AG Silpheed

thingiverse

As a designer I wanted to tackle on a miniquad frame design that would prove its value by being printed. I didn't want a printed frame to be chosen because it was cheaper or free, but instead show the qualities of the medium that could drive a design idea. If I did my job right, someone might proudly choose and fly a printed frame (over carbon fiber) because they liked how it looked or how it performed. I've been building and modifying miniquads for over a year now. When I first started using 3D printing, I wanted to print a frame. However, there were many to choose from but I was disappointed with most of them as they just took their design cues from carbon fiber frames. They consisted mostly of flat plates with standoffs. The best innovation in printed miniquad designs comes from Hovership, specifically the MHQ2. It's a great achievement and vision for a printed miniquad frame. Check out their frame at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:511668 The inspiration for the AG Silpheed frame came from several sources. Firstly, The Zelda Triforce was a huge source of design inspiration. The first prototypes used many circles and curves but after my first crash where both arms completely snapped off (stripping the motors from their wires) and the entire frame got obliterated on research I learned that triangles are strong geometric shapes. This led to the decision of using triangular tubes for the arms - inside them were more triangles too. The Triforce's power! My second inspiration came from roll cages of off-road buggies, so the top frame of the AG Silpheed is essentially a big roll cage, designed to distribute forces on an impact while keeping all electronics safe. I have many carbon fiber miniquads in my collection but what I love about building and flying a printed frame is that it's constantly being improved. After every race session or a few flights in the park, I come home with some new design changes... print them out and they're ready for the next session. And yes, a broken arm means a cheap repair too! (You can't dispute that printed frames are indeed less expensive.) The PARTS LIST and BUILD instructions can be found at: http://anthonykwon.com/portfolio/silpheed/. CMIX Setup directions are located at:http://anthonykwon.com/setting-up-cmix/. EXTRA Build tips and tricks:http://anthonykwon.com/extra-build-tips/. The Best PDB to use with the Silpheed:http://genixrc.com/product/phoenix-pdb/. Print a GoPro armour to mount on your Silpheedhttp://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1259143. More updates will be added as they become available - keep checking back. UPDATE Jan 7th, 2016 The AG Silpheed is a modular frame where different arms and top frames can be swapped with the bottom base. I have built and tested configurations ranging from 4" to 6" in diameter but have only uploaded the 4" arms and the V6 Rollcage top frame so far... more files will be added once they are tested. The currently available 4" AG Silpheed is extremely fun to fly, it's also quite durable in crashes. I've been flying it all winter at an indoor racing track against many carbon fiber frames and have achieved impressive results! Triforce Arm Test Crash Damage UPDATE Jan 31st A major update! Excitingly sharing these developments: 2 new roll cage designs: you can now attach a GoPro, Mobius or other recording cameras New arms to support 5" and 6" props. (Flying at speeds achieved with these props results in the potential for higher breakage rates so printing additional arms may be required! Additionally don't forget to tape up your arms to prevent them from ripping off... motor wires getting exposed is a painful outcome.) For an alternative protective housing for your GoPro, consider ours!http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1259143