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MultiWii PhlatCopter

Discussion in '* Scratch Built Section *' started by firetrappe, Jan 27, 2011.

  1. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    Hi Guys,

    A couple of weeks ago I found out about the Multirotor Copters people have been building using the gyro and accelerometer circuit boards from Nintendo Wii controllers. I’ve always fancied flying an RC heli, but the closest I ever got was one of the little Picoo-z IR toys. Being a bit impulsive I read a few posts on RCG and ordered all the electronic components required to build the main circuit board. It was only when they arrived I thought about how I was going to put them all together and make them work!

    I was using this thread by Kinderkram on RCG as my build guide : http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1332876 which has all the info needed to build one of these Copters. Kinderkram connected all his electronics together with jumper wires, but I really wanted a more elegant solution.
    There are several companies offering circuit boards (shields) for mounting all the electrickery onto but being impatient I decided I’d try and make my own shield using my trusty phlatprinter. I had a couple of sheets of copper-clad fibreglass board (which I use for cutting motor mounts for my shockies) so I figured I might stand a chance using these. A few hours spent searching the internet and I found a DXF file for a MultiWii Shield on this German page :
    http://www.flugwiese.de/index.php/projekte/41-schaummodelle/112-murkelcopter This is a design by a guy who goes by the name of Warthox on RCG and the shield is also commercially available (photo here: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3645130). The smallest cutting bit I have is a 0.8mm chipbreaker which I use for cutting 3mm depron, I tested the DXF file using this but the tracks left on the board were way too thin. With a bit of adjustment of the file (making the tracks as wide as possible) I managed to cut an acceptable MultiWii shield! :eek:




    I assembled all the electronics onto the board and when I plugged it into the pc and followed the instructions in the build guide it worked (I nearly fell off my chair at this point!). :D

    The next day I started designing a simple frame layout to mount everything to. It basically consists of 4 fibreglass discs the same diameter as the shield. The first (below the shield) houses the Wii Nunchuck board and my Rx, then next one separates the positive and negative wires from the ESCs and LEDs. The final 2 protect and secure the 3S1000 lipo.





    I’ve attached my Sketchup file to the bottom of this post which has a 3D model of my frame which you can take dimensions from if you’re interested. Also included are the cutfiles for the MultiWii shield and the other discs I cut for my frame. Please note that the Centerline cuts will need reworking for anyone that wants to try cutting one, they are set to 100% at the moment. As I am using an original Phlatprinter I tape the fibreglass to the top of 3mm depron and cut through the depron and the fibreglass in a single pass. My MK1 is not particularly accurate when cutting small holes so I ‘peck-drill’ the larger holes and then enlarge them with my drill press to finish the parts. You may want to add some tabs too.
    I’ve also included the original DXF file that I used for the shield for anyone that has a proper PCB routing bit.

    Here’s a quick video of the first test flight of my Quad. I’ve added some expo since as it was a bit twitchy.



    Below is a list of links which show the parts that I used for this project. All my parts were sourced from the UK, but I have listed links to the equivalent equipment from US suppliers and Hobbyking for my friends across the pond.

    RC Parts (UK Sources)

    Hobbywing 10A ESCs : http://www.giantcod.co.uk/hobbywing-10a ... 03317.html
    1088kv Motors : http://www.giantcod.co.uk/220550t-1088k ... 02415.html
    Alternative Motors : http://www.giantcod.co.uk/keda-2050s-10 ... 03903.html
    Gaui 8x4 Prop Sets : http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/advance ... ps&x=0&y=0

    Electronic Components (UK Sources)

    Arduino Pro Mini Microprocessor : http://proto-pic.co.uk/products/Arduino ... 16MHz.html
    FTDI 5V Breakout Board (for programming the Arduino) : http://proto-pic.co.uk/products/FTDI-Ba ... 52d-5V(New).html
    Jumper Wires (connect shield to rx) : http://proto-pic.co.uk/products/Jumper- ... of-10.html
    Break Away Headers (2 strips required) : http://proto-pic.co.uk/products/Break-A ... aight.html
    Wii Nunchuck Clone : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-NUNCHUK-NUN ... 463wt_1139
    Wii Motion Plus Clone : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 458wt_1139

    RC Parts (US/Int'l Sources)

    Turnigy Plush 10A ESCs : http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=4204
    Turnigy 1088kv Motors : http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=5685
    Alternative Motors : http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/stor ... oduct=4699 m -->
    Gaui 8x4 Prop Sets : http://www.allerc.com/helicopter-parts- ... 4_159.html

    Electronic Components (US/Int'l Sources)

    Arduino Pro Mini Microprocessor : http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9218
    FTDI 5V Breakout Board (for programming the Arduino) : http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9716
    Jumper Wires (connect shield to rx) : http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8430
    Break Away Headers (2 strips required): http://www.sparkfun.com/products/116

    I hope you find this project interesting, it’s been really strange building an RC model without any servos! Now I’ve just got to learn to fly it smoothly :nervous:

    I'm sure you guys with the Phlatformer could make some superb canopies for these things.

