Wyvern: a mythical animal usually represented as a 2-legged winged creature resembling a dragon. Project Wyvern Project Goal: Create an easily transportable Multi-rotor aircraft that is semi autonomous with audio, video, and location telemetry. To allow the operator to deploy the aircraft and with direct or autonomous (pre-planned mission) control use the aircraft for for applications such as, but not limited to: Aerial Photography / motion picture Search / Rescue operations (locate and / or deliver supplies to) Wild Life Tracking Security (Prevention of loss, either physical or material, from Zombie Hordes) Preliminary specifications: Aircraft to have flight time of at least 30 minutes, be able to send real time telemetry (GPS location a must) and audio / video back to the operator over long distances (3 Km min). Aircraft must be able to carry up to 1.5 Kg payload or more (not including aircraft weight). Aircraft to be designed with currently available products for ease of duplication and repair in the event of a crash. Semi autonomous operation: To allow operator controlled flight and / or autonomous flight (GPS way-point, return to home, mission planned). Ability to "program" a flight to way-points and / or return to "home". Transportability: Craft and ground control equipment to fit into standard military backpack or smaller. Self reliant system able to support all of its own operational needs. Field portability. Current design: Aircraft type: Turnigy Talon Tri-Copter. Folding front leg Tri-Copter. Tail section rotates for Yaw control. Aluminum and carbon fiber construction. Radio Control System: Dragon Link Radio Control system. Control of aircraft up to 30 Km possible. Piggy backed onto a Futaba T7CHP Transmitter. Autonomous system: Under Review, Currently Dragon OSD is only for fixed wing. Motors: Scorpion SII-3020-1110KV (V2). Motor Controllers: 3 Castle Creation ICE 50 amp ESC (will use Castle Link and the multi-rotor flash). Propellers: See data chart http://www.scorpionsystem.com/files/i1, ... _chart.pdf Power: 5000 mA 3S Li-po. Audio / Video Transmitter: Still looking for a suitable component. See post #3. Audio / Video Receiver: Still looking for a suitable component. See post #3. Camera: GoPro Hero 3 Black. Self Reliance: Ground Station Battery: 12 VDC Absorbed Gas Mat with >~9 Amp Hour Rating. Solar Power: 15 Watt panels to charge a 12 volt AGM type battery. 7 amp solar charge controller. Battery Charger: Onyx 235 (capable of charging the main aircraft battery as well as support equipment batteries). Ground Station Support: Diversity Antenna system using Yagi and Patch antennas. Yagi Antenna to be mounted on an antenna tracking mount. Antenna Tracking Controller to be determined (dependent upon choice of OSD system). Further specifications to be released at a later date. Ask me all the questions you want, give any suggestions you feel would be helpful. Project Wyvern is meant to be an "open source" design, all work is meant to be duplicated by anyone who wishes to do so.
Update: The Tri-Copter frame is built and temporarily I am using a KK2 Controller board to test flight characteristics and learn how to fly the Tri-Copter frame. This is something every pilot should do, build up to the final result and learn the aircraft's characteristics before attempting FPV or long range flight. Once you have learned exactly how the aircraft reacts to the environment and control's and you have developed mussel memory on the combination of these then you can take it to the next level. Good reading for any rotary wing aircraft beginner (and even experts) should start at RADD'S SCHOOL OF ROTARY FLIGHT
Update: The Lawmate FPV transmitter and receiver I was going to use will no longer be considered, see https://www.facebook.com/ReadyMadeRC/posts/525054860857769 for more information. In my opinion, this seems to be a trend lately with a few manufactures / companies no matter what the product. While making money is important, making products that you are proud to build should be above that. In my past experience as an audio engineer (car , home and professional equipment) I saw this happen at a few of the companies I worked for. First it is just an idea, "how can we make an affordable entry level product? This leads to finding a contract manufacture that can supply cheap labor and part prices (guess where). The first orders come in and everything is great, then a little later you notice things like the blue LED you wanted has changed to red or green, the metal heat sinked power devices are now plastic bodied, 10 AWG wire has turned into 14 AWG......As an engineer I would call this out and reject the product. Everything goes good for a while and the cycle starts again. Then marketing gets involved, "why don't we have product to sell?" You explain the problems to them, but they don't care......they lost commission from no product to sell....Management (most of which have no clue) steps in and says SELL IT ANYWAY.....Once this gets started I move on, my name will never be on sub-par product. Sorry for the rant, but hopefully you can see that as a consumer you do not have to except product that dose not live up to its promises. Send it back, file complaints, don't buy it..explain to others why you won't be using the product anymore....once the companies, who only see the bottom line, realize that they are loosing customers they just may start to care again.
