Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

I got a bit of bad back news last week, and since I don't sleep more than a couple of hours a day as it is, I needed to keep my mind busy. Well, I've been spending my late nights/early mornings developing some multi-rotor aircraft frames and thought I'd share one. I wanted toughness and acrobatic abilities, but also didn't just want a round base with sticks coming off of it. :mrgreen:

The main frame is machined from 1/8" G10 and the canopy/skids/motor pivot/servo mount parts are all cut from delrin. Weight as shown in the pics is 18.5 ounces...and she is very rigid.

This one was intended to be my beater...so it's got cheap hk board/esc's and suppo motors on board. I'll be dropping quadrino's (for those who are aware) into the quads I'm working on.

Anyway...here's a few pics. Videos coming soon to Billet Works Designs | Facebook :mrgreen:

BW

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

very cool!
It uses motor speed to control all movement?
I'm getting my first heli pretty soon from a local club member. "thumbsup"

I would be interested in one! Test dummy lol


Thanks! Tom

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

nice! just got two quads in the air myself.
next i want to do a twin/osprey multicopter. not sure how that works yet.
id be interested in hanging a go pro off your tri. would work alot better that my 525 quad

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

Yes sir, the esc's are controlled through a computer board with 3 gyros. These are stable but still acrobatic and fun to fly.

Lol, thanks

Thanks bud, I knew you were into them and was wondering what you might think. I'm cutting a canopy for mounting a go pro...for when I want to shoot aerial vid. For sport flight, I wanted a normalish looking canopy. I made the front of the frame sit way forward for camera mounting to get the lens forward of the props :mrgreen:

Looks good :thumbup:

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

yeah thats what i liked the staight front for unobstructed view even with the 170 degree gopro.
whats size is it? motors look smaller. whats the distance between the props?

killer project! great to see other vendors with broder horizons ;-)

I've been wanting a copter, seeing this, it makes me want to build one. Time for some research on how it works. Any good sites to look at for info?

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Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

looks great!

love the skids!



im still waitin on some parts for my quads..:evil:

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

Thanks my friend

This is the baby version...I wanted a small beater that I can play with in my shop. It's got a span of 24" with 8" between the blades. I'm building a big brother to this one as well using three of these monsters Optima 480 3010-910KV Brushless Motor for RC Planes :twisted:

lol at broad horizons...if you only knew my friend. :mrgreen:

I'd easily recommend a multi rotor setup to someone wanting to get into copters. They are fun and set up right are easy to master the basics with. There is a ton of info out there to be had. Multi Rotor Helis - RC Groups& is a great place to start. That said, a simple build like mine is just that, simple. I've got a Hobby King KK Board V2.1, 3 of these Suppo 2208-17 - 1100kv Outrunner Motor - Motors , 3 of these REFLASHED ESC WITH (RapidESC) FW FOR MULTIROTOR - 10 AMP - ESC's , 1 of these Battery Monitor - Accessories , and a few sets of these Propellers in the 8" variety. Besides that, I use Orange RX 6ch receivers on my DX7, a hitec HS85MG, and a few 1100-2200 MAH 3s packs.

Thanks bud, I wanted nice sized skids for sliding it in and such. What all parts are holding you up now?


Here's a few more pics with the tail servo mounted. As you can see, it worked out just right so I have it set in the lower throw higher mechanical advantage location for first flights...and while I'm waiting on a faster stronger tail servo to arrive. Then I'll kick it up :twisted: No binding or slop in the linkage at any part of the travel range. The rear motor pivot system is solid as a rock with zero slop...thanks to it riding on a pair of 5x11 fast eddy bearings.

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

i would highly suggest staying away from that exceed RC motor man. i know from experience. terrible quality put me in the dirt many times.
that suppo you have now are very nice motors. there are lots of great off brand motors out there, the exceed rc is not one of them:oops:

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

Thanks for the heads up. I've actually been running the exceed motors in my planes for the last year and have only had great luck with them...especially the 480's.

I've also got a handful of the hover things motors with jap bearings here to play with.

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

I'm in the middle of getting some quad copter motors made right now. It is roughly the same as that other outrunner I sent you, but all black and whatever shaft size, stack length, or KV you need.


Looks like a hella fun "thing" to fly! Any chance you could design the airframe to fly in horizontal flight too?

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

motors and control boards are only thing holding me up...:roll:

Very cool, running video soon? :)

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

I would definitely want to build one around those outrunners! 1000ish kv.

Given my arm design and rear pivot system it will actually be fairly easy to make a forward tilt version...I've already been toying with it.

I've been ordering my nice boards and stuff from witespyquads.com and have gotten everything within a few days.

Very soon :) thanks!

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

it says you have PMs turned off so ill just leave this here:oops:

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1...gopromount.jpg

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

Wow, that's a long rectangle...that's all you want? No lightening holes or anything?



OK, so, this was my first tricopter frame to develop...and it flies friggin awesome :mrgreen: A couple of random guys who saw it fly already want one...and that was just at a local park. I'll work on putting the video together tonight.

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

Thats a cool little flyer man, nice work"thumbsup"

Re: Billet Works Designs Prototype Tricopter
 

yeah sorry about that, trying to get the gopro out even with the props.:oops:
hmm lightening holes, how think is the material?

thats great news! that you already have customers for your new product!
what FC board and firmware are you running?