Scratch-Built Mini Tricopter (barrel bolt tilt)

So after I built the FT Tiny Trainer Bixler Nose, I decided to enter into the FPV experience using the Tricopter!

And this is how I went about it! My experience took place over the course of around 6 months.

I first went about getting the various parts I needed to get me flying.

Motors: RCTimer 1806 - 2300kv

Props: 5045 Gemfan I think?

Servo: 9g analog

ESC: 12Amp RCtimer? (sticker says SK12A)

Flight Controller: CC3D Atom

Battery: 3S 2200mAh 30C (I know it's huge, but it's the only available item right now :( )

Tricopter Mk. 1

Mk. 1 was a huge learning experience. I wanted to find the bare minimum material that I needed to use to get me flying. I got a really flimsy piece of plastic that was just lying around, it was the plastic disc that was used to keep the shape of a steering wheel cover. Cut a disc about 4 inches in diameter, and that was my hub. The booms were an aluminum U-bar that was 1/4" wide. Very bad decision. They were too wobbly and too flimsy. (And also I hadn't figured out how to properly configure the CC3D Atom) Mk. 1 never saw flight. :(

Tricopter Mk. 2

Mk. 2 I decided to use more robust material. The electronics were still the same, the airframe is all I changed here. And also this is where I got to tinkering with designing my own tail tilt mechanism. But first the materials: I went with a 3/4" piece of plywood that we had lying around and 1/2" aluminum tubes for my arms. The hub was an equilateral triangle that was 4" each face. I cut the arms to 7" (don't ask me why 7", I just eyeballed it and it looked pretty okay to me haha). I flattened each end of each arm using a vice (around 1" each end). That's where I mounted the motors and how I mounted the arms to the hub. Mk. 2 was angled at 120 degrees each arm.

Tricopter Mk. 2 Tilt Mechanism

After searching the Internet for days, the easiest and simplest design I found was this. It was neither pretty nor was it perfect but it actually worked. I used 3 sheets of ABS plastic (about 1mm thick), the rectangular mount and two triangular pieces. The most difficult part of making this mechanism was looking for the right sized screws to fit everything. I had to scrounge through old toys/electronics/watches to get what I needed.

Mk. 2 saw flight only after several attempts at configuring the CC3D Atom. I just searched on YouTube to find how to go about it. But it eventually flew! I don't have pictures of it flying, I usually fly alone so no assistant to take pictures for me. Hehe.

Tricopter Mk. 3

Now Mk. 3 was by far the most stable but also the heaviest. This was based on David Windestal's Tricoper V2.5 from RCExplorer.se before he released his own Mini Tricopter. Mk. 3 is what truly let me fly without worrying too much. The hub was made of 2mm ABS Plastic, and the arms are half-inch aluminum square rods. I fastened everything with screws and nuts (they weren't exactly the same as David Windestal's but they worked anyway haha).

Tricopter Mk. 3 Tilt Mechanism

For Mk. 3 I stumbled upon a video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZerXxwRcrg

And I was dumbfounded. Basically it's a modified barrel bolt. Yes, a barrel bolt. Just watch the video and you'll see what he did.

Tricopter Mk. 4

Now Mk. 4 is basically the same as Mk. 3, only now I'm using a KK2.1 flight controller and added my FPV things. Although my vTx seems to be a dud. :( I'm going to have it checked/replaced by the local hobby shop.

So there! As a bonus, here's my maiden flight of Tricopter Mk. 4!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEQB8Mn1cmw

Thank you for reading! :D

See below for my how-to on the Bixler Nose!

God bless and happy flying!