Smallest HD FPV Flying Wing - Flik

[@nottherealChickenJoe]

Damn this is sick… that casual shot in there from flying above the clouds completely blew me away

[@samuelfrancis9143]

Shhhhhh! Don’t you fucking say a word to the FAA

[@shmeblord]

Sick, now just make it laser tag compatible. Would be sick to play a dogfight. But maybe shooting laser from planes isn't the smartest...

[@thetoasterisonfire2080]

If it’s low power and infrared it should be fine

[@shmeblord]

​@@thetoasterisonfire2080true, but then it might get false positives a lot. I'm only assuming that because most laser tag places are in dark rooms with padded walls

[@e-genes2727]

​@@shmeblordjust add bb guns like the rc boat fights 😂

[@shmeblord]

@@e-genes2727 aha! The poor Sunday league players just getting pelted from stray shots in the woods

[@e-genes2727]

@@shmeblord fly high 😂

[@ChainsawFPV]

Heck yea!!! FPV wings are taking over the hobby!!! People need a break from quads, but with the new O3 having such epic video quality, and not needing a go-pro anymore, they are migrating to wings. With people like Shelby Voll doing some impossible epic stuff, it motivates others even more. Tip for cooling a Air Unit, make sure your vent EXIT holes are bigger the the inlet holes. Math says this creates a vacuum inside pulling even more air over the air unit. It does work to.

[@damienkinchen]

Break away from quads? Blasphemy.

[@mr.t3237]

Amazing project. This has the potential to be quiet compared to a quad. Would be cool to test how silent you could be.

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

how so? I would say the opposite, the foam acts like a speaker membrane that radiates more of the vibrations as sound. multicopters are quieter than foam planes, even if they use more power to lift the same weight.

[@rcdieselrc]

Pushers are not quiet.

[@rcvg69420]

I agree that this plane will be quiet if you don't put a super heavy power system on it. I have a nano goblin and even with it's 2:1 thrust to weight ratio is very quiet. Much more quiet than a quad. Even going 65mph it's pretty quiet.

[@lavachemist]

IDK about that. Low speed cruising with a 2.5 inch quad is much quieter than my ZOHD Dart. The wing can fly a lot longer though.

[@thirtythreeeyes8624]

​@@Ass_of_AmalekBalance your props lol the foam should actually absorb some sound. Also planes have one motor generally larger props and fly off much less power for the same weight. The one big problem is being a pusher makes a lot more noise. In my experiance planes are generally quieter especially tractor props but, it depends on a lot of factors.

[@zebkayne4253]

this looks so GOOD and the distance you're getting is way more than I expected, never thought I'd see FPV drone footage from above the clouds

[@boarder904]

Hi Daniel, I follow your channel since the Skywalker FPV compilations. You brought me into FPV back than. I just want to say thank you for all your videos and the great entertainment you offered to us. I wish you the best! Greetings from Germany!

[@BABALOOEY46]

Very skilled engineers!

[@vorstadtprolll]

Ja moin

[@leoaltmann74]

hallo aus Deutschland

[@edu8499]

Then*

[@RandomAccountHolder]

Thanks for all the great shots of Seattle parks we miss. We moved overseas and it was a nice reminder.

[@mikebergman1817]

That ending montage was so insanely good. Makes me miss bummin around Seattle.

[@timwhitburn6260]

You’ve got some bike skills there mate, I wasn’t expecting that.

[@Gearjerk5]

This seems pretty neat. Assuming someone is interested in FPV but has no RC equipment of any kind, what would else be required to get to that point besides the Airframe Kit + Base Electronics?

[@DW-ry7sy]

Same question here.

[@Jason-ov2ez]

Same

[@augmented-garage]

For the most basic experience you will need a battery, transmitter, and 3-channel receiver. I am partial to FrSky systems so something like the Taranis Q-X7 with X4R receiver. FlySky radios are popular (and cheaper) as well. For autonomous missions you will need a flight controller and telemetry radio. For FPV you will need a camera + transmitter and something on the ground for viewing. The ground station could be FPV goggles or a cheap receiver and analog display.

