Hi friends of Pololu Robotics & Electronics,
I would like to introduce myself briefly. My name is Lars, I am from Berlin, Germany and I have been building RC model airplanes for over 50 years.
Over the decades, the construction of my model airplanes has remained virtually the same, I love it and build primarily from wood, but the technologies and tools have changed. These days I develop models entirely in 3D with Fusion360, use among many other tools, 3D printers and a Stepcraft 3-axis milling machine to create parts.
Especially with remote control technology a lot has changed. Everything can be programmed and mixed and I love the philosophy of Jeti a manufacturer of remote control systems and other electronic components.
In my new project, a C-123 Provider, in scale 1:12, which I have been working on for 2 years, a Pololu Mini Maestro 12 servo Controller is used for the first time. This device should control the landing gear and Pololu support, who I recently had contact with, thought it would be a good idea to present this project here.
The picture shows the status 3 months ago (a lot has happened in the meantime):
If anyone is interested in the history, there are 3 videos on YouTube of the machine. One video is about the design, another one shows the construction of the nose gear and the complicated gear doors and a longer clip documents the construction.
The first Rollout will be in April this year and it is scheduled to make also its maiden flight this year … but to do that, the retractable gear is supposed to retract and also extend by a switch on the remote control and the Pololu has to choreograph all the flaps and the landing gear itself correctly. I am currently working on this complex task.
If anyone is interested, he can read the build diary on RCScalebuilder.com, where I blog extensively about this machine.
At the moment I’m still gathering first experiences with my Pololu and I still have too many questions. Unfortunately I don’t know any script language either, although I earn my money as a software analyst. But not on code level. However, even if I am completely new in this topic, I am confident that I can learn enough to solve this task … but it will take his time.
Currently I am testing and working with the Pololu online documentation and using Chat GPT to understand sample scripts … actually it is still quite chinese for me.
If I have specific questions, problems that I am stuck on, I will contact for sure this community … and it is more than likely that I will need your help pretty soon
Until then.
all the best from Berlin,
Lars