What do you get crossing a Zeppelin NT balloon with a Hyperblimp in a classroom? A Hummingblimp!
Check it out in this video:
As most of my projects involve something that moves I just had to partipate in the Make It Move Challenge". Lately I have been experimenting with building RC-blimps based on the balloons sold by Deutschen Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH. These balloons are about 120 cm long and 25 cm in diameter. Filled with helium these balloons lift a mere 20g. But modern micro RC-gear brings this within reach of anyone with some basic experience in building remote controlled models.
A classic gondola setup resulted in a blimp that is quite quick for its size and very agile. But at high power a lot of roll back and forth occurs. Positioning the main thrusters higher, closer to the centre of mass should remedy that. But instead of putting the thrusters on the sides (as in Zeppelin airships rather than blimps), I tried a single propeller at the stern, inspired by Daniel Geerys awesome Hyperblimp. As the complete controls and propulsion are at the stern, an even stricter weight limit is set for these parts (under half of the lift capacity, i.e. 10 g). For this I came up with a setup around the Spektrum AR6400L Ultra Micro Receiver with integrated servo's. The battery goes on the bow.
The result is a lively indoor blimp suitable for spaces the size of a class room or larger. Controlling it in a smaller class room takes some practice (Im still on it). But it doesnt matter if you hit anything, you can just keep flying. Obviously you should avoid all hot, sharp or fragile objects in the room.
You do not need any flying skills, but this project does require a willingness to work with tiny, flimsy components. Some minor soldering is needed to extend the battery leads.
Many thanks for all of your votes in the Make It Move Challenge.
Check it out in this video:
As most of my projects involve something that moves I just had to partipate in the Make It Move Challenge". Lately I have been experimenting with building RC-blimps based on the balloons sold by Deutschen Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH. These balloons are about 120 cm long and 25 cm in diameter. Filled with helium these balloons lift a mere 20g. But modern micro RC-gear brings this within reach of anyone with some basic experience in building remote controlled models.
A classic gondola setup resulted in a blimp that is quite quick for its size and very agile. But at high power a lot of roll back and forth occurs. Positioning the main thrusters higher, closer to the centre of mass should remedy that. But instead of putting the thrusters on the sides (as in Zeppelin airships rather than blimps), I tried a single propeller at the stern, inspired by Daniel Geerys awesome Hyperblimp. As the complete controls and propulsion are at the stern, an even stricter weight limit is set for these parts (under half of the lift capacity, i.e. 10 g). For this I came up with a setup around the Spektrum AR6400L Ultra Micro Receiver with integrated servo's. The battery goes on the bow.
The result is a lively indoor blimp suitable for spaces the size of a class room or larger. Controlling it in a smaller class room takes some practice (Im still on it). But it doesnt matter if you hit anything, you can just keep flying. Obviously you should avoid all hot, sharp or fragile objects in the room.
You do not need any flying skills, but this project does require a willingness to work with tiny, flimsy components. Some minor soldering is needed to extend the battery leads.
Many thanks for all of your votes in the Make It Move Challenge.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials:
A “Zeppelin NT” blimp balloon from Deutschen Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH (you can find it by clicking klick on "Produktübersicht", choosing "Accessoires" and scrolling down).
99%+ Helium (have your balloon inflated at your local balloon shop, after preparing it as shown in step 2).
An ultra micro receiver with two servos and ESC (Electronic Speed Control) operating on a single cell rechargeable Lithium battery (1s Lipo). The Spektrum AR6400L brings al this, integrated on a tiny print at a mere 3,9 g.
A matching transmitter, I used a Spektrum DX6I, but a even the simplest, like the DX5E or the type that comes with RTF RC planes would work too. As long as it is compatible with the receiver.
A DC brushed motor under 4 grams (3 grams is better) and matching propeller. I used a motor from a micro servo and tested some propellers I had lying arround, but you can get both from Plantraco. They have great tiny motors and propellers. I would recommend the 57x20 prop for 1mm Shaft with the 7mm 3.3 Ohm motor with with nanoconnector.
A single cell lipo rechargeable battery 125 mAh, 4 g.
2.6 m of 0.14 mm2 wire and connectors matching battery and receiver.
