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Testing Inspire1 floats for water take off and landings

lake_flyer

lake_flyer

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My son was a kind of shaky with the smartphone camera. And it was getting dark quickly after the beach finally got deserted by the sunbathers. But it gives a good idea of how it floats and flies. Quite good. But honestly, I would want a slightly wider diameter float for more buoyancy, when the waves are higher. Not sure if they are available in a different diameter.
 
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You really grabbed onto that pool noodle thing! It looks great. How about a detail of how you fastened it? Most of my flying is over water and I wouldn't mind the extra bit of "salvage insurance" if it ditched.
 
Pescatoral Pursuit said:
You really grabbed onto that pool noodle thing! It looks great. How about a detail of how you fastened it? Most of my flying is over water and I wouldn't mind the extra bit of "salvage insurance" if it ditched.
Click to expand...
just velcro straps all around and through the legs.
 
Pescatoral Pursuit said:
No small pvc pipes through the noodles to add rigidity between landing gear? Think that would help?
Click to expand...
Interesting idea. No, I cut some notches in the noodles to sink the feet in for half an inch. The velcro holds it firmly in place.
These noodles are not hollow, i know there are also hollow ones that could be stuffed with a pipe. But I could only get these.
 
You mentioned "Beach" as in salt water? Does not the prop wash of salt water spray pose a threat to shorting out/ rusting metal and electronic components? Just curious!
 
Well done I hope you have achieved what you set out to do now please stop making me change my underwear & stay away from the water unless its an emergency, as you know what happens the more something is done the greater the risk. Great work simple design & no safety or performance problems apart from a little extra weight evenly distributed that wont move.
I will be saving this design & will let you know if I ever need to implement it.
 
lake_flyer said:
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My son was a kind of shaky with the smartphone camera. And it was getting dark quickly after the beach finally got deserted by the sunbathers. But it gives a good idea of how it floats and flies. Quite good. But honestly, I would want a slightly wider diameter float for more buoyancy, when the waves are higher. Not sure if they are available in a different diameter.
Click to expand...


I used a 4.5 inch pool noodle purchased from a local Walmart. They're lightweight, rigid, and only sit about 1/3 of the way into the water. iPhone video is not the best, but it shows how it sits in the water.

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BRENT HABBESHAW said:
You mentioned "Beach" as in salt water? Does not the prop wash of salt water spray pose a threat to shorting out/ rusting metal and electronic components? Just curious!
Click to expand...
I would not recommend to land on salt water. I use it on the lake and other freshwater bodies hence my name 'lake_flyer'. However, if I need to fly over salt water it is still good to know that my I1 will not sink when it would auto land on water or even fall out of the sky. The salt will damage a lot though.
 
djhefner said:
I used a 4.5 inch pool noodle purchased from a local Walmart. They're lightweight, rigid, and only sit about 1/3 of the way into the water. iPhone video is not the best, but it shows how it sits in the water.

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Click to expand...
Cool indeed. I can't get these over here, only the 3 inch version.

But I changed the design a bit and now it floats really high.
2016-08-27 21.55.40.jpg
 

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I decided I wanted to have at least twice the buoyancy needed. Even if one of the floats would become detached in a crash on the water, the other one is able to keep the I1 afloat (it will be submerged totally though, hanging on to the one float) until it's salvaged. Total buoyancy is now around 6.5Kg, more than enough for an I1/X3. The added weight is minimal.

I tried it in 7m/s wind and it still was flyable and felt safe enough to be usable. Only in fast panning I sometimes got a part of the floats in the image.Top speed is impacted of course.
 

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