Vortex Generator for RC Plane / Wing Reptile S800 Sky Shadow

thingiverse

This is a vortex generator (VG) I designed for the Reptile S800 Sky Shadow FPV RC flying wing. They can be used on any RC plane, although they're not recommended for real planes. There are two types of VGs: one that can be temporarily attached to the wing using double-sided sticky tape and another that can be inserted into a small slit in the wing with glue. The S800 Reptile flies amazingly well, but its heavy weight and low glide ratio make it difficult to land smoothly. When fully loaded with a 2200mAh lipo battery, GoPro, and other accessories, it tends to dive quickly when the throttle is cut. To improve landing performance, I turned to vortex generators. I've tested these VGs and noticed significant improvements in stall speed and low-speed control. The plane now lands more slowly and smoothly, thanks to the delayed local flow separation caused by the VGs. If you're not familiar with VGs, they work by delaying local flow separation, which reduces stall speed and increases low-speed control. Here's a helpful video that explains them in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Whd_KnsLKE To set up these vortex generators correctly, place them at 15 degrees relative to the aircraft's flight direction, not the wing. The S800 Reptile has a 30-degree wing sweep, so I recommend spacing six VGs evenly across each wing at 60mm intervals and 20mm from the leading edge. Check out the photos for a visual guide. Remember that this is just a general guideline; feel free to experiment with different configurations. If you print some vortex generators, please share a photo of your setup – I'd love to see it! To print these VGs correctly, use the following settings: 0.1mm layer height and 100% infill. Warhog has designed some clever tools to help place the vortex generators at the correct distance and angle on the Sky Shadow S800. You can download his design here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2544706 Printer Settings: * Printer: CTC Dual extruder * Rafts: No * Supports: No * Resolution: 0.1mm * Infill: 100% * Notes: I printed in PLA, but they should also work well in ABS.