Flightory Stallion VTOL User Manual

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General Aircraft Data

The build of this aircraft requires owning the basic version of the Stallion. Modification for VTOL requires reprinting the wings along with all motor mounting components. This instruction manual presents the conversion to the VTOL version. If you are starting to build the aircraft from scratch, refer to the manual for the regular Stallion, which details the construction of the entire aircraft.

A side view of the Flightory Stallion VTOL aircraft.

The aircraft is in the classic trimotor configuration with front tilt motors and one rear fixed motor. Yaw in hover mode is controlled by tilting the front motors. The rest of the aircraft's geometry remains unchanged from the regular Stallion version.

A top-down view of the Stallion VTOL, illustrating its trimotor configuration with two front tilt motors and one rear fixed motor.

Parts List - VTOL

If you have access to a printer capable of printing at high temperatures around 300°C, you may also consider printing with materials containing carbon fiber additives instead of regular PETG, which will further reinforce the components.

Recommended Accessories and RC Equipment

Recommended electronics

Parts Orientation

WING 1 L/R VTOL: 3% cubic subdivision infill.

3D printer build plate showing the Wing 1 L/R VTOL component, oriented for printing with 3% cubic subdivision infill.

WING 2 L/R VTOL: 3% cubic subdivision infill.

3D printer build plate showing the Wing 2 L/R VTOL component, oriented for printing with 3% cubic subdivision infill.

BOOM L/R: 3 walls, 20% cubic infill.

3D printer build plate showing the BOOM L/R component, oriented for printing with 3 walls and 20% cubic infill.

MOTOR MOUNT TAIL: 3 walls, 20% cubic infill.

3D printer build plate showing the MOTOR MOUNT TAIL component, oriented for printing with 3 walls and 20% cubic infill.

MOTOR MOUNT FRONT: 100% infill solid print.

This component is particularly exposed to loads and vibrations and requires printing with full infill. Reinforce this part further by acquiring a small sheet of thin fiberglass cloth and a small amount of epoxy resin. Cut several small pieces, place them on the inner side of this element, paying particular attention to critical areas, and laminate them with resin. Mounts prepared this way have passed tests successfully and can be used in flight without issues.

3D printer build plate showing the MOTOR MOUNT FRONT component, oriented for printing with a 100% infill solid print.

STL and STEP Files

All files in the VTOL PACK are available in STL and STEP format. You can find these files in folders labeled STEP.

Assembly

Tail Motor Assembly

To mount the tail motor, you'll need to remove the tail boom. The correct positioning of the motor is crucial. The motor shaft should be located 195mm from the front end of the tube.

Diagram illustrating the tail boom with the motor shaft positioned 195mm from the front end of the tube.

Take the MOTOR MOUNT TAIL and screw the motor onto it. To mount it, slide it onto the tailboom. Press the M3 threaded insert from one side and insert the M3 screw from the other side. Align the motor properly and tighten the mount on the tail boom to make it stiff and immobile. You'll need to cut a small hole through which you'll route the motor cables inside the boom to the fuselage. This can be done with a drill or a Dremel cutting tool.

Diagram showing the MOTOR MOUNT TAIL attached to the tail boom, with a motor screwed onto it. The process involves sliding the mount onto the tailboom, inserting an M3 threaded insert from one side, and an M3 screw from the other to secure it. A small hole needs to be cut for cable routing.

You can now slide the tail boom into the fuselage and secure it with the M3 screw as usual.

Illustration showing the tail boom slid into the fuselage and secured with an M3 screw.

Front Boom Assembly

To start, screw the motor onto the MOTOR MOUNT FRONT. At this stage, also screw in the M3 screw from the inside of the BOOM as shown in the drawing. Secure it tightly with a nut from the outside. Finally, place a washer. The screw should be about 15mm long.

Diagram of the front boom assembly showing the motor screwed onto the MOTOR MOUNT FRONT. An M3 screw is inserted from the inside of the boom and secured with a nut and washer from the outside. The screw is approximately 15mm long.

Next, insert the servo into the designated slot and secure it with the small screws included in the servo package. Route the cables through the channel running underneath.

Diagram showing the servo inserted into its designated slot within the front boom assembly, with cables routed through an underlying channel.

Now, place the motor in the manner shown in the drawing. Insert the servo horn, which secures the assembly from one side. Route the motor cables directly into the lower channel.

Diagrams illustrating the motor placed onto the front boom assembly, with the servo horn securing it. Motor cables are routed into the lower channel.

Now, on the other side, insert the 3x8x4mm bearing and finally secure it with an M3 nut. This ultimately stabilizes the mounting and ensures smooth movement.

Diagram showing the 3x8x4mm bearing inserted on the other side of the front boom assembly and secured with an M3 nut for stabilization and smooth movement.

Wing Assembly

Now, assemble the entire wing. The assembly process is almost identical to the basic version of the Stallion. Only segments 1 and 2 of the wing have designated places for mounting the motor boom. Segment 3 is the same, and you can also choose whether to mount the LED or not.

