Radian motor pod build for fpv

[surfer dude]

I'm hacking up my Radian for FPV!!! I couldn't see spending more money, on another plane when I already had a Radian not getting much action. I was just getting tired of seeing the nose of the plane, and the prop in my video's.
My plan is to make a pod for the motor which will be above the wing, and hanging out above the canopy area. Then mounting my gopro in the nose along with future fpv gear. I will move the battery below the wing, in what is now the radio compartment, then move the servo's, and receiver back down the tail a few inches.
This will allow the lens of the camera(s) to be out front, and allow for level to almost straight down view.
The real draw backs to this is that I will have to have the gopro, or similar weight in the nose to fly it. Also the extra drag of the pod set up.
I've already started hacking it all up, and checking the balance of the gear in there new spots.
I hope it works. There's no turning back now.
I will post some pictures in the next few days, and as the build progresses.

Has anyone else tried this? I can't be the only one to think of this. maybe I'm just the only one stupid enough to try it.

[startazz]

Sounds like a good plan to me mate,i haven't got this plane but a good few other PZ planes,any way to answer your question about has any one else tried this,i'm sure i've seen a video on Youtube that shows some who has.

Try looking over there because there are a good few videos with the PZ Radian with the go-pro on,plus you don't see no fuse prop or anything so they must of tried it and got it to work.

[surfer dude]

I'll check out youtube, Thanks.
Ok, here are some pics of where I'm at on this.
The picture with the all ply box pod held together with the blue tape, was my first idea, but it seemed a little too heavy, and ugly.
I couldn't figure out how to make it lighter, and more streamlined, then I looked up on the wall, and there was the Polaris. The Polaris has a very strong, light, and good looking pod design. Best part is, it's almost all made of depron foam.
I will have an 1/8" ply center, a ply motor mount, and the rest will be foam, and gorilla glue, and maybe a little glass clothe.
And yes the prop will clear the GoPro by over half an inch. It will block a little air going into the prop.
Let me know what you think.

[Rockin Robbins]

Ony problem will be balancing all that weight in the tail. PLUS the Radian does a lot of twisting and juking in the rear fuselage area. You will have to beef that up substantially, adding even more weight right where you need four grams forward to balance out one gram back where you're putting the motor. I'm afraid it's weight where you can't afford unless you can extend the length of the front of the fuselage.

Why not go to a twins, wing mounted motors? This would not be a balance problem at all and would let you do anything you want with the pod area?

[skyman]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Ony problem will be balancing all that weight in the tail. PLUS the Radian does a lot of twisting and juking in the rear fuselage area. You will have to beef that up substantially, adding even more weight right where you need four grams forward to balance out one gram back where you're putting the motor. I'm afraid it's weight where you can't afford unless you can extend the length of the front of the fuselage.

Why not go to a twins, wing mounted motors? This would not be a balance problem at all and would let you do anything you want with the pod area?

+1

[surfer dude]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Why not go to a twins, wing mounted motors? This would not be a balance problem at all and would let you do anything you want with the pod area?

I wish I would have picked your brains before I started this project. Twins would have been the best choice. Oh well...

I decided, that I did not have to move my radio gear back, and put the batt in the radio compartment. I just cut out all the foam between the receiver and the battery, and moved the battery back 2 inches. If I put the speed control in the pod, it will balance perfect with the GoPro in the upright forward facing position, if I point it straight down, if will be a little nose heavy.

Here are some pics from today's work. All that is left to do is mount the speed control, run the wires in the foam for the battery connection, and mount the pod.
Looking at the side view, you can see that the motor has some up thrust. I can trim the base to make it Up, Down, or Level. I just am not sure what would be best. Please help if you know the answer to this one. If I don't get an answer, I will just make it level, and hope for the best.

[startazz]

Thats not looking to bad at all SD but wouldn't it be better to to turn your little pod mod around so the prop is facing back wards,so it would be a pusher rather than a puller.
Most of the FPV planes out there use that method and you won't have the prop so close to your go-pro,it would cut out all that noise from the prop too that the camera might pick up.

If you leave it where it is and need to know where to have it as far as having it down or level you might have to do a couple of test flights to see how it goes.

But please keep us updated on how it all goes mate.

[surfer dude]

I did think about a pusher, but I couldn't find a folder to fit the radian, that would work backwards. I could have used a standard prop, but a didn't want the drag.

I did maiden the radian today, a bit windy, but it seemed to work fine. I will post some video of that flight soon. I will also post some pictures of the finished plane.

[surfer dude]

Here is the first flight with the motor pod, and the GoPro on the front of the plane.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAImnWQINYc&feature=plcp
It was very windy, I think it will smooth out in lighter winds.

