Hello guest, if you read this it means you are not registered. Click here to register in a few simple steps, you will enjoy all features of our Forum.
This forum uses cookies
This forum makes use of cookies to store your login information if you are registered, and your last visit if you are not. Cookies are small text documents stored on your computer; the cookies set by this forum can only be used on this website and pose no security risk. Cookies on this forum also track the specific topics you have read and when you last read them. Please confirm whether you accept or reject these cookies being set.

A cookie will be stored in your browser regardless of choice to prevent you being asked this question again. You will be able to change your cookie settings at any time using the link in the footer.

Thread Rating:
  • 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
The SwiftBlade 250 by FlightWorks of Sweden
#1
I finally received all the parts that I should have received on Friday if the postal service here weren't a bunch of lazy shiftless liars.  Rolleyes

Here's the fun things that arrived:

[Image: IMG_20170403_192214_zpsiabl47yp.jpg]

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to the frame these are for?

The only prize I can offer for a correct guess is that you're more than welcome to have a fly of the finished craft if you happen to be in Stockholm some day. Big Grin
Reply
Login to remove this ad | Register Here
#2
ZMR 150? hahaha. Never mind, props won't fit
[-] The following 1 user Likes RENOV8R's post:
  • unseen
Reply
#3
Well i dont know of a two motor frame Wink Tongue Nor will I ever make it to Stockholm probably.
So if you ever end up in Ohio.... Bring your quad anyways Wink

Anxiously awaiting the creation of your new baby MONSTER! Popcorn
Those motors are sexy as hell! Really cant wait to see and hear it scream! Popcorn Popcorn
The Obsession IS Real!
My Youtube and Instagram links
[-] The following 1 user Likes Drone0fPrey's post:
  • unseen
Reply
#4
Smile

There are four motors there...

Anyway, the frame is a bit special, to say the least...

[Image: IMG_20170403_192332_zpsyce9swrt.jpg]

The SwiftBlade 250 by FlightWorks of Sweden.

It's made from 7075-T6 aircraft grade aluminium alloy! As an all metal frame, it is a little heavier than carbon fibre coming in at 163g for the bare frame. There are some advantages though...
  • The arms are open and don't waste any thrust.
  • PDB not needed - ground everything to the frame!
  • It looks really, really cool! Wink
The guy who designed the frame is a commercial pilot and flies 737 aircraft as his day job and I think some of that experience shows in the design of the frame. It's supposed to be built with  everything fitted between the two lower plates, leaving the space between the upper and lower plates for the battery. This will put the bulk of the final weight on the same plane as the propellers for excellent handling. I'm not 100% sure where everything will go at the moment, but I'll be starting to dry fit all the parts this evening.

I would have loved to put the Betaflight F3 flight controller on this, but the rather unusual microSD card connector on the BFF3 makes it a little bit too tall to fit between the lower plates. The Lux V2 fits in there with room to spare though.

Given the heavier frame, I reckon that these monster motors and 6040 props will be a good match for it.

I'll keep this thread updated as the build progresses!

This is the designer's build:

[Image: sb250_zpslt3y9zzg.jpeg]
[-] The following 5 users Like unseen's post:
  • campagnium, tozes, fftunes, RENOV8R, sloscotty
Reply
#5
Sick!! (No, really - Really Sick!!!) Big Grin  Popcorn
[-] The following 1 user Likes sloscotty's post:
  • unseen
Reply
#6
[Image: Uq2yOSCl.jpg][Image: bWW3RKLl.jpg]Epic!  You MUST polish it before the build to get the full effect.  Dirty, tedious job but it will be well worth it.  Here's an example of a before and after
[-] The following 3 users Like RENOV8R's post:
  • campagnium, unseen, sloscotty
Reply
#7
Oooo! That looks nice!

What are you polishing with?
Reply
#8
I used a 3M polishing kit. Problem is it's super expensive ($125) but I stumbled across it on a clearance sale.
[-] The following 1 user Likes RENOV8R's post:
  • campagnium
Reply
#9
I guess I need to start with probably 600 grit wet sandpaper and then follow up with a polishing mop and red, followed by white polishing compound.

The surface from the casting isn't too bad, so it shouldn't take days of work to get it looking good.

