For the real thing see http://draganfly.com/products_4eh.html
For current progress see the flyer lives again!
Basically 4 motors pointing up, opposite motors are counter-rotating.
A AXDL202 2-axis level sensor and a gyro give you a fighting chance of controlling it. The question was could a 8-bit 18F64 running at 10Mhz handle the mixing.
Thecode is here.If you really want the schematic I could scan it
The original prototype used 4 geared down scalextric motors. To get to the astounding height of 3 inches 17Volts was put up them, causing overheating after a couple of minutes- but it nearly flies. However this was enough to show that the algorithms worked although gain is a problem - too much and the system oscillated, too little and the sensors may as well not be there.
I think now a version using 4 geared KP00 motors, IR control and surface mount electronics may be feasible???
Got an IFO - no computer radio gear? - Here's code for a simple PIC based mixer - I used a surface mount 4Mhz ceramic oscillator glued to the back of the pic with flying leads to the rx/servos - works for me! compile with CC5X Version 3.0G
While looking for better affordable motors I came across indoor flight at http://www.aeronutz.free-online.co.uk
The idea of a 12 inch mixed aileron/elevator control plane has now diverted me.
A two channel version of something like this would be required
There is an example of optical feedback at http:\\www.u-net.com/epr/electron/issue2/feat0407.htm, this uses the insides of a standard servo, maybe this approach would be OK if reduced to surface mount LED/sensor. A low component count way of reading the feedback voltage into the PIC is needed.
May if IR control was used the a single PIC could do all the work?
Anyway first stage is a plane with no control surfaces.
Scaled to 12" wingspan 'peanut' scale Volksplane (OK I know the wings are in the wrong place!). This glided really well when balanced with blue-tak. However my combination of 3 cells/GWR receiver, voltage doubler (MAX860), Potenskey speed control (modified to take the voltage before doubling to the motor and not to drop out until ~4V) and geared KP00 is way too heavy.
Referring to by 1949 copy of the 'Model Aeroplane Handbook' by F.J.Camm (complete with designs for steam flight engine) I read up on some of the priciples of flight. I decided that I needed about 1/2 sq.foot of wing surface .
This makes design 2 look more like Foamtastic. I had a go at simply bending the foam over the create a leading edge.
Unfortunately I forgot to include the battery in calculations! But it nearly flies!
Time to get some of this IR control equipment I think.
Whilst I was wading round the web I came across a good example of cutting foam wings This is my lashed together rig for cropping 2mm foam.
