FPV HUB

Hi guys!

This Bixler is giving me the craps. It's awful IMO and nowhere near the pedigree of the EZ* 1 or 2. I know a lot of you have had excellent results with the Bix and it's unfair of me to compare it to an EZ, but I reckon since it's such a close blatant copy I may as well. The big difference is the quality of foam. As far as the fuse and tail feathers goes it's great, maybe better than the EZ, but damn, this wing is so light and since I've done LED's and cables are channeled, there's just no space for carbon fibre. Where I've opened up for bigger servo's than the crappy stock ones, I'm almost out the other end! Wing flex is the big problem here with the Go Pro in a housing on a firewall on the nose, same as my trusty EZ. Wish I hadn't killed it!. I need a night flyer and I just don't trust this one.

I've done some LOS flights and it's OK, but OK ain't good enough for what I want to do with it :)

Enough bitchin about the Bix!

I want to build a Peace Drone from Experimental Airlines. Where do I get the material locally? Anyone done one yet?

Richard

Try this http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/product/white_foam_board_5mm/ (http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/product/white_foam_board_5mm/)

can't you just stick some glass tape on the bixler wing , makes a mahousive difference to the flex on my beevolution

Rich is the wing spar hollow? Maybe worth putting a smaller diameter rod inside it if it is - that might help stiffen it up a bit.

You could also put a line of transparent tape from one wingtip to the other, above and below the wing.

HTH.

The wing spar is hollow - I meant to put a solid CF rod in there, but I was in a shop which sold them and forgot the diameter I needed.... I have a feeling it's 4mm, but don't know for sure.

Is that foam board the equivalent of this fabled DollarTree foam board as used in Flitetest and Experimental Airlines to build everything ?  I wouldn't mind a try of building something or other, but I've just no idea of the makeup of the foamboard

You can get some from HobbyCraft, I picked up 10xA3 sheets for 25 quid (which is £££££££££ imo! )

Sometimes they have them cheaper, hardly DOLLAR though is it

Got my foamboard from here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOAMBOARD-5mm-A1-10-sheet-pack-Foam-Core-Board-/290599937646?pt=UK_Crafts_FramingMatting_EH&hash=item43a91b266e (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOAMBOARD-5mm-A1-10-sheet-pack-Foam-Core-Board-/290599937646?pt=UK_Crafts_FramingMatting_EH&hash=item43a91b266e)

Apparently, according to some folk on RCGroups, the paper backing peels off just like Dollar Tree stuff, but mine doesn't :(

Still, if you don't have a HobbyCraft near you it's not bad...

Still haven't built anything with mine yet  :laugh: All those cheap planes in the HK UK warehouse...

-Al  ;D

The paper on the hobbycraft stuff doesn't just peel off either, you have to wet it first and even then its a pain. I just left it on in the end.

Multiplex foam is far superior to anything the chinese shit out, so that's no surprise to me.

Quote from: Tim Chambers on May 09, 2013, 02:37:06 AM
Try this http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/product/white_foam_board_5mm/ (http://www.artdiscount.co.uk/product/white_foam_board_5mm/)

Thanks Tim, that stuff looks great. I suspect they'll only send A3 due to shipping. I'll check the plans and see what's the longest piece require and see if this will work.

Many Thanks!

Quote from: fpsazerbaijan on May 09, 2013, 02:12:10 PM
Got my foamboard from here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOAMBOARD-5mm-A1-10-sheet-pack-Foam-Core-Board-/290599937646?pt=UK_Crafts_FramingMatting_EH&hash=item43a91b266e (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOAMBOARD-5mm-A1-10-sheet-pack-Foam-Core-Board-/290599937646?pt=UK_Crafts_FramingMatting_EH&hash=item43a91b266e)

Apparently, according to some folk on RCGroups, the paper backing peels off just like Dollar Tree stuff, but mine doesn't :(

Still, if you don't have a HobbyCraft near you it's not bad...

Still haven't built anything with mine yet  :laugh: All those cheap planes in the HK UK warehouse...

