Hirobo/Northrup MQ-8c

After finishing and flying the Hirobo Lama SA-315b, I have been thinking of another attempt at a scale build.

As luck would have it I have another Hirobo/FunKey fuselage. This one is the Hirobo/FunKey 30 size Long Ranger with Hirobo Shuttle mechanics.

I have flown this one quite a bit since acquiring it. I have recently converted it to electric using the motor mount and motor found on FB and offered by Chang Liu.

I figure, these helis are kind of autonomous so why not build a scale Autonomous Helicopter. The Northrup MQ-8C.

This one will test my fab and 3d printing skills. I have already acquired a 4 blade Align head for it. I don't think I will be moving the tail rotor to the other side.

The fuselage has been in a mishap when I lost the tail rotor and suffered a bit of fiberglass damage. All has been repaired and has flown since but definitely needs new paint. So here goes...

I have gotten the Hirobo Shuttle mechanics converted to SWM and the Align 4-blade head fitted. I had to make a new swash follower and modify the rotating swash to move the follower ball away from the rods, otherwise it was causing some binding and interference with the control rod.

The tail rotor servo had to be relocated. This is an ideal location as there is plenty of room in the LR fuselage.

Just waiting on some blades to be delivered and will weigh and balance them to complete setting the mechanics up with the BD 3x.

This Shuttle has been flown several times since the electric conversion, but, with a 2 blade head using a 6s 5000mah battery (not the one pictured). That gets me about 6.5 minutes of flight.

With the mechanics pretty much set up and test hovered (in the back yard only), I am satisfied it will fly fine. I wasn't able to get the PC links straight up and down without the anti rotation link interfering with one of them. I will keep looking for an anti rotation setup that is more straight up and down and not so offset. I am thinking of printing my own link out of PETG-CF but will defer for now.

I started making some of the antennas that are on the MQ-8. I drew the nose antenna in Fusion 360 and 3d printed it along with several other blade antennas. I have also printed new Tiplets for the horizontal stab, but, they warped a bit from being taken off the bed too soon and not fully cooled. The FLIR turret will be the biggest project I think. That may take several tries.

The scoops, pressure refuel and gravity fuel ports will probably be made with styrene sheet. I used a lot of it on the Lama build and it is fun to work with. Lastly, the landing gear will need some rework also.

In case you were wondering, yes this fuselage suffered a mishap and took the brunt of the damage to the nose. it has been repaired and is sound but looks like hell... hence all the filler.