[@Daniel-qy9ss]

I think it just comes with servos, motor and esc ? if you start from zero, you would need RC controller, Rc receiver, FPV system: camera/transmitter, FPV googles, batteries, battery charger, optional autopilot, tools like soldering iron, glues and so on. A lot of options there depending on your budget. Also this is not a beginner plane. you will need some experience in building rc planes and probably practice on bigger, slower, more forgiving airframes.

[@LucasTorresan]

Investing in an ELRS radio is something I wish I was told to do when I started with fpv, I bought a cheap flysky, and the feel/range was awful, then I switched to a radiomaster boxer which is almost perfect in every sense

[@sUASNews]

This is legend, well done the both of you. I have a feeling you two are the most dynamic RPAS and silly project developers in America. I love your work!

[@padricriley9828]

Dude lowkey was shredding that ebike. Longtime favorite KZbinr your the best!

[@ParaglidingManiac]

I would love to see what the image looks like through your FPV goggles. Like actual footage, raw. That would help a lot with deciding whether I want into FPV park flyers.

[@devinholland2189]

Set the last bit to 480p for analog and blink a bunch or 720p for dji and stand too far away from your wifi.

[@rohansully584]

😂 Dat da truth!@@devinholland2189

[@niclikescakes]

You would be blown away by the resolution and low latency of the DJI O3 system

[@rinkinkel]

Wow, you could never get away with flying so low and in buildup areas where I live. Looks like a great alternative to a drone, and maybe in the future it will be able hover as well. Thanks for the video, enjoy them all.

[@blaircox1589]

Came looking for comments that flying like that will only further hurt the hobby...

[@lavachemist]

@@blaircox1589 how so? I fly in parks all the time and have never had anyone say anything negative. If anything, people who do come over to talk are curious and think it's really cool. I've had the same experience with everything from a 2.5 inch quad or a small wing to a cinelifter.

[@tvuser9529]

Very impressive flying, but if this becomes a thing, less skilled pilots are going to take someones eyes or teeth out this way, and stricter regulation might be made some places.

[@blaircox1589]

​@@lavachemistmore about the bridge and boats. Not the park. Nothing ruins a good time more than people. So going through parking lots like that, it won't take long for an incident that ruins it for everyone.

[@veizour]

Backer here - I appreciate the project and agree with the 250g outlook. I don't even see a reason to get the 3D printed plane plans anymore, even though that was a passion of mine. Now it's just sub 250s and wishing one day someone has enough drive and power to fix the current pointless BS situation. Thanks for your work on this!

[@rc-fannl7364]

Looks very stable its latest incarnation and the slow motion shots are incredible.

[@JoshLarsen]

Can't wait for mine. All the Seattle parks - nicely done - like every one of them, lol.

[@wsc112782]

Really cool project. It'd be awesome to see comparisons against the Nano Goblin.

[@quentinbush]

Amazing & incredible footage. You must have nerves of steel to fly these distances at low altitude without incident.

[@lukearts2954]

Totally love those tree line shots. Great combination of smooth motion and stunning colors.

[@tylerharry6319]

How come you were blurring the quad-copter drone you used to film with near the end? Genuinely curious as to what info could even be gained by a 3 second shot of a drone.

[@riteshvr3913]

Back to the dayssssssssssss ,let's go ,when I saw this thumbnail, it's just old ,gold *rctestflight*...

[@Felice_Enellen]

Very nice. It was also fun to realize you were here in the greater Seattle area. Fun to see drone flight in an area I know!

[@Felice_Enellen]

@@Mindstangle Wow, you really go all-out on the trolling, huh? I guess it's nice to have a hobby.

[@chpoit]

Before backing this I have some questions: - Will you do some hard testing of the ESCs to make sure they don't burn like the ones in my snowcat? - Will you make sure the shell actually closes without having to take a handplane to it? - Will you release the STLs again?

[@badjackjack9473]

Ive used (and many others) those flipsky motors and ESC's. you probably got duds cause mine i use on a eboard run just fine, and im sure im loading them harder than the snowcat.

