RotHeli1: 9" RC UFO DIY project

JoseJ · Jul 18, 2005, 05:28 AM

Hi all!

After the microheli4 project (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297067), this is my new DIY project : RotHeli1 (photos below)
This is an All Rotating Aircraft concept that is fully controlable.

The platform is based on "Vectron ultralite" saucer (steven davis patent, good idea steven!) that you can find at your local toy store. This saucers are very stable in hovering but you only have 1 channel (up-down). I´d like to make it fully RC with 4 channels like a normal Heli.

To achieve this the first step is to put an electronic compass and a PIC to resolve the first problem (where is the heli pointing?) and a LED to indicate where is the heli "virtual tail". This resolve the orientation problem...
The second big problem is how to move the heli? The answer is an stabilization bar (really a desestabilization bar...) that is controled by a magnetic actuator and the PIC. If you change the angle of the stabilization bar in the same point on each revolution of the body you get (90º later) a move of the heli... Ok this is a simple explanation...

RotHeli1 specs :

- Lenght(Diameter) : 23 cm (9")
- Height : 13 cm
- Total weight : 79g
- Body construction : Depron, balsa & 2mm Carbon rods
- Battery : LiPo 250mAh
- Battery life : about 10 min.
- Rx : Schulze Alpha 4 (without case)
- Motor : 1 x GWS LPS 5:1 (RXC motor)
- Prop : GWS 9x4.7 cutted to 8.5x4.7
- Servos : NO
- Stability : Self-stable
- Gyro : NO (the compass works as a heading-hold gyro)
- Actuator : 1 x Magnetic actuator (coil + magnet)
- Functions : 4 (Throttle, Roll, Pitch and Yaw)
- Electronics : home made electronics
- Compass module : magnetoresistive sensor + OPamp
- Procesor : PIC 16F876
- Price : This is a cheap project (the most expensive component is the electronic compass at about 20$)

I could say that this "thing" is very stable in hover and you can control in all directions like a normal heli. This first version is a little lazy to move buy i am working on this...

I´d like to know how do you think about this project and new ideas/question to improve it. I can post more info if you want. I am now working on a version 2...

Here are some photos.

JoseJ.

fwilly · Jul 18, 2005, 09:50 AM

Wow!!! Thats awesome!

micromad · Jul 18, 2005, 09:55 AM

Wow that looks complicated.

j8m8l · Jul 18, 2005, 11:59 AM

Amazing project!
Do you have any flight videos?

Josh

derk · Jul 18, 2005, 12:06 PM

thats cool 4 channels, one actuator. thats awsome.

how did you get it to tell when to light the led in the right spot every time?
a timing circut linked to the compass?

Pete P · Jul 18, 2005, 12:24 PM

Awesome!!! Post some plans and such!

PappyAVG · Jul 18, 2005, 12:42 PM

Hello!

Great project. Can you tell us more about the PIC, what that is, and how you set up a heading with the compass? Any links would be great, and thanks in advance!

Pappy

unsped · Jul 18, 2005, 01:51 PM

another person salivating for more info

micro_builder · Jul 18, 2005, 02:07 PM

amazing work. i just read through your MicroHeli 4 project, and the amount of work that must've been involved is staggering. simply fantastic

nick

3D Devil · Jul 18, 2005, 04:31 PM

Check your PM, please!

superdave42 · Jul 18, 2005, 06:31 PM

I'll buy one if ya mod one up for me :-)

aerogel · Jul 18, 2005, 06:37 PM

electronic compass Thingy is Brilliant

JoseJ · Jul 18, 2005, 06:45 PM

Thanks for your interest

Here there is a better explanation:

The yaw stick, control where the heli is pointing. As all the body is rotating we use a LED that blinks in the same point of the revolution as an orientation point (imagine this as the tail of an heli) so when you see the blue LED you know where is the tail. (you can see this on the last photo of the first post).
If you move the yaw stick the LED rotates to the left or to the right as an heli tail does. I call this a "virtual yaw" o "virtual tail". Also because we have an electronic compass this tail works as if we have an heading-hold gyro because if we dont touch the yaw stick, the virtual tail is always pointing in the same direction.

With the Roll and Pitch stick is a bit more complex. With Roll and Pitch we calculate at what point of the revolution with respect to the virtual yaw (LED) we have to move the actuator to achieve the correct movement of the body (we have also to take acount of the gyroscopic precesion).

Here is a simple drawing of this...

I am planning to post videos tomorrow ( I hope)

JoseJ.

superdave42 · Jul 18, 2005, 06:50 PM

that is sooo cool.

Zlatko · Jul 18, 2005, 07:31 PM

JoseJ,

That is sooo good

.

I tried to make a 4 rotor microheli like your first atempt, inspired by your work, but I used 3 gyros, 4 ESCs and 3 V-Tail mixers. I didn't have much luck with that method. The mixers would just "oscilate" by themselves ( I had two cascades ) . I tried a different brand of mixers, but not much luck. I used normal gyros, not HH gyros.

I would like to try the Vectron mod, this looks less complicated.

Will you be shearing the schematics and the code?

Cheers
Zlatko

BTW I've ordered the X-UFO "thing" but still waiting for delivery .

