This week's crazy Flite Test build challenge sees Josh and Stefan use a pizza box to build a rather unique FT Mighty Mini Arrow.
Download the Free Plans: FT STEM Pizza Box Challenge Lesson & Plans 1.0.pdf
Watch the Build Video
Somewhere at some point in time, you may have seen a big old cardboard box and said to yourself, 'say, I wonder if I could build a plane with that'. Well, Josh and his aeronautical apprentice Stefan decided to put this idea to the test. To make it a little more challenging, however, they opted to use a pizza box.
FT STEM Project
This particular project was developed with FT STEM groups in mind. For that reason, we've provided resources for high school teachers to run the very same challenge for their students! If you're not enrolled yet, check out this link for more info.
Download the activity plans here.
FT STEM Pizza Box Challenge Lesson.pdf
What you need to build this plane
- Motor: https://store.flitetest.com/gremlin-1106-4500kv-motor/
- ESC: https://store.flitetest.com/lumenier-30-amp-bl-heli-esc-w-5v-1a-bec
- Connectors: http://bit.ly/2Jpxir1
- Servos: https://store.flitetest.com/es9051-4-3g-plastics-digital-servo
- Hyperion Battery: https://store.flitetest.com/g5-50cmax-3s-2500mah-4-2v-max-lipo/
- Prop: https://store.flitetest.com/gemfan-pc-3035-3-blade-3-hole-2cw-2ccw
- Transmitter/Receiver (if you don't have one already): https://store.flitetest.com/dx6e-6-channel-dsmx-transmitter-with-ar610-receiver/
How to Build With Cardboard
The good news is that cardboard can absolutely be used to construct an airframe (hooray!). The bad news is that is often heavier than good old foamboard and not always as strong. This means that you have to choose wisely when looking at different boxes to cut up.
Generally, you'll want to go for the thin corrugated stuff where you would normally use 5mm foam board. Unfortunately, though, the thinner stuff tends to be weaker, so you'll need to brace it with extra spars. You can make these from thicker corrugated cardboard sandwiched together.
You can also use cardboard tubes to make parts of an airframe. This motor glider used three tubes stuck together to form the fuselage. You can read more about this build here.
You'll want to scale your design to your material. Josh decided to use the pizza box to build an FT Arrow as the wing's small dimensions meant he had more than enough material to use.
The build of this wing is pretty simple really! Most of the time it's just like the foam board version.
The motor was attached to a pop bottle cap.
This was next mounted to the rear of the airframe. When glueing something like this, always make sure to get as much surface area to touch as possible as it will make it structurally stronger. It shows you can use pretty much anything at hand to get the job done!
After a quick setup on the transmitter, the brand new Pizza aircraft was ready to go!
We have power!
Up, up and away, the cardboard FT Arrow flies like a charm.
Make sure to post about your cardboard creations on the newly updated Flite Test Forums! We can't wait to see them.
Links
Article by James Whomsley
Editor of FliteTest.com
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