(RD-3) RD-3 Redesign now runs OpenPilot

Published: Sat Apr 14 2012

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To start the rebuild I completely dismantled the quad until all that remained was the CM-1 Camera Mount/ Landing gear. I started fresh from there: Next I tried to create a configuration that would easily allow a 5000 mAh 4S lipo to slip in an out. It worked great but I think my idea was short sighted because when you flip and crash the full weight of the lipo smashes down on flight controller, so I will need to rethink it, but in the mean time this config flies beautifully. from the ground up it is:

• Landing Gear (This will host the GoPro the same way as in RD4)
  • Vibration Isolation layer
    • Arms and Power Distribution
      • Battery Area
        • Flight Controller Mount area With the copter control installed, I had to determine the shortest possible arm length that could allow 12 " props, and I cut the arms from a 12mm CF tube from hobby king, bummer that the OD of the tube is not consistent, one end is 12 and the other end is about 11. I then cut 4 arms and installed them, mounted the motors and then test fit a 9" Prop Next I wired it up, ESCs went in, Lipo etc/ Last threw on the RX, Lipo alarm, and set up the CC as per Daves nice setup video (OpenPilot TV Ep 1) and threw on some some props and flew around the living room!