FPV Wing Racing!

It seems like a long way off, but a few of us have been wondering about trying a slightly different slant on the FPV thing that is becoming popular in the club.  So, this summer, we shall be starting a FPV wing racing competition!  It shall be an informal competition, and the rules have been chosen to deliberately keep the cost as low as possible.  The course will be varied each time we race, but will usually consist of a few flags, and possibly use some natural features of the field to make the circuit up.

The rules are as follows:

• Motor shall be an 18xx size motor.  The stator length and KV rating are up to you.  Common ones are 1806 and 1804 with ratings of around 2300kv-2400kv.
  
• ESC shall be of your choice.  A 12a micro one is recommended.
  
• Prop shall be no larger than 5” diameter.  Pitch can be as you please.
  
• Battery shall either be 2s, 3s or 4s, and can be any capacity that you feel works best.
  
• The wing can be any size, but must be a wing.  Wingspan can be as small or as big as you like.
  
• Servos can be any suitable size.
  
• FPV gear should be limited to 200mW output power max.
  
  

The race will be started by an official judge, whereby everyone shall launch, and then proceed to fly the agreed number of laps around the course (the number of laps will depend on the course layout, which will be agreed before the race).  The winner is the first past the post.  Judges decision is final, and anyone caught deliberately cutting corners, or taking out opponents, shall be disqualified.

A few of us are going to be building hornet fpv wings from flyingwings.co.uk.  These are cheap (£20 for the airframe kit), small and light.  The motors are from makeitbuildit for about £5 each.  Speed controllers will be something like afro 12a from hobbyking.  And batteries will be 3s around 1000mah.  This gives a nice light wing, that is very manoeuvrable, and resistant to impacts!  Perfect for low level, small course racing.  FPV gear should obviously be as small and light as possible.  I’ll be using a fatshark 600tvl camera, and I’m not sure what VTX yet.  I’ll post links when I have decided.

For anyone that fancies a go, but doesn’t want to invest in FPV gear, I’ll be building up a spare airframe.  So you have no excuse not to try it out.  We may even make this one of the official club night competitions in the summer…

Andy

My set up will be

Hornet airframe £20
Emax 1806 £5 http://makeitbuildit.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=75_59&product_id=128
ESC Emax 12amp £9 http://makeitbuildit.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=75_32&product_id=117
Camera and VTX £24.99 http://www.radioc.co.uk/FPV-700tvl-CCD-Camera-200mw-32ch-5-8GHz-Transmit-p/3066.htm

Lipos will be 3s 1000mah that i use on my 250 quad £4 quid each i think

I get that to 58.99 (or 60 quid by the time you have added a pair of 5grm servos) for an FPV ready wing minus your reciver. or £33 if your having a line of sight racer

There are plenty of screens and googles about the club im sure people can use so no need to buy thouse items, good cheep fun!

M

That's a bloody good price for a cam and vtx!

I was going to say we could run some line of sight races too, and do a simple pylon course?

Andy

we should have mono goggles on eye on line of sight and on on fpv

I also like the vtx combo

I've always wanted a monocle.

If we are going to go with that vtx and cam combo, I can print a little housing to make it a bit more rugged. Bare PCBs are asking for trouble IMHO...

Andy

can i have pink housing please.

Ive got one of the VTX as above nice little unit. dont have a cam so cant comment but sure it will be fine for the wings. All powered by a 3s balance plug off of your lipo. Plug and play system.

M

Fantastic. How abut a combined cam and vtx pod for mounting to the LE of the wing then?

I'm going to try and get mine built and reasy to demo at the Feb clubnight by the way. Obviously not fly indoors, but show what you can out together for way less than 100 quid...

do I have to have pink

How about mauve?

Can I have a mix? mauve does sound sweet

Fuchsia is available too...

OOOOOOOOOOh

sounds like it could be abit of a laugh,,

Wing ordered now need find a motor as only got spare 2204s lying around

2204 wont be race legal you want 1806

Sorted I'll be running a dys 1806 not sure what prop yet or cells

5" dia prop max SHould be a good laugh this. If only for a few minutes until all the wings are in bits on the ground....

Andy

So I could use a 4inch prop also ? Clean build mark like it

Any size, up to 5 inch maximum diameter. Any number of blades too...

A pest the goggles are so expensive! Makes a decent RC trannie look cheap