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Another 100km+ flight

Posted by Graham Dyer on February 11, 2014 at 3:00am

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Went for our long distance flight attempt today, flew a test flight with a 6S 2600mAh LiPo and then put in the 18650 batteries in, the log unfortunately shows both flights as I forgot to reconnect so I have calculated the time and total distance from the launch of the second flight to the landing. 

Basically we did a 300m diameter Loiter for most of the flight, biggest problem was the phugoid motion of the plane losing height on every downwind leg and having to regain the lost height on the upwind leg using precious amps to do so. I tried just about every parameter to tune the plane better throughout the first hour but could never get it to behave.

Special thanks to the devs (especially Tridge and Paul Riseborough), to Steve B. for assisting and UAVDS for making it possible


Plane: Super Sky Surfer

AUW: 3078g

Motor: Maytech MTO3548 790Kv

Prop: APC-E 9x6

Batteries: 6S4P NCR18650b 25.2V, 13600mAh

Battery weight: 1172g

AutoPilot: APM2.5, APM:Plane v2.78.

Weather: Calm (0-4km/h), clear blue sky, 26°C. Altitude: 1668m ASL

Time flown: 126m 53s

Total Distance flown: 116.475km

Calculated consumption on nominal capacity: 115mAh per km (will update after recharge).

Estimated current draw: 5.2A average

Lowest voltage on pack 18.0V

Average speed: 55km/h

Droneshare: http://www.droneshare.com/view/bfgodhs

Tlog: https://db.tt/UfVPiyBE  (12MB)

KMZ: https://db.tt/1Tmzim1W  (3MB)

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Comments

  • Walter Smit February 11, 2014 at 5:10am

    @Graham - welding protected cells - I would rather not :-) I would rather try to get some battery holders and arrange in whatever format I need, so that I can still charge (and use) my cells in my other devices (torches). Or am I being silly and should just buy whatever Lipos I need? 

  • Moderator
    Graham Dyer February 11, 2014 at 4:58am

    Changed, thanks :)

  • Tommy Larsen February 11, 2014 at 4:56am

    That would be a 13600 mah :)

  • Moderator
    Graham Dyer February 11, 2014 at 4:36am

    Nothing very special except they're unprotected cells - spot welded in 6S2P form (6800mAh), each with 6S balancing tap, used 2 of these in parallel, one in the front under the canopy and one in the fuselage under the CG.

  • Walter Smit February 11, 2014 at 3:28am

    Hi Graham

    Can you please share more detail on your battery setup? I have a bunch of 18650s (protected 3400mah) lying around...

    Thanks!

This reply was deleted.