Some scrap balsa, 1 and 4mm thick, and Tyvek (or other micro plane construction and hinge materials).
Some 3mm extruded polystyrene sheet (like Depron or Climaplan).
Two times a couple of cm of steel wire 0.8 mm diameter (or even thinner).
About 10 cm of light plastic tube, e.g. use with air filled latex balloons.
Superglue (regular or thin), cellotape, double sided tape.
Tools: soldering iron with adjustable temperature or simple soldering iron and a clothing iron, scissors, hobby knife, working surface.
99%+ Helium (have your balloon inflated at your local balloon shop, after preparing it as shown in step 2).
An ultra micro receiver with two servos and ESC (Electronic Speed Control) operating on a single cell rechargeable Lithium battery (1s Lipo). The Spektrum AR6400L brings al this, integrated on a tiny print at a mere 3,9 g.
A matching transmitter, I used a Spektrum DX6I, but a even the simplest, like the DX5E or the type that comes with RTF RC planes would work too. As long as it is compatible with the receiver.
A DC brushed motor under 4 grams (3 grams is better) and matching propeller. I used a motor from a micro servo and tested some propellers I had lying arround, but you can get both from Plantraco. They have great tiny motors and propellers. I would recommend the 57x20 prop for 1mm Shaft with the 7mm 3.3 Ohm motor with with nanoconnector.
A single cell lipo rechargeable battery 125 mAh, 4 g.
2.6 m of 0.14 mm2 wire and connectors matching battery and receiver.
Some scrap balsa, 1 and 4mm thick, and Tyvek (or other micro plane construction and hinge materials).
Some 3mm extruded polystyrene sheet (like Depron or Climaplan).
Two times a couple of cm of steel wire 0.8 mm diameter (or even thinner).
About 10 cm of light plastic tube, e.g. use with air filled latex balloons.
Superglue (regular or thin), cellotape, double sided tape.
Tools: soldering iron with adjustable temperature or simple soldering iron and a clothing iron, scissors, hobby knife, working surface.
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Indeed brushless motors are bound to give a better power/weight ratio.
However putting the motor in front would defeat the purpose of building an indoor flyer that can hit a wall and continue flying without even crashing.
As for pulling principles applying better? I learned that a push prop is slightly more efficient than a pulling prop. Is that not the case for a slow flyer? If so, I am curious why.
Or do you mean it would be easier to control? Probably, but as long it can be controlled I prefer the more robust configuration of a motor at the stern.
I might one day, when it is further developed.
Couple questions for you. How much weight will it pick up?
- I ask becuase i just picked up a DXG half HD video camera which weighs approx 5 ounces... thought it might be pretty cool to lift the video camera up and see how things look from the top so to speak. ;0)
Lastly - Just out of curiousity really - have you tried running it slowly into a lite candle made to look like a wire tower or something, and filmed it with a high speed camera and played it back in slo-mo? Thought that might be pretty neat to see... the hindenburge effect kinda thing.
I read you work with kids - so the last one might be a little much depending on the age group but - on your own - might be a pretty cool thing to try... well i'd like to try it.
I did check your link for the blimp it's in a launguage i don't under stand but i take it since the page you directed us to is pretty well blank with the exception of this:
Webshop der Deutschen Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH
Herzlichen Willkommen in unserem Webshop. Nehmen Sie sich Zeit und stöbern Sie in unseren Artikeln rund um den Zeppelin.
Not sure what it means but - if i were to guess i'd say it says something abut the page being under construction - maybe - maybe not.
can you translate this - or someone that understands the launguage translate what it means?
Any other link for the balloon? In english or with an english page.
thanx and again - real nice blimp!
-chase -
The Zeppelin NT balloon lifts only about 20g (as mentionned). It belongs to the class of microblimps and so it not at all suited to carry a camera. i.
Actually, 5 ounces is rather heavy for "livingroom" or "classroom" blimps. You would need one of the larger RC blimps as used in sports or exhibition halls.
Check out http://www.blimpguys.com/ for example.
As it is filled with helium, a flame would simply puncture the envelope and have it slowly deflate. So nothing spectacular to film.
