300 g plane design, 80 mins with 1600 mah battery

maiden takeoff

maiden landing

takeoff in 30mph winds

flight with downward facing camera

The camera for this last video was my phone, which weighs nearly as much as my actual plane, t around 250g. that is why for the first part of the video, my plane is incredibly unstable. it was near its limit for carrying capacity.

Hey!! I am 16 years old and have been designing and building planes now for three years. This design in particular is ridiculously amazing. This is my latest design of five, with another one coming under way. I declare a challenge to Flite Test to try to make a more efficient aircraft than the one I have, with a longer flight time and more compatability with rough weather. The less power used the better.

Of course, for all you hobbyists out there, you understand that bling and looks are not everything. That's why I have these stats, which seem impossible, but yet here they are.

Wingspan: 2.14m

Body length: 1.2m

Throttle: 1100kv, 11.1v brushless motor, 9" prop

Power source: 30C 11.1v 1600mah li-po battery

Weight: 304 grams, 10.7233 oz

Average flight time: 80 mins

Windspeed: loses stable control at 55 km/h, stable flight till then

Materials: balsa, bass wood, carbon fiber, foamboard, plastic

The shape of the plane is similar to a powered glider, but it is designed to be a slow flyer. Of course, you can shut off all power and it glides like a charm, too. It does not have too great of a payload, yet considering its own weight, it is incredible this thing lifts anything. It is capable enough for FPV, but interestingly enough landing gear will actually render the plane rather unstable. I've had multiple crashes with this little...errr, not so little plane, yet because it's so light it hasn't taken any damage whatsoever.

The wings are the main point of efficiency for this craft. Their shape, and the fact that it is a perfect airfoil type wing, reduces distortion of the air currents and so provides a neat and stable aircraft. the ends of the wings have the little bend, which for every aircraft, is extremely important for efficiency. The ends of every wing creates a huge disruption in the air current, dragging the wing like a rock in a river. the little air vortexes consume an immense amount of power, actually. adding some little lift to the end of the craft allows to neutlaize those vortexes and make a more efficient wing.

I built this aircraft in Lithuania over the summer and shipped it over to Las Vegas, where I live. Its wings fold up to it's sides, just like this:

It's wings are hollow and folded, like this:

The entire thing was made by hand, no machines. Every single piece of foam was outlined with balsa, and I even made the carbon fiber rod. The build time for this craft was 1.5 weeks, and I am making a slightly edited 1.5 size model of it in a few weeks.

Overall, I would like to challenge Flite Test to create a more efficient design than I have, and for anyone who is reading this article, to try to create a new type of plane: something that is not just recreational, or for fun, but something that can be used as a reliable view from above, something that is dependable, and efficient. Check. Flite Test, make your move.

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for all those who have read the comments, you will see that the plane here has... been compromised. to no worries, I am building a new and improved plane, of which after the maiden flight i will give the measurements to. so far the build is going well, and last night i finished both wings. here they are.

this plane design is an inverted gull wing design, with a 100 inch wingspan. that thing in the center is the body frame, and im usuing really hard foam for rigidity. hopefully the wing shape will provide really good stablility, so the ailerons will be rather small. I haven't planned out the entire thing, though. the rudder is still not planned at all, while the cg will have to be adjusted as the project continues. Here are the blueprints so far: