OCD Manta-Teal (Teal Drones Challenge)

thingiverse

Lots of pictures so please take a look through them all! Here is my entry for the Teal Drones Challenge, and I call it the Manta-Teal. I wanted to design something that complemented the lines of the original Teal Drones top while making a statement that I haven't seen in the FPV drone world - beautiful flowing curves. Usually drones are so mechanical and functional that we don't see pleasing aesthetics. When I started designing, I quickly learned that I had to focus on a few key components, which led me to what you see here. I wanted to make sure that the components were also used by Teal Drones, of course. There is the Runcam Swift Rotor Riot Edition FPV camera under the canopy and the supplied Luminier AXII 5.8GHz FPV Antenna. I felt these had to be used in my design. From there it was about flowing lines and soft edges. I wanted something that almost harkens back to Art Deco designs of the past with sweeping faces and substance. Soon I realized I was designing an old Bugatti, Locomotive, or Boeing DC-3. It really became organic and started flowing, which is exactly what I was after. With the integration of the TX Antenna, I quickly followed the lines to a kicked-up exit in the rear that flows perfectly to "tail". The addition of the FPV camera lens cover and twin-LED lights had me feeling like this was taking on an animal persona. I then added a couple of exit points along the spine for electronics cooling before I knew it, I had designed what I call the Manta-Teal. Like a Manta Ray, the body is designed for flowing through the air while maintaining a low profile. The enclosed FPV Camera allows for better flow while also protecting the lens from impacts. The symmetry and flowing nature alone are an amazing compliment to the original form of Teal Drones designs. Should you want more than just a flying experience, you can take out the removable insert on the top of the body and use the provided Go Pro camera mounting system that I designed. I chose Go Pro as FPV Drone Pilots primarily use their products for capturing recordings during FPV flights. The mount supports both the Hero and Session versions that Go Pro offers. This could be changed to allow for many different adaptations for cameras that are on the market today. The exterior of the body is 2mm thick and retains the stock mounting points. There is also ample room inside the body to support electronics expansion if need be. Whether it be 3D printed or injection molded, the Manta-Teal is a beautiful addition to the Teal Drones catalog. Thanks for looking! Jon Luminier AXII - Self Designed. Run Cam STEP File - https://grabcad.com/library/runcam-hs1177-fpv-camera-1 Go Pro Session Camera - https://grabcad.com/library/gopro-hero4-session-1 Go Pro Hero 4 - https://grabcad.com/library/gopro-hero4-silver-1 Project Source - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2597372