Concept Quadcopter with retractable landing gear.
I've been working on this idea for the last 2-3 weeks, and if all goes well, I’ll start
the machining the parts soon for the 1st proto frame.
Features:
* 100% carbon fiber material in all body parts
* Retractable landing gear from Transmitter (maybe if possible with the use of sonar, auto
retractable or deployment if distance from ground > 2m)
* Foldable arms for easy transport in a Heavy Duty Case
* Main Body from molded Carbon Fiber sheet ( not yet implemented in renders )..
* Heavy Lifter (if possible 1 or 1,5 kg )
It well be a real challenge for me because this is my 1st DIY project .
When I well have the full frame tested, I’ll post all building instructions and Acad files
, if somebody is interested in making this frame for their personal use .
Comments
I'd like to believe propellers will be obsolete in less than a hundred years because I won't be around to see it otherwise.
I enjoy taking on tasks that seem impossible, it makes trying all the more worthwhile. I can see the cost+weight benefit in encapsulating a quad plus it would be one step to addressing the question of safety which I think should be a priority for all fliers right now to try and prevent the UK CAA rulings becoming a global headache.
If the world gets tough on Quads (specifically those with on-board cameras which is one of the cool things to add to a Quad).. then it's only a matter of time before we all end up grounded, or flying low around short courses = (
When ill have it done , il post here the updates .
Thanks
:)) if this is your ideas of a encapsulated quad, buy the time we are to build something like this for hobby use , the propellers would be obsolete for at less 100 years , so I think the encapsulated body for a quad remains an impossible task .
And with retractable landing gear too Dan, and maybe a storage bay for dropping off supplies to anyone in need of rescue?
The area around the props would need to pass air freely but look encapsulated.
How's that for an impossible challenge = )
But I'd still like to see a completely encapsulated design, lightweight and unquestionably safe for all ages. If people can't see the props they won't feel threatened by them, nor will they need to understand the concept of capacitive sensing brakes which is a really nice idea = )
I've seen those designs too but it's still very easy for fingers and hands to be clipped by the props. They are "safer" but reading the latest thread about the UK CAA restrictions on UAS's it's pretty clear these measures are still inadequate to lessen the perceived danger these craft to the general public.
A completely encapsulated design would be awesome and also incredibly eye catching - something like that might even change the perceived danger of these craft and allow them to return to the domain of private hobby craft for the entertainment and enjoyment of people of all ages without the need for expensive CAA permits and permissions.
The fewer reasons the CAA's have got to call them dangerous, the better it will be for everyone (everywhere not just the UK), and I know the prop danger is only one of many perceived dangers, but solving that would present "one less" for CAA's to consider.
You are right, the retractable landing gear it’s a bit overkill for the total weight of the quad (+200/300g), but I’m not really after 100% performance, its more for looking good and eye caching, I plan to use it in winter sports aerial photography and similar tasks .
I could make the quad at half the weight that well actually be, but its nor really what I’m after.
Regarding propeller safety, they are many concepts that prevent users for getting their fingers cut of.
A few weeks ago I watched a video of a quad thats got a claw-like appendage added underneath the body that doubles as landing struts, but it really struggled to get off the ground! So the first question that pops to my mind is; what would be the extra cost+weight to benefit ratio be? eg. it's landing gear, and it retracts, but isn't that typically a design feature of planes and gliders that rely on reducing drag to maximize flight time an duration?
A lot of people seem to be building Quads with search and rescue applications in mind. I think that's a great application of this technology, but I also think practicality has a strong relationship with the amount of time it can stay in flight, and so reducing the overall weight might be more valuable than increasing it, especially if there is little or no obvious benefit to adding extra weight in the first place.
I'd like to see someone solve the problem of the propellers presenting such a danger to anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with them - like people who might be in need of rescue. I've got a fresh scar on my left hand, 2 inches long, from an unfortunate misadventure with a new set of CF props I was messing with so I know how dangerous these things can be. If that problem can be solved without adding too much weight then these machines might be a little bit more safer, and as such.. a little bit more feasible to use for general purpose applications (like search and rescue) where human contact might occur either on purpose or by accident.
Anyway... nice work! - I like your eye for detail and your inventive spirit.