Introduction: 3D Printed FPV Rover V2.0

About: Like to make stuff

This is the second version of the FPV-Rover. A lot of people requested to have one version with 540 motors (brushed and brushless) and here it is.

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Links:

Nerf Dart Launcher Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/id/Nerf-Darf-Launch...

Nerf Dart Launcher Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3835285

GoPro Mount: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1936491

Rubber Gun: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1269962

Trailer: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1700138

Latest update 27.03.2020

This is the next major update of the FPV-Rover.
A lot of parts have been redesigned to save material and print time and to reduce support on the parts needed. Some changes:

- less material in main body
- camera cutout in main body smaller
- enforeced ventilation holes in the inner frames
- cutout in the inner frame to have more space
- less material in outer frame
- ability do screw external modifications to the outer frame (new projects)
- added a bevel gear with a ratio of 4:1 additional to 2:1. This reduces motor overheating and increases torque
- new ESC mount

Step 1: Parts to Print

Find all parts you need on Printables as well

https://www.printables.com/model/3150-fpv-rover-v20-tank

I printed the rover in PETG and the tank track in PLA. PLA will work as well for the rover. The bevel gears were printed in PLA and the second one in Taulman Nylon. So far I see no problems with PLA.

for the rubber tracks I used Ninjaflex and glued them to the tracks with CA glue.

2x main cog front

2x main cog rear (needs support)

16x small cog

1x body (needs support)

2x outer frame

2x big bevel gear (use 4:1 for less heat and more torque)

2x small bevel gear (I recommend strong filament like Nylon) (use 4:1 for less heat and more torque)

2x motor mounting bracket

2x ESC mount

1x inner frame left (or inner frame left high)

1x inner frame right (or inner frame right high)

1x front cover (needs support)

1x rear cover

64x tank track

64x rubber track for tank track

Step 2: Parts You Need (BOM)

Here is the list with all necessary parts for the FPV-Rover

Unfortunately, there was somehow a crash on this site and I have to add all parts again. Sorry for this.

2x Brushless Motors (17.5T or 21.5T) recommended or 2x Brushed Motor (45T or 55T)

2x Brushless ESC (recommended) or 2x Brushed ESC

2x Heat Sink (only for brushed motors)

1x Programming Card (for Brushless ESC)

6x M2 x 6mm Socket Cap Screw

2x M2 Nuts

6x M3 x 10mm Button Head Screw

4x M3 x 12mm Button Head Screw

16x M3 Nuts

8x 24mm x 15mm x 5mm Bearings

16x 16mm x 8mm x 5mm Bearings

6x M3 x 8mm Flat Head Screws

6x M3 x 10mm Socket Cap Screws (only necessary for the high version in step 6)

18x M3 x 12mm Socket Cap Strews (only necessary for the high version in step 6)

12x M3 x 4.6mm x 5.7mm Threaded Inserts (only necessary for the high version in step 6)

24x 4mm x 2mm Magnet

1x 5g Micro Servo

12x M3 x 50mm Socket Head Screws

1x Front Camera

1x Rear Camera (8mm x 8mm or 12mm x 12mm)

1x FPV Switch

1x FPV Antenna (depending on your fpv-transmitter, use SMA or RP-SMA)

128x M3 x 14mm Socket Cap Screw

Step 3: Prepare Motor

Add two nuts into the holes in the mounting brackets.
Attach the motor to the motor mounting bracket by using the M3x10mm button head screws.

Add one M2 nut in each small bevel cog and push it onto the motor shaft. You can screw the M2x6mm screw into the hole, but do not secure the bevel gear right now. It has do be adjusted afterwards.

Unscrew the heatsink from the fan (that will be used later). Cut down the holders from the fan and attach it to the motor.

Step 4: Prepare Main Cogs and Small Cogs

You need 2 front main cogs, 2 rear main cogs and 16 small cogs (8 each side).

For the main cogs you need 8 bearings (24x15x5) and for the small cogs 16 bearings (16x8x5). Insert one bearing on each side of the main cogs.

Step 5: Assemble Left and Right Track Frame (normal Version)

Place the cogs into the outer frame.

To mount the fan into the inner frame, use the M3x12mm screws which were in the cooling set. It is sufficient so use 2 screws. Take care of the direction. The fan has to push air into the rover.

