Author Topic: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD) - Delivered on Time  (Read 14010 times)

Offline Robomog

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Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD) - Delivered on Time
« on: December 05, 2017, 08:58:54 PM »
Hi All

Fresh from the Jings! build and fully recovered from my model related brain implosion I'm going to throw my hat into the ring for my first ever group build, and looking at the entries so far I'm up against some stiff opposition. Apologies in advance if this is a bit less detailed than my previous build.

The Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD) is a concept to deliver materiel to the battle field especially in remote situations and live areas where any emergency supplies/munitions need to be delivered under fire. I was going to Call it Forward Air Resupply Transporter System but that didn't scan for some reason.

 It will feature turbofan lifting and a hydraulic grab system so that the payload can be unattached very quickly in emergency situations. It will be modelled with the cargo pod and if time permits I will add other load outs using the universal grab system, a search and rescue or gunship attachment come to mind.

Here is the start position with parts

20171115_195345 by Robomog, on Flickr

I have already started the cargo container at this point and the base frame of the drone, everything will hang off this. I was going to have a single prop but this is a fairly heavy lifter so I have opted for turbofans either side Avatar style, the photo shows two types of props but since it was taken I have opted for two two-blade contra-rotating props to give it some Umff.  Some bubble packaging will become the twin engines and the command pod. The small tubes are empty biro tubes which accept 2mm plastic rod and will form the hinge on the turbofans. The large plastic tube came with some brushes I brought and will probably be used as air intakes/exhaust.  Small wings for a balancing tail and wheels, the wheels may be ditched in favour of skids for ruggedness.

Let the construction begin ........

Mog


« Last Edit: December 30, 2017, 03:19:32 AM by Robomog »
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2017, 02:26:34 AM »
Liking where this is going...
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Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2017, 12:57:49 AM »
Looks like a good batch of raw material - and the design sounds pretty plausible. Looking forward to seeing it come together.

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2017, 05:29:20 PM »
Thanks for your comments guys.

Next thing is to prepare the bubble packaging, you can get some great shapes with bubble packaging but it is not the easiest medium to work with, the plastic is hard and does not sand well, you have to fix it with CA or the like and often once cut becomes quite flimsy. I find the best way to cut it is with a good pair of scissors rather than a knife. Probably the best way to approach it I to treat it like a troublesome vacform.

20171123_194618 by Robomog, on Flickr


You can see here I have trimmed the packaging back and reinforced it with styrene sheet. I was originally going to have tubed air intakes but the hobby drill had an eppy and melted the plastic, it now refuses to run at anything other than full speed. I managed to tidy it up with a knife and a battery powered drill intended for buffing and grinding fingernails. I fixed the tubes (from the brush container) on the inside to give it a more realistic appearance. More of the tube forms the engine exhaust.

Another piece of bubble packaging that will be the command module has been reinforced in a similar way.

20171125_171312 by Robomog, on Flickr


Above is a sort of exploded view/story so far of the project. the engines have been stuck on the baseplate and the assembly is placed in position, as is the proposed tail boom. The holes for the driveshaft/hinge have been drilled and part of the biro tube installed.

I have settled on contra-rotating props and have constructed the Turbofan body. The cones for the turbofan are aircraft spinners from the spares box (two Kittyhawk and two typhoon I think).

The cargo pod is almost finished I have added reinforcement and the door detail, all that remains is to devise a method of attaching the pod to the aircraft.

Seeing the layout here I have just realised how much work I have set myself, with Jings! about  50% of the build was spare parts and premade stuff. This build is going to be mostly scratch built with barely 10% of other components. Slight panic has set in as there is a deadline on this one but then again, whatever, I am  really enjoying the challenge.

Coming next the attachment system………

Mog

Mostly Harmless...............

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2017, 05:20:33 PM »
So, how to attach a bulky container to a drone.  Its probably going to be thrown around the sky in certain situations so it will have to be a strong connection, it will also have to be a quick release so that the turnaround time on the loading can be short and the drone can whizz into the war zone drop the load and scarper in double quick time. I am intending BUDD to be multi role so it will have to be universal to all the proposed loadouts. To complicate matters for me, I want it to actually work in some way because if I have time at the end of the build I want to construct some said loadouts.

For real world inspiration, I looked toward the CH54 Skycrane but came up with a blank, magnificent aircraft, but it is really a big skyhook and its payloads are mainly carried by hook, wire winches or bolted to the structure, so no quick release here. Most other helicopter lifting operations revolve around a hook, the Chinook offered a quick release solution but it was still a hook and the payload swings about under the aircraft like a huge pendulum.