I also need to do some work on the cut-outs for the motor screws as the finishing on them isn't particularly good and there's a bit of flashing left on some of them. Still, that's not a big deal as they will be hidden by the motors.

A mirror finish would look dead cool. Smile
[-] The following 1 user Likes unseen's post:
  • RENOV8R
Reply
#10
Yep, should be well worth the effort. Can't wait to see the final results
Reply
#11
Oh yes! Bad ass!
The Obsession IS Real!
My Youtube and Instagram links
[-] The following 1 user Likes Drone0fPrey's post:
  • unseen
Reply
#12
I would love to see some 1:1 data comparing the aluminium frame to a carbon one. I have always wondered how much thrust is wasted on the carbon frame arms
Reply
#13
So, with a long weekend and my youngest daughter away at her mother's place for a few days, I decided to get building the SwiftBlade!

In the end, I decided against polishing the frame. I think if I did polish it, I'd be scared of getting it scratched, and we all know the punishment our quads get subjected to in crashes and rough landings, so I'm keeping the industrial look. Smile

The first task was to extend the motor wires. Unlike just about every other motor I've bought, the EMax 2306 motor's leads are too short for this build where the ESCs will be in the body of the quad.

[Image: IMG_20170429_224711_zpstylpbjpl.jpg]

All done!

[Image: IMG_20170430_121659_zpsmhkhs0cd.jpg]

I finally worked out how to cut cable sleeving without having it fray at the ends as soon as you try to put some wires in it. All I did was stretch some resistance wire between a couple of screws in some wood:

[Image: IMG_20170430_154316_zpsqeodgck3.jpg]

Once connected to my bench power supply, 10V at 2.5A heated the wire to just less than red hot and cut through the sleeving like a knife through butter while sealing the cut ends at the same time.

Next step was adding the ESCs and connecting them and other required cables to the flight controller.

[Image: IMG_20170430_151449_zps3uzoy6oh.jpg]

(Sorry for the poor focus, I only noticed it after moving on to the next step.)

As the flight controller is going to be taped to the lower plate with nothing to protect it from the metal plate above it, I decided it would be a good idea to apply conformal coating to the flight controller at this point. So I masked off the boot button and USB socket on the top and the microSD card socket on the bottom. Here, the first coat on the top of the board has now dried and I'm just about to apply a second coat.

[Image: IMG_20170430_155617_zpswtbciryb.jpg]

More photos to come as the build progresses!
[-] The following 2 users Like unseen's post:
  • Drone0fPrey, sloscotty
Reply
#14
Finally, the conformal coating has dried, so it's time to start getting all the power connected.

I've stuck the flight controller to the frame on two layers of double sided sticky foam tape and I've got the negative battery lead and ESC negatives connected to the cut off ring connectors that will earth everything to the frame.

[Image: IMG_20170430_183952_zpsfvb2yhxp.jpg]

Next, the common positive. There's a lot of wires that need to come together, so I hope I can do a neat and tidy job that's also thin enough.
[-] The following 2 users Like unseen's post:
  • Drone0fPrey, sloscotty
Reply
#15
Looking great man! Popcorn

You may have to purposely blur the photos as it comes together... Or add a parental warning Wink ROFL

As for cable sleeving, I bust out the archaic fire maker. Wink Going to have to try your method soon. I have loads of kanthal in my vape drawer Thumbs Up
The Obsession IS Real!
My Youtube and Instagram links
Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Action Camera Suggestions for 3.5" Sub 250 Janz99 31 1,537 12-May-2023, 04:37 PM
Last Post: Pathfinder075
  Build GT-LT6-X1 (sub-250 6 inch) iFly4rotors 12 1,092 24-Jul-2022, 12:47 PM
Last Post: iFly4rotors
  Racing Quad less than 250 grams with FPV, Action Camera and GPS lganimys 0 435 15-Jan-2020, 07:53 PM
Last Post: lganimys
  ZMR 250 San Holo 18 2,206 05-Jun-2019, 03:32 PM
Last Post: San Holo
  Build FlightWorks Rebel 220 unseen 19 3,537 07-Jul-2017, 07:52 AM
Last Post: Drone0fPrey


Login to remove this ad | Register Here