    Si.
    Attached files [​IMG] MultiWii PhlatCopter.skp (2.1 MB)Â [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  2. KX-5

    KX-5 Member

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    WOW! An awesome project! I can't relate to flying something like this, but, your first flight looked more stable than a lot of regular type airplanes. How much run time can you get out of the 1000mah lipos?
     
  3. Flashsolutions

    Flashsolutions Active Member

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    Wow! A flying buzz saw! I can just see me flying that. :nervous: You wouldn't want to be around, trust me. :gamer4:

    That is cool though!
     
  4. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    This is a fantastic project Si! and the fact that you made the connection board itself is simply awesome! :doubleup:
    Great job on this Project :D Thank you for sharing
    Mark and Trish
    P.S. Any idea on the cost of this project Si?
     
  5. blindflight

    blindflight Moderator Staff Member

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    Very nice project! I have to find out more about that "Wii"
     
  6. iGull

    iGull Member

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    Great Project Si, well done !!

    Outstanding birdsong emulation too, it could almost be real :D

    CNC trace cutting on PCBs can be a real PITA, especially trying to keep the depth under control - doing this on a phlatprinter is nothing short of amazing - superb!

    Cheers

    Neil
     
  7. rjarois

    rjarois Moderator Staff Member

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    firetrappe, very nice work on the control board...very clever that you decided to cut the mounting board yourself....way to go, good job..randy.
     
  8. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    Thanks for all the nice feedback guys :good:
    KX-5, I set my timer for 5 minutes when i'm flying gently in the garden. I've flown it with a 3S2200 pack and although it feels a bit heavier it still flies really well with plenty of power. The 4 motors pull 20A at WOT.
    Flashsolutions, LOL, that's a pretty accurate description! I'm thinking of cutting a foam surround/body for the props to make it a bit less menacing. It's nowhere near as scary as my friends Trex 700e, those blades make me nervous even when it's not got a lipo in it :nervous:
    kram242, I've just done some quick math and i've worked out that the motors and esc's cost £88 ($140) and the rest of the project, excluding the rx and lipo cost £63 ($100) for the electronics and raw materials. That's at UK prices including 20% tax. The electronics are capable of running a Bi, Tri, Quad, Hex, or Octocopter so it's pretty versatile.
    blindflight
    , & rjarois
    , I thought you guys might like this project. The MultiWii system is developing at an amazing speed at the moment. I looked at using gyros or different pre-built Copter boards, but building everything from scratch always gives me more satisfaction.
    iGull
    , Getting the cutting depths right for cutting the traces took a bit of trial and error (which is why I suggested people re-do the centerline cuts etc). I worked it out by cutting some test boards using depron and watching how far the bit was protruding from the foam when it cut. Once I thought it was about right I taped the circuit board material over the cutout in the depron and ran the gcode again without adjusting anything.

    If anyone tries building one of these then i'll try and help with any questions that people might have.

    Si.
     
  9. janbjorn

    janbjorn Member

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    Great news that the build guide is working so good. I'm right behind you on this project because I got the last pieces to start my own build just the other day. Right now I'm working on getting my tabletop CNC to work good enough to cut the PCB. It is really amazing at which speed the Quad's are developed. Do you have the nunchuck sensors for auto leveling?
     
  10. MartinT

    MartinT Member

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    Wow! :eek: What a spectacular build!
     
  11. 7up

    7up Moderator Staff Member

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    Impressive indeed!
     
  12. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    janbjorn, Great news that your building a similar copter! Make sure you let me know how you get on, maybe we can compare our settings?
    Yes, I have the Nunchuck (NK) board so that I can switch the autolevel on via my tx. My quad is based on an aerobatic design and having never flown one before I wanted the autolevel feature as it's supposed to make the copter fly more like a coaxial heli.

    For those who don't know what i'm talking about, here's a good demo video showing how the NK autolevel feature works :
    [vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/15076837[/vimeo]

    The quad in this video is the same size and uses the same components as i'm using, this one doesn't have the NK board installed and shows how maneuverable it can be in the right hands :
    [vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/17493511[/vimeo]

    Si.
     
  13. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    It's just a matter of time before I make one of these. Very cool stuff!
     