[@Youtubeusermann]

The slowmo footage is incredible

[@78dentedhead]

This is awesome! Looks like an ideal platform for both long range, and park flying!

[@TradieTrev]

You're killing it bro! Love seeing a project become reality!

[@Jwmbike14]

Awesome little plane! Don't be afraid to do HD in the fuse. It just needs planned cooling. I have 2x Micro SD sized naca ducts in a high pressure region on the nose of my aircraft. The fuselage vents at the motor, creating a significant ΔP. It can transmit at full 1200mw for 45min with no overheating issue. I have a 19.5" 3d printed fpv wing I've been calling the "Bullit." It weighs right at or below 250g with 2s 18650, Caddx Vista, and WTE405 flight controller. I've flown it up to 370g. 30-45min flights up to 80mph, cruise is about 45-50mph.

[@ethkid8925]

Do you have pictures or videos?

[@Jwmbike14]

​@ethkid8925 I don't know why my comments aren't working. I've tried to reply twice already. Anyways, you can find more information by searching "Bullit" on several FPV and 3D printed plane groups. I'm on iteration 3 (soon to be 4). The flying characteristics are phenomenal for such a small wing, however I'm trying to make it spin resistant. I don't like that flight controllers will crash a plane anytime there is low voltage or a motor issue (such as a prop flying off). The flight controller will try to maintain altitude, and when it stalls it spins. So, when I design a plane I do such that it will enter a porpoise with adequate directional control, so it just flutters to the ground. Iteration 1 flew great, but would spin. V1.5 I added printed in place VG's which completely fixed it. However, I saw that as a bandaid. I designed a better foil set with better low Rn stall characteristics, ensuring the tips remain flying. At the same time I gained around 14% L/D with redesigned wingtips - unfortunately this moved center of lift aft, resulting in a more CG sensitive aircraft. The center of lift moved aft but geometric center was the same, resulting in a very sensitive CG range (~3mm). I should have it finalized in the next month or so.

[@Jwmbike14]

@@ethkid8925 BTW, both pictures and videos are posted if you find it.

[@techstuff6829]

@@Jwmbike14 With​​⁠ ArduPlane you can set a min airspeed and it will automatically pitch down to maintain that airspeed if the motor cuts out. You can even input max turns and it’ll pitch down more to avoid stalling the inside wing.

[@Jwmbike14]

@techstuff6829 Yes I know. I am very familiar. That said, there are a lot of users that don't go to the full extent of Ardu's capabilites, and hardly scratch the surface. Even more so with iNav. The point here is thst no flight controller, including defense, can cope with a spin. I am not the type thst wants to fix everything with software. That's how we ended up with quads.... But I digress....

[@youngmangoingwest]

I recognize so many locations there - amusing that the one I didn't notice was the Marymoor park RC field!

[@airdevil21]

What an awesome little and stable fpv wing!!! I would love to fly one!!!

[@RoyCruse]

How did you get on with o3 air unit and low voltage of 2 cell lithium ion which can discharge down to around 6v. The o3 lowest voltage is quoted as 7 4v !!!. Does this mean you can't run the pack down ? Kinda defeats the object of using the 18650s in the first place ?

[@whatsthematter8767]

Backed this kickstarter when it came out, so excited to see more videos on it!

[@PlaneAwesome]

Okay those slowmo shots are sick.

[@rcvg69420]

Those air to air shots are SICK!! I'm thinking I'll end up with a Flik wing. I just built a nano goblin but would be good to have a backup. Similar planes with a similar purpose but the Flik's more square profile is probably a bit more maneuverable at slow speeds.

[@OneLabToRuleThemAll]

You can never have too many FPV vehicles

[@alexredhat3476]

I found the video first due to my interest in FPV and then I was watching the filming and I was like holy smokes this is the area in Seattle where I lived. Brought me a bit of nostalgia.

[@jeffpv7468]

I wonder if you could make a slotted wing version of this that flies extremely slow for park flight, that would be epic!

[@ferrarikingdom]

Man you do awesome work! Looks so stable and a blast to fly

[@gator1984atcomcast]

Epic video. Cutting edge.