Now you mention it, although the Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei site is doubled in English, the web shop seems not to be. It is not under construction, You simply come to the start of the German version inviting you to look around and check out the articles. I will add some guiding through, both here and to the Ible:
klick on "Start Zeppelin Online Shop" or "Zeppelin-shop starten" in German. Then click on "Produktübersicht" and choose "Accessoires". Scrolling down quite a bit brings you to the balloon.
I looked at the blimpguys blinps thanx for the link btw
- those are pretty big for what i was thinking. actually huge for what i was thiking of... suppose i could build one inbetween the size you made and those though. Shouldn't be too hard.
Btw - i found this though i'm sure there are others even smaller these days.
Wireless COLOR Pinhole Camera
Perfect for Radio controlled cars,airplanes,boats, and spying.
Weighs only 20 grams and sends
COLOR images up to 100 meters
and found a couple with 300 meter ranges.
Helium - ah haa... the Zepplin was filled with Hydrogen - don't know why i was thinking helium... my bad. Though i suppose i could fill one with hydrogen... ;0)
voting for you right after i post this as per request.
and good luck with the contest - didn't know they had one going on.
chase
Can you supply a link? I looked but did nopt find anything I liked, (and could afford...).
Thanks.
BTW, masynmachien, cool dirigible!
[Yes, I know the difference, but it just sounds more cool than saying
aiship or blimp...]
;-)
The wireless pinhole video cameras can be fairly up there so i took a look around and you might like this one...
Its Not wireless but could still be used from what i'm seeing and it's net weight is only 14grams.
Some specs on this one are:
1280*960 full real-time video
Motion Detection
8 million-pixel digital camera
Web camera function
High-quality record function
Can record while charging
Support 16GB Micro SD Card
View range: 60 degree
Recording resolution: 1280*960@30fps
and like most digital stuff - prices go down as advancements go up.
Here is a link to it... don't know if that is in your price range or not but take a look at it..
HD Pinhole Video camera
Have fun,
chase
When choosing a size for your camera blimp project, bear in mind that the volume of a balloon, and therefore the lifting capacity changes with the scale factor raised to the power 3. That makes building small blimps a challenge. Luckily, modern miniaturisation comes to our help. When using an "RC toy" blimp 52" x 27" balloon (or an oversized 52" x 37" replacement from Plantraco), with RC gear of the latest generation you get some lift capacity to spare.
This makes room for such a pinhole camera. However pay attention to the fact that while the Blimp RC gear works on a single Lipo cell (1s, 3.7 V), the wireless cameras most often need 5V or even more, so you will have to account for extra batteries. Again, nowadays you can find Lipo batteries weighing only couple of grams per cell, of course with limited capacity.
Even though hydrogen is approx twice as light as helium.
It has to do with the difference of density. Helium is already so much lighter then air, Even a vacume would not even make much difference.
Who would have thought :)
The only problem with helium is the price.
I still like the idea of use hydrogen though. Its a lot safer than a lot of people think.
As for like a 'rock'. I think they would.
Consider this.
Dropping a marble and a bowling ball at the same time, They both hit the ground almost simultaneously. Only the aerodynamics of the objects will affect the speed.
In a vacuum aerodynamics does not exist.
So yes, It would fall faster then a rock in air :)
For larger blimps the helium price becomes important, but then the risks become important too.
After all we're not talking about a choice between gasoline in a tank versus gas in a high pressure tank, where hydrogen can be an acceptable choice. We're talking about the choice of lifting gas in a very thin envelope.
A compliment in Dutch, Thanks!
I'll continue in English, so others can read the info too.
In Canada, good sources for blimp stuff are Plantraco and Blimpguys.
As far as I know the the only source for the Zeppelin NT balloons is Deutschen Zeppelin-Reederei GmbH, but they probably ship worldwide.But you could try the California based Airshipventures.
just a random thought
In fact these tiny airplanes, like those from Silverlit, in particular the ones with two motors, would be more suited to convert to a blimp, with a classic gondola set up.
However if the Hydrogen was mixed in with a stiochemetric amount of oxygen, then it would explode if ignited.
Neither situation is desirable unless you intend it to be a spectacle, such as flying the blimp over fire.
But the Zeppelin NT airships were never filled with hydrogen. The first one was produced in 1997.