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3D Robotics

Five good planes to convert to a UAV

Posted by Chris Anderson on July 10, 2008 at 11:00pm


I get this question all the time: what's a good plane to turn into a UAV? The answer is that it depends on your needs, your budget and your RC skills. But here are some good electric candidates:

For RC beginners:

The NextStar (see above) is roomy, slow-flying and comes with everything you need (including a RC flight simulator). It even has its own rudimentary flight-stabilization system with a Futaba PA-2 optical co-pilot.


For DIY'ers on a budget:


The $110 SuperStar is a nice-flying four-channel plane with enough room for an autopilot and cameras strapped below. The ARF kit comes with a brushed motor and NiCad batteries, which are enough to get you started. When you're ready, you can upgrade to a brushless motor and LiPos. This is the plane we use for GeoCrawler 2 and will also be the basic platform for our ArduPilot-based UAV. You can hand launch it in a park, or take it off from a runway at an airfield. It's tough and can handle wind. All and all, a really comfortable plane to work with, especially once you upgrade the motor and battery.


[Note. This plane appears to be discontinued. You might want to check out the NexSTAR Mini EP as a replacement. It's not quite as good, as it's more expensive and has less interior room, but it does the trick]


For those looking for long flight times:


The Aero-Master is a powered glider with a pusher prop, which means no propellers in the way of your cameras. This is the aircraft used by Marcus UAV.

For those who want to carry heavy, high-resolution cameras, with unobstructed views:


If you're looking for something like the classic Pioneer UAV, with a twin tail and a pusher prop, you might want to consider starting with this Skymaster RTF. Skip the front motor (put your cameras there instead), double the size of the rear one, and you're pretty close. We've got one and the plane looks beautifully made. We haven't flown it yet, but the dimensions are encouraging.

[This one appears to no longer be available, although a larger gas-powered one still is]

For an all-around great first UAV platform:


EasyStar. The classic. Easy to fly, hard to break and plenty of room for electronics. Works best with a brushless motor upgrade.

An even cheaper variation on this, with the helpful addition of ailerons, is the Dynam HawkSky. Well worth considering as an EasyStar alternative,.
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Comments

  • Xcluzif December 30, 2009 at 1:08pm
    Hello,

    Is there any issue by using regular stroke engine (like OS engine) ? I'm thinking about making my own uav based on a trainer kyosho calmato.
  • James Harwood November 5, 2009 at 9:48am
    The Hobby Zone Super Cub is an awesome flying plane. It can lift 150 grams - is it too small for a UAV platform?
  • Moderator
    Brian April 11, 2009 at 9:03pm
    Somehow the link was lost... here
  • Moderator
    Brian April 11, 2009 at 9:00pm

    I have been kicking around the Dynaflite Butterfly Trainer Kit. It's a 3ch 99" trainer that can fly very slow. It would need aileron mod done and can easily be converted to electric flight using a 480 sized can. Additional details include wing area of 915 sq in, 7.5 oz per sq ft wind loading and 50oz flying weight (non-electric setup). It's available at tower hobbies
    Then only draw back is that it's a kit you need to build. I'd love to get one but I don't have enough space at the moment to be able to build one... May pick up one just to have for future project.
  • OlivierD. April 11, 2009 at 8:25pm
    Another good candidate. Good price, huge amounts of space inside for electronics and a sturdy flyer.
    And it's very ugly too, but it can take off or land on a dime :
    http://www.espritmodel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID...
    Good old Pilatus PC6 B2-H4 Turbo Porter.
    The full size thing is an absolute hoot to fly, it is an airplane but it takes off like a chopper.
    Rugged swiss technology.
  • 3D Robotics
    Chris Anderson April 11, 2009 at 5:45pm
    Sgt Ric. Thanks for the update. I like that plane, too, and was sorry to see it disappear. But unlike the other planes that come in and out of stock there, they've nuked the URL for this one, so I had to redact the listing.
  • Moderator
    Sgt Ric April 11, 2009 at 4:20pm
    @Chris... I see you redacted the Nitromodels Cessna 337.

    I have noticed that Nitromodels and Raidentech have both the 55" and the 81" versions in stock only occaisonally and even then alternating between either storefront.

    I had to wait 6 months for the 81" to come back instock, and part of the time it was either listed as out-of-stock or simply removed from the site. (you can still find the old listings for all versions of them using Google cache)

    My point is it is a nice load carrying airframe, and so I am sure it will be offered again soon.
  • Matias Plano April 11, 2009 at 2:22pm
    Hi, every one. At this moment I am starting a UAV projects , the mail goal of my project will be a UAV avaible to take photos of field, tracking a diferent waypoint. (Get a plane, and kit to build ardupilot pro or 2.0)
    I read the DIY Drones Flows for newb , and I am in the step of select the aicraft/plan. I live in Argentina, and in this market I cant get the plane wich are you describe in this forum. I can buy a "Cessna 182 RTF" by Skyartec with this caracteristics :

    Wing span: 980mm
    Length: 860mm
    Weight: 560g
    Motor: 1530KV BL Motor direct drive
    Receiver,Speed controller[B/BL],4*Servros
    Battery: 1800mAh 11.1V LIPO[BL]
    Radio: 4CH, two servos for rol,front wheel steering
    Frequency: 35/40/72 MHz

    http://www.skycontrol.net/model-aviation/the-cessna-182-produced-by...

    It is a good plane to start , my dude is when I will add the Ardupilot , the camera, and in the future the wireless transmiter . This Plane is fine or I need to buy one more bigger or with a different specification?
    Thank you very much , and I will post all the step of my project.
  • roksraka March 25, 2009 at 9:29am
    does the SuperStar have a simulator? (I really need it because I can't go out very often so I would liko to try out my autopilot at home...)
  • T3
    icebear July 13, 2008 at 1:51am

    And this is my latest addition to my hobby UAV's - A Mountain Models Tyro 150, 55" wingspan, 600 sqin winga area and only 42 oz with a 3S-4270 LIPO pack (40 min runtime).
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