After the success of the Sugar Glider ( [url]https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro[/url] ), and now that my flying skills have increased. I have designed the Flying Fox, a 5" frame that takes all the best bits from the Sugar Glider and scales them up into a perfectly balanced True-X frame that flies great and really goes exactly where you point it.
I have kept all the same features like the substantial camera protection and round arm ends so that expensive components like the Camera and Motors receive the maximum protection possible.
Because the 5" builds can handle it, and because everyone likes HD footage, I have integrated a GoPro mount into the camera guards that holds the GoPro at the same 35° nominal camera angle as the FPV cam. The FPV cam can be raised or lowered in angle from 20-65° to and still benefit from excellent protection, this is perfect for beginners and experienced pilots alike.
The cam guards not only stop the camera from being damaged if you run into something, but also stop the lens getting dirty in rollovers and prevent some of that gunk getting flicked off the props from getting on the lens.
There are two battery strap slots and the frame is designed so that when a GoPro is installed the battery is pushed backward and the rearward shift of the battery counteracts the added weight of the GoPro, maintaining the perfect balance of the quad and introducing as little change in flying characteristics as possible.
With a standoff height of 25mm the height of the top plate is the perfect compromise of making sure the centre of gravity is in the best place possible and making sure that in the event of a crash the battery can't slip sideways into the propellers.
Even when not running a HD cam, I use both battery straps and the battery always stays exactly where I put it.
The top mount battery and axial GoPro mounting position, mean the Centre of Gravity is perfectly inline with the props resulting in the most neutral balance and flying behavior possible. In short, by having excellent balance your motors are not compensating for poor component placement when flying but only reacting to inputs that you provide. This provides a quad that flies like its on rails, goes exactly where you point it, and is incredibly easy to tune.
4mm replaceable interlocking arms take an absolute beating but can be quickly changed out should you find yourself coming into contact with a stationary object at warp speed. The full round end on the arm is not the most weight efficient design, but provides the best protection for the motors and means there are no stress concentrating points that will snag or dig in, in the event of a crash.
Being a full round also means that impacts are spread over a larger area and this prevents the delaminated and split ends that are all to often seen in frames where this is not considered.
A couple of pilots have been pretesting the frame with me, and based on their feedback I have integrated some design changes to make sure that the Fox is as dialled and ready as possible before making it available to purchase, there are a couple of changes to the frame that have been integrated since the photos above have been taken:
- Camera angle fastening slots to suit both Runcam and Foxeer style cameras have been added to the camera guard sideplates.
- The opening in the sideplates for the FC has been enlarged front to back to allow for easier mounting of FC's with integrated PDB's and 4in1 ESC's.
- There have been more openings added in the sideplates to make cable routing easier if your PDB is designed for front to back wiring layout.
Overall the Fox is designed to be the best handling all rounder frame possible, concentrating on being tough and resilient and providing the best and most flexible flying experience possible. It can happily be raced just as much as taken up in the air and freestyled, I prefer to have one quad that can do everything well rather than something that is specifically specialised toward one genre of flying whether that is racing or freestyle.
Check out the RC Groups thread for the Fox Here: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2922176-Flying-Fox-Perfectly-Balanced-True-X-for-great-performance%21#post37907264
2.1 revision - Sideplate profile modified to allow access to usb with FC's that have centered connectors. FC's can be mounted on either the top or bottom plate.
I highly reccomend checking out this forum thread for this frame: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro
Thanks to the purchasers of the first version that are active in the RC Goups thread, this frame has been built buy multiple users with a range of components, thougroughly tested and flies great. This is the updated 2nd version using feedback from the initial builds. The frame is largely unchanged with a few small alterations to allow more flexibility of component mounting and clearance for props from different manufacturers. This version has now been recieved and built by multiple users and flies great.
This frame has been specifically designed to be a no compromise micro. Agile and tough with extra protection for fragile elements like the camera and lens. This is a very realistic alternative to a 5" for everyday flying, acro and racing with friends. Specific attention has been payed to making sure the CoG and Centre of rotation/leverage are aligned with the FC for optimal flight characteristics.
Check out the RC Groups thread where you can follow the development of the Sugar Glider from its initial release, see videos of it flying, and the frame can be discussed. Info will be put up there and I will be monitoring it regularly to help with any questions or queries, check it out here: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro
I have also created a Build Guide to cover some of the tricks to getting the frame together and built as smoothly as possible, even if you haven't bought one yet, feel free to check it out and you'll get a better feel for the frame. The Build guide is applicable to both frame versions with only a few areas of filing different for the V2. Once I recieve my own frames I will create an updated build guide.
Build Guide can be downloaded here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-lQW3qUweQPQmVFRW5lX19wbzg
Note this is the Version 1 of the Sugar Glider frame design - Version 2 has now been released and has improvements to make the frame even better, thanks to the feedback of all the purchasers that are active on the RCgroups thread. Check out the thread here: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro
Sugar Glider 120mm
This frame has been specifically designed to be a no compromise micro. Agile and tough with extra protection for fragile elements like the camera and lens. This is a very realistic alternative to a 5" for everyday flying, acro and racing with friends. Specific attention has been payed to making sure the CoG and Centre of rotation/leverage are aligned with the FC for optimal flight characteristics.
This Frame has now been built and thougroughly tested and flies great. I have created an RC groups page where there are videos of it flying, and the frame can be discussed. Info will be put up there and I will be monitoring it regularly to help with any questions or queries, check it out here: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro
I have also created a Build Guide to cover some of the tricks to getting the frame together and built as smoothly as possible, even if you haven't bought one yet, feel free to check it out and you'll get a better feel for the frame.
Build Guide can be downloaded here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-lQW3qUweQPQmVFRW5lX19wbzg
Updated Sideplate for Flying Fox Frame, revised opening around FC to better suit integrated PDB/FC's with more open design to allow easier wire routing in North/South wire configurations of PDB's
Also supports extra screw for camera angle fixing to suit both Runcam and Foxeer camera body designs
Upgraded sideplate design to allow for more flexibility in choice of FC's. Primarily modified to allow the use of FC's with centred connectors including the new Furious FPV Piko BLX F4
This is the upgraded top plate for the new SG-120-V2 frame, the successor to the original SG-120 Sugar Glider. The frame includes numerous updates and developments derived from testing with multiple purchasers and builders. The frame now supports more components and flexibility of component layout, increased prop clearance for all manufacturers of 3" propellers, and reduced deadcat percentage for improved balance and flying characteristics.
Check out the RC-Groups thread for more information: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro
This is the upgraded baseplate for the new SG-120-V2 frame, the successor to the original SG-120 Sugar Glider. The frame includes numerous updates and developments derived from testing with multiple purchasers and builders. The frame now supports more components and flexibility of component layout, increased prop clearance for all manufacturers of 3" propellers, and reduced deadcat percentage for improved balance and flying characteristics.
Check out the RC-Groups thread for more information: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2829953-Sugar-Glider-120mm-No-Compromise-3-Micro