The frame for this had been hanging on my wall for months now, finally got myself together to do something about it.

Parts list:

Spektrum AR6100 reciever


Stabilization gyros:

3 X Imax G192 http://www.hobbyhot.com/imax-g192-he...p-1-pr-58.html or
3 X Telebee/Turnigy http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...Digital/Analog) or
3 X XMhobbies/HK401b http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...dproduct=10113 (HK401b will only work with non programmable supersimple ESC's)
all 3 gain wires connected as one to GEAR.


Yaw gyro:

1 X XMhobbies/HK401B or
1 X Esky EK2-0704 or
1 X Imax G192


ESC's:

3 X Supersimple non programmable http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...ies_15-18A_ESC
Select NIXX mode to avoid low battery cutoff.


Motors:

3 X Towerpro 2410-09 http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idProduct=5111 (very powerful motor but shafts are very soft and bearings not always the best)or
3 X Hacker style 20-22L http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=4700 (this motor is propably the best, it propsaver included)or
3 X TGY AerodriveXp SK Series 28-36 http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=7707 (accepts 3.2mm propsaver)or
3 X AXN 800kv http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=8622 (good motor, bearings not alwas the best, accepts 3mm propsaver)


Yaw servo:

16gr. HD servo http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=6340


Propellers:

EPP 1045 (2 CCW, 1 CW) or
APC clones (3 CCW) or
GWS 10x45 (3CCW)


Frame:

G10 plates 1.5mm and 2mm.

450 heli booms

450 boom clamps

Landing gear are HDX500 vertical fins cut in half mounted with a clamp made from large cablestrips.


Battery:

2200 3S pack


AUW 690gr.


The G192's displays a slight amount of temperature drift that requires a few clicks of trim in flight, but as this is a test setup I just slapped everything on with double sided foam tape disregarding the heat emitting ESC's right underneath them.

The yaw mechanism has no ball bearings as I wanted to keep it light, I simply sanded the inside of the boom clamps to a loose fit on the boom, between the two clamps I mounted a lockring made from a boom servo mount, this keeps the the whole mechanism in place and from sliding back and forth, add a little silicone lube for a simple, light and very crash resistant mech (ask me how I know).
I mounted the servo on the pivoting motor mount itself to keep it simple with as few moving parts as possible.
Servo mounts are machined from aluminum and yet a boom servo mount are used as the adjustable control arm on the boom that connects to the servo, for this I had to machine a tiny "L" bracket to get a 90 deg. surface to mount a ball for the link.

I'll snap some better pics start of next week.

The stability of this craft took me by surprise, I've been flying my LaHeli Y-ufo for some time now and I liked it, but this is soooo much better and the flighttimes are pretty good, I haven't timed it but I'm guessing about 15-18min. from a 2200mah 3S 20C pack.

Tricopter (0 min 49 sec)

Tricopter 2 (0 min 54 sec)

Tricopter hammer (0 min 42 sec)

Tricopter TX (0 min 33 sec)

Youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/RCfix


It's close to midnight here and I have to pack my stuff to get ready to leave early tomorrow, coming up: Programming the TX.



Sebastian.

Very cool build!!!
Thanks for sharing the info and I look forward to some close up picts. Is the motor that controls yaw the front or the back of the craft? Any idea what the bucket of sand weighs? Have a good Thanksgiving.

Thanks RCvertt

Yawing motor is in the back.



Now for programming the TX and ESC's:

My setup are Spektrum DX7 TX and AR6100 RX.

TX set to HELI, 120 deg. swash.

At first I couldn't work it out, I had to sleep on it, the next day I knew exactly what to do (funny how the brain works out stuff in the sleep, I did some of my best inventions while dreaming).


No channels reversed.

THRO has no effect at all since nothing in this setup is conncted to this channel.

Calibrate the ESC's endpoints by powering up with the throttle stick at max, wait for the beep then throttle down.

When connecting the three stabilizing gyros, make sure that the gain wires are connected as one to the GEAR channel, in rate mode (gear switch down) start with 60% travel adjust (mine is now 65%) and work from there, increase gain by increments of 5% until the craft starts to oscillate then decrease by increments of 1% until it stabilizes.

Swash mix: ELEV 60%, AILE 60% and PITCH 100%.

I don't use remote gain for the yaw gyro, it is cranked to max HH on the pot, since this is not a conventional tail you don't have to be concerned about tail wag.

I like my tricopter to fly like a FP heli, hover at around 50% throttle stick, so I have my pitch curves at 0-INH-60-INH-100, this depends on motor/prop combo and weight of the craft, and you would have to find your own preferred settings.

