[TC15] Aston Martin Volante Vision (concept aircraft)

[kodlovag]

The first question was obvious, what to build. I was sure, that I don't want to make a regular aircraft, so I searched google for concept aircrafts. And I very quickly found this Aston Martin concept aircraft. A kind of luxury flying car.

It seems completely impossible to accurately copy it, but a similar concept aircraft seems possible to me with working functions. I'm currently planning to build the aircraft with the cabin glass of the Slave I, and also trying to add some PF motors. And also trying to limit it's size, I don't like to build huge things. Packing everything to a limited volume is more challenging. Not very much decided yet, just the fact that I will try the AM Volante.

 

[Jurss]

Where is development pictures? Now it just "reserving an idea".

[kodlovag]

I'm following my usual building method, starting with the LDD design.

This is what I have so far. Selected the propellers for the front and the back. There is a mechanism for turning the rotors from vertical to horizontal powered by a servo motor, and the driving axles for the rotors. Currently I'm trying to shape the wings, it will be harder, than I expected.

Edited December 3, 2018 by kodlovag
Forgot to add the image

[kodlovag]

I upgraded the propeller tilting mechanism. Now turning the front propellers to vertical direction for takeoff and landing, also automatically opens the landing legs at the end of the wings.

[pagicence]

I would say that so far your idea is the most original one.

[Rudivdk]

Looking good, especially with that canopy part. Interesting functions, not like the average airplane. Will be following this one. Good luck!

[kodlovag]

On 12/5/2018 at 1:05 AM, pagicence said:

I would say that so far your idea is the most original one.

Thank you. I was not even thinking in existing airplanes, concept aircrafts are more interesting. The ones, which can be there in the near future. Furthermore it has the advantage, that you do not need to exactly copy the shape, that anybody can recognize it; it's enough that it looks good and provides a plausible way to fly.

On 12/5/2018 at 9:06 AM, Rudivdk said:

Looking good, especially with that canopy part. Interesting functions, not like the average airplane. Will be following this one. Good luck!

The canopy was the very first part I selected for the aircraft. This sets the scale of the aircraft.

I continued to develop the plane. I worked on it until late night, so I had no time to take an image and share it, so no new progress picture today. Currently I'm working on shaping the circular rotor hole on the back of the plane with the vertical stabilizers. The plane starts to look better, than I ever expected.

It's actually quite interesting that I previously considered the bent liftarms are totally useless, while in this design I already used many bent liftarms.

I also have a new idea. The plane only have one pair of flaps(?), so the elevator and the aileron should be combined. Now I'm thinking on a mechanism how to combine controls. Normally, in model airplanes this function is done in the controller by electronics, but of course the PF controllers can not do any similar. But I think that the aileron and elevator controls can be combined mechanically by differential gears too. I hope this can be done in limited size, because I'm running out of space. The PF electronics occupies a lot of space, and I don't have BuWizz to save space.

The planned functions for the final model are:

• Spinning rotor and propellers, PF M-motor
• Tilting front propellers with synchronized landing legs, PF servo
• Speed control and fine tilt control with the train's PF speed controller
• Mixed aileron + elevator, manual (HoG + pilot handle)
• Rudder, manual (HoG + pilot handle)

Uh... Long list. I'm back to work...

[Rudivdk]

For the mixed flaps mechanism, I think you should check out how a tank subtractor works, you could use that principle to control aileron and elevator movement with just 1 pair of flaps.

[kodlovag]

On 12/6/2018 at 1:31 PM, Rudivdk said:

For the mixed flaps mechanism, I think you should check out how a tank subtractor works, you could use that principle to control aileron and elevator movement with just 1 pair of flaps.

I searched the web for tank subtractor, and I found good references at Sariel's web page. These subtractors are very similar to my preliminary idea. However, mostly using the old differential, which I have only one. But I learned the principle, and I think, finally fully understood the differential gears, and could create my own optimized solution. Looks rather simple and elegant, only drawback is that the outputs to the flaps are pointing sideways. But any other solutions with outputs backward are far more complicated, because the elevator input cannot be attached in a compact way.