-Al  ;D

Thanks Al

That's a better size for me, will make anything I think with A1 length, cheers!

Hi

Thanks for all the replies. I'm pretty stoked to build my own Peace Drone and I think Ed is a pretty cool cat, so here goes... however, I see everyone complaining in the UK that the board available has a plastic cover on one side that cannot be removed easily, as in Ed's videos. I've seen a couple now and that's pretty crucial in building one of these. I'd rather not have to use any solvents, water etc. but rather just the right thing first time.

Anyone with experience here with this?

Cheers

Richard

On the HobbyCraft stuff it's not plastic Rich, it's thin paper - sort of a coating on the foam. It does come off if you wet it, but it's a bit of a chore.

It's also 5mm, not 6mm.

Quote from: Steve W on May 09, 2013, 11:28:44 PM
On the HobbyCraft stuff it's not plastic Rich, it's thin paper - sort of a coating on the foam. It does come off if you wet it, but it's a bit of a chore.

It's also 5mm, not 6mm.

Thanks Steve, but not what I'm after. The whole point of EA planes is the quick and easy build (relatively). You basically score the foam with a knife to make the tubular fuse and then remove strips of paper in certain places and it allows for the correct bend etc.

Damn, there's the right stuff in Germany and Holland but they won't ship A1 outside of mainland Europe... The quest continues - I shouldn't complain, it's only been a day :)

Oh yea I know that - I was after the same thing when I made my F16 and WoodsWing :laugh: Couldn't find it anywhere except in massive lots for ££££

Hi guys, I've built one of Eds photon motor gliders from 6mm depron covered with tape. It flies really well on a 2200 3s with a 1100 kv motor. I'll post up detail pics tomorrow so you can see how to make Eds techniques work with out $tree foam. I'm hoping to fpv with it this weekend if the weather behaves.

Get your 6mm depron from kudos trading on eBay, tape one side of the sheet as per Eds instructions. You just have to cut channels, or compress the foam to get it to bend around a tight radius, simples :)

I'm also thinking about a peace drone!

Cheers Will

Hi Will

Thanks a ton! Please post pics here, I'll be very interested to see how it worked.

Just to be sure, is this what you used? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Depron-6mm-White-1000mm-x-700mm-7-sheets-BNIB-/250494862011?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a52a842bb (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Depron-6mm-White-1000mm-x-700mm-7-sheets-BNIB-/250494862011?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a52a842bb)

Cheers

Richard

Sorry to be a nanny, but I cant see anything in this thread that has much to do with gliders and scale planes?

regards
Andy

Quote from: Flyboysee on May 10, 2013, 01:21:26 AM
Just to be sure, is this what you used? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Depron-6mm-White-1000mm-x-700mm-7-sheets-BNIB-/250494862011?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a52a842bb (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Depron-6mm-White-1000mm-x-700mm-7-sheets-BNIB-/250494862011?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a52a842bb)

Thats the stuff - the sheet size allows you to make all of Eds designs with some to spare! Don't bother buying any uk 'foam board' its waaay over priced in 'art shops', you can't get the paper off it (easily) and you can't get the US version $tree anywhere in the UK. Once you've taped up the depron it works for all of Eds techniques for building wings and fuselages etc...

pics and a LOS vid of last weeks flight coming today... watch this space ;-)

Quote from: mrwilljackson on May 10, 2013, 11:19:22 AM

Quote from: Flyboysee on May 10, 2013, 01:21:26 AM
Just to be sure, is this what you used? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Depron-6mm-White-1000mm-x-700mm-7-sheets-BNIB-/250494862011?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a52a842bb (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Depron-6mm-White-1000mm-x-700mm-7-sheets-BNIB-/250494862011?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3a52a842bb)

Thats the stuff - the sheet size allows you to make all of Eds designs with some to spare! Don't bother buying any uk 'foam board' its waaay over priced in 'art shops', you can't get the paper off it (easily) and you can't get the US version $tree anywhere in the UK. Once you've taped up the depron it works for all of Eds techniques for building wings and fuselages etc...

