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Ok Engineers, lets make a Quadcopter!
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thespaceshuttle
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#1
Hi everyone, hope you are in the best place 
Basically I am an A-level student and designed an Artificial Gravity Space Station for one of my Physics Projects that I want to take it bit further. Considering the factors that effect flight on Earth, I would like to tweak it a little bit and make a remote control Quadcopter. And for that ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls I need your help. I have been watching some YouTube videos but they seem quite complicated.
So I would like to know if any of you has made RC system? What would I need to make my Quadcopter in the most efficient way possible? I can dm the design if needed
Basically I am an A-level student and designed an Artificial Gravity Space Station for one of my Physics Projects that I want to take it bit further. Considering the factors that effect flight on Earth, I would like to tweak it a little bit and make a remote control Quadcopter. And for that ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls I need your help. I have been watching some YouTube videos but they seem quite complicated.
So I would like to know if any of you has made RC system? What would I need to make my Quadcopter in the most efficient way possible? I can dm the design if needed
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Vikingninja
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#2
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#2
Just wondering but what does the copter have to do with the space station. Btw what is your idea for artificial gravity because I did an EPQ where I had artificial gravity in it.
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JRM3PM
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#3
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#3
I've made a 450mm quadcopter. They're really easy to make, mostly assembling and a bit of soldering.
First you'll need to tell me the size and shape of the frame you're thinking of, whether you want to build the frame from scratch, the budget, the use ect.
First you'll need to tell me the size and shape of the frame you're thinking of, whether you want to build the frame from scratch, the budget, the use ect.
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thespaceshuttle
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#4
(Original post by Vikingninja)
Just wondering but what does the copter have to do with the space station. Btw what is your idea for artificial gravity because I did an EPQ where I had artificial gravity in it.
Just wondering but what does the copter have to do with the space station. Btw what is your idea for artificial gravity because I did an EPQ where I had artificial gravity in it.
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers. I doubt if artificial gravity will play a role in this one because for that all I did was to find the value of gravitational field strength-g by some calculations and stuff
(Original post by york_wbu)
I've made a 450mm quadcopter. They're really easy to make, mostly assembling and a bit of soldering.
First you'll need to tell me the size and shape of the frame you're thinking of, whether you want to build the frame from scratch, the budget, the use ect.
I've made a 450mm quadcopter. They're really easy to make, mostly assembling and a bit of soldering.
First you'll need to tell me the size and shape of the frame you're thinking of, whether you want to build the frame from scratch, the budget, the use ect.
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Vikingninja
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#5
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#5
(Original post by thespaceshuttle)
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers.
Its doesn't has to be a giant one. I think 15-20cm long body excluding the centre part would be fine. Since I'm a beginner, I don't know much about their cost. But something less than or equal to £50 will be good for me. How much did your's cost?
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers.
Its doesn't has to be a giant one. I think 15-20cm long body excluding the centre part would be fine. Since I'm a beginner, I don't know much about their cost. But something less than or equal to £50 will be good for me. How much did your's cost?
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thespaceshuttle
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#6
(Original post by Vikingninja)
o.o very powerful propellers to get it up.
o.o very powerful propellers to get it up.
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Vikingninja
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#7
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#7
(Original post by thespaceshuttle)
Why though??? I do understand that their quality matters but isn't that something to do with how good the powersupply- battery is
Why though??? I do understand that their quality matters but isn't that something to do with how good the powersupply- battery is
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thespaceshuttle
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#8
(Original post by Vikingninja)
I'm referring to the space station, this would be bloody huge.
I'm referring to the space station, this would be bloody huge.
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JRM3PM
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#9
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#9
(Original post by thespaceshuttle)
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers. I doubt if artificial gravity will play a role in this one because for that all I did was to find the value of gravitational field strength-g by some calculations and stuff
Its doesn't has to be a giant one. I think 15-20cm long body excluding the centre part would be fine. Since I'm a beginner, I don't know much about their cost. But something less than or equal to £50 will be good for me. How much did your's cost?
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers. I doubt if artificial gravity will play a role in this one because for that all I did was to find the value of gravitational field strength-g by some calculations and stuff
Its doesn't has to be a giant one. I think 15-20cm long body excluding the centre part would be fine. Since I'm a beginner, I don't know much about their cost. But something less than or equal to £50 will be good for me. How much did your's cost?