One side I'm happy with the control mixer, on the other side I have serious problems. I put the M-motor, the servo, the IR receiver and the battery box to the LDD model, and they occupy more space, than available in the aircraft. And the control mixer uses the same space, as the servo. So some of the functionalities have to be sacrificed. I really want the motor to drive the propellers, so I also need the battery box. If I drop out the servo, than the IR receiver is not really necessary either. But without the servo, I have no idea haw to make the rotor tilt mechanism working on both sides. Still the best idea to drop the servo... And I still have no chassis in the cockpit. Sigh. More sigh.

Finally, this is how the aircraft looks now.

Edited December 7, 2018 by kodlovag

[Rudivdk]

2 minutes ago, kodlovag said:

they occupy more space, than available in the aircraft.

I feel you, have the same issue in my build... Maybe just wire the motor(s) to an external batterybox, as part of a display stand? Could save some space and provide a way to show all functions without having to hold the plane in your hands...

[kodlovag]

Just now, Rudivdk said:

I feel you, have the same issue in my build... Maybe just wire the motor(s) to an external batterybox, as part of a display stand? Could save some space and provide a way to show all functions without having to hold the plane in your hands...

I forgot to write, but I ended at the same conclusion. I need the display stand, because without the servo, the landing legs won't be able to hold the weight of the aircraft. But I want to add the battery box to the plane, to keep some playability.

[Rudivdk]

A real headbreaker... I hope you get it done, it's an excellent model and deserves that playability part. Good luck in solving the puzzle...

[pagicence]

Or you can just ditch the PF and build it as a manual model. Perhaps that way you will have enough space to incorporate every function that you want, and not have to compromise that much.

[kodlovag]

I made the prototype of the control mixer from real bricks. It works, but the small gears within the differential gear are so slack, that the flaps tilt down by ~10degrees from horizontal in center position, and the elevator movement becomes asymmetric: 10 deg up and 30 down. I have to find out something to center it well...

Furthermore I spent the whole weekend on arranging the PF parts and the control mixer in the plane, and failed. I tried to pack everything behind the seats, and it is just impossible. Any attempts have some serious drawbacks. Then yesterday I have the idea to put the control mixer at tail, directly next to the flaps. Then it is no more a problem that the output axles points sideway, it's just the perfect direction. A long control rod for the elevator will be needed, but all of the somewhat useful early attempts also required long control rods. Additionally, the servo now can be placed behind the seats, there is a lot of free space here, and the M-motor should fit too.

[kodlovag]

Slow progress

[nerdsforprez]

 reminds me of the batwing.....

[kodlovag]

3 hours ago, nerdsforprez said:

 reminds me of the batwing.....

I'm not really familiar with these superhero things... And there were more than one batwings. Probably you are referring to this one, below. But I hope my aircraft is not so futuristic, because it is not permitted by the rules.

Actually, there is some similarity in the shape. As the Batwing is the earlier, maybe it inspired the designers of the Volante Vision Concept. But I think it is just an accident, and maybe the similarity is only from specific viewing directions.

[kodlovag]

Some real progress today. I finished the control system of the aircraft. I had serious problems how to control the rotor tilt and the landing legs. I desperately wanted to add a PF servo to have RC controlled functions, but it simply cannot fit. When I gave up and dropped the servo, things simplified a lot. Now the rotor tilt is manual function, controlled by the pilot. And the best idea today was to use the old 9V System battery box. Much smaller, than any PF battery box, and finally something that could fit easily.

Now I only have to finish the chassis, and make a display stand. I will also check the feasibility of HoG controls.

And finally some pictures of the finished control system. The big 4 x 8 box supposed to be the old 9V System battery box.

