Quick Guide
How to build the silent_runner airship explained fast without tables and formulas:
Steps:
- 1. Tools you need (you probably have almost everything)
- 2. Parts to get (easy to buy in the internet)
- 3. Assembling the parts (simple for everyone who ever built some RC-stuff)
- 4. Ready To Fly Setup (please, try first to fly indoor and attach a string)
Contents
Tools you need
- Soldering tools
- Saw, knife, scissors, gripper, Screwdrivers
- Tape, Glue (Epoxy)
If you´re going to build your own hull depending on how you´re doing it you will need some welding tools and a clean flat surface of at least 2.4 m x 0.4 m.
If you´re going to solder and program the Arduino Pro Mini on your own you´ll need:
- Serial adapter (Arduino Duoemilanove or similar)
- Some Cables (USB-A or similar)
- Arduino Environment
Parts to get
Hull
- 1x silent_runner Envelope (366 l volume, 100 g weight)
If you decide to build the hull on your own, have a look in the detailed Documentation.
RC Electronics
- 2x Brushless Motors (15g weight or smaller)
- 2x Brushless Electronic Speed Controller (10 A or smaller)
- 3x Servos (5g)
- 1x LiPo Battery (2S 7,4V 300mAh, 26g)
- RC Receiver/Sender couple minimum 3 channels
- 2x Propeller (6” counteracting)
- Some servo plugs
- Cables (see wiring for more details)
For shops where you find the electronic parts, have a look in the Links.
Arduino Pro Mini 5V
If you decide to use a programmable RC-Sender, make sure it is capable of controlling a lambda fin layout. In this case you can leave the Arduino out of the system. If you want to solder and program the Arduino on your own you will need the following stuff:
- Some Serial Connection Adapter (Arduino Duelaminove, etc.)
- USB-A cable
- Pin-strips
Structure parts
- 1 m CFK tube (3mm diameter)
- 1 m CFK tube (2mm diameter)
- 0,5m² Depron/Epp (4mm strength)
- 1x Linkage mount (printed)
- 1x Linkage backup 1 (printed)
- 1x Linkage backup 2 (printed)
- 2x Linkage connector (printed)
- 2x Motor mounts (printed)
- 3x Servo mounts (printed)
- 3x Rudder Adapter (printed)
- 3x Rudder Backup (printed)
If you want to build the 3d printed parts on your own by historical handwork, refer to the CAD models for dimensions.
All parts can be downloaded at Thingiverse
Assembling the parts
Electronics and Soldering
Solder the electronics as described in the following scheme. Use light weight wires and accurate cable length depending on your setup. Attach a longer wire to the battery to use it as balancing weight. Be aware that the hull is aluminum coated and can shortcut the electronics if there are bare cables.
Soldering the Arduino
- For soldering the Arduino refer to the Documentation
- Upload the code
- for uploading the code to the Arduino pro mini, refer to the following tutorials depending on the hardware you want to use:
Structure Parts
- Assemble the structure parts according to the full detail 3D model available at thingiverse. For gluing two component epoxy glue works fine for all material used. To attach things to the hull, use TESA or similar sticky tape.
Final setup
- Inflating the hull with the lifting gas.
- Attaching stuff to the hull
- Final Check
- Flight!
