AtomRC Dolphin - efficiency mods... possibly?

[@1Esteband]

In this particular case probably the prop is the noise source. I think you'd need a lower KV motor with a larger and better prop.

[@ArxangelRC]

Could be! might try that as well at some point!

[@MessingWithCode]

Great Video as always!!!

[@ArxangelRC]

Thank you! :)

[@PaunFD]

Thanks for this! I expected some improvement, but it is what it is ...

[@ArxangelRC]

Yeah!

[@paulhope3401]

Moving motor and lipo weights further apart will reduce pitch sensitivity which may or may not be a good thing. I experienced the exact opposite when I did a wing mounted twin motor conversion to my goblin, it instantly became super pitch and CG sensitive and I had to reduce the throws and ensure my lipo could not budge at all.

[@ArxangelRC]

Right... guess we will see then! :)

[@Mateyhv1]

Bi blade prop are noisier because both blade wave hit the foam simultaneously. Tribades although produces higher pitch make less noise from the same foam amplification effect

[@ArxangelRC]

Hmmmm... interesting... but on this plane they would probably break on every landing!

[@raven_fpv]

I can never get enough of your videos Nikola! I was thinking maybe do a video on the Volantex ASW-28 Sailplane Glider with a Matek FC running iNav. I wasn't sure if you did something on that plane or not. I purchaced that plane a while back and planned on doing iNav on a Matek FC but just have not got around to it yet. Keep up the greatness!

[@ArxangelRC]

Thanks! :) I don't have the ASW anymore, but I do have the ZOHD Darrt XLE running iNav now, and will be playing with it, so there will be an iNav video at some point, soon I hope! :)

[@ebikefe]

Can you please share the STLs for the mounts? Thanks.

[@ArxangelRC]

Hi, send me a message on FB and I will be able to send you the files.

[@fragmaster76]

In regards to efficiency, I always wondered if windmilling props are somewhat different to still props using ESC brake. do you have any experience ?

[@nikleiser5888]

It makes a huge difference! 20% to 50% percent better glideratio with a folding Prop thats the reason why I have folding Props on all my Pusherplanes.

[@alexfeatherstone6676]

I do that on all my planes. Windmilling props are bad. When they are stopped they glide pretty good

[@Videolinquency]

Windmilling will be less efficient because an idle motor spun by an external force acts like a generator and thus a brake. That is the point that tends to get overlooked in in test stand experiments to determine the matter. A windmilling prop/motor will steal energy from the slipstream to generate electricity, which ends up as waste heat unless you have circuitry to recharge the battery. I don't think such equipment is generally available for R/C, but I heard it was tested in F3A planes years ago. Without a motor in the system, a windmilling prop will not cause more drag than a static one, and that's the situation you see in certain test rigs on KZbin.

[@ArxangelRC]

Yes, they start acting like a parachute! Good when you want to use them to slow down a bit... but not when you want to glide more!

[@skillway]

💓💓

[@ArxangelRC]

:)

[@asanterichard9498]

Pls can i use Matek F765WSE fc for multi-rotor fixed wing and fixed wing to multi-rotor? Thank you for your excellent video, much appreciated 👏

[@ArxangelRC]

You mean for a VTOL?

[@asanterichard9498]

@@ArxangelRC yes

[@ArxangelRC]

@@asanterichard9498 So long as there are enough outputs, I am pretty sure you should be able to use it for a VTOL.

[@Chris_Paul1]

I’ve recently found out that master aircrew props are quite noisy, apc / landing props are about 30% - 40% quieter.

[@mike_oe]

Yes, a major part of the fixed wing FPV community swears by the APCs or Aeronaut props for this reason. Avoid MAS if you're looking for efficiency.

[@ArxangelRC]

I vote for APC any day! Awesome props!

[@DavidTaghehchian]

Looks like you have a bit of jello in the HD video. I wonder how much static and dynamic balancing the prop/motor would improve efficiency and reduce noise as well?

[@ArxangelRC]

That might be because of the way the camera is mounted right now! Only a not so tight rubber band holding it in there, with a lot of room to move around!

[@beefybeef1326]

Interesting study. Thanks. Where are you based? Looks like a nice location

[@maxmeister6355]

I think he lives in bulgaria

[@beefybeef1326]

@@maxmeister6355 thanks

[@ArxangelRC]

Yup, Bulgaria!

[@fpvleo2606]

Interesting Video! I almost bought one of these recently but got the Reptile Dragon V2 instead :)

[@ArxangelRC]

Reptile Dragon is an awesome plane! Not a wrong choice either!

[@FirstLast-tx3yj]

@@ArxangelRC i managed to get the vtol design you displayed work pretty well do you think i will run into additional difficulties if i try to make a larger size setup I mean a wing span of about 4 meters and much larger motors whilte keeping the same scale of the small version

[@ArxangelRC]

@@FirstLast-tx3yj Damn... that would be an interesting thing to see... but I would guess it would be a good deal more susceptible to wind at such a size! Also... it will still have only 2 motors?