[surfer dude]

Not satisfied with the flight characteristics with the pod. It pitched up with motor off, and down a little with motor on. So I researched the Radian threads for any thing that might help. I found this.
This is a video of Radian tuning by Paul Nations. Very good info, on how he turned his Radian into a winning competition glider. I've done all of these mods to mine, plus the pod, and camera up front.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E5dQVqPivXY

Because I cut 2 inches off the nose, I had to move all my radio gear back, and move the battery back into the radio compartment to get the CG back. I got back to 3.25", if I want to go as far as Paul Nations, I will have to use some lead in the tail. If I add FPV gear in the future, I will be able to move some more weight behind the CG. The Good news about this set up is that the Lipo has about 4" of forward travel, so I can remove the GoPro and still get it to balance.

Fast forward a few days. Amazing!!! Flies great, very smooth. I could probably even move the CG forward 1/4".

[Rockin Robbins]

Keep in mind that Paul's tuning objective is the opposite of your FPV requirements. He wants a plane that is very responsive and sensitive to thermals and will telegraph their presence to you, where you want an extremely stabile machine that won't bump around in the thermals. They're opposite objectives.

Yes, you can make the plane much less sensitive by moving that CG forward to give you more pitch and directional stability. What you want is something that flies like a B-17 bomber, not a butterfly.

[surfer dude]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Keep in mind that Paul's tuning objective is the opposite of your FPV requirements. He wants a plane that is very responsive and sensitive to thermals and will telegraph their presence to you, where you want an extremely stable machine that won't bump around in the thermals. They're opposite objectives.

Yes, you can make the plane much less sensitive by moving that CG forward to give you more pitch and directional stability. What you want is something that flies like a B-17 bomber, not a butterfly.

I hear you RR, I think you make a good point. It does seem to bounce around a lot, but I have yet to fly it in winds below 15mph.
I did have a crash on take off, and broke the top wing saddle, and part of the pod. When I fixed it, I gave it a little more down thrust to see if this would help. I also made a switch to give me some up elevator on take off, this will help me launch it by myself. Worked great. I was able to launch, then switch back to normal flight once I got to altitude.
I hope to have a new video soon of some of the down town area of Tulsa, and the river. I will wait until I get some better wind conditions.
Stay tuned.

[surfer dude]

Time to rehash this idea... The motor pod worked ok, but I never got the thrust quite rite. When I was able to get it into the air it was ok, it was the launch that was dicey. after a few repairs, and one really bad nose in on launch, it time for a total make over of my FPV plane.
first pick is the old pod design, next is the aftermath of the last crash, next is my new design, inspired by (ibcrazy) Alex Greves. I will use the wings, motor, and esc from the Radian, and make a similar design. Then some of the progress of the build.
Here is Ibcrazy's design, the Minion. All electronics and FPV gear is in the motor pod, which is velcro strapped to the wing. Just plug in the servos, strap the pod to the wing and go.
More to come on this build, keep watching.

[surfer dude]

Booms, horizontal, and verticals.

[Panther]

I mount the cam on my wing because it is so small. I like a bit of the glider showing in the vid as it tends to give the vid stability. The first part of this vid where the titles are is a bit wobbly because I just shut the power off the motor but mostly and at the latter part of the vid it is very steady. I can swing the cam out to avoid the prop, but mostly I just edit the motor running segments out. Looks like you have plenty of room for flying on that field. nice.

Grantham, Queensland from the air after 2013 Flooding (HD Video 720P)

[surfer dude]

Nice video, that 808HD looks as good as my GoPro. Is there any way to get video out from that camera so that you can use it for FPV?

[Panther]

Originally Posted by surfer dude

Nice video, that 808HD looks as good as my GoPro. Is there any way to get video out from that camera so that you can use it for FPV?

Yes, They are used for that. They come with a cable for video out but no sound. This is the ONLY guy to buy the 808 off. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-DVR-808...item2a20b389dc
There is a easy to download and use gui interface so you can change all your cam settings to suit yourself. There are 3 different lenses. I have the wide angle D lens. The cam weighs nothing almost. RC Groups has a thread on this cam.
Cheers

When I said no sound, I only meant when used with video out otherwise the sound is excellent.

[surfer dude]

Finish and flew the new FPV plane. Radian/Minion, I call it the RadMinion. It flew great with the 2800 3cell, but I will have to add a little tail weight for the 4000. I even put on the Fat Sharks for the second flight. Even the pan and tilt worked pretty good.

[surfer dude]

I got out Wednesday in the calm winds, put together this vid of the afternoon. Most of it is of the RadMinion because people on the Minion thread on RCgroups were asking me for one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9NZ9Mxzt5k&feature=youtu.be