I have 30% EXPO on AILE and ELEV, and 25% EXPO on RUDD, this is for super stable hovering in my confined basement workshop, I'll change this when I'll finally find the time to take it outside for a spin.

That's it for now, I'm pretty sure I forgot something, if I did I'll add/correct later.



Have fun


Sebastian.

Congrats Sebastian, looking a real cool 'copter
Obviously done a lot of work getting it to be so super stable

Cheers,
Frank

Originally Posted by bas10an

...I had to reverse one of the channels, can't remember...

...Keep in mind that THRO has no effect at all since nothing in this setup is conncted to this channel.

..., adjust swash mix,...

Curious if you found out which channel you reversed? Also wondering about the THRO having no effect. Is that due to the swash mix you mention? As for the swash mix is this using a 120 degree heli swash mix or something similar?

I did a little editing in the first post.

I was wrong about the ch. reverse.

Nothing is connected to THRO, the ESC's are calibrated from, and connected to AIL, ELEV and PITCH.

Yup, 120 deg. swash.

More to come, I keep forgetting the TX in the workshop.

S.

Very nice!

Originally Posted by Clarkst

Very nice!

Thank you very much.

Will hopefully be even nicer once my Triad MicroMix arrives

S.

Per request, here's a closeup vid ot he tail mechanism.

Tricopter tail (0 min 24 sec)

That is awesome stuff man!!!
Interesting how you have the servo body on the part that moves. Would it be less weight for the servo to move around if you reversed the servos mounting orientation so it's body was mounted on the nonmoving part of the craft?

Curious how that MicroMix works out for you.

Thank you Mr. vertt,

This servo is so powerful that I don't have to worry about anything.
Besides, the gyroscopic forces from the turning prop makes the weight of the servo and yaw mechanism insignificant.

yes, I'm really looking forward to testing the mixer myself, with that I can use my FMA copilot.


Btw:

I'm working on a collapsible lightweight version made from g10 and 10mm. square aluminum tubing.
I'm aiming for an AUW under 600gr.

Stay tuned.


Sebastian.

Latest update:

I have one of these: http://www.kooltoyz.co.uk/heading-lo...00m-p-387.html Coming in the mail, with it I don't have to use a 120 deg. swash mix anymore, it takes care of all the mixing from only AIL, ELEV and THRO input, as an extra bonus it has built in HH gyro for the tail, now I only have to use two external gyros for stabilization.

Extra extra bonus: Since it's controlled by AIL and ELEV input I can couple it with my FMA co-pilot for self levelling, that'll be great for using it as a camera platform.

I hope I can make it all work out, that's gonna be alot of stuff packed in the tri

Almost forgot: More powerful motors on their way too


Sebastian.

Originally Posted by bas10an

Latest update:
I have one of these: http://www.kooltoyz.co.uk/heading-lo...00m-p-387.html Coming in the mail, with it I don't have to use a 120 deg. swash mix anymore, it takes care of all the mixing from only AIL, ELEV and THRO input, as an extra bonus it has built in HH gyro for the tail, now I only have to use two external gyros for stabilization.

Hi Sebastian, sounds interesting. I´m curious if governing ESCs with it will give you good results! Wish you the best.

Have a similar device in mind. The CSM CycLock is a ccpmixer "only" but has some nice configuration options via the PC-Interface (picture attached) You can download the manual at the CSM-homepage: http://www.rcmodels.org/csm/

Weight: 16 Gramm
Dimensions: 27x38x16 mm
about €66

Nice TRI btw, Michael

Nice mixer but why move your mixing from the TX to the RX side of things? If you kept it in the TX then you couldn't use your autopilot?

Originally Posted by RCvertt

Nice mixer but why move your mixing from the TX to the RX side of things? If you kept it in the TX then you couldn't use your autopilot?

Correct, I'd like to try it with the co-pilot, and it only has two input/outputs.

Originally Posted by VTOLicious

Hi Sebastian, sounds interesting. I´m curious if governing ESCs with it will give you good results! Wish you the best.

Have a similar device in mind. The CSM CycLock is a ccpmixer "only" but has some nice configuration options via the PC-Interface (picture attached) You can download the manual at the CSM-homepage: http://www.rcmodels.org/csm/

Weight: 16 Gramm
Dimensions: 27x38x16 mm
about €66

Nice TRI btw, Michael

Thanks

Yes I too have been eyeballin' the Cyclock for some time now, looks much more versatile, I might have to get one of those too

I went for the TG6100m due to its pricetag and the fact that it frees up two of my gyros from the tri, btw. mailman dropped it off here today.

Christmas is here, need more hours in the day.


Sebastian.


Btw:

I worked out a schem. for 4 channel tricopter control utilizing v-tail mixers if anyone should care: