Shortly after Part 1, I received my new servos and completed the build of this little DLG. Flying it simply got in the way of Part 2, but here it is...
Now that I've had a handful of flights, some much more exciting that others, I'll highlight the final build process and then share my impressions.
In Part 1, I mentioned issues with the recommended servos and in a separate post I detailed my experience with Hitec's HS-35HD servos. I won't belabor the issue, but there was much frustration and I decided to order Dymond D47S servos for the wing and a slightly smaller Dymond Sky Arrow 3.7 Extreme servo for the Rudder and Elevator. While this required some (minor) trimming, the effort was well worth it and provided an excellent result.
I'll note that since my purchase in mid 2014, Dream-Flight now offers a different servo package for the Libelle and it is reported to be problem free. I personally am thrilled with the speed and accuracy of the Dymond Servos and would have no problem recommending them.
Setup of servo throws, Dual Rates, and CG were done exactly as described in the manual and it required very little adjustment or trim to fly properly. I did order the steel weights offered by Dream-Flight and ~20g or 4 sections were needed to balance. These fit nicely and securly on the side of the battery.
As I stated earlier, I've now had multiple flights with the Libelle and they have been incredible. This is my first DLG so my only comparison is to various gliders and gas planes I've owned, as well as a few flights on my friends Blaster 3. Overall the Libelle handles very nicely and has been a joy to fly. Hopefully it's preparing me for a Blaster or Snipe in the very near future.
Some of the minor issues I've experienced may be more related to my launch style or lack there of. I get a significant rotation to the left on launch. I've added a touch of right rudder on my launch mode but it appears this is only partially beneficial and I think it's impacting my launch heights. I also seem to be creating some bad habits in how I launch as I try to compensate for the left rotation. I likely just need some more time and critique of my launch from someone who knows.
Early on, once I started to give my launches a little more punch, I noticed quite a bit of flex in the wing. While I didn't want add a lot of weight, I did add a layer of clear packing tape down the center on both the top and bottom of the wing. This made enough difference that I'd recommend it to others as part of the initial build process.
I have also had the rear wing bolt down (in the fuse) loosen up. It appears this is from some harder than expected landings due to missing a catch. Nothing a little CA couldn't fix. In conjunction with some of these failed catches, I knocked off the rudder as well. Again, nothing a little CA couldn't fix and I was back flying. A bit of glass or carbon fiber patch on the tail boom (like most full size DLG's) would eliminate or minimize the chance of this happening again. I just CA'd mine back into place and it hasn't been issue since.
The plane has proven to be quite durable. I had a mid-air collision with my friends Blaster and we momentarily locked up and then both descended rather rapidly, sadly without enough altitude to properly recover. Both DLG's sustained damage but were repairable. The Libelle stripped a servo gear in one aileron, but obtaining replacement parts from Dymond was quick and easy. Also, the leading edge of one wing was slightly compressed in a small area, but with some hot steam, I was able to get the foam to re-expand.
Overall, great little plane. It does exactly what they advertise, it gets me out flying.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Friday, July 31, 2015
CC3D by OpenPilot
Background Story:
I started investigating quadcopters several years ago and came across a website and company by the name of FliteTest.com. This group of guys is relatable, down to earth and appear to be creating what we call in the business world "disruptive innovation". I love it and I hope they are successful in their endeavor.
FliteTest did what they do best, and I became so enamored with their tricopter kit the Bat Bone that I just bought it with out doing a whole lot of planning. I typically figure out the whole kit and and know every piece I'm planning to use in a build, but this time I just pulled the trigger. Way to go FliteTest :).
During my brief addiction to all the FliteTest video's, I also did a significant amount of research on Flight controllers, GPS and OSD. While I did come across OpenPilot's CC3D at that time, a clear contender in this market space was DJI. To those who fly DJI equipment you can clearly attest to the quality and ease of use. In fact I was so convinced that when my father needed to test the potential use of a quadcopter in his business, I immediately pointed him to the DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus which at the time was their most current Phantom offering.
This proved to be a spot on recommendation (thankfully since it was $1400). I graciously accepted the assignment of unboxing and maiden voyage. You can see my review and first flights here. I'll refrain from restating my initial post, but I was so thoroughly impressed by the ease of flight and quality of the software. It truly was a product that someone without extensive programming or RC experience could use with a little practice.
So I set my sights on a DJI Naza M flight controller and accessories. It was priced higher than what I had wanted to spend initially, but I was so very impressed with my first DJI encounter that I just wanted to have the best. Then I read the fine print...It will do just about anything BUT it doesn't support tricopters. Even though I was sitting alone, I verbally exclaimed "What!!!" That just didn't make sense to me and I probably spent the next 2 hours scouring the web for someone who just may have found a way to make it work. I couldn't believe I had just been talked out of a purchase by reading the manual. Okay that sounds a bit silly but I really thought this thing could walk on water so to speak.