[@connortheandroidsentbycybe3755]

this is amazing, i remember when i first started flying fpv kwads i thought something like this would be awosome and now i see that you just strait up did it, the only reasoon im not ordering one yet is that im building a different palane right now.

[@epsilolplus]

Really nice video, but I am asking myself why the highspeed camera is blured. But i really like the project and it looks like much fun flying this thing!

[@gibsonf06]

Just backed the project, looks like a ton of fun, can’t wait to get mine!

[@MattBalder]

Does using a step up voltage regulator for the 03 air unit seem like a smart thing to do when running lithium ion 2s packs? I see the power requirement listed is 7.4 to 26.4v.

[@drklrsn]

Never done FPV before but I pledged for the full kit. Looking forward to flying it!

[@garyboyd9704]

Always good to wake up to a new rctestflights video

[@fredraket]

nice to see how you continue to inspire me and do so with nice simple projects and keep it authentic thanks Daniel

[@AerialWaviator]

Congrats @rctestflight and @thinkflight!! See your project is about to pass $100,000. Nearing 7x initial goal. (beyond the 3x mentioned at 0:06) Santa's elves and reindeer are going to be busy after the holiday season helping to deliver all these Flik Wings.

[@redgopnik2227]

hot damn those slowmo air shots are sick

[@nommy8599]

Why blur out the other drone? I'm just curious.

[@xfire4420]

amazing! just curious why the drone and cinelifter are censored at some parts? is there some prototype equipment onboard that isnt ready to be released or something?

[@JohnDoe-fk6id]

Came to ask the same questions

[@mikayla_collie]

8:10 why is his drone blurred out? im guessing it's suppose to be registered, and it's not, or something?

[@EfficientRVer]

There are only 3 possibilities, and only 2 of them seem reasonable to me. 1. Covering up some FAA violation, like you said. 2. Hiding some innovation (or identifying marks, obscenity, copyrighted material, or whatever) they don't want to publish. 3. Neither of the above, just jerking people around to think so.

[@TheMadSqu]

That footage is pretty much totally amazing!!!

[@Invid72]

It's a DJI O3 Air Unit. They're great. They send HD back to your goggles so you can fly with a high quality feed and they can record up to 4K 120fps onboard. I love how far the tech has come from when we were using old analog surveillance cameras with their grainy images. Really hard to fly analog after making the jump to digital HD.

[@ProperJimmy]

trappy sent me your way. looking good! might have to back this too, just too little information right now. would definitely check in on the progress later!

[@BarrettCharlebois]

Can you look at making a conformal coating/waterproof one? I crash a lot of drones, so if there was a way of waterproofing then I could just fly over the bay and it would be like a bit foam pit to crash into and not damage the drone

[@PalinDynamics]

Would it be possible to 3D print this in sections? If so I wonder if I could get a cheap PLA version up in the air.

[@3x4n.]

that air to air montage was so cinematic

[@slickfast]

I want to make designs for you so bad... I'm always interested in making my own but i never have the "right" gear to put in these drones! Thanks to you and Cavin for another awesome model!

[@slembcke]

Yup, I _totally_ jumped on that when TF's video came out. I already have a Nano Goblin, but it works so well I don't want to fiddle with it... Now I have a second mini-plank for tinkering! :) Would you consider sharing the final CAD files for the hatch? Being able to print replacements with antenna mounts and such would be really handy, and you wouldn't be giving away the truly valuable part of the design.

[@memejeff]

freakin' sweet. I hope yall test the max extra load it can take and list it as a spec. Would be helpful. I would love to make one solar powered if possible.

[@serta5727]

The FPV footage is gorgeous 😮

[@GiffysChannel]

Why blur the drone at 9:05?

[@durka-durka-bakalakadaka]

Love these airplane home builds! Honestly, I don't think RID is going to last for long. It's just too easy to circumvent and impossible to enforce.

[@flat-earther]

hi nickbarker, have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest viewing the 13 part series _what on earth happened_ in my about to learn how the earth is not a globe

[@lupusk9productions]

Looks really fun! would be cool to make or be able to print a 3d printed version as a backer

[@dafoex]

I first read that as "filk" which somehow made more sense given your amusing songs you sometimes have for these videos

[@BurninVinyl]

Super cute drone! Bravo! Cheers from Italy!

