Multirotor landing gear! Simple, light, Cheap! DIY

Hey folks, it has been a while but I think have built the simplest and most effective landing gear that could be adapted to any size of multirotor.  My name is Brett Hays and i will tell you how I did it.......

Check out this short drop test video to see how effective the gear is.  I droped my large Tri-copter from 5 feet to test its ability to absorb the shock without breaking or bouncing the tri-copter over on its back.

So..........

The gear I am making in this article is for a 450 to 550-ish sized.  I put them on my Flitetest DIY Tricopter and they have been working great!  With different sized Zip Ties it could be adapted to just about any sized multirotor.

They are shock absorbing, durable and super cheap and super easy to make!

These are the materials you will need to build one landing gear.

1.  One heavy duty cable Zip tie 18 inches long.

2.  Four smaller zip ties about 4 to 6 inches long (the tiney ones you would use to zip tie servo wires together)

3.  Small 2-56 to 3-48 screw with a lock nut and a couple of washers to fit.

4.  A large servo cross arm or disk.  I prefer the disk.  If you dont have these a fmall plastic jar lid or similer would work.  Or......I suppose you could even omit these entirley (espically if you fly mostly off of hard surfaces.

5.  A drill and small drill bit (that will dril a hole just big enough for the 2-56/3-48 screw to fit through)

6.  Might as well grab a screw driver, pair of needle nose and something to cut/trim the small Zip Ties.

Here is the Large Zip Ties I used!

Okay..........

Now that we got all the parts together.  Take the large Zip Tie and loop it twice plus about an inch like so.....

Then use the four small Zip Ties to bind it in this shape..........

Now you have created a small leaf spring out of the large Zip Tie.  The "Top" of the leaf spring will be where the "zip" part of the large Zip tie is or actuallt slight to one side.  You could probably cut the ''Zip" lug off but I prefer to leave it on to help keep the whole assembly from slipping apart.  If you leave it on it will have to be off to one side when installed on the arm of the multi copter so it sits flat...........Study how I have it installed in the picture below to see what I mean.

Now that you have chose the ''Top" of the leaf spring, drill a small hole for the screw you have chosen 180 degrees the other side of the circle for the foot plate..........If you have chosen not to add foot plates then ignore the next few pictures and instructons and at this point, just trim the small zip ties, install and go fly!!

Install the selected foot plate........

Shown with an optional foot plate.......I thought about even cutting out some 1/8 inch plywood foot plates and making them look like little feet or something else creative.  These servo disk are just readily availble and makes the build stupid quick.

So now......trim up the small zip ties

And your done.......make as many more as you need and install.  I usually use electrical tape to install mine with a few wraps.  Zip ties can also be used of course.