Woodie Copter "X" and "+" Versions

thingiverse

The Woodie Copter started out as a way to create affordable quad frames for teaching people how to fly. As I built more and refined the design, I began to 3D print the connecting parts. The Woodie Copter is not the most stylish or high-tech quad, but it's an inexpensive platform for beginners and hobbyists who want a frame that's easily repairable and replaceable. The frame consists of printed parts attached to 3/8 and ½ inch square sticks sold at Lowe's or any hardware store, which can be scaled up or down simply by adjusting the length of the square sticks. The foam landing gear absorbs the impact of learning to fly while also serving as a mounting point for floats. With some LED strips, the Woodie Copter has excellent visibility for beginners. For a fun flying LOS trainer, I use 17” outer frame sticks, producing a 24” diagonal (a 450 size quad). Flown in the “+” configuration, it resembles a diamond and provides a better visual reference than a “X” quad. The “X” version is more suitable for FPV and photography. Both the “X” and “+” parts are included in the package along with center sections for popular flight control boards such as the Eagle Tree Vector, BeeRotor, CC3D, and a blank surface. Two different GPS antenna mounts are provided, including one with an integrated GPS tower mount. Additionally, there are two types of center section mounts for “+” copters and fore and aft “X” center sections with and without camera mounts and transmitter mounts for FPV. A center mount for the Feyi Tech 2D GoPro gimbal is also included. Several Woodie Copters can be seen flying at night in videos on YouTube, including one with a ghost effect. The build thread on RC Groups provides detailed instructions and photos of the construction process. To make a "+" Copter that resembles a diamond in flight, you'll need to print 4 Woodie Corner Bracket Foam LGs, 2 Woodie Copter Fore and Aft Center Bracket Drop Tops, 2 Woodie Drop Top Corner Braces, and a center section appropriate for your FC board. You'll also need to purchase 4 1/2 inch square sticks, 2 3/8 Square sticks, and a piece of foam pipe insulation with an OD of 1 3/4 inches. To make a "X" Copter that looks like a square, you'll need to print 4 Woodie Corner Bracket Foam LGs, 2 of the Woodie X Center Brackets (which include FPV camera mounts, TX holders, and plain ones), and a center section appropriate for your FC board. You'll also need to purchase 4 1/2 inch square sticks, 2 3/8 Square sticks, and a piece of foam pipe insulation with an OD of 1 3/4 inches. I use GOOP to glue the foam landing gear on, while CA, wood glue, or Goop are used for the corner brackets. The floats consist of a 4 inch foam ball from the craft store with a 20CC syringe cover glued into it. It's essential to use closed-cell type foam to prevent waterlogging. The + Copter works best on floats and is very stable. A piece of light plywood with Velcro works great for the battery holder on the bottom of the center section, which has standoffs with holes to mount the battery holder.