Hello all,

First of all I would like to let everyone know that this is my first scratch build. I have been flying rc planes for almost 2 years now so I still have a lot to learn and I will never pretend to know it all.

There will be errors, mistakes and what not in this build thread. I am open to all suggestions and remarks, as long as they are constructive and respectful.

So this is it, I have been thinking about doing this for quite a while now and decided to go forward only a few weeks ago. I am not aiming at a perfectly scale copy of the Shadow 200 because it would be too hard, I will probably cut corners short at some point in this build to save time and to soften construction level difficulty.

Here are some specifications and features of my ultimate FPV plane:

• Wing Span: 66 inches
• Wing Area: 577.5 sq-in
• Wing Loading: 39.1 oz. sq-feet
• AUW: 9.8lbs
• Length: TBD
• Weight: TBD
• Foil: Clark Y flat bottom
• Flaps: Yes
• Servos: 9 including PAN / TILT
• Motor: Scorpion S4020-8T Motor 790Kv
• ESC: Turnigy Plush 80amp
• Prop: APC 12x6 2-blades Pusher
• 9000mAh 4S Nano-tech 25c-50c (2 x 4500 in parallels)
• 1300mAh 3S battery (vtx, camera, nav lights)
• GoPro in the nose
• Scale camera pod (360 degree pan)
• Scale beacons, strobes, landing and taxi lights (custom pcb + software, currently coding this)
• Fixed 170 degree fov tail camera
• Three camera video switcher (homemade if not too complicated)
• 500mw 900mhz Vtx + inv vee antenna
• DragonLink LRS rx
• RVOSD5

I am currently sheeting the bottom the wing halves, next step will be to join them.

First question that I have in mind for a long time, how to make the booms removable knowing that they can't be drilled since they are CF.

This is a work in progress, thanks for your interest and stay tuned for more pictures!


UPDATE

This thing flies! Here are a couple videos (more on page 9) of the maiden flight:

RQ-7 Shadow 200 - Maiden Flight (5 min 21 sec)

RQ-7 Shadow 200 - Maiden Flight (Ground cam) (9 min 40 sec)

RQ-7 Shadow 200 - Flight 02 (2 min 39 sec)

RQ-7 Shadow 200 - Flight 02 (Ground cam) (2 min 51 sec)

First!

Subscribed! This looks like it's going to be great!

If that is what your plane is going to look like... Your on the right track... That design, twin boom... ect.. Is IMO the way to go... Good start

Eddie

way cool.

I think we're beyond where scale is important, and just concerned about having a good airframe.

I'll be following your progress.


-Mike

Subscribed

Subscribed

So you got your build thread up!

Your opening pictures are just amazing, the attention to detail, with all the ribs in the Wing!
Possibly (the wings) being the most intricate components to construct, taking everything into account.

Subscribed.

Along for the ride!

I will update the thread this week-end, still cutting the 136 pieces of wood needed for shear webbing the whole thing!

Throw all the pieces you cut out of your ribs on a scale. I would be surprised if they weighed 2 grams. I keep them solid for the strength now.

Are you going to cap the spars with CF? Fun!

-Ken

for the booms, use helicopter clamps fin clamps , you get get 25mm ones ... erm, what size boom you going for ?

I have bought: 10mm, 11mm and 14mm hollow tubes.

Do you have plans for this beautiful uav?
thank you very much!

I don't have any plans except a rib template. I will design plans if the plane survive its maiden flight hehe

Originally Posted by Blackrat

for the booms, use helicopter clamps fin clamps , you get get 25mm ones ... erm, what size boom you going for ?

That is a good idea! I will just insert a thinner tube inside a thicker one, then join both tube and use something like this:



It should be strong enough.