Flying things are still very much on my agenda, and towards this end I decided to try out a simple VTOL platform to see how well they run!

Turns out pretty well, but algorithms for working out gyroscopic precession and stabilization got my mind tired. Today I finish the code and do a test. I should be able to get it on video and post possibly tomorrow!

Kinda shoddy I know, but these are just prototypes of prototypes :-D A good excuse!

What do PVC pipes and cooking oil cans have to do with flying?

.... Well, as it turns out, everything! Almost anything can fly, as long as it exhibits some form aerodynamics, which happens often with my configurations of cans and carton boxes and plastic pipes. I do it for the fun of it, and it has thus far provided great excitement for me and numerous spectators! Join the fun athttp://karne-mpya.blogspot.com/

Before we fly, lets make something that flies!

 I used plastic sheet to shape braces for the wings, which would be made using fabric/cloth, then coated as usual with resign

 Ok so we have the frame, lets line it with cloth

 Ah! Lets form the wing

Lets make a simple air-frame from polyester resin

I've been experimenting with plastic for radio controlled air-frames and they've been quite good, save for when you crash it and have to rework an entire section. So I decided to look around and see what composite materials are available to me. It was interesting to find fiberglass and more importantly polyester resign. So I decided to get the resign and skip the fiberglass for cost optimization reasons (I know,I know a euphemism). For the material to be hardened I went for good old fabric! But I need a frame to support the fabric, so once more I made a plastic air-frame and covered it with the fabric. Then I applied the fiber glass and, well, lets see...

First, I needed a set of wings and a fuselage. Using light enough plastic, I whipped up some wings and a simple fuselage using soda bottles and flexible plastic sheet. Below I am also making provisions for the brusjless outrunner that will propel the RC plane.

To make things interesting, I decided to make the wings delta, and use a front canard, like on Burt Rutan's design (the man's a genius)

Crude as it looks above, it worked out well in the end

Here's a better pic at the delta wing

Now I added the front canard and were ready for the canvas

Doesn't look too promising, but give it a chance....

On the next blog, the resign application, sanding, and spray painting, then attach the rudder. Stay tuned

Planes that Fly Themselves!

I am fortunate to have received an ArduPilot Mega from Metanomy (www.metanomy.org)!

I gently (yeah right!) opened it and revealed.....

...and quickly went to work to assemble it....

....then

...yeah yeah, female headers instead of male headers!! Not to worry, potato tomato

then programming! And its all good. Later, a little show and tell on how it works!

Clutter or research? You decide!

I'm still battling with making a good Electronic Speed Control for my three brushless motors! My main issue is the transistors I am using, and my microcontroller! I am using a good trusty and reliable MSP 430 LaunchPad I got from Dan, who also gave me the three brushless motors as well as other goodies! So the micro-controller is a low power device (good for battery life, hard for switching power transistors), and I therefore need a pull-up transistor... So ....

I am using as usual the power supply from an old computer, and some power transistors. I am using a smaller 2N5551 trusty transistor to pull up the 3V source from the MSP430 to 12V for the power TIP142 transistors (feel free to stop me anytime, I'm a novice at electronics!)

In the picture you can also see one of the brushless motors!

Through this research, I am learning a lot of lessons in electronics and how better I can integrate my lessons to the Flying Thing! Eventually I will get an ESC for my purpose, but there are no lessons learnt from getting one right away! Not to mention the cost of acquiring one!

More clutter later!

Airplane design

When designing the Flying Thing, I did a quick and dirty whip-up of what I thought would fly, hence the name Flying Thing! This is undesirable, and you don't need an aeronautical engineer to spell looming doom somewhere along the corner!

My next design is well researched, and I am still in the process of identifying suitable airframe based on the characteristics I seek: Endurance, payload, service, speed, you name it!

Obviously the key is always cost: Keeping it low that is!!

From above you can see (not the clutter I hope!) the Flying Thing's general design, initially had a t-tail. This is the conventional tail most aircraft have, though of late I've come to realise there's nothing conventional where aircraft are concerned!

I've now fitted the flying thing with a v-tail, after a crash left the t-tail smashed and badly damaged!

Now you can see clearing I was following no design, just experimenting! You will have a lot more fun if you just have it without formalising your fun! Of course observe general laws of physics where you fun's concerned!

Have a safe flight!