Quadra-Pigeon

thingiverse

Since its inception, this quad has undergone numerous transformations and improvements. Originally, it was a printing exercise that took inspiration from MikeyB's Crossfire, with some tweaked parts to fit the available hardware. The original prototype still exists, but it's been redesigned and reprinted about 20 times. Currently, it features an FPV system and has a green & white color scheme. The source of most components can be found in the Crossfire II file, except for the antenna mount, which is in the Antenna Mount file. The quad was designed using Sketchup, mainly because it was free. After printing the Crossfire, the challenge was to find the right parts and combinations. While some information was available online, much of it was outdated or not easily accessible. However, a helpful calculator at http://www.ecalc.ch assisted in determining suitable component combinations. The final part list includes items purchased from HobbyKing, such as a Q Brain 4 x 20A Brushless Quadcopter ESC, Slow Fly Electric Props, MultiWii PRO Flight Controller with MTK GPS Module, Turnigy nano-tech 5000mah 3S 45~90C Lipo Pack, On-Board Lipoly Low Voltage Alarm 2s~3s, and D2830-11 1000kv Brushless Motors. Unfortunately, not all parts fit the original Crossfire design, necessitating modifications and reconfiguration. The process involved binding the new radio to the receiver, initializing the motor controller, programming the Arduino Mega-based brain box, and fine-tuning the MultiWii firmware. A Java control panel helped monitor the machine's performance during setup. For Mac OSX 8+ Mountain Lion users, a silicon labs USB driver is required to resolve compatibility issues. The pinouts and configuration details can be found on the controller's order page, though not all information may be available. The quad ultimately flies well but requires practice to master.