Future project: quad with retractable gimbal

[afernan]

Excited by the new DJI-Inspire1, I picked the mouse and started clicking in my CATIA. DJI is a nice machine...but not really convinced me the solution.

So, instead of moving up the arms (that requires a complex mechanical solution, so more mass&money) I decided to move up the gimbal for landing, keeping all the rest very rigid. I used a 30mm central structure (CF tube .75mm thick) that will be the rotational axis for the gimbal. A couple of servos will do the deployment work.

This thick tube will have inside the ESC32 (I know...venting is required) with a simple setup for all the rest. All bracketry done with ALM (3D Printed) in ABS, as usual.

The rest is auto-explained in the images. Maybe this design some day will come alive...

Enjoy

[Astudillo]

Awesome design Angel!

How is the prop clearance with the gimbal extended maximal toward the propeller?

I'm looking forward to see this project come alive.

P.s. Is the first picture the front of the machine, or the second picture?

[afernan]

Figures below show with 12inch propellers and 15 inch. Anyway arms can be larger (now they are 500mm square side, 707mm motor to motor).

About the front side,... It´s up to you!. I like the front as in the image (in between legs). It has a cleanner view for the camera and also, the heading (pitch) innertia is much lower than lateral one, and because most of copter rotations are mainly in heading (much less rotations in lateral) some energy is saved.

[kinderkram]

Cool machine, Angel.
"Inspired by the Inspire" was my first thought when I saw the pics.

Without knowing your plans for the retract mechanics it must be pretty strong to lift another gimbal/camera combo than the Gopro. You will also need some special profile in the gimbal controller that is triggered (or gimbal shut down) when you lift or lower it or it will probably freak out.

And I still would use some landing gear since the cam/gimbal is completely unprotected in case of a crash or a failure of the retracts.

[leopold1]

Angel keeps impressing !
Very nice idea and cost effective even without the gimbal.

[afernan]

Thanks for your comments. This is preliminary brain stormming, so all your comments are welcome to improve

[chschmid]

Hi Angel
I like your straight forward approach. Give it a try. I wonder how you will achieve the needed stiffness in in rectangular joints.

Cheers
Christof

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Hi Angel,

I like that one! Which motors do you want to use? I can't feel any heat on my ESC32 when using them with MN3510 630KV @ 4S with the Graupner e-prop 12x6 --> maybe not a big headache when placing them in the 30mm tube.

I still have a second set of Tarot 4006 sitting on the shelf --> would be a perfect machine to use them with (15A max current --> not heat!).

So: keep brainstorming (and us posted)!

Joerg

[afernan]

@Joerg:
Although in the image are MN3110, the TAROT 4006 are probably a better selection, since they are much more powerfull and runs really smooth (I have those in another QUAD flying nicely with ESC32 and QUATOS).

@Christoff:
you really hit the main drawback!: the torsional stiffness. It´s needed to transmit the arm loads to the central tube. When yawing, only the two diagonal motors will lift all the weight, so a big torsion is applied to the "T" intersection: for a 3Kg machine, torsional moment = 3/2Kg x 0.262m = 3.86 Nm which is not neglibible.

So, in principle I´ll use a really thick ABS 3DPrinted bracket, but if stiffness is not enough I´ll use an Aluminum bracket joint. Let´s see...

Attached the 3D models for you to play with (3D XML formal, free viewer: http://www.3ds.com/products-services/3d-xml/1/)

U can see the 3D model also here: https://grabcad.com/library/autoquad-fu ... esign-v1-1