LOHAN's handsome young autopilot springs into life

It's been a couple of weeks since the Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) team took delivery of a brand-spanking new 3D Robotics Pixhawk autopilot for the Vulture 2 spaceplane, and we've now whipped out our original ArduPilot Mega (APM) 2.6 and hooked up the new kit for a quick test. Here's the Pixhawk up and running …

[frank ly]

Just wondering ...

For the final assembly, will you be making proper wiring looms with lacing cord and cable trays bolted to the inside of the fuselage? It would look really good if you did.

[Vortex]

Paint Job

C'mon Lester, don't tease us with mere glimpses of the new paint job. Are you embarrassed about a scratch or something?

[Lester Haines]

Re: Paint Job

Paintjob's ongoing. Further tease: http://www.flickr.com/photos/registerparis/12203336633/

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Paint Job

Nice. and 50 images later I come across the wire-frame models and wonder what the helix is for....and many clicks later, lo-and-behold, an image of the inside of the top that show that they're strength members...absolutely slick!

[Peter Simpson 1]

Pitot heater?

Don't want to end up like Air France, do we, now?

// a bit piggish with the limited battery power, though

[Cliff]

You need a playmobil dog too.

Autopilots etc - old aviation gag...

Can be flown by a pilot and a dog. The dog's job is to stop anyone touching the controls, the pilot's job is to feed the dog.

You need a playmobil dog.

[Lester Haines]

Re: You need a playmobil dog too.

Funnily enough, we have a few playmomutts...

[Kubla Cant]

Buzzer???

[Lester Haines]

Yes, the Pixhawk plays "music" to let you know all is well. Haven't heard its dulcite warning tones yet. Just as well, cos it's bloody loud.

[nagyeger]

C of G

I hope that no one is forgetting what the careful placement of bits does to the centre of gravity / mass... it could be embarrassing if it wanders too far. from spec

[Lester Haines]

Re: C of G

All taken into consideration.

[Will Godfrey]

Ye Gods!

It's got fins, a snout and eyes! It's an air-shark

[Peter Simpson 1]

Re: Ye Gods!

if it's an air-shark, it will need a frickin' laser attached to it, no?

[Lester Haines]

Re: Re: Ye Gods!

Very tempting.

[Faye B]

Re: Ye Gods!

I think that's what the metal tube pointing out the front is for. (It makes more sense than a pitot tube).

[Andy The Hat]

Silly question but wouldn't a flush mounted super-blindo LED and a flush finish el-crappo-time safety switch be better aerodynamically than standard el-naffo panel fittings?

[Mark 85]

The only thing I can think of is...

well done!!! It all looks very fit and proper and appears to rival what the "big boy" are doing. 40 years ago, I played with the Estes rockets... who would have thought it could come to this?

[Peter Simpson 1]

Don't forget

Flotation (just in case) to gurantee positive bouyancy, and a very waterproof and highly visible name and address label (in case it washes up on some foreign shore)!

[cosymart]

Re: Don't forget

Speaking of foreign shores... What you also need then is an automatic flag slider (Think 007 number plates on the Aston Martin DB5). This could be linked to the GPS and programmed to change when crossing the border. We don't want our hero Playmonaut to be banged up for illegal entry.

[John Jennings]

Attaboyz

This is one of the most impressive projects on the 'net I have ever seen. With Paris, and now this. Great work one and all on this.

Even if it all ends in a mighty fireball or a Pfft......