1:1 Scale RC Pod Racer

[metroidrc]

Here is my design for an RC Star Wars Pod Racer that I am working on, it can be ridden on or used as an RC hovercraft. Depending on the weight of the pilot, it might not go that fast. ;)

Its powered by two 130mm ducted fans in front(differential thrust), and a leaf blower for hover.
A combined 4000 - 5000 watts of power!
each fan is run on 6s (so far) and the leaf blower is 18volts.

I have everything I need for the construction to begin.
Will be updating this very soon.
-Josh

[Ryan Archer]

WOW!!!! that is AWESOME i will be watching this one.
ryan

[metroidrc]

my inspiration......

http://www.cybertronical.com/allsites/starwars/main/vehicles/anakin_s_podracer/pod2.jpg

[NitroCharged]

!!! :eek: yahooo!


I'll be watching this one for sure! :)

[LuckyDuc]

That should be interesting.

[metroidrc]

got an ideas how to fake the electrical field link between the two turbines? I was gonna try a string of LEDs..

[xmod heli alloy]

well, you could put a 60,000 volt tesla coil on it and have death machine, lol,
or you could buy some strobe lights and put them in a line.

[metroidrc]

motors arrived, no mounting screws so I'm off to the hardware store!
I'll try to get some pictures today.

[Trisquire]

Josh,

Where will the air cushion be? Under the pod?

[metroidrc]

yep, just like a normal leaf blower hovercraft.

[zagimon]

got an ideas how to fake the electrical field link between the two turbines? I was gonna try a string of LEDs..


Josh, I did this this weekend and can help you with the string if you need it man. Also, I will be gathering single cells left over from my 5000mAh batches and they have no match. I will build some sort of power source that will just require less deep discharges but will be good for testing. Here's a pic of my new night flyer, not to change the subject but to display my skill.

[metroidrc]

well as with any project... problems...
one of the motors won't spool up. Only one beep out of the ESC.
The other one works fine.

[zagimon]

well as with any project... problems...
one of the motors won't spool up. Only one beep out of the ESC.
The other one works fine.


Hey metroidrc Did you switch escs and see if its the motor or the esc causing the problem? What a pain if you don't have bullet connectors.

[metroidrc]

Well I traced the source to one of the ESC's actually. Bummer!
Only one will start up, both motors work fine.
Heres a pic, notice the 6s 4000 battery pack in the middle how small it looks compared to the fans!
-Josh

[metroidrc]

Hey metroidrc Did you switch escs and see if its the motor or the esc causing the problem? What a pain if you don't have bullet connectors.

Pat I do have bullet connectors on so its quite easy to switch.
So whats happening is I only get one beep out of the rotten ESC. The second beep means it connected to the receiver.

[metroidrc]

Josh, I did this this weekend and can help you with the string if you need it man. Also, I will be gathering single cells left over from my 5000mAh batches and they have no match. I will build some sort of power source that will just require less deep discharges but will be good for testing. Here's a pic of my new night flyer, not to change the subject but to display my skill.

Thats a sweet night flyer!
Yeah maybe some EL wire, but the only thing is this would have to be visible in the daytime so I'm thinking maybe something just reflective...

[zagimon]

Sounds like a faulty board. I would call the vendor for sure. Man, that is some seriously large fans. You could pull a mini cooper with those and save on gas.

[metroidrc]

well I did have some success today. The hovercraft part of it is working great, even with a crappy piece of plastic and the leaf blower. It supports my son's weight, as well as my wife and me too! So it looks like even I'll be able to ride this thing! I'm gonna replace the crappy plastic with a tarp, for better strength. I'm using the standard leaf blower hovercraft plans available from google search for this part of it.
Now if I can just figure out how to get that other ESC to work...

[metroidrc]

The mystery deepens on the 120A hextronik ESC. It will run on 3s, but not 6s!
The other one (identical) runs on 6s fine! I plugged the program card in with both, and both have the same settings.

[metroidrc]

A quick revision to my design now that I have the fans and motors, and the pvc pipes used to connect. This is more of how its shaping up so far.
-Josh

[metroidrc]

Almost done, as you can see.
One ESC only runs on 4s so basically it just drives in circles right now.
But it does work!
I let me son ride it for a little bit.
I have to make the Nacelles and paint the blue stripes as well as the flaps on the Nacelles and paint the yellow on the tip of the rotor.
-Josh

[zagimon]

Are those speakers in the seats! Nice job man.

