ELEV-8 Quadcopter: ordering, design files, assembly and flight!

[Ken Gracey]

Introduction to the ELEV-8 Quadcopter
Open-source, Propeller-powered flight that may make your wildest dreams of flight come true!

December 3, 2011: the first posts in this thread is where we will maintain updated information about the ELEV-8. Expect these posts to be populated in the next couple of days! Parallax is now assembling ELEV-8s and we expect the first shipments to go out in one week.Details will be provided here. Until Nick, Kevin and I get the details up all we have is a pretty picture (below, not the guy on the left who appears seven times).

[Ken Gracey]

Assembly Tools, Supplies and Additional Hardware
Things the customer should provide before attempting an ELEV-8 build

The following tools are required to build an ELEV-8:

• 1/4" wrench (box-end or socket)
• 11/32 wrench or nut driver
• #1 Phillips screwdriver
• Soldering iron
• Wire strippers (12-16 AWG)
• Wire cutters (12-16 AWG)
• Needle nose pliers
• Heat gun or lighter for melting heat-shrink tubing
• Scissors
• Safety glasses

The following supplies are also required and not included in the kit:

• Solder
• Velcro (for securing R/C receiver to chassis)

The following additional hardware is also required and not included in the kit:

• 6-channel R/C radio. The types of systems we recommend are Spektrum DX6 or Spektrum DX8 2.4 gHz. This is the same frequency as the common 2.4 gHz wireless audio and video links, so you may wish to choose a different frequency.
• 4000 to 4400 mAh 3-cell 30C discharge rate LiPo battery
• LiPo battery charger
• ESC programming card for Turnigy (http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbycity/s...idProduct=2169 which is available domestically, too) *Not required, but makes programming of the ESC's easier and less time consuming.

[Ken Gracey]

Design Files (SolidWorks, eDrawings, DXFs, PDFs)
Download open-source drawings here to assemble ELEV-8 kit or to build your own

Parallax's ELEV-8 design is distributed under Creative Commons 3.0 so you are free to share, change or use these drawings for any use (including commercial) - no approval from Parallax is required. We have provided all of the common formats people may wish to use including the native SolidWorks files. Each drawing format has its own benefits.For simple browsing, download the SolidWorks eDrawings viewer http://www.edrawingsviewer.com/. With this tool you can easily navigate through the various sub-assemblies with the ability to zoom, rotate and modify views. All of the parts may be made with a laser cutter, bandsaw and drill press.

Example of SolidWorks eDrawings

[Ken Gracey]

Bill of Materials (BOM)
Single-level BOM with usage, supplier part numbers, costs and notes in XLS format

Shown below is an XLS version of the internal Parallax manufacturing BOM for ELEV-8. You may use this BOM to identify replacement parts you wish to order or to assist with your own builds and modifications. Common suppliers are shown (like McMaster) though Parallax may purchase these components elsewhere for cost savings.This BOM includes Parallax cost for raw materials but excludes any labor time, machine fixturing costs and machine run time.

[Ken Gracey]

YouTube Videos
First prototype flight inside Parallax, assembly examples and miscellaneous clips

These are listed in the order in which they were filmed. The most recent videos are at the bottom.

[Ken Gracey]

Assembly Instructions
How to put your ELEV-8 together

These are the files that you will use for Assembling your ELEV-8 Quadcopter. You will want to open "ELEV-8 ASSEMBLY GUIDE", and "ELEV-8 ASSEMBLY DOCUMENT" below. They were made to be used together. The Guide is just as it says, a Guide for assembly. It is not step by step directions for assembly, as they are not needed with the amount of information and detail combined between all of the documentation. When you open the .pdf, go to the menu and select VIEW> READ MODE. This will put the doc in order so that the pages will correlate with the step number in the Guide.

The Turnigy ESC Manual had to be split up into two documents due to it's size. You will use the two pages together to program your ESC's using your Transmitter and Receiver, unless you purchased or already have an ESC Programming Card.

Take a look at the docs, and let me know if you have any questions or comments so that I can make any necessary changes before the Kits are available. I dont want a key piece of information to be left out, so take a look and let me know if you have any questions.

-Nick

[Ken Gracey]

Additional Resources for Hoverfly and Quadcopters
Reading these links and watching some videos from others will be very helpful

Content to follow.

[Ken Gracey]

Reserved for history

[Ken Gracey]

And one more just in case. . .

[doggiedoc]

Sign me up for at least one!! I gave up on scratch building mine.

Paul

[Roy Eltham]

I can't wait to see this in a couple days.

[doggiedoc]

I can't wait to see this in a couple days.

Lucky dog.

[ratronic]

Ken I know I've told you allready - I want one of your full kits w/ the HoverFly sport.

[Whit]

Looks great Ken...

[schill]

I'd like to get a kit, too. Looking forward to finding out how to order.

[BR]

This is probably obvious to most folks, but for a complete R/C novice such as myself...would it be possible to add to the BOM a "recommended" or "reference" battery and charger combo that would be appropriate? Voltage, current, capacity, connector type? Ken stated in in the other thread that he uses 3S (11.1V), 4000mAh batteries with EC-3 connector, but nothing about current rating. There was some discussion that a current rating of 35C would be OK? I guess LiPo is the way to go? Could someone point me in the right direction?

Just to say it...other items that should perhaps be on the "user supplied" list?:
Ken called out this motor accessory pack as a good-to-have item
Loctite
Battery strap
Low battery voltage alarm? Or is this overkill?
Anything else I'm forgetting?

We've all been there...nothing more disappointing than getting a new toy, unwrapping it, putting it together...then figuring out that one part is missing or doesn't fit right.

EDIT: just saw post #2 in this thread. Thanks, Ken.

[W9GFO]

50 landing gear out of one 12" x 12" piece of Delrin? How are you doing that? I can't fit more than 40.

[Skoorb]

This is great!

What kind of flight time are you getting?

[schill]

Just to say it...other items that should perhaps be on the "user supplied" list?:
Ken called out this motor accessory pack as a good-to-have item
Loctite
Battery strap
Low battery voltage alarm? Or is this overkill?
Anything else I'm forgetting?

We've all been there...nothing more disappointing than getting a new toy, unwrapping it, putting it together...then figuring out that one part is missing or doesn't fit right.

I agree, an official list like this would be useful - especially if it involves ordering from places that might take longer to deliver. (In fact, I actually logged in to make the same post.)

[Bamse]

Sweet...

I'm putting this one on my X-mas wishlist... ;-)