As the fans are for 5v, you can solder them to the cable leading to the receiver. The ESC have an integrated BEC for 5v and that fits perfectly.

Both ESC have an on/off switch. You can leave the switch on the ESC and glue them with the hot glue gun into the frame. I unsoldered the switch and connected the two pins. That means, that the ESC are always on, as soon as you pug in a battery.
When you do this, put some hot glue on the pins, so that the ESC is waterproof again.

I put some thick double side tape on the ESC to stay on the frame. Secure the ESC with the bracket and 2 M3 x 8mm Phillips countersunk screws.

Connect the motor to the ESC and place it into the frame. Mount the motor to the frame with 2 M3 x 8mm Phillips countersunk screws.

Pace the inner frame with all components on the outer frame with the cogs. Screw the big bevel gear on the rear main cog with a M3 x 10mm button head screw.
Now you can adjust the small bevel gear on the motor shaft and secure it with the M2 x 5mm screw.

Step 6: Assemble Left and Right Track Frame (high Version)

This step is only necessary if you want to use the high version. Only the inner frames high (left and right) are new and have to be printed, if you want to build the high version.

Use a soldering station to insert the threaded inserts into the two inner frames. Each inner frame needs 6 inserts.

CNC Kitchen did a nice video how to do this.

Before you screw the motor to the frame, attach the ESC. In this version it's a little bit tricky to do it afterwards. After the motor is secured to the inner frame, you can mount it to the body. User M3 x 12mm for the top and M3 x 10mm for the bottom.

After that, use 6 M3 x 12mm screws to attach the outer frame to the inner frame

Step 7: Prepare Main Body

Nuts and magnets

Insert 12x M3 nuts into the right places. These will secure the outer frames with the main body.

Insert 10x 4mm x 2mm magnets into the right holes. These will secure the front and back cover. both will only be hold in place by the magnets and are strong enough.

Servos

For the tilt mechanism for the LED and the camera, you need a 5g servo. Both, LED and camera will be controlled by only one servo. cut off one side (see image), so that it fits into the position. Use a hot glue gun to glue the servo to the body. Before doing this, find the center position and attach the servo horn.

Camera, LED and switch

The front camera and LED light do have a frame to be attached. For the front camera you need 4x M2 x 6mm screws.
At the moment, the IR-Mode does not work, because I'm waiting for a switch to turn this on and off. Therefore the LED does not to be powered up. We will install it anyway.

Place the FPV-switch to the right side of the front camera. There should be enough space. Glue it down with hot glue.

First insert the LED mount into the hole in there body. Put the camera mount left bracket on the other side of the LED mount. Secure the bracket with hot glue to the body.

Assemble the camera holder with the camera to the left bracket. Push the right camera mount bracket onto the other side of the camera holder and secure it with hot glue to the body

Tilt-mechanism

For the tilt-mechanism you need a 0.8mm rod. The camera needs about 45mm length, the LED about 69mm.

Step 8: Prepare the Top Cover

For the top you need, additional to the printed parts, one 40mm fan, one FPV-antenna and 4x 4mm x 2mm magnets.

The two L-shaped parts needs to be glued to the back of the top part.

The front lock consists of two parts each side. Glue the magnets into the prepared holes. Punt the L-shaped part into the hole of the other, so that the magnets hold both parts together. Now you can glue it to the top part.

Use a hot glue gun to attach the fan and the FPV-antenna to the top.

Now you can glue the bracket that holds the FPV-transmitter to the top part.

Step 9: Assemble Main Body

You need 4mm x 2mm magnets for the front cover, rear cover and tow-bar plugs. Glue them into the right place using CA glue.

To attach the outer frames to the main body, us M3 x 50mm cap head screws.

Step 10: Assemble the Two Tank Tracks

Each tank track needs 32 tracks and 64 M3x14mm cap head screws. I recommend printing the rubber tracks as well. I just did this for every second track.

You can glue the rubber tracks with CA glue to the tracks.

Step 11: Done

If you are using a Taranis, you can start with my settings.

Camera tilt: left stick (throttle)

Throttle / Steering: right stick

FPV-Switch: Switch A

Expo: Switch D

  • down: no expo
  • middle: full throttle, 50% steering
  • up: 50% throttle, 40% steering