was very similar with a stretched out mount. It looked nice but I felt it still blocked too much of the prop thrust.

MTV22.JPG
Version 3


For a short time I considered an offset mount so that I could use a larger prop and not have the forward flight position too far forward. The problem with this idea is, I would need a much larger, more powerfull servo.

MTV29.JPG
Version 4


MTV28.JPG
Version 4 parts


The first flight tested version (V6) used the main mount arm from V4 and a straight motor mount together with an 8mm x 135mm CF tube to get the moment forces spread across more of the wing.

MTV30.jpg


The latest version eliminates the need for the CF tube by using a longer arm that is ribbed to get the strength way up

MTV66.JPG
Current arm design



Front Motor Mounts Assembly


First - Glue!!
For this project I have used Gorilla Clear Grip Contact Adhesive which is very similar to E6000, UHU-Por and other thick flexible foam glues. Generally, E6000 is my favorite but it does soften the foam for the first few hours and can cause problems when parts need critical alignments. So I went with the Gorilla.

Gorilla.jpg



The front assemblies are not identical for the left and right wings. There are separate prints for left and right arms and left and right motor mounts. When mounted correctly, the servo opening faces in the direction of the wingtip as shown in the layout picture below. The main structure consists of a full length arm and a motor mount bracket which is supported by the servo on one side and a ball bearing on the opposite side. There is a bottom cover which hides and protects wiring and a top cover which helps secure the arm to the top of the wing.

Below is an image of the right side motor/arm assembly:

MTV34B.JPG


Complete parts list for one right front assembly:

DESCRIPTION QTY
Motor/Prop Assembly 1
TowerPro MG92B Servo 1
TowerPro Servo Arm (cut) 1
693ZZ Shielded Ball Bearing, 3 x 8 x 4 1
SHCS M3 x 6mm, Steel 4
SHCS M3 x 10mm, Steel 1
SHCS M2 x 10mm, Steel 2
FHMS M2 x 8mm, Steel 2
M3 Hex Nut, Steel 1
M2 Hex Nut, Steel 2
M2 Nyloc Nut, Steel 2
M3 Flat Washer, Steel 6
M2 Flat Washer, Steel 4
PHS M3 x 6mm, Nylon 2
PHS M3 x 10mm, Nylon 1
52227, VTOL Right Front Arm, 80mm 1
52229, VTOL Right Motor Mount Bracket 1
52222, VTOL Front Lower Cover 1
52223, VTOL Front Upper Cover 1



After printing the arm, install the two M2 and one M3 nuts into the holes in the servo bay. If the nuts seem tight, heat them up with a lighter before pushing them into position. Next, tap the two cover mount bosses to M3.

MTV61.jpg
Arm prep


The arm is glued into the position shown in the picture below. Be careful to get the 90° angle correct and also that there is no "twist" relative to the leading edge.

MTV20A.jpg
Wing layout


After Printing the motor mount, clean up the servo side hole with a 7mm drill bit and the bearing hole with an 8mm drill bit. This should be done by-hand and not with a power drill. The bearing should push into the hole with a small amount of resistance, if it is too tight it could potentially split the part so use the drill to ream it out until it is just a light push fit.

MTV65.jpg
Motor mount prep


MTV46.jpg
Mount details


MTV47.jpg
Tilt up detail


Using the assembly image, install all the parts onto the arm.

MTV26A.JPG
Mounted!


Rear Motor Mount

For the rear mount I wanted to keep it simple, light weight and easy to install using the stock rear motor mount.

MTV17.JPG
Rear mount assembly


Rear Motor Mount Assembly

The rear motor assembly consists of a CF boom tube, motor plate and two support pieces to hold the boom. The front support is cut and glued into the fuselage at a distance of 110mm to 115mm from the rear edge of the fuselage. One side of this bracket is flanged so a little inlay work should be done to keep it flush. The top of this bracket is flush against the roof of the fuselage. The rear support bolts directly to the motor mount and will fit mounts with 33mm to 34mm hole spacing. There are two holes for nylon anti-rotation screws that need to be tapped to M3.

