RC aerial vehicles: because we don't have flying brooms

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Hobbies, Crafts, & Houses > RC aerial vehicles: because we don't have flying brooms

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porksmash: Sep 30, 2008

Let's make one right here right now. SAMA, the Something Awful Model Association.

Here are the bylaws:
1. Don't fly near real aircraft and airports
2. Don't fly over crowds
3. Don't cause bodily harm or property damage to bodies or properties other than your own.

# ? Nov 11, 2015 04:19

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# ? May 30, 2024 15:33

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

porksmash posted:

Let's make one right here right now. SAMA, the Something Awful Model Association.

Here are the bylaws:
1. Don't fly near real aircraft and airports
2. Don't fly over crowds
3. Don't cause bodily harm or property damage to bodies or properties other than your own.

Get rid of #1.

My model club operates inside the circuit of an airport and it works out really well. They know where we are and we know where they are.

In other news I put up my older design on Armattan Productions to get a feel for costs.
http://www.armattanproductions.com/pages/kit_detail/50

Its pretty affordable.

Now I just need to finalize my new one. Need to lower the PDB/FC stack by a few mm to make the dome work as designed. I could raise it up but it just looks goofy that way.

# ? Nov 11, 2015 04:26

Elendil004: Mar 22, 2003; The prognosis
is not good.

overdesigned posted:

The FAA called me. They're here to help!

He said that apparently it doesn't matter if I wasn't using the drone with commercial intent. He said that unless I'm operating it at a designated model airplane field under the safety rules of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the drone qualifies as an full-fledged aircraft and the FAA can regulate it as such, and the current regulations say you can't operate any aircraft below 500'AGL, UAS or no.

He's mailing me "educational materials" and that's the end of the matter, legally.

Don't buy drones, I guess.

Nailed it. Luckily the FAA can't really enforce poo poo these days. Welcome to the gently caress the FAA club.

What's even funnier, is that even if you take all the FAA bullshit as gospel, what you got told isn't true at all. As usual, nobody knows what mish-mash of guidance to follow to tell you what or what not to do.

porksmash posted:

Let's make one right here right now. SAMA, the Something Awful Model Association.

Here are the bylaws:
1. Don't fly near real aircraft and airports
2. Don't fly over crowds
3. Don't cause bodily harm or property damage to bodies or properties other than your own.

Honestly, get rid of #2 too, because it's fine if you do it safely.

# ? Nov 11, 2015 04:47

DreadLlama: Jul 15, 2005; Not just for breakfast anymore

I have found the sensor I need. Intel� RealSense�. Here it is on a drone:

Here is a video:

http://www.asctec.de/en/uav-uas-drones-rpas-roav/asctec-firefly/

Here are some words:

Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) are making drones more independent. They have demonstrated a small drone that can build its own 3-D map of an unfamiliar environment with minimal help from a human operator, and then plan its own routes around a space and its obstacles autonomously.

Here is another video:

https://www.ted.com/talks/bill_stone_explores_the_earth_and_space?language=en#t-641124

The technology I require already exists. But I can not find it available on E-bay. Where is the best source for fully autonomous / intelligent flight drone parts?

For the record, I live way the gently caress up north. If anyone ever sees my flight drone, they are trespassing. Your laws suck and I feel bad for you. Would any of you like to come up North and use your drones to find Maple Trees for me? I have real genuine need of tree location services. But since I can't pay anyone, it'd be more of a "for fun" trip for you and your drone. I've 60ish acres you can fly over, free of charge. Only caveat is I get a copy of your video.

# ? Nov 11, 2015 04:51

CrazyLittle: Sep 11, 2001; Clapping Larry

overdesigned posted:

Quick, name another nationwide community based organization specializing in remote control aircraft.

porksmash posted:

Let's make one right here right now. SAMA, the Something Awful Model Association.

Here are the bylaws:
1. Don't fly near real aircraft and airports
2. Don't fly over crowds
3. Don't cause bodily harm or property damage to bodies or properties other than your own.

Also https://www.facebook.com/aerialsportsleague/ hehe

# ? Nov 11, 2015 05:18

Golluk: Oct 22, 2008

How far North are we talking here dreadlama?

