AirbotServices fixed wing is based on the well known XUAV Talon EPO frame. This plane has a standard wingspan of 1720mm . Although its wings are quite wide (total wing surface is 60 dm2 - much wider than most other EPP/EPO frame), when fully loaded with cameras and large batteries, the plane's all-up-weight can reach more than 3 Kg.
As a result, in this standard wingspan configuration, the Talon requires to maintain a quite high airspeed not to stall, and also to use long and large landing spaces.
Therefore we wanted to test and try the optional (should be mandatory) wing extensions. These extensions increase the wingpsan to 2 meters.
Configuration:
-Pixhawk with APM:plane version 3, geofencing enabled (this is a great feature by the way!). See picture showing the geofence and one rally point in the field:
-T-Motor 3510-700Kv, 13x8 Graupner prop (that gives a 1Kg of thrust at 50% throttle which represents at least 30% of the total weight of the plane, as recommended by the specifications)
-Mobius camera in front dome (no gimbal - hard fixed, therefore some jello in the video)
As a result of these wing extensions, we were amazed how slowly we could fly (less than 20km/h without even stalling), maintaining a relatively good maneuverability. But we were even more suprised on how easy it was to land, on very short distances.
We have discovered and played succesfully with a "discovered by chance" landing method, batpized "cork screw" landing, which consists in slowly descending the plane in a spiral (very low throttle) to the ground which provides a way to land in a small surface area (for example if you do not have a runway at your disposal). Contrarily to what you could think, this method, using the wing extensions, is not reserved for experienced pilots; I am myself an utlra noob Arduplane pilot (actually my first flight...).
Has anyone else played with APM/Pixhawk alternative landing methods (like triggering a chute, for example ?)
Cheers,
Hugues
Comments
Hi Elios, sorry for late answer as I did not visit this thread for quite some time. No I did not try it without wing extensions. On all forums about this airframe, there is a quasi unanimity to say it flies better with than without. Actually the issue is to be able to source these wing extensions with the carfon fiber rods that replace the shorter ones of the original base frame. FPVmodel.com was a good source but stopped selling the frame. Others sell the frame but not the wing extensions. So you have to source the full monty from two different online stores...
HI Dave, from where you have ordered the tricycle landing gear? can you please post the link here.
Hi Hugues,
Have you tried to fly it without the wing extension?
Also you were saying it was flying very slow, is it like 4/10 compared to any other planes you have tried before?
Hi Elios, I did not try any other plane so I cannot compare with speeds of other models. It is true that I was also scared by what lots of people said about how stalling was easy with the Talon if you did not fly fast enough.
MaybeI have another definition of what a slow/fast speed is, but the Talon I have flies great at what seems to me a very low speed. Of course I did not overload my Talon neither with lots of payload so that probably makes a difference (the lighter, the less speed is required I guess).
HI Hugues,
You were right, I saw the photo of Bormatec plane at the airbotservices.com.
I just ordered 2 Talon with the extension wing. I needs 15 days to be here
Many users are saying that the talon is very fast and it needs speed to keep it stable, they said also it will drop like a rock at low speed.
Is it really with the extension wing, it will be totally different as slow flight as you have experienced? Did you try it without the extension?
Some users were advising to go a skyhunter or the new anaconda RMRC which are more stable and can handle more payload and longer flight duration, but the issue with the skyhunter cannot handle strong wind like the Talon do.
Have you ever tried the skyhunter?
HI Elios,
I'm not sure if you went really on my web site as I do not have a Bormatec on it and actually my web site is not yet public as it ios still under construction right now. I have a temporary site www.airbotservices.com which is currently simply a listing of my blogs;
I unfortunately do not have, at the moment, a personal experience about what is the max flight duration with wing extensions. According to what you can scrape around from other users experience you can get up to 2 hours with the right power combo, that is using low KV motor (like a T-Motor 2814 580 KV for ex) and big prop like a 15x5 and high voltage like a 6S. There are threads about this on rcgroups detailing all kinds of experiments.
Hugues,
Based on your experience, what flight duration the Talon with the extension wing can do? and what batteries it needs.
If we want to add all accessories as the autopilot, antennas, vtx, telemetry, cameras...the payload will be around 750g. and If we want to add a battery 3S 9000 mah (680g), then the total weight will be around 1.5KG.
Will the talon be able to do the 100 minutes? or we need to add a second battery?
Elios
HI Hugues,
I went into your website and I saw a photo of a Bormartec Maja or Vamp plane. What is your experience with those planes versus the Talon? Which one is more stable and can have more payload and flight duration?
Elios
@Frederic, no I did not measure the speed as said in my post but I can tell the plane does does not stall easily (I could not stall it, being the first real flight I 've ever made!)
Hughes
do you actually measure the speed? even with the wing extensions the back of the enveloppe calculation tells that you stall speed should be at best above 30km/h. in fact whatever the speed is the wing extension lowers your speed by only 7-8%. your glide ratio though is about 15% better.
bonne continuation
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next