Introduction: CPX Helicopter

We are making a helicopter. The last model we made had wires coming out of everywhere, and there was no tail or blades. We hope that a more open model will allow the helicopter to look and function better.

Supplies

For this project you will need:

Step 1: Downloading the 3D Design

  • Download the following STL files to your computer
  • Important the files into Cloud Print, adjusting the settings to match your 3D printer
  • Print the files on a 3D printer
  • Use rafts and supports
  • Once printing has finished, use cuticle cutters to remove supports

Step 2: The Provided Code Will

  • If button A is pressed, all of the pixels will turn green and a “power on” sound will play.
  • If button B is pressed, all of the pixels will turn red and a “power off” sound will play.
  • If the CPX is tapped, the servo motor will turn on and the servo motor arms will spin.


Step 3: Assembling the Parts

  • Glue the helicopter legs to the bottom of the helicopter body: put glue into the holes and snap the legs into place 
  • Glue the helicopter tail to the back of the body: put glue into the two holes on the backside of the helicopter and push the knobs on the helicopter tail into the holes
  • Glue the servo motor stand vertically onto the top of the helicopter
  • The Circuit Playground Express device can be placed into the helicopter's body and clicked into the CPX holder. The wires should be coming out of the hole in the back of the helicopter
  • Put the helicopter blades onto the Servo Motor
  • The servo motor can be placed into the servo stand with the wire coming out of the hole on the side of the stand


Step 4: Connecting the Servo Motor

  • When connecting the servo motor to the CPX device, the wires should be connected accordingly: Brown wire from the servo to the Ground pin, red wire from the servo to the A1 pin, and orange wire from the servo motor to the Vout pin
  • The battery pack connects to the CPX device and can be tucked underneath the helicopter or sat next to it


Step 5: Usage

  • Once the helicopter is assembled and the CPX device is coded, the helicopter will be ready to play with
  • When ‘Button A’ is pressed, green lights will appear and a powering-up sound will play
  • When the CPX device is tapped, the servo motor arms will begin to spin 
  • When ‘Button B’ is pressed, red lights will appear and a powering down sound will play