# ? Nov 13, 2015 00:20

bring back old gbs: Feb 28, 2007; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Whoooooa new cleanflight :sparkles:

# ? Nov 13, 2015 01:38

Somewhat Heroic: Oct 11, 2007; (Insert Mad Max related text)

Got my dominator V3's today. They are my first set of goggles so I don't have anything to compare them to but just bench testing them makes me excited. I got a Nighthawk Pro 280 or whatever. I've flown a few times just line of sight but flying something that small can get a little boring so the FPV stuff should make it fun. Anxious to see how many props I kill this weekend.

# ? Nov 14, 2015 02:45

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

Here is the latest all up shot of my new little design. I'm calling it the Fastball unless someone else can think of a better name.

Still working on the lower dome. Battery will slide right in and the XT60 is integrated so it should be quick to change a battery.

# ? Nov 14, 2015 03:26

Combat Pretzel: Jun 23, 2004; No, seriously... what kurds?!

Might consider aerodynamic shrouds for the arms if you can spare the weight. I have something like that integrated into my motor mounts.

# ? Nov 14, 2015 16:09

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

Thats in the works.

Got to get everything to fit inside first.

# ? Nov 14, 2015 19:30

Nerobro: Nov 4, 2005; Rider now with 100% more titanium!

Arm shrouds are more important than the body... The arms see the full air velocity off the props at all times, the "body" only sees the speed of the aircraft...

# ? Nov 15, 2015 02:23

ImplicitAssembler: Jan 24, 2013

helno posted:

Here is the latest all up shot of my new little design. I'm calling it the Fastball unless someone else can think of a better name.

Still working on the lower dome. Battery will slide right in and the XT60 is integrated so it should be quick to change a battery.

That looks heavy.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 04:57

Combat Pretzel: Jun 23, 2004; No, seriously... what kurds?!

ImplicitAssembler posted:

That looks heavy.

Thin shell and hollow infill should make this light.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 12:38

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

ImplicitAssembler posted:

That looks heavy.

It's hollow plastic.

Once I get it flying i'll work on the arms.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 17:45

Combat Pretzel: Jun 23, 2004; No, seriously... what kurds?!

Oh, the arms are printed, too. I thought they'd be carbon cutouts to act as a rigid skeleton. That PLA or PET? Kind of too glossy for ABS.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 19:05

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

Its PLA.

The arms and two plates in the frame will be CF.

Right now the challenge is making enough space for the wiring and electronics.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 19:37

mobby_6kl: Aug 9, 2009; by Fluffdaddy

How sketchy would these props be for my F450?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4X-Carbon-Fiber-9-9443-Propeller-Prop-CW-CCW-DJI-Phantom-2-Vision-RC-Quadcopter-/131458629212?hash=item1e9b8b7e5c

I'm buying some other stuff from the seller anyway so might as well get an extra set, though I've never had CF props before.

# ? Nov 15, 2015 20:01

Rubiks Pubes: Dec 5, 2003; I wanted to be a neo deconstructivist, but Mom wouldn't let me.

So the same store where I bought my Phantom 1 a couple years ago had an Inspire 1 in stock, with 2 batteries for $1799. It looked like it had never been flown so I pulled the trigger on it. Everything works just fine and now I just have to figure out how everything works.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 02:21

moron izzard: Nov 17, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Thats an incredible deal, did they not say what happened to it to justify that price?

# ? Nov 16, 2015 02:25

Rubiks Pubes: Dec 5, 2003; I wanted to be a neo deconstructivist, but Mom wouldn't let me.

No, it is an overstock type store. Probably bought and returned, everything was still in the bags. Maybe someone got buyers remorse? My Phantom 1 had a broken solder inside when I got it which I fixed easily, at the time it was a steal too, I think I paid ~300 for it in 2013.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 02:27

i own every Bionicle: Oct 23, 2005; cstm ttle? kthxbye

Wow. That's way less than dealer price.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 15:28

bring back old gbs: Feb 28, 2007; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

More all-in-one stuff!

This time it is an OpenPilot CC3D board and 4x 20a ESCs in one package.

I want it.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 16:47

Rubiks Pubes: Dec 5, 2003; I wanted to be a neo deconstructivist, but Mom wouldn't let me.

Wojcigitty posted:

Wow. That's way less than dealer price.

I was tempted to just flip it on eBay but the thing is so much nicer than my phantom 1 that I am going to keep it. It's way more drone than I need for sure but I will find something to do with it.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 17:16

porksmash: Sep 30, 2008

32MB OF ESRAM posted:

More all-in-one stuff!

