Micro tricopter?

[LeoTheHuman]

Hey guys!

I’m contemplating the idea of building a micro tricopter, featuring 3020 props, 1104 (1105 if these appear soon) motors, 10a micro ESCs and 450mah 65C 3S battery. Unfortunately, I will have to ditch the naze32 frame I love so much. Which is why I ordered some more afromini amaze (rev3) boards. I also need to find a very small, but still quite powerful digital servo and the tilt mechanism for the tail motor. Does anyone have any ideas?
It might be a great challenge to come up with a frame and a tilt mechanism for that thing.
I’m also thinking about 4045-5030 props on 1306 motors and 1000mAh 3/4S version, but that doesn’t look so attractive compared to mini. (:
Suggestions are welcomed!

[LeoTheHuman]

Just as an option, did someone use this before?
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__41919__Blue_Arrow_3g_High_Speed_Digital_MG_Micro_Servo_50kg_06sec_60deg.html
Should this be good for a tail? I don’t really know that much about servos.

[Jesper]

I like the challenge, but why not just take Davids tilt design and scale it down?

[LeoTheHuman]

I haven’t seen the sip-ties so small yet (:

[Terje]

If you abandon the folding arm design it might be possible to make it light enough 🙂

[underdog]

I could make a try to do the design for a micro integrated frame if @David would be kind enough to support us with prototype manufacturing. (I know that he has connections in that line of business…)
Since I´ve only been flying the normal V3 integrated frame, I have no idea what the requirements would be for a micro frame.

Maybe components could be distributed across two boards connected with SMT sockets/headers, or flex if that would be a better option (my own experience with flex boards are that then are quite wulnerable though..)

[LeoTheHuman]

@underdog, I believe http://abusemark.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=45 is good enough for a micro FC. What we really need is a frame design, it doesn’t have to be integrated.

[underdog]

@LeoTheHuman: Doing a micro board with integrated PDB may be good enough perhaps?
Hand soldering the PDB components are not a challenge like the USB-interface and the Gyro/Accelerometer would be.
If someone would come with a suggestion for a board outline I´ll fire up Altium and get started.

[LeoTheHuman]

If no one has any other ideas, I will probably try to put the motor directly mounted to the servo arm, without any other support. I mean, it should work for 5g motor, right?
I’m not too concerned about PDB for this thing, will probably even try to use the naze afromini as a PDB for the ESCs, it can definitely take up to 16V and 3A per motor should not be a problem if I put additional rails along +V and GND traces.
I’m not sure D4R-II is a good receiver for this, it’s quite large.
I would appreciate any links to a small PPM/serial receiver that works on FrSky protocol and also can take 3S or can work off 3.3v output of the afromini. Don’t really want to put a vreg on it… I can also resort to DSMX ppm/sat receiver, but wouldn’t like to change the module in my TX.

[Terje]

@underdog a 3D printer, plywood and a coping saw will get you a long way. No need for @David to provide prototype manufacturing.

[underdog]

@Terje: I would be thoroughly impressed if you managed to manufacture an integrated Micro Tri frame using nothing but a 3D printer, plywood and a coping saw 🙂

Of course, you can come a long way with those tools, a 3D printer is @ the very top of my wishlist, but I haven´t allowed myself to buy one yet.. 🙂

@LeoTheHuman: If you used a hollow rear boom that is circular instead of square, you could use a small servo on the frame to twist the entire boom, complete with motor and prop.
You would have to find a good way to create some kind of journal bearing for the rear boom and be creative about mounting the motor to the boom 🙂
See attached picture 🙂

Attachments:

1. 

   tilt.jpg
   

[LeoTheHuman]

I was contemplating the idea of the symmetric (120 degree rotation) 3-servo tricopter with round booms, double ball bearings holding the booms and servos inside the body. Three servos would help it to fly almost any direction with almost any tilt angle. But that is a bad approach for something that light.
I will probably just attach a servo on the end of the boom and put a motor on its arm.

[Author]

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