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[Paparazzi-devel] Re: Steve Turners Post.


From: Hugo Vincent
Subject: [Paparazzi-devel] Re: Steve Turners Post.
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 22:13:40 +1200

Hi Steve,

I am working on a UAV project too; I haven't made a website yet, but have written and collected a fair bit of material in the attached PDF file (

Attachment: SysOverview.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document

) -- but I am not sure how the mailing list system will handle it. (It's still in a state of change, so ignore anything that looks unfinished or wrong!) Please feel free to use the ideas in it, and consider releasing your work under a GPL type license so we can all share :)

I have just looked at your website -- cool! I would like to know more about the airframe: did you design it? The specifications you came up with -- how where they generated/based on?

I have been playing around with SolidWorks/COSMOSworks (3D Cad and analysis plugin that does stresses etc, and aerodynamics), and XFoil (GPL airfoil design tool and simulator) trying to design an airframe, and am getting fairly bogged down in it all! I must say, just from looking at your website, that you sort of just got out the tools and started making it, with out really doing the design and calculations (no offense, I wish I could do that).

Also, for the airframe, especially the wings and tail-plane surfaces, you might want to investigate a technique called vacuum bagging, where you lay-up the foam with all the various composites, add an anti-stick film, put it in a sealed bag, and apply around 4-8 psi of vacuum pressure. Alternatively you can use the parts of the foam that you cut the wings from ("negatives" or something, sometimes called shucks), put your layed-up wing in them (with appropriate anti-stick protection) and puts weights on the shucks to apply pressure to the lay-up, increasing strength of the bond to the foam, and as a result, the strength of the whole wing, and allowing less epoxy to be used (less weight).

Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 21:01:29 -0600
From: "Steve Turner" <address@hidden>
Subject: [Paparazzi-devel] Part Sources
To: <address@hidden>
Message-ID: <address@hidden>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi,

I have been interested in UAV's for a while, and am attempting to build one. I may try to build a paparazzi, and at least use some of your ideas. You guys have done a great job. I am fairly new to the AVR's and C programming, so it is a steep learning curve for me. I have not yet located a source for the modem chip however. I have been unable to find any info on the CMX469D3, but did find some info on a CMX469AD3 (http://www.cmlmicro.com/Products/WData/CMX469A.htm). Is this the chip you used? Looks like most everything else DigiKey has. I am also wondering if your printer had any problems printing the board to a transparency without smudging between the small pads of the AVR's? I have a cheap HP printer, and some of my pads print out with 3 pads connected together. Maybe a higher quality printer would work better.
I have had very good luck with laser printers and press and peel. With a little practice (especially with the chemicals i.e. correct agitation, heat etc) you can make very professional PCBs. Double sided is somewhat harder than single sided, as you have the added problem of alignment, but can still be done very professionally. But the best thing about purchased PCB's that I haven't worked out how to do yet, is plating of the board, especially through-plating of holes... Solder masks on purchased boards also make a HUGE difference when it comes to soldering the board. Hint: use heaps of SMD solder flux (the stuff that comes in a tube, it makes a huge difference).

I have a website with a little stuff on UAV's (http://www.steveonweb.com). More just a collection of some of my ideas. I have since moved away from the PIC's and on the AVR's. Probably nothing new for you guys on there however. Thanks for any ideas or pointers.
Steve Turner
Fort Collins, CO
SteveOnWeb.Com


Hugo Vincent
address@hidden

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