This time it is an OpenPilot CC3D board and 4x 20a ESCs in one package.

I really, really want to like very compact and integrated things like this, but it's just too likely for one component (particularly the ESCs) to fail and then you're completely hosed.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 17:43

bring back old gbs: Feb 28, 2007; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

porksmash posted:

I really, really want to like very compact and integrated things like this, but it's just too likely for one component (particularly the ESCs) to fail and then you're completely hosed.

I knoooow, I have two 4-in-1 ESC's sitting on a shelf, one motor on each doesn't spin right and I've tried several motors, it's just one corner on each board that's busted.

I started working on a DIY FPV headset this weekend, I don't like carrying a tripod around.

Using the companion Rx to a TX5823, ripped the SMA connector off an old router and soldered it to the mini receiver

All soldered, servo connector for 5v in, and video out to the eyepiece:

This is where I previously connected to the main board, but everything is connected to a 4 pin molex now.

Everything powered, and working! Albeit only from 6 inches away:

The package before being stuffed into my 3d printed goggles:

Charging circuit, 18650, charging circuit and 5v step up built into one tiny board, a switch, mini receiver, and eyepiece. I need to find some neoprene to make a ring where the giggles touch my face. Probably going to cut up a yoga mat, or use weather stripping. Any suggestions?

Built using one of these USB battery packs from the dollar store(it was $3 though, be warned):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/2600mAh-Portable-External-Battery-FamilyMall/dp/B00EE16MBM

And one set of these terrible cheapo video glasses:
http://www.goodluckbuy.com/vg260-portable-wireless-video-glasses-eyewear-mobile-theatre-with-av-in-for-fpv.html

bring back old gbs fucked around with this message at 20:58 on Nov 16, 2015

# ? Nov 16, 2015 20:54

CrazyLittle: Sep 11, 2001; Clapping Larry

Yeah, I have ESCs fail after particularly nasty crashes. Basically if you stop the motor while at high throttle, you're effectively shorting out the motor and ESC.

# ? Nov 16, 2015 21:09

bring back old gbs: Feb 28, 2007; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

This works, but covers my nose a bit too much because the eye piece is so high up. I'm working on a v2 that removes the eyepieces and PCB from the plastic case, and the battery goes behind them instead of below.

# ? Nov 18, 2015 23:20

Rubiks Pubes: Dec 5, 2003; I wanted to be a neo deconstructivist, but Mom wouldn't let me.

Now that I have the Inspire I am thinking about selling my Phantom 1. It has been upgraded with a Naza M Lite (with Naza M firmware) and some no name gimbal for a GoPro. Anybody interested in it?

# ? Nov 19, 2015 02:14

porksmash: Sep 30, 2008

32MB OF ESRAM posted:

This works, but covers my nose a bit too much because the eye piece is so high up. I'm working on a v2 that removes the eyepieces and PCB from the plastic case, and the battery goes behind them instead of below.

These are an amazing piece of work. Are the video goggles you scavenged from really that bad, though?

# ? Nov 19, 2015 02:34

bring back old gbs: Feb 28, 2007; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

porksmash posted:

These are an amazing piece of work. Are the video goggles you scavenged from really that bad, though?

On the stock glasses the actual video part is held like an inch away from your face with zero light shielding. They're like video sunglasses, not goggles. Then a really stiff USB cable goes from one side of the glasses to a box that powers it and has a video input. You don't see that in the pictures but it's super unwieldy and the thick cable makes the goggles shift around on your head unless you keep perfectly still. So I just took all that plus the video receiver and put it into one unit.

# ? Nov 19, 2015 03:39

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

It's a tight fit but I managed to get everything wired up on the Fastball.

# ? Nov 19, 2015 03:42

The Eyes Have It: Feb 10, 2008; Third Eye Sees All
...snookums

I love that battery connector housing :allears:

sweet name, too

# ? Nov 19, 2015 07:14

ImplicitAssembler: Jan 24, 2013

yeah, cool name

# ? Nov 19, 2015 09:08

some kinda jackal: Feb 25, 2003; �
�

Fastball: Now with SPEED HOLES

Awesome project

# ? Nov 19, 2015 14:23

helno: Jun 19, 2003; hmm now were did I leave that plane

Hopefully it doesn't explode the first time it hits something.

Probably going to test fly it with the all 3d printed parts while I wait for the CF from Armattan.

# ? Nov 19, 2015 22:46