TAV Series - RPV/UAV

[typicalaimster]

Alright I'll go out on a limb here and hopefully wont' get flamed.

This is one of my own designs dubbed TAV (Test Aerial Vehicle). Currently I'm testing the 2nd version of the plane. There is a 3rd version that is on its way out to Arizona for 2 weeks of testing in May.

http://www.myuav.info/gallery/main.php/d/97-1/ETav-1_75-Model.jpg

It's a cross between many known UAV and model types out there. I'm currently using it as a high speed glider/trainer for flying under the hood.

Right now I'm just running a standard Futaba radio system with GWS servos. The power plant is a AXI 2808/24 motor. There are two power supplies. One is for the camera and video TX. The other is strictly for the motor and radio. A single 3 cell 2100mah pack allows about 10-20 minutes of flight time, depending on throttle management. The Separate 2 cell 1300mah pack powers the camera and video TX.

ETav-1.5
http://www.zwei.net/gallery/main.php/download/9483-2/Picture%20006.jpg

So far all the current testing with the second revision has gone fine. Most of the flying now is just for fun or in the video glasses. The plane takes off on hard or grassy surfaces just fine. Landing is done while the plane is still under power. The plane has been tested in 15-20 mph gusts winds and survived.

I'm thinking about putting on a GPS with a video overlay so I can see things like speed and altitude. I have a couple Maxstream serial modems I could use with the model, however I'm keeping them off due to weight for now. Otherwise I would use those to downlink GPS information to my laptop on the ground.

More Stats:
Wing cord: 8"
Wing Span: 54"
Wing Area: ~430
Weight: ~24oz
Length: 40"
Airfoil: Clark-YM 15%


--Scott

[radiohound]

Very nice design. I was wondering what you used for the booms going back to the tail. Are they carbon fiber? Can you post a closer pic of how you connected them to the wings, and how you have the "rudder" horns connected?

Thanks!

[typicalaimster]

Very nice design. I was wondering what you used for the booms going back to the tail. Are they carbon fiber? Can you post a closer pic of how you connected them to the wings, and how you have the "rudder" horns connected?


The booms are Carbon Fiber. I believe they are the .210" diameter ones. I went to the LHS and wiggled a rod around till I found one that wouldn't flex.

The booms go into some plywood holders in the wing. This is a pic of the current version that I'm using...Note the bottom laser cuts. There are 4 ribs for the holders.

I changed the holders a bit in the new revision. I didn't like the fact I was creating drag right where the carbon fiber rod came out of the wing. The new revision they are thinner and the ribs in that area are the same size as the rest of the wing. Hope that makes since. If not check out the PDF file.

Section of the wing where the rods come in.. I need to clean up the drawing a bit that's just an idea of where the rod would be coming in. I should have extended it out and did a break
http://www.myuav.info/gallery/main.php/d/100-1/ETav-1_75-Model_001.jpg

As far as control horns go, it's nothing super special. Just some flexrod going back to some normal control horns.

Where the control horns meet surface
http://www.zwei.net/gallery/main.php/download/9585-2/Picture.jpg

Bottom of the plane
http://www.zwei.net/gallery/main.php/download/9582-2/Picture%20001_001.jpg

I'm having Alex at ak-models.com do the laser cutting. The airframe costs under $40 for the laser cutting. The rest of the silly stuff nickle and dimes the cost of the air frame up to about $75-$100.

I know alot of Hobby UAV guys want to keep their plans secrete since they want to sell the concept. Since I'm not into this for profit... I'll go ahead and release this drawing. Please note these plans are for NON PROFIT USE. If you intend to redistribute please give credit where credit is due. Any suggestions for revision or changes can be emailed to me to :)

--Scott

[LukeZ]

Scott, I like your platform. Are you planning to go autonomous with it, and if so, what kind of setup are you thinking about?

Say, was it you I saw in some other posts that worked at Unav for a while? Or am I thinking of someone else... :confused:

[typicalaimster]

Scott, I like your platform. Are you planning to go autonomous with it, and if so, what kind of setup are you thinking about?

Say, was it you I saw in some other posts that worked at Unav for a while? Or am I thinking of someone else... :confused:

The most I'll do with this one is video glasses. It just doesn't have the capacity IMHO to go fully Autonomous. I may come up with a new design by the end of the summer that will give me more range and capability. Axi states I get about 37 oz of thrust out of this motor. I have about 24oz of plane and equipment. I'm trying not to add anymore weight.

I live in Nothern VA so I don't have very much space that's WIDE open. Not to mention I'm trying to keep everything as far west of DC as possible. Ticket prices out to Az are pretty cheap right now. If they stay this low I may do more testing out there.