Test flew the Wyvern last weekend. Used a KK 2 control board, some 2832 1200 KV motors and 20 Amp ESCs I had laying around, and a Spektrum DX7S (more on this radio later , it has issues). Power came from some 2500mA 3s 65C LiPo's. Setting the KK2 flight controller could not be easier, while not the final flight controller that will go in the Tri-rotor I would recommend this for anyone getting into multi-rotors. For more information on this controller go here ( http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uploads/181270330X7478X47.pdf ). I will also review this controller in a later blog. All Pre-flight set up was done as shown in the link. The motors and ESC's I had laying around are about half the power I will use in the final version, I wanted to see how the bird flew and as it was just the frame without any payload they worked fine. I used 8 x 5 propellers for this flight too keep the current draw low enough for the 20 amp ECS's to handle. A Turnigy TGY-306G-HV Servo was used to control the real rotor for Yaw. There have been mixed reviews on this servo for use on a multi-rotor, mostly people saying the gears just break for no reason. I think its due to improper set up of the linkage, and the problems a user induced. This has got to be one of the nicest servos I have ever used. First battery and second batter, never left the ground.......I stayed in my 1 foot X 1 foot box (see Radd's School above), and just got a feel for how the controls responded. Did a little trimming of the radio controls as the yaw tended to be too quick. More or less I did everything listed for batteries 1 thru 9 in Radds School......cheating, yes. But I got to know the aircraft, and it gave me an hour of learning the characteristics of this build. Third battery, Hovered mostly. Held altitude to less than five feet, did some yaw left and right (very nice, equal speed in both directions and very responsive). Cyclic response vertical and horizontal seemed good, but had a little wobble on faster control inputs. Hover time lasted 23:31 minutes before the low battery alarm started. Nice hover time even with the smaller sized batteries. After landing I set the fail-safe on the Spektrum radio to hold power at about hover (pay attention, setting the fail-safe saved the aircraft). Battery four, time to fly. Did a few quick control inputs, added more throttle while doing so got rid of the wobble. (there is a auto level setting that can be adjusted as well, for this flight I left it alone). Wow, this moves out. I even got some 3D flying by doing a funnel and tornado (I know, I should really wait to do the stunts). During an ascent is when the Spektrum radio showed a weakness, I lost control at about 75 feet of altitude. Only for a moment. Nice thing was the Wyvern just sat there and hovered for about 30 seconds, guess I set the fail-safe right. Then control "linked" back up and all was good. Flight time of 15:45, maybe bigger propellers next flight. Battery five, 10 X 4.5 propellers on this flight. But as expected, the load on the ESC's was a little too much. I hovered and added a few throttle punches followed by landing to see if the ESC's could handle the larger propellers. They got hot real fast. Flight aborted after 5:23 minutes. I have a problem with the Spektrum radios, that momentary loss of control seems to flare up with these a little too much. This is probably due to the fact that WiFi, home phones, and almost everything else is using the same frequency now a days. For the money those cost..............back to FM Futabas for me. I think it will go to the for sale section...... Took her into the hanger and removed the 2832 motors and 20 amp ESC's to get ready for the Scorpion power with Castle Creation ESC's.......that Spectrum radio is coming out too, I just don't trust it......more later.
