Suggestion for which Arduino board for micro RC jet project

Products & Technology Arduino & Seeeduino
#1

Just need some suggestions on a micro RC jet that I’m looking to build. Looking around both in the RC forums/sites/YouTube videos, it doesn’t look like anyone has taken it upon themselves to such a most likely difficult task.

Now I do understand that there are already micro parts out already that are readily available but for my project, I’m going to still need a bunch of parts considering how many channels I’m going to need to control.

I need to control up to 10 channels from a device such as the motors (engines), servos, and landing gear.

So I know that with the Arduino, you can control a bunch of channels with 1 board and extend it with daughter boards if needed to control more. I’m not sure how many channels each type of board can control.

At the moment, it looks like the Seeeduino XIAO is the smallest yet also most likely the lightest out of all the Arduino boards. But I’m wondering if it has the capability to handle all the programming that will be needed in order to control the aircraft.

The things that I will need to control on the aircraft are as follows;

  1. Ailerons 2x
  2. Flaps 2x
  3. Tailerons 2x
  4. Motors 2x but should speed should be matched and controlled by the separate ESC
  5. Landing Gear

So off the top of me head, there’s currently a total of 8 things that need to be controlled by the board. I did see one video of a guy who used a gyroscope board to help control the aircraft but that’s an additional add-on and not a requirement for my setup.

What is required tho, is the ability to do things such as disabling the ailerons when the wings are in a swept back position since they will greatly interfere with flight ability making it very difficult to control, if possible at all with the scale I’m looking to build at. Also during the swept back wing mode, the tailerons will need to operate at about half the degree range.

So, I’m hoping that there is an Arduino that fits my weight/capabilities requirements. When I say weight, I’m talking not in terms of ounces, but in grams.

#2

You need to test it and optimize the code appropriately, and it should be fine. @xyberz

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#3

Awesome! So that means it should work right? Where would I find the coding to deal with servos and variables to operate them with?

Also no where lists the weight of the Arduino boards. Would you happen to know where I could find that info? If not then I’ll just buy one and measure it myself. Love the fact of how inexpensive these things are. Makes it such a wonderful hobby to get into without going broke!

#4

I find these Meduino’s are great for most of my projects. They are small and have the power or a Mega. 4 hardware serial ports and lots of input/outputs. They seem perfect for your project. https://www.electronics-lab.com/meduino-mega2560-pro-mini-board/ SNO

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#5

I’m still new to Arduino and don’t know it’s full capabilities yet. I currently own the Arduino Uno which is physically too big for my project, hence the search for the smallest yet most capable version for my application.

My overall sized plane will be around 100 grams or so at the current design. Unfortunately they don’t list weights of the boards themselves so it’s hard to judge just by looking at the pictures.

Also how many devices can the Arduino control? Baozhu responded back that it should work with all the motors I’m looking to control. It will either be 9 or 10 devices in total.