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Woody the Quad using APM1 and AC 2.1

Posted by steve on January 1, 2012 at 9:30am

Just built a suprisingly good flying quad. Total price with battery but without receiver and APM was $127. It's very usable indoors and later I will add GPS mag, xbee and fpv tilt roll cam today.

3689439187?profile=original

http://www.quadcopters.co.uk/?PageID=ShowItem&Item=8%20x%204.5%20CW%20&Desc=8%20X%204.5%20CW%20Green%20Epp%20Propeller%20Pair
$2

http://www.quadcopters.co.uk/?PageID=ShowItem&Item=8%20x%204.5%20Orange%20Propeller%20Pair&Desc=8%20x%204.5%20Multi%20Copter%20Propeller%20pair
$2

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=4204
$9 x 4

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=19033
$13 x 4

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=16631
$17

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=19595
$8

$127 total plus Rx and APM1 and AC 2.1

I haven't done extensive tuning but used ch6 in flight tuning on acro and stable and got it flying very good with these PI settings.

3689439253?profile=original

Will upload video later today.

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Comments

  • steve January 4, 2012 at 6:49am

    Yea and I'm on the only guy in town with a RC woody :) :)

    To get many extra parts, just by one or two extra frames. Also with some simple balsa and plywood sheets, I've made some repairs and reinforcements but yea it's not as crash resistant as a 3DR or most other frames :)

    But it's fun as hell to fly and I don't mine pushing it to extremes that I will not do with my 3DR… yet. :)

    Now it has a sony fpv cam and 5.8GHz 600mW transmitter for FPV. i get about 9 minutes of flight with that setup and 1800mAh.

  • Ellison Chan January 3, 2012 at 7:28pm

    Nice, I got a woody for your woody. :-0

    Too bad they don't sell replacement parts.  That's why I designed my 3D miniquad frame with interchangable, and replacable parts.

  • BoBo Flight January 1, 2012 at 5:43pm
    Cool stuff. I think the multicopter world needs the entry level "addiction copter". While awesome, I don't think APM as FCB or many frames fill that piece. I think that is where people go after the addiction bug has bit. I think you are showing an option of the first step diy multicopter "bug". That is great.
  • Moderator
    Brian January 1, 2012 at 5:16pm

    I got one of those frames for Christmas, for my first quad.  I was thinking to add a little strength by adding a layer of fiberglass to each side of the built arms (not outside & inside, just outsides).  After reading this information maybe a second layer in the area where the legs are joined to the arms.  I'm totally new to quads, I also got a HK Quad Controller, just need 4 new motors/esc's and then I'll be able to see what all this quad fuss is all about....  Looks fun!  Thanks for the details regarding this frame.

  • steve January 1, 2012 at 4:07pm

    Yes I agree there are better and just as light frames such as CF but this was just a curiosity I wanted to kill and it resulted in a better flying craft than I thought. The motors are really nice and make a sweet whistle sound too :)

    I know it will probably destroy the frame pretty bad if it's a high crash but at $9 you can keep extras and it's very quick to build.

  • Distributor
    UnmannedTechShop.co.uk January 1, 2012 at 3:39pm

    I think wooden frames are great as long as you don't crash (but they are cheap enough to get a few), so not ideal for newcomers who would be better off with something that can withstand a few crashes

  • steve January 1, 2012 at 1:16pm

  • steve January 1, 2012 at 1:12pm

  • steve January 1, 2012 at 1:12pm

  • steve January 1, 2012 at 12:52pm

    Also I used polyurethane on all the parts to strengthen up and weatherproof the wood. It is weak but once glued together, it is a very stiff frame.

This reply was deleted.