FlightClub Quadcopter Frame: Let's Design the Best FPV Quad

FlightClub Quadcopter Frame

The image above is a design I made last year but never followed through. I just put up this image so this post will have a picture. I think the new frame will have a totally different design. This is NOT the frame I’m working on now.

It’s finally time for FlightClub to start designing and producing quadcopter frames! This is something I’ve wanted to do even before I started FlightClub. The goal was always to channel my inner OCD to develop top of the line quad frames and quadcopter parts.

The goal is to design a frame that is strong, provides good protection for components, easy to build/work on and of course fast. I’ve actually designed several frames in the past but never got past the CAD design stage. The image above is one of many frames I designed last year and never got around to finishing it. Something always came up that halted the project. Marriage, buying/selling a house, business…you know, regular life stuff. So I wanted to make a public post to give me a boost to actually follow through with this project.

So after building and flying all sorts of quads, I have a good idea of what features are good, bad or suck. I’ve come up with a list of important features I want to incorporate into the frame.

Goals

• Sub 80g weight – It’s physics. A high power to weight ratio means a really fast quad.
• Strong frame – I’ll be testing different thickness Carbon fiber and or aluminum to see what works best. Even though I’ve never broken a arm.
• Easy to build and work on – An easy to build frame is a really important feature. If you have a frame that’s too complicated you’ll waste a lot of time doing repairs. I have quads I never bothered to fix after the maiden flight…ahem, Corgi.
• X pattern or long X pattern – Of all the frames I’ve flown, the X pattern gives you the best feel. It works equally well for race or freestyle FPV flying.
• Design for the HS1177 or similar camera with protection – The HS1177 camera form factor is pretty much the standard camera for FPV racing quads.
• Built in recording camera mount for the GoPro or Mobius type cameras.
• Bottom mount battery – this offers the best battery placement for a balanced quad.
• Maybe a rear facing camera so you can see the quads you left behind? ha!

As you can see I’m in the very early stages of the quadcopter frame design process. If you were to have your dream quad, what parts or features would you want? I want to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Together, lets design a quad you’ll love.

BTW I’ll be needing pilots to test the frame. Let me know if you’re interested when I have prototypes.