Build the
Kronos Flyer
by Michael Simpson
Part 1: Introduction
into Multi-Rotors
FIGURE 1.
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I started playing with R/C helicopters a while back, and was always
interested in automating them in one way or another. However, it wasn’t
until multi-rotor craft started to become prevalent that I really took a
serious interest.
One of the very first articles I wrote for Nuts & Volts was back in 2002. It
was about my Kronos Crawler. This time, we’re going to build the Kronos
Flyer. The Kronos Flyer is a quadcopter. That is to say it has four stationary
motors that drive four fixed pitch props. The onboard computer controls
the speed of the props, thus allowing you to control the yaw, pitch, and
roll of the copter electronically.
Whether your desire is to build an automated craft or to fly an FPV (First
Person View) craft, you have to crawl before you can walk, run, or fly. It is
important for you to be able to take control of the craft in an emergency.
In this five part series, I will show you how to build and tune a
quadcopter that can take a pounding. Why does it need to take a
pounding? Because you are going to crash. A lot. Some crashes will be
minor, others will be horrific. Flying a quad is not easy.
36 SERVO 11.2012
Why Build
Your Own?
If you make the booms
and platform parts yourself,
the Kronos Flyer will cost you
about $200 to build. I urge
you to do this because you
will end up with extras that
you can use to build another
quad or replace broken parts.
For instance, the
aluminum C-channel comes
in 96" lengths from most
home centers. It’s priced
around $11 and will yield 11
booms. You only need four
to start, so that makes for a
lot of replacements.