  14. ewo

    ewo Moderator Staff Member

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    I love it. Great job Si ! :D
     
  15. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    Thanks Shaun and Bruce.

    The same guy who created the DXF file for the circuit board I used (http://www.flugwiese.de/index.php/projekte/41-schaummodelle/112-murkelcopter) has also designed a pretty cool frame which can be cut from 2mm plywood. I've just pulled it into Sketchup and thought i'd post the file here incase anyone fancies cutting one.
    I'm not sure my basic Mk1 could cope with cutting this, but i'm sure the P would munch its way through 2mm plywood pretty easily.


    Attached files [​IMG] Quad frame.skp (1.1 MB)Â
     
  16. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    Cool frame. I bet 1/16" ply would work good for that too.
     
  17. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    :shock: Si that has to be some of the coolest quad copter flying I have seen yet! That was awesome brother! :D
    One question, different from the pictures you posted above are the the only things that you added was the wire hoops landing skids to the arms to keep the circuits off the ground?
    Great job! :doubleup:
    Mark and Trish
     
  18. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    Shaun, 1/16" ply would be great for that frame, it'd just need the tabs and slots made slightly smaller in the SU file. I think one made from 1/16" (1.6mm) glass fibre sheet would be cool too although it would be heavier.

    Mark, The 2 videos in my post above aren't of me or my quad i'm afraid. The first is just a demo I found which shows the difference between using just gyros (WMP) or gyros and accelerometers (WMP+NK). The second video is of a guy (Warthox) flying a quad that has the same specs as mine. I wish I was THAT good! :)

    Si.
     
  19. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    A friend of mine brought out the parrot AR drone quad copter today. It's the one that uses the Iphone for control. That thing is super cool. All it made me do is want to build a quad copter even more now lol. I really like the looks of the Arduino wii setup.
     
  20. TigerPilot

    TigerPilot Well-Known Member

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    firetrappe, I didn't have any luck with the downloaded dxf for the circuit board. Can you, please, post the g-code file and maybe the dxf or what ever you used to make the g-code from?
     
  21. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    Shaun, It was the AR drone that got me interested in Quads too. A friend of mine bought one to an indoor meeting just before Christmas and I was blown away! That thing is super stable and easy to fly. Unfortunately I don't have an Iphone and somehow it doesn't seem right using a phone instead of a tx. I figured that if this project was a total disaster then i'd still have the motors and esc's to use in normal planes so I wasn't risking too much.

    Yoram, I struggled with that DXF file too! The only software I had which would open it was Adobe Illustrator, even then it imported at the wrong size :roll: . If you open the SU file in my first post then the disc which hasn't got any phlatscript lines applied to it is that DXF file. The only difference is that I flipped/mirrored it for cutting on my Mk1.
    If you'd like to try cutting one and need the circuit board gcode modified to suit your machine then let me know what you need changing and i'll try my best to help.

    Si.
     
  22. ToxicToast

    ToxicToast Down in the weeds. Staff Member

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    Awesome awesome awesome. Thats all I can say, Si. Some time this year, I'll go down this path myself. Thanks for paving the way!
     
  23. janbjorn

    janbjorn Member

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    A question for Si:
    How do you power your NK?
    Next to the power supply pins of my NK it is written 3.3V on the circuit board, and I'm kind of hung up on how to make the power supply and level converter interfaces if the NK uses 3.3V and the rest of the stuff runs on 5V :questions:
    How does your NK work?
     
  24. firetrappe

    firetrappe Member

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    Jan, The NK is powered via the WMP (in pass-through mode) from the D12 pin of the Pro Mini. D12 is a 5v output but in reality it is less than 5V. The WMP's have an onboard voltage regulator which reduces the voltage to the gyros to 3.3V. I've done a LOT of reading on this subject and I haven't heard of anyone having issues running a NK this way. It is possible to use diodes and external pull-up resistors to drop the voltage from D12 down to 3.3V but this is only necessary when using other 3.3V sensors.

    If you have left the ribbon cable and socket on your WMP then you can test a NK by plugging it in to this before dismantling it and removing the board.



    There are so many Wii clone controllers out there that use different boards and chips (even original controllers have been found to have different boards inside), that it's almost impossible to write a definitive guide for wiring them up. It's known as the 'Wii Lottery' over on RCG. I have saved images and wiring diagrams for most of the different boards though, so if you get stuck then just ask.

    Hope this helps,
    Si. Attached files [​IMG]
     
  25. janbjorn

    janbjorn Member

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    Ah, yes of course I could try it that way. I still have all connectors left so that will not be any problem.

    Yeah, I have also read alot on the subject, but haven't found the "truth" and I guess that's because there is no single truth to be found...

    Thanks alot!
     

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