Jul 18, 2005, 05:28 AM	#1
JoseJ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canary Islands Posts: 76	RotHeli1: 9" RC UFO DIY project Hi all! After the microheli4 project (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297067), this is my new DIY project : RotHeli1 (photos below) This is an All Rotating Aircraft concept that is fully controlable. The platform is based on "Vectron ultralite" saucer (steven davis patent, good idea steven!) that you can find at your local toy store. This saucers are very stable in hovering but you only have 1 channel (up-down). I´d like to make it fully RC with 4 channels like a normal Heli. To achieve this the first step is to put an electronic compass and a PIC to resolve the first problem (where is the heli pointing?) and a LED to indicate where is the heli "virtual tail". This resolve the orientation problem... The second big problem is how to move the heli? The answer is an stabilization bar (really a desestabilization bar...) that is controled by a magnetic actuator and the PIC. If you change the angle of the stabilization bar in the same point on each revolution of the body you get (90º later) a move of the heli... Ok this is a simple explanation... RotHeli1 specs : - Lenght(Diameter) : 23 cm (9") - Height : 13 cm - Total weight : 79g - Body construction : Depron, balsa & 2mm Carbon rods - Battery : LiPo 250mAh - Battery life : about 10 min. - Rx : Schulze Alpha 4 (without case) - Motor : 1 x GWS LPS 5:1 (RXC motor) - Prop : GWS 9x4.7 cutted to 8.5x4.7 - Servos : NO - Stability : Self-stable - Gyro : NO (the compass works as a heading-hold gyro) - Actuator : 1 x Magnetic actuator (coil + magnet) - Functions : 4 (Throttle, Roll, Pitch and Yaw) - Electronics : home made electronics - Compass module : magnetoresistive sensor + OPamp - Procesor : PIC 16F876 - Price : This is a cheap project (the most expensive component is the electronic compass at about 20$) I could say that this "thing" is very stable in hover and you can control in all directions like a normal heli. This first version is a little lazy to move buy i am working on this... I´d like to know how do you think about this project and new ideas/question to improve it. I can post more info if you want. I am now working on a version 2... Here are some photos. JoseJ. Attached Thumbnails 26.8 KB · Views: 2438 23.3 KB · Views: 2005 24.9 KB · Views: 3812 11.3 KB · Views: 2539

Jul 18, 2005, 12:42 PM	#7
PappyAVG Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 10	Compass Info? Hello! Great project. Can you tell us more about the PIC, what that is, and how you set up a heading with the compass? Any links would be great, and thanks in advance! Pappy

Jul 18, 2005, 06:45 PM	#13
JoseJ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canary Islands Posts: 76	Thanks for your interest Here there is a better explanation: The yaw stick, control where the heli is pointing. As all the body is rotating we use a LED that blinks in the same point of the revolution as an orientation point (imagine this as the tail of an heli) so when you see the blue LED you know where is the tail. (you can see this on the last photo of the first post). If you move the yaw stick the LED rotates to the left or to the right as an heli tail does. I call this a "virtual yaw" o "virtual tail". Also because we have an electronic compass this tail works as if we have an heading-hold gyro because if we dont touch the yaw stick, the virtual tail is always pointing in the same direction. With the Roll and Pitch stick is a bit more complex. With Roll and Pitch we calculate at what point of the revolution with respect to the virtual yaw (LED) we have to move the actuator to achieve the correct movement of the body (we have also to take acount of the gyroscopic precesion). Here is a simple drawing of this... I am planning to post videos tomorrow ( I hope) JoseJ. Attached Thumbnails 33.7 KB · Views: 3261

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Jul 18, 2005, 09:50 AM	#2
fwilly Pro Bro #495 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Farmington NM Posts: 3,181	Wow!!! Thats awesome!

Jul 18, 2005, 09:55 AM	#3
micromad The ceiling is the limit! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: South of England Posts: 1,229	Wow that looks complicated.

Jul 18, 2005, 11:59 AM	#4
j8m8l Thats NOT indestructible Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 1,447	Amazing project! Do you have any flight videos? Josh

Jul 18, 2005, 12:06 PM	#5
derk TheyreComingToTakeMeAway! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: cda, Idaho Posts: 2,307	thats cool 4 channels, one actuator. thats awsome. how did you get it to tell when to light the led in the right spot every time? a timing circut linked to the compass?

Jul 18, 2005, 12:24 PM	#6
Pete P Micro Flyer, Big Poster Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,222	Awesome!!! Post some plans and such!

Jul 18, 2005, 01:51 PM	#8
unsped Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 328	another person salivating for more info

Jul 18, 2005, 02:07 PM	#9
micro_builder build to fly, not to crash Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Plymouth, MN Posts: 3,456	amazing work. i just read through your MicroHeli 4 project, and the amount of work that must've been involved is staggering. simply fantastic nick

Jul 18, 2005, 04:31 PM	#10
3D Devil Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kouvola Utti, Finland Posts: 145	Check your PM, please!

Jul 18, 2005, 06:31 PM	#11
superdave42 DC Concepts Join Date: May 2004 Location: morgan hill california Posts: 2,785	I'll buy one if ya mod one up for me :-)

Jul 18, 2005, 06:37 PM	#12
aerogel Thanks for the Fish! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Land of cajuns Posts: 781	electronic compass Thingy is Brilliant

Jul 18, 2005, 06:50 PM	#14
superdave42 DC Concepts Join Date: May 2004 Location: morgan hill california Posts: 2,785	that is sooo cool.

Jul 18, 2005, 07:31 PM	#15
Zlatko My member is not Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Melbourne City Hlpt, Australia Posts: 758	JoseJ, That is sooo good . I tried to make a 4 rotor microheli like your first atempt, inspired by your work, but I used 3 gyros, 4 ESCs and 3 V-Tail mixers. I didn't have much luck with that method. The mixers would just "oscilate" by themselves ( I had two cascades ) . I tried a different brand of mixers, but not much luck. I used normal gyros, not HH gyros. I would like to try the Vectron mod, this looks less complicated. Will you be shearing the schematics and the code? Cheers Zlatko BTW I've ordered the X-UFO "thing" but still waiting for delivery .