pics and a LOS vid of last weeks flight coming today... watch this space ;-)

Cheers Will, looking forward to that! When you add it, please mention the approximate build time etc, any quirks you had and what not? I may try and squeeze in an FPV Peace Drone with 360 servo, flight cam, Go Pro, OSD and AP before the meet on 1 June with the remaining bits of the month between two overseas trips, training and my nagging clients :)

Quote from: skyscraper on May 10, 2013, 09:07:27 AM
Sorry to be a nanny, but I cant see anything in this thread that has much to do with gliders and scale planes?

regards
Andy

The subtitle of the section is "Easystar`s Skywalkers etc".

Quote from: Loopdreams on May 10, 2013, 11:47:32 AM

Quote from: skyscraper on May 10, 2013, 09:07:27 AM
Sorry to be a nanny, but I cant see anything in this thread that has much to do with gliders and scale planes?

regards
Andy

The subtitle of the section is "Easystar`s Skywalkers etc".

Got it! Thanks for pointing that out  :)

regards
Andy

Here goes  ;)

Experimental Airlines Photon, built with Depron and Packing tape.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_005.jpg)

Tape over the whole of one side of a sheet of depron before you start cutting, marking. Ed has all the tips on doing this on youtube.
It helps if you can cut bevels neatly to different depths, I'm not good at this free hand so i got one of these things which seems to work really well against a angle aluminium straight edge:
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_013.jpg)

Fuselage Tubes
For the fuselage I needed 1.5 inch (internal dimension) square section. SO marked up the length of depron as shown below:
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_014.jpg)

Then cut two bevels adjacent to each other, about half the thickness of the depron. Sounds tricky but with the angle cutter thing its dead quick and accurate.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_015.jpg)

use the straight edges to gently fold the fuselage into a square section btw the tape is on the outside ;-)
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_016.jpg)

Then cut a strip of depron with tape on one side and gorilla glue this to the join - makes a very solid tube indeed. For motor mounts or general strengthening in specific areas I've put depron inserts at 45º and glue a plywood firewall (5mm seems to work), self tappers hold my motor in place.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_017.jpg)

In order to join longer lengths of fuselage i've used a depron I beam so wires pass through and the join is true and rigid. I think the Ibeam is around 15cm in length.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_010.jpg)

once taped up you can cut and glue up fuselage tubes quite quickly, just need to leave the gorilla glue overnight, clamped down (again as per Eds videos).

Wings

Again with a taped sheet of depron you're good to start marking out. I made 5 inch wing chord with 1.5 inch ailerons.

mark out from the trailing edge of the flat bottom surface (not the flaps) for the wing chord you need. Then cut three bevels to allow the depron to bend around to create the LE. Other people use lollipop sticks to compress the foam to allow it to bend- this might be much quicker than cutting bevels?

Ed uses two thicknesses of material in his wings, I couldn't get the depron to bend nicely over that much, so i've used one thickness and a carbon spar (from giant shark i think) 6mm dia. Maybe with larger wing chord you could get it to bend over two internal formers.

Cut the TE of the flat section so that the curved top surface has a flat area for your hot glue to hold the wing together.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_019.jpg)

Finally cut the bevels to create the aileron hinges and trim off the ailerons to the size you want.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_011.jpg)

The spar fits well and is a snug fit inside. use another one to push it out of the wing - you can see the centre section of my wing folded below, with two spars and the servo leads coming out.
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_012.jpg)

Tail feathers
One side taped depron sheets cut to shape, bevelled le and hinges, then tape the remaining surface and you're done. Simples!

Putting it all together
Ed uses gift cards - I got some blank ID cards from ebay, and I recommend his technique for attaching the rudder and elevator. Makes a really strong assembly.

