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Custom built APM mini quad.

3689615518?profile=original

Just want to share my scratch built FPV quad made with my new CNC machine :) Called "the butterfly" name picked by my Fiance 

This was my first CNC project I gave myself.. It has been a great learning experience learning all the different techniques required to design, and translate that design to a finished CNC'd product.

I wanted to make something very forgiving in crashes for teaching my friends, full featured flight controller, and capable of FPV flight. Just a pure training and fun flying helicopter.

The length of the quad arm end to arm end is 17 inches (including prop guard). I do not have an exact weight, but I can say it hovers at 40-45% throttle and has a flight time of 10 min. The arms are tilted inward 10 degrees on each arm to improve stability. The motors are mounted upside down to avoid prop-wash hitting the arms and creating drag.

The gimbal and video has not been tested as I'm still waiting on the video transmitter and rca-usb video input for tablet to arrive. The plan is to fly it from my surface tablet using a usb hub for video and data radio Tx. I also plan to design a small box for an antenna tracker. There is no traditional Tx/Rx used to control this copter.. It's all done through the data link. Flying this way took a little practice, but it's very nice using the PS4 controller's joysticks. This also helps save a little weight and frame real estate. There is no lag at all between my controller and the heli.

Crash durability has been extensively tested.. The frame is very forgiving in crashes. After many small bumps with objects, crashes, and even being stuck in a tree the props have not even the slightest nicks on them and no broken parts.

Overall I'm happy with the frame. The flight controller is giving me a few issues however. GPS positions jump allover the map frequently, and altitude hold is sketchy at best. I currently only fly in stabilize mode. I'm using the miniAPM flight controller.

3689615343?profile=originalOpinions and thoughts welcome.

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