MTV41.JPG
Rear VTOL Assembly


MTV56.jpg
Support bracket cut



Rear mount assembly parts:

DESCRIPTION QTY
Motor/Prop Assembly 1
SHCS M3 x 6mm 4
M3 Flat Washer 4
12mm Tube Clamps w/screws 2
Motor Mount Plate 1
Rear Support Bracket 1
52224, Tube Front Support Bracket 1
52225, Tube, 12mm x 10mm x 190mm   1
MTV16.jpg
Inside view of front support bracket



Below is a drawing of the motor plate I made from 2mm CF sheet. You could use 3mm plywood treated with thin CA or G10 fiberglass if CF sheet is not available. Your dimensions may vary depending on the hole spacing for the tube clamps you buy and the motor you elect to use.

MTV44.JPG
Rear motor plate detail



Project 3D Print Files


MTV62.JPG
LOTS of prototype pieces were done for this project!!


All prints are setup with 40%-90% infill and a 0.8mm to 1mm shell thickness using Hatchbox ABS filament. Weights are shown as printed. See the bottom of this section for more print information.

 Image Part Number  Part Description  Weight/Infill Print File  Compatibility Notes
52226sm.JPG  52226  MT VTOL Left Front Arm 80mm  15.7g/90%   52226.STL  80mm Left Front Motor Arm
52227sm.JPG  52227  MT VTOL Right Front Arm 80mm  15.7g/90%   52227.STL  80mm Right Front Motor Arm
52228sm.JPG  52228  MT Left VTOL Motor Mount Bracket  8.2g/90%   52228.STL  Fits motors with 16mm to 19mm mount holes
52229sm.JPG  52229  MT Right VTOL Motor Mount Bracket  8.2g/90%   52229.STL  Fits motors with 16mm to 19mm mount holes
52222sm.JPG  52222  MT VTOL Front Lower Assembly Cover  3.4g/40%   52222.STL  Wiring cover for the front wing mount
52223sm.JPG  52223  MT VTOL Front Upper Assembly Cover  2.2g/40%   52223.STL  Clamping cover for the front wing mount
52224sm.JPG  52224  MT VTOL Rear Motor mount Forward Support Bracket  4.2g/80%  52224.STL  Front support for the 12mm CF tube
52225sm.JPG  52225  MT VTOL Rear Motor Mount Support  5.3g/75%  52225.STL  Rear support for the 12mm CF tube UPDATE - Fits 33mm & 34mm mounts


Print Recommendations

Below is a list of the parts with some print parameters I used. All prints for this project were printed using Hatchbox ABS filament and all prints should load automatically in the correct orientation.

  • Front arms are printed upside-down with support fill. Main part infill is 90% - 100%, support is 24% and support type is "Everywhere".
  • Motor mounts are printed with the bottom edge against the print platform, Do NOT print these with the motor face down. Quality should be .1mm to .2mm, speed - slow and main part infill 90% - 100%. Support should not be needed.
  • The front top cover is printed with the forward plate against the print platform. Main part infill is 40% or more for strength.
  • The front bottom cover is printed with the flat side down. Main part infill is 40% or more.
  • The rear-mount forward bracket is printed with the bottom edge down. Infill is 50% or more.
  • The rear-mount rear support is printed with the motor face down. Infill is 75% or more.



Flight Control

For flight control I stayed with the Matek F405-wing with Arduplane/Chibios firmware running with Q_Plane parameters enabled. For the initial vertical flight test I ran it with all default parameters on the flight control parts. The only adjustments (to the parameters) were the motor tilt angles needing to be set-up at 0 and 90 degrees. For the first flight shown in the Transition video, I changed the parameter which controls pitch trim between vertical and forward flight, a couple of recommended yaw parameters and I added a little expo to my transmitter to soften up response during vertical flight.

Of course with adding two motors, two servos and a mag compass there are a few more wires to deal with! The Matek board does a great job in keeping the wiring simple and manageable.

