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This post might be a little premature in that I'm just getting started, but after hanging out at DIY Drones for a few years and doing little more than adding editorial comment to other's posts, I'm anxious to share my real DIY Drone project.  Since all of the hard work has already been done by others in this community with regard to the autopilot, this blog will focus on the airframe.

I decided to turn my DIY Drone project into my first attempt at designing an airframe from scratch.  I have built from plans before, but never went this far.  I chose the IAI/AAI RQ-2A Pioneer to model.  First, I like the simplicity of the design and felt it would be fairly easy to model.  Second, I prefer a more traditional tail to the v-tails that seem so popular with UAVs.  I'm sure there are very good aerodynamic reasons for that, but they just don't appeal to me aesthetically.

My plane will be a 1/3 scale model of the Pioneer.  That gives it a wingspan of 67-1/2".  The design of the main wing and empennage assembly is pretty much done.  Next I'll move on the fuselage.  My plan is to have all ribs and formers laser cut.

I'm using Google Sketchup for the design work.  It has been very easy to learn.  The most difficult thing so far has been figuring out how to get 2D plan-view prints out of Sketchup.  It's not really geared toward basic engineering.  It's primarily a 3D modeling platform.  However, with a little playing you can get the printouts you need.

When finished, the plane will be equipped with APM, telemetry and on-board video (of course).  I will most likely learn APM on a smaller ARF, though, before risking this airframe.

I'll post a few more images in this blog, them move over to just posting progress photos in an album on my DIY Drone page.  The first one below is the real thing hanging in the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC (not my photo).

Thanks.
Paul

This is my current design for the boom saddles that will attach to the horizontal stabilizer.  I'll try to shape them from a layer of four 1/4" balsa ribs.  The channel is for servo leads.

The boom attachments for the main wing will be a little different and will be integrated into the wing itself.  All three spars will pass through the supports.  The wing sheeting itself will also add strength to these supports.

Ribs will be 1/8" balsa.  Spars will be plywood with 3/32" balsa webbing.  Main wing sheeting will be 3/32" balsa.  Tail feather sheeting will 1/64" ply.

Vertical stabilizer and rudder.

Finally, a little fun I had with Google Sketchup before starting the plane design.  I modeled the CCD camera I'll be using and figured out how to model the clear dome.