Shape wise, an X shaped quad is the easiest to build/program. When you make smaller quadcopters, they become less stable and hard to control(bigger=more stable, smaller=more manouverable and cheaper). 250mm motor to motor is a decent size for a small quadcopter. Thats without getting into tricopters, which are slightly different.
Hobbyking is a good place to look for parts and price together your build.
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thespaceshuttle
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#10
(Original post by york_wbu)
All in all mine cost around £200 including batteries, props and transmitter/reciever. I think for pretty much any quadcopter, you will have to spend over £100.
Shape wise, an X shaped quad is the easiest to build/program. When you make smaller quadcopters, they become less stable and hard to control(bigger=more stable, smaller=more manouverable and cheaper). 250mm motor to motor is a decent size for a small quadcopter. Thats without getting into tricopters, which are slightly different.
Hobbyking is a good place to look for parts and price together your build.
All in all mine cost around £200 including batteries, props and transmitter/reciever. I think for pretty much any quadcopter, you will have to spend over £100.
Shape wise, an X shaped quad is the easiest to build/program. When you make smaller quadcopters, they become less stable and hard to control(bigger=more stable, smaller=more manouverable and cheaper). 250mm motor to motor is a decent size for a small quadcopter. Thats without getting into tricopters, which are slightly different.
Hobbyking is a good place to look for parts and price together your build.
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JRM3PM
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#11
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#11
(Original post by thespaceshuttle)
oh ok, thanks. Is what you saying more sort of buying the parts and arranging them rather than soldering them and making those bits byself? Because what I thought about was making them at my own, would that be bit unrealistic?
oh ok, thanks. Is what you saying more sort of buying the parts and arranging them rather than soldering them and making those bits byself? Because what I thought about was making them at my own, would that be bit unrealistic?
You buy a flight controller(the main processing unit), esc(controls power as well as converting dc to ac), motors, battery and receiver. Wap them on a frame(can be made or bought) and solder all the stuff together. Program it, put the props on and fly it.
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thespaceshuttle
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#12
(Original post by york_wbu)
Pretty much. Most of the electronic parts would be almost impossible to make on your own.
You buy a flight controller(the main processing unit), esc(controls power as well as converting dc to ac), motors, battery and receiver. Wap them on a frame(can be made or bought) and solder all the stuff together. Program it, put the props on and fly it.
Pretty much. Most of the electronic parts would be almost impossible to make on your own.
You buy a flight controller(the main processing unit), esc(controls power as well as converting dc to ac), motors, battery and receiver. Wap them on a frame(can be made or bought) and solder all the stuff together. Program it, put the props on and fly it.
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Helloworld_95
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#13
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#13
(Original post by thespaceshuttle)
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers. I doubt if artificial gravity will play a role in this one because for that all I did was to find the value of gravitational field strength-g by some calculations and stuff
Umm it probably has something to do with the design because the way its designed is like a quadcopter. All its missing are the propellers. I doubt if artificial gravity will play a role in this one because for that all I did was to find the value of gravitational field strength-g by some calculations and stuff
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bigboateng_
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#14
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#14
(Original post by york_wbu)
Pretty much. Most of the electronic parts would be almost impossible to make on your own.
Pretty much. Most of the electronic parts would be almost impossible to make on your own.
Only need
arduino/raspberry pi, Imu gyro+accelerometer + a couple of weeks reading research papers on Filters and PID control. To be fair there's probably a lot of resources online already but buying a flight controller will also do just as fine I guess
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JRM3PM
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#15
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#15
(Original post by bigboateng_)
I guess he can design his own flight controller if he really wanted to and his maths&programming is up to scratch.
Only need
arduino/raspberry pi, Imu gyro+accelerometer + a couple of weeks reading research papers on Filters and PID control. To be fair there's probably a lot of resources online already but buying a flight controller will also do just as fine I guess
Posted from TSR Mobile
I guess he can design his own flight controller if he really wanted to and his maths&programming is up to scratch.
Only need
arduino/raspberry pi, Imu gyro+accelerometer + a couple of weeks reading research papers on Filters and PID control. To be fair there's probably a lot of resources online already but buying a flight controller will also do just as fine I guess
Posted from TSR Mobile
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thespaceshuttle
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#16
(Original post by bigboateng_)
I guess he can design his own flight controller if he really wanted to and his maths&programming is up to scratch.