Electronics
(http://coptercapers.com/fpvhub-images/photon_008.jpg)
2200 mah battery fits next to the 30A esc, all balances nicely, I need to add some down thrust to the motor but aside from that I'm pleased.

tape - if anyone knows a good source of tape, I bought various colours from an online packaging supplier (cheap!). Some rolls have remained really flat and well stuck to the depron on the wings, but the white stuff on the fuselage has bubbled quite a bit - no idea why!

Overall - I spent one evening taping a load of sheets, one evening to make the fuse, one evening wings, one evening tail and overall assembly.

LOS flight here:
http://youtu.be/imi1io22BFM (http://youtu.be/imi1io22BFM)

Any questions - fire away - Eds videos are really good btw!
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClkL_Hmktyh9R_FzwSPjXmA (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClkL_Hmktyh9R_FzwSPjXmA)

Wayne RC explains his way of bending taped depron using lollipop sticks to compress the foam:
http://youtu.be/f-uiO1pmOE0 (http://youtu.be/f-uiO1pmOE0)

Hi Wil

Thanks a ton mate, that's pretty comprehensive! Your plane flies very very well and I think it would make a great FPV ship! Your build pics are also very good and I will visit back here for tips when I start my own. I like the look (and name) of the Peace Drone, so I think I'll do one of those for stability.

I also watched the Wayne's RC Video - he's definitely got it all down to a T!

I've ordered my Foam Board today, was about £24 with shipping for 7 pieces 1m X 700 I think.

Thanks again, please post up FPV vid when you got it! :)

Richard

Cracking post Will

cheers guys - hopefully fpv vid to follow using my new 'eco goggles' from flyingwings.co.uk ;-)
http://www.flyingwings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=382 (http://www.flyingwings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=382)

Super clear 'how to do it' post Will.....

Karma point from me for putting it together so well  :)

PK

Quote from: pk-surfing on May 10, 2013, 04:04:13 PM
Super clear 'how to do it' post Will.....

Karma point from me for putting it together so well  :)

PK

Yeah Paul, I gave my Karma point anonymously, but now I'm gonna sing it from the high mountains :) Haven't you done some scratchbuilds in your time Paul?

i gave one too, not a bad run! lol

Will if you make it to the Oxford meet on 1 June I'll cover your entry and lunch. Come if you're available - we can make peace between Oxford and Cambridge :) Thanks again for this info. This has breathed new life into my FPV career.

Meet thread is 'Mad Dogs 3'

Richard

Bloomin brilliant Will! Well done! Karma from me too  ;D

Good luck with the build Richard, make sure to post pictures, I've got a box of foamboard sitting here that I should be using up (might have to get some of that depron though!).

-Al :)

Will do Al! I've done my research - definitely going to be the Peace Drone V2. can't wait! :)

I got a bit bored today so I decided to make use of that pile of foamboard I have in the garage. I wanted something that didn't involve removing the paper from the foamboard, because that's a faff and a half! Came across 'RockyMountainRC' on youtube and he designed a plane he calls the Easy Drone, so I knocked one together! Still need to get some square dowel rods to act as booms to connect the elevator to the fuselage. Electronics are all on order from HobbyKing NL, so hopefully they'll be here sometime this week.

So far:

(http://i40.tinypic.com/2po5tlg.jpg)
(http://i39.tinypic.com/24b3ne1.jpg)
(http://i41.tinypic.com/205avir.jpg)

How's the PeaceDrone coming along bud?

-Al :)

Now that looks cool.

Quote from: fpsazerbaijan on May 12, 2013, 10:38:44 PM
I got a bit bored today so I decided to make use of that pile of foamboard I have in the garage. I wanted something that didn't involve removing the paper from the foamboard, because that's a faff and a half! Came across 'RockyMountainRC' on youtube and he designed a plane he calls the Easy Drone, so I knocked one together! Still need to get some square dowel rods to act as booms to connect the elevator to the fuselage. Electronics are all on order from HobbyKing NL, so hopefully they'll be here sometime this week.

So far:

(http://i40.tinypic.com/2po5tlg.jpg)
(http://i39.tinypic.com/24b3ne1.jpg)
(http://i41.tinypic.com/205avir.jpg)

How's the PeaceDrone coming along bud?

