Suggestions for a simple GLOW UAV

[target]

Gents-

I've been approached at work to supply a few simple UAV's for a test program.
I had originally intended to use a MPX EasyGlider Electric, or Cularis as a platform.
Test Manager says, "Needs to be gas!" :mad: :censored:
I'm a sailplane guy, and a little electric. I thought my glow days were behind me...

Requirements will include a steady altitude under 400', manually flown on several steady headings, legs about 1/2 mile long, over the ocean. There will be no landing, but a splashdown after fuel is expended.
Duration will need to be 10 minutes, more would be fine. Speed is not critical.

I intend to utilize EagleTree's Telemetry system for recording live GPS truth data aboard the vessel we will be flying the planes from.

My main question is what airframe to use....needs to be a readily available ARF.
These will need to be hand launched from an 85' vessel.

Any suggestions?

Obviously, the wing loading will need to be fairly light.

Thanks in advance.

Target

[small_rcer]

First steps are

a) Replace Test Manager.
b) Use Electric Glider Pro or Twinstar with standard motors

If only 10 minutes are wanted the twinstar is more than capable of doing this carrying a pretty good payload. It can be landed back on the 85 foot ship with a small net strung between two poles.

We use a 3 cell 2200 LiPo and get 8-12 minutes. The plane will easily carry a 19oz 8 cell Sub-C pack of NiMh. The LiPos are only 190grams or about 6.6 oz. Put 2 in and get about 20+ minutes of fast silent flight. Wind does not affect this plane much. You still have room for 8-16 oz of payload as this plane is minimally affected by weight. It is also a lot less expensive and safer on ship than a fuel plane. And when you splash land it instead of on board, the plane floats. if you properly pack the batteries and electronics you can continue to use it. Buy waterproof servos.

By carving out the interior at build time the cargo area can be quite large.

Jim H

[target]

Trust me, Jim-

All of those thoughts (and a few more reactive ones!) were in my brain at the time....

Thanks for the suggestion on the Twinstar, I will look into it.

Any experience with the Eagletree Systems for live telemetry??

Thanks, Target

[target]

Hey, great news:

They've reconsidered, and we can go electric!
I plan on offering the TwinStar, EZGlider Electric, and a Cularis.

Much easier!

Thanks, Target

[target]

First steps are

a) Replace Test Manager.
b) Use Electric Glider Pro or Twinstar with standard motors

If only 10 minutes are wanted the twinstar is more than capable of doing this carrying a pretty good payload. It can be landed back on the 85 foot ship with a small net strung between two poles.

We use a 3 cell 2200 LiPo and get 8-12 minutes. The plane will easily carry a 19oz 8 cell Sub-C pack of NiMh. The LiPos are only 190grams or about 6.6 oz. Put 2 in and get about 20+ minutes of fast silent flight. Wind does not affect this plane much. You still have room for 8-16 oz of payload as this plane is minimally affected by weight. It is also a lot less expensive and safer on ship than a fuel plane. And when you splash land it instead of on board, the plane floats. if you properly pack the batteries and electronics you can continue to use it. Buy waterproof servos.

By carving out the interior at build time the cargo area can be quite large.

Jim H

Hi, Jim-

Is the B/L upgrade a similar weight to the spd 400 package?? The motors used are Himaxx 2812's...
I wonder if by increasing the efficiency, I can get even more duration from a similar battery capacity.
There will likely only be a payload featuring the telemetry equipment, and a good sized Lipo set.
We may be fighting a 20mph wind, although I told the program mgr that 15knots was a cap, possibly 20, but no more....
So a little extra power might be a good thing.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
Target

[small_rcer]

We run ours with brushed stock. Most Brushless motors of same or more power have similar weights. Have a 2200kv inrunner that weighs a tad more than the brushed. An outrunner is usually lighter. The Twinstar is a fairly fast plane. If/When I get an autopilot or can get a recording GPS installed, I will know exact figures. I would estimate about 60 km / hr at high cruise, not full speed.

Using brushless outrunners will let you use bigger more efficient props. Just limit size to clear ground or use larger props cut down to increase blade area.

There are many threads here in RCG in the foamies section about modifying Twinstars. They can give you more information. We tend to use planes in stock form and get them working very well. Adjust CG, make sure wing alignment is dead on and other things to maximize the performance without spending is my motto.

Jim H

[Mick Molloy]

Hey, great news:

They've reconsidered, and we can go electric!
I plan on offering the TwinStar, EZGlider Electric, and a Cularis.

Much easier!

Thanks, Target

ADDED Bonus they all Float too

[macboffin]

Minor nit-pickin' point ; "gas" is petrol, right? Glow is "Glow" ie methanol ; less economic that petrol both for duration and cost ; plus dumping a gas powered airplane in the ocean after use is naughty on several counts. Pollution by fuel, danger of fatal ingestion of plastic and other components by assorted wildlife, etc. (Yes, I know that naval aviators do it all the time, big time, but they are defending freedom, as well as keeping the aerospace business profitably employed.)

[Gary Mortimer]

Dont forget the Multiplex Mentor either, the Twinstar rocks, love mine.

[target]

They want to go with the Cularis and the TwinStar, thankfully.
Moving forward with the info from EagleTree Systems regarding telemetry.

All this is going to be very simplified; hand launch from the vessel, and flight within line of sight, and manual control.
A landing net will be employed onboard, but the planes may still end up in the drink, so we are thinking they will be "one flight wonders".
I have high aspirations for hand catching the Cularis on full "Crow" on the back of the vessel, however.



Thanks for the replies.

Target

[clolson]

If you do manage to hand catch one off the back deck, make sure you get it on tape and post to youtube. I think it could be a popular video and is sure to win you a lot of "pilot points". :-)

[small_rcer]

I have regularly flown my Easy Star into the arms of the "Landing Agent". It does however fly much slower than the TwinStar.

Using a net loosely hung from two poles will allow for easy capture of a Twinstar. Even better if you use very light netting, the poles could be held by 2 people and then it would not do much if any damage.

Practice on land and it wil become surprisingly easy.

Jim H

[target]

The project is on hold at the moment, but that isn't unusual.

I'll report on what happens, but there will be NO video...

T

[clolson]

I'm trying to upload a video to youtube that shows the sea state one day when we were out on a 224' NOAA research ship. There was one day we were attempting to catapult launch our UAS into 25 kt winds. But that was the absolute maximum cutoff for launching a small support boat so we didn't tempt our fate with higher winds. Once you get into winds of 20-25 kts, just about everything gets pretty tough out there. We were unfortunate that the nice days on this cruise happened when we were outside our allowed flying area. And once we were in our zone the weather turned to crap. If that video ever makes it up, I'll post the link. Otherwise search for "clolsonus" on youtube.

Regards,

Curt.

[clolson]

I finally got my movie uploaded. How would you like to launch and recover a little electric foamy in these conditions ... let's say the winds are about 25 kts ... notice the crew on the lower deck was getting their feet wet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0spTMYNVW5c

(This was a large 224' vessel getting tossed around like this.) It was an interesting cruise and really highlighted how difficult the conditions can get out at sea ... and we had 15-25 kt winds during our entire flying window.

Curt.