[@spatialpro]

A few requests please, now that Kickstarter has faaaar exceeded its goal: 1) Can backers have the option of different foam colors please? I imagine some folk would love black. Personally I'd like light grey (ot perhaps light grey-blue) to make it more discreet (stealthy?!) when flying high. Colour options (e.g. matching/complementary) for the vertical fins would also be a bonus 2) Speaking of discreet/stealthy, it'd be great to design for, and use components for (prop and motor) for as quiet flying as possible. This will make for an even more "Friendly Drone", as you guys put it. 3) As you're going to the trouble of having a bespoke mould of a complex shape made consider whether the vertical fins can somehow be integrated into the foam design (perhaps making them canted rather than pure vertical?)... or even go as far as a pure, true flying wing design, which would be the ultimate in terms of efficiency (or if not, consider such for a v2 and your next Kickstarter!). 4) Try integrating/moulding/smoothing the body into the wing more, to create more of a flying wing shape. If you haven’t already, consider putting it through some CFD modelling. This is with the goal of even greater efficiency in mind. 5) Like Kavin and his original design, my focus is definitely autonomous UAV. Indeed I'm not really interested in the FPV aspect (great though it is!). Instead I'd like to use the best small/light GPS module I can and add a vertical camera (shooting through a porthole cut in the floor) to take geotagged stills when flying relatively high... i.e. for mapping, using phogrammetry. When you're refining your design please continue to consider autonomous and mapping users wherever you can.

[@Jakob-o8f]

I had exactly the same thought as you when i saw this wing. DIY mini Mapping wing sub 250g is the goal.

[@ryanm.191]

Honestly the small fpv market is something completely missed. It just makes sense rather than having to use a car to carry a meter and a half wingspan airframe to a field to fly it isn’t convenient. Something that can strap to the back of a backpack and get thrown in a local park is what’s necessary

[@ILCorvo001]

Been to the UW campus before many times, but I've never seen UW by drone before. It's breathtaking.

[@CactusVR_Official]

Were can I bug this

[@dannolives]

so i pledged support. my hope is that when this is done, there will be a simple list of added things i need to buy, such as a flight controller, batteries, ardupilot, remote control unit etc, that i would have to buy and how to mount it. but for 90 bucks? i want to do FPV. i love my mini 3 pro. its excellent. but this looks to me to be cooler than average entry level fpv. i am excited.

[@NanoDex]

Take my money! That thing is awesome!! My experience flying rc planes has always ended with either crashes or a certain boredness of watching the plane fly around from the outside. Always limited by your vision. I always felt like FPV would open up so much more enjoyment to the hobby. It used to be prohibitively technical and costly, that is becoming less the case every day!

[@rjung_ch]

Great collab you two! Thanks! 👍💪✌

[@Rocketman0407]

With the DJI video feed setup can I control the plane itself with a DJI controller as well? I just want a screen on my remote or an iPhone compatible fpv setup streaming trough an app like DJI fly does, not interested in googles.

[@avball79]

Any plans for an update video with the finished product?

[@davetremaine9688]

I've really wanted to get into and make a DIY FPV fixed wing RC plane for a while now and this pops into my lap! Now if I were to back this at Tier 3(with the basic electronics,) what else would I need to fly this with FPV goggles and roughly what else would it cost? Explain it to me like I know nothing, because that's pretty much true.

[@tb6638]

seems like a lot to ask for a reply on a youtube comment. If you are unable to google, you are unable to build anything fpv. stick to mavics buddy.

[@davetremaine9688]

Interesting level of gate keeping considering this is a video to promote a project that's sole purpose is to lower the barrier of entry into the hobby. @@tb6638

[@BobHannent]

Doh, I wasn't planning on getting an fpv drone but frankly that kit price is reasonably priced even with delivery abroad.

[@MaxWithTheSax]

Please do publish ardupilot settings once you have the final version tuned

[@Maccaroney]

Very cool. Would love to see people race these.

