Retractable Landing Gear (mod) for Solo

Earldgrayjr · Oct 21, 2015

This guy has made retractable landing gear for Solo that are controlled by the Solo remote!!

RETRACTS!! - Hackster.io

Not a mod for the faint of heart, but pretty cool....

Just as interesting... Look closely at the cover picture....I believe I spy both upper and lower LIDAR units?

I wonder??? Could this be collision avoidance?

Jubalr · Oct 21, 2015

Very interesting. Especially the part about the easter egg in the controller that allows you to use the pause button as CH 7.

User Name · Oct 21, 2015

Things like this back up my decision to go with the Solo. Not that I think I'd implement this mod, but seeing what's possible and how easy it is to configure in Mission Planner is impressive.

As with modifying anything, though, at some point you start to negatively impact the overall system. I'd be curious what the flight times are with the added weight of the 4 servos. On my homebuilt 250, after I was comfortable flying it, I added a camera. Then I had to add an FPV transmitter. After that, I couldn't resist adding a telemetry radio... and then my flight times were cut in 1/2 between the added weight and power usage!

IceFyre13th · Oct 21, 2015

Earldgrayjr said:
Just as interesting... Look closely at the cover picture....I believe I spy both upper and lower LIDAR units?

I wonder??? Could this be collision avoidance?

This hack he did covers those ..... Spherical Video with Kodak 360 - Hackster.io

Earldgrayjr · Oct 21, 2015

IceFyre13th said:
This hack he did covers those ..... Spherical Video with Kodak 360 - Hackster.io

Ahhh... That makes sense. I have seen some of the hroizontal Lidar systems look like that

Can't wait ffor some of these to hit the streets.

baldguy · Jan 7, 2016

This is a $3.00 1/2" X 3/32" aluminum bar solution. It's not nearly as cool as the retractable gear but maybe this will work too. I just completed the mod tonight and, weather permitting, I'll try a flight tomorrow. Hopefully I won't have anymore left-leg in my wide angle shots.

CanadianSolo · Feb 10, 2016

haha maybe paint it black so its not such an eye sore? Nice idea though...

Nathan Grennan · Feb 16, 2016

It seems like it would be easier to 3D print a whole new leg in the same shape as this metal one. You could design it to have the same dimensions at the point of contact with the body, and not require any modification. You could also print it in black.

Robert Ritzenthaler · May 10, 2016

When someone comes up with a leg to print let me know.

Pedals2Paddles · May 10, 2016

Is it safe to assume that this will defeat the Pause/Break functions?

baldguy · May 10, 2016

Pedals2Paddles, actually this ended up as a "fail" in the sense the leg would still show up if I used the wide angle and flew pretty aggressively. Too bad because I really like the wide angle view but I don't like seeing legs. I'm thinking about another lens. Here's the test flight. I posted it some time ago but I don't know where it went.