MTV54.jpg


Below are the Matek board pin-outs I used, what they are connected to and any APM parameter change made to get the assignment correct.

MTV57.JPG


MTV59b.jpg


APM Parameter Changes

I assume anyone following/copying this build knows something about APM and how to set-up parameters for normal fixed wing flight. If you have no experience with APM, it may seem overwhelming so take your time and ask a lot of questions! A great place to get questions searched and answered is the RC-Groups thread for Arduplane/Chibios.

RC-Groups Thread - Most Integrated Ardupilot Flight Controller (ChiBios)

Another great place is the Arduplane Wiki which can be found on the ardupilot.org site. Here are a couple key pages:

Arduplane Wiki Documentation
A Long Range FPV Plane

With that, below are two lists of some of the parameters I changed to get the results I wanted. The first list shows some of the standard parameter changes made to help with safety and stability. Pay attention to the flight mode list as it is important you start out arming the plane in QSTABILIZE mode.

MTV93.jpg


The second list shows changes I made to the Quadplane or "Q" parameters. A couple of important ones here are the Q_ASSIST angle and speed parameters. If you decide to use Q_ASSIST, which can help with plane stability in bad fixed wing attitude situations, it is necessary to make sure the Q_ASSIST_ANGLE is quite a bit more than the LIM_ROLL_CD (maximum roll angle) in FBWA. I have mine set at 10 degrees more. The Q_ASSIST_SPEED parameter should be less than your minimum flight speed, close to stall speed.

MTV91.JPG


Tilt Set-up

NOTE: It is very important to get the vertical and forward angles adjusted correctly and matched from one side to the other. If there is any difference in angle while in forward flight, the plane will continuously roll. When switching from VTOL flight to forward flight each tilt is sent first to 45 degrees so if the forward and VTOL angles are not matched from side to side, the plane may roll violently on the transition.

To get the forward flight and vertical flight tilt angles dialed in, I used a pair of thin CF rods clamped to the prop face with a washer and nut then visually used these to get everything aligned side to side. For forward flight I set the plane level so that the wings had about a 2.5° angle of attack then trimmed the tilt servos for a 0 thrust angle. For the vertical flight I then leveled the plane so that pitch showed as zero in Mission Planner when in Q_HOVER mode (-2.5°) then trimmed each tilt servo to match a bubble level.

MTV83.jpg



First Flights!


19 October, 2019
On my first flight, in a word AWESOME!! Going from a hover to forward flight was a little nerve racking but when I finally threw the switch it blew my mind how fast and stable the plane was. I threw the switch when the plane was at about 20ft altitude and then stood there in complete shock watching it effortlessly rocket away. In forward flight it is a little harder to turn sharply and this may be due to the position of the forward props and also I have the max-roll setting quite low in Arduplane. It flew very much like my last twin did so very stable and extremely quiet. It would cruise easily at ~4-4.2A although the plane speed was a bit low. I'll have to try some different props going forward.

Unfortunately, during this first flight, I never got to switch it back to hover mode because I wasn't paying attention to forward speed when I turned into the wind for a landing, I got impatient and cranked the rudder to turn more sharply and she snap rolled/tip stalled without enough altitude to recover. This would be unusual in any of my standard Mini Talons but such is flying :).

Anyway, even though I stuffed it, I'm extremely happy with how it performed and will get it back together very soon.

18 November, 2019
The video below is my 4th time out after learning a few new things about Arduplane quadplane set-ups. I can report the plane is fantastic in flight. As a plane it is (now) only slightly less responsive than a standard Mini Talon. In VTOL flight it flies like a solid (large) multirotor and it is amazingly stable. The transitions are now complete no-brainers and just wicked fun to watch!

MTV43.JPG
Take-off ready!


Video


Success! November 18, 2019



Parting Shots

MTV48.JPG


MTV49.JPG



See Also


Some of the Vendors I used for this project

ReadyMadeRC
Grayson Hobby
GetFPV
Aloft Hobbies
Cyclone FPV