Hello, I am looking for a proven 3D-printable VTOL fixed-wing project.
My current favourite is the Flightory Stork VTOL, but I would like to hear from people who have actually built and flown it. I have a Bambu P2S printer and would prefer a 4+1 QuadPlane rather than a complicated tiltrotor.
My priorities are:
– reliable printing and assembly,
– readily available motors, ESCs and carbon tubes,
– ArduPilot support and tested parameter files,
– good endurance in fixed-wing cruise,
– room for approximately 300–500 g of useful payload,
– total electronics and airframe budget of approximately €400–700.
Could owners please share:
– actual empty weight and all-up weight,
– battery configuration,
– hover current and cruise current,
– verified flight time and distance,
– real payload carried,
– weak points or parts that needed redesigning,
– total build cost,
– ArduPilot parameter file or flight log?
I am also considering the Super Stingray VTOL and Stallion VTOL. Which one is currently the most mature and best supported?
there are tons. what are you planning to use this for? i would also recommend a tail sitter aircraft
Thanks for asking. At first, this would mainly be a hobby and educational project. I would like to build a larger and more advanced aircraft together with my eight-year-old son, while learning how VTOL systems, flight controllers, propulsion and ArduPilot configuration work.
I am looking for a proven project that includes printable files, a complete bill of materials and recommended motors, ESCs, servos, propellers, carbon tubes and other components. I would prefer to follow a tested configuration rather than design the whole aircraft from scratch for my first build.
In the future, I would also like to install a small camera or other lightweight equipment. I may use the aircraft for demonstrations and educational projects with university students, so a reasonably large payload compartment and easy access to the electronics would be useful.
I am open to considering a tailsitter, especially if it is simpler, reliable and has better endurance. However, I am currently leaning towards a 4+1 QuadPlane because the transition seems easier to understand and the aircraft can take off and land in a conventional horizontal position.
Do you know a specific tailsitter or QuadPlane project that has been built by many people and comes with a complete, tested parts list and ArduPilot parameters?
Just to clarify what I am looking for: for our first VTOL build, we would really like to choose something proven and well documented rather than experiment with an untested design.
Our goal is to print and assemble a complete aircraft that has already been successfully built and flown by other people, using a tested combination of motors, ESCs, servos, propellers, flight controller and battery. Ideally, it should also have a complete bill of materials, recommended print settings and working ArduPilot parameters.
I understand that there are many VTOL projects available, but it is difficult to judge which ones actually work well in practice. Is there anyone here who has built two or three different designs and can compare them?
For example:
– which design was the easiest to print and assemble,
– which one flew reliably without major redesigns,
– which one had structural or stability problems,
– which one had the best transition between hover and fixed-wing flight,
– which one offered the best flight time and useful payload,
– and which one would you personally recommend as a first serious VTOL project?
We are not necessarily looking for the most advanced or highest-performance aircraft. We would rather buy the correct components the first time and build something that has a good chance of working properly.
Any real-world experience with the Flightory Stork VTOL, Super Stingray VTOL, Stallion VTOL, or a proven tailsitter would be greatly appreciated. Even a short comparison or warning about a specific design would be very helpful.