My Predator MQ-9B 12' build
06-19-2011, 02:30 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Montréal, QC, CANADA
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Predator MQ-9B 12' build
Hi everyone !
I'm curently building a predator, its going to have a 12' wingspan, not sure yet about the engine, around 40-50cc, maybe electric too, i even found some hydrogen fuel cell (but need $$$). It will be in fiber glass, with a balsa plywood frame.
On the long term its going to be flight via arduino autopilot.
But first of all ! lets build it, im now doing my plug.
I might need some advice for the wing airfoil style.
Give me comments and hint.
I know that the predator normal doesnt fly very well but I DONT CARE ! love the plane.
Also ill need an experimented pilot to fly it when it will be finish (probably next summer) im in montreal.
Ill post more picture this week, the foam have just been glued, should carve it tomorrow.
I'm curently building a predator, its going to have a 12' wingspan, not sure yet about the engine, around 40-50cc, maybe electric too, i even found some hydrogen fuel cell (but need $$$). It will be in fiber glass, with a balsa plywood frame.
On the long term its going to be flight via arduino autopilot.
But first of all ! lets build it, im now doing my plug.
I might need some advice for the wing airfoil style.
Give me comments and hint.
I know that the predator normal doesnt fly very well but I DONT CARE ! love the plane.
Also ill need an experimented pilot to fly it when it will be finish (probably next summer) im in montreal.
Ill post more picture this week, the foam have just been glued, should carve it tomorrow.
06-19-2011, 10:40 PM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Houston,
TX
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: My Predator MQ-9B 12' build
Hmmm...interesting build. Sounds pretty cool...
I built a prop version of the U2 a while back and it had a wingspan of almost 9 feet. I used a thunder tiger pro .36 for power. Because of the light wing loading I didn't need much power. You may have the same situation with your project. You'll need enough power to get off the ground but be careful about over powering your model with a high aspect ratio wing. My model weighed a little over 7lbs and I had to make sure the engine would idle low enough so I could land the model. At times the motor wouldn't idle low enough and it made it difficult to land properly.
I built a prop version of the U2 a while back and it had a wingspan of almost 9 feet. I used a thunder tiger pro .36 for power. Because of the light wing loading I didn't need much power. You may have the same situation with your project. You'll need enough power to get off the ground but be careful about over powering your model with a high aspect ratio wing. My model weighed a little over 7lbs and I had to make sure the engine would idle low enough so I could land the model. At times the motor wouldn't idle low enough and it made it difficult to land properly.
06-20-2011, 02:27 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Montréal, QC, CANADA
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: My Predator MQ-9B 12' build
Hi guys !
Funworks : thanks for the advice on power, i plan to have a very high aspect ratio wings, almost like a glider, so ill take care about the power, but not sure about the final weight yet.
Here's 2 picture of my first carving day, coming together faster than i though ! Yay !
Funworks : thanks for the advice on power, i plan to have a very high aspect ratio wings, almost like a glider, so ill take care about the power, but not sure about the final weight yet.
Here's 2 picture of my first carving day, coming together faster than i though ! Yay !
06-23-2011, 10:51 AM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Montréal, QC, CANADA
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: My Predator MQ-9B 12' build
More picture, the first step of the fuselage carving is now done. next will be the finishing with bondo and then the fiberglass.
Its not perfectly straigt, ill have to figure something out when ill fiberglass it, the material used for the bulkhead wasnt strong enough ... :S
Next step is working on the tail and router (no plan for that part ill have to do it myself by hand) and the wing support.
One of my friend is supposed to send my plan to a bombardier's engineer to confirm my wing airfoil so i can begin to work on them.
That's about it !
Its not perfectly straigt, ill have to figure something out when ill fiberglass it, the material used for the bulkhead wasnt strong enough ... :S
Next step is working on the tail and router (no plan for that part ill have to do it myself by hand) and the wing support.
One of my friend is supposed to send my plan to a bombardier's engineer to confirm my wing airfoil so i can begin to work on them.
That's about it !
06-23-2011, 07:54 PM
#5
Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Prosser,
WA
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: My Predator MQ-9B 12' build
Interesting build. Iam currently working with an arduino project myself. I have had a couple semi-successfull flights. I am working on getting it tuned right now to fly the mission the way I think it should fly. Right now its overshooting and I'm having some altitude issues (keeps climbing). I've made some changes and now just waiting for weather to go fly again. As for arduino controlling the plane I can fly in stabilize mode, put the plane into several unusual attitudes and it will recover to straight and level flight every time.