[@Tay-ky3fi]

why is that drone blurred out?

[@SamCyanide]

I clicked on the Kickstarter expecting it to be like $550 or something, I have absolutely no frame of reference for this besides drones and other tech style kickstarters. Absolutely hopping in for 90 bucks with everything. Haven't flown FPV in forever, excited for this thing.

[@Ghent_Halcyon]

Wow that looks way better than a quad, controls better too.

[@adamlewis6532]

why the blur on the 8 rotor cinema quad?

[@EfficientRVer]

To get 1000 people to ask that question, to feed the KZbin algorithm. Or to keep some secret from you or the FAA.

[@billyvray]

Is there any way to have a small cross hair in the center of the view?

[@Raven3one]

....why is the cine lifter being blurred out?

[@s9josh778]

I'm interested, but battery and controller are not mentioned. What's the plan for that?

[@scottmclaughlin1410]

Cool plane, I wonder if you could get an injection molded cage/pod for the electronics so it could sit in the foam fuselage and wings and have attachment points but stay mostly open for cooling

[@Chillin-fpv]

That thing looks pretty fun. I fly fpv quads and cant get enough of it. Love these videos. Its even cooler youre in Seattle. But why were you bluring out the fpv quad?

[@EfficientRVer]

Probably to only prove consciousness of guilt, rather than proving a specific FAA violation. Personally I find it inadvisable for anyone to post a video proving either.

[@Okamika44]

Does this need a flight controller to be stable? or can flown reliably in a "dumb" build?

[@bubblezovlove7213]

It actually hurts to watch this. Ive been limited by a super bad back for so long now that nearly all of my hobbies are gone. Now theres fpv. I would have LOVED that....

[@bubblezovlove7213]

But like the Murphys.... I'm not bitter. Its just a real heavy bummer.... I really must get flying at least my boomerangs again.....

[@RadimentriX]

huh, why was the drone blurred? o,o

[@BartJBols]

Would it be difficult or expensive to turn it into a craft that will fly a certain preplanned path while filming, then return home? Would i need much more then the basic pack?

[@andrewwilkey6195]

Would it be possible to bolt on a gimbal, thermal camera and transmitter to the nose or would that be too much weight for the structure?

[@rctestflight]

If you have a bolt, gimbal, thermal camera and transmitter that weigh less than ~30 grams then yes, its definitely possible 🤣

[@andrewwilkey6195]

@@rctestflight the camera would be 30 grams alone lol

[@shoeman256]

Why did you blur his drone?

[@cbale2000]

It would be nice if there was a backer tier that included like an entry-level control system as well for those of us with no idea where to start with picking out/building a drone control system. I've been flying DJI mini drones for a while now, and before that have had some experience with 6-channel RC radios for various things, but I'd have no clue where to start with setting up something like ArduPilot or even tuning a controller, let alone setting up FPV. If not a backer-tier then perhaps even just a "how to get your 'Flik' up and running" guide that includes some recommended control builds and where to get them.

[@twd892]

Sick build! Would it be worth surface mounting a teeny tiny heatsink to the dji and having it just breach through the top fuselage? Should help with the thermal dissipation a little, both on the move and whilst stationary giving you longer to work with and less chance of frying expensive modules😋

[@fa-ajn9881]

With the NACA duct in the front, is there an exhaust vent as well?

[@KilianP-my3oe]

Does it come with all the parts so i can just assemble and fly it

[@JekleFPV]

What's the weight of this thing? And can you tell us anything about the airfoils: profile used, twist, anything like that?

[@timd1191]

Man this looks super fun.

[@paveldvorak8245]

What milling bit do you use? If it isn´t secret can you write feed and rpm? Surface looks little bit furry, but not too much.

[@TakeItToTheGround]

Cool. Lot's of INAV builds for the RMRC Nano Goblin which is very similar in size & proportions. You then have access to plenty of other peoples inav's settings, including pids, which would be a good start for this wing. If you are aiming for quad pilots who use betaflight normally, then INAV interface will be very familiar to them.