For those who are following this. Yes the Spectrum Radio is out. Waiting for a new DragonLink receiver http://www.dragonlinkstore.com/v2/. Still looking for a good FPV system, I may sacrifice one of my other aircraft's system.... The Spectrum DX7S is now a dust collector. But, if someone else would like to have it send me an offer. Cash or trades will all be considered (trade wise, if you have some old fashioned Tube Amplifiers, 1930-1940 type electronics, or other audio gear from that era you will probably catch my interest.....a working military tube tester is on top of my list right now http://www.google.com/search?q=military+tube+tester&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=hpmeUZiVHempigLFlIGAAg&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1725&bih=818 ) PM me if your interested in the DX7S. One of these days I will put pictures up on a hosting site.......then you can see whats going on as well. BTW, for those who are interested in FPV flying, YOU DO NEED A HAM RADIO LICENSE IN THE USA, technician level is fine. You will also need an OSD to display your call letters while flying.....just a warning and something I see is not covered very often. With all the news hoopla going on I can foresee crackdowns by the FCC coming sooner than later, not to mention the FAA either. The FAA right now will not bother you as long as you do not fly for profit (only fly as a hobby following AMA guidelines). The FCC on the other hand will fine you for operating the video transmitter without the HAM radio license. For now, I will keep flying my AR Drone and other aircraft. Looks like I may have to get the Mibo Jets A-10 out soon too.....
I look forward to seeing the pictures/video of your fascinating project. Thanks for the very useful links and noob frendly details.
Right now my biggest problem is time, not enough to do all I want to do....LOL. Between flying, racing, re-enacting, running a CAD business, restoring my IH Scout, and my regular job I have little time if any........don't forget the lady in my life either, she seems to want most of it I am still looking for a good FPV system to use, maybe something like this http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=1012 But they are always "out of stock" and when you read the instructions on some of the equipment and comments like "some transmitter / receivers have channels 2 and 3 reversed" it is not a feeling of quality.... Anyway, back to work......LOL
Project Wyvern has taken a big step into the world of.........commercial airspace. In a nut shell it has been shipped off to a "large entities" facility for further testing, along with five copies of itself........quote below is from a AP related article released in February, 2013. “We expect to learn how unmanned aircraft systems operate in different environments and how they will impact air traffic operations.” “The test sites will inform the agency as we develop standards for certifying unmanned aircraft and determine necessary air traffic requirements.” http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/14/faa-seeks-proposals-for-six-drone-test-sites/ Part of the further testing has to do with a 2015 deadline on FAA rules reguarding UAS's. FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, info can be found here http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/ If all goes as planned the testing will allow commercial use of UAS's in otherwise protected airspace. Hobbyists will still follow current guidelines as to flight, this step is for the commercial / civilian use of UAS's in use for operations such as Search and Rescue, Wildlife monitoring, Weather and Environmental Research, Farmers want to use unmanned aircraft for crop dusting and disease detection, Oil and gas companies want to use drones to inspect rigs and pipelines. Hollywood wants to get its hands on unmanned aircraft to capture innovative camera shots and save money on manned aircraft costs. And yes, surveillance of high-crime neighborhoods during drug investigations and other police work.
On October 18 /19 I was at one of the test facilities to go over the design and uses "Project Wyvern" is going through.........I did not expect to see some of the uses this bird has been doing, and was surprised at how well it is doing on its "core mission". Needless to say I cant go into much detail but, it has delivered supplies, followed other support vehicles autonomously, been handed off from remote operators to field personal.......and sent on full autonomous missions, no operator needed other than to "program" its mission. Some items need addressing and I have been given the task to redesign / modify parts of the system. I am "amazed" at what this project has morphed into, and am very happy with the results so far. This has also allowed me to design parts the hobbyist can use and will be announced in the Dragons Talon build as they come out. On part is currently being 3D printed, a "universal anti-vibration mount", this can be used for the flight controller and any other vibration sensitive type of electronic gear.
