RCExplorer Tricopter 2.6 NoHV Build

This is going to be my Build Log about my Tricopter 2.6. It is going to be a NoHV, so a 3 cell instead of a  4 cell
setup. But I'll be following David's Plans and Guides in building it.

The parts I will be using are:

- T-Motor 2216-900kV motors
- T-Motor 18Amp SimonK ESCs
- 10x10mm wooden booms
- M3x30 bolts
- M3x16 bolts
- M3 locknuts
- 1.5mm CFK for the Tricopter Body
- 1mm Plywood for the camera Mount
- 1mm Steel-wire
- 4mm Crabon rod
- MultiWii Crius SE v0.2
- Power Distribution Board from Flyduino.net
- Spektrum AR8000
- Hitec HS-5055MG Digital Servo for the Yaw Mechanism
- 10x4.5 CFK reinforced SloFly Props

And a lot of other parts which I had lying around in my Workshop like:
- 4mm Plywood
- 3.5mm bullet connectors
- Nylon distancers in different lengths
- and a lot of zip-ties

Now lets get started with the build.

A friend of mine cut all the required parts with his CNC mill for me since there were a lot of parts to cut. I already
bent the wires for the camera mount. I would have loved to buy the parts from Flitetest, but unfortunately i can't
get them shipped to germany.

All the bolts and tools required to build the frame.

Cleaned all the edges of the CNC cut parts since the CFK parts still had razor sharp edges.

Mounted the rear part of the camera mount. I chose 37.5cm for the armsas David did with his latest build.

The front arms and the front part of the CM mounted.

The frame is done. I already mounted the landing skids which i am going to change later on.

Time to start the Camera mount.

Everything glued and clamped down to dry.

Mounted on the frame with the velcro strap for my GoPro for FPV.

I shortened the bolts. They were far too long, but i couldn't get 20m bolts so i had to shorten the 30mm ones.

Installed the ESCs and Motors on the front arms. At first I spiralled the motorleads around the arms. Later I found
that I built myself an electromagnet by doing that. 

Power distribution board already with some of the connections soldered.

Contolboard and reciever mounted on top. In the beginning I wanted to use the TM1000 for telemtry, but discarded
that idea because of lack of space. 

Video transmitter mounted on th rear arm.

So far so good. I was still waiting for some parts to finish the yaw mechanism.

Changed the motor wiring.

Now for the yaw mechanism. I started by widening the holes on one part.

Jammed the 4mm Carbon rod inside.

Shortened the rod and sanded it flush.

Installed the servo horn on the mechanism.

Time to prepare the servo. I cut of the ''wing'' that was closest to the main gear for mounting.

I glued a piece of plywood underneath the servo to elevate it to the perfect height.

And installed on the rear arm.

Just as David, i had to make an adapter plate for my motor to fit on the yaw mechanism.

Done.

At first i didn't want to cut the motor wire but then i decided to do it at last.

Just soldering the last connections so that everything gets the power it needs.

As i said earlier, I changed the landing skids after running into some troubles. Everytime my Multiwii board initia-
lised it moved the servo rapidly, resulting in the Tricopter oscilating atop of its skids. Because of that i made a
sturdier version. 

Now everything is finished. I moved the reviecer to the front of the Tricopter and the satelite reciever underneath the
frame, along with some other minor changes.

This is my sort of complete build log of my Tricopter.
Since this is my first article/build log please fell free to post comments and suggestions towards things i didn't
mention in my article or things i could change on my Tri to make it better.

Thanks in advance,

Nicolas from Germany

PS: Since the weather in my area is quite bad, a video will be following when the weather allows it.