[mcross]

Looks good Josh!
I found that an inflatable skirt worked better than the skirt shown on most plans. It's a little more complicated to build but works a lot better. I also played with casters under the skirt before I made it inflatable. My problem was if you weren't perfectly balanced the skirt would deflate, castors or the inflatable skirt solved the problem. Castors slowed you down a lot whereas the inflatable skirt only slowed it a little when out of balance. I also elongated the base to give a little extra resistance to fore/aft tilting that would deflate the skirt when pushing kids around.
Mike
Edit: I just looked up these plans: http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects/89/835/aed978aabe49b8ac1a6197cc407cc6d7.html
It looks like these are the plans you used and it does have the inflated skirt. The plans I used years ago just showed a strip of plastic around the base, thus my mod to something more like this.

[NitroCharged]

Josh, are you using a ubec with the setup? esc's on 6 cells wont run the bec. You have to disconnect the bec from both esc's (pull the signal wire on each).

[metroidrc]

do I need a bec if I'm not using servos?

[LuckyDuc]

do I need a bec if I'm not using servos?
Yep.

[metroidrc]

well maybe that will fix the problems.

update: I put the bec on, then the ESC started up on 6s but the wires for the motor were reversed. When I plugged them all back in the right way, it started to make the chugga chugga sound and now the ESC won't make any beeps or initialize! :(

update2: I waited for it to cool down. Now the motor starts up but sounds like its stripped on the inside is only spinning very slowly and it sounds like something is rubbing. I had just ordered a new ESC I hope I don't have to order another motor!

update3: the rotor wasn't on tight which is why it was making that loose spinning, rubbing sound. after I tighten the rotor we should be set to go on 6s, just need to paint up the nacelles...

[NitroCharged]

woohoo! :D

[metroidrc]

good news. Got it working on 6s to each fan. Bad news - won't turn with differential thrust. Gonna have to install at least one rudder...

[metroidrc]

could I get away with just one rudder on one of the fans?

[challenger_i]

Have you considered vectored thrust?

[zagimon]

Any updates Josh.? I was thinking vectored thrust also ,but your face might not like it.

[challenger_i]

Any updates Josh.? I was thinking vectored thrust also ,but your face might not like it.

Well! It IS a helmet and goggles machine! :D

[metroidrc]

has to be a rudder, when I get back from vacay i'll mess with it :)

[SilverHeli2000]

Any updates?

[metroidrc]

nothing yet other than I cut out the 3 litre bottles for the nacelles. I've been working on the final tweaks of the razorback so I haven't had time.
Don't worry it will happen!
-josh

[SilverHeli2000]

Sounds good!

I have a fair amount of experience with full sized hovercrafts, we have built a 3 man from the ground up as well as own and refurbished a Scat.

I am very interested in your progress, this looks like a fun project.

keep us informed!!

[ridgewalker]

How do you power the leaf blower with a lipo bat?I thought that an ac motor will not run off dc power,i am unsure.Did you change the motor in the leaf blower?

Keep up the good work,can't wait to see it in action.

[Sky-walker]

aaaaah how much I love the racing hovercrafts scene from the starwars.... amazing

[metroidrc]

haven't had time for it... needs a rudder and nacelles. hopefully will finish in a few weeks!

[FBH_Aceman]

The one in the movie has vectored thrust on the exhaust... And "air scoops" on the front for steering.

[SilverHeli2000]

Hey Josh,

With playing with all your new Micro EPP toys, had any time to work on this little project lately?

[metroidrc]

I haven't even had time for RC lately. Been finishing up this iPhone game project thats been going on for several months...

[SilverHeli2000]

I haven't even had time for RC lately. Been finishing up this iPhone game project thats been going on for several months...

Well, along with RC, iPod touch games are also my addiction...let me know once its available, I would like to take a look at it!

[metroidrc]

its almost done, heres the website of the game
www.ravensword.com

[SilverHeli2000]

its almost done, heres the website of the game
www.ravensword.com

I'm sold. I love games like this and especially ones that do not use the accel. in the game, but rather a virtual d pad.

Hey, I believe you are in NY, but was curious any chance you'll be at the JR Indoorfest in Columbus Ohio in about a month? Didnt know if I would see any Axon stuff there.

[metroidrc]

i think 2dogrc will be there selling some stuff.

[Rota]

its almost done, heres the website of the game
www.ravensword.com

Wow that looks fantastic. I'll definitely be buying it when you release. It looks like obilivion for the iPhone.

[RC flight]

Great project!

One thing I noticed was you long power wires from your battery to your ESCs. The way your set up in the pics, your esc's wont last much longer. Here is my thread about the topic.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1100578

Just tryin to save you some greens

[microflitedude]

that's awesome! please post video when done!