Inspiration finally came from the cranes that pick up the shipping containers at container ports, they have a hydraulic grab that attaches at the four corner posts of the container. On the drone, this morphed into two clamps made of a continuous length of angle that attach to a reinforced edge along the top of the container.

The opening mechanism was the next hurdle, I devised all sorts of systems in my head some impractical, others would work but would be difficult to model in 1/72 scale. In the end, I opted for brute force and simplicity, three hydraulic rams that would hold the container tight in flight and release it very quickly when on the ground.

So, to the construction, quite simple in the end. Empty biro tubes became the Hydraulic Rams with plastic rod forming the push/pull rods, the clamp is constructed of plastic angle with connecting plates glued on. This construction was then glued to the end of the rod leaving the rod to slide in an out of the biro tube. I will be first to admit it’s a bit stiff in operation and a tad over scale, But It Works !!!

20171201_201904 by Robomog, on Flickr

Here we see the biro rams in place these are stuck with gel superglue, this is my CA of choice it doesn’t run everywhere and has a little bit of grip that aids positioning parts also if you put down a generous blob it rides up the sides of the part and improves the quality of the fixing. It does need to be left 24 hours to fully cure however. The rams are covered by a protective plate which also strengthens the assembly.

20171201_201921 by Robomog, on Flickr

The top of the cargo pod has received its reinforcement and the clamps constructed. It was at this point I realised that I had made a boo-boo in the construction. With 20-20 hindsight, I should have assembled the clamps and rams on the cargo pod first then attached them to the drone. But I had already glued down the rams. Doh!  A frustrating night entailed carefully attaching the clamp to the rods.

20171203_200743 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171203_200806 by Robomog, on Flickr

Got there in the end.
………Clamp closed


20171203_201013 by Robomog, on Flickr

……..Clamp open

20171203_201030 by Robomog, on Flickr

And a picture of the finished assembly  YAY!

Coming next the Turbofans or the landing gear or the tail assembly or the Command module assembly. Who knows? I'm working on all four in relays.

Update soon……….

Mog
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Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2017, 06:18:32 PM »
 :smiley: :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2017, 05:59:26 PM »
Thanks OW

Had a couple of major setbacks, Firstly the Turofans. Whilst working on the construction details it became apparent that all the proposed components were not going to fit in the casings I had constructed, so back to the drawing board and manufactured a new set of casings with twice the depth of the originals. You can see glimpses of them on previous photos.

While these were set aside for the glue to set I started work on the undercarriage and came up with a very stylish Thunderbirdesque skid arrangement that to my mind looked futuristic and quite elegant.

That was until I did a check fit of the Turbofans, once installed It became plain to see that the skids were slap bang underneath the fans and would interfere with the down thrust of the propellers.
So off came the undercarriage (very carefully) and one hasty redesign later it will now stand on four points and I will probably go back to wheels if I can find four suitable ones in the spares box

20171203_201224 by Robomog, on Flickr
The new Turbofan casings with the undercarriage legs under construction

20171208_210728 by Robomog, on Flickr
Here is the original arrangement, sadly now gone. The picture also shows the new tail design, the earlier tail was adapted from a spare aileron but was too chunky and “didn’t look right”

20171211_001535 by Robomog, on Flickr
The new arrangement, not so stylish or elegant, more practical and logical.

One of the exhaust tube got knocked off during the alterations, I will stick it back on later

Ho Hum. Two steps forward, one back its still progress  ::)

Mog
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2017, 02:18:44 AM »
I'm liking this
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Steve Blazo

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2017, 04:51:22 AM »
Looks real world for sure. Nice work. Will have to send the SLB spies over the wire.
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Offline finsrin

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2017, 05:02:25 AM »
Lot of scratch build here.  Always a challenge for me.  You got the nack for it - coming together fine. :smiley:

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2017, 07:52:47 AM »
I'm impressed by the working bits, when I try that something always stuffs up. :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Tophe

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2017, 01:47:37 PM »
Good result (up to now) deserving all the involved hard work... :smiley:

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2017, 08:27:30 PM »
Hi all, appreciate the comments

GTX – Thanks

Steve – Thanks for comments, please don’t send in spies, trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again and in the munitions testing areas trepassers will be used.

Finsprin – thanks for the comments, after so much time I’m amazed I got my mojo back so quickly on the build side, painting side not so good

Old Wombat – thanks, I got Lucky, 2mm plastic rod fits the empty biro tube perfectly

Tophe – Thanks, love the “up to now “ caveat

So onto the latest SitRep…………

Work continues apace I am finding I have more spare time at the moment than I thought I would have so I am making the most of it! The construction of the turbofans has started in earnest.

