Idea: Kerbal RC Plane

[EpicSpaceTroll139]

So today I was looking back at arc5555's fantastic thread in which he shows how to create paper models of KSP crafts, and even makes a model KSP rocket fly! As I was looking at it, thinking that I might want to try it, and that probably I'd want give any model I might make a balsa frame to keep it rigid, when a lightbulb went off in my head.   A balsa frame would make it a bit more durable, perhaps I could throw a light plane around... no... WAIT! ... Heck, I could add a ducted fan and servos and stuff and make an RC plane!

Obviously it would start off with something relatively simple and stable (even in FAR), like an Aeris 3A, or perhaps something slower and even more stable, like a Cessna-like plane I have. But maybe even something big later on? (if it works)

 

What do you guys think?  Is this feasible? Does anyone else have experience with this kind of thing?

[Ketatrypt]

It would be relatively easy in the RC aircraft world..

You can just build the shell to your liking, then add in ballast later to balance it. Its not like you have to work with kerbals weights and balances when you build a model.

 

The hardest thing IMO would be making an authentic looking shell. It would need to be 3d printed or something to keep price reasonable. Otherwise it would take many hours of hand crafting a single design.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Ketatrypt

[Vanamonde]

Since this is not something being done in-game, the thread has been moved to General (non-KSP) Discussion. 

[Choctofliatrio2.0]

You could probably do it. Depends on how big the model is and where you can find room to cram everything.

[TheKosanianMethod]

Remember: DON'T USE LiPo BATTERIES!

I think this is a viable idea! there are tons of model jets and "jet fans" for stuff like this. 3d print an Aeirs3A with a hollow inside, put a fan in, and some batteries. Well, that's a basic gist of what you'd need to do.

 

Now I want to get some of my KSP crafts printed, and put little model rocket motors on them...

[EpicSpaceTroll139]

Yep haha! As much as I like the destruction effects in KSP, I don't need my money going that way! My plan for the aeris3A (which will be my first one) is to get the motor and battery from a small RC helicopter which I crashed one too many times when I was 12 or something (the electronics still work great, it's just all the plastic structure is broken), and get the servos from hobbypartz or similar. If the motor repurposing doesn't work, I'll probably get the motor from there too. Just trying to find ways to keep stuff cheep for now.

[Matuchkin]

In this case, we'll only be able to use FAR models as RC Airplanes. Stock KSP has an extremely simple aerodynamics model.

[Guest]

On May 14, 2016 at 5:56 PM, TheKosanianMethod said:

Remember: DON'T USE LiPo BATTERIES!

LiPo's are fine as long as you charge, discharge, and store them properly.

[legoclone09]

2 hours ago, CliftonM said:

LiPo's are fine as long as you charge, discharge, and store them properly.

Discharge? LiPos are fine without discharging, those are Ni-cads. I have 2 LiPos sitting in my room right now, charged, and untouched for 3 weeks. In a plastic bag, with a lack of any fire, death, brimstone, lava, or anything else deadly.

 

OT: Yeah, a KSP RC plane would be sweet! Maybe. 1/10 scale?

[Fluburtur]

Repurposing a motor from a cheap helicopter won't work, it's very likely it's an old and cheap brushed motor and that makes two problems:

-You need a brushed ESC which is old tech now

-you will never get enough thrust

Be kind to yourself and get some proper power system, also going with ducted fan is nice but unless you already have some experience with RC planes you will have a hard time. Ducted fans usually have low static thrust but high dynamic thrust (for the ones with and under 5 blades) also no prop wash over the control surfaces so a stall is bad news.

However you could do that Aeris 3a with a pusher prop, that could work, also a motor with a prop is usually cheaper than a ducted fan.

Also you want to go lipo, it has some bad sides but it's easily compensated by the benefits: high power density, high discharge rate, light. As long as you use them correctly it's not a problem.

I will keep an eye on this project, I have been thinking about doing something similar.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Fluburtur

[Guest]

8 hours ago, legoclone09 said:

Discharge? LiPos are fine without discharging, those are Ni-cads. I have 2 LiPos sitting in my room right now, charged, and untouched for 3 weeks. In a plastic bag, with a lack of any fire, death, brimstone, lava, or anything else deadly.

By discharge I mean not draining the battery too much from use.  If you drain it too much, it can be a fire hazard.  It really just means don't drain it to 0%.

[legoclone09]

19 minutes ago, CliftonM said:

By discharge I mean not draining the battery too much from use.  If you drain it too much, it can be a fire hazard.  It really just means don't drain it to 0%.

Oh, thought you meant like a nicad. Yeah, LiPos break once you fully discharge them.

Edited May 17, 2016 by legoclone09

[EpicSpaceTroll139]

Actually I was thinking of making the Aeris3A model pretty small, like 1/20 size and it is going to be made out of paper with pieces of quarter inch foam board for structural supports. Basically it will be very small and very light. I'm also not expecting 3d performance from this, so I'm not really going to need a lot of power from this... I *may change it later though...

The reason I'm making it so small is partially for low cost idea testing, and so later on, with experience, I can make some of my larger craft without them being the size of a real plane lol

Edited May 17, 2016 by EpicSpaceTroll139
*phone keeps leaving out bits of text >:(

[TheKosanianMethod]

3 hours ago, EpicSpaceTroll139 said:

Actually I was thinking of making the Aeris3A model pretty small, like 1/20 size and it is going to be made out of paper with pieces of quarter inch foam board for structural supports. Basically it will be very small and very light. I'm also not expecting 3d performance from this, so I'm not really going to need a lot of power from this... I change it later though...

The reason I'm making it so small is partially for low cost idea testing, and so later on, with experience, I can make some of my larger craft without them being the size of a real plane lol

What, you don't want to make an A380?