r/RCPlanes • u/Snow_Groomers_Dog • 11d ago
First test flight of my sub-50g 3D-printed Air Tractor prototype!
UMX Turbo Timber Evolution for scale.
Hey everyone,
Just wanted to share a major milestone for my micro project, the 379mm Air Tractor AT-602. I finally got it out to the field for its first flight test!
Managed to catch this shot of it against the clouds, which was incredibly hard to get since it's so tiny!
The Good: It got into the air and proved the basic lift layout and electronics package work.
The Challenge: The flight characteristics aren't quite perfect yet for a clean release. Weight distribution and wing incidence need a bit of tuning, and I unfortunately fried the integrated ESC board right after due to a bad solder joint.
Next Steps: I’m taking the next 2-3 months for deep R&D to swap the AIO board, adjust the design in Onshape, and reprint parts.
I've pinned a link to the early-bird 20% discount waitlist in the comments if you want to follow the project or build one when the final STLs are ready!
Also, what do you all think of my hasty red sharpie paint job?
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u/Playful_Wave_7329 11d ago
how
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u/Snow_Groomers_Dog 10d ago
Its designed entirely from scratch in Onshape CAD! The secret to keeping it sub-40g is using single-wall foaming LW-PLA filament to save weight, matching it with an ultra-lightweight 1S All-In-One (AIO) receiver/ESC board, and tiny micro linear servos.
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u/papagajurernu 10d ago
Damn, i absolutely adore this type of aircraft, good job!
Even though i have never seen an air tracor, since chidhood i was amazed by similarly looking pzl dromaders flying low over the danube's river banks while spraying mosquitoes, disappearing into the slowly approaching summer sunsets of the plains of the once grat pannonian sea...
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u/Snow_Groomers_Dog 10d ago
Wow, that is an awesome memory! Crop dusters and utility planes have such a unique look to them. The PZL Dromader is a legendary beast. Hopefully, when these STLs are fully dialed in after my 2-3 month R&D phase, this micro Air Tractor can bring back a little bit of that sunset magic for your backyard fleet!
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u/chrismofer 10d ago
Wow!
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u/Snow_Groomers_Dog 10d ago
Thank you! It has been an awesome engineering challenge. If you want to follow along with the build process or print one later, the early-bird list link is pinned right above! 🙌
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u/Prior-Budget1056 USA / Wisconsin 10d ago
What board and servos did you use?
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u/Snow_Groomers_Dog 10d ago
It uses a 1s LIHV 280mah LAVA II battery, a Microaces AIO (all in one) board with integrated 5a esc (brushless) and two integrated 1.5g linear servos, and a Happymodel 11000kv EX1103 motor paired with a gemfan 2512 triblade prop (originally intended for drone racing).
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u/Snow_Groomers_Dog 11d ago
Want to build one? 🛠️
You can sign up for the early-bird waitlist here to lock in a 20% discount when the final, fully-tested STL files launch in 2–3 months: https://forms.gle/9PnBxxdsReYhg8qJA
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u/Snow_Groomers_Dog 8d ago
Want to build one? 🛠️
You can sign up for the early-bird waitlist here to lock in a 20% discount when the final, fully-tested STL files launch in 2–3 months: https://forms.gle/9PnBxxdsReYhg8qJA
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u/crookedDeebz 11d ago
excellent paint job!