[Rudivdk]

Wow, that is a cool control system. I especially like the mixer for the elevons in the rear, very clever compact solution!

Have you built it in bricks already? I worry a bit about possible slack in the control system due to the gears, u-joints and long control axles. Hope it is still controllable, beautiful engineering nontheless

[kodlovag]

On 12/17/2018 at 1:10 PM, Rudivdk said:

Wow, that is a cool control system. I especially like the mixer for the elevons in the rear, very clever compact solution!

Have you built it in bricks already? I worry a bit about possible slack in the control system due to the gears, u-joints and long control axles. Hope it is still controllable, beautiful engineering nontheless

Thanks, I'm happy you like it. Currently I don't have my bricks until the end of the year, so I limited to an outdated version of the LDD (somewhy my parents computer refuses to connect to the lego servers). Earlier I already tried the mixer with the pilot control with real bricks, and it works fine, except the centering will be problematic due to the gear slacking in the differential. But it could work. Otherwise I don't expect any serious problems with the rest of the control system. I checked the model, then counterchecked everything, hopefully I did not miss anything.

This is the current state now, 1045 bricks in total. Actually, more or less finished. I still have to add a PF polarity switch to turn the power on/off, because the button on the battery box is hard to access, and this switch would be accessible without removing the cabin glass. To keep some playability. And I need a stand.

I want to complete the LDD model of the stand next week, then collect the list of missing parts before the end of this year. I expect max 100 missing bricks, mostly cheap parts, only the cabin glass could be problematic. Ordering the missing pieces in the first two weeks of January, then I still have two weeks to build the aircraft and make the video. This is the plan...

[pagicence]

It looks awesome.  I can't wait to see it in real bricks.

[Erik Leppen]

I think this looks really great. I like all the various control surfaces (no idea how each of them is called) and how everything seems to be interconnected. And how they're actually controlled by levers reachable by the pilot(s). I'd really like to see it in real bricks, especially in motion :)

One thing that I'm slightly worried about is the sharp angle of the universal joints used at the sides. They might introduced a lot of slack, and make the rear azure-color-coded control surfaces "hang" or make their movements jerky. I hope that in reality it's acceptable.

Anyhow, great usage of panels and the red-white combo seems to work really well here.

[nerdsforprez]

On 12/15/2018 at 5:33 AM, kodlovag said:

I'm not really familiar with these superhero things... And there were more than one batwings. Probably you are referring to this one, below. But I hope my aircraft is not so futuristic, because it is not permitted by the rules.

Actually, there is some similarity in the shape. As the Batwing is the earlier, maybe it inspired the designers of the Volante Vision Concept. But I think it is just an accident, and maybe the similarity is only from specific viewing directions.

 

I did not mean it in a bad way.... just in that it reminded my of that vehicle. 

 

Terrific updates.  I am equally impressed with this build.  Wonderful idea and not real common so I think it is terrific you decided to take it on.

[syclone]

Wow, that is an incredible and very quick build! However, as Rudivdk mentioned earlier, there is going to slack owing to the cardan joints, even one of them introduces a slack of a few degrees, and adding the slack from the gear systems most probably will reduce the movement angles a bit. Nonetheless, it is really impressive how many functions and design elements were fitted into such a small space, will wait impatiently for the physical model 

[kodlovag]

On 12/24/2018 at 3:20 PM, Xewyz2001 said:

Wow, that is an incredible and very quick build! However, as Rudivdk mentioned earlier, there is going to slack owing to the cardan joints, even one of them introduces a slack of a few degrees, and adding the slack from the gear systems most probably will reduce the movement angles a bit. Nonetheless, it is really impressive how many functions and design elements were fitted into such a small space, will wait impatiently for the physical model 

I hope, there will be no problems. I ordered the 120 missing parts, which is more than I expected. That means design phase is closed, and any unexpected problems (there will be, I'm sure...) must be handled during the building progress with my existing inventory.