Comment by Ed Kirk on May 8, 2012 at 10:37pm

PACEFE,

I don't know about transfering the software, if one was proficient with Arduio anything is possible.  I would like to see a simpler form of software for the APM.  The Multiwiiwin GUI is easier to use then the Arcuino GUI and looks a lot better.

Ed

Comment by Tim - Arduino for Visual Studio on May 9, 2012 at 7:47am

Excellent. I hoped someone would try this! Well done. Yes, I am also a big Multiiwii fan (no pun intended)

Comment by Ellison Chan on May 9, 2012 at 8:39am

I think vectored thrust is definitely the way to go if you want more maneuverability. This solution is like the one that Al Ros did with props here.  It shouldn't take much code changes in AC to support that.  We should get all your experiences together and make a new motors code for driving servos.  I

Comment by Juan Soler on May 9, 2012 at 3:26pm

I believe the ducted approach is the way to go.  But using  (90mm)  EDFs with 60A ESCs (eeek!!) clearly explains why the flight video was short in duration.  I think that (and I intend to investigate) a hybrid approach may be an option that pays off.  I like the idea of using something like this.

Comment by Ellison Chan on May 9, 2012 at 3:53pm

Yes, that's Al's solution without the ducts and in tricopter config.  The ducts are really are not adding anything to the flight dynamics.  The ducted fans have large thrust at the cost of efficiency, unfortunately.  Someday when battery technology catches up, we'll have ducted fan everythings flying around.

Developer Comment by R_Lefebvre on May 9, 2012 at 4:07pm

Did somebody say vectored thrust?

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idproduct=...

I mentioned this previously, but I'll repeat it here.  I think that variable area nozzles would be great for stability on ducted fans, very fast response.  Though from the video, I think that it's no longer an issue.

Comment by Ed Kirk on May 9, 2012 at 4:46pm

It is odd, I used 30 amp ESC's for initial testing because I was recording 10 to 12 amps per motor in flight but they got extreemly hot and droped out until they cooled off.  The 60 amp ESC's get very hot at the 10 to 12 amps but work great.  I don't run the fans much over 30% of their rated power.  I think the solution is to find a motor that works well at 30% to 50% throttle.  Using a small fan at 80% or so doesn't leave enouth head room for the controller to work.

I guess it uses a form of fixed thrust vectoring, I really like my tricopter with the rotating tail and EDF's.  It is even more stable.  I am afraid thrust vectoring nozzles would get knocked off.  One of the reasons I chose these fans is because they are short and have some ground clearance.  I started to build another larger tricopter but decided to test the concept of a quad first.  I am waiting for my Avatar from Multiwiicopter, I decided to use two of these ducted fans in the front with rotating booms (I designed this system and gave them the prototype) with a standard motor/prop in the back for stability.  This way I can get longer flights with the EDF effect.

Ed

Comment by Pbreed on May 9, 2012 at 5:51pm

Some basic physics....

A ducted fan is basically exchanging momentum with the air ....

tyhe larger the fan diameter for a given thrust, the lower the velocity of the exit air.. so bigger prop, fan whatever is  more efficent...

moving 1 lb of air at 100ft/sec will give the same thrust as moving  100lb or air at 1 ft/sec

But the 1lb of air at 100ft/sec will use 100 times as much power... small ducted fans will always be power hogs.

Developer Comment by R_Lefebvre on May 10, 2012 at 7:57am

Ed, could your heat problem be related to the onboard BEC, rather than the actual MOSFETS driving the motors?

Or, perhaps the problem is due to zero air movement over the heat sinks?

Comment by JB on April 29, 2013 at 2:12am

Hey Ed, any progress or updates on this?

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