Backup GPS tracker – These are usually used for tracking pet dogs, vehicles or cheating spouses. They send location over cellular networks and some use GMRS/FRS. Here is one that lightweight (1.8oz) that uses cellular to email its position to you, includes 1yr of cell service and then its $50 each year after: Garmin GTU…
Before buying any products for your plane or quad, here are some things to think about. Ask yourself some questions and work out the answers by asking on forums or here “What do I want to do?” – Find the best hiking route to get to the summit of that mountain. “What is…
Weighs only 19 grams, great job Femtoduino!!! “Motor to Motor: 5cm 3x hexTronik 2 gram Brushless Outrunner 7700kv 3x 2.4Ghz SuperMicro Systems – Brushless ESC (BLHeli Firmware) 1x HK-5320 Ultra-Micro Digital Servo 2x propeller Walkera QR Ladybird (Front) 1x propeller silverlit x-twin (Rear) Femtoduino as Flightcontroller ITG 3200 Gyro Sensor (flytron.com) RX: Deltang RX-31, (deltang.co.uk)…
A $20 SDR is a nice piece of kit to add to your base station laptop. It’s a receiver and spectrum analyzer. It will allow you to see with your own two eyes on your computer screen what is going on in your radio frequency environment. Use it for finding interference before you fly. You…
Lightness and Efficiency are paramount – These are the keys to high performance in all aspects of aeronautics. All high performance aircraft is dependent on this simple concept and should be the defining principle in your design. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) – Simple engineering is generally better. In the case of aeronautics; simplicity could…
I’ve been working on this for some time now, I present the first schematic in a series that I have. This is Stage 3; a full on “drone” if you will. Using 3DRobotics Ardupilot APM 3.5/3.6 autopilot. This setup is a high end FPV UAV Ritewing Zephyr II airframe, and for just over $1000 total…
This thing combines in a great way; a quadcopter and an airplane. Color me impressed, Great job! Misc thoughts, facts, whatever After watching this I have a need to get my hands on one. The Wingcopter comes from Germany. I’m curious how they implemented Ardupilot. The transition from quad to plane is very cool. source:…
This plane is a Ritewing Zephyr II which is made of EPO (Expanded polyolefin) foam, which is pretty durable but it didnt survive much after 10 nose dives into rocky ground. So, I cut off the front and replaced it with EPP (Expanded polypropylene) foam. EPP is somewhat hard to find in at the market…
Some MyVu Crystals are experiencing a white haze in video or where the whole screen turns white. Its an error with the LCD matrix’s being over driven, why is it over driven? Bad engineering or bad capacitors could be the culprit, but I don’t know for certain. But I do have a simple fix. Things…
Flight cams are just small CCTV cameras and are usually 12 Volts but some are 5V, so a converter/regulator may be needed. I use the Adjustable step down regulator, or a Step Up converter, or a 12V BEC (note most BEC’s are 5V). You also might need to add a Torroid filter on the cameras…