-Al :)

Very nice Al! That looks fantastic! My foamboard arrives tomorrow, super stoked!

Pity I can't do anything for a week co's I got business in Belgium. Please update with flight / FPV video when done!

Cheers!

If it flies well you'll soon see a Bixler 2 in the classifieds  :laugh:

Happy flying/building/business tripping!
-Al

Went to B&Q last night and got wood for the booms, so got her all finished up this morning, just waiting on electronics now! I wonder how long stuff from the NL warehouse takes?

(http://i43.tinypic.com/i1b240.jpg)
(http://i39.tinypic.com/zr1ns.jpg)

Not bad for a total of about £10 of materials!

-Al  ;D

Al, that looks awesome! Are the attachment points strong?

That would also make a fab Twin. My foam arrived as I said, I have many many motors and esc's - might try and make a re-usable pod with fpv to fit my scratchbuilds as and when they come online.

Pls upload video here when done!... Then FPV thread :)

Why you ordering from NL, not in the UK? 

reusable pod? see FliteTest scratch builds - they have a great series you could take tips from.

Also I highly recommend watching some of Dave Powers' earlier vids, he did some great experimentation with different airfoils.

Quote from: Flyboysee on May 14, 2013, 07:50:48 PM
Al, that looks awesome! Are the attachment points strong?

That would also make a fab Twin. My foam arrived as I said, I have many many motors and esc's - might try and make a re-usable pod with fpv to fit my scratchbuilds as and when they come online.

Pls upload video here when done!... Then FPV thread :)

Why you ordering from NL, not in the UK?

Cheers mate! Motor is going to go on the back of the fuselage in between the two booms methinks, not really sure what motor I should have gone for, in the end I plonked for a 1400kv Turinigy 2826-10 since it was nice n' cheap, but may need a gruntier one to give it some more punch :) Will see how it goes...

Reason I ordered from NL is that the UK warehouse didn't have the motor or esc in-stock, and the NL postage (believe it or not!) was cheaper! Only $2.79 rather than $6 for ParcelForce  ;)

I was going to use GiantShark but I'm a student so I generally take the cheapest option :) Gotta save some money for beer!

Here's some piccys of how I attached the booms to the fuse, I used hot glue a first, mainly to hold them in place for the next step. Zip ties! I glued some small ply wood plates on the top of the wing and elevator (to stop the zip tie munching through the foamboard), and zip tied through the foam, around the boom, and then secured on-top of the the little plates. Nice and simple and I'm sure it'll hold, but I'll wack a bit more hot glue on there just for the sake of it  ;D

Wing is going to be held onto the fuselage by rubber bands hooked around dowel rods (much like the Skywalker), but I need to find some strong rubber bands that aren't going to snap mid-fpv  ;)

Main wing holding:

Bottom of wing:
(http://i43.tinypic.com/20acj9h.jpg)
(http://i44.tinypic.com/2vj2agm.jpg)

Top of wing:
(http://i40.tinypic.com/5d01mc.jpg)


Elevator holding:
(http://i42.tinypic.com/33nkvo6.jpg)
(http://i43.tinypic.com/33wr3b6.jpg)

Fuselage rubber band dowel hooks:
(http://i41.tinypic.com/59yfpw.jpg)

Will be sure to get some more pics/videos up when the rest of the gear arrives!

Good luck with the Peace Drone,
-Al :D

All credit for the design has to go to this guy on Youtube ;)

http://youtu.be/EiY4gfKeAqM?t=4m25s (http://youtu.be/EiY4gfKeAqM?t=4m25s)

Skip to 4:25 to see some awesome flying.

Seems to fly v nicely indeed!

-Al

All the gear arrived yesterday and I got it all plugged in today, so maiden tomorrow, weather depending!

Problem is that it is very tail heavy because of the wooden booms, even with a 4000mah lipo all the way forward it is still way too tail heavy! Might need to duct tape a brick to the nose to get it to balance  :laugh:

-Al