vibrations caused by the propellers.
As I started to work with the
APM 2. 5 and its new firmware, I
came up with new design
enhancements for the Kronos Flyer.
It's a modular design, so that only
one or all of the enhancements can
be added to the basic Kronos Flyer.
The frame in Figure 4 shows
enhancements to three areas. Let's
take a closer look at these.
KFE is Born
The original design of the Kronos
Flyer was a real challenge. I wanted a
frame that could be built with basic
materials and tools. This way, anyone
could recreate what I call "the
reference frame" shown in Figure 3.
I also wanted to be able to add
enhancements or upgrades to the
designs that were a bit more
sophisticated. These upgrades would
take the basic frame to a whole new
level. I call the enhanced craft the KFE
for "Kronos Flyer Enhanced."
FIGURE 4.
shown in Figure 7 which was designed specifically
for the APM 2. 5+ system.
One of the problems with many other
platforms is the lack of room for mounting all your
components. This platform has room for mounting
the APM 2. 5+, GPS, telemetry radio, FPV radio,
FPV camera, and GoPro camera — all on the inside
of the isolation platform. This leaves the top
available for mounting any size battery —
everything from the three-cell 2,200 mAh battery
shown in Figure 8, to the four-cell 5,000 mAh
battery shown in Figure 9.
You might be asking, why did you mount the
battery on top of the isolation platform? The
answer is simple: It adds to the mass of the
isolation platform. This extra mass keeps even
more of the vibrations from transferring from the
main platform to the isolation platform.
The isolation platform is made from 1/8" Baltic birch
plywood. I had thought of using G10 fiberglass, but the ply is
lighter, stiffer, and easier to work with than G10. The
isolation platform has a stiffened support platform that
FIGURE 7.
attaches directly to the original Kronos Flyer platform.
The support platform is tied to the upper isolated
platform via four isolation bobbins. These bobbins, plywood,
and added mass make for a vibration-free platform.
FIGURE 8.
FIGURE 9.
SERVO 04.2013 39