Only need
arduino/raspberry pi, Imu gyro+accelerometer + a couple of weeks reading research papers on Filters and PID control. To be fair there's probably a lot of resources online already but buying a flight controller will also do just as fine I guess
Posted from TSR Mobile
I guess he can design his own flight controller if he really wanted to and his maths&programming is up to scratch.
Only need
arduino/raspberry pi, Imu gyro+accelerometer + a couple of weeks reading research papers on Filters and PID control. To be fair there's probably a lot of resources online already but buying a flight controller will also do just as fine I guess
Posted from TSR Mobile
(Original post by york_wbu)
More effort and more cost for something that will perform worse. And it's not like he will be actually building the flight controller, he will just have to plug a couple more things in.
More effort and more cost for something that will perform worse. And it's not like he will be actually building the flight controller, he will just have to plug a couple more things in.
But why you think that will perform worse if made from scratch?
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bigboateng_
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#17
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#17
But why you think that will perform worse if made from scratch?
Also people have mentioned above you need to get stuff like Motors, ESC, the flight controller, Propellers, battery. There are lots of guides on the internet on how to choose each of them appropriately. For example you need motors and propellers combination that gives lift greater than 2 * the weight. So after you know your weight, double it, divide it by 4 and thats how much lift [minimum] you need per motor and propeller etc.
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thespaceshuttle
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#18
(Original post by bigboateng_)
Lol Sorry
It's very hard. I only mentioned it as a joke, making a fully working flight controller from scratch that actually works well itself is a task [and the theory/maths is definitely above A-Level], also given time frame you wouldn't be able to do it as well as build the rest of the quad copter. I'm actually building a quadcopter as my next project, and I will be making/experimenting with my own flight controller. Currently working on self balancing robot. [I'm first year engineering student, though]
Also people have mentioned above you need to get stuff like Motors, ESC, the flight controller, Propellers, battery. There are lots of guides on the internet on how to choose each of them appropriately. For example you need motors and propellers combination that gives lift greater than 2 * the weight. So after you know your weight, double it, divide it by 4 and thats how much lift [minimum] you need per motor and propeller etc.
Lol Sorry
It's very hard. I only mentioned it as a joke, making a fully working flight controller from scratch that actually works well itself is a task [and the theory/maths is definitely above A-Level], also given time frame you wouldn't be able to do it as well as build the rest of the quad copter. I'm actually building a quadcopter as my next project, and I will be making/experimenting with my own flight controller. Currently working on self balancing robot. [I'm first year engineering student, though]
Also people have mentioned above you need to get stuff like Motors, ESC, the flight controller, Propellers, battery. There are lots of guides on the internet on how to choose each of them appropriately. For example you need motors and propellers combination that gives lift greater than 2 * the weight. So after you know your weight, double it, divide it by 4 and thats how much lift [minimum] you need per motor and propeller etc.
But from what I've read here so far, it seems quite complicated. So might have to delay it say like when I'm at uni or I know more about it. How come you're doing so many projects in the first year? Interest/ coarse requirements? Are you building them from scrap as well? and btw which Engineering you doing?
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JRM3PM
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#19
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#19
(Original post by thespaceshuttle)
But why you think that will perform worse if made from scratch?
But why you think that will perform worse if made from scratch?
Whereas a flight controller has been designed to run a very specific set of code, very efficiently and effectively. Everything has been designed for a specific use. The code has already been written and tested by thousands of people.
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thespaceshuttle
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#20
(Original post by york_wbu)
Sorry.
Raspberry pis and arduino boards are basically just small computers that can be used to do/run loads of things. The flight controller software isn't too good and if you were going to code it yourself, it would be very advanced and would take a huge amount of time.
Whereas a flight controller has been designed to run a very specific set of code, very efficiently and effectively. Everything has been designed for a specific use. The code has already been written and tested by thousands of people.
Sorry.
Raspberry pis and arduino boards are basically just small computers that can be used to do/run loads of things. The flight controller software isn't too good and if you were going to code it yourself, it would be very advanced and would take a huge amount of time.
Whereas a flight controller has been designed to run a very specific set of code, very efficiently and effectively. Everything has been designed for a specific use. The code has already been written and tested by thousands of people.
It's not compulsory to make every part, I mean I agree there will be parts that are good to buy. But for some other ones I really would like to build at my own, its about that feeling of making something at your own. If you get what I mean
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