Multiplex Mini Solius --> RC Conversion

[Wayne]

The magnets were super easy. Basically mount them as close to the axle as you can. I removed a little foam with the Dremel and glued them in. Then simply screwed the screw into the foam of the wing. Adjust the screw to set the gap.

Here is a picture I took when marking for the screw location. You do want a disk magnet wide enough so the screw is always in contact with the magnet.

 

[agarchitect]

I took advantage of the rainy weekend and finished the Mini Solius.

I used three AGF 2g nano servos, a 350mah NiMH "Alula" battery, and a FRSKY 6 ch rx. It weighs just .2 lb (3.25oz), according to my fish scale. A rubber band secures the hatch.

I added a carbon spar in the wing bottom and a thin carbon tube to the stab.

Thanks to Jarron for setting me up with a crimper kit so I could extend the micro servo wire connectors to a futba 'j' / hitec plug w/o soldering.

What is the CG that seems to work best?

 

[Wayne]

Sweet - CG is about 35mm from the leading edge. Adjust from there.

 

[gnichola]

I thought these were super cool when I saw Wayne and Co. flying them at the unofficial Los Banos Fun Fly. I stopped by the shop one day with a dead servo that I didn't want replaced, so he traded me the servo for an airplane!
I am not much of a builder and thus not super innovative, so I mostly just copied what others had done.
First, I used my trusty steam gun to do some straightening.

Once that was done, I put a small carbon rod down the body. The blue tape was to hold the remaining bend out of it while the Foam Tac dried.

Next I used my plastic ruler as a guide for the dremel router.

I had an assortment of tubes from Aloft and I found a scrap rod that fit perfectly inside one. I laid the tube and 1x3 flat carbon strip in place.

Since the wing cut was giong to be right along the edge of the servo, I moved the wires so they made their escape from the bottom of the servo to keep the outside edge clean. I used my favorite hot glue to secure the wires once I put the case back on.

I cut the wing and installed the servos.

 

[gnichola]

When I was testing out throws and such, I decided to use a pair of magnets as under full servo travel the wing would walk away from the center.

Here is a video of the travel I have. The video could have been clearer. The "large" throw you see is actually corner to corner throw. The smaller movements are showing elevator & aileron independently.

I carved out the canopy a bit to get both the battery and the receiver in place, and I just punched a couple holes to the antenna through.

 

[Red]

I just started mine today, so I’m just doing a conventional build. Mine was warped like all the others. I’m trying heat and some carbon to straighten it all out. Almost finished. Needs some color still.

 

[agarchitect]

These actually fly rather well. After completing mine I test flew it at the SLoT in about 15mph east winds. It didn't need too much adjustment. A little down and a little left aileron and off it went. It penetrated OK and turns good. It lands easily since it weighs next to nothing. After two successful flights and corresponding landings I have decided to preserve it for Sunset. Hope to see lots of them there.

 

[Hawaii Sloper]

I just started mine today, so I’m just doing a conventional build. Mine was warped like all the others. I’m trying heat and some carbon to straighten it all out. Almost finished. Needs some color still.

It's about time

 

[Hank GB Z]

I just started mine today, so I’m just doing a conventional build. Mine was warped like all the others. I’m trying heat and some carbon to straighten it all out. Almost finished. Needs some color still.

Red,

Nice clean build. Did you add a spar to your wing? I can’t really tell from the pic.

Hank

 

[Red]

Red,

Nice clean build. Did you add a spar to your wing? I can’t really tell from the pic.

Hank

Thank you. It’s finished now except for cutting the ailerons loose and some color. I added a main spar as well as one to the TE of the wing and elevator, and a small spar in the stab. This was done more to straighten out the surface. Hope it flies well

Red

 

[Wayne]

They fly pretty darn well and take a huge amount of abuse. The only thing I have found that can hurt them is a spinning prop on another plane. I suggest you avoid those.

These are great planes to toss out when testing a new slope. They can fly in anything from a couple of miles an hour to about 30mph (with ballast).

 

[Red]

Was out of town for a few days but I was able to finish this up today. Took 1/4oz of lead in the canopy to CG. A couple hand chucks in the driveway confirms it’s close enough.

 

[thenated0g]

You did test throws?

 

[Wayne]

Looks very nice. I'll have to take pics of the build from one of our newest employees. He has built one junky EPP plank we gave him, and the build he is doing pretty much blows me away. The guy has no RC experience.

 

[gnichola]

@Hawaii Sloper I just realized you have twist wings AND a movable elevator? Sup'dat?

 

[thenated0g]

I thought he had it setup so he could get some crazy movement. Like instead of 90 degree snap elevator you could do 45 on each and it would be the same? I remember we had discussed having a switch so you could try just pitcheron, Pitcheron just for ailerons control and elevator for ...elevator. Or everything on for most movements.

 

[Wayne]

Or better yet, elevator up on one, and elevator down on the other and set the fuselage at an angle.

 

[Hawaii Sloper]

@Hawaii Sloper I just realized you have twist wings AND a movable elevator? Sup'dat?

Yes! We can experiment at Sunset with programming
I’ve never used a pitcheron setup so I thought it’d fun to try something crazy and see if it worked. Not really expecting much but we’ll give it a go.

 

[Hawaii Sloper]

So here is probably my last Solius mini for a while. Since @thenated0g got his DG-808 and decided to put a power pod on it, it got me thinking one of these minis would be cool with a power pod also. I used an Emax 1106 7500kv, Hobbywing 12a esc and a tattu 2s 300ma pack from Aloft. 115g AUW. The AMT gets like 45* up and down. Used an Emax ES9250md servo for the tail instead of the ES9052md. They are slightly smaller than the 9052. Definitely recommend them for small stuff like this. Hopefully get to take some of these out this weekend and see how they do.


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This thing flew really well at sunset! Jarron and Jordan were ripping it around until Wayne told us to stop because its pretty loud.

 

[Hawaii Sloper]

My 2cents is that if your dont have somebody saying "i think thats too much throw" you probably dont have enough on a pitcheron.

At sunset I definitely heard "that's too much throw" with the pitcheron solius. It was nearly unflyable because it was so twitchy. I changed it when I got home to match what Wayne did with his. It flies so much better now. The resolution was really messed up the other way.