The drive shafts/hinge have been installed and the insides pre-painted ready for the installation of the Propellers, cones and vanes.

20171204_204003 by Robomog, on Flickr

The picture above shows the turbofans with the drive shaft/ hinge installed prior to fitting end caps and pre painting, the two leading cones have been constructed with the trailing ones prepped ready. A plastic rod will pass between the cones and through the drive shaft to carry the propellers.

20171211_001644 by Robomog, on Flickr


Current Progress, the turbofans are ready for final assembly. The newly designed tail is virtually complete and the command module is coming along nicely.

Mog
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2017, 09:03:44 PM »
The final push on the construction.

20171213_210436 by Robomog, on Flickr

The Turbofans are completed and installed, the new tail is on, at this point I am currently constructing the various cameras that will be put at strategic points on the airframe. Finally decided on a wheeled undercarriage, two wheels per strut.


20171215_203814 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171215_203914 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171215_203933 by Robomog, on Flickr

Construction is complete, the command module is on, but I will be leaving the wheels and cameras off until the painting is complete.

I’m not sure at this point whether to go for a Grey or green finish. Most of the UAV’s seem to go for grey but they are primarily Navy or Airforce and as this is very much an Army drone it will probably be green.
 
Watch this space …………

I am not going to have time to do any of the alternative load outs, but I will continue this under a new thread after the Group Build closes.

Hmmm just had a reflective moment, Heavy Lifter, different load outs bolted on, does this have a whiff of Thunderbird 2 about it ?

I’ll let you decide.

Everything now goes into painting lockdown

Thanks for looking

Mog

Mostly Harmless...............

Offline Tophe

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2017, 01:06:38 AM »
It looks like a craft of the 22nd century! :smiley:

Offline apophenia

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2017, 07:46:50 AM »
It certainly does! Very cool stuff and a great example of scratch-building :smiley:
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2017, 10:44:57 AM »
How many cases of beer can this thing carry?  :P
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Offline finsrin

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2017, 11:02:34 AM »
How many cases of beer can this thing carry?  :P
Getting down to the real nitty gritty.......

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2017, 05:32:11 PM »
Guys Thanks for comments, much appreciated. It wasn't until I was well into the build I realised how much scratch building I had let my self in for, a sort of modelling "target obsession" syndrome. But it was worth it for the result.

Now to Mr Jefferys  enquiry

Errr  Right .....   let me think,  munitions out,   beer crates in ...  that times that times that equals.....   err answer....   QUITE A LOT !!!   ;D ;D ;D


Actually quick calc,  357 Crates which  equals 4284 Bottles.

Or if you fill the space with on big bladder  equals 3136 gallons !

Now that was a GREAT party !!  :icon_beer: :icon_beer: :icon_beer: :icon_beer: :icon_beer: :icon_beer: :smiley:

Mog
« Last Edit: December 20, 2017, 07:22:11 PM by Robomog »
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Offline Tophe

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #19 on: December 21, 2017, 02:20:03 AM »
It wasn't until I was well into the build I realised how much scratch building I had let my self in for, a sort of modelling "target obsession" syndrome. But it was worth it for the result.
Yes, scratch building is so difficult (and great for possible results, whose only limit would be imagination) that it deserves a double amount of clapping hands!
Congratulations! ;)

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #20 on: December 21, 2017, 05:55:36 AM »
Thanks Tophe, coming from a guy with an imagination like yours thats praise indeed !

Mog
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Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #21 on: December 28, 2017, 03:01:34 PM »
Great Idea and coming along very nicely

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD)
« Reply #22 on: December 30, 2017, 02:53:01 AM »
Maybe you need some of these to add to this build:



Click on image to get more details.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Robomog

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD) - Delivered on Time
« Reply #23 on: December 30, 2017, 03:39:25 AM »
Nice one GTX !  That really made me Laff.  You and Mr Jeffry have given me some hoopy ideas for additional load outs, watch this space I will work on them after the GB completes.

In the meantime BUDD is complete, photos below for everybody's consideration and comment.

20171229_152323 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_152346 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_152416 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_152606 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_152624 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_154208 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_154242 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_154350 by Robomog, on Flickr

20171229_154431 by Robomog, on Flickr

Thanks for looking

Mog
« Last Edit: December 30, 2017, 03:42:30 AM by Robomog »
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Battlefield Unmanned Delivery Drone (BUDD) - Delivered on Time
« Reply #24 on: December 30, 2017, 03:44:25 AM »
 :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.