It's a cute little plane and I love to fly it. I just want to take a break after May and go back to Glow and fly a bit of pattern.

The Unav thread was another person... Timbo337.. The thread is here..

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329461

--Scott

[Rhathid]

Nice plane.

What did you design it with?

I'm looking for affordable CAD software that I can use to design a plane and I also need to find a place that can laser cut the CAD designs into the wood.

I've seen a few places online that would do it, but I'm betting there is something local if I can into it.

All the CAD software I see runs about $800 or so. Is there anything out there I could get my hands on? I've checked P2P, but couldn't find much. :)

I'm looking to make a small UAV with 3 to 4 hour flight time. I have some idea's I'm keeping to myself because it hasn't been done yet and I am a business owner and capitalist. :D Based on some other posts I've had recently, I know I can get 4+ hours of flight out of one of my nitro planes and there would be plenty of room for home made UAV equipment.

[typicalaimster]

Nice plane.

What did you design it with?

I'm looking to make a small UAV with 3 to 4 hour flight time. I have some idea's I'm keeping to myself because it hasn't been done yet and I am a business owner and capitalist. :D Based on some other posts I've had recently, I know I can get 4+ hours of flight out of one of my nitro planes and there would be plenty of room for home made UAV equipment.

The plane was designed with AutoCAD, Profili, and Motocalc. This is just a trainer for a bigger plane. I already have a nitro version ready for covering. It has an estimated flight time of 1 hour. I just want to bang up a low speed electric ship before I bash up a high speed nitro powered craft.

I've considered starting my own business creating low cost UAV's for profit. I just lack the two programmers. Not to mention a couple people I trust.

--Scott

[Tom in Cincy]

Nice project Scott. I have a picture of my 2x Slow Stick. I have flown it fully loaded with a Geko GPS/ RCAP autopilot board/Fma Co-Pilot/ Maxstream modem/ BlackWidow 600mw video Xmitter/ Axi 2814/12 motor/ 6oz camera on the nose w tilt / spoilers/ 2s 5200mah lipo/ Ubec/ 9c radio.
I was hoping to retain the very slow/high lift of the underchambered wings. It actually flys pretty good. I just need more carbon to stiffen up the wings. Its a work in progress and may never prove too successful but I'm having FuN!
Tom

[Peteohms]

Made from Life Like foam plane. Speed 400. No ailerons.

[SlopeKing]

I am developing a SPAD based nitro twin designed to operable via telepresence... it won't be silent, no real purpose in covert ops, and its quite a large target with its 2m wingspan, but it will be able to carry the largest of digital cameras to get those highres shots... great for higher altitude surveillance.. this project will be quite longwinded, and the plans are being kept secret till the last moment... but I will give you one clue, its got a standard fuselage and tail, and the airframe should be able to be assembled for about NZ$50 minus all radio gear and cameras (which are looking like coming in at about NZ$600 all up...)

[JettPilot]

Hey Aimster,

Good to see you having fun out there in Arizona, I wish I could fly my UAV out there when its done. There are so many trees here in northern Virginia that I worry about it crashing into them and not being found for 20 years :eek: . You must have family out there that you stay with ? I watched your entire video that you posted from there, pretty neat. What video equipment are you using ? Which video glasses ? Oh, and BTW, the drag of the tail booms comming out the back of your plane is insignificant compared to all that radio gear and servos hanging in the airstream ;) But it looks like neat model and you did a nice job on it. When are you going to be back here in VA ? I was at NVRC today and they had this kids event on and it was really cool, I have never seen so many people there. I will be there alot this summer, hope to see you there one day

[typicalaimster]

Hey Aimster,
You must have family out there that you stay with ? I watched your entire video that you posted from there, pretty neat. What video equipment are you using ? Which video glasses ? Oh, and BTW, the drag of the tail booms comming out the back of your plane is insignificant compared to all that radio gear and servos hanging in the airstream ;) But it looks like neat model and you did a nice job on it. When are you going to be back here in VA ? I was at NVRC today and they had this kids event on and it was really cool, I have never seen so many people there. I will be there alot this summer, hope to see you there one day


NVRC did have a Youth Open House today. I was kinda upset I missed it. I could have let a few kids take the system up under the glasses. The glasses I use are some cheap $200 ones you get from Ebay. The seller is Mp3PlayerStore or something like that. They have a website and are based out of Canada. The Video system is the BWAV 600mw system. I'm lucky that my dad started me into the hobby. He and my mom live out here so I don't have to worry about the cost of a motel room. Plus they're always interested to see what I've come up with this time. The next airframe I'll incase in a rocket tube. This will solve my equipment drag problem :)