The XCopter Quad build

Maxx's Stuff

Hi and welcome to Maxx's Stuff, I'm Maxx and this is my stuff!

In today's world, I manage to have some time to learn, play, discover and tinker with new things and get to share that with you.

Allow me to introduce myself in my first Blog post. I do RC model's (planes mainly, but that is changing), computers (I am a 100% Linux user at home) and a user of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) along with CC (Creative Commons) music and videos. I am also learning Esperanto, have been for some years, but still to sit my first exam.

Top down look. 220mm across.

The XCopter Quad build

Lately I have not been getting much flying in due to the park flyer being permanently grounded, and just not getting good weather on the rare days I have time to fly, So I am going to build a Micro Quad in the hope I can get some RC flying done in the back yard when time and good weather briefly coincide.

The plan is to purchase the parts over a number of weeks. This will increase the cost due to postage, but will give me time to research how things go together and what to expect when I go for that first flight. A bit like those build magazines you see advertised on TV.

Close up of the PCB tracks for power distribution.

The average spend per week, including postage, must be under $30.00. I say average as some items will go above this, so some purchases will be a lot less to keep the average. I should be able to do this in around ten weeks ... Yep, $300.00 all up and that does not include the radio. The rough list includes the Micro Quad and gear to make it fly, two batteries, charger, and basic tools. Full list next week.

This quad will also include a camera for filming in flight. Once I get proficient in flying this Micro, I plan to get a 400mm+ quad and trying FPV with telemetry, etc.

So the pictures show week one. The Micro Quad frame . Purchased from Hobby King for $20.98 including freight. You will notice in the pics that the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is up. This is used to distribute power to the eventual four out-runner brush-less motors. The instructions are in black and white and did not indicate which was up. I thought Turnigy would like to be up, so I put it together this way. Since these pics, I have watched some Micros on You tube and noticed that everyone put the PCB down (Duh!, not to mention the pics at Hobby King that I took completely no notice of!), so now my Micro Quad looks like the rest with the PCB down.

Next to the keyboard for better idea on size.

Next week I will show the controller board.  I am planning on making it into an X configuration and since the board comes as a + by default, I will be learning how to program the board through Linux, so I might have some helpful tips in coming posts.

Soooo, what have you built, only to discover that you did it upside down and how did you find out you did it wrong?

 Ĝis revido amikojn! (Until then friends!)