[@FirstLast-tx3yj]

@@ArxangelRC i found motor prop combo that will generate more than 30kg of lift which will be reliable and enough. I will use 2 motors Motors: 120100 60Kv 25KW Propz: helix propeller 1.2x6 zoll It will only be a larger scale thats it But the controller caliberatio size is what concerns me and vtol in winding conditions.... Although i will only use vtol mode for takeoff and slight movments I will not be wondering around in that mode

[@ArxangelRC]

@@FirstLast-tx3yj Hm... well... I am not sure what more to tell you! You could try it... but keep it VTOL-ing only in calm weather! I guess there must be a reason why there aren't more models like this... especially large scale! This would be quite impressive though!

[@neuav8072]

Good one, to me, it seems better since you added the standoff weight, higher lever and you got the same performance

[@ArxangelRC]

Sure, but the mount is pretty light actually!

[@skelethornbro]

Nice test. Next maybe you can use rubber mount to reduce the noise.

[@ArxangelRC]

Well the noise was mostly due to the prop being too close to the fuselage... not sure if a rubber mount would help.... in addition to me not having any! :)

[@michaelmueller9635]

I guess the AtomRC Dolphin got a push-propeller instead and pull-propeller. Push-propellers are more noisy by design, so it's really hard to bring down the noise.

[@ArxangelRC]

Not that hard, just move it further back from the fuselage! :P

[@MrMmDonuts]

Thanks for doing this. It's a very amazing plane. I think the stock configuration with the EMAX 2205 motor gave it incredible efficiency. 30-40 mah/km?? Wow! Also, was that a 6045 prop? How far do you think it would go on a 4S2P Lion battery?

[@ArxangelRC]

Actually the current sensor is not showing the amps accurately, so don't trust those values! :)

[@MrMmDonuts]

@@ArxangelRC Ah. Thank you for the update.

[@ArxangelRC]

@@MrMmDonuts Sure! :)

[@gombi77]

The stock 30A esc is enought?

[@ArxangelRC]

@@gombi77 Seems to be with the stock motor!

[@j7...]

What do you guys think about 4s 2317 1250 kv with 9x6?? I plan to go all in with liion

[@ArxangelRC]

Sounds like a good choice! Though... isn't that prop a bit too big for this plane?

[@j7...]

@@ArxangelRC it will cause huge problems when landing I guess... But is there any possibility to become similarly efficient with a smaller prop? Maybe 7 or 8 inch would be a reasonable compromise, but it seems like they all would draw more amps to match the thrust required. I'm not exactly sure how to tackle this. 😂

[@ArxangelRC]

@@j7... Actually the first problem would be torque roll on take off... long before you get to the landing bit! Also, thrust per se does not give you efficiency! Besides... if the plane becomes unflyable by not being able to take off or land properly without breaking the prop every time... it is hardly useful that it is 10% more efficient than an 8" or 7" prop! Also, pitch speed for me is equally as important and the ability of the prop to grip and and propel the plane quicker at lower motor RPM. This is what you need for efficiency! Not thrust!

[@j7...]

@@ArxangelRC okay you are so right! they torque increases with the distance of the rotating object... i am such a fool. okay 10% more efficiency really isnt that much. i am too unexperience to make these educated guesses. this estimation helps a lot. so what would be your recommendation? lets say you want your dolphin to be able to fly for ages, but at the same time you would like to have some reserves so that you are able to increase the speed abit. ideally the plane would have a "not too slow" cruise speed :D

[@ArxangelRC]

@@j7... I'd actually go for an APC 8x8 prop! I've used it before on something... can't recall which model it was, but it had crazy pull for take off, and it provided a good deal of speed too! May go up on the motor Kv as well!

[@woodrunner51]

maybe make the mount smoother for the air?

[@ArxangelRC]

It is smooth enough! Doubt that would have much of an effect!

[@daviddavids2884]

at 2:45, no difference. WHY. because the prop TYPE is not correct. it is too thin (flexible), for the APPLICATION. should be a EP prop.

[@ArxangelRC]

Right, will try a different one then, see what happens! :)

[@OrLove13]

Все классно, как обычно 👍

[@ArxangelRC]

Thanks!

[@HyperionFPV]

i think you need aerodynamic tube for constant conditions :)

[@ArxangelRC]

Hahaha, true! That would come in handy!

[@matejbludsky8410]

The dolphin for me is really more short range .. can't do long range for sure lot of space but cg pretty much impossible to achieve bigger packs

[@ArxangelRC]

True!!

[@daviddavids2884]

any time a prop is located at the tail, the air flow to the prop IS reduced.! fortunately, the design of this model is about as good as it can be, in that regard.

[@ArxangelRC]

Yes, it is pretty good!

[@julianhumphrey4843]

Nice try, i say a larger more powerful motor maybe go up on the prop size a tiny bit

[@ArxangelRC]

Yup, will try that as well!

[@ObsidianFPV]

I do not believe that this theory is correct. I've tried it on two different winds with zero benefit.

[@ArxangelRC]

Could be they've been pretty well designed! Worked wonders on the Duck!

[@benjaming9835]

Include the thrust angle in the 3D print next time.

[@ArxangelRC]

I did think about it, so perhaps will do it in the next iteration!

[@rabaranwer9752]

First coment..love ur videos

[@ArxangelRC]

Thanks mate, appreciate it! :)

[@breckfreeride]

Lol 22 minutes on an 1800 and disappointed! Wanna go fast Lipo.

[@ArxangelRC]

Fast LiPo?