These days, even hobbyist multi-rotor aircraft are capable of carrying considerable payloads. For example, the test rig that [Brian Brocken] recently put together should be able to loft more than 80 pounds (36 kilograms) without breaking a sweat. That would be a whole lot of camera gear or other equipment, but in this case, he’s planning on carrying something a bit more interesting: a full-scale foam DeLorean.
We first covered this project in December of last year, when [Brian] started using a massive robotic arm to carefully cut the body and individual parts of the car out of expanded polystyrene foam. He estimated at the time the body should weigh in at less than 30 lbs (14 kg), so he’d need to build a quadcopter with a maximum lift of roughly twice that much to keep the performance where he wanted it.
In the latest update to the Hackaday.io project page, [Brian] goes over the work that’s been done since we first got a glimpse of this incredible build. Improvements have been made to the motorized flaps and slats that cover up the front and rear motors when not in operation. The DeLorean’s iconic gull-wing doors have also been recreated, although in this case they’re motorized.
But the real news is the prototype airframe. Made of aluminum and 3D printed components, [Brian] is using it to get a feel for how much thrust can be expected from the motors, as well as provide some early numbers for the eventual PID tuning that’ll be needed to get the car flying smoothly. Unfortunately, there’s a bit too much flex in this version of the frame — [Brian] says that a later carbon fiber version will not only be more rigid, but also shave off a few more precious pounds.
We’re just as eager as the rest of you to see the first flight of this ambitious build, so stay tuned for the next update.
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