Jump to content

"Mosquito" Kethane Drone

BahamutoD

By BahamutoD
in KSP1 The Spacecraft Exchange

 Share

Recommended Posts

BahamutoD

BahamutoD

Posted
Posted (edited)

Bahamuto Dynamics' "Mosquito" Kethane Drone

0f0DFAL.jpg

This is a flying insect inspired VTOL Kethane Drill probe.

It features an adjustable vertical center of thrust to take care of the shift in center of mass when the "sac" fills with kethane.

Files and Addon Requirements:

Original version: Download .craft

Kethane

Spherical Fuel Tanks

MechJeb

B9 aerospace

Infernal Robotics and MagicSmokeIndustries robotic parts

Minimal version: Download .craft

Kethane

Infernal Robotics and MagicSmokeIndustries robotic parts

The robotics are necessary for the vtol function.

Usage:

The first stage will activate the nuclear engines (this is so that when you have it mounted to a lifter, it will be ready when you drop the previous stage)

Pressing 1 will switch between the nuclear engines and the aerospikes.

Use the aerospikes for vertical take-off and landing.

Press 2 to extend solar panels. These are only needed for drilling and converting as RTGs supply the probe core and reaction wheels.

Press 3 to deploy the drill.

After the kethane tank is full, use the "-" and "=" keys to adjust the position of the aerospikes closer to the rear to make up for the extra kethane weight.

This is sort of trial and error but once u know where to put it, you can just remember that spot for next time.

Note: In the original craft, it starts off controlling from the mechjeb unit, so right click the Stayputnik core (the head) and control from there.

Here is a video of the Mk1 in use. It has a smaller kethane tank but functions the same way.

(Starts at 1:43)

More images:

UqEX5AB.jpg

KhJxtChh.jpg

DUqCRxBh.jpg

Iaaizhu.jpg

RYwAPTz.jpg

Edited by BahamutoD
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BahamutoD

BahamutoD

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've spent alot of time balancing it. With or without kethane, you just need to use the adjustable rails to rebalance it. You can see in the picture that I was able to perch it on top of the control tower, and pose two next to each other, and I'm not an expert pilot :). Watch the video!

Also, the RCS is balanced to make docking easy (at least in the original version. I replaced and moved some parts in the minimal version and neglected to rebalance the RCS. VTOL balance is good though)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nhnifong

nhnifong

Posted
Posted

Very cool craft! I'm amazed you got that balanced.

I hate to say this though, but your video is almost completely dark 90% of the time and I can't see what's going on. Looking forward to actually seeing the Mosquito in action.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BahamutoD

BahamutoD

Posted
  • Author
Posted
You should request a move to the Rocket Builders forum and begin your company in earnest. "Bahamuto Dynamics" has a nice ring to it.

Your work is very solid. :D

Thanks, I've been thinking of doing that!

Very cool craft! I'm amazed you got that balanced.

I hate to say this though, but your video is almost completely dark 90% of the time and I can't see what's going on. Looking forward to actually seeing the Mosquito in action.

Yes, I'm sorry about that. For some reason Sony Vegas makes everything reaaallly dark when exporting to youtube or MP4's, and if I export as wmv, youtube screws it up every time theres a fade or transition. I'm working on finding a solution to that. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ecat

ecat

Posted
Posted

I love this, we need more insects in the game.

It also gave me the ideal platform to play with a mod I've been working on http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/37707-0-21-Magic-Smoke-Industries-Parts-Infernal-Robotics-0-7?p=581931&viewfull=1#post581931

So, without further ado, The Mosquito, auto balanced on the fly <chuckle>

For those curious, MechJeb is only there to show the Vessel info.

BahamutoD, if you wish I can send you the mod and modified Mosquito, everyone else will have to wait until I either 1) Work out how to do 3d transforms correctly or 2) find someone who can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BahamutoD

BahamutoD

Posted
  • Author
Posted
BahamutoD, if you wish I can send you the mod and modified Mosquito, everyone else will have to wait until I either 1) Work out how to do 3d transforms correctly or 2) find someone who can.

Yes!! My plan while building it was actually to implement your mod once you released it! I'm glad you like it. If its no trouble, I'll definitely take the modded craft.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ecat

ecat

Posted
Posted (edited)
Yes!! My plan while building it was actually to implement your mod once you released it! I'm glad you like it. If its no trouble, I'll definitely take the modded craft.

<chuckle> No problem. As for 'like it', it's beautiful :) and you created the perfect craft for me to move to the next stage of development.

If you can wait a day we can see if my cry for help http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/37707-0-21-Magic-Smoke-Industries-Parts-Infernal-Robotics-0-7?p=611176&viewfull=1#post611176 turns up anything positive. Then you can have a mod that will deal with any and almost all strange angles you choose instead of my current 'it's ok if it's flat and straight and in the Y plane but I got it working a bit in Z too' solution :)

Edited by ecat
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BahamutoD

BahamutoD

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yeah, I can totally wait. I wish more people did stuff like what you are doing. Time to get out of the stone age! haha

Simply waiting for daylight in KSP and filming with the sun behind you should be all you need.

Ah, I fixed it. There was a problem with the way it renders mp4s. I'm uploading a fix. In the game, I could see just fine in those parts that the video made look pitch black.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ecat

ecat

Posted
Posted (edited)

Sorry for the delay, my 3d voodoo is weak. I'm fairly certain the dll included in the .zip, while still highly experimental, should work under many more configurations than the one I started with. Certainly my Mosquito test flight went without a hitch.

The .zip contains

ReadMe file.

Modified Mosquito craft.

The part which does the balancing... Only works with the Infernal Robotics Adjustable Rail, must be placed on the Adjustable Rail.

Balancing plugin.

http://www.i2net.me.uk/files/Games/KerbalSP/MyMods/Mosquito.zip

I have now released the official Beta version of the balancing mod used in the above

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/47780-PLUGIN-0-21-x-Automatic-Centre-of-Mass-Tracking-0-01

Edited by ecat
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Loabstas

Loabstas

Posted
Posted

Ok at first I thought it would be nothing special, BUT WOW I WAS WRONG

That was amazing

I actually had a similar idea for adjustable engines for a space plane like you did but instead of moving the engines to change the center of gravity, I would move the wings to adjust the center of lift. Also I wanted to make an F-14 remake but whenever the wings swept back with rototrons the center of lift would get messed up so I had to move the wings back and forth aswell

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...
This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...