Diagram showing the individual segments of the wing (Segments 1, 2, and 3) for assembly. Segments 1 and 2 have designated places for mounting the motor boom. Segment 3 is similar, with an optional mounting point for an LED.

After assembling the wing, firmly glue the Boom in place using CA glue, making sure to do it evenly. Note that when mounting the wing to the fuselage, the main spar will also pass through the Boom, further reinforcing the structure.

Diagram showing the assembled wing with the Boom firmly glued in place using CA glue. The main spar passes through the Boom for structural reinforcement.

Now insert the wings and route all the cables from the motor and servo to the channel in the wing that leads to the fuselage. Repeat the same process with the second wing.

Illustration of the Stallion VTOL with both wings attached. Cables from the motors and servos are routed through the wing channels towards the fuselage.

Finishing Build

At this stage, the entire structure is now ready, and it's time to move on to connecting cables and configuration.

Illustration of the fully assembled Stallion VTOL aircraft, ready for connecting cables and configuration.

Configuration

The recommended software is Ardupilot. Familiarize yourself with the information on the website for the full configuration of Tiltrotor Planes in Ardupilot: https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/guide-tilt-rotor.html. This manual will cover the most important information and parameters.

Tricopter Configuration

Stallion is a tricopter aircraft with two front tilt motors and one fixed rear motor. Yaw control is achieved by tilting the front motors. Select the option with front propellers CW and CCW. The diagram shows the numbering of the motors, which should be used in Mission Planner.

Diagram illustrating the tricopter motor numbering for Ardupilot Mission Planner: Motor 1 (CCW), Motor 2 (CCW), Motor 3 (CW).

Servo Output

This section details the assignment of all channels that can be set at the beginning.

Screenshot of the Ardupilot Servo Output configuration screen, showing channel assignments for Aileron, VTail, Motors, and Tilt Motors.

Main Tilt Rotor Parameters

Q_ENABLE = 1: Enables all options related to quadplane support. Click 'write' and then 'refresh' to see the full list of parameters.

Q_TILT_ENABLE = 1: Indicates the use of tilt motors.

Q_FRAME_CLASS = 7: Selects the tricopter layout.

Q_TILT_MASK = 3: Specifies which motors are to tilt. The number is determined by adding the numbers of the motors together (e.g., front motors 1 and 2 = 1+2=3).

Q_TILT_TYPE = 2: Specifies the tilt type as vectored, meaning yaw in Hover mode is controlled by tilting the front motors.

Q_TILT_YAW_ANGLE = 15: Sets the maximum tilt angle of the motors during yaw operations. 15 degrees is suitable for Stallion, allowing tilt up to 15 degrees beyond neutral. Adjust for desired responsiveness.

Q_TILT_MAX = 45: Specifies the tilt angle of the motors during transition. 45 degrees is the default value for waiting for horizontal flight speed.

Q_TILT_RATE_UP = 15: Determines how quickly motors tilt during transition (degrees per second). 15 degrees/sec means a full transition takes 6 seconds, ensuring a smooth transition. Q_TILT_RATE_DN can be set separately; leaving it at 0 applies the UP rate for both directions.

Q_ASSIST_SPEED = -1: Disables the function where tilt motors assist in generating lift below a certain speed to prevent stalling.

Q_M_PWM_TYPE = 7: Specifies the PWM type for motors. For recommended ESCs supporting DSHOT1200, set to 7. This bypasses manual ESC calibration.

Q_OPTIONS = 163841: Allows selection of additional functions like Level Transition, ThrLandControl, and EnableLandReposition.

ARSPD_FBW_MIN = 12 and ARSPD_FBW_MAX = 25: Specify minimum and maximum speeds (m/s) in automatic throttle modes, crucial for transitions.

Q_TRANSITION_MS = 7000: Determines the time in milliseconds for a full transition after reaching minimum speed. Seven seconds ensure a smooth transition without losing lift.

Q_LAND_SPEED = 20: Sets the descent rate (cm/s) in Q_LAND mode for a gentle descent.

Q_M_BAT_VOLT_MAX = 16.8 and Q_M_BAT_VOLT_MIN = 13.2: Define maximum and minimum battery voltage values for 4S packs, allowing throttle compensation based on battery state.

Further Resources

After setting parameters, the aircraft is ready for flight tests. It is highly recommended to familiarize yourself with the Ardupilot website for comprehensive information on quadplanes, configuration, tuning, and flight modes.

Quadplane General Chapter: https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/quadplane-setup.html

Important Subsections:

• Flight Modes: https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/quadplane-flight-modes.html
• Flying a Quadplane: https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/quadplane-flying.html
• VTOL Tuning: https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/quadplane-first-flight.html
• Quadplane Setup Tips: https://ardupilot.org/plane/docs/quadplane-tips.html