This is where my friends will say "just get a quad and forget about that tri". Well I REALLY like the look of the Bat Bone and I'm sort of cheap skate. Now that I owned the kit, I didn't want to just let it sit on the shelf waiting for some tender loving.
Several months have now passed...
My dad received a new plane for fathers day and it was fully loaded with a flight controller that my brother said would make him the best pilot ever. This got me thinking that there was bound to be an inexpensive "fixed wing" flight controller out there and I started the hunt again. This time with a budget in mind and some different criteria.
Enter the OpenPilot CC3D
Having been a supporter of Open Source for some time now with my day job (tidbitsofit.com), I've kept my eye on the OpenPilot hardware. The CC3D has been of interest and now that it appears to have "fixed wing" capability and the fact that the price is at a point I can justify a, buy-to-try, I ordered one last week. At $18.00, including a hard case, I figured it was pretty hard to go wrong and I really still need to build that Bat Bone tricopter if the fixed wing solution is a bust.
My first goal is to retrofit a GWS Slow Stick. Since it's cheap, I won't be afraid to experiment and it gives me a reason to cut in some ailerons like I've wanted from day one. Silly, I know, to mod a Slow Stick of all the planes but most everything else I have is considerably less stable as it is, or fly much faster. When it comes right down to it, this just seemed like a good option to cut my teeth on.
More to come...
I started investigating quadcopters several years ago and came across a website and company by the name of FliteTest.com. This group of guys is relatable, down to earth and appear to be creating what we call in the business world "disruptive innovation". I love it and I hope they are successful in their endeavor.
 |
| Bat Bone copyright flitetest.com |
During my brief addiction to all the FliteTest video's, I also did a significant amount of research on Flight controllers, GPS and OSD. While I did come across OpenPilot's CC3D at that time, a clear contender in this market space was DJI. To those who fly DJI equipment you can clearly attest to the quality and ease of use. In fact I was so convinced that when my father needed to test the potential use of a quadcopter in his business, I immediately pointed him to the DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus which at the time was their most current Phantom offering.
This proved to be a spot on recommendation (thankfully since it was $1400). I graciously accepted the assignment of unboxing and maiden voyage. You can see my review and first flights here. I'll refrain from restating my initial post, but I was so thoroughly impressed by the ease of flight and quality of the software. It truly was a product that someone without extensive programming or RC experience could use with a little practice.
So I set my sights on a DJI Naza M flight controller and accessories. It was priced higher than what I had wanted to spend initially, but I was so very impressed with my first DJI encounter that I just wanted to have the best. Then I read the fine print...It will do just about anything BUT it doesn't support tricopters. Even though I was sitting alone, I verbally exclaimed "What!!!" That just didn't make sense to me and I probably spent the next 2 hours scouring the web for someone who just may have found a way to make it work. I couldn't believe I had just been talked out of a purchase by reading the manual. Okay that sounds a bit silly but I really thought this thing could walk on water so to speak.
This is where my friends will say "just get a quad and forget about that tri". Well I REALLY like the look of the Bat Bone and I'm sort of cheap skate. Now that I owned the kit, I didn't want to just let it sit on the shelf waiting for some tender loving.
Several months have now passed...
My dad received a new plane for fathers day and it was fully loaded with a flight controller that my brother said would make him the best pilot ever. This got me thinking that there was bound to be an inexpensive "fixed wing" flight controller out there and I started the hunt again. This time with a budget in mind and some different criteria.
Enter the OpenPilot CC3D
Having been a supporter of Open Source for some time now with my day job (tidbitsofit.com), I've kept my eye on the OpenPilot hardware. The CC3D has been of interest and now that it appears to have "fixed wing" capability and the fact that the price is at a point I can justify a, buy-to-try, I ordered one last week. At $18.00, including a hard case, I figured it was pretty hard to go wrong and I really still need to build that Bat Bone tricopter if the fixed wing solution is a bust.
 |
| CC3D copyright OpenPilot.org |
The CC3D arrived and it is just as pictured. Okay not exactly, mine was white but really just the same. The Ground Control Station (GCS) worked as designed. The documentation was well organized and I had a POC up and running quite quickly. My first attempt was simply to see if I could get it programmed and to take a stab at learning some new terms and technology. I still have much to learn but thanks to youtube and the excellent documentation, I figure it won't be long before I'm quite comfortable with the setup.
My first goal is to retrofit a GWS Slow Stick. Since it's cheap, I won't be afraid to experiment and it gives me a reason to cut in some ailerons like I've wanted from day one. Silly, I know, to mod a Slow Stick of all the planes but most everything else I have is considerably less stable as it is, or fly much faster. When it comes right down to it, this just seemed like a good option to cut my teeth on.
More to come...
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